Lowes Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina, the location of this year's Food Lion AutoFair, hosted the Tom Mack Auction at which this 1,700-mile AMC Pacer pulled an incredible $12,000, one of several AMC records set as the collection of AMC collector Steve Green was spread to the wind.

I'm sitting in the airport in Charlotte, having spent the weekend visiting the last AMC dealership and covering the Food Lion 3-day AutoFair at Lowes Motor Speedway with my editor from Cars and Parts, Brad Bowling. Brad's the author of the definitive book on Saleen Mustangs, The Saleen Book: 20 Years of Saleen Mustangs 1984-2003. Part of the AutoFair was an auction of cars from the stable of noted AMC collector Steve Green, conducted by Tom Mack on Friday and Saturday. The collection included more than 50 low-mileage AMC cars from the sixties, seventies, and eighties sold with no reserve. Mr. Green, who is now disabled, is no longer able to maintain the collection to his exacting standards, thus its sale to other AMC fans able to continue his traditions. While many of the cars were pedestrian Gremlins, Hornets, Matador and Ambassadors sedans and station wagons, almost all featured exceptionally low mileage. The highlights of the auction included a 1974 Javelin with just 1,300 miles (stored 20+ years in a salt mine) and the last Matador built, a one-off white-on-white coupe built for AMC's highly respected Vice President of Styling Dick Teague.

While I was interested in a two-tone white/silver 1977 Hornet Sportabout station wagon that ultimately gaveled for $4,800--about twice what it was really worth in my opinion--the world record prices included $28,000 for Dick Teague's Matador and $33,500 for the Maxi Blue 1974 Javelin.

As any AMC fan knows, Dick Teague joined AMC in 1959 after previous stops at GM, Packard, and Chrysler along the way. He was the primary stylist for the landmark 1963-1964 Rambler Classic and Ambassador lines as well as the 1964 American. He was AMC's Vice President of Styling from 1961 until he retired in 1983. He is also well known for his influence on many later AMC designs including a number of acclaimed concept vehicles as well as the Gremlin, both generations of the 4-seat Javelin, the Matador coupe, and his masterpiece, the mid-engined AMX/3.

Prior to the start of the auction, there was a lot of discussion about what the 1974 Javelin might bring. With just 1,300 miles on the clock, an absolutely perfect cloth and vinyl interior (check out the engine-turned dash trim), and still sporting its original hoses, clamps, muffler, wheels, and Goodyear Polyglas tires, the car was something of a wild card. Obviously a Mustang, Camaro or almost any other legitimate muscle car in similar condition with 1,300 miles would be expected to pull into six figures. But this was an AMC, and the bidding stalled at $33,500. At that point the gavel fell and it became the possession of Grant Miller of Grant's Classic Cars in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. I just spoke with Grant on the phone and he told Automotive Traveler the car will be featured on his website and will be a featured attraction in his museum. In my opinion, if ever a vintage car was worth its selling price, this was the car.

As expected, we have already started a gallery of images from the Tom Mack AMC auction. Over the next couple of days, as they are edited, more images will be posted to the Automotive Traveler image gallery from my weekend in North Carolina so stop back and check to see some true AMC time capsules as well as many other unique cars showcased at the 2009 Spring Food Lion AutoFair.

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