(first posted 2/12/2013) In 1966, the American Motors Corporation (AMC) unveiled a pair of radically styled concept cars called AMX (American Motors eXperimental) in an attempt to better connect with the youth and performance markets. The cars generated a lot of excitement, and in 1968 AMC introduced the production AMX, which was available through the 1970 model year. Throughout the 1970s, AMC was in a long, slow slide as it struggled to remain relevant (and solvent) as one of the last American independent car manufacturers. The AMX name would be applied to a number of AMC cars, including our subject for today: the one-year-only 1977 AMC Hornet AMX.
Before we take a closer look at the Hornet, it will be helpful to understand the backstory behind the AMX name…
AMC was formed in 1954 as the result of a merger between the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and the Hudson Motor Car Company–at the time, it was the largest American corporate merger to date. The idea behind the merger was to combine the strengths of the two companies in order to better compete with the dominant “Big Three” automakers. By 1957, AMC had effectively retired the Hudson and Nash brands and promoted the Rambler model into a full brand with its own models.
In 1959, AMC hired Richard “Dick” Teague (next to left-front fender in the photo), who had worked for General Motors, Packard and Chrysler. Teague became AMC’s Principal Designer in 1961 and Vice President by 1964. At Packard, Teague had learned to create unique styling designs on a tight budget, and he was called upon to use his skills to the utmost during his tenure at AMC.
Teague’s first mark at AMC was made with the introduction of the third-generation 1964 Rambler American, which brought a fresh, new and modern look to the Rambler line. Teague’s team, using a number of common parts shared with other AMC cars, worked “relative miracles” on the very tight budgets with which they had to work.
In 1965, Teague and his team created the AMC Cavalier concept car, which carried the idea of interchangeability to the extreme—the Cavalier used the same stampings for the right-front/left-rear fenders (and vice-versa), the front/rear doors, and the hood and deck lid. A number of styling cues from the Cavalier would eventually find their way into the Hornet, which was introduced five years later, in 1970. An interesting side note is that AMC had planned to use the Cavalier name on a new pony car set to launch in 1968, but since GM had already filed for rights to the name, AMC had to go with their second choice, Javelin.
By 1966, AMC began to phase out the Rambler name as their sales were slipping against the Big Three. In an attempt to bolster excitement and trust with the buying public, AMC launched a concept car road show called Project IV, in which the AMX and AMX II were displayed along with the Cavalier and Vixen concepts. While Teague had led the work on the Cavalier, it was Charles Mashigan of the AMC Advanced Styling Studios who led the effort for the AMX concepts.
In 1967, the AMX name was trotted out again for a concept version of a Javelin-based station wagon called the AMX-III; a few years later, its styling would show up in similar form in the Hornet Sportabout.
Interest in the AMX concepts was strong (especially from AMC management!), and in 1968 the first production AMX model was introduced, being described as a design where “hoods didn’t come any longer, nor decks any shorter.” The AMX was a true performance car—its chief rival was the Chevrolet Corvette—which cost over $1,000 more—and was capable of speeds up to 130 mph, with engine options topping out at 315 hp and 425 lb./ft. of torque. The AMX incorporated a number of industry-first, safety-minded features that were recognized by the American Society of Automotive Engineers when they awarded the AMX the “Best Engineered Car of the Year” award for both 1969 and 1970.
Concurrent with the 1968 launch of the AMX production car, a new concept called the AMX-GT–whose shape would reappear, in near-identical proportions, on the 1970 Gremlin–was shown on the car show circuit.
Also in 1968, James Jeffords–head of the AMC Javelin Trans Am Racing Team and himself a designer-customizer–created the AMX-R prototype, from a production AMX, with the intent of having AMC turn the concept into a production offering. Liability and safety concerns over its “Ramble Seat” effectively stopped the idea in its tracks, however.
While not an official AMC concept, George Barris created a one-off, radically customized version of the 1969 AMX which came to be known as the AMX-400. The car was nearly 5 inches lower and 18 inches longer than a production AMX and had taillights that glowed green during acceleration, yellow when decelerating, and red when braking.
In 1969, hot on the heels of the AMX and AMX-GT, came the AMX/2 concept car—a radical, mid-engine design created by in-house stylists Bob Nixon and Fred Hudson and based on a Teague sketch that had caught the fancy of AMC Group Vice President Gerald Meyers. Interest in the concept was so strong that AMC took the next step of commissioning a fully production-intent running prototype. Meanwhile, Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro was also commissioned to create a competing mid-engine styling concept. Other than a foamcore mockup that was never shown to the public, the Giugiaro design never got past the comparison stage—Teague’s design won out and development continued with an eye toward limited production.
The production-intent AMX/3 debuted in Rome, Italy, in March of 1970, and journalists who had the opportunity to drive the prototype were impressed. Plans were very nearly implemented for 24 production cars to be built in 1970, but AMC’s continuing profitability issues, combined with the expected costs of meeting federal safety standards, served to end the program after only six pre-production prototypes were built (an interesting history of each prototype can be read in more detail here).
Nineteen seventy marked the end of the line for the AMX performance cars. In a move that would later prove to be the one DNA link from current-day production vehicles back to the Hudson-Nash days, AMC acquired the Kaiser-Jeep Corporation from Kaiser Industries, which included both the Jeep brand of utility vehicles as well as government contracts for postal and military Jeeps. The governmental business would later be reorganized twice, ending up as today’s AM General.
Nineteen seventy also marked the introduction of both the Hornet and the Gremlin, which were received by the buying public with enthusiasm: The Hornet sold over 100,000 units (and was named 1970 Car Of The Year by Motor Trend Correction – the Ford Torino won 1970 COTY – ed.), and the Gremlin nearly 30,000 units in 1970 and over 75,000 in 1971.
With the discontinuation of the AMX as a model, AMC turned to the Javelin to carry on the AMX name, this time as a trim level, but which still carried some street cred in the form of real performance upgrades. Javelin AMX was advertised as “the closest thing you can buy to a Trans Am champion.” The AMX option continued through the 1974 model year, but with stricter federal regulations and waning interest in muscle cars, AMX no longer made fiscal sense, especially in light of AMC’s introduction of a restyled Matador and brand-new Pacer models. Only 4,980 Javelin AMX models were produced in 1974, and there would be a dry spell of three years before ‘AMX’ would grace an AMC car again…
The mid-1970s saw a recession as well as high gas prices, and AMC put its focus on economy rather than performance. Gone were the AMX and Javelin, and only the Gremlin X (304 c.i.d. / 5.0-liter V8) and Matador X (360 c.i.d. / 5.9-liter V8) were left as “performance” options for AMC buyers. The 360 V8 also ceased to be an option on the Hornet after 1974.
It was at this point that AMC approached Jim Wangers (former Pontiac Chief Marketing Manager) of Motortown Corporation to create a more exciting version of the Hornet. Motortown specialized in creating limited-run specialty editions of production cars that the large manufacturers couldn’t do profitably in-house, and was responsible for such cars as the Pontiac GTO Judge. An appearance package was developed along with some suspension tuning, but unfortunately, the EPA certification requirements triggered by drivetrain upgrades prevented the possibility of a larger engine such as the 360, which would have been a drop-in replacement. So the Hornet AMX debuted with either a 110 hp 258 c.i.d (4.2-liter) straight-six coupled with either a four-speed manual or an automatic with floor shift, or the 150 hp 304 c.i.d (5.0-liter) V8 with a Chrysler-sourced automatic.
The Hornet AMX was offered in four colors: Alpine White, Firecracker Red, Lime Green (the rarest of the four) and Sunshine Yellow, with wheel flares, spoilers and rear window grille all color-keyed to the body color. The front grille was blacked out, and AMX decals were applied in front of the rear fenders. The interior received an engine-turned dash applique as well as a gauge cluster mounted in front of the shifter console. A run of 100 Hornet AMXs were also offered in Alpine White with a Levi’s interior (which was a regular option on the Gremlin, Hornet, Pacer and Jeep for 1977). Finally, a California Edition Hornet AMX was offered, which had “C.E.” decals applied to the front fenders and in some cases, may have had an upgraded Audiovox stereo system.
Optional for the Hornet AMX was a large hood decal that was duplicated in smaller scale on the trunk. This was right around the time of Smokey and the Bandit, so perhaps AMC was trying to benefit from the halo effect, or maybe Mr. Wangers was applying the same ideas to both cars (he advised on the modifications for the Trans Am used in the movie).
The last year of Hornet production was 1977; just over 76,000 units were produced, of which it is thought that around 5,200 were ordered as AMXs. According to the best estimates I could find, perhaps 150–300 AMX cars exist today (~150 are documented in an online registry), making our subject car fairly rare. Folks who were familiar with the previous performance-oriented AMX cars were fairly infuriated over the name being gutted of what it represented in the earlier “true” performance cars.
The Hornet was succeeded in 1978 by the Concord, which was essentially a restyle job on the same platform with the same drivetrain options. An AMX option, with similar component upgrades as those on the Hornet AMX and a slightly different front grille, was available. No Concord markings were applied to the exterior when the AMX option was ordered. The Concord’s AMX option was dropped with the 1979 styling refresh.
In 1979, AMC entered into a joint manufacturing agreement with Renault, which brought much-needed capital; apart from its Jeep line of vehicles, AMC was bleeding cash everywhere. AMC also launched the Spirit (essentially a restyle of the Gremlin), which was offered in AMX trim that incorporated similar upgrades to those used on the Hornet and Concord AMX models. 1980 was the last year an AMX option was offered on the Spirit, ending the nearly fifteen-year run of the AMX name.
By this point, AMC was out of financial options—U.S. banks refused to loan them money, and AMC again turned to Renault for help. By 1983, Renault had increased its ownership in AMC to 49%, which effectively ended AMC’s position as the last truly American car company. AM General would be sold off; in 1987, Chrysler would acquire AMC from Renault, with AMC becoming the Jeep-Eagle division. Chrysler itself would subsequently pass through the hands of Daimler, and is currently owned by Fiat.
My impression after researching the AMX history is that Dick Teague used clever and effective industrial design to keep AMC’s product line fresh and cost-competitive far longer than if AMC had followed typical industry practices. The excitement brought to AMC by the AMX concept and later production cars gave the company a much-needed shot in the arm, but by the mid-1970s, with economic issues that drove product development decisions away from performance, AMC simply didn’t have the ability to stay competitive with the Big Three. The AMX name quickly devolved from representing a fire-breathing, ground-pounding performance car to being essentially a “paint-on performance” trim option that, while recognized by industry reviews as competent, was simply not enough to bring customers back in numbers large enough to matter.
The AMX name would appear one last time, in 2009, when Hot Rod Magazine ran a spoof article speculating that AMC was being revived, complete with an AMX/4 mid-engine “exotic.”
AMC’s AMX cars (perhaps excepting the post-Hornet AMX cars, which were merely restyling exercises) were groundbreaking in many respects, and they caused the market to pay enough attention that AMC was able to enjoy a second wind. The automotive landscape of the late 1960s and early 1970s is certainly richer for the work of Dick Teague and his designers.
Nice job Ed! I was unaware of concepts like the AMX-III (Javelin wagon), AMX-GT or that completely awesome AMX/2. I’m surprised that taking a Gremlin, lowering the roof and stretching the nose could yield something as pretty as the AMX-GT.
The feature car reminds me of how badly I miss yellow colors on American cars.
Thanks for the AMX history lesson and pics.
The AMX-GT was NOT a Gremlin at all. It was an AMX platform, with rear end styling that later found it’s way to the Gremlin. Totally different platform.
In reference to your comment, the ’77 AMX was based on the Hornet body, which was shortened to look like a Gremlin in ’70. I had both cars, and the Hornet was derfinitely the better of the two…roomier inside, more luggage space, even with the hatchback, and better driving dynamics.
I remember sitting in the back of the family station wagon on a vacation in the early seventies and coming up next to an AMX and thinking it was the coolest thing I ever saw. Still looks good today.
A very cool car (and not just because of the icicles hanging from the wheel lips). I was not aware that the Hornet AMX was a single year model. It is also fairly impressive that the Hornet sold 100k units as a new car in 1970 and 76K in 1977,
As a kid, I spent some time around a pair of red Javelin AMXs – a 72 owned by the parents of my best friend (it replaced a white 60 Lark VIII coupe) and a 74 owned by my friend’s grandmother (who replaced her blue 64 Daytona hardtop coupe). I had no idea that the 74 was one of fewer than 5k, though I certainly don’t recall seeing many, either. Both were well optioned with buckets, console and air, and I am certain that the 72 had the 360 V8.
Somehow, something seems so wrong about a Concord AMX. At least Plymouth was wise enough not to offer a Cranbrook GT. Anyhow, congrats on a really cool find.
Wow I recall the advertising blurb and the sneak previews from the 60s of these AMX/C cars But very few made it here and very few survive nice looking cars except for George Barris visual abortion.
Great article on a favorite subject. I was quite enamored with AMC’s AMX adventures, and the AMX/2 really got my juvenile blood moving. Wow! Rambler is going to build this??
Love that last grille shot, I had an AMX grille that I found in the wreckers on my Little Green Concord.
However, I did not leave the AMX logo on it, that would have been a bit much; Green 4 door AMX with a tan vinyl roof.
I still have that logo somewhere….
Too bad what happened to the AMX in general. Another AMC coulda woulda shoulda..
Imagine how much different would AMC’s history be, had they put the Gremlin amputation on the AMX-GT as proposed, and made the truncated Hornet into a sort of Spirit right off.
My guess is, it would have gone better. The Gremlin was never a serious subcompact car; and the GT styling looked better on the Javelin platform.
But the end remains the same, I’d also bet. It’s hard to argue with economics of scale; and there was simply no WAY AMC could match the Big Three in market sales. The little car companies that grew in this period started overseas, free of the shackles of regulation…and had the numbers and bank balances needed to support smog and safety developments.
What an aesthetic range … the cleanly styled concept cars, early Hornets, Javelins, and the Spirit really contrast with the final bulgy Javelin (a proto-Hyundai Tiburon?) and the gunked-up Hornet AMX. This CC reminded me that I briefly owned (in the possession sense, I never took title) a freebie 1st gen 4-door 304 Hornet. It cranked and seemed to get fuel, spark and compression but I could never get it to run so passed it on to a friend, who had no luck and passed it on to someone else. About 6 months later I got a parking ticket in the mail … the people who gave it to me had submitted a change of ownership to the DMV and the city of SF tracked me down. I ignored it. I wish I’d taken a picture of that car … it was orangey-bronze with a vinyl top.
Thanks for a great AMC article.
As we speak (write?), the wrecking balls are hard at work knocking down the old Main Plant, as well as the fairly recent Chrysler engine plant. What will remain is a 109-acre empty lot in the middle of Kenosha.
American Motors may have been small potatoes to the rest of the world, but for most of a decade it, and Nash and Jeffrey before it, WAS Kenosha.
I’ve only been in Wisconsin once, just a few years ago, but when I saw a Kenosha sign on the freeway, this California boy immediately thought of Rambler.
The old AMC lakefront plant was torn down years ago, and is now townhouses/businesses. A new ‘downtown’ with commuter rail service to Chicago Loop. The I6 engine plant is what recently closed, and it was built ages ago by AMC, not Chrysler.
Kenosha benefits by being close to Chicago area and attracts commuters looking for cheaper housing and taxes. Kenosha County is now part of Chicago Metro Area. Population growth has been positive since Main Plant came down and it’s now Wisconsin’s 3rd largest city. Kenosha’s economy is now diversified, not relying on AMC/Chrysler.
Point is that Kenosha is not “dead” as some assume, like some other ‘company towns’ became.
The old engine plant is what recently closed.
Among the buildings coming down is Building 12, the highly automated V6 plant Chrysler built in the mid-90s. The 2.7 and 3.5l V6s were built in here.
Kenosha is a GREAT city to live in, and stands as one of very few “company towns” that have actually figured it out and is thriving. While it’s sad from a historical perspective, we are far and away better off without all our eggs in one basket.
By the way, I, like a large percentage of Kenosha residents, work in Illinois.
I thought the 4.2 & 4.0 AMC I6s that went into most Jeeps until the mid 00s was made in Toledo.
The decline of the 442 was far more ignominious than that of the AMX, if only because GM had the coin to stop it from happening and couldn’t be bothered.
I can’t help but think of these, and almost all AMC cars, as merely interesting curiosities ofthe 60s and 70s. Our family car, when I was born and for a number of years before my parents bought a series of GM cars, was a Rambler. It served them well, but even as a toddler/little kid, I thought they were the bottom of the Big Four. And now today, while I can see the appeal of many cars from this time period in ways that I didn’t then, I still can’t really appreciate these cars.
But wow, they sure knew how to design a concept car!
The AMX name got a longer lifespan in Mexico. Here a picture of a VAM Rally AMX 1983 http://www.flickr.com/photos/hugo90/7606194522/ last year of the Mexican AMX. The Matador coupe was called Classic AMX for the 1974 and 1975 model years in Mexico. http://www.flickr.com/photos/32167597@N06/3011784200/
The Hornet was chosen Motor Trend COTY for 1970, it was the Ford Torino. Perhaps it was another magazine, a defunct magazine like Car Life or Road Test who chosen the Hornet as COTY.
Re: 1970 COTY, sources disagree on this. Motor Trend says the Torino got the nod, so I suppose that should take precedence, but several other reputable sources including a history of AMC say otherwise… Perhaps it was indeed another trade rag that gave an award, but I was unable to discern which it might have been.
I didn’t follow the trail to the Mexican cars – wish I had! Fascinating!
The Hornet COTY seems to be from “The Cars of American Motors: An Illustrated History” if they didn’t originate the idea they propagated it. The COTY for the Hornet pops up in Google searches all over now! Historical revisionism? LOL
Obviously it was the Torino.
Good enough for me – I revised the text accordingly. Thanks!
I know this entry is about the AMX, but that’s a pretty cool shot of the Torino GT on the turntable with the giant golden calipers.
VAM, the Mexican state-owned motor company, built AMC cars under license; and Jeeps from the Willys-Overland days – again, under license. Ramblers and Jeeps were built under the same roof there long before it happened Stateside.
The VAM products were variants of standard AMC offerings – often they’d play mix-and-match with front clips and names. The Concord was sold as the American (in Mexico!) in the early 1980s. There was one unique-to-Mexico model…name escapes me…a sliced-and-spliced stretched Concord.
VAM was in financial trouble and when Renault bought a controlling interest in AMC, it also bought a majority interest in VAM from the Mexican government. There was talk of assembling the Renault Appliance down there, but instead, Renault padlocked the joint.
The American is a meaningful term that relates to anyone living in in the “New World.” You tend to forget that Mexicans, as well as Canadians, are American. In fact one could say that anyone from North, Central, and South America have rights to use the term. The architect Frank Lloyd Wright used a word to describe the culture and people of the USA as Usonian which would then allow American to be a more useful continental descriptor such as Asian, European, African, etc. The term was coined by writer James Duff Law in 1865. In 1903, Duff wrote, “We of the United States, in justice to Canadians and Mexicans, have no right to use the title ‘Americans’ when referring to matters pertaining exclusively to ourselves.”
I was once corrected while traveling in South America that by using the word American to describe my nationality I was denying others the right to use the term. Henceforth, when asked I then would answer that I was from the United States or that I was a South Carolinian.
The Javelin was one of the only AMC’s that really mattered to us young kids during the 70’s. These paint and tape stripe cars like this were mostly ignored and for good reason. Plymouth made the same mistake with the Volare during this time period but at least made a 360 V8 available. The F-bodies, Vettes, 442’s, Chevelle’s and early Mustangs where more on our radar at the time.
Nice car,as a kid I ignored AMCs apart from AMX Javelin and the Machine.All to often missed out on the classic car scene yet the Javelin outsold the ‘Cuda and Challenger when new.
George doesn’t look nearly as patrician as his son. I’d wager he couldn’t get into Mitten’s country club unless he worked there.
I’ve read about the history that led to the development of the AMX/3 sports car before. It’s unfortunate that it was a step too far for AMC and that the timing wasn’t right.
Ed, wonderful article! When I saw the side profile shot of George Romney, I was confused as to why Mitt Romney was in a grainy black and white picture. The appearence of father and son is so eerie. What a find that 77 Hornet AMX is, it appears to be in fantastic condition and worthy of restoration.
DIck Teague had quite a designers eye, didn’t he? And that AMX/3 is a show stopper, a worthy competitor to the Lincoln/Mercury Pantera and the Corvette Rotary Concept of the same time period. Zora Arkus Duntov was a proponent of the mid engined sports car and it’s rather ironic that every Corvette up to the new edition stayed true to the front engine/rear drive concept, when it seemed clear that the countries original sports car was destined for a mid engined design. Only one can dream what AMC could have been had they had just a bit more money. The can-do spirit must really have been a driving factor for these folks; how else could they have fought the good fight for so long? I lament their passing into history……
A three-way comparison test between this ‘AMX’, the Plymouth Volare Road Runner, and the Pontiac Ventura GTO would be a wonderfully melancholy read.
I wonder if one was written when these cars were new…
The `74 Ventura GTO was no slouch. It had a warmed up 350 that C&D ran it 0-0 in 7.7 which wasn’t all that bad considering. It wasn’t a `70 Ram Air IV but ok. And a Volare 360 done right wasn’t that bad either. In fact Motor Trend ran an Aspen R/T against a Camaro Z28 and a Corvette 350 and it matched them. I have no idea how the Hornet performed. The Hornet SC/360 was a hot item.
And if Pontiac hadn’t dropped the GTO after 1974. MPC did once a kit of a 1975 Ventura Sprint with GTO decals http://ultimategto.com/cgi-bin/showcar.cgi?type=lot&pic=/models/75sprin
and what if Pontiac had did a 1976 Ventura GTO? http://www.pontiacventura.com/ventura_images/1976ventura_pics/76GTOwannabe.jpg
And on a off-topic sidenote with another “what if?”, one guy decided to build the 1974 Buick Apollo GSX that should had been. http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2012/09/13/tired-of-being-ignored-improving-the-last-gsx/
The problem was that changing tastes were going on in the 70s. With the debut of the colonade coupes and the rise of the personal luxury coupes super fast cars like the GTO just did not sell anymore. The Z28 TransAm lingered on but were subject to talk of discontinuation on a regular basis.
Scroll back up and look at the MT New Car Buyer Guide for 1977 magazine cover. The AMX is the only ‘sporty’ car shown…
Just when we thought Mitt Romney might get elected President I could see Gremlins Pacers and Ramblers coming out of the woodwork….
The most overlooked AMC car is the Rebel Machine, a 70-only real authentic muscle car that was modestly popular with the public but panned by the automotive press as a cheap knockoff of the Camaro/Mustang. For a measely suggested retail price of only $3,275 (about $21,000 in today’s dollars) you got a hot car every bit as capable as anything the Big 3 offered. Furthermore, clicking off a couple of special options like the dealer installed service kit and the car was clocked at 12.72 quarter mile. And of course the early models were red, white, and blue.
@Craig: Imagine a turbo Camry with a complete body kit and 22″ wheels today, and I think that would be a contemporary vision of the Rebel Machine back in the day.
Even though AMC could engineer a muscle car, no one was going to take it seriously, just like my turbo Camry example. Much like the current 2013 Malibu, it was tainted at the start and no one has a good opinion of if, no matter what it can actually do.
I’d argue with you that the Spirit AMXs were the most ignored AMC muscle cars, at least the 1979 versions still came with a V8, not unlike the original versions from the late 60’s. Almost the same size, roughly the same weight, only the motor was smaller and smog choked. But all of the AMC performance parts would fit, if you were so inclined.
The Eagle SX4 would supersede this car, and that was a neat ride in it’s own right. AMC cranked out some interesting little cars back in the day, but no one cared. They were too old, too cramped, too square. Now we wish we had them back.
I love The Machine, but I thought it was more a response to intermediate size muscle cars like the Plymouth Road Runner, the Dodge Super Bee, and the Pontiac Judge of affordable horsepower with a tongue in cheek marketing plan. The Javelin/AMX were more aimed for the Camaro, Barracuda, and Mustang crowd.
Wow, what is this, some of geozinger’s favorite things week at CC? First the Capri, then the AMX? Woo hoo!
I had a buddy in HS who had one of those 77 Hornet AMXs. 258 straight six, nothing to write home about. It looked, well… awful. We all saw the artifice of the gussied up bug on the hood of the car. The Rambler six wasn’t fooling anyone. It was the milque toast Trans Am.
OTOH, the AMX that came along in 1979, with the 304 in the Spirit body, that was more like it… A real descendant of the original small AMX. I could get behind that one. It even raced on the Nurburgring! Link here http://youtu.be/bQqysjI9gM4
The Hornet based one (really the Concord one was truly awful), not so much.
A bit more background for the creation of AMC- it originally was to also include Packard and Studebaker. Hudson and Nash were to merge together, as was Studebaker and Packard, then these two new companies were to link up.The unexpected death of George Mason and questions over Studebaker’s viability eventually killed the final marriage of Hudson-Nash and Studebaker-Packard. Sadly a few years down the track all of these venerable names were gone from the car industry…
That, and a battle of the egos/pissing match between James Nance (who wanted to be CEO of the four-way merger) and George Romney (same aspirations). Romney also had the foresight to know that Studebaker was a loser; a fiscal and labor nightmare long before Nance really caught wind of it.
“I thought the 4.2 & 4.0 AMC I6s that went into most Jeeps until the mid 00s was made in Toledo.”
Nope. The only thing the 232/258/4.0 sixes had to connect them to Jeep was common ownership by AMC. Those were RAMBLER engines dating back to 1964; Kaiser Jeep used the 232 in the Wagoneer after their own OHC six turned out to be a bust. Later…with AMC ownership, the CJs were reworked to accept the sixes in lieu of the old Willys four.
That grey AMX reminded me of the Javelins the Alabama State Troopers used back in the 1970’s. I remember seeing the cars on patrol around my home town back in 1971 and 1972 (yep, I’m old). We used to have a problem with hot rodders in our area, until the troopers assigned two Javelins to the Demopolis outpost.
I was lucky to find a Diecast model from Greenlight collectables last year.
Perhaps this could be your next article?
The name AMX was never used commercially in México, but there were attempts to come out with a vehicle with it attached. You can see how far was the reach in Vehículos Automotores Mexicanos with a novel model, called “Lerma”, which, according to Wikipedia, “was an automobile designed and manufactured by Vehiculos Automotores Mexicanos in the early 1980s. The car used common parts from other vehicles by VAM’s license partner American Motors (AMC) to cut down manufacturing costs.” You can learn more at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VAM_Lerma
But ultimately, the use of AMX was dropped and Lerma was in, due to the fact that it was the “first” Mexican made vehicle, and should be known with a Spanish terminology.
Here it is:
I did a very brief post on the Lerma a while back, but with very little of the actual history: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/cross-an-amc-concord-with-a-spirit-the-lerma/
It would be fun to do a more in-depth story sometime. Have you seen one in recent years, Juan? Now that would be a CC find!
I think I’ve seen one in town. I’ll look for it and will post a story and photos, if it is still where it was last year.
My favourite American cars these late ’60s, early ’70s AMCs. Dick Teague was a great designer. Awesome colour schemes, I love the bright colours, cars are so dull nowadays. I love the Aussie Leyland p76 for similar reasons. AMC made a ‘surf style’ Hornet with decals and folding back seat so you could get a surf board in- sooooo cool- why can’t we have niche cars like that now?
Dodge in ’74 had the Dart Sport “Hang Ten” . . . . special graphics and it (and the Duster coupe through ’76) had a folding rear seat with no trunk partition.
What a fascinating article Ed, and the AMX/3 link provided even more interesting reading. Thank you!
Really coming of age in the mid/late 70’s at the nadir of the Malaise Era, these Hornet based AMX’s/Concord AMX’s weren’t bad offerings. I’m thinking the 258 six with four speed would’ve pulled like a freight train (that torque of the 258), however, being in California then, drivetrains choices were limited. The few I saw were 304 V-8/Torqueflite. For the time, I didn’t think it was a bad looking car (unless you opted for the me-too Trans-Am like, lame-0 “AMX” hood graphics.
Hindsight is 20/20 and one thinks perhaps AMC might have done better to gamble with launching limited production of the AMX-III instead of rolling snake eyes on the ’74 Matador coupe . . . even in the face of detuning engines, 5-mph bumpers (I’m thinking a ’74 Pantera like energy-absorbing “blade” could’ve sufficed) . . . . it would’ve made a great halo car for AMC.
Now that reality’s set back in, AMC was in no position to have a halo car; precious few development dollars would’ve had to have been poured back into the main car line. Too bad some $$$ couldn’t have been spent for a proper front end clip for the Matador (’74-’77) Sedan. Tight bucks dictated the shorter fenders of ’71-’73, but you would’ve thought it might have been prudent to have kept the shorter ’71-’73 Matador hood and maybe to have fabricated a battering ram to mate with the curvature of the earlier Matador sedan . . . . or to have just cloned the Ambassador, bigger wheelbase, clip and all, detrimmed it and called it a “Matador” . . . . ah, what could’ve been.
In my youth, I tried to talk the “Bank of Dad” into financing for me a “poor man’s AMX” I saw at the San Rafael AMC dealership used car lot; blue ’70 Javeiln coupe; AMX sport wheels, whitewall belted tires (this was 1976!), 343 V-8, four speed.
AMC bet on fastback mid size coupes, due to NASCAR and to compete with sporty Charger and Torino fastbacks, ignoring the rise of Grand Prix/Monte Carlo. Still were thinking “win on Sunday, sell on Monday”.
But, after the initial ‘wow factor’ wore off, the frog eyed Matador was a huge bomb. Trying to make it a “Barcelona” lux coupe was a ‘fashion fiasco’.
Yesterday while going to our local UPULLIT. I passed the same mechanics shop I always pass, but they moved there cars around and there she was a 77 Hornet AMX in Alpine white. She is from Nevada and was a clean car till parked in Weslaco Tx. Rust is starting to get to her. The shop is supposed to be painting her but she needs a lot of work.
As an AMC guy (I have an Eagle)…I actually like the “paint-on-performance” AMX’s. I am not sure if the Concord or Spirit is more to my liking. Maybe I like them for the sheer fact that they are a lot less expensive than the real thing. (Spirit AMX’s are actually getting pricy)
I got a 1977 Hornet AMX from my grandpa quite a few years ago, this has been my project car, I am still working on! I never knew the full history behind it! Thank you for such a great article! Although mine needs A LOT of work I will appreciate it that much more!
We have a 1968 AMX that needs total Restoring.
It’s blue, 390, V8, 4 Speed, Go Pack.
No rust and we are the second owner.
Been stored in our yard in Northern CA.
Interested? We have many additional
AMX parts too.
I looked at one for sale for a few hundred dollars many years ago, and wish I’d bought it: I ended up buying a 1974 Hornet hatchback with 304, 3 speed standard, denim package and cragars…wish I still had that car too. All I have left is a picture of it.
A few things worth noting. The AMX name was used straight thru from 1965 thru 1983 in some fashion or model. That includes VAM as someone mentioned above. And prototypes. There is no breakdown of how many Hornet AMXs rolled out of Kenosha, but I estimate about 5300. This was backed up in interview with Wangers mentioned in article above of which was also seen in a Hemmings Muscle article I helped with. See JUST STUFF file on my site about Hornet AMXs.
11,545 Hornet Hatchbacks made in calendar year 1977, production began August 1st, 1976 with the cars appearing in dealers showrooms September 16th-17th, 1976. So 5300 of 11,545 a good chunk of change but not all of those 11545 were AMXs.
Yes, there were a lot of people that moaned back then when they saw the last year Hornet with a AMX package, a lot of the words can’t print here. Was all show, no go, and why was the 360 (only offered in Matador) not offered, why was a 3speed (offered in Gremlin, Hornet & Pacer with 6cyl) also not offered, much less a Borg Warner T-10 with a 360? no one knows, but probably emissions related and for those of you who didn’t live it, there were gas lines, only buy gas with even or odd license plates, or limits, or certain days, and many, MANY people dumped ‘gas guzzlers’ like LTD, Delta 88, Grand Ville, you name it.
The bigger issue was that AMC had some horrible quality control problems and a UAW supplier strike in that time window. Scabs built some cars, no one knows, but really bad quality control issues with no undercoating, ill fitting parts. How are you going to sell a new 1978 AMC anything when you see 1 year old AMCs you neighbor, friends, family driving with holes thru fenders and they still making payments?
Regardless, they are nice cars, collectible, but rarity does NOT equate market value when it comes to AMC, google ‘Ben Carco AMX’ or search ‘Barrett-Jackson AMX Reno’ for instance. You can still find these Hornet AMXs relatively cheap I may add. Same with most later model AMXs, even many 71-74 AMXs. http://www.planethoustonamx.com/main/amc_production_figures_decodes.htm to see how many made of each in breakdowns.
To the guy who don’t like Concord AMX; it was a one year only body style, and has timeless flowing body lines. Aso only year you could get four, count them, four different colors of ‘denim like material’ (not real Levi’s stuff ya’ll but real buttons) but tan, red, blue and black Levi’s offered. With only 1931 made I estimate less than 200 exist.
To the Lerma fellow, see my Lerma Spy Photos under AMC PRESS PHOTOS http://www.planethoustonamx.com/AMC-Press-Photos/AMC-Press-Photos.htM & that also goes for you AMC “prototype fans” like Gremlin GT (destroyed after NY autoshow above).
No, most overlooked car is NOT the Rebel Machine it is SC/360 71 Hornet. Rebel Machine production 2326, while Hurst SC/Rambler 1512 while 71 SC/360 only 784 made. no love I own the only Medium Blue Metallic one known to exist, & painted it red, white, blue in early 90s, see on you tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbgduy8CCoA or visit the SC/360 Registry on y site http://www.planethoustonamx.com/sc360/sc_registry.htm
George Romney, CEO of AMC. To hear his speak at the AMC Nationals in Kenosha in 1994, search youtube for ‘George Romney amc nationals’ if you were not there, he died a year later, God bless him.
AMC started talks with Renault in 1977.
The Hot Rod “spoof” of 2009 about bringing American Motors back pissed off way…more people that AMC by ‘reviving’ the AMX name on Hornet. It didn’t bother me, but angry AMC masses filled the streets with torches made with 102 Ethyl gas. And cancelled their subscriptions. I thought it was neat, some exposure, but obviously many did not. I can only think what same are thinking now that Fiat, sorry, dodge, has trademarked the ‘Rebel’ name in 2014.
Ya’ll stop by my site it is 95% FREE to public, has 8200 files, many, many photos from decades collection, production figures, registries, clubs, chapters, to help AMC fans, then & now, learn more about these fine cars.
Take it from someone who has owned….and DRIVEN DAILY..nothing but the fine cars from American Motors since getting drivers license in 1976, that is 381 AMC cars & counting, 14 currently. No Ford, Chevy, Mopar or whatever they cal themselves now, imports, nothing but AMC. They really good cars, Happy Motoring, thanks for the article Mister Stembridge.
I have a 1977 AMX Hornet White Levi Edition 1 of 100 on the glove box 36,000 miles on it, 6 cyl 4 speed, Any idea on what I have here? I was told it might be the only one left? Email is hohn5577@yahoo.com or 1-907-841-5577
2 more things. In the photo above of the Javelin station wagon (AMX III) in gold, this is a photo from my personal collection which shows opposite side. Note it has different panels thick passenger side, thin driver side. This was AMC’s way of looking at different designs on one car. Rather brilliant. The lady sitting on top is Mary Wells of American Motors great advertising agency back then who came up with many memorable slogans and ads. She was with Wells, Rich & Green Advertising Agency.
The other thing is in the 1977 AMX Hornet Press Photo, the large “AMX” decal on tail panel never saw production. So none made with that. And only handful had the trunk bee decal.
Mary Wells might have been tops in her field, but climbing onto the roof of a car wearing a skirt was not one of her better ideas.
In the mid 1970’s I owned the 1968 Javelin (232cu in straight 6) and the 1968 AMX (290cu in V8), during my time in the USAF. Drove the Javelin mainly, with the AMX as my ‘fun’ car. I loved them both. Later owned a 1970 Javelin SST (360 cu in V8) and a 1971 Javelin (304 cu in V8).
I’d love to have another Javelin/AMX car, but the prices of nice examples have gone silly/stupid. When I owned mine, they were insured very cheaply as “Ramblers”, and one needed to learn to work on them. A GM-style engine, Ford electrical system and a Chrysler tranny, in a body built more like a truck than a car – but beautifully styled!
I even had the chance in 1980 to make the ‘pilgrimage’ to Kenosha, Wisc. to the AMC plant. I was in my second hitch (USN) at that time, stationed in Great Lakes Naval Station. The AMX was rare and always a conversation piece, my having to assure people that “Yes, AMC built a two-seater, no I did not remove the back seat!” 😉
Fantastic overview. Thanks Ed.
Love AMC, but darn if they didn’t mess up big time. 1957 Rebel had electronic fuel injection but AMC could not get it to work properly so they sold it to BOSCH. There is more to the story but you get the point.
I have a 1977 AMX Hornet, White with Levi Editon, 6 cyl, 4 speed, 36,000 original miles on it, Limited Edition. 1 of 100 on the glove box, Found it in a Barn.I drive it daily, It’s a pretty cool little car. Interior is almost perfect, Needs new paint but still looks good. It might be the only one left on the planet? I don’t know? I live in Alaska with this fine old car. When I drive it to town people go nut’s over it!!! Give me a call or Email me if know more about this car than I do!! 1-907-841-5577 or hohn5577@yahoo.com
If I had been in Roy Chapin’s shoes, this would have been the 75 Javelin/AMX, but they never asked me. Jerry Meyers was obsessed with Wankels and Dick Teague was thinking bubbles.
These would have been far better AMXs than the 71-74s were, which I like but they’re merely a Javelen package. The Spirit body which that concept presumably spawned would have been perfect for the AMX badge
You are aware that there was a Spirit AMX package in 1979 & 1980, yes? See my post above from 5+years ago…
Yes, I was agreeing with Steve that this should have happened in 1975, rather than inexplicably linger on the Hornet/Concord body in the interim years. In many ways I think this would have even been a better fresher AMX for 1971 as well.
With the Mustang downsized to the Pinto platform, the Cougar “upsized” to the intermediate class, and the Plymouth Barracuda and Dodge Challenger simply going away, this probably would have sold well for AMC in 1975-77.
I agree that AMC should have brought out the Spirit body sooner, since the Gremlin’s cut off back end was so polarizing, and was way out of style by ’75.
Regarding Pony Cars, GM did luck out with F bodies making a comeback. . Boomers started earning more $$$, and realized “hey, the new Camaros [Firebirds] look hot, I want one!”
Mopar E bodies got internal competition from Duster/Dart. AMC just gave up. Ford reinvented Stang in the 70’s, and the Fox version did well in long run.
I prefer the ’78 Concord-based AMX. I has nicer styling, and a much improved interior over the old Hornet.
Excellent, comprehensive article! I never seem to tire of reading about AMC and their interesting history and cars. The big googly Matador coupe from the 70s is still my favorite, just because you don’t see that kind of thinking outside the box anymore. AMC never had a chance to get lazy so it kept stuff interesting. Well, okay, putting AMX on stuff that was only sticker-performancy was kind of lazy but it was near the end by that time so I’ll give ’em a pass there…
The subject car kinda looks like a big fat Celica. The Gremlin concept looks like a nice Hot Wheels car, too bad the real thing did not turn out so nice.
Funny how every mid-60s European concept car took cues from the first generation Corvair and so many US concept cars from that time-frame took cues from the 63 Buick Riviera. The AMC Vixen and Cavalier almost look like they could’ve come from GM’s design studio rather than AMC.
“…but with stricter federal regulations and waning interest in muscle cars,”
The Pontiac Firebird managed to ‘survive’ the muscle car decline, and keep at least a 220 HP 400 V8 up to 1979.
If AMC could have had better performance from their 304 V8 in ’77, maybe? Engine management didn’t get better until mid/late 80’s with EFI and the Ford 5.0 benefited. Oh well.
“The Pontiac Firebird managed to ‘survive’ the muscle car decline, and keep at least a 220 HP 400 V8 up to 1979.”
Very true. However, after 1974 it (and the Camaro) had the market all to itself. It was a lot easier to maintain a reasonable volume on an aging platform in a shrinking market when there are no competitors. 🙂
Yes, believe it or not, sales of F bodies actually increased in ’74 model year, gas crisis and all*. And we all know about the sales success of the 76-79 era.
The F body was on life support during 1972, due to a plant strike, but ’73 sales went up, saving them.
*Being considered a “small car” may have helped? 😉
Hey, neat! The Cavalier and the Project IV cars appear to have the squircular sealed beam headlamps I was talking about the other day.
The back of that AMX III Javelin-based station wagon surely does seem to portend the Pacer, doesn’t it?
Also:
Oh, that’s interesting. Got any more details about these safety features?
The back does look like a Pacer. I’ve never noticed that before. If you look carefully at the car, you can tell that the greenhouse is different on each side.