Full Build: Transforming an AMC Javelin to a 70s Muscle Machine

Tommy and Marc have new project in the shop and have some unique plans that pay homage to the street machine era. But to do that they need to see what they have to work with. Our AMC Javelin gets a freshen-up in the paint department with some help from an old friend. Then, we show you some simple and easy ways to make your paint look amazing. Javelin gets a new sick sound with a set of side pipes, before hitting the road for a little fun.

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PARTS USED IN THIS EPISODE

Covercraft
Custom Fit Cover

Duralast
Duralast Remanufactured Starter DL3207

Holley
Frostbite Performance Cooling Aluminum Radiator

Anchor 2351 Motor Mount

Sonax USA
Sonax Perfect Finish

Summit Racing
Paints & Finishing Paints

Summit Racing
Brass Core Plugs

Summit Racing
Comp Cams Billet Hydraulic Roller

Summit Racing
Comp Cams Double Row Timing Chain

Summit Racing
Cragar Wheels, Rims & More

Summit Racing
EBC Brakes Yellowstuff Brake Pads

Summit Racing
Edelbrock Universal EFI Sump Fuel System

Summit Racing
Harland Sharp 1.6 Ratio Rocker Arms

Summit Racing
Lakewood Traction Bars

Summit Racing
Melling Oil Pump Rebuild Kit

Summit Racing
Mickey Thompson Sportsman Pro Tires

Summit Racing
Milodon Oil Pan

Summit Racing
Monroe Max Air Shocks

Summit Racing
Patriot Exhuast

Summit Racing
Permatex Ultra Slick Assembly Lube

Summit Racing
Total Seal Assembly Lube

Summit Racing
Total Seal Piston Rings

ARP
ARP Fasteners

ARP
ARP Main Bolts

Edelbrock
Performer RPM 401 Cylinder Heads

Edelbrock
Pro Flow 4 Port Fuel Injection System

Gearstar Performance Transmissions
Gearstar A904 Transmission

Sunnen Products Company
SV-15 Cylinder Hone

[phantomblott]

In March of 1973, I ordered a new 1973 American Motors Javelin AMX from Art Post Rambler in Kalamazoo Mi. I ordered the 401 Go Pac with the 4 speed manual and 3.91 rear gears, am fm Motorola stereo, all tint windows, inside map light, inside hood release, power steering, body side scuff molding. It is Cordoba brown with gold, fade to black hood T stripe, and black vinyl interior. The only changes that I have done to the Javelin are, 1970 Rebel Machine cast iron intake, Removal of the Air Injection Smog Pump. The addition of a larger 1 in. front sway bar and the addition of a 3/4 in rear sway bar, other than that the car is all original while anything removed from the car is saved and stored. My Javelin has not been on the 1/4 mile drag strip, but has been raced for several years on a Gymkhana road course. My wife has taken a few 1st place trophy's by beating out Camaros and Mustangs in a best timed, one car at a time Gymkhana races. The Javelin was retired from racing in 1982 and now only goes to car shows and cruise in's during the summer months. It is always garaged and stored up on jacks during the winters. This Javelin AMX is a fun car to drive yet today. Where I live, I burn unleaded non ethanol 91 octane gas with the addition of 5 ounces of Lucas upper cylinder lubricant in every tank of gas to aid the valve seats. Some day in the near future, the 401 will come out and get a rebuild along with a slightly hotter cam along with a set of nice headers with an X crossover, other than that along with new bushings for the front end it needs nothing. AMC did a great job with what they had available to build great cars.

[karlsmith]

It's pretty cool that they stayed with an AMC Motor under the hood instead of slamming an LS in it like they talked about in one episode centering on this build

[glennoropeza]

Javelins are the unsung heroes of the muscle car era! They're finally getting the respect that they deserve! Luckily for the collector buyer on a limited budget these cars are still reasonably affordable!

[immelting]

I live in kenosha wi and these cars are everywhere in the summer. We even have one in the kenosha museum and several at the AMC center on Roosevelt road.

[martinharris]

This is the "look" I remember as a kid: The rakes stance, wide rims and side pipes. Very cool and brings back memories of the 70s Street Machine scene.

[BigThomTattoos]

Love being able to watch the full builds! I think the Javelin is the most underrated muscle car. I would have liked to have seen a modern retromod build of the Javelin though.

[Selkirk]

Love the build I had a 71 with a 401. I wish this build could have had a 401 or even a 360 and some dragstrip time. My 401 was .020 over with a roller hyd 236/242 @ .050 and .540/560 lift w/ a 110 LSA. The heads were Edelbrock with the runners opened to 205 cc's and minor cleanup of pockets and ports. I used Harland Sharp roller rockers 1.6:1 ratio and a Torker as I found it to give more horsepower than the RPM without sacrificing throttle response. Carburetion was a 770 Demon. The oil line and distributor mods were done and I installed ARP studs on the mains and heads. The rods ( which had ARP bolts) were stock steel and prepped as was the crank. Headers were 1&3/4" out of 3"ers. Horsepower was 524 @ 5800. It idled well, had great throttle response and sounded like a bear with it's nuts caught in a trap. Underrated engine that 401

[d.f.]

I remember a 1973 AMX at a local dealership in the late seventies. It was from California. It was red with a 401 and Pierre Cardin interior. That headliner is Pierre Cardin. This car had the full interior previously. Very cool. I never understood why they weren't as popular as others when they had more style than most.

[tomnekuda]

Thanks for doing an AMC - a lot of today's generation doesn't even know about AMC and they actually turned out some neat pony cars. I learned a lot about paint from the fella on the gun....again thanks for going into the methodology. You birds picked a great graphic and complimented it with the right colors. Good job!

[BigSteve_Gaming]

My Uncle (Rest in Piece) had two Javelins. One was orange with black stripes and another dark purple with black stripes. Both had stock bored out 401s. Everything was original Sept alternator, battery, and items like that which have a shelf life. Really wish I could have gotten one but I was 15 when he decided to pass them on.

[williamcharles]

Thanks guys for paying tribute to AMC, the last of the independent auto makers and the great cars that they produced. What they accomplished performance wise with the limited funds that they had to work with was phenomenal. It was a very sad day for me when they closed their doors. ( I guess I'm giving away my age.)

[mikekiefer]

We called jacking up the back end back in the day. And I would go with keystone klassics.

[cesare]

I owned a 1968 Javelin SST 390 CID with the "Go Package." It`s amazing how much knowledge about that engine has been lost over the decades. The v8 was the same motor for all 3 of their displacements. But the 390 had extra webbing in their main block for reinforcement. And it had a stainless-steel crankshaft. The 390 heads had dog-leg ports which could be cleaned out for better air flow. My best single improvement was headers which knocked a full second off my quarter mile runs.

[jimmyjimbo]

WOW! I know there's just one viewer out there that just loves the side pipes! Kudo's to whomever decided to add them... WHEW

[johnvrabec]

This video warms my heart. As soon as I saw the Cragar S/S's on there, it was a winner! You guys did all the right things to make this car super fun and desirable. Kudos to using the original plant and cleaning up the rest without going off the deep end. That is one sweet ride. I always loved the AMC's in the 70's, in our home town, we had a couple of Gremlins tricked out a little that were super cool boulevard babies. Thanks!

[willwatts]

It was nice to see someone dedicated a hole show to AMC it gives me some hope for my 68 AMX.

[jamesdiehl]

Javelin was exactly what AMC/Rambler was known for! Dependable, solid, stylish and inexpensive! Nothing wrong with that! 😀😃🙂

[fishypictures]

That’s the way they are supposed to look.
When working summers at my grandparents restaurant, I got a good look at AMC javelins, AMX … there neighbor was a AMC
Fanatic and would roll multiple cars he owned and modified.
They all had the stock factory tire/wheel setup. I really like the stock look …. The AMX had a powerful presence, no rear seat from the factory.

[r.weaver]

My cousin had this bodystyle in a 74 AMX Hurst edition. I remember the dash with the Trans Am style turned machine inset around the gauges, his had a tach in the dash. He could spin tires in the first 3 gears till he shattered the axles, after fixing it he drove it normal till he traded for a 64 Impala convertible.

[MichaelSSmith-hspw]

I bought a brand new 1970 Javelin 390, big bad green (lime green) with the half black vinyl top, bucket seats, polished Crager mag wheels, sporty tires, cotter pin hood locks, & it cost $2, 800.00, damn! Today that thing would cost at least 20 times that. But I remember back in 1970, $2, 800.00 was a shit load of money!💰I was in my early 20s & I looked cool as hell 😎 rollin’ down the street. 👍