1978 AMC Matador Barcelona

This 1978 AMC Matador Barcelona  was purchased about 3-4 years ago by a collector of orphan cars. His collection spans many years and many of the "orphan marques", such as Nash, Kaiser, Packard, Studebaker, DMC, etc.. He had never owned a big Matador and when the chance came up to snag one for the collection, he jumped on it.  His collection is quite fluid and sometimes he may own a car for many years and other times, he gets out, enjoys the car and then decides it's time to let someone else enjoy it, so he brings me in to find the car a new home.

The Barcelona edition was a specialty edition that reportedly they only made a few thousand of. The interior featured Velveteen Crush reclining seats, as large and comfy as your Grandma's sofa. The Barcelona had special embroidered inlay, only on the Barcelona and also included custom door panels and head liner, again, only on the Barcelona. The Barcelona was also the upscale version of the Matador, which meant it came with AC, Cruise Control,  plush carpets, Power Steering, Power brakes (discs in front and drums out back), it also came stock with the 360 2V V8 engine and 3 speed automatic transmission turning 2.87-1 gears for great highway cruising and gas mileage.

The Barcelona was only available in two color combinations and this one is offered in Sand Tan with the padded, vinyl landau roof and two tone paint and stripes. There is evidence that some of the paint has been touched up.

This car has 73,000 miles on it and needed nothing mechanical when it came into his collection. Fluids were changed, new tires were added,  new fuel filter and other items were safety checked.

The 360 starts easily, and has a low rumble, unfortunately, there is a slight exhaust manifold gasket leak on the right side. The engine runs and idles smoothly.

Shift into drive and the car moves off like a yacht from a dock. The car just floats along .. gazing out over the expansive hood. All while sitting in your Lazyboy sofa. 

The horn, lights, blinkers, AM /FM radio, gauges, wipers, fan, all work, the AC does not work nor does the cruise control. The cruise may be a vacuum issue and the AC probably needs an upgrade to R134, unless you can find someone who will recharge with the original R12.

Overall condition is good to very good. The body is rust free as is the underside, with just minor surface corrosion on suspension bits, however, oddly enough there is a rot hole through the right side of the rear bumper.

The interior is also in the same condition. The car came to the current owner from South Carolina where it had been for quite some time. They had installed a "protective" carpet pad over the dash .. while the dash is not cracked, is a little warped.

What you have a is a vehicle that runs and drives well (for a 70's era land yacht) and when taken out to any cruise night or car show, will be the talk of the show as it will be the only one there.

This is a super inexpensive way into the collector car, enthusiast world.

It needs a little work (exhaust gasket, a deep cleaning, buff the paint) and take her out and enjoy. Then one can slowly look into other things like getting the cruise fixed and/or the AC, sourcing a new rear bumper and having it painted, etc.

The asking price on this The Man with the Golden Gun mobile is just $10,500.

Any questions, to schedule a time to see her in person, or simply to make an offer,

please don't hesitate to contact me.

Thanks for the interest!

Per CT statute, all sales are As Is, Where Is.

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