One of Five? 1970 AMC Rebel Machine Flaunts Rare Color, Survivor Status

I highly recommend reading our "5 Badass AMC Muscle Cars That Deserve More Respect" story for notable examples, but I'm here to talk about a specific vehicle: the Rebel Machine.

Introduced for the 1970 model year, it was a spiritual successor to the 1969 SC/Rambler. I say "spiritual" because, unlike the SC/Rambler, it was developed with drag racing in mind. The Rebel Machine was designed as a high-volume, street-legal intermediate. But it featured a similar patriotic livery in white, blue, and red.

Developed in collaboration with Hurst Performance, the Rebel relied on the already tried-and-true 390-cubic-inch (6.4-liter) V8 that AMC introduced in the AMX. Fitted with new cylinder heads, a high-flow dual-plane intake, and larger exhaust manifolds, the mill delivered 340 horsepower and 430 pound-feet (583 Nm) of torque. 

The Rebel Machine is highly recognized due to its striking color scheme that combines Frost White, Electric Blue Poly, and red stripes. But although this was the only color choice available when AMC began accepting orders in October 1969, the Rebel Machine received a proper color palette starting in January 1970.

Customers had access to 14 hues in early 1970, but AMC added another six before the model year ended. By January, AMC had sold about 1,000 examples. With a total production estimated at 2,326 units, over 1,000 Rebel Machines were potentially ordered in a solid color. I say "potentially" because there are no official production statistics based on exterior colors.

However, vehicles finished in hues other than the tri-color livery are rare. The same goes for the vinyl top that was optionally available with a solid color. The Rebel Machine you see here doesn't have a vinyl top, but it's one of those examples that was ordered in a solid hue. This one left the assembly line in one of AMC's most iconic colors, Big Bad Orange.

The muscle car popped up for sale in Nashville, Tennessee, and it has a few feats to brag about. It's believed to be one of only five cars painted Big Bad Orange, and, according to the owner, it's also an unrestored survivor with a numbers-matching drivetrain. 

If all of this is true, we're looking at a proper time capsule and arguably one of the finest Rebel Machines ever to hit the market. Unsurprisingly, the owner wants big bucks to let it go. He's asking $72,500, which is notably higher than the current auction average for restored examples, listed at $46,200 by Classic.com.

But it's not an unheard amount for a Rebel Machine. As of this writing, five examples crossed the block for more than that, and two fetched over $100,000. The current record is $145,750, established in 2022. All these cars sport the more common tri-color paint scheme. Is this Big Bad Orange muscle car worth $72K?