I am not of those folks who call themselves an AMC booster. When I was a kid in the 1970s, those shirtless, long-haired neighbors with the Javelins and AMXs scared me with their loud cars. As I got older, I equated Ramblers with cheapness and a lack of style (the same fate that befell Darts, Novas, and Falcons). Nashes or Hudsons were not marques I warmed up to, as fins began to pique my interest in my formative years, and the independents’ output was lacking in style.
So maybe American Motors products didn’t make an imprint on me in my formative years, yet I never developed the impression that AMCs were deficient. No, I never hopped on the viral “Pacers and Matadors are the ugliest cars ever” bandwagon, nor will I heap praise upon the Eagle (née Hornet) being the first crossover. You will not find me claiming the 1957 Rebel was the first muscle car, either.
But there was a time when AMC attempted to compete toe-to-toe with the Big Three, and the scrappy company from Kenosha (really, from Detroit since 1954) did quite well, thank you. The early 1960s may have been AMC’s peak thanks to models offering sportiness and style (like buckets/consoles, and the Tarpon-influenced Marlin), but when the public’s demand for high-performance grew stronger, AMC’s portfolio was lacking. Achieving third place in sales and winning Motor Trend Car of the Year in 1964 could only go so far, so AMC signed Wells, Rich, Greene Inc. to better demonstrate that AMC was all in. If it wasn’t for the purchase of Jeep from Kaiser in 1970, the plucky independent likely wouldn’t have lasted into the 1980s as well as it did.
Now that you’ve heard from a hater, here are the AMCs that move me.
1970 Trans-Am Javelin
The 1970 facelift was spot-on, and there finally was a ram air option too, but what stands out with this special edition is that it arguably had the best paint job during the muscle car era. The red, white, and blue scheme is arresting. The adjustable Kaplan-designed spoiler is unique. The required 390/Hurst four-speed combination plus 3.91 gears was at the top of the heap for AMC’s ponycar. What’s not to like? Maybe that only 100 were built.
1969 “Mod Package” Javelin
While not its official name, any 1969 Javelin painted in Big Bad Blue, Big Bad Green, or Big Bad Orange with painted bumpers, a hood with simulated scoops, reverse C-stripes, roof air foil, and simulated exhaust rocker moldings reflected mod style. Any engine was available, but I’d prefer a 390 four-speed, of course. The colors were available on the AMX too, but why pick what everyone else would choose? That would go against the AMC credo!
1967 Rambler American 343
Real horsepower started to appear at AMC in 1967. The Typhoon 343 featured 280 hp and, when ordered for the American, came standard with a four-speed—in fact, that was the only transmission offered. Think of it as a more stylish (at least in Rogue form) precursor to the SC/Rambler and you wouldn’t be far off. Was available in all body styles except wagons, so an American 220 two-door sedan would be a Q-ship capable of surprising 383 Barracudas. Production is estimated in the low 100s.
1967 Rebel SST
Take a look at any 1968 midsize series out of Detroit and you’ll notice they all were modern redesigns. But AMC introduced the redesigned Rebel the year before, making all of the Big Three’s 1967 midsizers look old in comparison. The top-line SST featured funky simulated air extractors ahead of the rear wheels, which were nicely complemented by protrusions meeting both sides of the front and rear bumpers. Who knew AMC could be such a style leader? The Typhoon 343 was the hottest engine, so not quite in Ram Air GTO territory, but a nice car and a sleeper in today’s market.
1965 Rambler American 440-H
The all-new American that was introduced for 1964 was fresh and modern. Honestly, I prefer its rounded styling to the squared-off look that debuted in 1966. Take the high-line 440-H two-door hardtop and combine it with the funky Twin-Stick Floor Shift overdrive and you’d have a sporty runabout with the possibility of five forward speeds. V-8s wouldn’t appear for another year, but the Twin-Stick was discontinued by then, and that’s a main attraction of this compact.
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