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'69 Javelin SST on Budget |
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Red20 
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Joined: Jan/29/2013 Location: Oceanside CA Status: Offline Points: 1556 |
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 Posted: Feb/08/2018 at 10:44pm |
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There’s a lot you can’t see from that angle too. Ideally I’ll have an actual shop one day...
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1969 Javelin SST "Screamin' Banana" - Totaled Feb 2018
1973 Hornet Sportabout X "yellajack" - 360/727/TracLoc DAILY DRIVER |
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Red20
AMC Addicted
Joined: Jan/29/2013 Location: Oceanside CA Status: Offline Points: 1556 |
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Posted: Feb/18/2018 at 11:39pm |
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I had the chance to take a fun drive in the Javelin yesterday. I was at work in the morning and was gonna head home when my wife mentioned wanting to visit a particular store an hour and a half or so inland from our house. I immediately realized I was a few minutes closer, and I could drive the twisty, mountainy Ortega Hwy to get there, so I selflessly offered to go for her! After some haggling, I embarked on a great trip and numerous fun stops before arriving back home 6 hours and a tank of gas later.
I drove this road shortly after getting the car running and was still working out plenty of bugs, so it was fun but not as good as it could be. This time was AWESOME! The only thing I did to prep was fill up the tank, grab a Dr. Pepper, kick the tires, push the oil breather cap back down all the way, roll the windows down, turn the radio up, and blast off. The car worked beautifully. I’m not always thankful for poly bushings, heavy front and rear sway bars, and my lowered front springs and stiff rear springs, but it all came together quite well for canyon carving. I pushed her quite hard at times and even with the 235 Cooper tires, she had surprising grip, very minimal body roll, and was very predictable. I could feel the instant the rear would slightly lose traction and just barely start to skid, but it wasn’t extreme and remained very controllable. I’m very, very impressed with the car. Oil pressure and water temps stayed right where I wanted and the torquey setup and 2500ish stall converter worked well with the 2.87 rear gears. I’m not winning any drag races or economy runs, but for a 49 year old daily driver, she sure moves.  |
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1969 Javelin SST "Screamin' Banana" - Totaled Feb 2018
1973 Hornet Sportabout X "yellajack" - 360/727/TracLoc DAILY DRIVER |
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Red20
AMC Addicted
Joined: Jan/29/2013 Location: Oceanside CA Status: Offline Points: 1556 |
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Posted: Mar/03/2018 at 7:09pm |
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As many of you already know, I was t-boned and totaled the Javelin a week and a half ago. I'm ok. the car is not. The driver side front fender, door, rocker panel took a big hit. I'm getting an insurance payout, and I have a few options:
Wife wants me to get a cheap, reliable, fuel efficient car and hang up my AMC aspirations until later in life. I don't really know how I can just turn that part of my life off... My buddy, Tim, has a rare base model V8 1969 Javelin shell (pretty much ZERO options EXCEPT the 290). It sat since 1984 in the desert, and despite the interior being completely shot, it's a straight, rust free car that I could build from scratch with my interior and really EVERYTHING from my wrecked Javelin. I'll buy a $1,000 car to get me from A to B until I get it built Tim also has a factory V8 1973 Hornet Sportabout X. Get this, it's a factory 360/TF727 car. He was gonna spend more time squaring away the little things before selling it, but is considering letting it go to me. The fresh 360 in it actually was the first 360 I put in my Javelin. It's a .060 over 360 that had developed a rod knock not long after I installed it when I first built my Javelin. I bought a fresh short block from him and gave him this 360. Now it's in this Hornet.     Oh, it's also a factory posi car. This thing is cool! And it hauls butt. I have a lot of good parts on my car I can salvage too. |
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1969 Javelin SST "Screamin' Banana" - Totaled Feb 2018
1973 Hornet Sportabout X "yellajack" - 360/727/TracLoc DAILY DRIVER |
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Midnight Rambler
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Joined: Jan/17/2011 Location: SoCT Status: Offline Points: 1670 |
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Posted: Mar/03/2018 at 8:03pm |
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Red it appears you have no other choice but to get both cars.
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 '66 American 440 Convertible 290/M-40/AMC 20 3.15/PS/PB '04 Jeep Wrangler X Rocky Mountain Edition 4.0 5sp |
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pit crew
Supporter of TheAMCForum 
Joined: Jul/08/2007 Location: delete Status: Offline Points: 5341 |
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Posted: Mar/03/2018 at 8:11pm |
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I vote Hornet. And I am not bias in any way. Honest......
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 73 Hornet - 401EFI - THM400 - Twin Grip 20 |
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wantajav
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Joined: Sep/04/2009 Location: PA Status: Offline Points: 1150 |
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Posted: Mar/03/2018 at 8:27pm |
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Terrible news! Glad you didn't get totaled, just the car.
Idea: get a Dodge Neon for your point A-B car. You do know that was THE last design to come out of the AMC group prior to being swallowed up by Mopar. Fun, can be fast, and cheap little hot rods. My suggestion is to save up and eventually buy a running AMC versus trying to revive a desert relic, but it's your call. As far as choices, probably one of the nicest AMC cars in terms of modern features and the best ride are the Spirit/Concord types. Start saving/looking for that cherry 1979 AMX!
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Red20
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Joined: Jan/29/2013 Location: Oceanside CA Status: Offline Points: 1556 |
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Posted: Mar/03/2018 at 8:51pm |
Good news on the Hornet Sportabout is that it’s a runner. Mechanically, it just needs rear wheel cylinders to be a daily driver (my definition of DD varies from many folks). The paint should rub out nice too and just need the stripes masked and resprayed. Zero rust also. Tim has all of the badges. The heater just needs hoses hooked up to the core. It’s got an electronic ignition upgrade in the Delco distributor and 4 barrel Carter carb. Runs fantastic even though Tim just baselined it and hasn’t spent any time tuning, but he is an expert. I’m sure you can tell I’m leaning toward the Hornet. I’d LOVE to build the Javelin, but I have only half a day on Saturdays and 3-4 hours weekday evenings free these days. I may be moving in a few months and the pressure to get it done would be crazy. I’d do it, but it’d kill me. |
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1969 Javelin SST "Screamin' Banana" - Totaled Feb 2018
1973 Hornet Sportabout X "yellajack" - 360/727/TracLoc DAILY DRIVER |
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69BBB3904spAMX
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Charter Member Joined: Jun/29/2007 Location: San Jose, CA Status: Offline Points: 2761 |
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Posted: Mar/03/2018 at 9:36pm |
 If the price is right, get what looks to be a very nice Hornet.
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37 Ford Tudor 60 hp V8 flathead, all original, never restored
69BBB3904spAMX 70 Camaro 1st car 74 Hornet Hatch 6 cyl floor/auto 2007,2008,2009 PT Cruisers Aluminum Deck Car Trailer |
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Red20
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Joined: Jan/29/2013 Location: Oceanside CA Status: Offline Points: 1556 |
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Posted: Mar/03/2018 at 9:43pm |
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The price is not too bad. It's about 3 times more than the $2,000-2,500 I've paid for the last 4 AMCs I've owned, all of which were awesome drivers after a little work or right away. My J20 was near perfect, and I paid $2,000 for it. But it's a unique car in that it's a Sportabout X, factory 360/727 with a factory posi 2.87. Power brakes, steering, and A/C. It's a cool car for sure. Not a combination I've EVER seen.
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1969 Javelin SST "Screamin' Banana" - Totaled Feb 2018
1973 Hornet Sportabout X "yellajack" - 360/727/TracLoc DAILY DRIVER |
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Red20
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Joined: Jan/29/2013 Location: Oceanside CA Status: Offline Points: 1556 |
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Posted: Mar/03/2018 at 10:15pm |
You know, I used to think pre-1971 or nothing for me. I'm starting to enjoy the "other" cars these days. And I've seen some MEAN Hornets and Spirits. Combine that with my recent fascination with wagons, and a Sportabout X is about as cool as it gets for me right now. Don't get me wrong, I wish I was still driving my Javelin. Actually, it still runs and drives. I took it to meet my claims adjuster at a body shop the other day, and was being tailgated by a little Acura. I punched it and was going 95 before I knew it. A little verve wracking all beat up like it is. I'm gonna miss stabbing the throttle and within seconds, passing 120 mph still smooth as butter. pit crew, I'll probably be bugging you for advice for sure, if I get to pick up this wagon.
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1969 Javelin SST "Screamin' Banana" - Totaled Feb 2018
1973 Hornet Sportabout X "yellajack" - 360/727/TracLoc DAILY DRIVER |
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wantajav wrote: