I can't find it on the Net, but there was a 1968 commercial about a Rebel being driven the length of Baja California (a true 1967 exploit). It featured a stereotyped Mexican bandito saying "Joo theenk joo drive zee Baja, ha ha!". Those seemingly innocent non-PC times...
@Rockford Brodie: I shave my legs, not his ass!: Yeah, that movie came to my mind too as I saw that ad. Too bad AMC couldn't get Dom Deluise to be the director. The Alliance certainly counts as the "French Mistake".
My father used to restore these back in the day. My favorite years... in order.
70: Shadow Mask looks great with the hood scoop
69: Big Bad Orange, and painted bumpers plz!
68: Well... it's process of elimination people.
I would take any of the 3, but the 70 Javelin is my favorite. I always thought the AMX short wheelbase looked awkward with the large quarter panels, and the Javelin fixed some of that with the 12" longer wheelbase.
Ah, it's a shame he sold all his including the Big Bad Orange 70 w/black Shadow Mask and Red 68 w/black stripes. The Red on Black is still a favorite color combo for me.
@skaven: I promoted this just because I think you're the only person in the history of ever who thought that the Javelin is the better looking car than the AMX, and I respect that kind of depraved insanity.
Mike the Dog is sitting by the door with a pair of cow slippers, and a very sad face. was starred
Mike the Dog is sitting by the door with a pair of cow slippers, and a very sad face. was unstarred
There's a used car lot/self-storage/used-car-parts place down the street from me that has had no less than three AMXs in the four years I've lived here. I don't think they're actually for sale, so much as on display, though. It's hard to say, and he keeps weird hours, so I never have had the chance to go and ask about them. Street view It think this was taken a bit over a year ago, because I recall a bunch of rednecks being absolutely baffled by the streetview cars around town at the time, and the view of my workplace has a picture of a guy who was fired around that time getting into his Jeep.
Edited by Paul Y. can't get in the club; gotta parking lot pimp at 07/11/09 12:17 PM
Paul Y. can't get in the club; gotta parking lot pimp was starred
Paul Y. can't get in the club; gotta parking lot pimp was unstarred
Wait, the dad drives a pink car and the daughter drives the primer gray one? Bizzaro world. Nice find, and she looks to be in great shape. I would like to see pictures of this daughter, though.
@Novaload Misses Murilee: This, and my current quasi-employment situation, makes me think that I should move to Alameda and bring only my '57 Chevy with me.
The 68 and 69 Javelins and AMXs were probably the purest expression of Dick Teague's "design language" and the AMXs were, arguably, the cleaner of the two cars.
Very spare lines, single round head lights at either end of a simple grille, form-follows-function executed better than any other Detroit car maker before or since. All the more impressive when you consider the limited resources that AMCs design department was working with. (Harley Earl probably spent more on suits than AMC spent on their design department.)
These themes ran straight through from the 64 American to the 74 Matador Coupe and, to a lesser degree, the Pacer.
It is unlikely that we will ever see the like again.
@mdensch: Excellent observations. AMC was the Quaker of the car world--plain but attractive, simple--almost utilitarian--oh, we need headlights. About two round ones on either side of the grille?--apart from the occasional Rambler mutant and of course the Pacer and Gremlin--the weird cousins no one wanted to talk about.
What carmaker, dying today, would leave the same sense of loss for their entire lineup that AMC has to this day? Talking with the Kenosha faithful is like finding an entirely different philosophy of life that has now disappeared from the roads. Oldsmobile and Pontiac had only started a rebound from years of neglect when killed. Plymouth died neglected and Mercury may yet, leaving only Saturn, whose loyal fanbase seems to have shrunk, and is uncertain as its future.
@A strolling player: I have great faith in the starred Commentariat, but Rockford's idea that anyone can put it to use is brilliant, even if it has no formatting effect.
@Rockford Brodie: Well, whaddya know- I've got my star-giving abilities back, after months of hamster refusal. Now I can decide which sneetches get stars upon thars!
@Murilee Martin: I feel like I've been knighted, full stop. Now I will traverse the vast oceans of comments, performing noble deeds. Though I don't think the slaying of dragons is the done thing around here.
@skitter: I still don't have the ability to approve new commenters, however, so you guys waiting for your comments to appear can stop emailing me. Instead, scream at Gawker HQ!
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Stick out your tush,
Hands on your hips,
Give 'em a push!
Don't be surprised you're doin' the Renault Alliance, voila!
09/20/09
09/20/09
07/11/09
70: Shadow Mask looks great with the hood scoop
69: Big Bad Orange, and painted bumpers plz!
68: Well... it's process of elimination people.
I would take any of the 3, but the 70 Javelin is my favorite. I always thought the AMX short wheelbase looked awkward with the large quarter panels, and the Javelin fixed some of that with the 12" longer wheelbase.
Ah, it's a shame he sold all his including the Big Bad Orange 70 w/black Shadow Mask and Red 68 w/black stripes. The Red on Black is still a favorite color combo for me.
07/11/09
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07/12/09
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Street view
It think this was taken a bit over a year ago, because I recall a bunch of rednecks being absolutely baffled by the streetview cars around town at the time, and the view of my workplace has a picture of a guy who was fired around that time getting into his Jeep.
07/11/09
07/11/09
07/11/09
07/11/09
Very spare lines, single round head lights at either end of a simple grille, form-follows-function executed better than any other Detroit car maker before or since. All the more impressive when you consider the limited resources that AMCs design department was working with. (Harley Earl probably spent more on suits than AMC spent on their design department.)
These themes ran straight through from the 64 American to the 74 Matador Coupe and, to a lesser degree, the Pacer.
It is unlikely that we will ever see the like again.
07/11/09
07/11/09
07/11/09
07/11/09
07/11/09
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07/11/09
"Rockford Brodie promoted this comment."
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