In a quiet corner of Michigan, a piece of American drag racing history has resurfaced after more than half a century in hiding. A rare 1969 AMC AMX, preserved in near-original condition and untouched for 55 years, was recently discovered by the YouTube channel Backyard Barn Finds. The car, number four of just 52 examples built in collaboration with Hurst Performance, is now valued at more than $200,000.
The AMX, once a fierce competitor on the drag strip, has become one of the rarest American muscle cars of its era. What makes this particular example extraordinary is not just its limited production, but its remarkable preservation. The car has only 0.25 miles on its odometer—essentially new despite being purchased in 1970.
The car’s original owner, identified as Jim, purchased it from a Michigan dealership and kept it stored safely ever since. To deter theft, he removed the engine shortly after buying it, ensuring no one could drive it away. The move preserved both the car’s originality and its value. The original powertrain, a key part of its authenticity, remains intact and accompanies the vehicle today.
Still wearing its factory Frost White paint, the AMX shows only minimal aging and a few period modifications typical of late-1960s racers. Despite minor surface rust and some replaced front components, the car’s body and structure remain remarkably well-preserved, a testament to decades of careful storage.
As one of the few surviving examples to emerge from Hurst’s Royal Oak operations, this AMX stands as a genuine time capsule from the golden age of drag racing. With an asking price of $211,000, it represents not just a collector’s dream, but a rare opportunity to own a perfectly preserved chapter of American motorsport history.
