What would you do, 74 Javelin AMC?

[DUBL0WS6]

I wouldn't use anything abrasive on paint that old. #7 should give some nice gloss.

[Dereksdtail]

I usually start with soft foam and a all in one, see what happens and slowly move up if necessary


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[TMQ]

Just to clarify...

Car is in for mechanical work, not detail.

However, I'll see if I can get the owner of Bruno's to convince the owner of the car to have his paint "restored".

Tom

[57Rambler]

...what you got there is not just a Javelin but a (hopefully) true AMX w/ the cowl hood and the 401. Kinda big, lunky cars but they did reasonably well for in Trans Am racing for a year or 2 I believe w/ Mark Donohue and the Penske/Sunoco team.

AMX's were built from '68 to '70 and had the 390 ci engine.

From '71 to '74 the car became the Javelin AMX and the 390 was replaced with a 401 aka "401 to Go" package, which is what this car appears to be. Penske and Donohue won the SCCA Trans Am Manufacturer's championship in '71 (there was no separate Driver's title back then).

I think I'd try to restore (and touchup) the paint but replace the "T-stripe" hood decal ... it's pretty far gone and replacing the decal wouldn't detract much if any from the value (whereas a car repaint would). Also, since there are cracks in the decal, I wonder if running a polisher over the cracks would catch the edges of the cracks and thus lift/tear the pieces ?


Edited: I had the wrong year for Trans Am win

[DUBL0WS6]

I wouldn't remove/replace the striping. Some cars are worth more in original condition regardless of imperfections.

[TMQ]

Dublows6---I agree!

Tom

[DUBL0WS6]

The other weird thing right now in the collector world is that original barn find dirt is the Holy Grail. The dirtier the more prestigious in some cases. Some beat up original cars are worth more than their pristine restored counterparts.

[TMQ]

Really!
Dirt more valuable than the car?? Grin.
Hummm...as for the Javelin, guess I would not touch it then. It’s got a couple old bird poop on it!!! Lol....


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[Mike Phillips]

I wouldn't remove/replace the striping.

Some cars are worth more in original condition regardless of imperfections.

I completely agree. I machine polished the Screaming Phoenix using the Rupes 21 with their Diamond Ultra Fine Cut Polish and their White Ultra Soft Foam Finishing pad.

It peeled away decades of road film and dirt build up and restored a clear, bright colorful appearance to really complete the work done to this rare and valuable car.


BEFORE




AFTER







More BEFORE

Think about it - some of the pictures below show HOW BAD the paint was before I started. The Screaming Phoenix vinyl graphic was also just as oxidized as the paint. The previous owners didn't take care of the graphic over all the years and let the paint go to hell - the entire car went to hell.































Full write-up here,

Rupes and Antique Single Stage Oxidized Paint

And that is the Trans-Am on the cover of the RUPES how-to book I wrote.





So yeah - I would CAREFULLY machine polish the original, cracked graphics and with a simple polisher like the Porter Cable 8mm and a super soft foam pad my guess is you will remove years of oxidation, staining, dirt and neglect.

Might not work but you won't know until you try and I have the utmost confidence in Tom to have the skills, talent and experience to save the graphics and the paint on this car.

[Mike Phillips]

Also....

The #7 Rub Down Technique would be a great approach. I tend to use it this technique on cars that have visible CHALKY paint from years of neglect but looking at the pictures of this car it would be a great plan of action.



And just to point out, there are some antique single stage paints that simply Do NOT like to be abraded. I don't think this will be the case with the paint on the Javelin, but it was the case on this 1973 Lotus Europa.

ALL the restoration work done to the paint on this Lotus was performed BY HAND (elbow grease), using Meguair's #7


1973 Lotus Europa oxidized original paint





Whatever you do Tom, I'm sure it's going to be a true EXTREME show car makeover.

I'm already looking forward to the after pictures.