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Right outside my living room window...A


MitchP

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Living here in Berryville VA, right off four-land Rt. 7, can be a good or bad experienced. Bad in that being in a very rural area, there are a combination of asian rockets with bumble-bee coffee can exhaust tips, or double turbo diesel pick-up trucks spouting plumes of smoke as they bellow from the traffic light for no particular reason and even Saleen Mustangs joining the fray.

On the other hand, right across the street a road leading to Summit Point, a road race course of no particular notoriety which however offers Porsche and Ferrari weekends throughout the summer. From my vantage point in the living room, I can take in the latest Corvette, classic red Ferrari and Porsche of just about any year.

This morning and just a while ago, I spotted a unique car which was quite visible. An old American Motors AMX in Chrysler's old bright lime color (the name escapes me although I had a '71 Duster of the same shade) with original wheels and twin wide white stripes from front hood to rear trunklid. That's the good part of living here; you never can tell when a late '60s muscle car will see a sunny day's opportunity to cruise the highway, even an odd pro street or two from diehard ex-mechanics still plying their trade to keep the dream alive.

I guess I can live with the noise and pollution as long as the classics still drop by for a visit...

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Austin, I appreciate your opinions. When my hot rodding days were long over, I flopped a townhouse just before the great mortgage scam and bought a spanking new Suby STI. That was about $38k invested right there. Being in a position much different from my youthful days of scraping up for a set of long tube headers, I had the capitol to ignorantly turn my car over to a hi-po company near my home who blew $8k doing everything wrong and missing the promised target hp/tq, even though they had a blank check!

I had to tow the car over two hours away to another shop which used the computer skills I wanted and did precisely what garnered the end results I wanted. Sadly, my disabilities appeared at the peak of my job and I was "retired" under a handicap (they wouldn't accept telecommuting) and I was forced to sell my car. I now drive a sedate 12 year old Jeep and enjoy a new sport of wintertime driving in the snow with actual ground clearance.

You make valid points. I was lucky enough to be in H.S. in the 70's when muscle cars were still a dime a dozen and my '66 Goat was only $800, my '68 Olds was less than that, and my '68 Road Runner was only $250 fix 'er up. I still kick myself for turning down my folks offer of accepting a '64 1/2 Mustang coupe 289, C6 because it was baby blue with a white vinyl top. (BTW, a beautiful black stock appearing early '70's Chevelle just went by, just a simple humble sound, no showing off). Hmmmmm.

BUT, my friends and I (including such rarities as a what was a 340 six pack 'Cuda if my aging memory serves me) never raced from light to light in broad daylight. Several of us worked at the same burger joint and after closing (midnight), we'd head down a double lane interstate past car dealers and businesses and race a roughly measured quarter mile, risking only ourselves and no traffic whatsoever.

Unlike the days of old where there was a respect for machinery, today there is an arrogance among "ricer" youth to the point where laws are now having to be enforced for the immigrant aspect who choose to wear pants nearly around their knees, proudly displaying boxers for the world. Call me racist if you will, but a Brylcreem hairstyle, stiff denims, even long hair or a mullet are nowhere as "F-U" (as you put it) as the world we live in now. I haven't grown old. Thanks to several of the builders here recognized as top notch, I'm pursuing pro mod adaptations of scratch builds using plain jane Revell kits.

I'm not looking for a fight, so I don't know why I'm being enlightened on today's culture and why I should embrace it as a 2nd coming of hot rodding. It isn't. We knew that MSD, Accel and Summit decals didn't add 5 hp, we were never naive enough to believe that an electric fan stuffed in front of an MAF (they didn't even exist on my cars) would be called a "turbo" when in reality the drag on the electric system actually reduces any possible hp gains and we sure knew that an aluminum or fiberglass hood had a purpose to lighten a car, not just look cool and eventually fade like these knock-off asian carbon-fiber debacles. Cutting springs to lower a car with no knowledge of how it affects handling is just plain silly.

It took a long time for drag racers to realize that long smoky trips down the 1320 weren't conducive to e.t.'s. It took a while in the early to mid 70's to realize fire burnouts were pretty and pretty dangerous.

My life is challenged Austin. I won't cry on your shoulder, but I suffer from a broken tailbone which can't be removed and degenerative disc disease which is inoperable as well. I'm on the FDA controlled max of 120mgs of opiate a day for pain relief and it still doesn't help. After 5 years, it's only turned me into a junkie. However, I hate to think of how I'd be without it. God is good to me and my family. As roughly quoted from Romans: "Suffering brings perseverance, perseverance brings hope". I believe that. My post was saying that in spite of the unwelcome noise from those who believe their behavior on the highways is warranted, sometimes the classics and the beauty of those who acknowledge the fragile beauty of a car (much like a butterfly) should be treasured and tested only in the confines and safety of a sanctioned area.

I apologize if my post angered you in any way.

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Mitchell that color was Big Bad Green. I once had a '69 but it wasn't that color (Bright Yellow). That's an interesting story! I live on a very busy road as well but not much interesting passes my way very often-------at least at the times I'm noticing.

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Mitchell reading your latest post got me to thinking about my own time in high school ('70's) and what was in the parking lot, and on the roads back then.

The parking lot was filled with what were then dirt cheap "muscle cars" and the oddball foreign jobs that just aren't seen anymore. Back in those days it was nothing to get a '67 Impala 427 (circa 1977) for maybe $1500 in very good shape. Now that same car can be $40,000+ in pristine shape, and so it goes. There were VW Beetles, Renault Dauphines, Karmann Ghia's, 'Cuda's, 442's, Road Runners, Corvairs, I could go on and on.

I guess the point I'm making is that each succeeding generation will have what appeals to them, just like those cars appealed to us back in our high school days, but our parents hated.

Who knows what might appeal to young ones thirty years from now---------some may say not the cars of today. However in 1960 no one wanted 1955-57 Chevrolets, as they were just another car back then. You've seen the price of excellent condition ones lately no?? :D

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Mr. O: Oh yeah, the high school days.,. My folks were paranoid they'd let me drive my Goat to and from work (and pay $100 r&b every month), but I could never drive my beloved car to school. The school rich boy had a red '68 Vette 'vert and he'd light up the parking lot regularly with his posi. How badly I wanted to shut him down with my bored out 421, big cam and huge bogging secondaries, but I never got the chance. Go thing too, because he was tearing up the lot one day and scattered that 10 bolt from here to never-never land :lol:

I guess I have my folks to thank after all for the restraint I learned. My last car worthy of racing was a '93 Mustang, 5.0 with heads, cam, intake and a centrifugal blower. It ran a best of 10.80 at 128 on an uphill track where the owner couldn't spell VHT, much less use it. That was granny shifting the stock T-5.

My original post wasn't about so much the style of cars or what's available (Lord knows those TV auction houses took a licking when the Hemi Cuda's devalued by 20-30%), it's about the attitude, the "F-you" - 10-15 mph over the posted limit isn't fast enough for me tactics that's killed people on this interstate that runs through my rural town. Even children aren't protected, as demonstrated by the crosses and teddy bears by the side of intersections. Commuters to and from D.C. blow through our 45 mph limit on this section of highway with driveways and the horns blast as you try to gauge their oncoming speed. Local sheriffs always have an excuse as to why they can't monitor this area, even though the nationwide decibel limit is 93 (as set by CARB limits to my knowledge).

Austin's post insinuated my life was bad or something and the link was clearly off-topic. I thought sharing a simple opinion about the nature of a solitary AMX standing the test of time was o.k. but I guess not? Anyway, I'll stick to modeling and skip the free-thinking part of this site. :blink:

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Austin's post insinuated my life was bad or something and the link was clearly off-topic. I thought sharing a simple opinion about the nature of a solitary AMX standing the test of time was o.k. but I guess not? Anyway, I'll stick to modeling and skip the free-thinking part of this site. :blink:

Well I'm glad that the attitude got better. What my post was trying to say is that "The glory days" of cars never came to an end, maybe for your tastes but not for others. Also if your not looking for an argument why do you insist on making two points trying to shove my opinion into the ground? :blink: I'd make a joke about a few totally unnecessary things you mentioned earlier they were way off topic and should be kept off the forums (Even in the rules here that everyone has read) but hey I have some integrity. All I'm going to say is that if you put down something else other people enjoy expect for someone to say something about it. I have my opinion and you have yours, just don't shove yours down my (Or others) throat and issues don't arise. And as for the AMX it's easily one of my favorite AMC cars, right behind it's bigger brother the Javelin. Heck I'm even working on bashing two Jo-han glues bombs and many other parts from other kits to make '70 AMX that I plan on painting BBG.

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Austin: Maybe it was a Javelin and not an AMX. I gotta check out Google and compare some pics. If there are rules that say I shouldn't have an opinion about noise control outside my own house because of illegal exhaust modifications to Hondas, turbo diesels, sports bikes or even the non-existent exhaust on Harleys, please point them out to me. I left a site because there were so many rules just in the builds and contests alone it was staggering. I hope a simple observation of noise pollution isn't a lack of freedom of speech here. I looked at the forums and chose where I thought my observation was appropriate.

I am 57, and now 5 years into an unexpected series of disabilities. I didn't like noisy or dangerous drivers before then though. I don't favor "the Don" advertising Dynomax mufflers (or Dynoflow) on the tube honking on it while towing a trailer. Heck, my hero John Force knows better than that and he's 65! I guess I would have expected a reply or replies on the subject of seeing the classics around town or on the road, not a spanking on how I'm ignorant to the changing times.

Let's just let it go. If you'd like, I'll ask the moderator to pull the thread entirely. Peace.

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Austin:

FWIW: I found this on the 'net, listed as a Javelin, although not indicative of a factory release :rolleyes: :

1968-AMC-Javelin-511.jpg

Most of the pics were of the later year models with the trans-am type fender flares. As for the AMX release, I'd have to say from my vantage point it was representative of this beauty: 1970-amc-amx-2.jpg

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The Javelin is four inches longer the the AMX, to accommodate the backseat. The AMX's roofline was straight down to the rear, but the Javelin was a more sloping roof line. So that might help you in deciding whether it was a AMX or Javelin.

My dad has a '69 that came from Texas in gold. It's now red. Came from the factory with a 390 with a auto, but he made the conversion for auto to manual. Fun cars.

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DynoMight: I could be wrong or forgetting, but I thought AMC also had a 340 ci as an option in either or both of these cars. I always thought it strange because my Duster (1st car owned) was a 318, three on the tree. I was such a fool. My folks too me shopping in Manassas, VA at just about every used car dealership. Not only did I turn down that cherry 289 Mustang coupe, but an early 70's 302 fastback Mustang because it was single exhaust; a "Hurst Under Glass" era pale yellow 'Cuda coupe with a white vinyl top with a 318 console auto and a 1968 RS Camaro painted bright orange with black stripes and those rectangular injected look panels on the hood. It had a two-speed auto that slipped and a 327 (again if memory serves me correct)/ 305 hp. I thought a 'glide tranny was a joke and kept looking.

The Duster was my dad's last offer and it was a bondo nightmare. I lent it to a friend one day who promptly rolled it off the road and sideswiped a tree about 8-10 ft. off the ground. Needless to say, the insurance company got my aftermarket wheels, traction bars and custom stereo. After that lesson, I always had a mechanic friend into racing accompany me on purchases.

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DynoMight: I could be wrong or forgetting, but I thought AMC also had a 340 ci as an option in either or both of these cars. I always thought it strange because my Duster (1st car owned) was a 318, three on the tree. I was such a fool. My folks too me shopping in Manassas, VA at just about every used car dealership. Not only did I turn down that cherry 289 Mustang coupe, but an early 70's 302 fastback Mustang because it was single exhaust; a "Hurst Under Glass" era pale yellow 'Cuda coupe with a white vinyl top with a 318 console auto and a 1968 RS Camaro painted bright orange with black stripes and those rectangular injected look panels on the hood. It had a two-speed auto that slipped and a 327 (again if memory serves me correct)/ 305 hp. I thought a 'glide tranny was a joke and kept looking.

The Duster was my dad's last offer and it was a bondo nightmare. I lent it to a friend one day who promptly rolled it off the road and sideswiped a tree about 8-10 ft. off the ground. Needless to say, the insurance company got my aftermarket wheels, traction bars and custom stereo. After that lesson, I always had a mechanic friend into racing accompany me on purchases.

IIRC, you could get a 290, a 343 a 360, or a 390; all with either a Auto or Manual. I believe you could order a 401, not sure. It's not on the wiki, but a book about AMCs had the engine listed in there. So I'm not sure on the 401.

That sucks you passed up on so many legendary cars! It was probably just like looking a Camry, you see them everywhere, they're not special.. little did you know! The Cuda sounds amazing. I wished I could've had that car. Was it a 67 or 68? I can't remember when they switched the body style, 69 or 70...

I wish AMC was still around, even though they did bring the Pacer into the world... eesh.

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Yep, that 343 was a weird bore. I didn't realize they had so many options. As for the car shopping, there were so many available to choose from, but the one I wanted was a 70 1/2 Camaro 350 4-speed (the one with the split front bumper and egg crate grill, whatever year that 1/2 year thing happened). My dad wouldn't budge on that. The Barracuda was the older version; The fastback had that huge rear window. Mine was the coupe with only single exhaust and a 727 I believe in the console.

Amazing so many variety of muscle cars were under $1500. Going back, I would have taken the powder blue Mustang or the Orange Camaro, considering how cheap it would have been to freshen up a Pglide. It had twin black stripes running front to rear and must have been a fresh paint job. The lines looked straight and it had a black vinyl top and nice buckets up front. Ahhhh, the good old days. ;)

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Amazing so many variety of muscle cars were under $1500. Going back, I would have taken the powder blue Mustang or the Orange Camaro, considering how cheap it would have been to freshen up a Pglide.

But $1500 was a lot of money back then. It just looks like chump change today. But back when a new car was in the $3000 range, that represented half the price of a new car. With a Camry hitting $30,000 now, that's like looking for a $15,000 used car today (kinda / sorta).

Per the Power glide, my father wasn't a fan of the ole two speed, so when he bought his 1966 LeMans with a 326, he got the 4 speed. Yea, that was our family car.

And a thought about AMC... I can't see how a company with such limited resources came out with two versions of pretty much the same car with a 4" difference in length. Think of all those different parts and stampings between the AMX and Javelin.

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And a thought about AMC... I can't see how a company with such limited resources came out with two versions of pretty much the same car with a 4" difference in length. Think of all those different parts and stampings between the AMX and Javelin.

But they bought the Jeep brand from Willys. Up until '88 a Jeep was a AMC Jeep. Think how much money they got from the Jeep brand. When AMC got bought out, they burned all the casting blocks from the parts, so there is pretty much no parts left, and if you find some, they cost some serious $$. They're not like Camaros or Mustangs where you can get a front fender for $75 at a swap meet, you have little to no chance of even find AMC parts for anything. That's a problem with owning a AMC, no parts.

Edited by DynoMight
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And a thought about AMC... I can't see how a company with such limited resources came out with two versions of pretty much the same car with a 4" difference in length. Think of all those different parts and stampings between the AMX and Javelin.

Tom, that's what I liked best about my '69 AMX. Either you had one or you didn't-------it couldn't be "faked"! You can take a '67-'68 Mustang and turn it into a Shelby, a small block Corvette and stuff a big block in it, and other various and sundry "muscle cars" that could be faked.

But the '68-'70 AMX's were in a class by themselves. There were cosmetic as well as structural differences between it and the Javelin.......to the point that trying to fake one would be quite an expensive proposition, if not downright impossible!

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But the '68-'70 AMX's were in a class by themselves. There were cosmetic as well as structural differences between it and the Javelin.......to the point that trying to fake one would be quite an expensive proposition, if not downright impossible!

Like the fact that the wheelbase was completely different, and a Javelin was a four-seater while an AMX was a two-seater!

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This a cool part of the site I never thought I'd find. My brief time modeling has been spent trying to get up to speed on hi-tech detailing of funny cars, pro mods and top sportsman builds. But muscle cars are where my youth was wrapped around. I "thought" I knew muscle cars but I was way wrong! I hope to find more threads like this as it temps me to go buy a late 60's GTX/Road Runner and build it stock with factory details. Just a nice 440 with a single 4 bbl and some really neat & clean detail under the hood.

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Tom, that's what I liked best about my '69 AMX. Either you had one or you didn't-------it couldn't be "faked"! You can take a '67-'68 Mustang and turn it into a Shelby, a small block Corvette and stuff a big block in it, and other various and sundry "muscle cars" that could be faked.

But the '68-'70 AMX's were in a class by themselves. There were cosmetic as well as structural differences between it and the Javelin.......to the point that trying to fake one would be quite an expensive proposition, if not downright impossible!

You're right. You could also get a '64 Fairlane and make it a Thunderbolt...

Did you have a 360 or a 390? auto/manual? New/used?

If you know much about AMXs, you might know about the Playmate Pink AMXs. There was only two. One went to a Playboy bunny in 69. And the other went to a dealership in Missouri, sold and passed through a set of hands, eventually ending up in Ohio, to my dad's friend, who has a couple AMXs and Javelins. He sold it 2 or 3 years ago. It was only one of two original pink AMXs that came from the factory. I think it had a 360 and auto, black stripes too, it was pretty sharp, at least for a pink car haha... It was kind of funny, Johnny Lightning made a pink AMX, so he had a little car of his own, and the big one too! When the MPC AMX comes out, I might make mine like the pink AMX...

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The Javelin is four inches longer the the AMX, to accommodate the backseat. The AMX's roofline was straight down to the rear, but the Javelin was a more sloping roof line. So that might help you in deciding whether it was a AMX or Javelin.

I'll bet that someone, somewhere has taken a Javelin and added all the AMX trim bits! :rolleyes: And you could probably pass it off on some unsuspecting, unknowledgable soul.

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You're right. You could also get a '64 Fairlane and make it a Thunderbolt...

Did you have a 360 or a 390? auto/manual? New/used?

If you know much about AMXs, you might know about the Playmate Pink AMXs. There was only two. One went to a Playboy bunny in 69. And the other went to a dealership in Missouri, sold and passed through a set of hands, eventually ending up in Ohio, to my dad's friend, who has a couple AMXs and Javelins. He sold it 2 or 3 years ago. It was only one of two original pink AMXs that came from the factory. I think it had a 360 and auto, black stripes too, it was pretty sharp, at least for a pink car haha... It was kind of funny, Johnny Lightning made a pink AMX, so he had a little car of his own, and the big one too! When the MPC AMX comes out, I might make mine like the pink AMX...

And the only other one (Owned by the playmate of the year) was painted black! Shame such a rare car was changed up. I thill think that BBG and BBB were some of the best colors on them, here's the best AMX build I think I have ever seen. (It's a little big past half way down)

amx_front7to3.jpg

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And the only other one (Owned by the playmate of the year) was painted black! Shame such a rare car was changed up. I thill think that BBG and BBB were some of the best colors on them, here's the best AMX build I think I have ever seen. (It's a little big past half way down)

amx_front7to3.jpg

Wooowww That is really good, took a little to find it, but I did.. wow that is sharp. Hard to believe that's the Jo-Han kit!

I also can't believe the other PP AMX was paint black.. I believe the other one was either restored before, during, or after my dad's friend got the other one... He has 5 or 6 AMXs, a couple Javelins.. Only the BB paint options had the body color bumpers, normal paint had the chrome bumpers. Most people don't know that, so when (and if) they build a BBB, BBG, or a BBO, they leave the chrome bumpers on and that's wrong. I've seen it done with 1:1s. So either that car is a false BB car, or those are replacement bumpers.

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