AMX #13188 45 Years Later

 

I was researching as I do every few years... googling my old cars by Vin number or in this case of the 1969 AMX by dash plaque number 13188. Well it turned up last night 45 years after I bought it on the AMX Registry. Below is the dash plaque picture the current owner posted along with the car today. (current owner photos)

These current pictures were taken at a local Car Show on the East Coast. To see all photos go to Americanmotorsinfo.com click on search and enter 13188.

My part of the 1969 AMX #13188 story begins around 1978. I was attending Michigan State Hotel School. I found out about this 1969 AMX. I was more of a MOPAR guy and still am but my buddy Gene Nawrocki, where I worked fresh out of high school had a 304 Gremlin. I tried to buy a new Javelin back then but the dealer pricing fell through. This AMX opportunity probably came from the Lansing State Journal ads.

I drove out to Charlotte MI just south of Lansing and bought it, bringing it home to my apartment in Okemos. Pictured below is the AMX with my 67 Camaro and 71 Cutlass Supreme. I bought a house in Lansing shortly there after with a 1 car garage. I rented 2 rooms out to buddies, one had a 71 Z28 and I had traded the Camaro for a chopped 73 Triumph Bonneville Motorcycle by then. Still in school and working at Frandor Mall and then Lansing Mall in the Sears and Wards Auto Centers part time.

Over a period of a couple years I began work on the AMX. It was originally a Alamosa Aqua (irid 68A) with White stripes Go Package car. 390 cubic inches and a Hurst 4 speed. Basically a racing package schooled in Kenosha WI by the likes of Mark Donahue and crew. While in the Army (1973-1977) I saw Mark race at Nurburgring Germany, the last Gran Prix of Germany held there and his last race. He was killed in practice the following week in Austria. He was a great racer and AMC guy (his name sake javelin).

A friend of a friend recommended I get the heads done by the engineers at the Oldsmobile plant in Lansing. Ported and polished, new guides. I replaced  the clutch with American Perfection parts and added headers. My dentist's son owned a body shop and he did the body in Black with Gold stripes. Painted bumpers and carved the rear quarters into the existing curvature (big tires) and the interior was completely redone in Black/Charcoal. Gold Cragar Supertricks rounded out the package. The AMX was "GO FAST" and sparsely decorated. lol FYI everyone in MI were racers. 

 

Finished restoration pictured in Atlanta. 

About that time I graduated, sold the house and went to work for Edward Don and Company setting up the new Atlanta Office as their district manager. The moving package included my stuff and the AMX packed in the semi trailer. It was pretty cool unloading it in ATL. The car was covered and parked on a concrete pad behind the rental house on Drew Valley Rd. Yes some street racing was done on weekends. Finally it became my daily driver as the Don HR people kept asking me to chauffer them around ATL when they came down to recruit. The AMX was my excuse, lol sorry only two seats. So I sold my Buick Le Sabre Chocolate colored coupe. Hey it was the 80's. 

When my stent was up in Atlanta I headed back to NW Indiana rejoining Edward Don's National Account Office in North Riverside IL. On the way I spent the summer doing specialized sales in Cincinnati. I raced the AMX once at Tri County Dragway there. I sold the AMX to a guy who lived in Highland Indiana in the mid 80's. 

Next up was this 1988 Mustang 5 liter ironically faster and more modern in the logistics, electronics and chassis set up than the AMX. Ordered to be converted to drag racing by a customer at the Ford dealer in South Holland IL I got it for about $13,000 and put 250,000 miles on it. I traveled the midwest in sales mainly MI, OH and KY. The company compenstated me for the mileage. It paid for itself 4 times over. It would easily run 137 MPH on the Indiana Toll road.

Now my daughter and I have matching 2011 Dodge Nitro Heats. Vintage with less than 80,000 miles. We belong to the MOPAR club out of New Orleans and enjoy the annual cruising the coast celebrations.

It was pretty cool to find the AMX again and remember the fun times and the one time I ran out of gas in East Lansing. Steve (work buddy) and I pushed it to the gas station. Oh and once I took it to a meeting in Grand Rapids and the throttle cable broke. I fabbed a replacement on the spot from my suit coat hanger. Replacing it of course when I got back. You could do that in those days. Craftsmen Tools.