In the year 2018 it is hard to be unique in the automotive world. It is hard to have something that people either cannot identify or simply gawk at in wonder. If you buy this 1978 AMC Matador Barcelona you’ll be both of those things wherever you show up. The car is almost 100% bone stock outside of a set of Year One wheels that are essentially overgrown Dodge rally examples. The Barcelona was an upscale, luxo edition of the Matador and this car’s paint is factory, the roof is factory, and the garish interior is also factory. Oh, the 360ci engine is factory to the bone and it looks like it was dropped into the car yesterday.
We have had some Matadors on BangShift before but this car is unique in its level of cool. Nothing looks like an AMC Matador, the way the headlights are half in the grill and half in the hood, the second-gen Camaro-esque windshield rake and roofline, the old strip club interior, and the classy red on red paint make this thing interesting. There are a couple of photos that seem to indicate that the seller has more than a few cars including an early Pontiac GTO. The person who owns this thing likes cars and they have unique taste.
So often we see people trying to build something to be “different”. Welp, someone could pony up and score this Pro Luxury Matador and warm that factory 360 up, leave the whore house interior and be the belle of the ball at whatever cruise they rolled into.
You may love it, you may hate it but at the end of the day you cannot deny the fact that it is different and it at least made you look.
eBay: This weirdly awesome 1978 AMC Matador Barcelona is faux touring done right
Ahhhhh, Ummmmm, and the MISSING front bumper?
“Look into my eyes – you are going to pay a million dollars for me.”
The only car ever made that can hypnotize you with those brig goofy headlamps.
I’ve started this little game “Who wrote it?” when I see a Bangshift article on various cars for sale.
Lohnes, you fooled me. I would have bet money it was a McTaggart article. 🙂
…HEY!
Same model of car is for sale locally, same color combo even. Far worse condition for $1100. Check it out…https://skagit.craigslist.org/cto/d/1978-amc-matador-barcelona/6628727978.html
Wish it were mine! Once the hideous monstrosity of a front bumper comes off, the cool factor on these cars goes way up.
Rumor was that the original concept of this had flip-up headlights. Imagine this car without those silly circle headlights up front.
Yes, the head.lights just kill it. And that bumper wasn’t a great help
Those were the ugliest things back in the day . And I don’t mean just the Barcelona ones . But once you jerk off those hideous bumpers front and rear and that half vinyl top it looks alot like a pinafinn designed Ferrari Daytona.
I was loaned a 1970 Ambassador SST. That car hauled ass as you watched the needle on the fuel gauge drop to empty. Seemed the low fuel light was always on.
My favorite car to beat up on! My cousin had one, let’s see; Ugly from every angle- check. Horrible gas mileage-check. No power-check. Cheesy self destroying interior and dash controls-check. What a great car to invest time & money on!
Screw you guys, Matadors are cool. Now BS I’m gonna need ya’ll to stop telling everyone otherwise I may become cookie cutter.
I can remember when these were new. It seemed such a bold design, especially for AMC.
Then something funny happened. It seemed to get ugly and weird within a couple months. Sort of like shag carpeting.
GMC should have paid attention to this when introducing the Aztek.