AMC's First-Ever Mid-Engine Prototype Is Finally Getting the Restoration it Deserves

Back in the late 1960s, AMC thought it would be a good idea to break into the high performance sector with an exotic mid-engine supercar. Dubbed the AMX/3, it would compete against some of Europe’s finest exotics, packing a massive American V-8 and stunning looks. Except it wouldn’t, because the project was canceled before production ever started.

Just a handful of prototypes exist, and the one you see here is the very first. According to Hemmings, this particular AMX/3 was born out of a collaboration between Giotto Bizzarrini and Giorgetto Giugiaro at Italdesign (AMC outsourced the design of the AMX/3 overseas). BMW—which was in collaboration talks with AMC at the time—was tasked with quality assurance for the AMX/3, and used this very car to test things like rigidity, handling, and top speed. It was even reportedly given an internal BMW designation—E18. It’s worth noting that BMW’s museum wasn’t able to confirm this when Hemmings inquired.

After testing had completed, the car was reportedly stripped of its drivetrain, and spent the next few years in Europe inside Bizzarrini’s shop before being shipped to Richard Teague, AMC’s then-head of design, in 1973. From there, it was sold to collector Scotty Dawkins. Dawkins sourced a 390 cubic-inch V-8 for the car, and repainted it in the yellow you see here at some point throughout his ownership. He was also given a bell-housing and transaxle assembly made especially for the car by Teague.

Dawkins kept the car up until his death in 2016. His family has since sold the car and all of its accompanying powertrain parts to Michael Chetcuti and Kyle Evans of Northport, Michigan, who plan on restoring it to full running, driving condition. The duo have created a website so anyone can follow along with the restoration.

The last AMC/3 to make headlines was the second prototype, a restored, running example that sold for $891,000 at Gooding & Company’s Scottsdale auction in January 2017.

AMC/3 number one will be shown in its unrestored form for the final time this weekend at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals in Rosemont, Illinois.

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