how many amcs left

How Many Are Left??

I get asked this daily. AMC fans, buyers, and sellers asking how many of a certain model or color are left. Let's start with production, then colors,
then options and try to break it down. There is a company in Hemming's (AIG) that has advertised for many years that "HOW MANY ARE LEFT?" where they will charge you $25 or more to tell you a number. Bullshit. They look at how many are registered in different states. That is not accurate. For instance, how many of you have a AMC? Of those, how many are licensed? Myself included. I have 3 AMXs, but none are in the computers in the State of Texas as none are road worthy. Many states like Texas, dump a vehicle off computers after only 2 years. There are 18 million vehicles in Houston. And only 254 AMCs are registered. I have 5 registered, and 7 are not. So how did I come up with this idea?

My guesses here, and that is all it is, is nothing more than a compilation of cars I have documented at many different local, and national shows since the 1990s. In Kenosha 1998 Homecoming, I'm not sure how many of you got photos of every car there. I did. (Unless it was late arrival or early leave the field). Some cars have a better survival than others. While we hold these cars in high regard, others don't. I can't begin to tell you how many SC/Ramblers and Rebel Machines I have seen crushed for example. Some have a unusual high rate of cannibalism. Have seen people buy a whole running, driving AMX only to use it as a parts car, especially sheetmetal like 1/4 panels. One fellow in the west coast in 2004 bought three 68-69 AMXs for $1500. He cut them up, selling just one hood and one 1/4 panel and making more than the initial $1500 in two sales. Some are not willing to spend the money on individual parts, especially model year 1970, that is why that is the most cannibalized year of all, too many one year only items unique to 1970. Others had some serious quality control problems like 1976 thru 79, especially with rusting. Others were more venerable to rust like any convertible AMC made.

So let me attempt to tell you for free. And no charge, and I specialize in them and have for years and again, have documented many. No Ford, No Chevy, No Mopar. I may be way off base, chances are my figures here (unscientific!) are probably going to be closer than anyone else's guesses. And that is all it is, speculation. Guesswork. Some will tell you that generally 10% of a certain model is still around 25 years later. I think that is too high.

When you look at the big picture, just about every auto American Motors made is "rare" almost 20 years after AMC's demise. The late, great Dick Teague, who designed many cars like AMX, Javelin, Pacer, Gremlin used to marvel at people restoring his creations in the 1980s; like the AMX. He said the cars were not intended to last that long in a interview in the late 1980s. Not that they were not good, solid cars, but many of them were beat to shit. Many muscle cars are, then and now. New and old.

Some vehicles like Big Bad Colored cars are few. I estimate for instance 13 1970 AMXs are know to exist in Big Bad Green. Some vehicles, like Rebel Machines in solid colors, like Big Bad Blue, my estimate is 5; or for Hileah Yellow 5-7. When you start breaking it down further like how many left 68 Rebel convertibles with a 343, the numbers drop dramatically. About 24. But for some, they are extinct. For instance, only 299 1969 AMXs were made with a 290V8/AT combination. Lowest production of all three years of two seaters. I passed on a 69 AMX 290/AT in Big Bad Orange for $2700 for sale in Texas. So 286 BBO 69 AMXs made, but how many of those would have been 290/AT? This is possibly the only one left in existence sadly. How many Hurst SC/Ramblers started their lives as a "B" paint, only to be turned into a "A" paint later? There is no way to determine this. I have often wrote about how many Donohues and Trans Am Javelins have been built after the initial run in 1970. Have built about a dozen "Donohues" myself thru the years. How many SC/360s were painted black, and of that tiny number, how many are left? Possibly 3.

The bottom line is that NOW, just about "ANY" American Motors vehicle left is outright rare.

But when you start breaking it down, like how many Limelight Green 71 AMXs made with 401, the numbers were small in 1971. I have never seen a 1971 AMX in Limelight Green going back into when my dad worked at dealerships and since. Hopefully there is one left, would like to see it. How many 74 AMXs with steel hoods? Some will call this a urban legend, but I have seen some at national meets. Unmolested vehicles built past the extension the government gave AMC. They were built into October and November 1974. Production supposed to have stopped July 31st, 1974, began Aug 1, 1973 for 74 models. Remember, AMC also ran out of 360V8 engines too, (due to selling 360s to Bricklin Car Company and International Harvester) this caused Bricklin to quickly modify and change to Ford drivetrain for 1975. AMC would later have the fiberglass non cowl induction hoods available again, but did they offer them to those whose cars had steel hoods? I don't know, another story for another day.

Also remember just because a car is in a Registry, does not mean it still exists.

This "How Many Are Left" list will show total production of that model on the left. Then a estimate as to how many remain on the right. For instance 74 AMX Production was 4960. Estimated survivors is 700.

68 AMX 6725/600-800
69 AMX 8293/700-1000
70 AMX 4116/300-450
71 AMX 2054/475
72 AMX 3220/650
73 AMX 5707/1000
74 AMX 4960/700
75 AMX (VAM built) unk
76 AMX (VAM built) unk
77 AMX 2407/5306 375
78 AMX 2540/200
79 AMX 3657/600
80 AMX 865/100

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68 Javelin 55124/2500-3000
69 Javelin 40675/2200-2800
70 Javelin 28210/1100-1700
70 Mark Donohue Javelin 2501/400-550
70 Trans Am Javelin 100/25
71 Javelin 24812/2100
72 Javelin 22964/2500
73 Javelin 25195/2700-3000
74 Javelin 22556/1900-2200