Automotive history rant.

[southkogs]

Re: Automotive history rant.

AMX was pretty cool - I forgot about that one JB.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Automotive history rant.

The AMX was not an early Javelin. It was a different, shorter car. . .a 2 passenger coupe. The Javelin was a better road racer, though.

Yup, until the 1971 model year when AMX became a Javelin trim package. Take a look here.

 

[JB]

Re: Automotive history rant.

Sort of like the Le Sabre became a Buick because they hung the Le Sabre name on a Buick?? Javelin was not an AMX and AMX was not a Javelin. They were siblings, but not twins.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Automotive history rant.

Javelin was not an AMX and AMX was not a Javelin.

Well, certainly not when the AMX was a Hornet, Concord, or Spirit!

 

[JoLin]

Re: Automotive history rant.

All these memories of AMC stuff. Why doesn't anyone remember the AMX? With the 401 that was a pretty cool car.

I sure do. Owned a '69 (#10100)- the 'real' 2-seater, not the later rebadged Javelin. Had the 343, leather interior and factory air. One of the nicest cars I ever owned. Sexy, fast, and once I added a rear sway bar and heavier front bar, it was even a decent handler (for the time).

As for 'weird' AMC cars (pacer, gremlin et al) I always gave them credit for building 'niche' cars that cost little to design and build. Ya gotta remember, AMC never had the deep pockets of the big 3- they had to use a lot more ingenuity than R&D money to stay in the market.

One thimng JB left out is a little more of the origin of AMC... before AMC, it was Rambler Motors, and that name evolved from an older Nash model named the "Rambler'.

This was fun.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Automotive history rant.

Hey.... my first car was a 1973 Gremlin with Levi interior. that car was a POS, however would always start (with ether) in the winter. it had a 258 and 3-speed.

had a few realestate signs as floor panels.


back to the OP's rant. can you really take any show seriously that has Alonzo Bowden as host.

 

[JB]

Re: Automotive history rant.

One thing JB left out is a little more of the origin of AMC... before AMC, it was Rambler Motors, and that name evolved from an older Nash model named the "Rambler'.

AMC built "Ramblers" and "Ambassadors", using names from Nash. I briefly owned an AMC Ambassador wagon. Nice car.

My memory also claims that they used the "Hornet" name from Hudson, but the memory is not clear. Anyone remember a "Hornet" made by AMC?

 

[bassman284]

Re: Automotive history rant.

AMC built "Ramblers" and "Ambassadors", using names from Nash. I briefly owned an AMC Ambassador wagon. Nice car.

My memory also claims that they used the "Hornet" name from Hudson, but the memory is not clear. Anyone remember a "Hornet" made by AMC?

Yup. The Hornet is the car James Bond is driving when he jumps the busted bridge in Man with a Golden Gun. Just watched that again a few nights ago so fresh in my mind. The villain he's chasing (MWTGG) is driving a Matador that he fits with wings and a motor and flies away with Agent Goodnight in the trunk. Even all the Thai cops were driving AMCs.

I was going to post about the Matador when someone mentioned it earlier but got distracted and maybe forgot?

 

[marcoalza]

Re: Automotive history rant.

I'm with ya' JB - especially with American automotive history. There's such a cross fire of junk out there.

Now that is spot on my friend, The Crossfire really is junk!

 

[JB]

Re: Automotive history rant.

Now that is spot on my friend, The Crossfire really is junk!

Interesting. That was one of the things Daimler Benz did while Chrysler was theirs. As I understand it the Crossfire was on the same platform as the MB SLK, which is a good car. Too bad it was a bad one.

But the newest Jeep Grand Cherokee seems to be a winner using the MB M class platform.

 

[82rude]

Re: Automotive history rant.

AMC built "Ramblers" and "Ambassadors", using names from Nash. I briefly owned an AMC Ambassador wagon. Nice car.

My memory also claims that they used the "Hornet" name from Hudson, but the memory is not clear. Anyone remember a "Hornet" made by AMC?

ahh ,you bring back old memories!my dad was a amc man and i remember my 2nd car was a 1967 ambassador with the high compression 343 at im sure it was 290hp.He also has a couple of matadors also.I also distinctly remember a fellow that had a 401 gremlin from back in the days when money could get the dealer to install any size motor . I drove a friends pacer once,felt like a goldfish!

 

[lakelover]

Re: Automotive history rant.

My cousin had an AMX. I remember seeing her drive it around town, but not much to recall, I was pretty young then.

 

[southkogs]

Re: Automotive history rant.

Anyone remember a "Hornet" made by AMC?

Yup. My grandmother had one. Looked like someone took a Gremlin and stretched the length in PhotoShop Dad had a Gremlin I remember, and I think he actually liked his. Don't remember the consensus on the Hornet.

 

[JB]

Re: Automotive history rant.

Thanks for the warning, KRS. If there is anything other than boats and cars that I care about it is history.

 

[DECK SWABBER 58]

Re: Automotive history rant.

I never watch cable car shows except the Barrett Jackson.

Hemmings magazine is where it's at, Muscle Machines for 60's and 70's, Motor News for older stuff.

I grew up working on AMC's in the late 70's early eighties, knew them well. I remember the Hornet, a high school buddy had a 401 AMX, another buddy had a brand new gremlin. I always liked how they borrowed parts from everyone else in the later years. Master cyl., Carburetor and starter was Ford, Alternator and maybe the steering column was GM, the auto trans was a Chrysler Torque-flite as was the differential a Chrysler.

Anyone ever ride from Chicago to Boston in the backseat of a 1960 Rambler Classic? I was four my brother was ten, it was Grandpa's car Dad's wouldn't make the trip to the wedding. I remember both front seats folded almost flat to make a bed, the four of us slept in the car.