'Man, This Hot-Rod Brings Back Memories'

[Panther_99FS]

--> :wiggle: (http://www.amx-perience.com/1971JavAMX.htm)

[Tom Clayton]

I had a '79 Trans Am that I bought while I was in the Air Force. It was a dog off the line, but if you red-lined second gear, you were already at 100 with another gear to go!

[OBIO]

Back in 76 or 77, my older brother came home from high school driving a Javelin that he won in a poker game....black inside and out. The stock 360 had been removed and a 428 Cobra Jet had been stuffed into it. Talk about a fun car! He spent a week or two tearing up the country roads, then traded it for a 64 Pontiac Tempest convertable with a 421 Super Duty and 2 grand cash. He traded the Tempest for a 68 Mustang Fast Back with a very well worked over 302, which he traded for another Javelin and a Volkswagen Karmenghia. Sold them for about 500 each. Spent that thousand to bring home 2 or 3 other cars, cleaned them up and sold them for a tidy profit. He was a wheeler dealer, and was always bringing home, cleaning up, and trading/selling cars. The only teenager I have ever known who would carry a few grand in honest cash around with him.

He always regretted letting the Tempest go.....beautiful car, ran like a rocket on roids, and sounded like the Trumpet that will harold the end of time (or that is how it sounded to my 7 or 8 year old ears). The Tempest brought my brother closer to killing me than any other time. I was helping him install a new tranny, as he busted the guts out of the one that came in it. There was a wrech under one of the screw jacks, and I tried to pull the wrench out so the jack wouldn't tip over....in the process I made the jack tip over and the tranny fell on his right arm. When he said "I'm going to kill you you little fat F-er", there was a ring on honesty that normally wasn't part of that phrase (he said that a lot...but never really meant it....this time I am sure he did). I bolted into the house and hid behind Mom...the only time I ever ran from him EVER. I would normally stand toe to toe with him and duke it out...even if I was the one who ended up with both eyes swollen shut for a week and a bloody nose so bad that I nearly needed a trasfusion.

It's funny the memories that a picture of a car can stir up in one's head. Thanks for the link and the trip down memory lane...as painful as it was.

OBIO

[FlameOut]

Yes Sir, Panther...

My brother and I were ticketed by an Alabama State Trooper in one of those, " way back when", before I-20 was completed between Birmingham and Atlanta.

Here's a website link: http://www.javelinamx.com/JavHome/copcar/alabama1.htm

and a pix:

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k7/Big_Don_2006/javcop02.jpg

:applause: :wavey:

[Helldiver]

For those that may not know the difference, the Javelin is called a "Muscle Car".

This is what I call a Hot Rod.

[Moparmike]

Yup, HD is right on the "textbook" definition of a hot-rod.
Although as far as I go, anything with a decent engine under the hood can be called a rod.
The final Javys made a pretty decent street car and still did well on the T/A circuit but they were getting kinda "fat" for the quarter mile compared to the 67-70, plus that styling never turned my crank. :kilroy:

Sticking with the AMC theme of P's thread...
A friend of mine had a 79 Spirit AMX. Basically just a tape-striped, 4-speed version of the ordinary ole Spirit econobox...until the 390 found it's way under the hood that is!
Another schoolmate had a 75 or 76 Gremlin X. Was only a 304, but with 4.10 gears it sure could tear up the quarter quicklike...This one handed my Dart it's pants more than once when we got together on open track weekends!

[Snuffy]

One of the guys I use to work with back in the 70s got one brand new. He stuck a pair of Mickey Thompsons 50s with Craigar spokes on the back end. When he'd drive down the road when it was raining, the Thompsons hung so far out the side of his car that rooster tails were being thrown in the air a good 10 to 15 feet!

Pretty car for an AMC!

[Brian_Gladden]

Buddy of mine in high school had a Mercury Bobcat (Ford Pinto) with a 302 under the hood!

Talk about scary. With the gears in the rear end, it topped out at about 110 but you got there right quick like!


Brian

[GT182]

A highschool buddy's dad had an American Motors dealership in Massena, NY back in the 60s. His dad gave him a 68 360hp AMX 4speed loaded to the gills for a graduation present. Sweet car to say the least, and it would move. It would clean up the other muscle cars because it was so light.... 2 seaters do have that advantage. LOL When the 70s hit and the AMX went to the Javilen body, it sure was a let down. They're nice Banther, but not the muscle car the 68s and 69s were. IMHO that is.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/GT182/3gears.gif

[yank51]

Well, your post brought back some memories for me also, but just a little different version of Rambler's "Muscle Car" entries, the "rambler Scrambler". I had a opportunity to drive one of these (the Red version), but just couldn't afford the approximately $3000 at the time (wish I could get one now for that price)...

http://www.musclecarcalendar.com/MyGarage2004/MattScrambler/ScramblerHome.htm

[GT182]

Yank, a friend I worked with back in the 70s and early 80s had a Scrambler. It was original and was in great shape.... besides, it still went like a bat out of h3ll. Seeing it back then brought back memeories. And what you said and linked to rekindled them again. Thanks.

[lifejogger]

That brings to mind the Barracuda:

[Panther_99FS]

For those that may not know the difference, the Javelin is called a "Muscle Car".

This is what I call a Hot Rod.

You're absolutely correct Helldiver - the Javelin is a "muscle car"...My mistake...

[Snuffy]

My first car ... 1969 Chevelle Malibu SS 396.

Mine was blue with a white vinyl roof and not black as shown in the picture.

(this is not my first car, I don't have any photos of it oddly enough. this was lifted from a chevelle site. I don't know who to credit for the the picture.)

[FlameOut]

Snuffy

When my brother and I were stopped that "mean ol' Alabama State Trooper" post # 4 above ... we were in our first car... a 1968 Chevelle Malibu convertible with a 327, Ash Gold, White top ... sorry, pics of that baby are long gone! :banghead:

[srgalahad]

It's easy to see why Panther got so excited about the Jav.

Radio & Tape Equipment
AM push-button radio
AM/FM multi-plex stereo push?button radio & 2 rear speakers
Rear speaker with radio
8-Track stereo tape player with manual AM radio
2 rear speakers :costumes:

How's that Elvis "Blue Hawaii" tape holding up?

Rob

[cheezyflier]

8-Track stereo tape player with manual AM radio
2 rear speakers :costumes:

How's that Elvis "Blue Hawaii" tape holding up?

Rob

it's probably got a matchbook wedged under it.:icon_lol:

[Dangerousdave26]

it's probably got a matchbook wedged under it.:icon_lol:

Now THAT Brings back Memories:costumes:

[Panther_99FS]

:icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol:


It's easy to see why Panther got so excited about the Jav.

Radio & Tape Equipment
AM push-button radio
AM/FM multi-plex stereo push?button radio & 2 rear speakers
Rear speaker with radio
8-Track stereo tape player with manual AM radio
2 rear speakers :costumes:

How's that Elvis "Blue Hawaii" tape holding up?

Rob

[stansdds]

I love muscle cars. I love hot rods. And Helldiver is correct, there is a big difference between the two. My muscle car was a '72 Ford Gran Torino Sport, 400CID engine and a C6 Auto transmission hooked to a 9 inch rear (only a 2.75:1 ratio :( ). Mine came with the hood scoop, fast back and vinyl top options. It was a big car, but it was fast after I built a fresh engine for it. Sucked down the gas too! :isadizzy:

[Brian_Gladden]

Took some searching but I finally found a rather poor pic of my old 77 Ranchero GT. Wish I still had it but like most mid 70's cars in the northeast, the rust demons ate it.

I bought it in 2000 and ran it until 05. It sat in the back yard until this past fall when it was finally hauled away to Muscle Car Heaven.

400 c.i.d, C-6 auto, 3.63 gears. Weighed 4500 pounds.

Brian