Park an AMC Hornet and AMC Concord side-by-side and you tell me that the Concord deserved to be called a “new” car. AMC didn’t have a budget strong enough to take on the upcoming Fox sedans from Ford or the downsized A/G body cars from General Motors, so they did what they did best: stretched the budget as far as they could and made do with what they had. Which meant that the Hornet, the stalwart from 1970, got a nose job and a new hind end, and some small updates hear and there, and suddenly, BAM!…new car. At least it worked…AMC moved plenty of these along until they dropped the Concord in favor of the Eagle series (good) and the Renault Medallion (bad). 
Unless you’re absolutely turned off by the nose and tail, there is no reason for an AMC fan to turn away a Concord packing a 360 V8. AMC’s sincere attempt at a “junior supercar” in the vein of the Maverick Grabber or the 340 Duster was the SC/360. With only 784 examples made before insurance companies turned the heat on, the SC/360 is a rare piece. But what’s stopping you from building your own? Here’s a Concord with a 360, A904 automatic, and a stripe layout that echoes past AMCs like the Rebel “The Machine”. I’ve yet to meet an AMC 360 that wasn’t a snotty little bastard of an engine, and in a car the size of this Concord, it’s not about looks, but about how you’ll feel driving it. You aren’t going to save this thing, are you? Hell no you won’t, and that’s the point. You’ll drive this Concord through the ground, enjoying every chance you get to put that tachometer to good use.
Craigslist Link: 1978 American Motors Concord
This was the last year to use this body for the AMX before going to the Spirit in 1979. The only problem is 1978 is the only year they used this nose and back side treatment.
They had a 1978 AMX on CL for less than $3K and was in decent shape.
And yes call me weird but I like this body style.
Weirdo! No wait it is a cool car, I’d drive it no hesitation.
I’d lose the stripes and drive the hell out of it.
My high school car was a low mileage 1970 RWB Rebel Machine. Sold it in 76 for $2200 and thought i was rich. Its now in Milwaukee valued at $50k. Guess this Concord could be my white trash millionaire replacement.