mark donohue javelin

1970 Mark Donohue Javelin (or is it?)

Much has been said and written thru the years about the 1970 Mark Donohue Javelin AMC offered in 1970. The problem is simple however. Everyone made them, myself included, well after 1970. Even AMC made more than the 2501 'officially' produced in 1970. You could walk into your friendly AMC dealership and ask for a Ram Air hood, and ducktail spoiler. Big deal.

You will find a majority of 1970 Mark Donohue Javelins have no authentication behind them. And there is no way to prove it without a window sticker or dealer order form or other original paper trail. There is nothing on the build sheet that will show a Donohue is anything different than a regular Javelin. No, nothing in the VIN. And not in the metal door tag. Not all Mark Donohue Javelins came with Ram Air either. And contrary to urban legend, not all were SST editions. And a majority of them were 360s with a few 390s and 304s tossed in.

It's commonly "thought" at least by some AMCers that "all Donohue Javelins were built between December 1969 thru April 1970. There are cars built outside that window. There were 28210 1970 Javelins built; with 19714 being SST's, the rest base models. Of those, 855 were six cylinder, 9331 304V8s, 6798 360V8 and 2730 390V8. This includes all Javelins sans the 100 T/A Javelins. Remember AMC began production August 1st, 69 for the 70 models and stopped July 30th, 1970. (Although there was a shutdown of some plants, see below). Some believe only 360 and 390 Donohues were made, yet there are two known 304 4 barrel "M" code Donohues known to exist. And some jump up and down stating there were no column shift Donohues made, yet there are some really well known cars that have been authenticated like this 17,000 original example here shown in this early 1990's article and many AMCers have seen it at national meets.

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AMC gave their "blessing" for the dealerships to "make" Trans Am and Mark Donohue Javelins.

Here is a well known Dealer Memo by E. B. Brogan, AMC;s Marketing Director authorizing dealerships to MAKE THEIR OWN.....at the DEALERSHIP.

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American Motors was in financial trouble (as usual) in 1970 for a variety of reasons, they suffered a 2nd quarter loss of $10 million dollars (in 1970 dollars!!!) or 41 cents per share. A massive labor strike in which production of 36,000 vehicles was lost. In the First Quarter alone, AMC lost a whopping $15.6 million dollars, resulting in a neat loss in the first 1/2 of the fiscal year of a stunning $25 million dollars. These losses had no benefit of tax credit. The AFL-CIO strike crippled AMC and plants were closed for five weeks in the fall. Besides the 36,000 vehicles lost, AMC also lost $23 million and more importantly, momentum in the market at a really critical time. Imagine that. Let's say each lost car of the 36,000 was a 1970 Javelin for $4000. That is $1.4 million in 1970 dollars. Let's say each lost car was top of the line Ambassador at $5000. That is a staggering $1.8 million dollars. AMC had just paid $40 Mil for Willys for Jeep rights, but the strike is what stands out, along with slow car sales, sans the new Hornet which dealerships were having trouble keeping in stock; and later in the calendar year the Gremlin

Also contrary to popular belief of what some will repeat over and over enough to try to get others to believe, (including themselves sort of like a Enron defense) AMC would get creative and bend the rules for customers to make a sale, this includes small and large dealerships. If a customer walked in and wanted a Trans Am Javelin, well, make him one. And make more money for salesmen, dealership and AMC.

This is not urban legends, this is fact to possibly dispel some of the rumors surrounding the Mark Donohue Javelin. From Auuanl Reports to stockholders showing AMC taking a beating to in house memos directing dealerships to build one if they wanted.

There is a Mark Donohue Registry for those who wish to try to authenticate their cars. The problem therein lies with this. You have to PROVE it first. A article I wrote in 1990 called "Did They Or Didn't They?" speculated on the Mark Donohue Javelin, and how many made in 1970, and afterwards. I have made over a dozen. I know of dozens more created long after the fact. My point almost 20 years ago....and now...is that many more Donohue Javelins were 'made' than 2501. By owners. By me. By dealerships. B anyone who wanted 'the look'.

Yes, it is a 'spoiler package'. It was a 'image' AMC was selling. Unfortunately years later there is no way to actually document one. Yes, AMC had 'special blocks' they used. Yes, AMC would do anything for a sale. Yes, you could get one made at a dealership or just buy the stuff and do it yourself. You still can 30+ years later. Yes, you commonly see more 70 Donohue Javelins NOW than when new. Yes, Donohues were made outside the stupid window someone speculated at years ago. Yes, column shift cars were made. Yes, 304 four barrel cars were made. No, not having drill marks for emblem on the right side of your trunk lid under spoiler don't mean anything, you can change trunk lids from any 68-74 AMX and Javelin you know. A point I made in the early 1990's was this: less than 1% of 70 AMXs had Rally Pack. Now that the Rally Pack overlays and gauges have been reproduced, it is not uncommon to go to some of the larger AMC National meets and see more than that 1% all there. How is that? Duh!

Is it A Donohue or was it spiffed up like the Shell Houston Open Golf Tourney cars here each year? Sponsored by Buick, they have "add ons" like spoilers, fog lamps, special rims, and of course the decals. So the golf pros all drive them free during the week, and afterwards Buick puts them up for sale at a discount. You do not know whose car you get, could be Gary Player's; Vijay Singh's, even Tiger Woods. But you get a Buick 'with add ons' which is my point with the Donohue Javelins.

Hopefully one day there will be some facts and comprehensive documentation behind the Mark Donohue Javelin, instead of boast like "I know but do you?" and "I have these documents but uh, can't find them" and other silliness one sees on some online sites without zero to back it up. Anyone can pull up part numbers, SCCA dates, and make it look like they have some sort of facts and case. Put it out there, show the names, dates and in other words.....PROVE IT. Otherwise it is just speculation.

No, nothing has changed in the almost two decades since I wrote that 'Did They Or Didn't They?" article about 1970 Javelins with Ducktail spoilers. There on occasion is some posturing by some 'gurus' (who have been wrong on many things before, as I have too on occasion, but at least I will admit it) they have this and that. Again, nothing except talk without the walk.

Maybe one day when less than a dozen 1970 Javelins are left in the world someone will come out with authentication, actual AMC memos and directives, not talk on a website, so those who love these cars, regardless of whether they are or are not a authentic Donohue, can move on. Until that happens, and it has never happened in almost 40 years, the Mark Donohue Javelin will be mired in controversy as THE easiest AMC Musclecar to fake, period.

So how did a production vehicle end up wearing a legendary racer's name? AMC had to make 2500 of them, available to customers, if AMC wanted to compete in SCCA racing. You could get them in any production color (here is a 1970 paint chart) and with any regular options, including power steering, power brakes, tinted glass, tilt wheel, Twin Grip, air condition, there was a very large options and accessories list. Not to mention any add ons you could easily get from your friendly AMC dealership added to your Javelin!

And Mark Donohue, "Captain Nice" as he was known/....and this wonderful Javelin, deserve better. To learn more about the legendary Mark Donohue, visit Unfair Advantage Racing.