posted by chrisjcieslak
This is an example of a Cohort poster batting 1000, especially with the color-coordination. Great shot, Chris! A green Matador wagon in front of a green restaurant. The smell of good food instead of The Stench of Death. But those were pretty strong words for me to use on a ’73 Matador, and today I’ll find some more delicate ones. This wagon is downright delicious.
1973 was a good year for the Matador, as its front end would be mutilated for 1974. But even then, the ’74 Matador has its defenders, as this post that was written as a rebuttal to my ’73 CC makes quite forcefully clear. But that was all in the bad old days. Now Niedermeyer can appreciate what a rare find this is, and wax eloquently on its clean lines and tasteful proportions; well, the wagon that is, as it was spared the hip augmentation that the sedan was cursed with.
That’s the good fate wagons often are blessed with, when the manufacturers decide to refresh or facelift or otherwise fold, spindle or mutilate a good design but don’t have enough budget to inflict it on the wagons. This ’73 Matador wagon is remarkable similar to the ’67 version, except the front end.
Especially the view from the back. Almost identical to what AMC was building in the late 60s.
And almost identical to a ’66-’67 Chevelle wagon. Well, the GM A Body was clearly on Dick Teague’s mind or pinned to his drawing board when the ’67 Rebel was being created copied. That’s ok; beats his flights of genuine creativity as with the Pacer and Matador coupe.
And this one’s for sale; unfortunately, no price.
But here’s a number in case you’re seriously tempted.
I’ve run out of pictures, so we’ll use the first one again. In 1973, the Matador was starting to really show its age, compared to the flamboyant competition from the big three intermediates. It was now the Studebaker Lark Wagonaire of its times. But that still had some appeal to folks who liked things as they had been. And in this case, that’s not a bad thing.
Never seen one of these. The taillights are entirely different from the sedan, sort of resembling the ’56-57 Rambler.
Hey now that is one BIG AMC!
The Ambassador wagon would be a foot longer!
Had to check. My 72 Ambassador in 217″ vs the Matador at 215″. However, in 1974 the Matador stayed at 215″ while the Ambassador went up to 231″. That is a Wow.
Was the extra length all safety bumpers?
Lovely, looks good with the Mopar dog dishes too. Yep I’m temped but it’s too far away and in the wrong country.
The wagon roofline significantly helps mask, the dated, and stodgy, sedan roofline. Unfortunately one of those designs, whos looks are heavily associated with US government agency fleets, and law enforcement. Aided a lot, by the dog dish hub caps. Great, if you like that look.
Wood panelling, a roof rack, and AMC rally wheels, would transform it. Really lending a fun ’70’s family wagon feel.
“Wood paneling, a roof rack, and AMC rally wheels, would transform it. Really lending a fun ’70’s family wagon feel.”
You are now describing the Ambassador Brougham wagon.
I admittedly intentionally did so. As I knew you would read this.
I wanted to highlight some of the great qualities of your Ambassador wagon. 🙂
Yes, even from down here I took one look at it and thought “Undercover Government car!”
That Matador wagon is soooo government car. We had Matadors as MP patrol cars. There was usually a wagon or two in the fleet. Traffic liked them because the wayback could hold a lot of orange traffic cones.
I probably drove some of these Matadors – but I honestly can’t recall what driving one was like. That was the impression they left. Nothing particularly good. Nothing particularly bad. Anonymous competence.
With the contrast to modern cars, this Matador is anything buy anonymous today.
We used them in the Air Force as well. Basic GSA issue Air Force fleet cars with a 6 and no a/c.
AMC again managed to have a wagon as the best looking car in its lineup. The sedan and coupe for this year were dowdy and just plain weird. Seems that going back to the late fifties, AMC (Rambler) always had a high percentage of its sales as wagons. No wonder, as I can’t recall a bad looking wagon in the bunch, but some unfortunate sedans, especially the 2 doors.
These were somewhat popular with the family man of limited means who needed a wagon. I imagine some folks also preferred the traditional tailgate, as the new 1973 GM intermediates had switched to a hatch-style tailgate without an opening window. This is one of the cars that I recall seeing more often as a wagon than as a sedan.
54,000 miles in more than 50 years. On a five-digit odometer … All right – Whoever believes it will go to heaven [foolish laughter].
I too remember these as a government/municipal car. Fairly common in Southern California, always with button hubcaps and some official insignia on the doors. And let’s not forget the Matador wagon was the preferred ride of Sgt. MacDonald in Adam-12 and of course everyone’s favorite M.E. Quincy. In both cases accurate portrayals, L.A.P.D. and the County of Los Angeles had dozens of these sturdy cars. Too bad AMC never saw fit to indroduce a Barcelona II version of the Matador wagon.
Nice find! Amazing to think that this design lasted through 4 distinct GM A body generations!
I often wonder who bought cars like the Matador. In my entire extended family (and we are talking about big Irish families) there was not a single AMC product. They were never common in Canada. Later cars like the Concord did better but there was no shedding the image that mad professors drove AMC products.
I agree. AMC did a very poor job, breaking through to a mainstream market. They seemed to consistently lack management with progressive ideas, and ability, to become accepted as a credible automotive choice.
They needed to get as many Americans and Canadians as possible, experiencing their cars. If it meant setting up their own car rental business and franchises, all across North America. I don’t know if AMC ever did rent their cars. Eliminating the fear and stigma that AMC had with millions of people, should have been paramount. Their cars would be more readily accepted, once they overcame that barrier.
Too many of the 1960’s through 1980’s population, never experienced AMC vehicles in the US and Canada. Failed opportunity.
I’m glad the wagon escaped the disfigurement the sedans got. At least this way you get usefully deep glass in the rear, making it easier to see out. Wagons with hips in the rear door often seemed to wind up with slit-like rear side windows, when the hip-line height was carried straight through to the rear.
And really, the Matador design was holding up usefully, it didn’t look all that dated. Now if only they could get it to sell!
The AMC Hornet Sportabout, was a more economical, modern, and attractive, alternative.
And just as roomy, if not quite as cargo-carrying practical. Many people would have chosen the Sportabout, if seriously considering an AMC product. I know I would have.
I like it.
It’s interesting that in ’74, when everyone else was flattening noses and butts for bumper performance, AMC did the opposite with the Matador sedan.
IIRC, while a front 5 mph standard began in MY ’73, it was stricter in ’74, in addition to the 5 mph rear. Chrysler’s giant bumper guards no longer made the grade, and the Colonnades’ front bumpers became taller and uglier.
Air Force