This Is No Normal 1969 AMC AMX, Was Touched by George Barris for a Forgotten TV Show

Unlike most shops out there, which work as per the request of customers or to show builds at specialized events, Barris made custom vehicles to star in movies. That helps a lot, probably, with the notoriety his cars still enjoy, but no one can deny the man had skill.

I'm not sure how many of you remember a show called Banacek. It ran for three years back in the early 1970s as part of a rotating NBC anthology and told the story of Thomas Banacek, a Polish-American freelance insurance investigator help bend on unmasking wrongdoers.

The show starred George Peppard, Ralph Manza, and Murray Matheson, among others, and it was only mildly successful. Some people still remember it, though, and the show's name was occasionally featured in The Simpsons and a song by Fun Lovin' Criminals. And it's now mentioned by us as well.

Why do we do that, you ask? For the simple reason that one of the cars George Barris designed, a modified 1969 AMC AMX, was meant to promote the movie, and it's now out and about looking for a new owner.

I honestly can't remember if the vehicle was actually portrayed on camera, but we do know it was used as a promotional vehicle for the series. And it probably had the people of the time scratching their heads, as this is no normal 1969 AMC AMX.

That's obvious no matter the angle you're looking at it from. From the front it looks like a metal monster with a very long snout and slightly parted lips meant to reveal horizontal blade teeth. That's not the normal length of the nose, as Barris tampered with it and added an extra 15 inches of real estate up there.

He then proceeded to push back the windshield. He only moved it back by two inches, but coupling that with the longer nose and the chopping of the car's roof by no less than 4.5 inches, we get a much more devastating visual impact.

The build is no normal AMC when looked at from the side either. Thanks to the more pronounced nose and the lengthening of the car's body by a total of 18 inches, the two-seater muscle car is now much longer than it used to be.

As if that weren't enough, Barris also modified the body panels in such a way as to make the AMC both unique and a lot trickier to identify. The wheel wells in particular are a nice touch, made to be reminiscent of 1969 Camaros.

The lower part of the AMC, on both sides, is dominated by the wealth of chrome splashed over a nasty-looking set of pipes. They form the car's exhaust system, exiting through the fender right behind the front wheels, and ending with their tips pointing down and away from the car right where the rear fender begins.

The exhaust system is there to ensure the impressive powertrain can breathe properly. Under the White Murano Pearl hood (the same color extends to the roof) with the fancy Ram Air scoops hides a 390ci powerplant capable of delivering 315 horsepower. The troop is kept in check with the help of a 3-speed automatic transmission.

The engine sets in motion Cragar SS wheels shod in Firestone tires, which in turn help move a cockpit with brown bucket seats and a Naugahyde dashboard. The interior is not particularly impressive, but it matches the rest of the build (especially the Tangerine Candy and copper overtones of the exterior perfectly). And it's also valuable, as right there on the dashboard an autograph from George Barris himself can be spotted.

As said, the car is looking for a new owner, and it does so as part of the Barrett-Jackson auction taking place in Scottsdale, Arizona. At the time of writing it is set to go under the hammer with no reserve and no estimate as to how much it is expected to fetch – we will update the story once we know more in this respect.

We're told the car, which is believed to be Barris' last Kustom build of the 1960s, has barely been driven since completed, and its odometer shows only a little over 3,300 miles (5,300 km).

That's because after it was done promoting Banacek and completed a tour of the country as a show car, the vehicle entered a series of museums where it was only admired and not driven. Why, it was even awarded for its looks at the most recent Detroit Concours d'Elegance.

Update: sold for $143,000.