AMC muscle car??

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Zorm
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AMC muscle car??

Post by Zorm »

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Stuka
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Re: AMC muscle car??

Post by Stuka »

The Hornet wasn't really a muscle car at all. It basically competed with the Mustang II.

AMC never really made a muscle car. The AMX, which was a good pony car, was great in the early years. By '77 it was just as gutless as what Ford and GM offered thanks to smog regulations.

$900 for that car is a total rip off. Even the roof is rusted clean through.
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MidTNJasonF
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Re: AMC muscle car??

Post by MidTNJasonF »

Stuka wrote:The Hornet wasn't really a muscle car at all. It basically competed with the Mustang II.

AMC never really made a muscle car. The AMX, which was a good pony car, was great in the early years. By '77 it was just as gutless as what Ford and GM offered thanks to smog regulations.

$900 for that car is a total rip off. Even the roof is rusted clean through.

AMC never really made a muscle car??? Not sure how you define it but by many people they certainly made several.

AMC Rebel Machine, the Go-Machine Package Matador's, SC/Rambler, 401 powered Javlin's and the AMX. Not as Iconic as a SS Chevelle or a Hemi Cuda but still muscle cars.

Many, and I personally would agree, define a muscle car as a average everyday chassis/body design with either a factory spec high performance engine option or a build sheet special. By that I mean order you plain jane car but check the boxes for the 4 speed, the big motor, and stripped down options. the Go-Machine cars were exactly that as were several other offerings. No they did not offer a big block stuffed into small chassis but the 401 was supposed to be a "big block in a small block package".

We can agree that by 72 or 73 everyone including AMC was on the performance decline. It saddens me as a child of the 70's that my generation began the downfall of American Muscle. It has really only been the last 10 years or so where we have really seen the resurgence of the horsepower wars.

We can also agree that horror show of a vehicle pictured is by no ones definition a muscle car and the only one who thinks it is worth nearly a grand is the delusional seller.
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Re: AMC muscle car??

Post by REDONE »

MidTNJasonF wrote: A bunch of stuff Redone will agree with.
Ever see the AMX III concept? AMC was straight jumping from "Musclecars" over "sportscars" right into "Supercars". I really wish they would have been a thing. :ugeek:
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Re: AMC muscle car??

Post by REDONE »

My hoopty next to a coworkers AMC "not" musclecar. ;)
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T18/D20/D44s&4.10s/33" Mud Claws
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4" front spring drop, 5" rear shackle flip
Chevy style HEI (ECM controlled)
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Re: AMC muscle car??

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REDONE wrote:My hoopty next to a coworkers AMC "not" musclecar. ;)
Everybodyhas their own opinion. To me, the AMX fits into the Pony car definition. Its a small, light vehicle with a small block V8. To me (and many others), a muscle car is a full size car with a big block, and is great in a straight line, crap around corners. Much like a Chevelle or Charger.

That is a great looking AMX by the way, they look good in pro-tour guise.
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Re: AMC muscle car??

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He's really proud of it but has some frustrations with the PO (don't we all?). It was originally a 390 4speed car but has a swapped in 401. He claims he's not real happy with the color or the wheels, but he keeps driving it just the way it is. It's fun when we both start up after work, people think I have the bigger motor based on the sound of our exhausts. :|
79 J-10 (Honcho Mucho) KE0LSU
304/Performance Fuel Injection TBI/MTA1/SP2P/Magnum rockers
T18/D20/D44s&4.10s/33" Mud Claws
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4" front spring drop, 5" rear shackle flip
Chevy style HEI (ECM controlled)
Dolphin "Shark" gauges in a fancy homemade oak bezel
3/4 resto, rotting faster than I've been fixing it.
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Re: AMC muscle car??

Post by Stuka »

REDONE wrote:He's really proud of it but has some frustrations with the PO (don't we all?). It was originally a 390 4speed car but has a swapped in 401. He claims he's not real happy with the color or the wheels, but he keeps driving it just the way it is. It's fun when we both start up after work, people think I have the bigger motor based on the sound of our exhausts. :|
That car would look great with some dark carbon colored or black wheels. Bummer it no longer has the 390, those engines are getting so hard to find these days.
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Re: AMC muscle car??

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1964 J-200 360/TH400/BW1339 - "Hodge" - as in Hodge Podge :roll:
GM FF 14 Bolt 4.56:1 Yukon Posi rear / GM D44 4.56:1 front
Looking for 8 lug H1's and 37"s
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Re: AMC muscle car??

Post by REDONE »

"Numbers-Matching" is a little bit of a fib since AMC didn't VIN stamp their engines. I'd still let that leak in my driveway though!
79 J-10 (Honcho Mucho) KE0LSU
304/Performance Fuel Injection TBI/MTA1/SP2P/Magnum rockers
T18/D20/D44s&4.10s/33" Mud Claws
Grizzly Locker Rear
4" front spring drop, 5" rear shackle flip
Chevy style HEI (ECM controlled)
Dolphin "Shark" gauges in a fancy homemade oak bezel
3/4 resto, rotting faster than I've been fixing it.
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Re: AMC muscle car??

Post by Stuka »

Interior is incredibly nice. Not sure he will get that price. Starting an eBay auction at such a high price is not a smart thing to do. Start it low, and set a reserve.
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Re: AMC muscle car??

Post by BCRAWLER »

I have owned 3 of the AMC Muscle Cars". The first was a 77 Hornet AMX. Had a 258/4 speed. Did not got fast but cornered like on rails. When my wife was pregnant with our daughter she waited till the contractions were 5 minutes apart before suggesting we head for the hospital.The drive to the hospital was 50 miles of which 20 were 30mph curves. Did more than double en-route.Pulled into hospital emergency in 4 wheel drift at 2am. amazing the service you get. Parked and made it to room in under 5 minutes to see daughter enter world. Not to sure how many other cars were up to that task. Next was the same with a 304/904. Nothing modified mechanically but bigger tires. It would keep up with the 5 liter Mustangs from the lights if I was awake at the lights. Final unit was a 73 AMX Javelin with the go package. The 360 went like a cut cat. The motor had been modified before my acquiring it, as too the 727 trans. It took down my buddies 81 450hp/350 Camaro Z28 as well as many "to fast,too furious" imports. Even cracked the windshield when it took off once when it got lots of traction with the 411s and posi rear diff. Fun cars to own. wish I still owned them but hearing rumors Javelin might boomerang back to me again. Can only hope.
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Re: AMC muscle car??

Post by Tatsadasayago »

I had a 77 360 AMX for a few years that was a bunch of fun.
I had the same problem with torque-twisting but solved it with subframe connectors.
It was much lighter and much faster than my 73 340 Dart GT.
I sold it to a friend who put a fire-breathing 401 in it...
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Re: AMC muscle car??

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My buddy dropped a 390 in his Gremlin his senior year of high school, don't know what category it fit but it was a wild ride...totaled the summer after high school :D
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Re: AMC muscle car??

Post by REDONE »

I had a 66 2-door Ambassador 880 and some wild ideas, but then 2008 happened. :x
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T18/D20/D44s&4.10s/33" Mud Claws
Grizzly Locker Rear
4" front spring drop, 5" rear shackle flip
Chevy style HEI (ECM controlled)
Dolphin "Shark" gauges in a fancy homemade oak bezel
3/4 resto, rotting faster than I've been fixing it.
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Re: AMC muscle car??

Post by DarkMonohue »

Stuka wrote:Everybodyhas their own opinion. To me, the AMX fits into the Pony car definition. Its a small, light vehicle with a small block V8. To me (and many others), a muscle car is a full size car with a big block, and is great in a straight line, crap around corners. Much like a Chevelle or Charger.
I'll go along with the AMX/Javelin being pony cars...maybe. But I also consider "pony car" a subheading under "muscle car".

Also, Chevelles and Chargers are midize, not fullsize. Full-size cars are not, by my definition, strictly "muscle cars". Not even if they are wicked-fast and stupid-rare.

Also, some small-block muscle cars were muscle cars and really hauled the mail.

Also, some didn't handle like a bucket of custard. At least the fine folks at Oldsmobile did the decent thing and put HD (police) suspension under the 442. Rear sway bar evident in this pic:

Image

Oh, yeah. 330 in that car. Small block? Big block? Short deck big small block? This and so many other pressing questions will go unanswered in next week's episode of...what the...what was we talking about, any...oh, yeah! Hornets!

Not a muscle car in any sense of the word.
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Re: AMC muscle car??

Post by REDONE »

DarkMonohue wrote:what was we talking about, any...oh, yeah! Hornets!

Not a muscle car in any sense of the word.
For every rule, an exception :D :
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79 J-10 (Honcho Mucho) KE0LSU
304/Performance Fuel Injection TBI/MTA1/SP2P/Magnum rockers
T18/D20/D44s&4.10s/33" Mud Claws
Grizzly Locker Rear
4" front spring drop, 5" rear shackle flip
Chevy style HEI (ECM controlled)
Dolphin "Shark" gauges in a fancy homemade oak bezel
3/4 resto, rotting faster than I've been fixing it.
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MidTNJasonF
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Re: AMC muscle car??

Post by MidTNJasonF »

REDONE wrote:"Numbers-Matching" is a little bit of a fib since AMC didn't VIN stamp their engines. I'd still let that leak in my driveway though!
No but you still have engine stamps and their relation to vin codes. There were a number of manufacturers that vin code or did not truly date code engines and transmissions but you can still match engine codes/types/sizes to the vin and/or available option packages for that model, year, and/or trim package.

Yes numbers matching is used a bit loosely here but it is used in that loose manner on many cars of the era.
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Re: AMC muscle car??

Post by MidTNJasonF »

Stuka wrote:
REDONE wrote:My hoopty next to a coworkers AMC "not" musclecar. ;)
Everybodyhas their own opinion. To me, the AMX fits into the Pony car definition. Its a small, light vehicle with a small block V8. To me (and many others), a muscle car is a full size car with a big block, and is great in a straight line, crap around corners. Much like a Chevelle or Charger.

That is a great looking AMX by the way, they look good in pro-tour guise.
Yes, it is opinion. I do not really buy the pony car label. That is a sub class in a larger picture to me. Most of the iconic muscle cars were not full sized but rather the mid sized of that era and I consider the mustang, firebird, camaro, and other similar cars to be in that mid size class. Sure they may be on the smaller end of mid size but they were not small enough to warrant their own size class. On the other end you have things like the impala and biscayne that start stretching the top end of the mid size to full size bubble.

I had a 1968 chrysler 300, now that was a full size car. You opened the back door, walked in, found a seat on the couch and put your feet up in that car.
1964 J-200 360/TH400/BW1339 - "Hodge" - as in Hodge Podge :roll:
GM FF 14 Bolt 4.56:1 Yukon Posi rear / GM D44 4.56:1 front
Looking for 8 lug H1's and 37"s
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Re: AMC muscle car??

Post by Tatsadasayago »

MidTNJasonF wrote:I had a 1968 chrysler 300, now that was a full size car. You opened the back door, walked in, found a seat on the couch and put your feet up in that car.
Yep! And there was acres of trunk space for Beer, Wimmins and shotguns...necessities for the open road!

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