I was driving between Demopolis, AL and Meridian, MS on US 80 in the fall of 1971 doing the speed limit at the time, and one of these Trooper Javelins passed me so fast I barely saw it go by...all you could see was the blue dome light flashing down the road. He was on his way to a roll over 18 wheeler accident.
I really loved this presentation, I bought a 1969 SST from the original owner in the early 1980s. 390 with the dealer installed cam it was California car, and what a complete sleeper.
Awesome cars!! I remember as a kid, the Fredericton (New Brunswick) police department had AMC Ambassadors for cruisers. Sort of a sky blue, with white doors. Cheers from Canada 🇨🇦
While stationed at Ft Benning GA in October of '72, I'd heard Alabama was running 401 Javelins and Matadors. On a weekend trip down US 431 on my way to Panama City FL, I passed one sitting in a u-turn.
i own a 73 AMX w/ 51,000 miles original miles. i've had it for nearly 14 years since i was in high school. its a 304 998 3-speed auto. its currently under going a restoration (fixing stuff i didn't fix when i was 17).
Thanks for the post. My first car that I purchased was a 1970 AMX 360 with a 4-speed. Kick myself for selling that awesome little car. AMC Javelins and AMXs are just so cool.
I was a student at Troy University in early 1970's. Driving from Troy to Montgomery almost every weekend. About 50 miles. There was always one of these Javelins "shooting fish in a barrel".
I owned one of those back in the 70s . Sold it after a guy with a 71 Dodge Demon blew my doors off. Later on in the early 2000s l bought a 68 with a 390 4 speed. Spent a year looking for a center console before finding out there was never one produced for a stick shift. The problem with these cars is from the 304 to the 401 they were produced from the same block.
My dad is the original owner of a 1972 Javelin, and it is a beautiful car. Everybody hears about the Dodge Charger or Ford Mustang, or a Camaro. That's all fine & dandy, while in recent years the Javelin is finally getting the recognition and attention it rightfully deserves. AMC was working on the Javelin AMX 3 before they went out of business, but if those plans were used and the made today, it would probably sell very well compared to tasteless Chinese blobs on wheels nowadays.
All these AMC videos make me really miss my Javelin. 1970 Mark Donohue edition. 390 4speed. Orange/black. I have an 80 CJ7 w/ 304 in it still and have a 360 and 401 sitting on pallets. May find a new engine bay for them one day.
I wonder if this is where my AMC Jav' interior ended up?I have a 1971 base model Javelin that came with a rare base model interior of course. Mine had the blue base interior-the same one the cops used...I sold my entire interior to someone restoring a Alabama cop car. Very hard to find good blue base model interior parts. Mine didnt have wood grain inserts(SST type) OR turned aluminum like the AMX. it had plain aluminum inserts.
AMC won the trans am titles in 71, 72, and 75. they also placed second i believe in 70, and did exceptionally well in both 68 and 69(fourth over all). although the AMC 304 shares the exact same dimensions as the 360 and 401, they wewre actually two different blocks. The 360 and 401 had beefier main webbings. The 304 used in the winning years were destroked 360s rather than factory 304s. These javelins also used Girling disc brakes from Porsche.
AMC and Pontiac had the distinction of the same block for all their engines. The AMC 304 was externally the same size as the 360 and 401 shown here. Pontiac's 301 was the same size as the 350, 400 and 455. These Javelins also had the advantage of using Chrysler's Torque Flite instead of the anemic Borg-Warner slush box. Penske won the Trans/Am series with these cars in '72. Boy, are these two just about perfect or what?
In a way both. When I was a kid I remembered a guy with a 72 Javelin nearly ran me and my friend over. Years later I become a mechanic and that guy with the Javelin is my boss.
And the beauty part is your humble scribe at the wee age of 19 had the chance to participate in the "parade lap" at the running of the Trans/Am contest at Road America, Elkhart Lake WI. in 1972. What followed was pandemonium as I spun out before the Corvette Bridge. From that point on "parade laps" were supervised at 20mph or less. What was I driving? Well the rather exotic AMC sub-compact. A Gremlin. LOLOLOLOL
So cool! It's funny how I have a 77 nova (which was a cop car) and now I want (well I always have) wanted a Javelin and we're looking at a 72 sst tomorrow... which is also a police car. What are the chances lol.
You have any idea how much the cops loved those Novas in the late 70's? The 9C1 Nova was a combined effort by the Los Angeles Sheriff, GM and Motor Trend Magazine, it was really quite a car in its day. It was vastly superior in handling to any other sedan on the road back then except maybe a Mercedes.
Cali CHP used Mustangs, maybe some camaros. Oregon had camaro's for a while. I haven't seen a Javelin or AMX on the road in many years. They were a really good looking car, even today.
Beautiful cars! I would be interested in any reference to an alabama 72 amx police car like these two, with a gyro in the trunk. I was in school at redstone arsenal (hunstville) and remember some guys coming to the barracks telling about an amx cop car at a car show with a gyro in the trunk. Said they demonstrated how stable it was with the gyro spinning, that they could take off a front wheel and drive it around. Now I wouldnt expect any donuts or such. But just easing it around the lot. Proably wouldnt see a rollover with that in the trunk.
I had a cousin who retired from Alabama State Troopers he went to work for DPS after returning from the Korean War and drove a Javelin during the 70's. I really wish I had asked him more about his time in law enforcement, but I do vividly recall a family reunion where he told me about a call to assist Carrville, Al Police (town no longer exists) he was in the Jackson's Gap area when he received the call and within 15 minutes he was walking in the Carrville Town Hall a distance of close to 30 miles down a very curvy Al Hwy 49. He explained that he could easily maintain a high speed in those curves because of the gyro stabilizer mounted in the trunk.
Glad I could help put that one to rest for you. I heard my Dad tell that same story several times when I was small but I considered hearing it directly from Bud to be a confirmation. I know 2 Troopers who worked with him, one of which is the Sheriff of our county, the other the EMA Director of another county if I can remember I will ask about it next time I see one of them.
I'm the original owner of a 1972 Javelin AMX. Few things not correct about these cars. The small lever on the back of each front seat so it can be tilted forward are suppose to point downward, not up. The wiper motor under the hood had a gold anodized finish, not paint black. Outside should be a small "AMC" badge at the base of the rear window. The wheel trim rings for the car on the left has Chrysler chrome rings, the car on the right has the correct AMC brushed stainless steel trim rings.
Scottie, I have worked ten years in Corrections and man I wish we could go back to the day when stuffing a prisoner in the trunk would be excepted!!!!!! LMFAO However those days r long, long, long gone!!!!lol Cool Cars man and some great history!!!!
@@ScottieDTV I've only seen pictures of these cars,,,, they were "Talked" about in one of the car mag's back then.. There was a pic of the car with a "FULL" roll cage and this "ATOM ANT" of an officer with his head just above the steering wheel.. ALL black with the Wash,,, ST,, highway patrol insignia in the door. Lights were in the grill.. High persute only...
Huntsville/Redstone Arsenal resident off & on from the '60s to the '80s. Each County had two of these,except for Jefferson (Birmingham) Montgomery & Mobile (Self Explanatory on County Seats?) and Madison. (Huntsville) They had four assigned to these counties.
I 'do' recall that the Big Blue Gumball Machine they used back then was different & unique to the 'Bama Troopers....which these don't have? Theirs I recall were Four Bulb rotators (like these) but two of the bulbs faced upward at about a 45 deg angle. Also recall the whole unit itself as being larger.
That was just the T/A s..& the article got it wrong, most of the 77 - 81 cars stayed in service till his death in 1986..Ronnie Bowman was elected Sheriff and Cleaned house...Most of those cars were auctioned off less engine & transmission (Officers had the option to add anything they wanted to as long as they paid out of pocket ) When they discovered R. Bowman planned on selling the T/A's, they kept their parts.. Not one of those cars sold for or even close to a$1000, most between 2 & 5 hundred
He had Le Mans & GP'S in the 60's & at least 1 GTO ...You won't find an article on that., i have looked.. His love for H/P Pontiacs didn't begin with the 77 T/A.. He had been the Sheriff here from the early 1960's ( Pontiac man from start to finish) till his death in 86
What brand and model blue light did they use on these? Is that the original style radio antenna? I thought they were on low band and used the traditional long whips on the rear fender.
I remember at Lions Dragstrip when the police came with their all new Mercury with a 429 and raced it against a Plymouth 4 DR.Fury . The Plymouth smoked it badly every round , it was a real lead sled .
He was a great guy...thanks for checking out his cars
I was driving between Demopolis, AL and Meridian, MS on US 80 in the fall of 1971 doing the speed limit at the time, and one of these Trooper Javelins passed me so fast I barely saw it go by...all you could see was the blue dome light flashing down the road. He was on his way to a roll over 18 wheeler accident.
Cool...You saw one....Not cool the 18 wheeler rolled over..lol.....not cool at all....Thanks for checking these out here!
And the tires they used had a speed rating of 80 mph i believe
I really loved this presentation, I bought a 1969 SST from the original owner in the early 1980s. 390 with the dealer installed cam it was California car, and what a complete sleeper.
Cool..Thank You...Glad You enjoyed it!!
Great cars, great history, thanks for bringing us these Javelins!
You're welcome...Glad You enjoyed it!!
They're really cool cars and they're beautifully restored .
I agree!
Awesome video and I really appreciate the history lesson on Javelins being used by Alabama State Police back in the day..
Cool..Glad You enjoyed it!!
Awesome cars!! I remember as a kid, the Fredericton (New Brunswick) police department had AMC Ambassadors for cruisers. Sort of a sky blue, with white doors. Cheers from Canada 🇨🇦
Cool!...thanks for checking these out here!!
Great job restoring these cars. They are awesome. Congratulations.
Thanks for the comment!
Very cool....thanks for checking these out!!
Cool..I appreciate you checking them out here!
Cool...thanks for checking this one out here!
Great video of an amazing, rare couple of cars. Never heard of Javelin Police cars despite being a teen when they existed.
Thank You...Glad You enjoyed the video!!
While stationed at Ft Benning GA in October of '72, I'd heard Alabama was running 401 Javelins and Matadors. On a weekend trip down US 431 on my way to Panama City FL, I passed one sitting in a u-turn.
Cool...Thanks for your service Brother..I was at Ft Rucker many trips to Panama City....
My uncle is a retired AL state trooper and drove one of those back in the 70s!
Cool!
i own a 73 AMX w/ 51,000 miles original miles. i've had it for nearly 14 years since i was in high school. its a 304 998 3-speed auto. its currently under going a restoration (fixing stuff i didn't fix when i was 17).
Love these cars I had 72 sst javelin miss it everyday still
+David Thomits Cool...Thanks for checking these out here!!
Those fucking cars belong in a museum. So well restored/preserved. Cinco Estrellas!
They are well taken car of in the current hands they are in....
As nice as you will find....thanks for the information and checking them out here!
That is cool a pair of Javelin Police cars. You'd expect 1 wouold be hard enouogh to find let alone 2. Thanks for shooting those Scottie.
Scottie those things are badass! I still got a little nervous when he turned on the lights though lol.
That's cool...thanks for checking these out..
This guy is very knowledgeable. I love Javelins. These look great.
Thanks for checking out the video.....Glad You enjoyed it!!
Had no idea these were made, how rare, probably less than 20 in existence.
Thanks for checking these out here!!
Thanks for the post. My first car that I purchased was a 1970 AMX 360 with a 4-speed. Kick myself for selling that awesome little car. AMC Javelins and AMXs are just so cool.
Glad you enjoyed it Brother....Very cool Cars for sure!!
lol..cool...thanks for checking these out here!
I was a student at Troy University in early 1970's. Driving from Troy to Montgomery almost every weekend. About 50 miles. There was always one of these Javelins "shooting fish in a barrel".
Right on....
I owned one of those back in the 70s . Sold it after a guy with a 71 Dodge Demon blew my doors off. Later on in the early 2000s l bought a 68 with a 390 4 speed. Spent a year looking for a center console before finding out there was never one produced for a stick shift. The problem with these cars is from the 304 to the 401 they were produced from the same block.
The Javelin brings back memories.
Great job restoring these cars!!! Beautiful!!!
Thanks for checking them out!!
Beautiful cars and stellar pieces of Americana.
For sure...Thanks for checking them out!!
what great cars...........i cant believe one of these was actually for sale a few years ago, maybe in hemmings. great resto!!!!!!!!!!!!
My dad is the original owner of a 1972 Javelin, and it is a beautiful car. Everybody hears about the Dodge Charger or Ford Mustang, or a Camaro. That's all fine & dandy, while in recent years the Javelin is finally getting the recognition and attention it rightfully deserves. AMC was working on the Javelin AMX 3 before they went out of business, but if those plans were used and the made today, it would probably sell very well compared to tasteless Chinese blobs on wheels nowadays.
Loopy1330/Redacted Gamer Cool....thanks for checking these out here!
+ScottieDTV facebook.com/4WTFVideos/videos/vb.1651381995089358/1755905287970361/?type=2&theater
Cool....thanks for checking these out here..
I love these hot rods, thank you for sharing and all you do to bring us these cars to lust over brother and ROLL TIDE!!!!!!!
Your welcome..Glad you enjoy them..Go Vol's!!..lol
Beautiful! Thank you for a great video!
You're welcome!
Thanks Brother!
Wow Scottie , I just ran into this one and glad I did , Those are really awesome examples.
Mike
I thought I answered this once??....Must be loosing my mind...lol....Glad you found it...Cool Cars for sure!
All these AMC videos make me really miss my Javelin. 1970 Mark Donohue edition. 390 4speed. Orange/black. I have an 80 CJ7 w/ 304 in it still and have a 360 and 401 sitting on pallets. May find a new engine bay for them one day.
Right on...Keep Me posted!
I like watching this video again, very cool cars!
Wow, what nice cars he has. Especially if you're into the more obscure cars of the time.
Right on..Thanks for checking them out!!
Cool...thanks for checking these out..
I wonder if this is where my AMC Jav' interior ended up?I have a 1971 base model Javelin that came with a rare base model interior of course. Mine had the blue base interior-the same one the cops used...I sold my entire interior to someone restoring a Alabama cop car. Very hard to find good blue base model interior parts. Mine didnt have wood grain inserts(SST type) OR turned aluminum like the AMX. it had plain aluminum inserts.
I had a 72 Ambassador ex North Dakota Patrol car.
401 V-8. What a rush!😁
Cool..Thanks for checking these out here!!
If I would not have seen it I would not believe it! Thanks. Nice!
Your welcome....Glad You liked it!
lol..watch as much as you like Brother...glad your enjoying the video!!
Apparently Robert Collier of AMC in Pikeville, NC has 2 of these. I'd love to take a trip there to his old dealership someday.
Cool...Thanks for checking these out here!!
I had a 74 Javelin back in 82 until I got t-boned in it. Man I miss that car.
I bet....thanks for checking these out here!
I'm saving up some money to buy a 73 Javelin from a buddy of mine. I love those damn cars
I agree....very cool cars....hope that one works out for you...
I'm from Bama .my neighbor had a 1972 AMX yellow 401 between a SST...
Right on...Cool!
lol...glad you liked it!
Cool...thanks for checking them out!
Another great Video...Damn i don't even watch the TV anymore all the good stuff is on here..lol
Catoosa County, GA used mid-late 1970's Trans Ams for several years (in white w/gold Sheriff's badge/ lettering).
Cool!
lol...thanks for checking it out!!
Cool..glad you liked them!
the Javelin police cars also had the safest record (0 accident fatalies). the police spec Fox-bodies were the 2nd safest (1 accident fatalities).
lol..me to...I left room to run!
Thank you...glad your enjoying the videos...
Cool....glad you enjoyed it...
Thanks for the support!!...
AMC won the trans am titles in 71, 72, and 75. they also placed second i believe in 70, and did exceptionally well in both 68 and 69(fourth over all). although the AMC 304 shares the exact same dimensions as the 360 and 401, they wewre actually two different blocks. The 360 and 401 had beefier main webbings. The 304 used in the winning years were destroked 360s rather than factory 304s. These javelins also used Girling disc brakes from Porsche.
Dennis collins sent me- March 14, 2023
Cool...Thanks for stopping by!!
lol..that's what I like to hear!
AMC and Pontiac had the distinction of the same block for all their engines. The AMC 304 was externally the same size as the 360 and 401 shown here. Pontiac's 301 was the same size as the 350, 400 and 455. These Javelins also had the advantage of using Chrysler's Torque Flite instead of the anemic Borg-Warner slush box. Penske won the Trans/Am series with these cars in '72. Boy, are these two just about perfect or what?
Great....thanks for pointing that out...
The Javalin the Ga. State Patrol had were 401cu in and reportedly had a top speed of 170 mph. They also had GSP Pontiac Firebird's.
Cool!!
In a way both. When I was a kid I remembered a guy with a 72 Javelin nearly ran me and my friend over. Years later I become a mechanic and that guy with the Javelin is my boss.
I would call this a really cool piece of American history.
I would agree!!...Hope you enjoyed it!!
i really enjoyed that! live on javelin!
Mark Ashley Glad to hear it!
my bro has a nice 71 sst
and has access to parts too
Thanks!
And the beauty part is your humble scribe at the wee age of 19 had the chance to participate in the "parade lap" at the running of the Trans/Am contest at Road America, Elkhart Lake WI. in 1972. What followed was pandemonium as I spun out before the Corvette Bridge. From that point on "parade laps" were supervised at 20mph or less. What was I driving? Well the rather exotic AMC sub-compact. A Gremlin. LOLOLOLOL
RUclips ladies and gentleman. RUclips.
What a great find. Just great
David Wellman Glad you enjoyed it Brother!
So cool! It's funny how I have a 77 nova (which was a cop car) and now I want (well I always have) wanted a Javelin and we're looking at a 72 sst tomorrow... which is also a police car. What are the chances lol.
Crazy!....hope you find what your looking for!
You have any idea how much the cops loved those Novas in the late 70's? The 9C1 Nova was a combined effort by the Los Angeles Sheriff, GM and Motor Trend Magazine, it was really quite a car in its day. It was vastly superior in handling to any other sedan on the road back then except maybe a Mercedes.
thats some good history brother. keep up the good work.
Cali CHP used Mustangs, maybe some camaros. Oregon had camaro's for a while. I haven't seen a Javelin or AMX on the road in many years. They were a really good looking car, even today.
Cool!
Connecticut used Buick GN's in the '86/'87 time frame and I think MA might have used them too.
Beautiful cars! I would be interested in any reference to an alabama 72 amx police car like these two, with a gyro in the trunk. I was in school at redstone arsenal (hunstville) and remember some guys coming to the barracks telling about an amx cop car at a car show with a gyro in the trunk. Said they demonstrated how stable it was with the gyro spinning, that they could take off a front wheel and drive it around. Now I wouldnt expect any donuts or such. But just easing it around the lot. Proably wouldnt see a rollover with that in the trunk.
No idea...1st I have heard of that...
I had a cousin who retired from Alabama State Troopers he went to work for DPS after returning from the Korean War and drove a Javelin during the 70's. I really wish I had asked him more about his time in law enforcement, but I do vividly recall a family reunion where he told me about a call to assist Carrville, Al Police (town no longer exists) he was in the Jackson's Gap area when he received the call and within 15 minutes he was walking in the Carrville Town Hall a distance of close to 30 miles down a very curvy Al Hwy 49. He explained that he could easily maintain a high speed in those curves because of the gyro stabilizer mounted in the trunk.
@@SuperChrisj81 YES I've been wanting confirmation of that story for 50 years! Must have been a blast to drive that one. Thanks for the reply.
Glad I could help put that one to rest for you. I heard my Dad tell that same story several times when I was small but I considered hearing it directly from Bud to be a confirmation. I know 2 Troopers who worked with him, one of which is the Sheriff of our county, the other the EMA Director of another county if I can remember I will ask about it next time I see one of them.
I had a red Javelin in 1979 and loved it
Cool!...Thanks for checking these out here!
1979? The last year for the Javelin was 1974
steven chandler The lady owned one in 1979...
Where are these cars now?
steven chandler He said in 1979, not a 1979 Javelin.
Cool..thanks for the information..
I'm the original owner of a 1972 Javelin AMX. Few things not correct about these cars. The small lever on the back of each front seat so it can be tilted forward are suppose to point downward, not up. The wiper motor under the hood had a gold anodized finish, not paint black. Outside should be a small "AMC" badge at the base of the rear window. The wheel trim rings for the car on the left has Chrysler chrome rings, the car on the right has the correct AMC brushed stainless steel trim rings.
they're beauties, thanks for posting
+4.9cop blank Glad you enjoyed them!!
Learn something new every day...I did to though..
I'm 14 and I own a 1959 rambler ambassodor SST that my grandad gave to me, my dad owns a 1
Scottie, I have worked ten years in Corrections and man I wish we could go back to the day when stuffing a prisoner in the trunk would be excepted!!!!!! LMFAO However those days r long, long, long gone!!!!lol Cool Cars man and some great history!!!!
Gorgeous 😍 pair
For sure them...Glad You liked it!!
In '68,, Washington ST used Oldsmobile Cutlass's 455 formula suspension's systems.. They were "High Persute " only..
Cool!
@@ScottieDTV I've only seen pictures of these cars,,,, they were "Talked" about in one of the car mag's back then.. There was a pic of the car with a "FULL" roll cage and this "ATOM ANT" of an officer with his head just above the steering wheel.. ALL black with the Wash,,, ST,, highway patrol insignia in the door. Lights were in the grill.. High persute only...
Amazing body work.
Thanks for checking them out!!
awesome cars
Huntsville/Redstone Arsenal resident off & on from the '60s to the '80s. Each County had two of these,except for Jefferson (Birmingham) Montgomery & Mobile (Self Explanatory on County Seats?) and Madison. (Huntsville) They had four assigned to these counties.
I 'do' recall that the Big Blue Gumball Machine they used back then was different & unique to the 'Bama Troopers....which these don't have? Theirs I recall were Four Bulb rotators (like these) but two of the bulbs faced upward at about a 45 deg angle. Also recall the whole unit itself as being larger.
Cool...
Nice!!
That was just the T/A s..& the article got it wrong, most of the 77 - 81 cars stayed in service till his death in 1986..Ronnie Bowman was elected Sheriff and Cleaned house...Most of those cars were auctioned off less engine & transmission (Officers had the option to add anything they wanted to as long as they paid out of pocket ) When they discovered R. Bowman planned on selling the T/A's, they kept their parts.. Not one of those cars sold for or even close to a$1000, most between 2 & 5 hundred
lol.....I never was stuffed in the trunk....but I was always afraid they would..
Those cars are on record as being THEEE FASTEST cop cars ever...documented at over a buck-fifty...u can look it up.
Maybe back in the day.....But they have all kinds of fast cop cars now...
ScottieDTV ohhh im sure now!
Cool video!!!!!!!!!!!! Great video lesson!
Thank You!
beautiful. Looks like it should be in Smokey and The Bandit
+Jim Tom Stimpson lol...Glad you liked it!
Next time I see it....
He had Le Mans & GP'S in the 60's & at least 1 GTO ...You won't find an article on that., i have looked.. His love for H/P Pontiacs didn't begin with the 77 T/A.. He had been the Sheriff here from the early 1960's ( Pontiac man from start to finish) till his death in 86
The coolest cop cars ever, not even Mad Max got close to them...
lol....Right on!
@@ScottieDTV I mean those are HOT!!!
some troopers had pursuit vehicles...this was a got em vehicle!
Right on!
What brand and model blue light did they use on these? Is that the original style radio antenna? I thought they were on low band and used the traditional long whips on the rear fender.
I agree...and the second was found by accident...
Coolest cop I have ever seen.....no kiddin...
I remember at Lions Dragstrip when the police came with their all new Mercury with a 429 and raced it against a Plymouth 4 DR.Fury . The Plymouth smoked it badly every round , it was a real lead sled .
Cool!!