AMC Sleepers........

Everybody knows about the Plymouth Duster 340's rep as a giant killer, but I had a few people asking me about the AMC cars I mentioned in the post about "mini-musclecars".  AMC had some success in the musclecar era with the Javelin and AMX models-( See an earlier post- "The Welterweight Champ" ) Javelins and AMXs have kind of a "cult" following even today, but they were underpowered compared to the GM, Ford and Mopar offerings of the time. The top 390 in the AMX was only rated at 315 hp; The base model 400 in a GTO was rated at 350 hp., ditto for the Olds 442. The base 383 in a Road Runner was rated at 335 hp, the optional 440 at 375.  Even when AMC increased the cubes and output-the new for 1971 401 V8 had 330 hp-they were still behind. GM had lifted the ban on engines over 400 cubes in "A" and "F" body cars. A big 455 inch Firebird or 454 Chevelle had little to fear from a 401 Javelin in a drag race.  However in some of the stock and super stock, and modified classes the AMC econoboxes just dominated. The reasons were incredible power to weight ratios, and great traction because of the short wheelbases. The Gremlin only weighed about 2,400 lbs-about as much as a Vega. However the 304 V8 was optional in the Gremlin. The same 304 that propelled Mark Donohue to the Trans-Am championship in a Javelin. Even more dominating in the lower stock classes was the Hornet. I know, their square and ugly, like an old Volvo.  But they only weighed about 2,700 lbs, and could be ordered with a 360 V8. They had a better power to weight ratio than any small-block Nova or Camaro!!  The other bonus for sleeper-builders is the fact that AMC V8s, -are externally identical from a 290 to a 401. A buddy of mine stuffed a 401 out of a wrecked Matador cop car into his 304 Gremlin and murdered everyone in our street-racing scene!  Quite a few heavy-rep Camaros, Chevelles and Mustangs fell victim to that "Ratty Brown Gremlin".  A lot of these cars ended up in junkyards in the '80's and '90's. However, no one wants a Hornet or Gremlin today except hardcore AMC followers, so if you find one, it'll probably be cheap. Further, the 360 V8 was used in Grand Waggoneers until 1992 or 93, so there's plenty of buildable cores, and Edelbrock even makes performance Aluminum heads and intakes for them. 1977-80 "Spirit" models, are a re-badged Hornet, are a little heavier because of larger bumpers and safety regulations, but are still really light-( around 3,000 lbs ) have excellent weight distribution and traction, and with the 304 models-can really run with the right parts, or a 360 or 401 is a bolt-in swap.  Their not sexy like a Trans-Am or a Mustang, but like they say in the "F&F" movies- they make a great, cheap "10 second" car-if you want to go that far.  Mastermind