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1968 RKE Trans-Am Javelin stuff

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70amcpwr View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 70amcpwr Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/16/2012 at 6:26pm
On page 68 of Larry Mitchell's AMC Buyers Guide it states "Late in 1969, the new 1970 front double ball joint suspension was offered on the Javelin as a $600 "performance upgrade". At least I have that for now.
70amcpwr You just can't fix stupid.
SOLD 1970 BBO Javelin, wifes 73 AMX 360 4spd. Next project 1969 AMX
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WesternRed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/17/2012 at 8:26pm
Originally posted by 343sharpstick 343sharpstick wrote:

I saw the Craig Jackson car this summer at Road America. I did not unfortunately get a look under the hood, nor did I crawl under the car, so I got nothin'. Adam has piles of great pictures in his photobucket account.
One of the'69 RKE cars was shipped out of the country, Australia I think.
 
Also an interesting note on the 69 TA hood, it was available as an entire hood, or a bolt on 'scoop only'.
 
Just saw this, I have certainly heard a few rumors that one of the race cars came to Australia, but my understanding is that it never raced here back in the day. It would make sense that it was a used car because I did see something along the lines of nothing "virgin" being sent down here. 
 
Could this be the car?
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Javelin_GT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/18/2012 at 3:48am
I always hear a rumor that a Javelin or two was built by Kaplan and sent un-assembled in shipping crates to Australia.  I asked Kaplan about this a couple years ago and he doesnt remember that but allot of his memory is fuzzy.

Thanks for that link.  I have never seen pictures of that car before.  It does look pretty similar to the Kaplan Javelin mid way down this page.


I also have never seen or heard about the Kaplan car in the link I posted.

I have heard a rumor where one of the 69 T/A Javelin was involved in a insurance scam and supposedly was burnt up in a fire.  But that debate needs its own thread.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 68TA#4 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/18/2012 at 9:11pm
I remember talking to the guy that use to own the '69 #3 on the Team AMX site. His name was Andy Scopazzi, think he traded or sold to a Tony Perara or Jeff King. Are those photos on the Team AMX site from a vintage race at Watkins Glen in the mid 90's? I heard that it had been stolen soon after that event and that it had a large insurance policy on it. I never heard anything else about that car. I just wonder if it was recovered and that it is now the Craig Jackson Javelin restored to '70 specs.

Edited by 68TA#4 - Jan/18/2012 at 10:20pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AMCAMX390 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/14/2018 at 1:28am
Its along time between drinks on the subject which I've just found. The comments on a RKE car being sold to Australia caught my attention. The following is the story of that car that came down under. I doubt if it was one of the RKE race cars.

In 1968 John Caddy of VIS Con Transport in Darwin talked to Harry Tedstone, the American Motors representative at AMI (AMI were the Australian AMC assembler) in in Port Melbourne.

Harry Tedstone's long time friend Carl Chuckmakian had been involved with the introduction of Trans-Am racing to AMC. John Caddy's idea was to campaign a Javelin in the Australian Touring car championship (Simliar to Transam) as two-door cars were allowed to be used and the engine size limit allowed the 390 cu.in. to be used. A car duly arrived, supposedly it was prepared by Ronnie Kaplan. Two 20' containers arrived in Perth and were transported by Vis Con's own trailer by road. When the containers were opened container one had a base line Javelin with optional suspension, 390 engine and T-10, traction bars by factory and heavy duty front sway bar but it was not race prepared in any way.

The second container had a Kaplan prepared 390 engine with headers, cross ram etc., flared front fenders, hood to clear the engine, racing brakes for front and rear, Panhard bar, beefed up suspension arms, quick ratio PS, 15" wheels without tyres.

It was all there but not assembled. This was not what John Caddy had expected to arrive. He had expected a turn key car with spare engine ready to race. After many phone calls to Chuckmakian he agreed to have Kaplan help in any way he could across the pacific. John Caddy had his mechanics assemble the car and near the end of 1969 the Javelin was beginning to look like a race car. Then Ronnie Kaplan quit, Roger Penske took over the team to prepare the cars for 1970. John Caddy did not have an agreement with Penske. His agreement for help was from Kaplan, with Kaplan gone, so was the help.

As the 1970 season began in Australia the car that could have beaten the Jags and maybe the Mustangs sat dejected in a corner of the Vis Con workshop in Darwin. Eventually Caddy had the car de-tuned and painted gold for the street and drove it for 10 years around Darwin still LHD, the hot 390 was raced in a boat in NT and Queensland.

This Javelin now resides in Melbourne is painted Red, White & Blue with a new motor and is used in club events.

Hope that helps with the Oz car mystery

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hdljet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep/30/2021 at 4:41pm
The # 9 mule Javelin became the University of Pittsburg javelin.  Bob Fryer sold it to Brook Mossgrove in 1984 .  Brook rebodied the car back to a 1970 Javelin and restored it to a # 6 Javelin.  I followed Brooks restoration of the car.  I bought the rest of the University of Pittsburgh’s team parts including my Bobby Allison NASCAR engine.  I also bought a lot of the mule parts that were documented in “The Unfair Advantage”. Ie the rear end with universals on it to change camber.  I sold off the extra parts to Dana Bernabio in 1986.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AMCAMX390 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep/30/2021 at 10:10pm
This post has prompted me to update. Mention is made in this forum of a race prepared Javelin being shipped to Australia. Since my last post 3 years ago I have come across magazine/newspaper snippets of a race prepared Javelin being spotted at Melbourne wharves late 1969. No Javelin ever raced in Oz but I'm still searching to get to the bottom of this saga.
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