AMC AMX
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The AMC AMX was an automobile produced by the American Motors Corporation (AMC). The AMX was a shorter two-seat version of the longer AMC Javelin pony car. The AMX featured a performance chassis and serious power in the Gran Turismo (GT) tradition, but at a budget price.
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[edit] Origin of AMX
The AMX name originates from "American Motors eXperimental", a code used on several early prototypes developed by AMC. These were part of the company's attempt to change its "economy car" image to a more performance and youth-oriented market. The original AMX full-scale model were developed in 1965 by AMC's advanced styling studios under the direction of Charles Mashigan. In 1966, a concept car was designed by an outside consultant and named the "AMX II". This was a fiberglass-bodied car that was part of AMC's "Project IV" exhibit. The President of AMC, Roy Abernethy, gave the go-ahead for the Italian coachbuilder Vignale in Turin to construct a real car. A steel-bodied, operational car was delivered in just 78 days. This was known as the "AMX Vignale" and first displayed at the 1966 New York International Auto Show.
American Motors had two simultaneous development programs: (1) to build a production vehicle by modifying the Javelin and (2) to create a completely new car out of fiberglass. The first approach used AMC's existing technology and unibody manufacturing expertise and was thus selected. By making fairly inexpensive modifications to the Javelin, the production car approximated the prototype's styling and proportions. The AMX debuted just over four months after the Javelin went on sale.
This was the first American steel-bodied, two seat production model since the 1957 Ford Thunderbird. The only other two-seat domestic sports car at that time was the Chevrolet Corvette with a 98-inch wheelbase, while the AMX had 97-inches (2463.8 mm) between the front and rear axles. American Motors maximized the performance car connection by having race drivers Craig Breedlove and and Lee Breedlove set 106 world speed records with the new AMX [1]. The motoring press was introduced to the new model at the Daytona International Speedway. Even Playboy Enterprises was enlisted to help market the new AMX.
[edit] An American two-seater
The two-seater AMX was a limited production car built for three model years following its debut as a mid-year model on February 15, 1968. Production totals as follows: 6,725 (1968), 8,293 (1969), and 4,116 (1970). Of these, the rare, 52 Hurst-modified SS/AMX drag race cars are perhaps the most highly sought after by collectors.
The AMX was named "Best Engineered Car of the Year" in 1969 and 1970 by the American Society of Automotive Engineers. Among the reasons they cited was its industry-first all one piece injection molded dashboard for safety purposes.
All 1968 to 1970 AMXs came with a 4-barrel carbureted V8 engines in 290, 343, 360 and 390 in³ versions, all derived from the same external sized block. A T-10 4-speed manual transmission was standard, as were special traction bars, dual exhaust and fatter tires for better traction. Performance with the latter engine was very competitive, and the AMX found its greatest success on the dragstrip, where it held the Super Stock champion title for many years. When AMC debuted the AMX, they hired on the expertise of Craig Breedlove to challenge the existing national and international speed records. More than 100 records were broken, and some were shattered, including an average speed of 130 mph for 24 hours, compared with the previous record of 103 mph.
In 1971, AMC transferred the AMX name to a performance-oriented version of the Javelin, which continued through 1974. The name was revived for performance option equipped versions of the Hornet in 1977, Concord in 1978, and the Spirit in 1979 and 1980.
In 2005, the Speed Channel show American Muscle Car [1] tested an AMX 390 as part of a comparative test to identify "the greatest muscle car ever built." While giving up a great deal of raw power to the other competitors (including a GTO Judge, Mustang Cobra Jet, and Hemi Challenger), the AMX's lighter weight allowed it to be competitive and place above a number of the larger, more powerful cars.
There are many active AMC car clubs for these cars, and parts availability is reasonably good.
[edit] Concept and show cars
[edit] AMX GT
Developed for the 1968 auto show circuit, the AMX GT was a concept car based on the Javelin with a Kammback rear end.
[edit] AMX-400
George Barris customized a 1969 AMX. It was built for the second "Banacek" TV season episode. The car was lowered and its body was heavily modified. Its roof was chopped almost five inches and the car was lengthened 18 inches. Featuring a sculpted body with louvered accents, it became known as the AMX-400. Barris Kustom Gallery page
[edit] Bizzarrini AMX/3
The 1970 AMX/3 was an early high-performance mid-engined sports car intended for sale in the U.S. It was a U.S.-designed automobile manufactured for AMC by ItalDesign at the former Bizzarrini factory in Turin, Italy. Six cars were built from 1969 to 1972. It was designed chiefly by AMC designer Dick Teague.
The AMX/3 featured a 390 in³ (6383 cc) AMC V8 engine developing 340 hp (254 kW) at 5100 rpm and a custom made OTO Melara five-speed transaxle. The car was tested by BMW for AMC and it was reported to be capable of speeds up to 160 mph. It has a wheelbase of 105.3 in (2675 mm), length of 175.6 in (4460 mm), 74.9 in (1902 mm).
As a fulfillment of earlier prototypes, the car is not well known. The AMX/3 was the third iteration of AMC's AMX (American Motors Experimental) two seater concept cars. The second version, the AMX/2, was a design experiment. Two rolling prototypes were made. (One AMX/2 spent many years in neglect mounted atop a pole for a used car dealership.) The first fully operational AMX prototype debuted as a member of AMC's AMX project in 1966, and was kept well-preserved in the Talledega Speedway museum for many years.
[edit] Performance numbers
In 1969 the TV show "Car and Track" posted these numbers after running an AMX 390 in³ with 4-barrel carburetion and 10.5:1 compression ratio:
Zero to 60: 6.5 sec. 1/4 mile run: 14.1 seconds
[edit] See also
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ "Is the AMX a True Sports Car?" Motor Trend, March 1968.
[edit] External links
- AMXfiles.com
- Detailed information on the AMX/3
- JavelinAMX.com
- AMC AMX at Muscle Car Facts — A year-by-year account of the AMX
- AMC Rambler Club -- Club for 1958 - 1969 AMCs.
- American Motors Owners -- Club for 1958 - 1987 AMCs.
| American Motors Corporation | |
| 1954-1987
Historic: |
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| Rambler: | Ambassador by Rambler | American | Classic | Marlin | Rambler Six | Rambler Rebel |
| AMC: | Ambassador | AMX | Concord | Eagle | Gremlin | Hornet | Javelin | Marlin | Matador | Mighty Mite | Metropolitan | Pacer | Rebel | Spirit |
| Renault: | LeCar | Alliance | Encore | Fuego | Medallion | Premier |
| AMC & Rambler Concept Cars: | Rambler Tarpon | AMC Cavalier | AMC AMX-GT | Amitron | Electron |
| Affiliated with: | American Motors Corporation | AM General | Chrysler | Hudson | Jeep | Kelvinator | Nash Motors | Nash-Kelvinator | Rambler | Renault | Australian Motor Industries | Vehiculos Automotores Mexicanos |
| People | Roy Abernethy | A.E. Barit | Roy D. Chapin Jr. | George W. Romney | Richard A. Teague | George W. Mason | Gerald C. Meyers | Edmund E. Anderson | François Castaing | Robert B. Evans | Richard E. Cross |
| [ edit ] Category |
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| American Motors road car timeline, United States market, 1954—1988 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | ||
| Subcompact | Gremlin | Spirit | Encore | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Compact | Rambler American | Hornet | Concord | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jet | Pacer | Alliance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mid-size | Rambler Six | Classic | Rebel | Matador | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rebel V8 | Marlin | Matador Coupe | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full-size | Nash | Ambassador | Premier | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hudson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sports | AMX | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Javelin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Crossover | Eagle | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SUV | see timeline of Jeep models | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Import | Metropolitan | LeCar | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Renault 18 | Medallion | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fuego | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
