Bonkers ‘Banacek’ 1969 AMC AMX Sold For $143,000
Someone really likes window louvers.
A custom 1969 AMC AMX that crossed the block at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction was sold for $143,000.
George Barris originally built the car for AMC as a promotional vehicle and called in the AMX 400.
It features a 4.5-inch chop, raked windshield and custom body that extended the nose by 15 inches.
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The car was featured in the short-lived 1970s TV series “Banacek” that starred George Peppard as a private investigator in Boston.
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The vehicle was further customized for show to become the Phoenix ESV (Experimental Safety Vehicle), which was stolen from a train during a episode.
Its 390 cubic-inch V8 breathes through side exhaust pipes and the rear window is covered with louvres that stretch down to the bumper.
The Phoenix ESV was valued at $5 million and Banacek was hired by an insurance company to find it before the claim on it had to be paid.
Features included a stability control system that made it nearly impossible to crash and a giant front bumper in case it did anyway.
The car was later restored to its original Barris styling and has been through a few owners and museums over the years, putting 3,328 indicated miles on the odometer.
According to Barrett-Jackson, it was the last car Barris built during the 1960s and features his autograph on the dashboard.
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Banacek himself drove something that was a bit more classic at the time.
His 1941 Packard Custom Super Eight One Eighty was featured in the opening credits and two were used in the making of the show, one of which was auctioned by RM Sotheby’s in 2019 for $373,000.
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