Used sporty coupes seem to fall into one of two categories: they either have been thrashed within an inch of their lives, or have been treated with such kid gloves that you wonder if the owners enjoy them at all – and then second owners sometimes thrash them within an inch of their lives. Today we’re going to look at one from each camp: a ’70s classic that needs more miles on its odometer, and a ’00s factory hot rod that needs some sympathy.
Friday was Halloween, and we celebrated with two home-built jobbies that were enough to scare any gearhead. We had a “Locost” built in the style of a Lotus 7, and a Manta Mirage that was so modified it was barely recognizable. Several of you begged for a “neither” option, but as you know, that’s not how the game is played. When the dust settled, the not-really-a-Lotus took the win, but I don’t think any of you felt good about it.
Personally, that Locost scares the hell out of me. The seller says it was built from “plans” from Lotus, which as far as I know don’t exist. Where did these plans come from? Why deviate from them so much? Why use the engine out of a Chevy S-10 pickup? I don’t feel great about the Manta either, but at least it looks cohesive.
Give a young person a flashy two-door car, and they’re probably going to do some very ill-advised things with it. Give an older person the same car, and they will often coddle it, taking it out only on weekends when the weather is nice, and barely racking up enough miles to keep the juices flowing. Subsequent owners are often much harder on such cars. Today we’re going to look at two coupes from the Denver area, one of which looks like it was babied, then abused, and then left to sit, and another that looks like someone beat the hell out of it before crashing it and repairing it badly. Here they are.
1971 AMC Javelin SST – $3,900
Engine/drivetrain: 258 cubic inch OHV inline 6, three-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Denver, CO
Odometer reading: 81,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives, but tires are old and cracked
In the late 1960s and early ’70s, pony cars were all the rage. Ford had the Mustang, and Plymouth, Chevy, and Pontiac all countered with the Barracuda, Camaro, and Firebird, respectively. Not wanting to be left out of the fun, AMC introduced the Javelin in 1968. The original Javelin design was a handsome fastback, but pretty tame compared to this 1971 second-generation design, with its bulging fenders. Whether or not the redesign is an improvement is a matter of taste, but I’ve always liked it.
Like other pony cars, the V8-powered Javelins are the best remembered, but the basic six-cylinder ones were probably a lot more common. Both 232 and 258 cubic inch versions of AMC’s inline six were available; this one has the 258, backed by a three-speed automatic. It sat for many years, until the seller revived it a couple months ago. The ignition, fuel, cooling, and brake systems have all been gone through, and the seller has been driving it around their neighborhood, but it needs tires before it’s ready for the open road.
This Javelin has the SST package, which was just an appearance package, despite the fast-sounding name. It’s similar to the RS package available on the Chevy Camaro. The SST has fancier upholstery and a sporty three-spoke steering wheel. This one looks pretty good inside, especially for its age. The dashboard looks like it was taken apart and put back together badly, but it could probably be fixed. You might have to take it apart again anyway, to replace the heater core, which leaks and has been bypassed.
Outside, it was originally blue with a white stripe, but someone spray-painted it flat black at some point. The good news is that the only rust to speak of is in the rear quarter panels behind the wheels, and I’m sure repair panels are available. The bent rear bumper and cracked reverse light lens might be harder to replace, however.
2006 Acura RSX Type S – $3,450
Engine/drivetrain: 2.0-liter DOHC inline 4, six-speed manual FWD
Location: Denver, CO
Odometer reading: 192,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and “lot drives”
Japanese sports coupes like the Acura RSX, and its predecessor the Integra, could arguably be called pony cars as well. Available in both inexpensive basic versions as well as high-performance versions for a little more money, and marketed to young buyers, they filled the same niche in the market that Mustangs and Camaros and Javelins did decades earlier. This is one of the higher-performance versions, the Type-S, with more horsepower, lower gearing, stiffer suspension, and an extra gear in the transmission.
The RSX Type-S is powered by a 210-horsepower version of Honda’s K-series engine, driving the front wheels through a six-speed manual. This one runs and drives, but it has been in an accident bad enough to set off the airbags, and somewhat haphazardly repaired. The radiator support is a different color from the rest of the sheetmetal, and the ad says there may be further frame damage. It drives around their lot, but you’d probably want to get it checked out by a body shop before trying to drive it anywhere.
The interior is a bit of a mess, and not just the deployed airbags, which look like they’ve been cut away. I get the feeling someone was actually driving this car like this. The airbags will need to be replaced, obviously, and the steering wheel could use re-covering too. And the shift boot and glovebox door are both missing. I could probably keep looking at the photos and finding more wrong, but I’ll stop there.
Whatever happened to this car, it happened to the right front corner. The right front fender looks original, but damaged in the accident and straightened. It also got the windshield; there’s a big spiderweb in the lower right corner. The mismatched hood is also damaged and straightened, which is weird; has it been in two accidents? Needless to say, it’s now rocking a salvage title.
Two sporty coupes from two different eras, but they have one thing in common: they’ve been subjected to some harsh treatment. One probably led an easy life at first, but has been neglected for a long time, and the other has been beaten within an inch of its life, possibly more than once. They both could use a friend. Which one would you help out?
I’ll take the Jav, and then find me a wrecked Challenger or Charger with a V8, and transplant that engine and transmission in there.
It needs a lot of other things too.
But I’d rather deal with a basket case that’s because of TIME than a basket case that’s because of some dipshit.
I can smell the weed, vape and questionable life choices from the RSX through my internet connection. Also, with the airbags deployed, it’s almost certainly a complete rolling disaster once you start digging into it. I’ll pass.
Going AMC even though this one doesn’t really hold any interest with me. Even with 30 year old tires on it, it’s probably safer to drive than the RSX.
Javelin, because it is old enough to be exempt from the California Smog Check.
I saw the three pedals on the Javelin and thought, “Oh good, it’s a stick.” Then I couldn’t find the stick in the photo, and scrolled back up to see that no, it’s an automatic. Is that an emergency brake pedal? And if so, is it a great idea to put it in the “this is where the clutch pedal goes and your muscle memory will tell you to engage it while driving” slot?
yes, emergency brake! looks weird but in all my years of going back and forth from manuals to autos with these types of emergency brake pedals I never stepped on it … it’s juusst far enough over that it isn’t a thing
Usually the e-brake pedal is far enough to the left and up that it would be awkward to ever confuse it.
Every 2009+ Dodge Challenger with a stick shift has the foot pedal e-brake, I’ve never once mistaken it for the clutch in the ~100k miles we’ve put on our 2015.
Odd choice to make for a “sporty” car, but it’s Dodge…
I suspect it has something to do with the LX platform’s roots as a derivative of the W210 Mercedes E-Class, which also used a foot pedal parking brake.
I wouldn’t doubt it, and with the initial LX platform being sedans and station wagons it really didn’t stand out. A little more surprising considering the amount of effort that they had to put into redesigning the floorpan for the Challenger and the stick shift that they didn’t work that into the updated design, but I’m sure it was still cheaper to not change it. That part is nothing new to whatever Chrysler is calling themselves these days.
A 200k car with a blown airbag is worth $3500. What a time to be alive!
The ‘S’ in ‘Type S’ is for sucker.
Running car (almost) always wins, and that AMC is probably the cheapest “muscle car” you’ll find.
AMC, please!
It’s arguably in very good shape for its age. I love that it has a 140mph speedometer *and* dual exhaust to allow the 258 to stretch its legs. 🙂
That Acura – like Krieger’s van – looks like rolling probable cause.
I’ll take the Javelin. Classic over cool. The Acura may be repairable, but it will cost far more than getting the Javelin on the road. These are both near me. That Javelin is a serious consideration, if I were in the market for something like that. Right now I’m fixing up a 97 TL1000s to get it back on the road after 5 years in a garage.
Javelin, not only because I had a ’72, and I want it back. Only problem is that i you want to go V8 (AMC anyway), you need a different cross memeber.
If even a dealer says they’re might be additional frame damage, you can bet that this is FUBARed.
I don’t really like those Javelins either, but it would at least be an interesting cruiser for short money.
The windshield is broken. Major frame damage! It’s a parts car.
I would have chosen the Javelin — because someone put Torq-thrusts on it — anyway, but after reading the Accursed Acura’s description, this was the easiest vote all year.
In Real Life, I wouldn’t buy either.
I’ll buck the wave and vote RSX. I know with some maintenance that it’ll last for far longer than expected.
But before laying down cash, I’d need a test-drive past an independent mechanic to see how it drives and what we’ll find underneath the dented panels.
If nothing else, driving through Michigan has taught me that however bad a car might appear and however much bailer twine might be holding it together, people will drive it at 90mph.
Buy both and put the RSX drivetrain in the Javelin. Add a fart can for good measure.
🙂
Now that would be hilarious!
This is like Mike Finnegan putting a 2JZ in a classic Charger!
This was actually a tough choice for me, because I have very little interest in a 6cyl, auto Javelin, but the RSX is too far gone or too expensive. I think you are right that it has been through multiple accidents. At about 1/2-2/3 the price I think the RSX is a good race car platform or donor but as it stands I will choose the Javelin.
Javelin, cause I had a ’72 401 AMX, and I miss it.
Easy pick for the Javelin today, the RSX is too far gone to be anything more than an organ doner for a K-swap.
RSX Hands down, it’s the donor my 03 Civic Lx has been waiting for, if it were a lot closer I might be shuffling funds to acquire it right now.
Yikes. I like the AMC, but it is rough. That thing needs a lot of work and, in the end, you would end up with a car with a 6 cylinder engine and 3 speed automatic. That is not a lot of reward for your effort. For $2k I’m interested, though. Sell has the obligate “NO LOW BALLERS” line in his ad, so I presume he wouldn’t take $2k.
The RSX is literally junk. Why is it not in a scrap yard?
The AMC has a lot more body issues than noted, look at the roofline.
The RSX is just waiting for the chump like me what wats it’s drivetrain for their crappy Civic.
The AMC is definitely rough. It would be easier to highlight the parts that don’t need work than the parts that do need work.
I agree the RSX could be a good parts car. I’m concerned about mileage, though. Yeah, its an Acura, but 192k miles is still a lot of miles. Also, I can’t quite put my finger on it, but this vehicle just seems sketchy beyond being wrecked.
The K-series is pretty bulletproof, and since I’m pulling it out to plop in another vehicle I Can address all the consumables anyway, timing set (chain) oil pimp, water pump, clutch etc…
Replacements are cheap, it’s all the ancillary bits you need from an RSX (or Accord) to make the swap work that get expensive. Plus I can upgrade to better brakes and the RSX rear suspension, making my 03 Lx an RSX with a lumpy body.
Javelin, without a question. Depending on the condition of the original paint, it could be worthwhile to take the time to strip off the spray paint. As I’ve mentioned before this is somewhat common in the air-cooled VW community, particularly on the older Buses. It won’t look perfect when it’s done, but that spray paint looks like it’s doing a fine job coming off on its own which would make it easier. I love original paint, and I think blue with a white stripe is a fine color scheme for it.
Tires, heater core, dashboard, I’d rather deal with all of that than whatever that RSX still needs. Really, the RSX is just an overpriced parts car.
The interior picture of the RSX with the paper floor mat cover is just shady dealer perfection.
This is not the RSX Rype-S I was looking for. I’ll take the Jav and with my fake internet money, LS-swap it. Has anyone ever done an LS swap in a Jav before? (I feel certain the answer is yes)
Just stop whatever the rest of this sentence was going to be because no matter what you were going to say., the answer is ‘yes’. Lawnmower? Model A? Postal LLV? Bathtub? Yes, it’s been LS swapped.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MCtmn3OxrI
Javelin – at the very least, it likely tracks straigh-ish.
That would be my concern. A decent Type S goes for closer to 10k around here. That one.. seems like it’d be frustrating to work with, even as a track rat.
Gotta go with the Humpster! (Well, Mr. AMX always votes AMC.)
I love Honda, but not today. I love Javelins in Candy apple red.
Generally speaking, an RSX Type-S is very appealing to me, but definitely not THIS one.