(Posted to the Cohort by Rashad S) People often claim trends start in California. That is not always the case. While much ballyhoo was made about the California Highway Patrol using Ford Mustangs as patrol cars starting in the early 1980s, using pony cars was ancient practice for another state, a state that was the real trendsetter.
That state would be Alabama.
It seems that in the early 1970s the State of Alabama was in a budget crunch yet still needed new cars for their state troopers. In an effort that was shrewd as much as it was altruistic, Reinhardt AMC of Montgomery loaned a 304 cubic inch V8 powered Javelin SST to the Alabama Department of Public Safety for evaluation.
Intrigued but not yet convinced, primarily due to the 304 being underpowered for their purposes, the Department of Public Safety returned the Javelin to the dealer in exchange for a 401 cubic inch V8 powered Javelin AMX the dealer donated to them. This particular car came from dealer inventory; it is even claimed to have had a vinyl top.
This AMX proved quite popular with Alabama’s troopers. While prices were quite favorable in comparison to the traditional four-door full-sized sedan, further cost cutting was needed. Ultimately the Department of Public Safety ordered 71 base model Javelins equipped with the 401 and rear spoilers as found on the AMX.
The spoilers were needed to mount the “STATE TROOPER” lettering. From the factory these spoilers had holes fabricated for a badge that said AMX. In a effort to not sell any entity a seemingly disfigured car, AMC plugged the holes by placing a third “401” badge on the spoiler of Alabama bound cars. The other two “401” badges were on the front fenders.
Orders between 1971 and 1972 brought about the purchase of 132 Javelins for use by Alabama State Troopers. The Javelin-AMX registry has documented the existence of 16 of these cars; another source has claimed twenty-four still exist.
These preservationists are to be commended. Most of the remaining Alabama Javelins are in southern states although the registry has one in New York, one in New Jersey, and two in Ohio. No true examples have yet been reported as having migrated further west than Texas.
Perhaps the featured one has.
Related Reading:
Unusual or Unexpected Police Cars by JS
1971 Javelin Road Test by GN
I had seen these in pictures before but never knew they were actually serious patrol cars, let alone a part of a larger fleet of Javelins akin to the SSP 5.0 Mustangs. Very cool package, this bodystyle only looked right with a rear spoiler, but these eschew the other less attractive AMX appendages.
They’re decidedly Mad Max 1 like too, right down to using the rear spoiler for the police lettering like on the stolen pursuit special Monaro.
A good friend’s parents bought a Javelin AMX in 1972. I had never paid attention to the standard Javelin’s 1972 grille until just now – wow, that big dull silver eggcrate design looks like something off a mid 70s Dodge pickup. Ugh. The AMX grille was much nicer.
I never knew about the Police Javelins. I’ll bet these things would scoot with the 401. What a great car for darting through the traffic. 🙂
I actually feel the opposite. The AMX grille looks like it’s home made out of screen door mesh, the eggcrate Javelin grille reminds me more of Chevy’s designs, which I’d probably rank the least offensive of this generation. The 71 Javelin grille is the most interesting to look at but “interesting” in the same way a Gremlin or 74 Matador is.
The 1971 Javelin’s grille was the most original of that generation. The center panel stuck out in alignment with the hood crease, but then rest of the grille was so deeply inset that it would have been roomy enough for a possum nest. Do you think that was intentional?
All of the pony cars had fairly long noses, but the Javelin’s was a bit longer because AMC didn’t extend the wheelbase ahead of the cowl nearly as far as Ford did with the Mustang and Cougar. Gotta have that long-hood, short-deck look, no?
AMC designers seemed to lose their nerve when freshening the second-generation Javelin. In addition to copying Chevrolet’s eggcrate grille for 1972, the following year AMC dumped its somewhat distinctive full-length taillights in favor of quads that had more than a vague resemblance to those on a Corvette. Of course, that was a prelude to the 1974 Matador coupe’s huge round quads.
It always seemed to me the Javelin was imitating the Dodge Challenger with its taillights. The 71 and 72 Mimicked the wide one piece 70 Challenger unit with the central reverse light, albeit it with chrome grating added in 72, and the 73-74 mimicked the oblong quads of the 72 Challengers.
The 71 grille is definitely original looking but in the same kind of way the 74 Matador sedan grille treatment was
Seeing a “Deep South” police car from the 1970s only makes me think of “Live and Let Die” – I can hear Sheriff J. W. Pepper
“You picked the WRONG parish to haul ass through boy! NOBODY cuts and runs on Sheriff J.W. PEPPER! And that’s him speakin’ that, by the by!”
Ironically sheriff J.W. Pepper found himself riding shotgun to James Bond in a AMC in the following movie
Excellent article Jason. I remember thinking how cool these were, when I first learned about them as a kid in the 70s. According to an AMC fan site, the town of Muskego, Wisconsin used a small number of stock ’73 and ’74 Javelins for police use.
No spoilers on these squads on a budget.
Good information. I found this picture when looking for pictures for this article. The two gum balls on top threw me; your picture is larger and tells a better story.
Thanks for this as it certainly helps further the story about use of the Javelin.
I really appreciate the saturation AMC had in Wisconsin, and Kenosha in particular. This vintage pic of Kenosha Police (and other AMCs) is classic.
Nash and AMC cop cars have a long tradition in Wisconsin. Remember ’em well.
Not just Wisconsin…the CHP used 401 Matadors for a while. (Even used on Adam-12.)
Not the CHP, LAPD. Boredom, er Adam 12 was about the LAPD. I remember seeing LAPD squads from the early 1950s were also Nash.
As a kid, our neighbor was a WI Highway Patrolman. Every couple of years he’d have a new patrol car. Always AMC except for one Plymouth.
Ya think those two, HUGE bubble gum machines impacted top speed?! 🙂
That is why the CHP resisted putting lights on the roof for decades, just a red spotlight and amber flasher on the rear shelf.
I was stationed in both Calhoun & Madison counties in the late 70s early 80s. These cars were already legend in Alabama by then. Only one I ever saw was at a museum in Talledaga though.
That front overhang is simply far too long.
Wow, very cool, sort of like CHP Mustangs but way before that, a very interesting story. I’ll bet the State Troopers assigned to them felt like Officer Bad Ass whenever they drove it. 🙂
Beautiful car in that clean silver/grey. I would have figured around 10 in the fleet, but 132! Nice piece Jason.
Nice car, although driving around in a vintage police car is a bit too “look at me” for my taste. Probably yours too, or you’d be driving around in a Mayberry police Galaxie.
Still love AMC’s rallye wheel design, they looked great on my 72 Matador 🙂
There is (was) one at the Motorsports Hall of Fame museum at Talladega.
Being a lifelong resident of Alabama, I can’t believe I didn’t think to do an article about these cars. Although this was far before my time, I’ve seen two of them at car shows here and afterwards looked up more information about them. I saw an interview with a former state trooper and he talked about how unstable the cars were in a high speed chase. I think a couple of them actually were crashed in high speed chases if I remember correctly.
Awesome backstory! GREENLIGHT diecast did a great 1/64 scale rendition of this very car!