1975 AMC Hornet Saved From the Crusher Is a Mysterious Wannabe Muscle Car

The Rambler, first introduced by Nash Motors in 1950, is one of them. America's first compact car, the Rambler became an AMC affair following the Nash-Kelvinator and Hudson merger of 1954. However, it did not morph into the Rambler American until 1958. One of the lowest-priced cars built in the U.S., it was popular for its good mileage and cheap maintenance.

And like most economy cars from the era, the Rambler also spawned a high-performance variant. I'm talking, of course, about the SC/Rambler, which arrived in 1969 with a 315-horsepower V8 and loads of Hurst Performance goodies. But I'm not here to talk about the Rambler, but its successor, the Hornet.

Named after the Hudson Hornet, which dominated NASCAR in the early 1950s with an inline-six engine, the AMC Hornet arrived for the 1970 model year as the company's response to the Ford Maverick and Japanese imports. Produced until 1977, the Hornet was very successful, especially during the early years of the Malaise Era. In 1974, for instance, AMC moved no fewer than 186,000 units.

But why exactly am I talking about a compact that most people have already forgotten about? Well, that's the thing, the Hornet deserves a lot of credit for keeping AMC afloat during the Malaise Era. Oh, and there's also this green 1975 Hornet that was rescued from the crusher, which is essentially proof that some people still care about these compacts. And we've seen way too many iconic cars from the era getting second chances, so it's time for something different.

Finished in a lovely shade of metallic green, this Hornet got dropped at a junkyard many decades ago. The story is probably a familiar one: once more powerful cars became available in the 1980s, the owner got tired of the AMC and got rid of it. Based on its current condition, it likely spent many years outside, fully exposed to the elements.

The paint is rough and covered in grime, while many body panels show signs of rust. It's not all that bad on the outside. But the interior has seen far better days. The floor panels need to be replaced, which is common for vehicles that have been sitting for at least 30 years. Sure, you could argue that this Hornet isn't worth saving given its low market value. And you'd be right, but this Hornet is not exactly average.

For starters, this green hue is not very common on mid-1970s Hornets. But it's the "AMX" decals on the rear fenders and the hood scoop that set it apart from its siblings. In case you're not familiar with the Hornet, you should know that AMC did not offer an AMX version until 1977. So the black decal adorning the lower left-side rear fender is peculiar, to say the least.

Is it a limited-edition AMX that we might have missed? Not really. My best guess is that one previous owner attempted an AMX conversion in the late 1970s. And the scoop on the hood is the second hint that this AMC got some upgrades. Yup, Hornets weren't available with scoops except for the 1971 AMC SC/360, a high-performance variant launched right before the golden muscle car era came to an end. But this scoop is different, so it's not an SC/360 tribute either.

But even so, it's one of the coolest junkyard-found Hornets I've seen in a very long time and a solid project with something modern under the hood. On the other hand, the 304-cubic-inch (5.0-liter) V8 that this car came with from the factory isn't exactly terrible at 150 horsepower. That's a bit more than what the Ford Mustang had to offer in 1975. Not to mention that the Hornet was good enough for James Bond, being featured in the 1974 film "The Man with the Golden Gun."