According to You: The Best AMC to Celebrate the Brand’s 70th Anniversary
In May of 1954, a new car maker emerged with the blessings of both Hudson and Nash-Kelvinator stockholders. It was called the American Motors Corporation (AMC), and it created iconic vehicles that became beloved by legions of customers and fans. While AMC’s fire was officially extinguished in 1990 via merger with Chrysler, we recently asked members of the Hagerty Community about the perfect AMC vehicle to celebrate the company’s founding, a full 70 years ago as of 2024.
The answers did not disappoint, but before we get to their suggestions, let’s dive into the responses to my suggestion, which fell shockingly flat with the community: the Jeep brand.
Jeepers Creepers
@hyperv6: The Jeep is not really AMC. Jeep was really a Willys, not originally an AMC. Then it was a Chrysler and now Stellantis. Jeep is a brand of its own and never really represented the true AMC line. To use Jeep is like someone getting credit for a paper someone else wrote.
@J. Michael: Agree with @hyperv6 completely. The AMX is my pick, and Jeep ain’t AMC.
@Mike: Every company that has ever owned Jeep has went out of business. It will happen again—they’ve overpriced everything. Javelin and AMX represent the brand! Listen to a Wisconsin guy who repaired many a Hornet and Matador owned by the college and state in my work-study job at UW-Eau Claire in the late ’70s. Those cars were not the ideal, but they ran forever.
Jeepers Keepers?
@Dave: I had 2 “AMC” Jeeps, an ’81 CJ5 and an ’86 Cherokee Pioneer. Both were awesome vehicles.
@Paul: I have an 1983 Jeep Renegade. Mechanically a great 4×4, but on a quiet night you can hear it rusting away!
@DUB6: I’m a long-time Jeep guy, but honestly, I never owned one made by AMC. However, to be fair, when AMC bought Jeep, I think they saved that brand—or at least they kept it alive until Chrysler came along with the money.
Kaiser was losing ground drastically and it quite possibly could have killed Jeep had it stayed there. Of course, it could be argued that the Jeep purchase saved AMC. Either way, it was a big deal at the time, and quite controversial. I distinctly remember the Jeep crowd I hung with being all up-in-arms. (“What? Rambler is gonna build Jeeps?”) I’m giving some credit to American Motors for Jeep, but it’s perhaps not the “best” AMC to celebrate.
AMC AMX
@DUB6: If I just sit here and think, “What AMC vehicle made a big impression on me and that I think of as being connected to the brand,” I honestly come up with the AMX—followed CLOSELY by the Pacer! I reject the suggestion that the Pacer was ugly: It was a bit weird, yes, but it had some wonderfully advanced ideas designed into it. I only put it behind the AMX because back in the day, I was a performance-car guy.
@Loving AMC: The two-seat AMX, hands down.
@Joenumeruno: The AMX and Javelin were my favorites, but the American convertible and Ambassador with seats reclinable into beds (and with “Instant Overtake”) should get votes, too.
@Stuart: For me, hands down the AMX.
@Northern Rambler: 1972–73 Javelin AMX—401-cubic-inch, four-speed Hurst factory shifter, Fresh Plum metallic paint, and the Pierre Cardin interior. This low-production model boldly just screamed the ’70s in the waning days of the muscle-car era, and was the last of a limited production series of powerful and bold designs by AMC as it tried to compete with the Big Three. It showed AMC’s design versatility, and it was perhaps the most radical of the cars that they produced as alternatives to the more conservative—and economical—production cars that they had become known for.
@hyperv6: I would choose the AMX. This was the best car they ever did, and it represents AMC.
@Billy: For me it’s a toss-up between the Javelin and the AMX. My first car was an AM (American Motors before the C) Ambassador: two-door with a 343 four-barrel. It could fly! Not the prettiest, had a few girls turn me down because of the car.
“You’re taking me out in that?”
Their loss. I wish I had that Ambassador back!
The Last Nashes
@keeton: No one is mentioning the early-mid ’50s Nash line, where the styling was done by Pininfarina. From 1954, you could have the Weather Eye air conditioning, which was the first modern in-dash integrated system (and not one of those clunky trunk-mounted systems everyone else was using).
The 1956 Ambassador could be had with the Packard V-8 and Ultramatic. These were quite distinctive in their day, but if you liked the Pacer, you would love these!
AMC Rebel + The Machine
@Jim: The Rebel Machine. I had one, and it was a true unicorn. And it was very rarely beaten in a street race, much to the chagrin of all the Big Three muscle-car drivers.
@Glenn: I never had one but was going to nominate it. This is a great-looking car with really clean lines and it had the performance to match. I would love to have one but these things are out of my reach.
AMC Javelin
@Cavedave: I owned a 1969 390 Javelin. I surprised a lot of GTOs, Mustangs, Cameras, and Chevelles. The car was very quick for its size and engine. I put my guardian angel through some real scares in there.
@Tom: My brother had a ’68 Javelin automatic with the 343 four-barrel. He bought a ’69 with a four-speed for $200 and put the manual tranny into the ’68 in our parent’s driveway. Man, that car flew!
@AS29: I have loved AMC since I was a little kid. Growing up and still living in Wisconsin I always felt more of a connection to the brand. I would go to car shows with my brother and dad and would always point out the AMC vehicles. My dad (a diehard Chevy guy) would always say I was crazy. He would say, “They made refrigerators!” I own a 69 AMX and it’s my one of my dream cars and I absolutely love it.
Since owning it I have converted my brother, who now owns a ’70 Javelin, and my dad, Mr. Chevy, wants a Rambler Rouge! Took them a while to come around! To answer the question the true unicorn and IMO the best AMC was the Javelin Trans Am.
AMC Rambler
Ronnie Schreiber: The 1961 Rambler, or any of the compact Ramblers, for the matter. They kept AMC alive long enough to make the Javelin, AMX, Rebel Machine, and other cars mentioned above.
@TeutonicScot: Both the Rebel Machine and the AMX would have to be at the front of this conversation, not to mention the SC/Rambler, but I think you can go back even further and mention the original 1957 Rebel and/or the 1955 Rambler as both being great examples of what AMC was capable of on an always tight budget. The Rebel was one of, if not the first, American car with a large-block V-8 in a mid-size car which would become the thing to do seven to 10 years later for everyone else, it was capable of 0–60 speeds in under 8 seconds which would be considered quick even 30 years later.
Arguments can be made that it was the first “muscle car” and included many features considered “de rigueur” for later performance cars.
AMC Pacer
@snailish: Pacer. Is this just real life? Is this just fantasy???
AMC Spirit
@Jake: I bought a brand-new AMC Spirit in 1980. I worked at Ford. For the same price I could have bought a Pinto—no thank you! The Spirit was a far better car. If AMC was still around, I would not hesitate to buy another one.
AMC Gremlin
@Michael: I grew up an AMC kid in Kenosha County. MydDad worked there from 1958 to 1988. My vote is for the Gremlin, there was nothing like it. (I’d also like to add the entire 1967 line. Redesigned cars with new V-8 engines.)
AMX/2 and AMX/3
@Don: Best by far was the AMX/3, a mid-engine Italian design that puts all others to shame. I have actually drove #1 many times—it was like driving a Ferrari!
@Jim: Rather than dwell on the models that fill their failed portfolio, while acknowledging the continued success of Jeep, I agree with Don and cast my vote for the lovely AMX III of 1970. A genuinely interesting beauty that could have been oh-so-special from the little guys in Kenosha. Alas, it was not to be.
@Woodrow: Don and Jim were close, but for my money it’s the AMX/2 of 1969.
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I had considered the AMX3 but it never really was production. Nor did it represent the do more with what we have way of AMC.
The Gremlin X with a 304, 4 spd. for me.
A buddy had one new, 1974, tan on tan, L6 with three pedals, not much to look at but it was a solid little car. The rest of us were driving Chevelle’s and Nova’s at the time.
Years later a kid I was working with inherited his late father’s orange AMX, 390, 4 speed, which was a neat car in excellent condition. Drove it for he’s first summer with it but he wasn’t a car guy and flipped for a little Acura that fall.
I have a 1974 Gremlin. Beautiful condition and an interesting history. I bought the car and only drove it for 2 months and then shipped the car to Vietnam. It took many months on the ship and arrived in Saigon during the Fall of South Vietnam. I was able to get to Saigon and wanted to at least drive it a bit while in Saigon. But the battery was dead so I patted her and left. The last two missionaries who left VN saw the Gremlin sitting there in the parking lot and decided they would try to get it going. The car came to life with one of them sat in the drivers seat and the other one pushed and the car came to life. Then they drive the car to the shipping area and it got on a boat. The ship was the one that the Cambodians captured. Happily, President Ford sent in the military to release the ship and the supplies within it. My Gremlin included!!! It got to Baltimore after a few months and my brother and a friend drove to Baltimore and picked up the car. When I eventually got back to the States, all I had was 1 suitcase and a Gremlin! The car now sits in my garage and only goes out on sunny days. I love my Gremlin! My main car sits out in the weather.
1
Yup, had a Blue/White 304 Gremlin X. SOO much fun! Mine was an automatic, but it was a Chrysler Torqueflite 747, which promptly got a B&M shift kit in it. I added a 2 1/2″ dual turbo muffler system with a crossover pipe, donated by a friend with a 409 ’69 Z28, and it sounded fantastic. I also put G60’s (remember that tire size>:-)) on all four corners with the stock X package wheels too. I freshened the motor, stock, but with an RV/CJ Jeep style torque converter, and an RV profile Crane cam, and stop light to stop light, it was a little monster. Very rumbly, yet quiet, it was a sleeper, and looked completely stock.
I think the most awesome AMC vehicles were the Full Size Jeeps ,FSJs Grand Wagoneer and Full size Cherokee
One for Sajeev’s column, yay! 😉
Someone agrees with me! Who-hoo!
Careful man, you don’t wanna hyperventilate…
Let him have his moment
Yeah, you’re right – he deserves it…
I was always partial to the Eagle and the AMX
I also liked the looks of the Eagle. Couldn’t afford one at the time.
Yeah, I’m surprised the Eagle wasn’t mentioned in the article.
Never counted a Nash an AMC until it became a Nash Rambler. they were their own thing for a long time.
For me it was the AMX. I actually owned a 1968 for a while with the 390 and 4 speed. It was quick and handled very well compared to a lot of the cars from that time period.
the 1968/69 did not come with a 360,, it had a 290 ,343, or 390 4 barrel 4 sp, automatic was optional
Many companies made numerous concept cars that never made production. Thus, I would not include the lovely AMX/3 (although I would drool over it if I owned one of them). The Rambler is the icon of the brand as it was produced for many years and saved the company. But I own an AMX so I must vote for it.
I ordered a 1985 Jeep Cheokee from the local AMC dealer. It came on Jan 2, 1985. AMC was in it’s forced JIT (just-in-time) inventory period, so it had an in-line 4 from Ford and a carb from GM. We ran it for 400,000 km in 13 years. But my fav’s are the AMX and the Jav. The later Jav’s had the front fender humps which which gave it a stying grace that no one else had (except the vette). They were in style then and they’re in style now. Can’t do better over 70 years …
What?! No Hurst Scrambler? Only the coolest car to hit the road/drag strip from my youth.
I’m hip.
My Dad drag raced a SC/Rambler, remember one time when he beat a guy because he stated, “I am not going to be beat by a Rambler”. They asked my Dad would he run him again for another “trophy”. Dad beat him again and the guy never said a word. So many back in the day saw the back end of that little “Rambler” many, many times. Back in those days when it ran in F/S, there were sometimes 20 some cars vying for a trophy. It was always one of the biggest classes. That same car is still in the family.
Had a S/Crambler in the ridiculous paint option- the “AIR” arrow pointing into the pro stock scoop made me smile every time I walked by. Mid-’80s, so excess was the thing. Put a new clutch in, rebuilt the Hurst shifter, replaced the first owners burnt Cherry Bombs with a full 2.5″ crossover dual set up with HushThrush turbo muffs, dumped out right behind the rear tires instead of out under the bumper. Tuned it, put new tires on the factory rims (Firestone Wide Ovals). Didn’t really mod anything but the exhaust, car scooted with alacrity. Sold it to a fellow USAF member when I took the DoD advisor job and went to the Middle East and SubSaharan Africa. Should have kept that one. Sigh.😞
Nice to see Hagerty having an article on AMC. My favorite is the 1972 Javelin SST, of which I have owned 2, great styling, good power with the 360, comfortable cockpit inspired interior. My first one I purchased new in 72 and it was a real headturner for the time, exactly what a young buck needed. My 2nd one was purchased a few years ago as an old buck reliving my youth. 😆 Also had a v8 hornet that was sneaky quick.
I was asked to display my 1973 Javelin at the International SAE conference at the Greenbrier a few years ago. It was part of a display of American cars for the attendees to view. A lady from Audi that said she was with the interior styling dept was taken with the Javelins interior. She looked it over and talked about for a good 15 minutes. She said if she could sum up auto interiors of the 70’s she’d say the Javelin was it!!! A great crowd to display a car for sure.
The best AMC is a sold AMC.
Well, there’s this about the Pacer: Same wheelbase and track as the Corvette! See the resemblance?
What, no Metro? No Gremlin?
Sorry, the Gremmie did appear, having sold big, initially.
The Pacer also sold big, initially. Then, everyone who wanted one had one, and sales tanked.
AMC Eagle 4WD sedans and wagons. Ground breaking design that sold big in snow country. Very popular around Colorado ski country in the 80s.
Similar to current EV sales
Don’t laugh. I guy in my area took a Pacer and chopped the top. It took me quite some time to recognize it. Like many of us did it was powered by a Chev 350.
In high school I drove an American 2dr which was abused with a 327 and 4 speed which I bought from Midnight Auto Supply. The rear axle was an Oldsmobile that had sought refuge in the rear of an Anglia or some such “Gasser”. We had nutbars that bought new cars and installed a straight axle in them back in the sixties.
Finally, I had a love affair with an AMX which went nowhere as I’d just started working for a Chev-Olds dealer. The American got totaled when a young lady parked her Vauxhall Viva in the rear seat.
I’m thinking I might replicate that American to clean up the spare parts I’ve collected, which have now spread into the gazebo.
I worked at AMC before we “went” to Chrysler to save them with our personnel and Jeep Brand. Lived through the French, Germans, and Italians. RIP some great, innovative, and sometimes quirky, vehicles.
I’ve owned 4 amc pacers, they were very comfortable cars and drove great. Would like to find a clean last year wagon with the v8.my next pick would be a rambler Marlin. Under loved.
Was the Gremlin the first “hot hatch”? Maybe….
Jeep is an unusual brand name in automotive history, if not the most notable one, that has been passed through so many hands over the years, it’s a bit like a $2 bill. However as many have noted it has been the ‘savior’ of more than one owner, at times. Who knows how it will fare under the guidance of Stellantis – only time will tell.