4. THE AMERICAN MOTORS CORPORATION OR AMC WAS ONE OF THE
CAR MANUFACTURERS TO JOIN THE BATTLE OF PRODUCING MUSCLE
CARS. ONE OF ITS MODELS WAS THE AMX, INTRODUCED TO COMPETE
WITH THE ONLY OTHER TWO-SEATER IN THE MARKET, THE CHEVROLET
CORVETTE.
5. THE AMC AMX (AMERICAN MOTORS EXPERIMENTAL) WAS FIRST
RELEASED IN 1968, THE FIRST STEEL-BODIED, TWO-SEAT MODEL
SINCE THE FORD THUNDERBIRD. AMC SLICED A FOOT OF ITS JAVELIN
BODY TO ELIMINATE THE REAR SEATS TO MAKE IT A TWO-SEATER
SPORTS CAR. ACCOMPANIED WITH ITS RELEASE IS THE SETTING OF
106 WORLD SPEED RECORDS IN A TEXAS TRACK. CRAIG BEEDLOVE,
THE WORLD LAND SPEED RECORD HOLDER MODIFIED THE HANDLING,
POWER AND SPEED OF THE CAR IN HIS SHOP. SPECIAL RED, WHITE
AND BLUE "CRAIG BEEDLOVE" EDITIONS WERE BUILT IN HONOR OF
HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
7. THE AMC AMX CURB WEIGHT WAS ABOUT 3,100LBS. THE AMX HAD
A POWER-TO-WEIGHT RATIO OF 9.8LBS/BHP WHEN EQUIPPED WITH
THE 390 CID ENGINE. THIS ENABLED THE CAR TO BLAZE THRU ¼ OF A
MILE IN 15.2 SECONDS. THE INTERIOR BOASTED RECLINING BUCKET
SEATS, WOODGRAIN INTERIOR TRIM, CARPETING, 4-SPEED MANUAL
TRANSMISSION, E70-14 GOODYEAR POLYGLAS TIRES AND A HEAVY
DUTY SUSPENSION. ITS ENGINE OPTIONS RANGED FROM 225BHP TO
315BHP. AND FOR A PRICE OF $3,245 IT WAS PRETTY REASONABLE
AT THAT TIME.
9. FEW CHANGES WERE MADE IN THE AMC AMX, IN 1969. THOUGH THE
BASE PRICE INCREASED BY $50, NEW FEATURES WERE ADDED IN THE
CAR. CHANGES TO THE DASHBOARD WERE INCLUDED PLUS A 140MPH
SPEEDOMETER. THE "BIG BAD AMX" OPTION WAS ALSO MADE
AVAILABLE THAT YEAR, WHICH ALLOWED THE BUYER TO INCLUDE WILD
COLORS AND BODY COLORED BUMPERS. ANOTHER OPTIONAL
PACKAGE MADE AVAILABLE WAS THE "GO PACKAGE", WHICH
INCLUDED E70 REDLINE TIRES ON SIX-INCH RIMS, POWER-DISC
BRAKES, HANDLING PACKAGE AND TWIN -GRIP DIFFERENTIAL.
10. IN 1970, THE AMX BASE PRICE INCREASED TO $3,395. THIS
INCLUDED A STANDARD 360 CID V8 ENGINE AT 290BHP. THE FRONT
END TAIL LAMPS WERE ALSO RESTYLED. THE AMX WAS CALLED THE
BEST VERSION OF A BLEND OF MUSCLE CAR AND SPORTS CAR THAT
YEAR. 1970 WOULD ALSO BE THE LAST YEAR OF THE TWO-SEATER
AMX PRODUCTION. THE NEW VERSION OF THE AMX, WHICH WAS
RELEASED IN 1971, THEN THE TOP OF THE LINE JAVELIN, WAS
ASSEMBLED WITH FOUR SEATS.