TIMELINE of the AMC "AMX/K” “AMX/3” “BMW E18” project and notes of important dates for people involved in the project, and each car. This timeline helps establish reported information as possible, probable or simply impossible. This timeline and the photo evolution timeline page are the most definitive fact check on reporting of the project, cars and chassis:
- May 1967 AMC gave Richard “Dick” Teague, the head of design at American Motors, and Bob Nixon, his chief designer, are given the go-ahead to propose a mid-engined prototype. The project was called AMX/K and it convinced AMC management of the idea to actually produce a mid-engined sports car, the AMX/3.
- 1967 the original clay model of the AMX/K-AMX/3 is under development. By late 1967 the familiar AMX/3 shape has taken form in clay at the AMC Design Center.
- March 1968, Meyers and Teague went to the Geneva Motor Show to meet Giorgetto Giugiaro of ItalDesign and to ask him for a design shape proposal.
- April thru November 1968 AMC photos show the development progression in detail of the clay in-house presentations of the AMX/K-AMX/3 design. The actual design team included Bob Nixon, Jack Kenitz, Eric Kugler, Dick Jones and Gary Guichard plus clay modelers Chuck Hosper, Keith Goodnough, and Howard Clark.
- 1968 as the AMX/K project continues, Fred Hudson and Bob Nixon execute the AMX/2 design from a shape sketched by Richard Teague staff member Jack Kenitz from a photo of the AMX/3 clay design, which is intended as a "teaser" project to create consumer interest in a mid-engine two seater without giving away the actual design of the AMX/3.
- AMC was looking for ways to outsource the engineering and production of the new AMX/3 car. Reported that AMC hired Karmann was to oversee the AMX/K project and Karmann commissioned ItalDesign to manage the project. ItalDesign (Giugiaro) commissioned Bizzarrini to develop the chassis for the first car probably some time in mid-late November 1968. It appears Karmann was not involved with anything during the project. Diomante stated that it was Karmann who commissioned ItalDesign to manage the project and that it was in turn Giugiaro who commissioned Bizzarrini to develop the chassis for the first cars.
- Reported that Hal Siegel of AMC handed the initial job of creating the first prototype body to Sergio Coggiola of Carrozzeria Coggiola in Torino. Coggiola started the body/chassis but backed out and left the first body/chassis unfinished so Siegel turned the job over to Bizzarrini and Diomante. (Confirmation of this report is needed from another source but note H. H. Siegel at AMC sold Cars #2 and #4 to Jerry Werden in March '71.)
- 3rd quarter of 1968 Bizzarrini S.p.A. has to close down for financial reasons, and a trustee is appointed for the bankruptcy.
- 3rd quarter of 1968 Salvatore Diomante establishes AutoOfficina SD in the 1965-1968 Bizzarrini S.P.A. Livorno factory and begins the process of purchasing all Bizzarrini tooling, parts and inventory out of the Bizzarrini S.P.A. bankruptcy.
- October 1968 ItalDesign Giugiaro with help from Bizzarrini and Diomante, complete the Manta. The car is presented at the 50th Salone dell'Automobile in Turin, Oct 30th - Nov 10 1968.
- November 1968 the Giorgetto Giugiaro Styrofoam proposal arrived at AMC headquarters for the AMX/3 design competition, which is more a confirmation than a competition.
- November 1968 a fiberglass mold is taken off the clay AMX/K. A fiberglass shell is created and sent to Italy.
- December 5, 1968 Bizzarrini first meetings with KONI engineers with drawing of the front shocks.
- December 24, 1968 Bizzarrini drawings for the front springs for KONI.
- December 1969 the fiberglass shell of the AMX/K arrives in Italy for Diomante to use to create the wooden buck to produce the steel prototypes.
- January 30, 1969 Bizzarrini drawings for the rear springs and shock absorber for KONI.
- February 1969 the fiberglass mockup concept AMX/2 is shown at the Chicago Auto show. This is a "teaser" project to draw publicity for the forthcoming AMX/3.
- March 1969, BMW and AMC signed a $1.5 million DM contract (about $800k USD) to test the quality of the Italian prototypes, improve them and verify its performance. BMW Project E18.
- April 1969 the steel prototype Car #1 is nearing completion at Diomante's shop.
- June 1969 the first prototype Car #1 is sent to BMW for testing. "BMW engineers found the scope of the tested prototype No. 1 to be far too weak and yielding." The first prototype is built in Via della Padula in Livorno by Autofficina SD but it was finished by the crew of Diomante at BMW factory and driven by July '69. The second prototype Car #2 is built at ItalDesign in Nichelino, Torino by ItalDesign and Bizzarrini. The third Car is also constructed along with the second.
- July 25, 1969 The custom pre- and final silencers were developed under special order SK 5998.01 and SK 5998.02 by Friedrich Boysen GmbH & Co. KG of Altensteig, Germany. Engineers at Boysen kindly provided scans of the original production drawings for these commissions.
- Around this time Gerry Meyers is reported to have driven Car#1 in Germany (or Italy) and I believe these are the Chris Zinn photos of Gerry.
- October 15-23, 1969 BMW exchanged the Girling system on prototype Car #1 with German ATE components. The work was performed at Alfred Teves (ATE). and included the installation of a larger master cylinder, dual vacuum operated brake boosters T50-29-11 (subsequent cars were to receive single T51 boosters), four-piston calipers M4-40 and ventilated discs in the front, and twin L38 two-piston calipers in the rear. The handbrake handle was taken from a BMW E3/E9 (Bavaria/CS coupé).
- December 5, 1969 BMW test report the torsional rigidity “of prototype No. 2” noted that the AMX/3 had a 50 percent higher stiffness compared to a benchmark Mercedes-Benz model.
- February 1970 Diomante moves his business from Livorno and starts Autocostruzioni SD in Moncalieri. Giotto operates under the corporate name Z2 and operates as an external consultant for Autocostruzioni SD. Car #2 is finished and chassis 6-9 are built at Autocostruzioni SD. I believe Car #3 was finished at Autofficina SD for the March '70 Rome press release.
- March 23rd 1970 press unveiling of Car #3 in Rome. Cavalieri Hilton Hotel. Rome Colosseum and official AMC press release is distributed.
- End of March 1970 car #3 imported to AMC
- April 3rd 1970 US press release at the Waldorf Hotel in New York of the fiberglass AMX/3 Pushmobile.
- April 5th 1970 New York Auto Show the fiberglass mockup AMX/3 push-mobile is shown.
- April 10, 1970 The last available BWM test & development report: “due to lack of test specimens / cancellation of the BMW development program by AMC as per [BMW] internal note dated January 7, 1970”.
- April/May/June 1970 I'm guessing was the timeframe of the Car #2 Monza testing by Bizzarrini. Diomante was building Cars #4 & #6 and Chassis #7, #8 and #9 during this timeframe. Apparently the Car/Chassis #5 was set aside unfinished during this timeframe with the design evolutions being incorporated in Car #4 & #6.
- June 1970 the AMX/3 #3 appears in Motor Trend and Road & Track.
- June 12th 1970 Mark Donohue test AMX/3 Car #3 for four hours at Michigan International Speedway. Test stated the next car (Car #5) was due in the US in 60 days, meaning August 1970, which never happened most likely because Car #4 received the design changes and wasn't ready until October 1970, making the second Car #5 obsolete when it was completed.
- June 25th 1970 AMC photos document the design changes of the raised cowling area to conceal the wipers. This development was used on Cars 4, 6 and 7.
- July 1970 (Reported as summer 1970) the AMC fully funded production was halted by AMC. Late in 1970, Bizzarrini and AMC agreed to AMC committing to supplying parts for 30 cars, AMC purchasing 10 at reportedly $6000 each, and Bizzarrini marketing/selling 20 on his own with Bizzarrini funding construction costs. AMC did fund the completion of Car #5 around June, and also Car #4 for the October Turin show, but the remainder of the project was officially halted pending the Bizzarrini agreement to continue the project. This never happened and Bizzarrini never constructed any Sciabola cars on his own. Everything created from the project was commissioned by AMC.
- July 1970 AMX/3 fiberglass concept appears in Car Life magazine from the April NY Auto Show.
- October 1970 AMX/3 #3 appears in Popular Mechanics magazine along with the 1971 AMC full line of cars.
- Oct 28 1970 Turin Car Show AMC displays Car #4 at the 52nd Salone dell'Automobile Oct 28 - Nov 8 1970 Turin Italy.
- Oct/Nov 1970 AMC Annual report states "The AMX/3, now being tested is the first domestically designed mid-engine sports car".
- January 1971 Car #5 appears in the Italian magazine QUATTRORUOTE issue 181 for a road test by the magazine. First published use of the name "Sciabola" by Bizzarrini.
- February 1971 Car #6 appears in Italian magazine "iO" shows Car #6 constructed but unfinished, painted silver/light-blue and Car #1 in green with primer spots similar condition to the 10/72 Diomante photo of Car #1.
- 1971 March 30th AMC agrees to sell Jerry Werden and William P. Demichieli car #4 and car #2 for $15,000. Agreement states for Werden to pay Autocostruzioni SD all shipping and import fees. See AMC letter. Jerry Werden stated he knew Roy Chapin from a previous quote for consulting work and when he saw the first AMC AMX/3 (or AMX/2) mock-up, he reached out to Chapin in an attempt to purchase the first available AMX/3. AMC fully canceled the project sometime after the Turin '70 show ended in Nov. AMC sold Cars #2 and #4 to Werden end of March '71. My guess is AMC needed cash that badly at that time, yet AMC did not shut down the project entirely. Car #1 and Car #5 along with all 28 remaining transaxles stayed with Diomante/Bizzarrini until 1973. Still awaiting original documentation to surface of exact dates and sequence of events that took place in shutting down the AMC project.
- September 1971 "Car" Magazine does an article on the AMX/3 project and it appears to be from summer, perhaps July 1971. This appears to be when AMC sent the letter ending the project.
- Nov 26th 1971 Cars #2 and #4 are finally imported to the USA. Summer 1971 is when I believe it became apparent that Bizzarrini would not be funding any production, ending the AMC commitment of the project, yet AMC did not import Cars 1 & 5 plus 28 transaxles to the U.S. until '73. See the import document from Autocostruzioni SD for Cars #2 .
- Oct 1972 dated photo outside the Diomante Moncalieri shop shows unfinished Car #1 in green, still in Italy.
- 1972 March Giotto Bizzarrini returns to Iso to build the prototype of the Varedo, a design by Ercole Spada, built on a modified and lightened AMX/3 chassis #8 as a head start. The body consists entirely of glass fiber reinforced plastic. The car is presented at the 54th Turin Motor Show November 1-12 1972.
- Late '72 William P. Demichieli sells Car #2 to James E. Silvey.
- 1973 (or after Oct 1972) Car #1 Imported to AMC by Teague design team. Originally green and Dick Teague had the car painted bright yellow in 1973. Car #1 came from Italy unfinished with no motor, transaxle, brake system, wheels, and miscellaneaus interior items and gauges missing. The braking system is completely not there. Dick Teague later donated a transaxle to the owner. Reported Teague purchased 28 OTO Melara 4MXPD transaxle for $4,000 around this time for storage fees in La Spezia, Italy.
- 1973 Car #5, I believe this is when it was imported to the U.S. Called "the last running prototype" to AMC/Teague. It appears to have gone into storage untouched until 1978 when Teague purchased it from AMC.
- 1973 Oct 31 AMX/3 Push-mobile fiberglass mockup is donated to the Rippey's Veteran Car Museum, Denver CO. Metallic Green at that time. I believe this is when AMC also got rid of the AMX/2.
- 1973, Salvatore Diomante moves Autocostruzione S.D. from Moncalieri to Nichelino.
- 1973 or around this time, Teague paints the yellow pushmobile green, the green #1 is painted yellow, and the red #3 is painted silver-blue and the silver #5 is painted black. This is when Teague labeled Cars #1 and #5 AMX/III instead of AMX/3. Apparently, Teague preferred Roman numerals. The 03/17/1970 Zinn photo of the clay mockup still under development is also interestingly labeled AMX/III.
- 1973 (or later) Car #1 is sold by AMC/Teague to Scotty Dawkins.
- 1974 Dutch Classic Auto Auction sells the AMX/2 to Norm Kurtz of Twin Pine Auto Sales of Ephrara, PA where it is placed on a pole as an advertising gimmick.
- 1976 AMX/3 #6 appears at the Turin Car Show, now red, as a marketing tool labeled "Sciabola" in an attempt to help OTO Melara to sell 4MXPD transaxles.
- 1976 Jack Cohen buys the Car #2 from James Silvey.
- 1978 June 17 Rippey's Car Museum sells the pushmobile mockup for $2000 to Jim Jenson.
- 1978 Richard Teague buys cars #3 and #5 from AMC. Car #3 is painted red again. Sometime after Car#3 is red, Car #5, originally silver, then black. is now painted yellow and Teague installs the upside-down '79 Firebird taillights. Black was on car #5 but Teague said it hid the body lines. I have photos of Car #5 at this time still original, and also painted black.
- 1979 I see the book "The Cars that Never Were" and read about the AMX/3 for the first time.
- 1981 Q1 Automobile Quarterly Volume XIX, No. 1 reports that Teague learned about 6 months prior, that Diomante had Car #6. Teague stated he wouldn't be surprised if one or two more showed up some day. Hense, it appears Teague knew about Cars #6, #7 and the Spider all along!
- 1981 Scotty Dawkins stores Car #1 at the Gilmore Museum in Michigan. They are supposed to restore #1 to present it in the museum, but that never happens and the car is stored in the basement.
- 1983 Norm Kurtz of Twin Pine Auto Sales of Ephrata, PA takes down the AMX/2 off the pole, restores it and places it back on the pole in 1986.
- 1984 AMO Nationals Kenosha WI, I meet Jack Cohen and I sit in the unrestored, all original AMX/3 Car #2, speaking extensively with Jack about the car.
- 1984 July Car #5 appears in Collectible Automobile. These are the first published photos of Car #5 that I can find, besides the January 1971 Italian magazine photos.
- 1985 Teague sells #5 to George Doughtie Jr of Norcross GA, and the car had about 200 miles on it, descibed by Doughtie as "not driveable", "needed lots of work because it was an orphan car and had rough, cobbled-up stuff on it". George had to have the instrumentation built since the car had none. It took George over a year to make the car driveable and get it show ready. Teague called #5 "the last running prototype".
- 1988 Car #5 sold by George Doughtie Jr to James Mimbs of Georgia.
- Nov 1988 AMX/2 sold by Norm Kurtz to James Mimbs.
- 1989 Car #5 sold by James Mimbs to Pat Ryan's Prisma collection Montgomery AL, along with the AMX/2 mockup. (Note prior to James Mimbs, the AMX/2 was owned by Norm Kurtz of Twin Pines Auto Sales in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, where is was displayed on a pole as an advertising gimmick. Norm had a fake engine with 7 spark plugs attached to the bottom of the car. The AMX/2 was sold by Pat Ryan (Prisma Collection) to Steven Juliano, who then sold to a friend, Fred Phillips.
- 1989 Walter Kirtland buys Car #2 from Jack Cohen.
- 1989-90 Teague restores car #3, repainting the then silver/blueish #3 back to the original press release red.
- 1990 Walter Kirkland restores #2 at Bill Decarr at Bill’s Body Shoppe in Bellflower California in preparation for the 1990 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
- 1990 Aug 23rd photos of the AMX/3 Spider under construction. It has old blue paint on the front 2/3 of the Spider being removed and the "roll bar wing" seems to be in very old primer like used on Car #1 in 1969 so these three photos confirm the Bizzarrini statement "the car remained unfinished and was completed by auto-restoration".
- 1992 Giordanengo sold the AMX/3 #7 and AMX/3 chassis #9 AMX Spider to Roland Dieteren.
- 1995 reported The AMX/3 Spider was finished.
- 1998 photo showing Christian Giordanengo who says he reformed (restored?) the #7 car in 1998.
- 1999 Car #1 is returned from the Gilmore museum to the home of Scotty and Ian Dawkins awaiting restoration.
- 2000/2001 the AMX Spider appears. The present owner Roland Dieteren stated that he acquired the car in 1992 from Mr. Giorgio Giordanengo from Cuneo, Italy, right around the corner from Diomante's shop.
- 2004 April 20th Car #5 Sold by Pat Ryan's Prisma Collection to Bernie and Joan Carl, the current owners now in Washington DC.
- 2004 Car #2 shown at Concorso d'Italia and Meadowbrook Concours d’Elegance in 2004 where it won the award for Best Paint even though the paint was 14 years old.
- 2006 Car #5 restored at Autosport Designs Inc., Huntington Station, New York.
- 2006 Car #5 shown at Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
- 2007 Car #5 shown at Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance
- 2007 April 9th Jim Jenson sells the fiberglass pushmobile mockup for $22,000 to Tom Dulaney. In 2020 I had extensive video calls with Tom and he is a great guy and produced a video of the conversations at his website: https://www.youtube.com/user/amxfirehorse/videos
- 2008 Car #5 shown at Goodwood Festival of Speed
- 2013 August 7, 2013 Car #6 on display at Autoworld in Belguim. When did it first go on display? Does it have an OTO Melara 4MXPD transaxle and AMC 390 as reported?
- 2013 Car #3 shown at the Chicago Auto Show by Ray Scarpelli after it's restoration by David Draper/Time Machines Unlimited.
- 2013-14 Car #4 Restoration underway in Indianapolis IN by original and still owner Jerry Werden. Reported work done in the shops of DJA and Paul Winkler in the Indy area.
- 2014 Jurgen Wilms of Düsseldorf, Germany buys #2 from Walter Kirtland. Restored by Thomas Gralak TG Classics in Willich.
- 2014 September 6th Car #5 shown at the Concours of Elegance held at Hampton Court Palace, UK
- 2015 Jan 29 Car #4 eBay add bidding ends at $235,899.00, reserve not met. 2017 photos appear online of the car now painted but the restoration not complete.
- 2015 Car #2 shown at Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este
- 2016 Car #5 shown and Car #2 Best in Class Winner, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
- 2017 Jan 23 Wilms sells #2 for $891k to Rick and David Biafora, Morgantown WV.
- 2018 May 8th Car #2 show at the Greenbrier Concours d’Elegance by Richard Biafora.
- 2018 June 18th Car #2 shown at The Elegance at Hershey 2018 by Richard & David Biafora winning the Chief Judge’s Award.
- 2019 May, Car #1 sold to Michael Chetcuti and Kyle Evans of Northport Michigan by the Dawkins family.
- 2019 November 29, Car #1 shown in its unrestored form for the final time at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals in Rosemont, Illinois.
- 2020 Car #3 diecast resin show piece now available from AutoCult Avenue43 as a 1/43 scale. Sold out.
- 2020 I had the privilege of a Zoom call and multiple email conversations with Kyle Evans and he is a great guy and I can't wait to see the progress on Car #1.
- 2020 Oct 20 Car #4 for sale on Facebook Marketplace and listed as SOLD 10/21/20. The new owner wishes to remain anonymous for a few months.
- 2021 Feb 15th Car #4 I FaceTime chat with the new owner in #4's new home! The owner is generous and does a complete video walk thru of the car, inside and out. I can't express my gratitude enough to the new owner for his kindness and time; an incredible person. Thank you!
- 2021 Sept 19 Car #2 Best in class "Exotic Sports 1964 - 1981" at the 2021 Eyes on Design Show at the Ford House.
- 2021 late, Salvatore Diomante sells Car #6 to Simon Vels of the Netherlands along with all leftover parts, an original 390 engine, and the AMX/K fiberglass body shell.
- 2022 March 16-20 Car #6 appears at Paris Retromobile. Facebook Iso Bizzarrini group post that Diomate sold Car #6 and it is on its way to the Netherlands, new owner Simon Vels.
- 2022 Oct 8-9 Car #6 shown at Zoute Concours D'Elegance Knokke-Heist, Belgium, Winner of the Prototype Class and runner up in Bellezza Italiana.
- 2023 Nov 15th I travel to Detroit to see and photograph Car #1 under restoration and new chassis construction. Many thanks to Kyle Evans for making this possible!
- 1967 the original clay model of the AMX/K-AMX/3 is under development. By late 1967 the familiar AMX/3 shape has taken form in clay at the AMC Design Center.
- March 1968, Meyers and Teague went to the Geneva Motor Show to meet Giorgetto Giugiaro of ItalDesign and to ask him for a design shape proposal.
- April thru November 1968 AMC photos show the development progression in detail of the clay in-house presentations of the AMX/K-AMX/3 design. The actual design team included Bob Nixon, Jack Kenitz, Eric Kugler, Dick Jones and Gary Guichard plus clay modelers Chuck Hosper, Keith Goodnough, and Howard Clark.
- 1968 as the AMX/K project continues, Fred Hudson and Bob Nixon execute the AMX/2 design from a shape sketched by Richard Teague staff member Jack Kenitz from a photo of the AMX/3 clay design, which is intended as a "teaser" project to create consumer interest in a mid-engine two seater without giving away the actual design of the AMX/3.
- AMC was looking for ways to outsource the engineering and production of the new AMX/3 car. Reported that AMC hired Karmann was to oversee the AMX/K project and Karmann commissioned ItalDesign to manage the project. ItalDesign (Giugiaro) commissioned Bizzarrini to develop the chassis for the first car probably some time in mid-late November 1968. It appears Karmann was not involved with anything during the project. Diomante stated that it was Karmann who commissioned ItalDesign to manage the project and that it was in turn Giugiaro who commissioned Bizzarrini to develop the chassis for the first cars.
- Reported that Hal Siegel of AMC handed the initial job of creating the first prototype body to Sergio Coggiola of Carrozzeria Coggiola in Torino. Coggiola started the body/chassis but backed out and left the first body/chassis unfinished so Siegel turned the job over to Bizzarrini and Diomante. (Confirmation of this report is needed from another source but note H. H. Siegel at AMC sold Cars #2 and #4 to Jerry Werden in March '71.)
- 3rd quarter of 1968 Bizzarrini S.p.A. has to close down for financial reasons, and a trustee is appointed for the bankruptcy.
- 3rd quarter of 1968 Salvatore Diomante establishes AutoOfficina SD in the 1965-1968 Bizzarrini S.P.A. Livorno factory and begins the process of purchasing all Bizzarrini tooling, parts and inventory out of the Bizzarrini S.P.A. bankruptcy.
- October 1968 ItalDesign Giugiaro with help from Bizzarrini and Diomante, complete the Manta. The car is presented at the 50th Salone dell'Automobile in Turin, Oct 30th - Nov 10 1968.
- November 1968 the Giorgetto Giugiaro Styrofoam proposal arrived at AMC headquarters for the AMX/3 design competition, which is more a confirmation than a competition.
- November 1968 a fiberglass mold is taken off the clay AMX/K. A fiberglass shell is created and sent to Italy.
- December 5, 1968 Bizzarrini first meetings with KONI engineers with drawing of the front shocks.
- December 24, 1968 Bizzarrini drawings for the front springs for KONI.
- December 1969 the fiberglass shell of the AMX/K arrives in Italy for Diomante to use to create the wooden buck to produce the steel prototypes.
- January 30, 1969 Bizzarrini drawings for the rear springs and shock absorber for KONI.
- February 1969 the fiberglass mockup concept AMX/2 is shown at the Chicago Auto show. This is a "teaser" project to draw publicity for the forthcoming AMX/3.
- March 1969, BMW and AMC signed a $1.5 million DM contract (about $800k USD) to test the quality of the Italian prototypes, improve them and verify its performance. BMW Project E18.
- April 1969 the steel prototype Car #1 is nearing completion at Diomante's shop.
- June 1969 the first prototype Car #1 is sent to BMW for testing. "BMW engineers found the scope of the tested prototype No. 1 to be far too weak and yielding." The first prototype is built in Via della Padula in Livorno by Autofficina SD but it was finished by the crew of Diomante at BMW factory and driven by July '69. The second prototype Car #2 is built at ItalDesign in Nichelino, Torino by ItalDesign and Bizzarrini. The third Car is also constructed along with the second.
- July 25, 1969 The custom pre- and final silencers were developed under special order SK 5998.01 and SK 5998.02 by Friedrich Boysen GmbH & Co. KG of Altensteig, Germany. Engineers at Boysen kindly provided scans of the original production drawings for these commissions.
- Around this time Gerry Meyers is reported to have driven Car#1 in Germany (or Italy) and I believe these are the Chris Zinn photos of Gerry.
- October 15-23, 1969 BMW exchanged the Girling system on prototype Car #1 with German ATE components. The work was performed at Alfred Teves (ATE). and included the installation of a larger master cylinder, dual vacuum operated brake boosters T50-29-11 (subsequent cars were to receive single T51 boosters), four-piston calipers M4-40 and ventilated discs in the front, and twin L38 two-piston calipers in the rear. The handbrake handle was taken from a BMW E3/E9 (Bavaria/CS coupé).
- December 5, 1969 BMW test report the torsional rigidity “of prototype No. 2” noted that the AMX/3 had a 50 percent higher stiffness compared to a benchmark Mercedes-Benz model.
- February 1970 Diomante moves his business from Livorno and starts Autocostruzioni SD in Moncalieri. Giotto operates under the corporate name Z2 and operates as an external consultant for Autocostruzioni SD. Car #2 is finished and chassis 6-9 are built at Autocostruzioni SD. I believe Car #3 was finished at Autofficina SD for the March '70 Rome press release.
- March 23rd 1970 press unveiling of Car #3 in Rome. Cavalieri Hilton Hotel. Rome Colosseum and official AMC press release is distributed.
- End of March 1970 car #3 imported to AMC
- April 3rd 1970 US press release at the Waldorf Hotel in New York of the fiberglass AMX/3 Pushmobile.
- April 5th 1970 New York Auto Show the fiberglass mockup AMX/3 push-mobile is shown.
- April 10, 1970 The last available BWM test & development report: “due to lack of test specimens / cancellation of the BMW development program by AMC as per [BMW] internal note dated January 7, 1970”.
- April/May/June 1970 I'm guessing was the timeframe of the Car #2 Monza testing by Bizzarrini. Diomante was building Cars #4 & #6 and Chassis #7, #8 and #9 during this timeframe. Apparently the Car/Chassis #5 was set aside unfinished during this timeframe with the design evolutions being incorporated in Car #4 & #6.
- June 1970 the AMX/3 #3 appears in Motor Trend and Road & Track.
- June 12th 1970 Mark Donohue test AMX/3 Car #3 for four hours at Michigan International Speedway. Test stated the next car (Car #5) was due in the US in 60 days, meaning August 1970, which never happened most likely because Car #4 received the design changes and wasn't ready until October 1970, making the second Car #5 obsolete when it was completed.
- June 25th 1970 AMC photos document the design changes of the raised cowling area to conceal the wipers. This development was used on Cars 4, 6 and 7.
- July 1970 (Reported as summer 1970) the AMC fully funded production was halted by AMC. Late in 1970, Bizzarrini and AMC agreed to AMC committing to supplying parts for 30 cars, AMC purchasing 10 at reportedly $6000 each, and Bizzarrini marketing/selling 20 on his own with Bizzarrini funding construction costs. AMC did fund the completion of Car #5 around June, and also Car #4 for the October Turin show, but the remainder of the project was officially halted pending the Bizzarrini agreement to continue the project. This never happened and Bizzarrini never constructed any Sciabola cars on his own. Everything created from the project was commissioned by AMC.
- July 1970 AMX/3 fiberglass concept appears in Car Life magazine from the April NY Auto Show.
- October 1970 AMX/3 #3 appears in Popular Mechanics magazine along with the 1971 AMC full line of cars.
- Oct 28 1970 Turin Car Show AMC displays Car #4 at the 52nd Salone dell'Automobile Oct 28 - Nov 8 1970 Turin Italy.
- Oct/Nov 1970 AMC Annual report states "The AMX/3, now being tested is the first domestically designed mid-engine sports car".
- January 1971 Car #5 appears in the Italian magazine QUATTRORUOTE issue 181 for a road test by the magazine. First published use of the name "Sciabola" by Bizzarrini.
- February 1971 Car #6 appears in Italian magazine "iO" shows Car #6 constructed but unfinished, painted silver/light-blue and Car #1 in green with primer spots similar condition to the 10/72 Diomante photo of Car #1.
- 1971 March 30th AMC agrees to sell Jerry Werden and William P. Demichieli car #4 and car #2 for $15,000. Agreement states for Werden to pay Autocostruzioni SD all shipping and import fees. See AMC letter. Jerry Werden stated he knew Roy Chapin from a previous quote for consulting work and when he saw the first AMC AMX/3 (or AMX/2) mock-up, he reached out to Chapin in an attempt to purchase the first available AMX/3. AMC fully canceled the project sometime after the Turin '70 show ended in Nov. AMC sold Cars #2 and #4 to Werden end of March '71. My guess is AMC needed cash that badly at that time, yet AMC did not shut down the project entirely. Car #1 and Car #5 along with all 28 remaining transaxles stayed with Diomante/Bizzarrini until 1973. Still awaiting original documentation to surface of exact dates and sequence of events that took place in shutting down the AMC project.
- September 1971 "Car" Magazine does an article on the AMX/3 project and it appears to be from summer, perhaps July 1971. This appears to be when AMC sent the letter ending the project.
- Nov 26th 1971 Cars #2 and #4 are finally imported to the USA. Summer 1971 is when I believe it became apparent that Bizzarrini would not be funding any production, ending the AMC commitment of the project, yet AMC did not import Cars 1 & 5 plus 28 transaxles to the U.S. until '73. See the import document from Autocostruzioni SD for Cars #2 .
- Oct 1972 dated photo outside the Diomante Moncalieri shop shows unfinished Car #1 in green, still in Italy.
- 1972 March Giotto Bizzarrini returns to Iso to build the prototype of the Varedo, a design by Ercole Spada, built on a modified and lightened AMX/3 chassis #8 as a head start. The body consists entirely of glass fiber reinforced plastic. The car is presented at the 54th Turin Motor Show November 1-12 1972.
- Late '72 William P. Demichieli sells Car #2 to James E. Silvey.
- 1973 (or after Oct 1972) Car #1 Imported to AMC by Teague design team. Originally green and Dick Teague had the car painted bright yellow in 1973. Car #1 came from Italy unfinished with no motor, transaxle, brake system, wheels, and miscellaneaus interior items and gauges missing. The braking system is completely not there. Dick Teague later donated a transaxle to the owner. Reported Teague purchased 28 OTO Melara 4MXPD transaxle for $4,000 around this time for storage fees in La Spezia, Italy.
- 1973 Car #5, I believe this is when it was imported to the U.S. Called "the last running prototype" to AMC/Teague. It appears to have gone into storage untouched until 1978 when Teague purchased it from AMC.
- 1973 Oct 31 AMX/3 Push-mobile fiberglass mockup is donated to the Rippey's Veteran Car Museum, Denver CO. Metallic Green at that time. I believe this is when AMC also got rid of the AMX/2.
- 1973, Salvatore Diomante moves Autocostruzione S.D. from Moncalieri to Nichelino.
- 1973 or around this time, Teague paints the yellow pushmobile green, the green #1 is painted yellow, and the red #3 is painted silver-blue and the silver #5 is painted black. This is when Teague labeled Cars #1 and #5 AMX/III instead of AMX/3. Apparently, Teague preferred Roman numerals. The 03/17/1970 Zinn photo of the clay mockup still under development is also interestingly labeled AMX/III.
- 1973 (or later) Car #1 is sold by AMC/Teague to Scotty Dawkins.
- 1974 Dutch Classic Auto Auction sells the AMX/2 to Norm Kurtz of Twin Pine Auto Sales of Ephrara, PA where it is placed on a pole as an advertising gimmick.
- 1976 AMX/3 #6 appears at the Turin Car Show, now red, as a marketing tool labeled "Sciabola" in an attempt to help OTO Melara to sell 4MXPD transaxles.
- 1976 Jack Cohen buys the Car #2 from James Silvey.
- 1978 June 17 Rippey's Car Museum sells the pushmobile mockup for $2000 to Jim Jenson.
- 1978 Richard Teague buys cars #3 and #5 from AMC. Car #3 is painted red again. Sometime after Car#3 is red, Car #5, originally silver, then black. is now painted yellow and Teague installs the upside-down '79 Firebird taillights. Black was on car #5 but Teague said it hid the body lines. I have photos of Car #5 at this time still original, and also painted black.
- 1979 I see the book "The Cars that Never Were" and read about the AMX/3 for the first time.
- 1981 Q1 Automobile Quarterly Volume XIX, No. 1 reports that Teague learned about 6 months prior, that Diomante had Car #6. Teague stated he wouldn't be surprised if one or two more showed up some day. Hense, it appears Teague knew about Cars #6, #7 and the Spider all along!
- 1981 Scotty Dawkins stores Car #1 at the Gilmore Museum in Michigan. They are supposed to restore #1 to present it in the museum, but that never happens and the car is stored in the basement.
- 1983 Norm Kurtz of Twin Pine Auto Sales of Ephrata, PA takes down the AMX/2 off the pole, restores it and places it back on the pole in 1986.
- 1984 AMO Nationals Kenosha WI, I meet Jack Cohen and I sit in the unrestored, all original AMX/3 Car #2, speaking extensively with Jack about the car.
- 1984 July Car #5 appears in Collectible Automobile. These are the first published photos of Car #5 that I can find, besides the January 1971 Italian magazine photos.
- 1985 Teague sells #5 to George Doughtie Jr of Norcross GA, and the car had about 200 miles on it, descibed by Doughtie as "not driveable", "needed lots of work because it was an orphan car and had rough, cobbled-up stuff on it". George had to have the instrumentation built since the car had none. It took George over a year to make the car driveable and get it show ready. Teague called #5 "the last running prototype".
- 1988 Car #5 sold by George Doughtie Jr to James Mimbs of Georgia.
- Nov 1988 AMX/2 sold by Norm Kurtz to James Mimbs.
- 1989 Car #5 sold by James Mimbs to Pat Ryan's Prisma collection Montgomery AL, along with the AMX/2 mockup. (Note prior to James Mimbs, the AMX/2 was owned by Norm Kurtz of Twin Pines Auto Sales in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, where is was displayed on a pole as an advertising gimmick. Norm had a fake engine with 7 spark plugs attached to the bottom of the car. The AMX/2 was sold by Pat Ryan (Prisma Collection) to Steven Juliano, who then sold to a friend, Fred Phillips.
- 1989 Walter Kirtland buys Car #2 from Jack Cohen.
- 1989-90 Teague restores car #3, repainting the then silver/blueish #3 back to the original press release red.
- 1990 Walter Kirkland restores #2 at Bill Decarr at Bill’s Body Shoppe in Bellflower California in preparation for the 1990 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
- 1990 Aug 23rd photos of the AMX/3 Spider under construction. It has old blue paint on the front 2/3 of the Spider being removed and the "roll bar wing" seems to be in very old primer like used on Car #1 in 1969 so these three photos confirm the Bizzarrini statement "the car remained unfinished and was completed by auto-restoration".
- 1992 Giordanengo sold the AMX/3 #7 and AMX/3 chassis #9 AMX Spider to Roland Dieteren.
- 1995 reported The AMX/3 Spider was finished.
- 1998 photo showing Christian Giordanengo who says he reformed (restored?) the #7 car in 1998.
- 1999 Car #1 is returned from the Gilmore museum to the home of Scotty and Ian Dawkins awaiting restoration.
- 2000/2001 the AMX Spider appears. The present owner Roland Dieteren stated that he acquired the car in 1992 from Mr. Giorgio Giordanengo from Cuneo, Italy, right around the corner from Diomante's shop.
- 2004 April 20th Car #5 Sold by Pat Ryan's Prisma Collection to Bernie and Joan Carl, the current owners now in Washington DC.
- 2004 Car #2 shown at Concorso d'Italia and Meadowbrook Concours d’Elegance in 2004 where it won the award for Best Paint even though the paint was 14 years old.
- 2006 Car #5 restored at Autosport Designs Inc., Huntington Station, New York.
- 2006 Car #5 shown at Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
- 2007 Car #5 shown at Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance
- 2007 April 9th Jim Jenson sells the fiberglass pushmobile mockup for $22,000 to Tom Dulaney. In 2020 I had extensive video calls with Tom and he is a great guy and produced a video of the conversations at his website: https://www.youtube.com/user/amxfirehorse/videos
- 2008 Car #5 shown at Goodwood Festival of Speed
- 2013 August 7, 2013 Car #6 on display at Autoworld in Belguim. When did it first go on display? Does it have an OTO Melara 4MXPD transaxle and AMC 390 as reported?
- 2013 Car #3 shown at the Chicago Auto Show by Ray Scarpelli after it's restoration by David Draper/Time Machines Unlimited.
- 2013-14 Car #4 Restoration underway in Indianapolis IN by original and still owner Jerry Werden. Reported work done in the shops of DJA and Paul Winkler in the Indy area.
- 2014 Jurgen Wilms of Düsseldorf, Germany buys #2 from Walter Kirtland. Restored by Thomas Gralak TG Classics in Willich.
- 2014 September 6th Car #5 shown at the Concours of Elegance held at Hampton Court Palace, UK
- 2015 Jan 29 Car #4 eBay add bidding ends at $235,899.00, reserve not met. 2017 photos appear online of the car now painted but the restoration not complete.
- 2015 Car #2 shown at Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este
- 2016 Car #5 shown and Car #2 Best in Class Winner, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
- 2017 Jan 23 Wilms sells #2 for $891k to Rick and David Biafora, Morgantown WV.
- 2018 May 8th Car #2 show at the Greenbrier Concours d’Elegance by Richard Biafora.
- 2018 June 18th Car #2 shown at The Elegance at Hershey 2018 by Richard & David Biafora winning the Chief Judge’s Award.
- 2019 May, Car #1 sold to Michael Chetcuti and Kyle Evans of Northport Michigan by the Dawkins family.
- 2019 November 29, Car #1 shown in its unrestored form for the final time at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals in Rosemont, Illinois.
- 2020 Car #3 diecast resin show piece now available from AutoCult Avenue43 as a 1/43 scale. Sold out.
- 2020 I had the privilege of a Zoom call and multiple email conversations with Kyle Evans and he is a great guy and I can't wait to see the progress on Car #1.
- 2020 Oct 20 Car #4 for sale on Facebook Marketplace and listed as SOLD 10/21/20. The new owner wishes to remain anonymous for a few months.
- 2021 Feb 15th Car #4 I FaceTime chat with the new owner in #4's new home! The owner is generous and does a complete video walk thru of the car, inside and out. I can't express my gratitude enough to the new owner for his kindness and time; an incredible person. Thank you!
- 2021 Sept 19 Car #2 Best in class "Exotic Sports 1964 - 1981" at the 2021 Eyes on Design Show at the Ford House.
- 2021 late, Salvatore Diomante sells Car #6 to Simon Vels of the Netherlands along with all leftover parts, an original 390 engine, and the AMX/K fiberglass body shell.
- 2022 March 16-20 Car #6 appears at Paris Retromobile. Facebook Iso Bizzarrini group post that Diomate sold Car #6 and it is on its way to the Netherlands, new owner Simon Vels.
- 2022 Oct 8-9 Car #6 shown at Zoute Concours D'Elegance Knokke-Heist, Belgium, Winner of the Prototype Class and runner up in Bellezza Italiana.
- 2023 Nov 15th I travel to Detroit to see and photograph Car #1 under restoration and new chassis construction. Many thanks to Kyle Evans for making this possible!