Hurstscramler to the AMX Phone

[41chevy]

Just negotiated  to buy this, will be heading over on Saturday with trailer. 1974, loaded all options, auto 401, original owners son selling it, under 15,000 miles.  Paul

 

[hurstscrambler]

That is really nice, I am a big fan of low mileage cars. A 401 go-pac AMX is rare, fun and desirable.  What color is the interior?  1974 is a good year as well because by then they were installing 727 torqueflight ("torque command" in Amc talk) transmissions by then.  I'd assume it has 3.54 twin grip rear.  Good

[j hancock]

Nice score!  Almost time for another shipping container.

[BillyT]

41,always liked AMCs I had a 64 Ambassador hardtop and a Gremlin. That is a very rare piece! How many were made? I should be shot for admitting this, but my best friend had a 70s Javelin 390 4speed that he blew up on the drag strip,I was in the salvage business and I got in a 68 Rambler 258 automatic and we swapped it into the Javalin!Bolted right up but didn't QUITE perform like the 390😁

[41chevy]

5 hours ago, hurstscrambler said:

That is really nice, I am a big fan of low mileage cars. A 401 go-pac AMX is rare, fun and desirable.  What color is the interior?  1974 is a good year as well because by then they were installing 727 torqueflight ("torque command" in Amc talk) transmissions by then.  I'd assume it has 3.54 twin grip rear.  Good

Interior is light poop brown, has dealer installed 4:10 twin grip.

 

4 hours ago, BillyT said:

41,always liked AMCs I had a 64 Ambassador hardtop and a Gremlin. That is a very rare piece! How many were made? I should be shot for admitting this, but my best friend had a 70s Javelin 390 4speed that he blew up on the drag strip,I was in the salvage business and I got in a 68 Rambler 258 automatic and we swapped it into the Javalin!Bolted right up but didn't QUITE perform like the 390😁

I still have a Marlin with a swapped in 401 twin stick auto that I used to race, a Rebel 290 3 speed and had a 304 V8 Gremlin X that I swapped on a .030 over 1/4 inch stroked 401. wrecked that on at York Dragway about 15 years ago.  

[BillyT]

41, I've always liked Marlins, you never see one but the styling is unique with the creased belt line ! My 64 Ambassador was a two door hardtop in near new condition! Was a v8 probably a 304 automatic,with buckets and a console. Was hit in the front,but you couldn't see the damage til you were on top of it! Was kinked like a giant bent it over his knee! Was nine yrs old so probably totaled! Definitely the most comfortable car I've owned except for the 51 roadmaster. Twenty five bucks!

[hurstscrambler]

I hope everything went well with the purchase Paul, I'd like to see some more pics if possible.   BillT, your ambassador would have had a first gen V8, either a 287 or a 327.  Andy

[41chevy]

3 hours ago, hurstscrambler said:

I hope everything went well with the purchase Paul, I'd like to see some more pics if possible.   BillT, your ambassador would have had a first gen V8, either a 287 or a 327.  Andy

Sitting in the trailer until after Christmas. I took it around the block before I loaded it up, with the 4:10's it is ballsy  

[General Ike]

Great car Paul.  Love the story of how in less than 5 years, AMC won a SCCA T/A championship having NO racing development of any kind prior to that.  Mark Donohue and Roger Penske did the impossible.  As for the slushbox in Paul's car, I just never understood not rowing your own gears in a pony car.

In my Cliff Clavin moment of the day.... For those who don't know who Mark Donohue was, the wikipedia article below (I'm not usually a wiki fan, but this article is historically accurate) describes him.  As an amateur racer like Paul, (although I'm a road course guy) I can say in my opinion, that Mark Donohue was the greatest race car driver to ever live.  He could drive, develop and setup ANY type of car from a NASCAR Matador to a Formula 1 car to a 24hours of LeMans challenging prototype like a Porsche 917/30.  He won several T/A championships, Penske's first Indy 500, CanAm championship, the first IROC championship NASCAR races etc. An Ivy league grad made him an unlikely candidate to possess this type of talent.  He was killed in Austria after coming out of retirement and testing a Formula 1 car for Roger Penske when a tire failed on the fastest corner of the track.  Possibly only AJ Foyt had as much success in as diverse types of cars as Mark did.  His son David has won the 24 hours of Daytona and the 24 hours of LeMans

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Donohue

 

                  

[41chevy]

34 minutes ago, General Ike said:

Great car Paul.  Love the story of how in less than 5 years, AMC won a SCCA T/A championship having NO racing development of any kind prior to that.  Mark Donohue and Roger Penske did the impossible.  As for the slushbox in Paul's car, I just never understood not rowing your own gears in a pony car.

In my Cliff Clavin moment of the day.... For those who don't know who Mark Donohue was, the wikipedia article below (I'm not usually a wiki fan, but this article is historically accurate) describes him.  As an amateur racer like Paul, (although I'm a road course guy) I can say in my opinion, that Mark Donohue was the greatest race car driver to ever live.  He could drive, develop and setup ANY type of car from a NASCAR Matador to a Formula 1 car to a 24hours of LeMans challenging prototype like a Porsche 917/30.  He won several T/A championships, Penske's first Indy 500, CanAm championship, the first IROC championship NASCAR races etc. An Ivy league grad made him an unlikely candidate to possess this type of talent.  He was killed in Austria after coming out of retirement and testing a Formula 1 car for Roger Penske when a tire failed on the fastest corner of the track.  Possibly only AJ Foyt had as much success in as diverse types of cars as Mark did.  His son David has won the 24 hours of Daytona and the 24 hours of LeMans

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Donohue

 

                  

Great info. I  raced road courses also. The Bridge and Lime Rock with a Yenko Phase III Corvair and a Crown Corv-8. Drag raced including getting my AHRA, IHRA and UDRA Funnycar license. Ran Gas classes, Super Stock, AA/FC and even a pro street drag bike.  Still like the twisties though, that's the reason for my Valkyrie.  Paul 

[j hancock]

Mark Donohue's book "The Unfair Advantage" is a good read.

[41chevy]

On 12/22/2016 at 11:46 AM, General Ike said:

Great car Paul.  Love the story of how in less than 5 years, AMC won a SCCA T/A championship having NO racing development of any kind prior to that.  Mark Donohue and Roger Penske did the impossible.  As for the slushbox in Paul's car, I just never understood not rowing your own gears in a pony car.          

Here is my Marlin D/SA. Had a 060 over AMC 343 and a Twin Stick Flash O Matic.. Now has a spent 401. Pick was taken before the New York National Speedway Reunion 3 years ago at E town.

http://

Having raced since new a 71 440 six pak Challenge with a Torque Flight, and a 1971 Cuda 440 six pak with a 4 speed the same season, the auto was 3 tenths quicker. I ran them both in SS/CA and SS/C. Even in 1972, my  Alcohol Funnycar ran a Vitar prepped Torque Flight. My 1971 340 Duster ran tri power and a 4 speed . My 55 has been a race car since 1962 and over the years run a Saginaw  3 speed, a M22 Muncie, a power glide and a Dual Range Hydro, all behind both big and small blocks carbs, injection and even a 4/71 supercharger. Now it's running a 727A Torque Flight behind my Wayne Cross Flow headed Algon injected 320 GMC 6. I like both trans types. My 70 Hurst Chrysler will end up with a paddle shifted 8 speed.

When the original owner bought the Javelin new he was close to  50 and his wife drove it.  He was 94 when he died last summer.

Edited December 24, 2016 by 41chevy

[41chevy]

On 12/13/2016 at 2:36 PM, hurstscrambler said:

That is really nice, I am a big fan of low mileage cars. A 401 go-pac AMX is rare, fun and desirable.  What color is the interior?  1974 is a good year as well because by then they were installing 727 torqueflight ("torque command" in Amc talk) transmissions by then.  I'd assume it has 3.54 twin grip rear.  Good

Know where or who may have all the Cowl Induction parts for it? or  just an air cleaner assembly ?

[BillyT]

41, I've always liked Marlins, you never see one but the styling is unique with the creased belt line ! My 64 Ambassador was a two door hardtop in near new condition! Was a v8 probably a 304 automatic,with buckets and a console. Was hit in the front,but you couldn't see the damage til you were on top of it! Was kinked like a giant bent it over his knee! Was nine yrs old so probably totaled! Definitely the most comfortable car I've owned except for the 51 roadmaster. Twenty five bucks! I grew up 8 miles from Yenko Chevrolet, before they did their infamous camaros and chevelles! Wasn't aware they did corvairs,but why not! The corvair was the closest thing to a European sports car made in America! Once they responded to Ralph Naders evisceration by installing the "camber compensator" the thing really handled! My business partner and co driver drag raced a 65 110hp bone stock Corvair! Was a split second off the national record! You couldn't see the car for the trophies! Do you remember Donna Mae Mimms and her corvettes? She was the first women to win a Scca race. The pink Lady,her corvettes were bought at and prepared by Yenko! My first real job was at a hearing aid factory ,and Donna Mae was the owners Secretary. At some point she went to work at Yenko probably  in racing development !

 

 

 

 

[Truck Shop]

                                  IIRC in a 1969 issue of Hot Rod mag they had a shoot out between the 390 AMX, Z28 and Boss 302. The AMX torched both-the Z28 and the Boss in 1/4 mile runs.

                                  As a matter of fact they had to resort to M&H's on the Z and the Boss to break 100 mph.

 

                                  Truck Shop

[BillyT]

Hurst scrambler,thanks for the heads up on the displacement on the Ambassador! I only used it for a local commute so it could have been either engine,wouldn't have noticed the power difference!