Javelin and the 180 degree American Motors Turn

[JDaly]

We loved our 1968 Javelin.

And it turned out that little success allowed American Motors to continue operating.... at least a few more years.

Here's my post on it.

Which you may be interested in.

John Daly

[STEVE POLLARD]

I always like AMC, I have a soft spot for them, my first car at 16 was a 1974 AMC Javelin... it had the 304 V8 with a 3 speed stick - by the time I got it in 1981, it had over 100k miles and rust was showing in the rear quarters and on top of the fenders - but for $800, it was worth it to me. One of my Dad's friends did body work / paint, so we had the rust repaired and painted it from the original blue to white.

 

Steve

 

[Jim Skelly]

21 hours ago, JDaly said:

We loved our 1968 Javelin.

And it turned out that little success allowed American Motors to continue operating.... at least a few more years.

Here's my post on it.

Which you may be interested in.

John Daly

I started to read about your family's cars.  Then a popup box stayed on the screen over the article, prompting me for my email address.

[JamesR]

I read the article about your family's Javelin several days ago and enjoyed it. You mentioned your father worked for the Kelvinator Division of AMC in the late 1960's. I see there are still commercial appliances and freezers being sold new under that name, which surprises me for some reason. I was under the impression they were no longer in business, but I know little about such things. Anyone know the story on the brand?

[Larry Schramm]

Everything you want to know.

Who owns Kelvinator brand?

The Electrolux Group

About Kelvinator

We are part of the Electrolux Group, one of the world's largest producers of premium appliances - refrigerators and freezers, ovens, cooktops, rangehoods, washing machines and tumbler dryers, dishwashers, air conditioners and vacuum cleaners - for both domestic and professional use.

 

About Us - Kelvinator

https://www.kelvinator.com.au › Others

 

And more information:

Electrolux

Electrolux brand appliances have been making housework easier for more than a century. Established in Sweden, the Electrolux company currently owns Frigidaire, Tappan, Kelvinator and Gibson appliance brands.  

In 2014, Electrolux tried to purchase the General Electric appliances division at a cost of more than $3 billion in cash. The deal was quashed by the United States Department of Justice on the grounds that the merger of the two companies would create an unfair monopoly in the American household appliances market.

 

 

 

Edited December 29, 2022 by Larry Schramm (see edit history)

[f.f.jones]

Well, there are always two sides of a story. I bought a new AMX, 390 cu.in., 4-speed, ps/pb, in April of 1968. Sure, I was a young buck, and participated in an occasional street race, but I did not abuse the car. I followed the recommended maintenance, and kept in immaculate shape,

To make a long story short, there were problems with the car. The plastic instrument panel surround began to warp and buckle within months (mild S.F. Bay Area climate), the glued-on carpeting in the space behind the bucket seats began to peal off the supporting cardboard, and at about 20k miles, (in the fall of '68) the clutch went out and was replaced under warranty without a problem. In the spring of 1969, as the driver's seat stitching gave way, the clutch started to chatter and slip. The gas mileage was never much to brag about, but it seemed to deteriorate over time. 

The charm of a two passenger "sports car" quickly wore off and I was able to trade it in for half the purchase price value (remember, it was just one year old) against a Firebird 350, automatic which I happily drove until trading it in for a f-100 pickup in 1973.

Now these AMX's are $20k+ collector items, but I am still quite happy I dumped mine over 50 years ago. Probably should have bought a Kelvinator - it would probably still be running great!

[JDaly]

On 12/28/2022 at 10:16 AM, Jim Skelly said:

I started to read about your family's cars.  Then a popup box stayed on the screen over the article, prompting me for my email address.

Very sorry about that Jim. I have not encountered that before. It might have been Substack asking for subscription?? but usually one can x or cancel out of them.

Here's a link to a pdf version of the post that will allow you to see it. 

I hope this works.

Thanks so much for letting me know.

John Daly

[JDaly]

On 12/28/2022 at 9:13 PM, Larry Schramm said:

 

We are part of the Electrolux Group, one of the world's largest producers of premium appliances - refrigerators and freezers, ovens, cooktops, rangehoods, washing machines and tumbler dryers, dishwashers, air conditioners and vacuum cleaners - for both domestic and professional use.

Thanks Larry for answering James question on Kelvinator. AMC had sold the brand to White company and my father stayed employed as regional sales manager working for the distributor Northeast Distributors in Cambridge MA. 

WHat I have heard is that they still hold good share in the commercial ice cream freezer market. 

No more Foodaramas though. And not many old Kelvinator appliances still left at the Daly's homes

Thanks

[JDaly]

On 12/28/2022 at 10:52 PM, f.f.jones said:

Well, there are always two sides of a story. I bought a new AMX, 390 cu.in.,.... till the charm of a two passenger "sports car" quickly wore off and I was able to trade it in for half the purchase price value (remember, it was just one year old) against a Firebird 350, automatic which I happily drove until trading it in for a f-100 pickup in 1973.

Now these AMX's are $20k+ collector items, but I am still quite happy I dumped mine over 50 years ago. Probably should have bought a Kelvinator - it would probably still be running great!

Vey interesting F.F. Not great reliablity. With my father's deal we kept these cars only 6 months to a year and then got another so we never saw the full life.

I can believe you ran into that though. My GM devoted friends would scoff at the plastic -y dashboard and I do remember a rattle developing in the driver's side window. Looked great, drove well while new but... not durable.

I have driven only Toyotas or Lexi for the last 22 years and some of these have gone close to 300k. Very different than the AMX experience. Thanks for filling us all in.

John Daly

[Littlestown Mike]

I graduated HS in 1967 and always had a soft spot for AMC after they went to those flush exterior door handles.  Small detail, but I really liked it.  Most of my friends were either hard-core Chevy guys, or hard-core Ford guys, but it was OK to like AMC products and the "hard-core" guys in either camp sort of accepted the AMC stuff--especially after Javelin and AMX.  I always wished they had had the $$ to do a convertible version of those 2 cars.

 

[JDaly]

Kind of same with me. THe styling rocked. THe hard core car guys at least turned their heads. 

[41 Su8]

I had a '68 dark blue Javelin when I got out of college.  Excellent driver and very fast until it was totaled by a snow plow.  He hit me.                   John

[JDaly]

3 hours ago, 41 Su8 said:

I had a '68 dark blue Javelin when I got out of college.  Excellent driver and very fast until it was totaled by a snow plow.  He hit me.                   John

Yes , drove really well; and glad the plow spared YOU!!!

[John_S_in_Penna]

On 12/27/2022 at 12:28 PM, JDaly said:

We loved our 1968 Javelin.

And it turned out that little success allowed American Motors to continue operating.... at least a few more years.

Here's my post on it.

That's an interesting article, John, and well written.

Thank you for sharing it.

[JDaly]

16 minutes ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

That's an interesting article, John, and well written.

Thank you for sharing it.

Thank you, John_S_in_Penna.

[MotiveLensPhoto]

Always liked the look of that car, and bigger muscle cars in general. They seemed (although I haven't looked into it) to have a little more interior room/comfort yet still able to move a little and the Javelin had a distinct look.

[John_S_in_Penna]

Accounts like yours should be preserved for 

generations to come--in your family, and in the

old-car hobby.  They are already fascinating 

glimpses into history, and will become even more

fascinating as the decades roll by.

 

For example, can you picture an account written

circa 1920 of buying a new Franklin, or Revere,

or Cunningham?  Knowing a person's experience with

those cars, what the dealership was like, what problems

he had, where he drove them, would be fascinating for

anyone today.

 

[JDaly]

2 hours ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

Accounts like yours should be preserved for 

generations to come--in your family, and in the

old-car hobby.  They are already fascinating 

glimpses into history, and will become even more

fascinating as the decades roll by.

Excellent point John and that (recording history) is at least part of the reason I am writing these. The cars intersect with big family events AND with pivotal auto industry directions and they tell a little behind the scenes history. e.g. My grandfather's insistence on a Packard Limousine at my mom and dads 1947 wedding and what happened to Packard. Why Kelvinator, an appliance company got affiliated with American Motors and how it provided cars for our family throughout the 50's and 60's and so much more.

Thanks for the encouragement.

Edited January 5, 2023 by JDaly
mis typing (see edit history)

[8E45E]

32 minutes ago, JDaly said:

Why Kelvinator, an appliance company got affiliated with American Motors and how it provided cars for our family throughout the 50's and 60's and so much more.

Automotive companies owning major household appliance companies was referenced here:

Interestingly enough, unlike AMC cars, Kelvinator appliances were mostly high-end before WCI bought them out.

 

Craig

[junkyardjeff]

I had a 72 AMX in the early 80s and used a 68 and 70 Javelins for the engines.