Photo: amc74amx/eBay
Built from 1967 to 1974, the AMC Javelin is an almost forgotten pony car from the golden era. But that's not to say that it wasn't as hot as the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, or Dodge Challenger.
Introduced as a replacement for the Rambler Marlin, the Javelin arrived with a notably more aggressive exterior and a lineup of peppy inline-six and V8 engines. The range-topping, 390-cubic-inch (6.4-liter) V8 rated at 315 horsepower was potent enough to give its Detroit competitors a run for their money.
The Javelin morphed into an even sleeker muscle car in the late 1970s thanks to a redesign that made it longer, lower, and wider than its predecessor. The second-gen pony also gained one of AMC's most powerful mills in the form of a 401-cubic-inch (6.6-liter) V8 good for 330 horsepower and a whopping 430 pound-feet (583 Nm of torque).
The fun didn't last long, though. As the new emission regulations hit the muscle car market in 1972, output figures began to drop, and the 401 V8 lost some of its oomph. But while 1972 Javelins hit dealerships with detuned mills, AMC turned to a famous fashion designer to keep things interesting on the design front.
The designer in question was none other than Pierre Cardin, who was already famous for his avant-garde style and Space Age designs at the time. His collaboration with AMC spawned a special upholstery that included multi-colored pleated stripes in red, plum, white, and silver on a black background. The layout ran from the front seats up the doors, crossed onto the headliner, and trickled down to the rear seats.
A rather outlandish design for the early 1970s, the Pierre Cardin Edition exterior package was available for $84,95 (about $614 in 2022 dollars). Was it a popular option? Well, American Motors sold more than 4,000 cars with this package in 1972 and kept it in production through 1974.
But even though the Pierre Cardin Edition was sold by the thousands, only a few of them are still around today. The 1972 Javelin you see here is one of those cars. But this AMC is also a bit more special than its Pierre Cardin siblings. That's because it comes with a nasty surprise under the hood.
You see, this Javelin may have left the factory as a fancied-up pony, but it was used as a race car for many years. Its original mill was replaced by an earlier 390 V8 bored .30 over and fitted with a long list of high-performance parts, including nitrous.
It hasn't been running the quarter-mile under current ownership, but the previous owner said it covered the distance in less than 10 seconds. That's a few good clicks quicker than a stock 1972 Javelin with the 401 V8. The engine has been rebuilt and repainted a few years ago and runs without issues.
The exterior, on the other hand, needs a bit of work, though. The car spent a few years in a barn and shows rust bubbles on the rear quarters and under the vinyl roof. The Pierre Cardin interior is still in great condition, beyond a few stains. Needless to say, it could become a really nice sleeper if restored.
If it's the kind of project you've been looking for, the Javelin is located in Lindenhurst, New York, and is offered by eBay seller "amc74amx" for $20,000 with the option to make an offer.
The Javelin morphed into an even sleeker muscle car in the late 1970s thanks to a redesign that made it longer, lower, and wider than its predecessor. The second-gen pony also gained one of AMC's most powerful mills in the form of a 401-cubic-inch (6.6-liter) V8 good for 330 horsepower and a whopping 430 pound-feet (583 Nm of torque).
The fun didn't last long, though. As the new emission regulations hit the muscle car market in 1972, output figures began to drop, and the 401 V8 lost some of its oomph. But while 1972 Javelins hit dealerships with detuned mills, AMC turned to a famous fashion designer to keep things interesting on the design front.
The designer in question was none other than Pierre Cardin, who was already famous for his avant-garde style and Space Age designs at the time. His collaboration with AMC spawned a special upholstery that included multi-colored pleated stripes in red, plum, white, and silver on a black background. The layout ran from the front seats up the doors, crossed onto the headliner, and trickled down to the rear seats.
A rather outlandish design for the early 1970s, the Pierre Cardin Edition exterior package was available for $84,95 (about $614 in 2022 dollars). Was it a popular option? Well, American Motors sold more than 4,000 cars with this package in 1972 and kept it in production through 1974.
But even though the Pierre Cardin Edition was sold by the thousands, only a few of them are still around today. The 1972 Javelin you see here is one of those cars. But this AMC is also a bit more special than its Pierre Cardin siblings. That's because it comes with a nasty surprise under the hood.
You see, this Javelin may have left the factory as a fancied-up pony, but it was used as a race car for many years. Its original mill was replaced by an earlier 390 V8 bored .30 over and fitted with a long list of high-performance parts, including nitrous.
It hasn't been running the quarter-mile under current ownership, but the previous owner said it covered the distance in less than 10 seconds. That's a few good clicks quicker than a stock 1972 Javelin with the 401 V8. The engine has been rebuilt and repainted a few years ago and runs without issues.
The exterior, on the other hand, needs a bit of work, though. The car spent a few years in a barn and shows rust bubbles on the rear quarters and under the vinyl roof. The Pierre Cardin interior is still in great condition, beyond a few stains. Needless to say, it could become a really nice sleeper if restored.
If it's the kind of project you've been looking for, the Javelin is located in Lindenhurst, New York, and is offered by eBay seller "amc74amx" for $20,000 with the option to make an offer.
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