You might think of the AMC Javelin as the forgotten great pony car. The Javelin arrived late in the game. It was 1968, a year after the Camaro, Firebird, and second-generation Barracuda made their appearance. The impeccable 1970 example for sale on eBay Motors reveals how the Javelin would shake up the American muscle car scene.
When the Javelin showed up, it lacked the street cred of the Barracuda, Camaro, and Mustang. In response, AMC made a smart bet on road racing with the Javelin holding its own in the SCCA Trans-Am series.
This Javelin on eBay practically leaps off the track from that era—and from the pages of American car history. However, its builder took some liberties with aftermarket parts. He shelved the OEM AMC Magnum 500 five-spoke wheels and Goodyear Polyglas tires in favor of American Racing alloy wheels wrapped with Hoosier tires. Edelbrock valve covers, tube headers, and a side exit race exhaust replace the original pieces. The result is just as striking as the original.
Proving Itself on the Track
The money spent on the AMC team, led by Roger Penske and Mark Donahue, paid off. Donahue won three races in 1970 and the series championship in 1971.
The company’s effort was successful not just on the racetrack but in the dealerships as well. “Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday,” as the saying goes.
The Trans-Am series put AMC in a whole new light. Shoppers that never considered a Javelin were drawn to the showroom by the race team’s string of victories.
Prime Example of Javelin SST Trans Am
To commemorate its success at the track, AMC assembled a mere 100 Trans-Am Javelin SSTs in 1970. The cars were equipped with the Go Pack option package, including a Ram Air hood, dual exhaust, and a handling package.
The Trans-Am Javelin SST was configured for power. Each one had:
- A heavy-duty 325-horsepower, 390- cubic-inch V-8 engine
- Unique front and rear spoilers
- Distinctive red, white, and blue paint.
- A Hurst Competition shifter rowing the four-speed Borg-Warner wide-ratio T10 manual transmission
The Trans-Am Javelin SST is one of the most coveted AMC models of all time. But it’s not the rarest. That honor goes to the legendary SS/AMX, with half as many manufactured.
TAJavelin.com, an online registry for Trans-Am Javelins, says:
While the SS/AMX was a larger gamble and had a bigger payoff, the Trans-Am Javelins were a much more conservative bet that paid off by offering the same type of prestige car that the competition offered. The Trans-Am Javelin was created to send a message, and it ended up doing just that.
The Trans-Am Javelin Registry has accounted for just 36 out of the 100 cars built. However, more than half the vehicles are likely gone forever. And the registered examples rarely change hands.
That’s what makes the 1970 AMC Javelin SST 390 Trans Am now available on eBay a unique opportunity for a collector who wants to experience the muscle car from behind the wheel.
