AMC AMX/3 Prototype

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2013/02/11/rare-amc-amx3-prototype-on-display-at-chicago-auto-show/?intcmp=features

I like the rear 3/4 bit.

David

wow... and I thought the Jav was an eye catching design....

Note to manufacturers: Steal this design, it's spectacular.

hmmm take one part Pantera... take one part Mangusta... mix gently............???

oldeskewltoy wrote: hmmm take one part Pantera... take one part Mangusta... mix gently............???

Except the AMX/3 came out in 1969

The fiberglass show body for these was found in Oregon a few years ago. The guy that bought it had them re-popped and is modifying GTM chassis to fit.

At 100mph the front wheels lift of the ground.

Of course, it still looks cool!

I really enjoy all the "flying-buttress" cars of the 70's(Ok late-60's through 1980's...), and wish manufacturers would bring them back!

I remember seeing this when it was new and being suitably impressed. IIRC this was also about the time GM came out with a mid engined Corvette model too.

As I remember it, the mid engined Corvette had AMC running scared as they felt that if GM did actually produce it, then sales on it would have blown the AMC out of the water and they'd have a very expensive albatross around their necks.

At that time AMC didn't have much street creds as nothing they produced seem to have the same performance as similar models of other brands.

carguy123 wrote: At that time AMC didn't have much street creds as nothing they produced seem to have the same performance as similar models of other brands.

Nope, nope, and nope. The AMX/3 was one of the first mid-engine cars ever, second only to the Miura. By that time AMC already sales and performance hits with the 1968 Javelin (Bonneville records, NASCAR Grand Am races, Trans Am points), the AMX (Breedlove's records, Nurburgring, Monte Carlo Rally, drag racing, NHRA Super Stock, etc, etc), the SC/Rambler (Baja 1000), and they were wrapping up Jeep. The AMX/3 was always meant as a pseudo-halo car, and the only reason it never really "made it" was a change in management at the same time the Italians were striking like crazy.

If you are saying Nope to my remembrance of the mid-engined Vette happening at the same time, you very could be right, but if you're saying nope to the lack of performance (by comparison) then you'd be way wrong.

I was buying & racing those cars when they were new and the Ramblers just didn't cut it until you got up to the professional level with highly modified engines.

The dealer & I put my 68 340 Cuda up against his 390 AMX that I had the hots for and when my Cuda just blew the doors off of the AMX it ended my dreams of a red, white & blue AMX being in my driveway.

None of the AMC products could hold their own in street racing or the weekend "get em off the streets" drag competitions at the drag strips. Javelins would run & hide from the Fords, Chevys or Chryco products. I just loved the idea of the AMX and thought the lower weight would make the difference.

You needed the next bigger engine to be able to even stay in the ball park. In other words the 390 to even stay close to the 350s, 340s, 351s.

There's a bunch of Italian stuff that was on sale to the public before AMC knocked the /3 together, and then there's the GT40, so this second-ever talk about a show car... eh.

That said, the quoted 1/4 mile times for the SC/Rambler of 1969 are nigh identical to cars like the 427 Corvette or Chevelle SS, so I don't know if I by the idea that AMC motors wouldn't hang with similarly sized stuff from the Big 3. Not sure how great the suspensions were at the time for that sort of thing, and I know the tires were poor.

In reply to carguy123 :

I had the exact opposite experience. A friend owned a '70 Dart Swinger 340 4 speed. I had a '69 AMX 390 4 speed. I cleaned his clock.