'71 Hornet SST 2D V8 - An unexpected buy

This car was a suprise buy even for me, and I wasn't really planning to buy more AMCs just yet. Then again, you all propably know how these things go. I needed a 304 emblem, SST emblems and some misc parts for my RWB Hornet and the previous owner of the car (Petri Henttula) wasn't at all keen on selling me the parts separately off the car. Well I thought about buying the whole car, but as usual, I was almost broke and he knew what the car was worth. A week later another friend of mine got in touch and was looking for a V8 engine for his recently aquired six Hornet and I got an idea. Petri Henttula had removed the rear (posi AMC-20) and the front brakes (power vented discs) so basically the engine was the only part in the car I could sell off to someone else (since they're not all that hard to find). I haggled a decent price for the car and the engine, and got in touch with both parties. An agreement was made that my friend would get the engine & the broken tranny and I'd the the shell, or whatever was left in the car. A week later we hopped into my friend's van, rented a trailer and went to Turku to get the Hornet. The car was basically intact, minus the afore mentioned axles and some other parts that Petri had needed (taillights, rear panel, V8 v-bar, etc.) but considering the fact that this might be the only ORIGINAL '71 Hornet SST with a V8 engine left in Finland I thought it was a good deal nonetheless.

The 304 & BW M-44 automatic was already taken from the engine bay and all we had to do was load it up in the van and put the Hornet on the trailer and drive home. After unloading I took the emblems off the car (which went to my RWB Hornet) and sold the brake booster/main cylinder to my friend. I checked the interior, which had about 99% of the parts still there. That was a pleasant suprise, even the electrics were 100% original, with no additonal wires anywhere. I also took the interior door emblems and will be installing the to the RWB Hornet sometime during the winter.. Soon after the car was stored outside awaiting for pick-up drive to my folk's summer cabin. When there the car will be stored for later use (I will propably get around to working on the car in a couple years). I'm keeping the car basically intact, and I'm propably installing brake drums and small rear to keep it 'rolling' and easier to move around. I might sell the car, but then again, why would anyone (other than myself) pay money for a 'shell' of a rare and cool looking car.

Update 14.3.2002 I sold the car for 3000FiM to a young AMCer whom started working on it immediately. With the car went axles & other missing parts from a '78 Concord, load of parts (lights, crome, interior, etc) for the project and huge amounts of knowhow (as the car is being worked on in our new 6car garage).