1959 Rambler Rebel Under 4000 Rambler Rebels made in 1959. 250 cubic inch V8 engine.

The under dog, and possibly one of the last independent American auto manufacturers of their day. AMC had to put forth everything they could in order to keep up with the big players, Ford, GM and Chrysler. And they did with amazing grace. With such aggressive desire for the best of technology and complimented with style and form. They in turn helped the major players progress with and break their own boundaries.

1966 Ambassador by AMC Perhaps one of the classiest mid-sized cars ever made. 327 cubic inch V8 engine.

Nowadays the AMC, brands of, including Rambler, Ambassador, AMX, Javelin and others such as the Gremlin and Pacer, (now pop-culture icons) are quickly being hunted and scooped up by the collectors and enthusiasts alike. Comparative to the big boys, limited production numbers were made. And after a generation of muscle cars, racing, and decades of weather, even less numbers of these automobiles exist today.

1968 AMC Javelin First year of the Javelin, which was a great seller for AMC. 360 cubic inch V8 engine.

The AMC Javelin AMX. Possibly one of the quickest production cars ever made. Designed and built after the era of drag and muscle cars were nearly over with. The cars are a symbol of technology for those long lost days. They accelerate so very quick, that with any more power (modifying and tuning) might not even be necessary. The back tires would be all over the street! The AMX, the bad-assed of the javelin series had to offer, came with a massive 401 cubic inch, V8 engine. Dual exhaust, and an interior and console basically set up like a cockpit of an airplane, ready to blast off 0-60 in no time flat. (the spoilers were actually useful - or the whole front end would lift up upon accelerating)

1971 AMC Javelin AMX Twin canopy roof, special T-striping and front and rear end spoilers. 401 cubic inch V8 engine.

So, what’s the point? Well, the question remains; how did a company like AMC go under? If they were so great, why the failure? There’s always two sides of the story, but one possibility was that maybe they offered too many models and did not focus enough energy on their big sellers. Keeping their brand loyalty, growing with it and their customers over the years. Another may be, North America didn’t realize what they had. An old Rambler, or AMC side by side to one of the classics by Ford, GM or Chrysler doesn’t even compare. Hands down craftsmanship, design, lines, engineering and electronics.

1970 AMC Gremlin 70's pop icon, first of it's kind, and a decade ahead of its time. 199 cubic inch 6 cylinder.

Those could be biased opinions, but in the end - the choice is yours. The only way to determine that AMC lives up to this blog, is to drive one for yourself.




Two fascinating logos used throughout the decades. The earlier bears a slight resemblance to the A Brand Above corporate logo.