Feature Article from goDragRacing.com (R.I.P.)

Our first opportunity to see Ann and Steve Erbs AMX in action was one of our days spent at Cecil County for the Finishline Performance Street Car Shootout. The car immediately caught our eyes and our imagination. As it pulled to the line we assumed it would just be an everyday bracket / street car that looked extremely cool. Once Ann mashed the pedal, our view was that of the underneath of this superbly detailed AMX flying past us on its way to a mid ten second charge. Needless to say we were hooked bad and wanted to know more about it. The stance, the look, and the all AMC power was an exciting idea for us here. We definitely needed to do a feature and let the readers here know of Ann and Steve’s hard work on this gorgeous machine.

Ann is often asked how she got into AMC’s and drag racing. At the age of 17 she bought her first vehicle, a 1975 Jeep CJ5. It had an AMC 304 V8 and a 3-speed manual transmission. At this point in Ann’s in life she was hooked on AMC Jeeps, and used to love going four-wheeling. Fast forwarding Ann met her husband Steve a few years later few years later; he was into cars his whole life. Ann had never been to a drag strip before she met him. As a present Steve bought her a Jeep book. It gave the complete history of Jeeps. Inside the AMC Jeep chapter it showed some of the other cars that AMC made. Ann will tell you she never knew about the AMX 2-seater or the early year Javelin before this book. As soon as she saw the 1968 through 1970 AMC AMX Ann knew she would have one. What could be better than an AMC muscle car! After taking on an extra job as a waitress on the weekends, Ann tirelessly saved her tips and purchased a 1969 AMC AMX. The man that Ann bought this car from had it sitting in his garage for about 16 years.

Ann’s car was originally a 390, 4spd, which was 1 of 3,620 that came from the factory in 1969 with this combination; total production in 1969 was 8,293. It also had the sports package upgrade called the “Go” package. Steve and Ann rebuilt the engine that is in the car. Teasdale Automotive Machine out of Jonestown, PA. did the machine work to the block, Ann and Steve assembled it themselves. The engine is an AMC 401, bored .030 over with forged Venolia flat top pistons. The stock forged cross-drilled crank rotates stock forged rods that have been polished and shot-peened. Aluminum Indy SR heads with a full port and polish from Indy top off the short block with some impressive flow. They have been fitted with 2.10 intake valves and 1.65 exhaust valves actuated by Crane Gold 1.6 roller rockers and Jomar Stud girdles. The cam is a custom grind Comp Cam that makes all of this work in harmony, and the sweet sound it produces is chilling. Feeding the oil is a Milodon dual swivel pick-up oil pan with a stock oil pump. The block also has an oil line added in the oil galley to feed oil directly to the rear main bearings. Ann’s research showed it was a must do modification as these motors starve for oil over 6000 rpm otherwise. Sitting on the top is a Herman Lewis cast aluminum high-rise intake with a tweaked 1050 Holley Dominator, as the other end of the mixture flows out through a custom set of Hooker Super Comp headers and Dynomax Race Magnum Mufflers. A full 3 1/2 inch exhaust exits out the back of this AMX. All that was fired by a full MSD ignition. Power is sent through a 5000 stall 8” Dynamic Converterr to a fully built Turbo 400, Tom Goldman out of Allentown, PA is responsible for adding a low first gear set and a reverse manual valve body, with a and a JW Performance SFI approved aluminum bell housing to keep the trans safe and running in its power band. The custom drive shaft turns the cut and modified Dana 60 rear's Richmond 4.11 gear set. Moser supplied the axles for the stock width Dana rear that replaced the original AMC series 20 and is supported by standard leaf springs and traditional slapper bars. The AMX stops with stock drum brakes that were installed to the modified Dana rear with the AMC backing plates after it hooks and books on Hoosier Quick Time Pro 27 x 11 .50 tires mounted on Weld Racing wheels. The front also sports the same wheel and Moroso front runners on a 4 inch rim with stock disc brakes and stock springs surrounding the performance shocks.

The ultra straight body had already been re-painted when Ann bought the car. The color on her AMX is the original color of the car. It's an AMC factory color called "Bitter Sweet Orange"; however, the re-paint is a little darker than it should be. The car is all heavy with factory steel and glass, except the bumpers and hood are fiberglass. In 1969 AMC built approximately 52 AMX’s that were specially prepared by Hurst. The cars were prepped with a forward facing scoop. The scoop on Ann’s car is an exaggerated version of that Super Stock Scoop. It measures an extra 2-1/2” taller than the original, which was Steve’s idea. Cowl hoods get this treatment all the time; why not stand out in the crowd with a tasteful modification of the original too on a car that captures your eye like this one.

Inside Ann’s workspace she seats herself in new Aerospeed racing seats, behind a 70's era AMC steering wheel and Autometer gauges in the stock and fresh as new looking dash. The 5' monster tach with shift light lets her know more of what she needs to do on a pass. Husband Steve fit and tacked the 10-point mild steel cage that was finish welded by Lamar Neidigh of Palmyra, PA. Ann and Steve both added new carpet from A1, fiberglass headliner from American Performance, and new door panels from Legendary. The strict attention to detail inside is fantastic, all the panels fit well and give the car that clean factory look, I have to hand it to both of them for some fine work that rivals the most competent interior shops I’ve seen,

Performance:
Ann’s AMX is a street car, it’s licensed, insured and inspected and she really enjoys driving it and thrashing it on the streets. It’s no slouch by any means and look out if it's on the other side of you at a stoplight. The AMX is taken to two AMC races a year; they regularly try to make it to the Street Car Shoot out at Cecil County Dragway whenever possible. The best quarter mile E.T. has been 10.75 at 126 MPH which was at Cecil County and we remind you it's all motor. Ann’s best 60 foot time is 1.49 and her best reaction time has been a .006. This car works well and the numbers prove it for a fully street able show quality ride. Most of the time the announcers in the tower take as much notice to the car as we did and add extra commentary on each and every one of her passes.

Ann’s Personal Comments: It is not often an opportunity like this comes along, so I would like to thank a whole bunch of great people who helped me out one way or another. Obviously first comes my husband Steve, with out him I would never have been able to get this car the way it is today. Brian Heibel, Pete Teasdale, Tim Horney, Tory Shellehamer, Lamar Neidigh, Don Bangs, Tom Goldman, Ralph Winslow, and Mike Newman. I would also like to thank the AMC community in general. Everywhere we have gone with the car, people that are into AMC’s have been so eager to help us get where we wanted to be. We have been given advice, parts, priceless history lessons and we are truly humbled by some of these people we have met. I would also like to thank Matt and Mark from GoDragRacing.com for giving me the opportunity to tell my story about me and my car. Thanks for the time and effort you put into your website as well. Your pictures and reviews rock! -->