Race car for the road. It’s a term that’s never entirely true, sure, and in that sense, it fits the 1970 AMC Javelin SST Trans-Am Edition perfectly. This was a car designed to finally put American Motors Corporation at the top of the SCCA Trans-Am podium after the company had struggled for two years. It looked exactly like the race car, too, featuring dual-venturi front grille, divided hood scoop, rear spoiler, and red, white, and blue livery.
However, the Javelin SST Trans-Am Edition wasn’t a homologation special in the true sense of the word. Yes, it looked like the race car, but it was also equipped with AMC’s run-of-the-mill 390-cubic-inch (6.4-liter) V8, with its power increased from 315 to 325 hp by using different cylinder heads. It was a great engine, equipped with forged-steel crankshaft and connecting rods, but not a racing engine.
What’s more, AMC built only 100 vehicles, certainly not enough to reach the required 2,500 homologation units. So how did the Javelin SST even compete? AMC produced 2,501 Mark Donohue Edition Javelin SSTs, which served as homologation examples. These were essentially the same cars as the Trans-Ams, just under a different name.
So, yes, the Javelin SST Trans-Am was more a marketing exercise than a real homologation special. Still, it was a good pony car. Apart from the potent engine, it came with standard four-speed manual, Handling Package, Go Package, and enhanced cooling system. Today, you should expect to pay from $75,000 to $125,000 for a Javelin SST Trans-Am, depending on the condition.
