AMX/3

By Jerry Beck, vacuum@infinet.com

History of the AMX/3

First some history about the AMX/3: The AMX/2 Styling prototype was designed by Richard Teague to participate in a call for designs from AMC. Others participated in this call for designs including Bizzarrini. [Other sources indicate that Giorgetto Giugiaro built a styling mockup, which was never shown to the public. -Jim] The Teague design won by a long shot and was approved to the prototype stage.

BMW was contacted to construct the prototypes, but was not chosen because of their elevated prices. So AMC asked Giotto Bizzarrini [a top race car engineer and builder] if he would do the prototypes. [AMC also considered having Karmann in Germany build the car.] Giotto was contracted for ten prototypes and the follow on construction. (Apparently the brass at AMC felt unsure about the prospect of building a mid-engined car.) The first prototype was mostly completed (90%ish) and a construction problem appeared suddenly. The English to Metric conversions from the drawings were incorrect and the car could not be completed to a driving state. This car was a push-mobile used for shows only (It was cosmetically correct). The next 4 cars were completed with proper conversions. The research that followed was conducted by AMC in the U.S. as well as by BMW and Turin Polytechnic in Europe.

About this time (late 1969) AMC learned about Ford's work with DeTomaso and the Pantera. Result: AMC introduced the AMX/3 at auto shows around the world one full year before Ford introduced the Pantera. Designers from other makers were shocked (some refused to believe that AMC designed it) and amazed by the car.

Testing results started to come in from BMW and Turin Polytech. BMW proclaimed the body assembly (a boxed sill backbone structure) one of the most rigid structures that they had ever tested. Speed runs were limited to 160 M.P.H. due to body lifting because of the lack of a front spoiler. Cooling modifications were made to cars 2, 3, 4 and 5 and retrofitted to car 1 later in 1970. Meanwhile AMC ordered 5 more prototypes and Giotto began construction.

Ultimately, AMC found that the car would have to sell for more than $12,000; even though that is a small figure today, the Pantera was released for less than $10,000. AMC didn't take the risk. It ordered the unfinished prototypes destroyed and dropped the project. The End.

But not really the end.

Giotto destroyed 4 of his 5 protos. He just couldn't bring himself to chop up the nearly done car. So he and his business partner completed the car themselves from spares. Cars 3, 4, and 5 were sold to Richard Teague. Cars 1 and 2 were lost, found, sold, lost and found again. Dick Teague sold two of his three to private collectors. The whereabouts of car 6 are now known -- it remains to this day in Italy. Dick Teague's comments on the #6 car: "Wow, I wouldn't be surprised if a few more show up." (!!!!)

The aftermath: The cars trade hands and are shown some. Richard Teague purchased the 28 remaining custom built OTO Melara Transaxles from AMC for the storage and shipping fees (to repair his own AMX/3). Motor Trend did a four page retrospective in the June 1990 issue (very highly recommended).

Specifications

What they all have in common:

390 c.i.d. engine
OTO Melara 4 speed transaxle
Vacuum actuated headlamps (which are rumored to have drooped when the throttles were nailed)
Power steering
4-wheel power disc brakes (hydraulic assist from the power steering pump)
Teague designed T-window double pane glass between cockpit and engine compartment
4-wheel independent suspension: single coil-over shock unequal length A-arm up front and dual coil-over shock trailing arm/A-arm in the rear
Cars #2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 have a mostly non-functional rear pop- up spoiler
Leather interior

The Car-by-Car Where-they-Are

(This is information gleaned from as many sources as I could glean from! Possible inaccuracies noted below.)

Considering that the car couldn't be made to run because of the construction errors it traded hands a few times. It is currently rusting in the basement of a barn at the Gilmore Classic Car Club Museum. I have personally examined this vehicle (video taped it too!!!). The museum is reluctant to restore the car because the paperwork has purportedly disappeared and its origins are mysterious. No VIN number, but I found a 1973 Michigan license plate in the vehicle. Its number is RIK 423 with 1974 sticker #3-595644. Before Dick Teague passed away he donated a tranny to the museum reportedly. Strangely however the engine in the car has 70-W-No5 marked on the chrome valve covers with black paint, I have no idea. I offered to the curators of the museum to restore the car for free(!). No dice, it looks like bureaucracy has committed this one to rust away, so much for preserving history.
Was sold to a guy in MI and was lost by all accounts that I tapped. It reappeared as the "chicken coop" car. For sale when last checked in Indiana for over $200,000. The car is reported to be badly rusted and missing parts. It is also full of bird droppings (yuk!). Good Luck.
This car was owned by Richard Teague until his death. It was donated to the San Diego Auto Museum along with most of his papers. This is the car in Motor Trend [and the car pictured on this page??].
This car was sold by Teague to unknown persons, then to Mr. Mimbs of Georgia. He sold much of his AMC collection to a man in Alabama. It and the AMX/2 styling exercise are both for sale in Hemmings -- the AMX/3 for $225,000 and AMX/2 for $25,000 (Buy now and Save).
This car was sold to Teague and then sold to a man in Florida. I do not know his name, I do not know the car. I do know that the car is blue and was the BMW car. (Possibly inaccurate, however this story confirmed by 2 reliable sources.)
This car is still in Italy and differs from the other cars in that it has retractable wipers and a different rear body. It is owned by Giotto's Business partner.
...... Who knows? We're still waiting.