I believe this is one image AMC honchos would have liked to see more of, a bunch of rebellious young folk swarming around their not-so-rebellious, and not-too-well-selling Rebel SST hardtop.
Not much context was given to the photo by the source, other than being taken in Florida in ’69. The SST does look pretty new, and those palm trees don’t suggest Ohio, so I’m gonna take that information as true.
As for the picture itself, is a leftover from my recent Snapshots of Florida post that I felt should stand on its own. The group looks like a rather lively bunch, and oddly, those Clark Kent-types look like twins (?) Meanwhile, the white car parked further to the right looks Marlin-esque. Could it be? Or am I having too much AMC on my mind?
As for the Rebel, its lines dated to the 1967 restyle, and in hardtop form, only moved 5,405 units for the year. Not the greatest of results, but elsewhere the company was already shifting tactics. The Javelin arrived for ’69 as well, putting a far better show in presenting AMC as ‘rebellious.’
Related reading:
Cohort Outtake: 1969 AMC Rebel SST – Rebel With Rather Little Cause
It’s a 1968-69 Florida license plate issued in Broward County (10 prefix) if this site is correct.
https://www.floridalicenseplates.com/detail.php?c=10
I would guess it’s a family/extended family group, dad behind the wheel, mom possibly the shorter figure on the right, two sons who look about alike, and a couple of their friends.
Personally I wouldn’t get a black vinyl roof in Florida, air conditioning or not!
That isn’t a bad looking car from that angle at all. Love the color but it needs to drop those wheel covers and get something more appropriate. Just changing those would really help the image in a couple of ways. Poor AMC. Remind me of Mercury where their biggest hit was the Cougar and for AMC the Javelin. All full size Mercs were produced in small numbers as well as AMC more so. However, the full size Mercs were good driving cars and now I am learning the same about an AMC one.
I like this .
-Nate
Hi Rich,
Great articles and outstanding articles. Please keep doing what you’re doing. Awesome memories. Thank You So much. My father had a 1964 Chevy Impala with a spotlight on the driver’s side. Everybody in the neighborhood thought he was a cop. His constant crew cut and Buddy Holly glasses helped that image.
Louie – Chicago
This may be the best i’ve ever seen an AMC product look. The Rebel was such a handsome car when it debuted; what happened? It didn’t help that this basic body style was built for 12 years. In any case, this is a vastly more attractive car than the Matador coupe that replaced it in 1974.
I can’t quite figure out the pictured scenario – odd mix of shirtless with swim trunks (or gym shorts?) and somewhat formal long-sleeved outfits.
Also, what is that red thing at the left? Not a jack stand, not a toolbox, too big/heavy for a step stool.
I inherited some old sawhorses/scaffolding similar to that but taller. I don’t know what good they’d be at the beach. Fishing?
Notice the “70 Rebel” in the “ad” is completely devoid of any trim, panache..lol Makes our “70, SST” look right “flashy”.
The “69” in the lead pic makes ours look like a “fleet car”.