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.

Vaya con Dios Paddy Wagon

There goes the 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan alias "Paddy Wagon" after retiring here in a comfortable parking space it was donated to Vehicles for Veterans the Gary Sinise charity he touts on TV.

I would be remiss if I didn't tell the Paddy Wagon story one more time. We lived in Punta Gorda FL. I traveled extensively owning a company selling mainly dinnerware from England to hotels, resorts and casinos. Carmen had a Suzuki XL7 and I drove a Lincoln Touring Sedan. I traded the touring sedan to get her a Mitsubishi Montero and eventually drove the Montero myself. The Air Conditioning was going out in the Montero and I had spied a Dodge Grand Caravan at the Miami Dodge dealer online. Well, the AC gave out in Miami and I drove it into the dealer thinking I'll trade for the minivan.

I covertly began the sales transaction saying just looking thanks...I did see a White Grand Caravan online. May I see it? SOLD. Hmmm of course it was. They showed me PW next. It had 45 thousand miles on it and was under a premium warranty. We cut a deal I left the Montero there. Off we went.

The following week we tripped to Jackson MS and on the way had a few mini problems but made it back home, where the Punta Gorda Dodge dealer went over it. Wow! $3500 worth of warranty covered problems (billed to Miami). That made my cost basis about 12K. Nice and I drove it with the understanding and AAA, that if we broke down PW would be left at the nearest Dodge dealer. 

Nearly 200 K miles later here we are. One of the best most comfortable minivans ever. Stow and Go seats turned the back into a covered pickup truck bed. We styled and profiled across the USA south for about 8 years. Doing shows in New Orleans and visiting my sick Mom in NW Indiana. A great ride.

PW was originally slated to be Taylor's first car but she took me to the Tampa Dodge dealer instead and picked out her own 2011 Dodge Nitro Heat alias "Thunder". So, PW stayed with me on the road and we did nicely virtually no repairs as business and territory increased. Sidebar Taylor did fail her first drivers test in PW calling him a "dump truck".

Pictured left is PW with the Dodge boys grouping, Thunder on the end and Lightning my 2011 Dodge Nitro Heat. The Heats have Scatpack plates and we belong to the NOLA Mopar Group. Yes Father/ daughter Nitros. The Nitros have only 80k miles each. Vintage baby!

The covid scare put PW on hiatus with a sunny berth on the "Gulf of America" Long Beach (no... the other Long Beach MS). He sunbathed and rode Taylor's dog around the complex and to the beach lol 1 block away a couple times. I was reminded numerous times to find PW a new home. Friday April 30th the auction guys in Moss Point MS are going to be offering him up to new owners. He's online and available. Vaya con Diaos PW!

Breakfast Burrito but CRAVING Chili

 

OK!  So I woke up craving Chili, and why not it's 39 degrees in MS. Do I want to make it? No way. As we discussed in previous blog postings the term "mis en place"... the French culinary term meaning to gather or put your things in place. Earlier in the week I insta-potted pinto beans with organic onions, white pepper, and garlic powder. A week or so prior (see brisket post) I sauteed the DM Farms grass fed grass finished ground brisket and froze it. Yep, there was just enough... 4 ounces left. A half individual size sticky rice and 2 green onions also. Irish Cheddar Cheese (A2C) in thin shards. Mixed in the Libbey glass bowl. Seasoned with Chili powder it became the Breakfast Chili Burrito filling.

I assembled in my 9" coupe bowl... the DM Einhorn Ancient Flour Sourdough tortilla and a couple spoon fulls of Publix Organic (Greenwise) medium hot salsa. lol Apologies for the pictures I woke up hungry. Chuckles. It was good and I have enough filling for 2 more.

While I did that I also made our weekly veges dish, layered carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and onions. Spritzed with Olive Oil and my 3 seasonings. Garlic powder, white pepper and sea salt. Got some DM Farms Chicken soup in the fridge too. Good with sourdough croutons or with a half sticky rice. I had that for breakfast/lunch yesterday. Usually eating at 10 and 2-3 pm. Til next time Bon Appetit!

Left Overs Fridge Salad Tonight- General Tso's Chicken for New Year's Eve

 It was the day before New Years Eve and all through the fridge...there was left over stuff since we're having Chinese carry out tomorrow night. 

General Tso's Chicken, Egg Drop Soup and Egg Rolls for me. 

Tonight I thought I better eat the fridge stuff... Dutch Meadows Organic carrots. So 1 large carrot. There were green onions from the girls potato soup. 1 each. A hunk of organic ginger. 1 each small. All chopped or shredded. Splash with 365 balsamic and olive oil. Splash each. Just then my wife said I have 9 grapes left...no 8. Tossed them in. WOW. Tasty little salad. Sweet with a little ginger burnt lip after, soothed by the olive oil. That was 10 minutes ago and no one was left injured. 

lol I love creating stuff from scratch. My daughter just called out Dad we have two slices of turkey...so with that, I'll do a slice of Dutch Meadows onion, A2 cheddar from Australia and a piece of DM grass fed, grass finish beef bacon on my DM sourdough toast with veganaise splash. A winner for sure.

Beef Bacon...I was curious. It's healthier than pork but who cares when discussing bacon. I baked it off separated the pieces and froze them. Take them out as I need them. Very good indeed. Not as stringy as pork and with all DM meat there's no extra bad stuff. 

Bon Appetit and Happy New Year!

The Reality of the Food Experience

 

The girls are off for the holidays, at least partially. My wife texted early today that they had forgotten chips for the holiday and was stopping at Winn Dixie on the way home. Hmmm Winn Dixie, HQ out of Jacksonville when we lived in Florida. I worked with them selling Carlise plastic containers and display trays for the deli/prepared foods area. Prepared foods an area of grocery predicted to send restaurants out of business...30 years ago. Whole foods and Publix entered the picture. Truth is some of each business survived, some didn't. It depends on the food. Right?

I let her know to call me from prepared foods. Typically, I don't want anything, but I like hearing her tell me. Of course, I asked "hushpuppies"? Nope no one ever has them and I would buy them everytime. Hint hint! I ended up getting 10 wings, plain and that's it. 

This is a shout out to Winn Dixie surprising me with the best wings I've had in years. Slightly peppery, fried crispy, room temperature so I could get right at it. How do they look (above picture). Oh... actually those are the leftovers perfectly displayed restaurant style with ranch dressing for dipping.

I was so hungry; and they looked so delicious I ate them plain from the box 4 of the 10 leaving the 6 in the bowl. Just a reminder that marketers market and the reality of food may not be what you think.

I tied off the bones so my sous chef Willis... my daughter's Aussie cattle dog didn't get them. He did have a taste of the wings and gave them a paws up. His take was, sometimes you find buried treasure in those plastic containers. Not on the $25 plates. It's just a thought. We'll see what changes Aldi brings Winn Dixie as they didn't make it in the grocery foods competition. I'm sure it was a good run. Personally, we love Publix and hope Amazon doesn't ruin Whole foods. A lot of my 365 brand product is already gone. Just saying. Happy Holidays!

Saturday Breakfast

 

Yes I played the drums for Morton Senior High School. I got a late start, studied in 8th grade and like sports came into my freshman year behind better musicians. I planned to be a rock star drummer anyway. Hence my first drum was the box pictured below. Yep the original sixties cardboard oatmeal box from Quaker. Lol The problem with that is that we ate oatmeal so rarely (basically Dad during Winter) I only got one to practice with. In 8th grade I got a rubber drum pad, sticks and lessons from Sharon Grimmer. I never appreciated that experience.  Since I was a big kid (a common theme here) the school put me on substitute bass drum and cymbals for football games and cymbals in concert play. lol Yes that was me playing Man of La Mancha circa 1970. 

Oatmeal was our breakfast in the 60's or rather Dad's. We had Grape Nuts, Cheerios and Grandma shared her Rice Chex. Which we'd rather have at the holidays as the Chex Mix snack. Eventually I spent summers at their house and Grandfather made eggs, and Canadian bacon every morning. They were my true influence to start cooking and become reasonably creative.

Today 60 years later I am very creative with a degree in Hospitality and Restaurant Management and a lifetime of Chef visits. So usually I ask myself what sounds good. The dog replies cheebooger and that usually is Mondays. Today in the fridge we had fresh Greek yogurt from Dutch Meadows Farms, healthy A2 casein. Left over blueberries, some roasted coconut (not pictured) Hempseed from Nuts.com and 92% dark chocolate. Those of you who know me know it's nearly all organic and deconstructed. Meaning I don't mix the ingredients I lay them in my bowl and dip my spoon changing up the taste and texture. It was great, Willis loves blueberries and yogurt and licked the bowl. A different take on the American breakfast. Healthy, good for gut flora and tasty.

Dutch Meadows Brisket Lunch

 While I'm waiting on my beef bacon, yogurt, and regular sourdough breads from Dutch Meadows Paradise PA to be delivered I'm making lunch. Dutch Meadows is an Amish Farm with great people who exhibit stellar customer service. I've placed about 50 plus orders averaging every other Wednesday delivery via 2nd UPS. Only a couple storms have delayed their orders.

So I got the DM grass fed grass finished (healthy) ground brisket out of the freezer (a couple weeks old) and soaked the cyrovac bag in warm water, it was thawed in minutes. Meanwhile I diced a DM candied onion and sauteed it slowly to translucent. I toasted a Einhorn bun and sliced my Irish cheddar thin on top.

Now I know my finished product isn't award winning photogenically displayed but by now I'm hungry. The brisket cooked so clean the juices were clear barely any fat- no hormones, chemicals and residues. As I said I just spooned the meat, juices over the buttered toasted buns layered with cheese and a Duke's mayo packet squeezed to the side. The buns soaked it all up and I made it disappear pretty quick with that European dessert spoon. 

Special shout out and Merry Christmas! to the packing ladies at the farm. Janice wrote me a nice thank you for the treats I sent but the hard work is all them. I buy my produce when available too. Carrots , broccoli, califlower and onions also their apples. Bite size flavorful and all organic. 

Dutch Meadows Farms in Paradise PA   www.dutchmeadowsfarm.com