Vehicle Description
1969 American Motors Corporation (AMC) AMX - AMXess
This 1969 American Motors AMX was built to be an example of "the
ultimate street car". The car retains all of its AMC heritage and
style but has been completely updated and upgraded throughout. The
two-seater coupe features a two-tone red and white color scheme
with blue accent stripes, and has a low and lean stance, harkening
back to the halcyon days of Trans-Am racing. It even includes a
Trans Am replica adjustable rear wing. The car was designed by the
owner and built by D&Z Customs in Wisconsin, and it retains all
its original body panels, floor panels, firewall, and glass.
AMXess has been featured at the SEMA industry trade show in both
2011 and 2012 as an inside booth car. It was designated as an
Edmund's Top 10 Pick of SEMA in 2011. It has also been featured at
the Chicago Auto Show, Detroit Autorama, ISCA's World of Wheels,
Goodguys, and on TV as part of OPTIMA's Search for the Ultimate
Street Car. The AMX has also been featured in many magazines
including titles such as Popular Hot Rodding and Car Craft Magazine
and has graced the cover of Grassroots Motorsports. It has also
been featured on literally thousands of digital sites and could
possibly be the most photographed AMX in existence.
To prove that form and function do indeed go together, AMXess has
competed in the grueling One Lap of America, where it finished 2nd
in the Vintage American class logging 4010 miles and 17 track
events in a single week. It's also completed the Silver State
Classic Challenge - a 96-mile time/distance race. AMXess has
competed in many other track and HPDE events like The Sand Hills
Open Road Challenge, OPTIMA's Ultimate Street Car Invitational,
Motorstate Challenge, Midwest Musclecar Challenge, and Goodguys
Duel in the Desert. The AMX has seen track time on some of the most
famous racetracks in the US including Daytona International
Speedway, Laguna Seca Mazda Raceway, Road America, Watkins Glen
International, Circuit of the Americas many, and others. It has
also traveled around the world as part of a group that represented
the automotive industry in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It's beautiful,
it's solid, and it's sorted and dialed in. It's as comfortable and
reliable on the street as a new car and gets over 20 mpg - but
she's a real performance sports car on the track.
The engine is a 376 CID GM Performance LS3 with an LS7 camshaft
upgrade - the same engine that powers the mighty C6 Corvette. A GM
computer fires the coils and fuel injection system and takes care
of all the tuning. Fuel is delivered from a Ricks Tank through the
Vaporworks delivery system and there's a very conservative tune in
the car performed by Peitz Performance Tuning - the car currently
makes 550HP. An OPTIMA Battery provides the spark.
An all-aluminum Be Cool radiator keeps temps in check and an
Accusump oiling system makes sure oil pressures are good under any
circumstances. A Vintage Air Frontrunner system completes the
package, positioning the A/C, alternator, and power steering units,
all from GM. Oil and power steering coolers keep perfect
temperatures in the hottest of conditions. The engine bay has been
smoothed and painted to showcase the mechanical genius that is the
LS engine.
Power is transferred rearward through a smooth Centerforce DYAD
triple-disc clutch in front of a Bowler Performance LGT 700
five-speed transmission with 3.55:1 fourth and .6 overdrive gear
mated to the Ford 9" rear with Randy's Ring and Pinion gear
positraction gearset. AMXess is suspended on all four corners with
Ridetech triple adjustable coil-over shocks. The front end has a
custom chassis featuring Detroit Speed upper and lower control arms
with a custom K frame from Heidt's Performance. Corvette hubs and
spindles complete the package. The rear is a D&Z-designed
4-link system, with multiple adjustments for autocross, road
racing, and drag racing. Strange axles keep everything rotating
properly.
Wilwood six-piston calipers on 13.5" full-floating rotors provide
the stopping power and assure that brake knockback is not an issue.
Wilwood BP 30 brake pads provide the most efficient braking on both
the street and the track. The tire/wheel package is Forgeline GF3's
- 18X10 and 18X11 with iconic black 5 spoke centers surrounded by
polished aluminum hoops. Tires are ultra high performance Falken
Azeniz 615K + 315/30 rears and 275/35 fronts.
The interior is classic American Motors with updated carbon fiber
trim. A Ridetech Tiger Cage bolt-in roll bar/harness bar provides
both safety and rigidity and surrounds the RECARO 6 way adjustable
heated and air-conditioned seats. Ridetech 6 point harnesses keep
everyone secure. Autometer Phantom II gauges reside in the original
AMC bezels to keep track of everything.
