1969 AMC Javelin SST

Over the course of seven decades, American Motors produced a lot of surprising cars and reinvented itself several times. After World War II, Nash Rambler models virtually cornered the market in the compact car segment in America. In the 1970s, AMC sold huge numbers of cheap, dull-but-durable fleet models popular with police departments and other government buyers. In the 80s, the Jeep Cherokee and Eagle wagon 4X4s anticipated the SUV and crossover vehicles that everybody drives today. 

The Javelin, like the Chevy Carmaro, was designed to compete with Ford's wildly popular Mustang. Thought not sold in large numbers, the Javelin received good reviews from the car magazines, and, quite surprisingly, was very successful in Trans-Am Series racing. Most memorably, the state of Alabama purchased '71 and '72 second-generation Javelins and put them on the road as the most terrifying highway patrol cars of all time.

This particular Javelin is the deluxe SST model with optional 290 c.i. V8. It appears to be an untouched original apart from having a replacement hood from a different color car. It's been parked in this same spot during the ten years I've lived in Seattle. I thought it never moved, but the other day I saw it driving around.

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