Perfectly Restored 1970 AMC Javelin SST Mark Donohue Edition Is Pure Eye Candy

That's when the Javelin hit the pony car market as a competitor for the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, and Plymouth Barracuda. But unlike most of its rivals, which were available in various body styles, the Javelin was a one-trick hardtop pony. The smooth semi-fastback roofline, however, helped set the Javelin apart from other muscle cars.

The nameplate remained in production over two generations until 1974, with engines ranging from the base 232-cubic-inch (3.8-liter) inline-six to the powerful 401-cubic-inch (6.6-liter) V8. Granted, the Javelin never got a 400+ horsepower version to compete with the HEMI 'Cuda and the COPO Camaro, but AMC built a few cool limited-edition versions over the years—the Mark Donohue Edition of one of them.

Introduced in 1970, it arrived in showrooms for two different purposes. For starters, it was designed to celebrate AMC's second-place finish in the SCCA Trans Am championship at the end of the 1970 season. More importantly, it was also used to homologate a ducktail spoiler for the 1971 championship. And it was named after one of the most famous racing drivers of the era.

AMC joined the Trans Am series in 1968 and had two relatively successful seasons before it convinced Roger Penske to drop Chevrolet and take over the Javelin program. A shocking move at the time, the collaboration eventually saw AMC win back-to-back Trans Am championships in 1971 and 1972 and again in 1976.

But what makes the Javelin SST Mark Donohue Edition special beyond the rear spoiler and the limited production run of 2,501 units? Well, it also included the Go Package with a Ram Air hood and a heavy-duty suspension as standard. On the flip side, while AMC initially planned to offer a beefed-up engine, the Mark Donohue Edition ended up with the standard 360- and 390-cubic-inch V8 engines. The former came with 285 horses on tap, while the latter sent 325 horsepower to the rear wheels.

Come 2023, and the Mark Donohue Edition is among the rarest and most desirable AMC muscle cars out there. They're also incredibly hard to find if you're looking for unrestored and unmolested survivors, like the green example we saw on Jay Leno's Garage back in 2021. But nicely restored examples can still be had without going into six-figure territory. This Big Bad Blue example is one of those gems.

Pretty much flawless and definitely eye-catching as far as the exterior goes, this Mark Donohue Edition is loaded with all sorts of goodies from the golden muscle car era. Finished in a decidedly flashy color, it's also wearing black stripes and flaunts side-exiting exhaust pipes. The interior doesn't stand out as much due to its all-black upholstery, but it's period correct and in excellent condition.

What about oomph? Is this SST a 360 or a 390 car? Well, the front fender badges hint at a 390 V8, but this Mark Donohue Edition hides something entirely different under the hood. That's because whoever restored the car went with the 401-cubic-inch V8 mill. Yes, the first-gen Javelin didn't come with a 401, but AMC added it to the lineup in 1971. Rated at 330 horsepower and 430 pound-feet (583 Nm) of torque, it was the company's most powerful V8 at the time (detuned to 255 horses in 1972).

This specific 401, however, is not entirely stock. Fitted with a Holley carburetor, MSD ignition, and new headers (among other upgrades), it cranks out about 400 horsepower, pushing it into HEMI Mopar territory. And it also sounds fantastic through the dealer-installed Sidewinder exhaust pipes. Check it out in the video below.