DeTomaso Mailing List: February 99, Message #113

On Fri, 29 Jan 1999, Shane F. Ingate wrote:

> Kirk Bailey wrote:
> 	>[snip]
> 	> My impression of Volvo drivers- those I know and 
> 	> those I only see is that they're todays equivalent of the 
> 	> American Motors cars. As George Romney said when he was head 
> 	> of AMC: "We are committed to building sensible cars for 
> 	> our customers". The Volvo is today's American Motors. 
> 	>[snip]
> 	> Chrysler came along with the "K" car- did 
> 	> they obtain the design from old AMC archives when they bought 
> 	> AMC? How can the same firm that produces Vipers, Prowlers, and 
> 	> Dodge Chargers ever have made the "K" car
> 
> Kurt, you have obviously never been on the receiving end of a AMX 390.
> Totally awesome car, probably as fast as a 426 Hemi, but it handles!
> Believe me, you DONT want to meet one of these bad boys either at
> the stop lights or on the track!  I saw a well-prepared AMX mixing it with
> F40s at Laguna Seca 2 years ago, and the Silver Staters will tell us about
> their experiences with this bolide.  After a Cobra, this is my MUST HAVE
> car.
> 
> 
> 	Shane
> 
Shane: we're now even on the screwing up of names. My name is Kirk- my 
ancestors were Scots. My ancestors were pleased to introduce as many 
Vikings as possible to a large Scottish instrument called a Claidh Mhor 
(Gaelic) or Claymore in english and send them on the way to Valhalla. On 
the other hand we do like the modern day Vikings. To my fellow club 
members in Sweden- the Northern Italians got their blond hair from the 
Celts- one tribe settled Northern Italy especially around the modern city 
of Modena where DeTomaso, Ferrari and Lamborghini are located. Thus we 
Celts, Scott Black myself and others can lay claim to all the exotic 
Italian cars too!

Anyhow AMX390? You're kidding right? Other than weird looking I've never 
seen a stock one that 
could do much. In the AMX days I had a 3.91 Boss 302. We looked down on 
the AMX buyers as complete dweebs. Even when AMC hired Mark Donohue to 
drive in 1971 he won the Trans Am but Ford & GM had withdrawn so 
it was a bit of a hollow victory. There is no dispute that Mark Donohue 
was an absolutely incredible driver and it was sad for him to have died 
but he did it doing what he loved.

The AMX390 you are referring to must be incredibly different than any 
I've ever seen. After the Pantera (clearly the number 1 choice for me and 
most on this list) my order of car acquisition if I won the lottery would 
be Cobra, Ford GT40, Shelby GT350/500, a BOSS302 (I owned 3 different 
ones in the past), a BOSS 429 and more until the money ran out. It would 
have been nice to have a large stack of cash and go to Barrett-Jackson.

Shane: can you post a photo of this AMX390 and give vehicle specs (beyond 
stock), performance data etc.   


Kirk (MacMiadhachain- mother's family name in Gaelic) Bailey
Pantera #1907 red 71
Toronto