Photo: Motorcar Classics
While the current S650 seventh generation 2024 Ford Mustang kicks off at an MSRP of $30,920 (sans destination) with the 315-hp EcoBoost inline-four turbo mill, this old-school AMC Marlin personal luxury car is a negotiable $29,900.
But first, what is an AMC Marlin, and why does it almost look like a Dodge Charger? Well, for starters, in nature, marlins are a family of fish with long bodies, signature spear-like snouts, and a rigid dorsal fin that comes forward like a crest. They are among the fastest creatures of the sea, can change their color by lighting up the stripes just before attacking prey, and are very popular sporting fish in tropical areas, which is also why the well-known Atlantic blue marlin and the white marlin are in danger due to excess fishing – everyone wants to catch the biggest examples, which can reach up to 16 feet (5 meters) in length and some 1,400 to 1800 pounds, or up to 820 kg!
However, in the automotive world, the Marlin is way lesser known than its cousin, the Barracuda – a large, ray-finned predatory fish well known for its ferocious style and fearsome design. Of course, we are not only talking about the real fish but also the Plymouth Barracuda, a two-door pony car manufactured by the Chrysler Corporation between 1964 and 1974. The 'Cuda is best known thanks to its third and final generation from 1970 to 1974, when it shed its Valiant connection in favor of the E-body shared with the Dodge Challenger but with no styling giveaways.
On the other hand, the AMC Marlin – first known as the Rambler Marlin – was a two-door fastback hardtop coupe with no middle pillars that became the halo car for the American Motors Corporation from 1965 to 1967. It was marketed as a personal luxury car, and today, even if people see one, they might mistake it for the Dodge Charger – although back in the day, it actually competed with the latter directly, albeit with a bigger emphasis on personal luxury. In fact, it was only in 1987 that Chrysler acquired American Motors Corporation because the former CEO, Lee Iacocca, wanted the Jeep brand, and the engineering and management talent of AMC was later a critical component of Chrysler's continued success.
Back to the AMC Marlin, this is a 1967 example offered for sale by New York-based Motorcar Classics. It is a second-generation model easily distinguishable from the other iterations because of its vertically stacked dual-round headlights. It was also larger and less angular than its predecessors, and it seems that as few as 2,545 examples were produced for the 1966 and 1967 model years. Obviously, this 1967 AMC Marlin is a rare find and "one of the very few surviving examples." According to the dealer's description, we could easily summarize its goals as "a two-door fastback automobile that was marketed as a personal luxury car (and) designed to offer a blend of sportiness and luxury, aiming to compete with similar models from other manufacturers. It was characterized by its unique fastback roofline, spacious interior, and, for the time, a range of engine options that catered to both performance-oriented buyers and those seeking more economical transportation."
The catch is simple – while AMC offered the Marlin with a variety of engines, including 290 ci and 343 ci V8s, the base model featured a 232 ci inline-six with just 155 horsepower. This is the model up for grabs, "the economical base model" with the 232 and a column-mounted three-speed manual transmission. The flip side of the coin is that it looks marvelous – the crimson paintjob is complimented by numerous white accents, and the car is also upgraded with aftermarket wheels shod in meaty tires and packs Willwood front disc brakes. There's also a new exhaust system, but in return, sports, the original AM radio, plus "Marlin's handsome fastback styling makes it unmistakable in any display of 1960's cars, and the old-school three on the tree shifter makes for a very nostalgic driving experience."
The best thing is that the dealership only wants fewer than $30k for this AMC Marlin – a price that's lesser than even a Mustang pony car with an inline-four under the hood. Taking that into account, along with the beautiful crimson interior plus the 83085-mile reading on the odometer, it's probably a bargain for a discerning collector looking to build a garage filled with rare finds rather than run-of-the-mill classics. Of course, maybe that's not the perfect AMC match for you. No worries, for that cash, you can always shop around the dealer's inventory for something like a 1997 Bentley Brooklands with 88k miles if you're feeling extra-focused on premium stuff or a 1977 Cadillac Eldorado with less than 28k miles on the odometer if you're set on having something with just two doors. So, which is your favorite – this 1967 AMC Marlin or one of the other options we just told you about?
However, in the automotive world, the Marlin is way lesser known than its cousin, the Barracuda – a large, ray-finned predatory fish well known for its ferocious style and fearsome design. Of course, we are not only talking about the real fish but also the Plymouth Barracuda, a two-door pony car manufactured by the Chrysler Corporation between 1964 and 1974. The 'Cuda is best known thanks to its third and final generation from 1970 to 1974, when it shed its Valiant connection in favor of the E-body shared with the Dodge Challenger but with no styling giveaways.
On the other hand, the AMC Marlin – first known as the Rambler Marlin – was a two-door fastback hardtop coupe with no middle pillars that became the halo car for the American Motors Corporation from 1965 to 1967. It was marketed as a personal luxury car, and today, even if people see one, they might mistake it for the Dodge Charger – although back in the day, it actually competed with the latter directly, albeit with a bigger emphasis on personal luxury. In fact, it was only in 1987 that Chrysler acquired American Motors Corporation because the former CEO, Lee Iacocca, wanted the Jeep brand, and the engineering and management talent of AMC was later a critical component of Chrysler's continued success.
Back to the AMC Marlin, this is a 1967 example offered for sale by New York-based Motorcar Classics. It is a second-generation model easily distinguishable from the other iterations because of its vertically stacked dual-round headlights. It was also larger and less angular than its predecessors, and it seems that as few as 2,545 examples were produced for the 1966 and 1967 model years. Obviously, this 1967 AMC Marlin is a rare find and "one of the very few surviving examples." According to the dealer's description, we could easily summarize its goals as "a two-door fastback automobile that was marketed as a personal luxury car (and) designed to offer a blend of sportiness and luxury, aiming to compete with similar models from other manufacturers. It was characterized by its unique fastback roofline, spacious interior, and, for the time, a range of engine options that catered to both performance-oriented buyers and those seeking more economical transportation."
The catch is simple – while AMC offered the Marlin with a variety of engines, including 290 ci and 343 ci V8s, the base model featured a 232 ci inline-six with just 155 horsepower. This is the model up for grabs, "the economical base model" with the 232 and a column-mounted three-speed manual transmission. The flip side of the coin is that it looks marvelous – the crimson paintjob is complimented by numerous white accents, and the car is also upgraded with aftermarket wheels shod in meaty tires and packs Willwood front disc brakes. There's also a new exhaust system, but in return, sports, the original AM radio, plus "Marlin's handsome fastback styling makes it unmistakable in any display of 1960's cars, and the old-school three on the tree shifter makes for a very nostalgic driving experience."
The best thing is that the dealership only wants fewer than $30k for this AMC Marlin – a price that's lesser than even a Mustang pony car with an inline-four under the hood. Taking that into account, along with the beautiful crimson interior plus the 83085-mile reading on the odometer, it's probably a bargain for a discerning collector looking to build a garage filled with rare finds rather than run-of-the-mill classics. Of course, maybe that's not the perfect AMC match for you. No worries, for that cash, you can always shop around the dealer's inventory for something like a 1997 Bentley Brooklands with 88k miles if you're feeling extra-focused on premium stuff or a 1977 Cadillac Eldorado with less than 28k miles on the odometer if you're set on having something with just two doors. So, which is your favorite – this 1967 AMC Marlin or one of the other options we just told you about?
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