Re: [AMC-list] matador machine & clones

["Eddie Stakes" <eddiestakes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> From Rocky Lear" lear31@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Many years ago, a local guy had a Matador. I can't be sure what year it was,
certainly 73 or older. It was a 360 car and I'm pretty sure a 4V. It was an
automatic floor shift with console and from what I've seen online had the
same shifter as the automatic machines. Is this what people are call a
matador machine or does it have to be a 401?"

Hi Rocky and no, the Matador 'machine' was only offered in 1971, there is nothing to 
indicate it was offered after 71. I had a 72 Matador, 46K miles, 401/4barrel, loaded, in 
Yuca Tan a few years ago for instance. A good buddy of mine in valley at Mexican border, 
Warren Barber, also had a 72 Matador 2dr, 401, in....Yuca Tan. He stopped by to look at 
mine as he was attending U/Houston at time and I told him give me $2500 for it, and he 
said he would think about it, but it sold to guy in NM. Warren got back to valley and 
looked at his VIN and his 72 Matador was one digit off, so you had two...72 Matador 
sedans, both 401/AT, both Yuca Tan in line one after other, quite neat.

But no, I have yet to see that the "Go Machine Package" was offered in 1972, maybe one day 
something surfaces, but has not so far, but maybe one day some memo, dealer flyer, order, 
something come up showing that the 'Go Machine' package was still around for 1972.

For 1971 however it was a $373 option on 360 cars, and $461 on 401 cars, and included 4 
barrel, dual exhausts, handling package, power disc brakes, E60x15 Polyglas tires w/raised 
white letters, 15x7 styled steel rims which were optional into 1972 (Machine rims) and 
Spacesaver spare. This is a photo I took of a real Matador Machine in 1988 at the NAMDRA 
nationals up in Kenosha,

http://www.planethoustonamx.com/parts/matador_machine.jpg

of which ended up being this:

http://www.planethoustonamx.com/parts/matador_machine_ds_frt_angle.jpg

But there were a number of AMC models made that no one knows how many made, many were 
dealer specials, others made in Kenosha. The 77 AMX comes quickly to mind, nothing in the 
VIN shows it is a AMX. But for 78, AMC added a digit, "9" to 6th digit of VIN, to indicate 
it was not regular old Concord, but Concord AMX. So if you have a 77 Hornet hatchback and 
wanted to make a 77 AMX, just add the "kit" like AMC did. Actually they farmed that out to 
place in Milwaukee where the Targa, flairs, big Bee decal on hood, and sometimes smaller 
bee on trunk lid added, the interior stuff like machined overlay, gauges, interior done in 
Kenosha. Not that anyone would want to 'clone' a 77 AMX, but many people, like myself, 
like the flairs, louvers effect.

But no, a 73 Matador with 401 or 360, not 'Matador Machine' unless someone can offer up 
something that the 'Go Machine' package for Matador was still being offered by AMC in 
72-73.
Eddie Stakes
713.464.8825
eddiestakes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.planethoustonamx.com

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