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Topic starter
18/11/2025 11:28 am
1968, 1969, 1970 and 1971... the zenith of American muscle cars. I was in Thailand and missed a whole lot I'm still finding out. Until I saw this model, I had never heard of this one year only 1970 AMC Rebel "The Machine" all decked out in patriotic red white and blue. The 15" mag style wheels, tires and stance, didn't look like your dad's sedan and with a mean looking functional hood scoop and Pontiac inspired hood mounted tach, it says "look at me! I'm a badass too". The 390 cid V8 had been around a few years and at a stock 340 HP, it certainly offered the performance of a 383 Road Runner. But there's more to the story: the dealer installed "Service Packages" that started with a 400 HP option and ended with the super-dooper " Group 19 V-Code Service Package ". For a mere $500, you got a performance cam shaft, a 959 Holley 4 bbl, valve train components, distributor and Doug Thorley headers that supposedly net out at 472 HP. Was "The Machine" a Hemi killer? I have no idea... I wasn't around. A total of 2326 "Machines" were built in 1970, How many of the buyers opted for one of the different "Service Packages" I may never know. It was all so 'under the radar'.
18/11/2025 12:45 pm
Yes sir, the best enhanced, best photographed 1/18 1970 AMC Rebel in America today, possibly the world! Thanks for painting that red, white, & blue stripe under the grill - I would've done the same. 😏
18/11/2025 1:10 pm
Yes, a pretty dramatic looking "Machine". Although I'm sure you are well aware of it, it's worth noting in passing that Ixo/DeAgostini did a pretty good job of it in 1:43 (and yes, they did the red, white and blue stripes under the grille as well!).
This post was modified 4 months ago by Graeme Ogg
Graeme.M. Ogg
London U.K.
18/11/2025 1:25 pm
"...they did the red, white and blue stripes under the grille..."
Yep! That's a great 1/43 replica! 😎 😎
Topic starter
18/11/2025 2:28 pm
@chris Of all the little things I did, perhaps the biggest impact on the model was toning down the wheels with a wash. The stock look was way too cheap looking shiny.
18/11/2025 4:07 pm
Hemi killer? That depends. Are we talking Woodward Ave or Detroit Dragway? If it's Woodward Ave, everything was a Hemi killer. Detroit Dragway? That's an entirely different script AND result!
19/11/2025 9:55 am
@graeme-ogg Have it, love it. At our State Fair show this year we had a "Machine" and a "Rambler Scrambler" show up. Both were quite the show stoppers.
19/11/2025 10:45 am
@chris Yup...have it and love it. For an inexpensive model IXO D'Agostini rocked this one.
19/11/2025 12:50 pm
What a beautiful automobile and 1/18 diecast replica of it ! I have this one in both white and in red and they both are real stars to display or to photograph.
Rich Sufficool and Tony Perrone reacted