{FORGED?} Re: Some strange 69 Jav options!

["Jeff Reeves" <jeffr@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

The 69 Javelins came standard with four wheel manual drum brakes. Unless the
original buyer was willing to check off the box for power drum or power
disc, that was what you got for standard money. In 1969, disc brakes were
still more of a novelty to most car buyers and unless someone made an
educated decision to buy them, they didn't get installed on the car. 

AMC didn't make disc brakes a standard thing across-the-board until 1975. Up
through 1974, drum brakes were still installed on most AMCs, including
Javelins, Hornets, and Gremlins. I think 74 was the first year discs were
standard on the Ambassador/Matador series. 

Of course, *if* your Javelin originally had disc brakes, they would have
been the four-piston caliper type which in their infancy proved to be
troublesome and were often upgraded to newer style discs or some rare
instances were completely replaced with drum brakes. I once had a 66
Ambassador that was originally equipped with disc brakes (per the original
window sticker I had with the car) but when I got it, there was a very stock
looking DRUM brake setup on the front of the car. I assume the disc system
proved problematic and was replaced with the tried-and-true drums. 

Your car might be a prime example of some of the very odd combinations that
could be ordered from car dealerships of the era. I'm sure someone somewhere
ordered something as weird as a Javelin SST with every available option but
kept the standard 232 1-barrel, or ordered one with a 390, column shift
automatic, radio-delete, with AC and "poverty" hubcaps. 

If the car were a "Go-Pak" car, it would likely have had discs, but it was
possible to go in and just order the car with these particular options.
Unless you find an original build sheet, it will be sheer speculation.

Jeff Reeves
Auburn GA
79 Spirit GT
72 Javelin SST
69 Ambassador DPL





Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2005 00:42:08 -0600 (CST)
From: mkelly85@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Some strange 69 Jav options!
To: mail@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Message-id: <32510849.1108536129406.JavaMail.root@lswmapl01>

While I haven't posted to this list often, I've had a '68 Ambo DPL for a
while and have now acquired a '69 Javelin.  It is not an SST, it has a 343
and was originally equipped with a 4bbl, has Auto trans on the floor, dual
exhaust, chrome valve covers, platinum interior, Group 19 R4B Edelbrock
intake manifold and a 140mph speedo/tach.  What's strange is that the last
owner says the car DID NOT have disc brakes!  It does now, but after
recalling doing a conversion with parts from a 75 Hornet.  This guy knows a
lot about AMC/Rambler, but maybe his memory isn't too clear, as he's had
nearly every other type of AMC except for the AMX and SC/Rambler.
 
So basically what I'm asking is, if I walked into an AMC showroom in 1969
and ordered this car without disc brakes, they'd build it?  Now I know AMC
was a bit unconventional, but I have a hard time accepting that any
salesperson in their right mind would have let someone buy this car and pay
for all the options and not sell them on disc brakes.  I'd love to have the
build sheet on this one!
 
 
Michael Kelly