Growing up in Kenosha Wisconsin meant the American Motorors Corporation was as common as peanut butter and jelly and Saturday morning cartoons.
The engine factory was a critical component of our city economy. Many of my friends parents and grandparents worked at the AMC factory and nearly everyone in town owned/drove an AMC (Hornet, Matador, Concord, Rebel, Gremlin, Gremlin AMX, Javelin, Javelin AMX, Pacer, Spirit, etc.). Some did venture off to a 60s era Camaro, 70s era Chevy Nova, Pontiac GTO or 80s era Trans-Am, Firebird but for the most part everything was AMC.
I was with my older brother when he bought his AMC in 1982, paid $1,200, less than 30k miles. It was a Forest Green 1972 Javelin AMX with a 401 cu in V-8 and glass-packed headers. I loved that car and am taken back to my childhood when I see any old, classic AMC today... muscle car or not.