Unofficially nicknamed the “Humpster” by those faithful Javelin fans, the 1971-1974 body style was either something you loved or hated. There was no middle ground. The bulging fenders set it apart even though, styling-wise, it shared many of the best lines from the most popular muscle cars of that era. Despite its polarizing styling, the 1971 Javelin AMX was a badass on the road and ended up taking the flag in the 1971 Trans-Am series.
Only 2054 AMX units were produced in 1971 making it one among some of the most rare and certainly unique cars on the road today.
In 1971 AMC produced a total of 256,963 vehicles. The Javelin AMX had a considerably limited production of just 2054 out of 26,866 total Javelin units produced. That small production output makes the entire run of Javelin vehicles somewhat rare and the AMX even more so. Rare muscle cars tend to build up value quickly and the AMX ’71 Javelin is no exception.
For as rare as the AMX Javelins are, you can pick them up at auction in superb condition for under $30K. The low end for a 1971 Javelin (any model) in fair condition is just under $8,000. That makes this vehicle fairly accessible for any collector. The problem is – regardless of the condition, they’re pretty hard to find.
To put this into perspective, a well kept 1971 Boss 351 Ford Mustang can set you back $50K. The reason for the price difference comes down to a few things. First, the AMX body is one that you either love, or you find the most disastrous design ever imagined for a sports car. The Mustangs and Camaros also had greater success on the track with well known sponsors behind them. That popularity still drives today’s market for collectible cars.
The ’71 Javelin AMX is not a bad investment considering that the original car sold for $3,432 +/- key accessories.
In fact, many of the race-inspired features from the Trans-Am series made their way into the production of the 1971 AMX. As a muscle car, it had plenty of “get-up” and its styling blended into the “Pony car” pack. It offered a kinder roof line than Ford’s ’71 Mach I. Add on options included roof mounted spoilers, the wide “duck tail” spoiler giving it a Shelbyesque look.
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Overall, the 1971 AMC Javelin AMX is a car that fit both the muscle car and pony car ticket. Where would you rank this vehicle among the top pony cars of 1971?