AMC AMX

AMX emblem The AMX name originates from the "American Motors experimental" code used on a concept vehicle and then on two prototypes shown on the company's "Project IV" automobile show tour in 1966. One was a fiberglass two-seat "AMX", and the other was a four-seat "AMX II". These radically styled offerings reflected the company's strategy to shed its "economy car" image and appeal to a more youthful, performance-oriented market. The first fully operational unit debuted as part of AMC's AMX project in 1966. The once-"frumpy" automaker jumped on the "pony car bandwagon" with its "attractive Javelin" and soon introduced the "unique" AMX featuring a design where "hoods didn't come any longer, nor decks any shorter". Vic Raviolo, previously responsible for the Lincolns that raced in the Carrera Panamericana during the 1950s, was involved with engineering AMC's new sports-car-type coupe. The AMX was the first steel-bodied, two-seat American performance car since the 1955 through 1957 Ford Thunderbird. Ford's original two-seater evolved into a four-seat personal luxury car starting in 1958. The AMX was also the only mass-produced, domestic two-seater to share the market with Chevrolet's Corvette since the 1957 Thunderbird. With a short, , wheelbase, the AMX's direct competition was the one-inch longer ( Chevrolet Corvette. The AMX's manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) was US$3,245 (US$ in dollars ), nearly 25% below and over $1,000 less than the Corvette's price tag. The AMX was designed to "appeal to both muscle car and sports car enthusiasts, two camps that rarely acknowledged each other's existences." The problem was the "tire-melting" acceleration of the two-seater made it "a quick car that handled like a sports car, confusing the buying public." Automotive journalist Tom McCahill summed up, "the AMX is the hottest thing to ever come out of Wisconsin and ... you can whip through corners and real hard bends better than with many out-and-out sports cars." ==Record-breaking==

To promote the new car, AMC's manager for performance activities, Carl Chakmakian, asked world land speed record holder Craig Breedlove to put the AMX through its paces before the new vehicles were even available for sale. In January 1968, two specially prepared AMXs set 106 world speed and endurance records at Goodyear's track in Texas driven by Breedlove, his wife Lee, and Ron Dykes. Breedlove's "Spirit of America" crew and Traco Engineering had six weeks to prepare the cars before they were to be displayed at the Chicago Auto Show in February. The AMC V8 engines, such as the engine in one car was bored out to and the in the other to . The shop installed exhaust headers, eight-quart oil pans, oil coolers, hi-rise intake manifolds, racing camshafts with solid lifters and stronger springs, and larger carburetors. The cars had engine and rear-end oil coolers, as well as cell-type safety fuel tanks. Engine components were X-rayed and Magnafluxed to check for cracks, as were chassis components. Chassis preparation included heavy-duty front and rear springs (part of the factory's optional handling package), rear spring traction control arms, heavy-duty shock absorbers, and a "panhard" type track bar in the rear to eliminate side sway. Wide magnesium racing wheels and Goodyear racing tires replaced the stock road wheels and standard tires. The cars were aerodynamically modified: the front ends were lowered, the hoods were slanted down, and spoilers were installed below the front bumpers. The car interiors had structure-stiffening roll cages for driver protection, a stock bucket seat modified for additional support, and supplementary engine-monitoring instruments. Breedlove also took the AMX to Bonneville reaching in a United States Auto Club (USAC) sanctioned run, as well as an unofficial run of over . ==Industry firsts==

The AMX was not only sporty and attractive, but it introduced many industry firsts. The American Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) named the AMX as the "best-engineered car of the year" in 1969 and 1970. For its first-year recognition, the reasons cited included the car's dashboard, which was injection-molded in one piece "for safety purposes, an industry first." The 1968 models also included an innovative fiberglass safety padding, a "plastic" on the inside of the windshield posts that was first used on the AMC Javelins. For the following year's award, the SAE recognition included the 1970 AMXs (and Javelins) being the first production cars to use windshields that were safer, thinner, and lighter than ordinary laminated glass. Developed by Corning, the glass featured a chemically hardened layer designed to give under impact and crumble into small granules to reduce injuries. The inner layer has "stress raisers that will cause it to break before excessively high concussion forces can be developed in the occupant's skull." American Motors also incorporated new designs for windshield sealing for the 1970 models and developed a systems solutions process that began in the styling studio to ensure maximum efficiency. ==1968==

American Motors promoted the mid-model year launch of the AMX to automotive journalists at Daytona to emphasize its sports car performance, as well as with a marketing agreement with Playboy Enterprises. To introduce the AMX to its dealers, AMC held meetings at nine Playboy Clubs. The AMX was introduced to the public on 24 February 1968, five months after the Javelin and other 1968 AMC cars. The AMX was promoted as "the only American sports car that costs less than $3500". American Motors advertisements also showed "a helmeted race driver revving up at the starting line in one of AMC's sporty AMX models, which it describes as ready to do 125 miles an hour." The two-seat AMX was "meant for a small, well-defined market niche, and it pulled young people into AMC dealer showrooms in never before seen numbers". Numerous road tests described the new AMX as a "handsome two-seater with American-style acceleration and European-style handling". All AMXs came with four-barrel carbureted small block AMC V8 engines in several versions: (, N-code), (, T-code), as well as the "AMX" featuring with of torque (X-code). All are derived from the same external size block. However, the three engines differed vastly internally, with the smallest engine having small intake and exhaust valves, thin block webbing, and a cast nodular iron crankshaft; the 343 used larger valves with a thicker block webbing; and the 390 moved up to a forged steel crankshaft and connecting rods, as well as larger rod bearings, compared to in the smaller two versions. A BorgWarner T-10 four-speed manual transmission was standard, as were unique traction bars, dual exhaust system, and fatter tires for better traction. A "Shift-Command" three-speed automatic transmission with the capability of manual shifting (BorgWarner model M-11B or M-12) was optional together with a floor console mounted shifter. A popular "Go-Package" option was available with the four-barrel 343 or 390 engine. It included power-assisted front disk brakes, "Twin-Grip" differential, E70x14 red-stripe performance tires on 6-inch wide steel road wheels, heavy-duty suspension with thicker sway-bars, heavy-duty cooling, as well as other performance enhancements. Breedlove AMX According to several sources, "Breedlove Replica" cars to commemorate the speed and endurance records were offered by AMC. The Standard Catalog of American Muscle Cars 1960–1972 describes an estimated 50 "Breedlove" AMXs were sold featuring the red, white, and blue paint scheme along with the standard 4-barrel V8 with four-speed manual transmission. However, AMC historians argue there was no "factory literature, order sheets, advertising, photographs, or anything else to properly document any factory 1968 or 1969 'Breedlove Replica' AMXs." According to historians a new car that a dealer in Canada ordered could not have been painted at the factory, but rather outsourced to local Kenosha body shops to perform the final painting. It was powered by the base 290 V8 with automatic transmission, air conditioning, tilt wheel, AM/8-track radio and optional rear bumper guards. Aside from the unique color, it differed from other AMXs with its dashboard number plate containing Dorian's measurements, making her car AMX 36–24–35. The car, currently owned by Mark Melvin who purchased it from Dorian in 2010, was featured in an episode of Jay Leno's Garage. Some sources describe other AMXs as having been painted Playmate Pink at the factory. AMC's marketing vice-president, Bill , who handed over the keys to Angela Dorian's car, mentioned that "a number of them" were finished in pink. In late 1968, a Playmate Pink AMX was special-ordered by a dealership in rural Potosi, Missouri. This 1969 model year car's door tag indicates a "00" paint code (meaning a special-order color). It has a 390 V8 with automatic transmission, as well as the performance "GO" Package, air conditioning, and leather seats. Hertz rent-a-racer In the late-1960s, The Hertz Corporation offered "rent-a-racer" program in selected locations that included cars such as Corvettes, Jaguar XK-Es, Shelby Mustangs, and AMXs. There is no record of how many AMXs were ordered by Hertz for their fleet. Still, the factory "Build Sheet" for a car may indicate that AMC sold the car to Hertz. Von Piranha Edition Thoroughbred Motors in Denver, Colorado, modified an estimated 22 new AMXs for select AMC dealerships to have ready-made racers for both the dragstrips and road courses nearby. They were named "Von Piranha" and the changes included the addition of two sets of air scoops on each C-pillar with ducts to cool the rear brakes and on the roof above the windshield that was reportedly functional to cool the cockpit on race-bred versions. The AMX's twin hood bulges were cut open to increase airflow in the engine bay. The original Piranha buildup was believed to have AMC's Group 19 R4B intake stamped with the Von Piranha logo and a 950 CFM Holley three-barrel carburetor. The sales manager at Thoroughbred at the time and local racing legend, Ronald Hunter, raced a Piranha at the Continental Divide Raceways and other events. ==1969==

The AMX's full second model year saw only slight changes, except for a $52 increase in its base price. Later production cars received a hood over the instruments in front of the driver. Trunk capacity was . Starting in January 1969, all manual transmission AMXs came with a Hurst floor shifter. The center console-mounted three-speed "Shift-Command" automatic remained optional with "1", "2", and "D" forward settings. The "D" mode was for fully automatic operation, but the driver could shift manually through all three gears by starting in the "1" setting for first gear with no upshift, then the "2" setting for second gear with no upshift, and finally to third-gear in the "D" setting. A "Big Bad" paint option for $34 became available in mid-1969. The neon brilliant blue (BBB), orange (BBO), and green (BBG) exteriors included color-matched front and rear bumpers, as well as a unique slim bright lower grille moulding for the front bumper and two vertical rubber-faced painted bumper guards for the rear. The factory-painted 1969 AMXs were 195 in BBB, 285 in BBO, and 283 in BBG. Popular Mechanics wrote that the 1969 "AMX preserves the status quo this year, being virtually unchanged, and remains an absolute delight to drive." California 500 Special The "California 500 Special" is a version of 1969 AMXs sold only by Southern California American Motors Dealer Association members. It was part of a marketing campaign to commemorate the 1969 season at the Riverside International Raceway. They would serve as pace car and the dealers would sell replicas. All were finished in Big Bad Green with black stripes and included the 390 Go-Pac, automatic transmission, air conditioning, power steering, adjustable steering wheel, tinted windows, radio, light group, visibility group, and a saddle leather interior. American Motors rated the car at , but the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) rated it at and shuffled it among various competition classes that included SS/G and SS/D. The Super Stock AMXs were also put in SS/E class by NHRA based on the car's weight and estimated and ultimately slotted into the SS/C class. Most of the cars were prepared and custom-painted by AMC dealers to be campaigned at big racing events where they ran in the low 11s on the tracks. The Super Stock AMX was meant for the race track and lacked comfort equipment such as a heater. The car could be ordered in all white or vertical bands of red, white, and blue, distinguishing numerous AMC competition cars of the day. The base price was $5,994, approximately $1,900 more than a fully loaded 1969 AMX. Moreover, the factory warranty was unavailable for these cars. The AMX Pace and Courtesy cars were used by racers (including Bobby Unser) to practice the week before the race up the mountain. There were 12 (10 according to some sources) pace/courtesy AMXs, and all were equipped with the "390 Go-Pac" option and finished in "Frost White" with red stripes and red interiors. A working prototype was built in 1968 from a regular AMX by James Jeffords, a designer-customizer, and was named the AMX-R. Jeffords was also head of the Javelin Trans Am Racing Team for AMC. Together with industrial designer Brooks Stevens, they decided to also "plush up" the interior, add custom paint treatment and hood with Jeffords's name in badge form, as well as a modified suspension as part of their plan to offer an optional Ramble seat for 500 production cars. The prototype was prepared by Dave Puhl's House of Kustoms in Palatine, Illinois. However, numerous problems prevented serial production, including safety and product liability concerns, AMC's refusal to sell him the cars to modify, as well as the adverse reaction from Ralph Nader to the exposed exterior seating idea. The AMX-R's special blacked-out hood treatment would later be offered as a "shadow mask" option on 1970 AMX models. ==1970==

s American Motors 1970 AMX advertising headlined, "We made the AMX look tougher this year because it's tougher this year". They were mildly facelifted resembling the first two model years, but the changes were different enough to be a separate design for 1970. Featured was a new front-end design with a longer hood that had a "power blister" with two large openings. These air intakes were functional cold ram-air induction system with the popular "Go Package" available with the 360 and 390 engines. The new grille was flush and full-width, incorporating the headlamps. The revised rear end also featured full-width taillamps and a single center-mounted backup light. Side marker lights were now shared with several other AMC models. Riding on the same wheelbase as before, the changes increased the AMX's overall body length by about to . American Motors also changed the AMX's engine lineup for 1970 with the introduction of a new four-barrel (, P-code) to replace the V8. The smallest 290 was dropped, and AMC could claim 65 more base horsepower than the AMXs featured previously. The V8 engine continued, but upgraded to new heads with combustion chambers that increased power to at 4800 rpm and of torque at 3200 rpm. Motor Trend summed up a road test of a 1970 AMX with the 390 engine as "one of the better-constructed cars around." Described as "the best version yet of this blend of muscle car and sports car", the 1970 model was also the last "true AMX". ==Performance figures==

Original road test of a 390 AMX by Car and Driver (1968) • 0 to = 6.6 seconds • 0–100 mph = 16.3 seconds • Dragstrip acceleration = 14.8 seconds @ • Top speed = Original road test of a 390 AMX by Motor Trend (December 1969) They were campaigned with factory support and by independents in a variety of road and track racing series as well as being classified as grand tourers. The cars were regular performers on dragstrips across the United States. Drivers included Shirley Shahan, better known as the "Drag-On Lady", and Lou Downy. National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) champion Wally Booth raced AMXs in both the Super Stock and the Pro Stock classes. Owners have also modified AMXs to compete in modern Pro Touring car racing. The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) classed the AMX in B Production for amateur competition, the same class as the Shelby GT350. An AMX scored second place in the 1969 SCCA national championship. The two-seat AMX was never eligible for SCCA Trans-Am competition. A 1969 AMX was entered in the 1971 and 1972 Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, an unofficial automobile race from New York City and Darien, CT, on the US Atlantic (east) coast, to Redondo Beach, a Los Angeles suburb on the Pacific (west) coast. A team of enthusiastic brothers, Tom and Ed Bruerton, finished the 1971 competition in fifth place. They drove in 37 hours and 48 minutes at an average of , with no speeding tickets. Their AMX already had on the odometer and the brothers had previously taken it on numerous endurance rides, including "a rocky ride the entire length of the Baja California Peninsula." They again entered "their battlescarred AMX one more time" in the 1972 run. The brothers finished in eighth place, making the coast-to-coast outlaw race in 39 hours and 42 minutes at an average of . ==Production==

The two-seat AMX was built for three model years following its debut as a mid-year model on 15 February 1968. The first 1968 model year cars were scheduled to appear in dealer showrooms on 19 March 1968. AMC AMX model year production totals in the U.S., by engine and transmission: In 1969, American Motors showed the next generation AMX/2 concept car in the automobile show circuit. As the two-seater AMX production ceased in 1970, AMC was developing a sophisticated European-engineered alternative, the AMX/3 for 1971 introduction. However, overall economic conditions changed with spiraling inflation pushing sales of smaller cars along with the insurance companies' decision to penalize high-powered automobiles resulting in decreasing the sports-type car market segment, and the AMX was made into a high-performance model of the 4-seat Javelin starting in 1971. Assembly in Australia A total of 24 right-hand drive 1969 model-year AMXs were hand-assembled under license in Australia by Australian Motor Industries (AMI) between August 1969 and July 1970. They used the name Rambler AMX as AMI produced the Rambler range of cars since October 1960. Complete knock down (CKD) kits were shipped from Kenosha, Wisconsin to AMI's facilities at Port Melbourne in Victoria. Only three colors were offered: White, Safety Wattle Yellow, and Signal Red. Differences to the RHD Australian AMXs (compared to the U.S. models) included different outside rear-view mirrors and black vinyl trim inside the "AMX" circle logo on the C-pillars. As with other Australian-assembled AMC models built in right-hand drive, windscreen wipers were not reversed, remaining LHD pattern, but the power brake booster and heater on the firewall were swapped over. Although the power steering pump remained in its usual left location, the remainder of the steering components were on the right side of the car. The cars came with and automatic transmission, power steering, power disk brakes, "twin-grip" rear axle, and other items that were optional on the U.S. models. All Australian AMX interiors were finished in black and featured unique seats, door panels, and a fiberglass RHD dashboard with a wood-grained instrument cluster in front of the driver. The Australian AMXs came with a significant level of equipment and were promoted as "personal super cars". ==Concept and show cars==

1966 AMX A concept car with a folding exposed rear seat was introduced by AMC at the 1966 Society of Automotive Engineers convention in Detroit. This was the first "AMX" (American Motors Experimental) named car. The sports car design features a rumble seat for two additional passengers that was described as a "Ramble Seat" in homage to the automaker's predecessor Rambler models. This back seat folds into the trunk space, and the rear window flips down, but these are not fully weatherproof designs. AMX I A fiberglass-bodied AMX I concept car was made in 1966 to be part of AMC's "Project IV" exhibit. Built by Smith Inland of Ionia, Michigan, one of the two fiberglass-bodied concept cars was reportedly destroyed in a crash test convincing AMC's engineers and designers to use a traditional steel body. The remaining domestic-built fiberglass prototype features round headlamps. AMX II Vince Gardner, an outside consultant, designed the fiberglass-bodied AMX II, a less radical two-door for the "Project IV" exhibit. This four-passenger hardtop (no B-pillar) notchback coupe had little in common with the AMX I. Changing customer preferences meant that traditional car customization was being replaced by quick bolt-on accessory personalization. Barris joined this trend by offering a variety of spoiler, body additions, and wheel options. The car featured a taillight system that glowed green during acceleration, amber during deceleration, and red during braking. The AMX/3 body mold was sent to Italian grand tourer maker Giotto Bizzarrini, whose Turin facility hand made driveable mid-engined, steel-bodied cars. Built on a wheelbase, the Bizzarrini prototypes used the AMC V8 and an Italian OTO Melara four-speed transaxle. The AMX/3 is considered one of Bizzarrini's car-masterpieces. The steel Italian cars differed from the original AMC design in having fewer but functional rear decklid louvers, louvered hoods, and, in some cases, hood scoops to direct fresh air into the heating-A/C system. Further engineering improvements and road testing was done by BMW, which declared the AMX/3's chassis one of the stiffest having a 50% higher stiffness compared to a benchmark Mercedes-Benz model. The car's steel semi-monocoque chassis design with its welded on steel body provided a strong overall structure while the top speed was verified to , with reports indicating the AMX/3 could go faster if it was not for the tendency for the front end to lift at those speeds, but BMW found the car to be most neutral handling they had ever tested. The BMW engineers also refined numerous components of the AMX/3 into "a world-class contender among the mid-engined super car elite of its time." Five completed cars were produced before the US$2,000,000 development program was canceled. The original projection by AMC called for building 5,000 AMX/3s per year, but the estimated retail price kept increasing. The AMX/3 was "beautiful and sleek, the kind of car that would have made hearts race in the day" and was to be a "flagship or halo car" to lure customers to AMC dealerships, "where they would often end up with other, more practical models." However, escalating costs and pending bumper regulations put a stop to the mid-engined AMX/3. 1971 Teague AMX Sales of the two-seat AMX were lower than the numbers AMC executives wanted. Still, AMC's vice president for styling, Dick Teague, wanted to continue the sports model. American Motors' Advanced Design Studio made design proposals for a 1971 AMX and Teague requestedand received permissionto produce a fully working concept car. Starting with a Frost White 1968 AMX coupe as the development mule, Teague updated its front end to the grille and swooping front fenders of what was incorporated into the production 1971 Javelin. The concept car also featured the interior to what was to become AMC's characteristic high-backed bucket seats and corduroy upholstery introduced in 1970. The concept car was repainted light metallic blue with red striping to match the interior. A short-wheelbase, two-seat 1971 AMX was not approved for production by the automaker, but Teague used this car as his daily driver. ==Legacy==

The AMX was intended to be a “halo car” for American Motors. Another objective was "lowering the median age of visitors to AMC showrooms; in that role it was a major success" even though however the sales goals not achieved. The two-seat AMC AMX has been described as being "a perfect car for many who lusted for the Corvette but could not afford it." Developed under "austere budject" the AMX and the four-seat Javelin were designed to be radical departures from AMC's economy image. Automotive journalist Patric George noted that the AMC AMX is "great vintage American iron" with only "two seats, making it more of a sports car than a lot of other muscle cars." Automotive historian and author Richard M. Langworth noted that the AMX has "all the right sports-car stuff" and that the "little machine that can only go up in value over the long haul." According to CNN, before 2004, the AMX had been under-appreciated from an investment standpoint. In 2004, there was considerable variation between the values of two-seat AMXs and four-seat Javelin AMXs. Craig Fitzgerald mentioned "the satisfaction in owning a car that you don't see every single day, or on the cover of every single magazine." In 2006, the editors of Hemmings Muscle Machines magazine said that AMCs had "experienced notable value increases over the last few yearsespecially AMXs..." The book ''Keith Martin's Guide to Car Collecting, in collaboration with the editors of the monthly Sports Car Market'', lists the 1970 AMX as one of the picks under $40,000 among "Nine Muscle Car Sleepers". Unique versions, such as the California 500 Specials and the 52 Hurst-modified SS/AMX drag race cars are perhaps the most highly sought after by collectors. In 2007, Hemmings wrote that only about 39 of the original SS/AMX turn-key race cars may have survived. By 2007, the AMX was "among the most highly sought AMC cars" and "really taking off in the muscle-car market". Also in 2007, Hemmings said that the two-seater AMX had "a strong following among old car hobbyists and collectors of historic vehicles and nearly every one of the 19,134 built...remains in circulation and in demand, ensuring a good future for the first-generation AMX as a collectible muscle car." The 2007 book Classic Cars states that AMC's small and powerful AMX "had tire-burning speed" and "all have become collector's items." Noting the increasing values of the 1968–1970 AMXs, Hemmings listed them among the "21 hottest cars" enthusiasts wanted in 2007 "and will want tomorrow." In 2008, Hemmings wrote buyers had "only recently 'discovered' the AMX; they're now snapping them up left and right. Prices ... are on the rise, though they still represent a relative bargain compared to many more common muscle machines." In 2010, Hemmings Classic Car included the two-seat AMXs in their list of 32 best cars to restore in terms of economic sense after factoring purchase price, parts availability, as well as restored value and desirability. Although low production, the AMX shared parts and components with other AMC models. There are many active AMC car clubs for these cars. Parts, including reproduction components, are available. However, "AMC did not build cars in the vast numbers the Big Three did back in the day; therefore, there are fewer to restore and not as many parts to go around." As of 2010, Hemmings Classic Car wrote that the AMXs are "pretty basic" so they are not hard to restore, and that "reproduction parts are available" and continues to grow with many mechanical parts interchanging with other cars. His book, The Savvy Guide to Buying Collector Cars at Auction, explains this important and measurable pleasure to an owner, whether their car is driven or sits in a climate-controlled garage, such as a red 1969 AMX that attracts more attention than the more prestigious Ferraris and Lamborghinis. Old Cars Weekly describes the AMX as an "appealing little package for adrenaline junkies and guys ... who have an appetite for something a little offbeat and different ... a car that famed automotive scribe Tom McCahill once described as 'harrier than a Borneo gorilla.'" Scale models A variety of scale models of the AMX are available, including promotional 1/25-scale model manufactured under license from AMC by Jo-Han in factory colors. Hot Wheels offered a 1969 AMX custom in 1:64 scale, and in 1971 issued the AMX/2 show car model. Newer models in 1:18 scale diecast were issued, including the Playboy Pink version in the "Best of the Best" series, as well as the modified "Drag-On Lady" race car. According to the editors of Die Cast X Magazine, "muscle cars are the largest, most popular category in die-cast" collectors. ==See also==