[AMC-List] Name Those AMC "Specials"!!

[farna@xxxxxxx]

I just got an e-mail from a fellow asking me to confirm the existence of a "Yellow Jacket" 1967 Ambassador. I've heard of the cars, think it was a regional or dealer special like the 1969 "Rebel Raider". There are a number of these regional or dealer group specials. Usually a dealer group worked together to order a certain number of cars equipped a certain way -- all the same body and options, including color -- and received an additional discount. The discounts were usually passed on to the customers and the package given a name for advertising purposes. It was a win-wion situation -- the dealers got good publicity and were able to draw customers in, the buyer got a discount on options that would normally cost a couple hundred more. A few of these "not really special specials" were even made by AMC -- the "T/A Victory Javelins" I consider one. They had nothing special but a sticker on the fender. While they had a specific option package, it was nothing anyone couldn't order!
  at any
 time. The Donohue almost falls into this category, but they had that special spoiler that couldn't be ordered until AFTER the last of the official 1501 models were made. The other cars could have been ordered at any time. Then there are the really rare one-offs (or very few made) cars that weren't heard of much -- like the Continental Gremlin(s) that Eddie discovered. Did Continental have one customized or a dozen? Who knows?

So what "specials" have you heard of, and what do you know about them? Here's the ones I can think of right off:

1967 Ambassador 880 HT "Yellow Jacket" -- 100 made for the NY auto show, sold through NY/NJ dealers.

1969 Rebel Raider SST HT -- 300 made for the NY auto show, sold through NY/NJ dealers. These had special colors that would be the 1970 "Mod" colors, but with different names -- "Blue You've Never Seen", "Electric Green", and "Tangerine". I beleive 100 of each color were made.

1973 Trans-Am Victory Javelin. A discount was given on a specific option package by AMC on all Javelins built from October through December 1972 (73 models). Each carried a T/A Victory decal on the front fenders.

1974 "Continental" Gremlin. Ordered by Continental Airlines (headquartered in Houston, TX) and given away in a promotional. Not sure how many were made/given away. It was white with the Continental logo and stripe down the side, with Continental logo patterened seat upholstery. 

I recall someone mentioning some "special" model from Florida dealers in the late 60s or early 70s, and I know there are others. Can't recall the year of the Pikes Peak car, for one. Can anyone add to the list? 


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Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars" 
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