NFB: Anyone remember American Motors, AMX, Rambler, Gremlin....

[Injuneer]

I took a trip to the past yesterday.... a good friend of mine, Unstable Bob (Gable) wanted to take his 1973 Javelin AMX to the American Motors Company Eastern National at Cecil County (MD) dragway. (Old timers may remember Unstable Bob.... he posted here for a while) We loaded the AMX up on my trailer, and towed it off to MD for the show.



I expected a lot of old farts with their rusty old parts, spread out for sale on the blacktop.... what a surprise. A nice balance of show cars and racers... and some excellent bracket racing. This black AMX was running 8.2 @ over 160MPH:



This Gremlin was running consistant 9.11's on a 9.11 dial-in:



For the youngsters here, "Javelin" was American Motors answer to the Mustang. The cars were successfully raced against the Mustangs, Camaros and Firebirds in the original "Trans Am" racing series of the later 60's, early 70's. The true "AMX" was a 2-seater version, intended to compete more with the Corvettes. They stopped making the 2-seaters after 1970, and "AMX" became an option package for the Javelin pony car.

Bob's 73 is finished to recapture the T/A race car look, although udpated with a beautiful Viper GTS Blue paint, and some ARE Torque Thrust II's - 17's in the front and 18's in the back. Powered by an AMC 360ci engine, backed up with a manual valve body 200R4. He has visions of transplanting his 32-valve Dominion head, 396ci LT1 engine into it eventually.

I had a good time, a little bit of the past, mixed with ample quantities of burnt rubber and racing fuel.

[TimeLord]

Yes I do remember those,great cars. I have a friend who has a 68 AMX that runs 10.40 on radials[He also has a S/CRambler]nice car with great weight transfer.

I also once owned a 70 Rebel Machine!!!!!

[Kevin - Blown 95 TA]

I was going to ask about his Dominion head project - all that stuff was pretty funny when Bob posted that his wife had set his heads on the cement and he about killed her. I didn't realize he had actually got it into a completed 396 engine. You should get Bob to post that famous picture of him making that face and holding his heads on this forum again - the new guys would like it...

[Rob B (shoebox)]

I remember 'em. Glad to see UB is still doing his thing.
How about a vintage Hornet photo? ...with some Sox&Martin thrown in.

[wolfdogs]

heck yeah...... i remember

[Mr Nice Guy]

When I was younger my Grandmother had an old Gremlin that had a hole in the floorboard big enough that you could watch the road go by Before I was born my dad had a sweet AMX that I've seen pics of. It'd be cool to get one of those.....Something different ya know........Later

[NorthernSS]

My uncle has a 69 AMX with a 390 sitting in his back yard rusting away. My dad says it was a serious street contender back in their day. He always "says" he is going to restore it but it just keeps rusting away I have always loved the Rebel Machines too.

[NorthernSS]

Also your friend has the nicest Javelin I have ever seen Perfect colour, perfect wheels, perfect decals, perfect everything. WOW

[35th_camaro_ss]

I know these vehicles, a good friend has a javelin, been sitting in same spot since I met him, needs some TLC...his sister still owns a Gremlin "X" its a factory V8 auto with posi rear and dual exh...Been for a few rides in it and its a fun car, wouldnt want one but the idea is cool that a factory dared to build it.
Al

[DWS'95Bird]

ahhhh, the good 'ol days!

[SS_CarGuy]

Very nice pictures everyone. American Motors always had a special place in my heart especially when they were racing the Javelins in the Trans Am series. Penske and Donahue pretty much dominated everything with their Javelin. Plus I owned two AMC products myself over the years and liked both of them.

[Fastbird93]

I have to ask this even though you partly answered the question Injuneer:

How close is Unstable Bob to running those Dominion 32V heads on that LT1??? I'm dying to see what an LT1/32V combo puts down.

[markd79ta]

My parents purchased a shinny new '75 light tan Pacer when I was a young'n.

[Injuneer]

Bob's 396 LT1 with the 32-valve Dominiion heads is still a "dream".... He had some work done on the block, and then sort of backed off. I know there is a guy named "Bobby" in Texas that is supposedly very close to getting his Dominion head engine running. Bob sold him his custom headers to help him out, since everyone wants to see the heads in action. There is supposedly someone who has bought a new set of Dominion LT1's.

For anyone who missed Bob and his Dominions..... lock up your children and pets, prepare to be shocked..... they don't call him "Unstable" for nothing....

[Coop '02Z]

Thanks Fred,

I love that picture.