1974 AMC Matador Facts: Full-Size Performance Specs

The 1974 AMC Matador arrived at a transitional moment for American automakers. Federal regulations reshaping vehicle design. Fuel economy suddenly mattering. Performance numbers dropping across the board. AMC positioned the Matador as a full-size alternative that could still move when asked to. Three body styles. Multiple engine options. A coupe variant that tried something genuinely odd with its proportions.

The 2+2 Coupe Configuration Nobody Asked For

AMC marketed the Matador coupe as the first 2+2 intermediate design. What this meant in practice: rear seat passengers sat sandwiched between a fastback roofline and an elevated seat bottom positioned to clear the chassis. The front seats got normal space. The rear became a study in compromise. You could fit back there, technically. Whether you wanted to for any length of time depended on how much you valued proximity to the person in front of you and how the roofline pressed down from above.

The coupe stretched 209.3 inches long on a 114-inch wheelbase. Not compact. Not quite full-size in the traditional sense either. The fastback roofline gave it a different visual profile than the sedan and wagon variants, which rode on a 118-inch wheelbase and measured 216 inches and 215 inches respectively. All three shared the same 77.2-inch width.

Three Distinct Body Styles

The sedan presented as straightforward transportation. Four doors. Room for passengers without requiring them to fold themselves into uncomfortable angles. The station wagon carried the utilitarian duties. Both used more conventional proportions than the coupe, which leaned into styling ambitions that didn’t always align with practical concerns.

Each body style could be optioned similarly. Same engine choices. Same transmission options. The coupe got visual distinction and the performance-oriented X package. The sedan and wagon served families and fleet buyers who needed space more than they needed fastback styling.

Entry Price Under Three Thousand Dollars

Base price started at $2,997. That bought you the standard six-cylinder engine, manual transmission, basic trim. No power steering. No air conditioning. No radio beyond what you added yourself. The tested Matador X configuration came to $4,525 once you added the 401 cubic inch V8, automatic transmission, power steering, power disc brakes, AM/FM radio, air conditioning, and Twin Grip differential.

Options accumulated quickly. The 401 engine alone added $169.90. Automatic transmission with console shift: $316.10. Power steering: $111.35. Air conditioning: $377.45. You could easily push the final price well past five thousand if you wanted everything AMC offered.

Standard Six-Cylinder Motivation

The base engine displaced 232 cubic inches, translating to 3.8 liters in the measurements that would eventually take over. Power output ranged between 101 and 120 horsepower depending on specific tuning and emissions equipment. An inline six with modest output. Adequate for moving the Matador’s 4,000-plus pound curb weight without drama. Not fast. Not meant to be.

Three-speed column manual transmission came standard with the six. Most buyers probably avoided the manual, given contemporary preferences. The six served fleet buyers, rental agencies, budget-conscious customers who needed transportation more than excitement.

The 401 Cubic Inch V8 Option

Top engine choice displaced 401 cubic inches, producing 235 horsepower at 4,600 rpm and 335 lb-ft of torque at 3,200 rpm. Substantial output for 1974, when federal emissions requirements and the shift toward unleaded fuel dropped power figures across Detroit’s entire output. The 401 moved the Matador X test car from 0-60 mph in 8.3 seconds. Quarter-mile came in 16.3 seconds at 88 mph terminal velocity.

After 1974, the 401 became fleet-only. Police departments could still order it. Taxi companies. General consumers lost access. AMC likely calculated that emissions compliance costs and limited demand made the 401 unsustainable for retail sales. Police-spec Matadors with the 401 out-powered most other police vehicles despite lower advertised horsepower ratings across domestic sedans generally. Law enforcement appreciated the torque.

Five Different V8 Horsepower Levels

Beyond the six-cylinder base and 401 top option, AMC offered 304 and 360 cubic inch V8s in multiple configurations. The 304 displaced 5.0 liters. The 360 measured 5.9 liters. Between them, five different horsepower ratings: 150, 175, 195, 220, 255. Carburetor choice, compression ratio, exhaust configuration, cam profiles all varied.

The performance 360 came with dual exhaust and twin catalytic converters through 1976. Base 360 could be optioned with dual exhaust. Standard 360 used a two-barrel carburetor. Four-barrel versions added power. Buyers could calibrate their Matador’s performance within a fairly wide range without jumping to the 401.

Chrysler’s TorqueFlite Automatic

V8 engines paired exclusively with Chrysler-built TorqueFlite three-speed automatic transmission. Column-mounted shifter standard. Floor-shifted automatic available on coupes equipped with V8, bucket seats, and center console. AMC didn’t manufacture its own automatic transmission at this scale. Sourcing from Chrysler made sense given development costs and existing business relationships between the two companies.

The TorqueFlite proved durable. Smooth shifts. Reliable operation. Better reputation than some competing automatics from the era. AMC customers got a transmission engineered by a larger manufacturer with more resources for development and testing.

GM Saginaw Power Steering

Variable-ratio power steering came from GM’s Saginaw division. Another component sourced from a larger manufacturer. The variable ratio meant steering effort changed based on wheel angle. Less effort needed at larger steering angles for parking maneuvers. More resistance near center for highway stability.

Power steering cost $111.35 extra. Most buyers probably paid it. Steering a 4,000-pound vehicle with manual steering in parking lots or tight urban spaces required effort. The Saginaw unit worked well enough that nobody complained about it specifically. It steered the car. That was sufficient.

Front Disc Brakes Standard

Vented disc brakes measuring 10.9 inches came standard in front. Advanced specification for 1974, when many vehicles still used drums at all four corners. Rear brakes remained 10.0-inch drums. Power brake booster was extra-cost option at $46.60. Without the booster, pedal effort increased noticeably.

The disc/drum combination provided solid stopping capability. Discs handled heat better than drums, important for repeated stops where fade became an issue. The rear drums handled lighter duty given forward weight transfer under braking.

Quarter-Mile Performance Numbers

With the 401 V8, the Matador X ran the quarter-mile in 16.3 seconds at 88 mph. Not slow for a full-size vehicle in 1974. Police-spec models with the 401 reportedly ran closer to 14.7 seconds, suggesting the civilian version carried more weight or used less aggressive gearing.

88 mph terminal velocity indicated reasonable power-to-weight ratio. The Matador weighed 4,049 pounds as tested. Moving that mass through the quarter in the mid-16s required decent torque multiplication through the gearing and enough engine output to overcome aerodynamic drag past 80 mph.

Zero to Sixty in Eight Point Three Seconds

0-60 mph came in 8.3 seconds with the 401. Quick for the era. Most full-size sedans struggled to break 10 seconds. The Matador’s acceleration numbers placed it among quicker domestic offerings without reaching genuine muscle car territory. Torque delivery made the difference. 335 lb-ft at 3,200 rpm meant strong pull from low engine speeds without needing to rev high.

0-100 mph required 23.9 seconds. Top speed wasn’t published but likely fell somewhere between 115 and 125 mph based on gearing and power output. Not a car you bought for sustained high-speed running, but capable of moving quickly when required.

Braking Force of 0.89g

The tested Matador achieved 0.89g stopping force from 70 mph with no loss of control. Impressive braking performance. The front discs and rear drums combination, along with the vehicle’s weight distribution, allowed hard stops without the rear end stepping out. Brake feel remained controllable. No drama during maximum-effort stops.

Contemporary vehicles often struggled with brake fade or instability under hard braking. The Matador handled it without complaint. The tires, Goodyear Polyglas F70-14s, provided enough grip to support the braking forces without breaking loose.

One Hundred Eighty-Four Feet from Seventy

Braking distance from 70 mph to zero measured 184 feet. Reasonable for 1974. Modern vehicles stop much shorter given improved tire compounds, anti-lock systems, better brake pad materials. But measured against contemporary standards, 184 feet represented competent braking performance for a 4,000-pound vehicle.

The vented front discs managed heat well. Repeated stops from 70 mph didn’t produce noticeable fade. The drums in rear handled their lighter load without overheating. Combined with the 0.89g peak deceleration, the Matador stopped well.

Four-Trailing-Link Rear Suspension

Rear suspension used four trailing links per side controlling wheel motion. Better than simple leaf springs for managing lateral forces and maintaining wheel alignment during cornering. Combined with coil springs for vertical compliance. The setup provided decent ride quality without excessive body roll.

Roadholding measured 0.89g in testing. Same figure as braking g-force, interestingly. The suspension allowed the tires to maintain grip through corners without lifting inside wheels or creating sudden breakaway characteristics. Not sports car handling, but predictable and stable.

All-New Dashboard Design

1974 brought fully padded safety-shaped dashboard replacing previous designs. Three squared instrument pods spread across the panel. Left pod contained indicator lights, fuel gauge, and water temperature gauge. Center pod housed a 120 mph speedometer. Right pod held electric clock and fuel economy gauge.

Horizontal radio and sound system design mounted in the center of the dash. Controls fell easily to hand. The padded surfaces met federal safety requirements for impact absorption. Less attractive than earlier dashboards perhaps, but functional and compliant with regulations.

Rectangular Soft Feel Horn Bar

Instead of traditional horn pad in the steering wheel center, AMC fitted a rectangular “soft feel horn bar” spanning the wheel’s width. Pressing anywhere along the bar activated the horn. Different approach than most manufacturers used. Whether better or worse came down to personal preference.

The bar integrated into the overall dashboard design theme of rectangular shapes and horizontal elements. Consistent visual language across the interior components. The soft feel material absorbed impact better than hard plastic horn buttons.

Dual Exhaust with the 401

The 401 cubic inch V8 came standard with dual exhaust. Separate exhaust pipes from each cylinder bank running to the rear. Reduced backpressure compared to single exhaust. Allowed the engine to breathe better at higher RPM. Contributed to the power output and torque delivery characteristics.

Base 360 cubic inch V8 offered dual exhaust as optional equipment. Added cost but improved performance slightly. The sound changed too. Dual exhausts produced different acoustic signature than single pipe systems, deeper and more aggressive under acceleration.

Twin Catalytic Converters on Performance 360

Performance version of the 360 cubic inch V8 featured dual exhaust with twin catalytic converters. Available through 1976 before changes in emissions equipment or engine lineup eliminated it. The twin converter setup handled emissions from each bank separately rather than combining exhaust gases before treatment.

Catalytic converters were relatively new technology in 1974. Their widespread adoption forced changes in fuel formulations and engine tuning. Twin converters added cost and complexity but allowed the performance 360 to meet emissions requirements without sacrificing all its output.

Energy-Absorbing Bumpers Meeting Federal Standards

Massive front and rear bumpers met new NHTSA passenger car requirements implemented for 1974. The bumpers could sustain 5 mph impacts without damage to the vehicle. Energy-absorbing shock mounts behind the bumper face compressed during impact, then returned to original position.

Sedans and station wagons featured bumpers integrated with bodywork using flexible filler panels that concealed gaps between bumper and body. The coupe’s bumpers looked more separate from the body, emphasizing their protective function over visual integration.

Five Mile Per Hour Impact Protection

Those federally-mandated bumpers could handle 5 mph impacts front and rear without requiring repair. Low-speed parking lot collisions, minor fender benders, backing into posts, all absorbed without crumpling sheet metal or requiring body shop visits. The shock mounts did their job.

The bumpers added weight. They changed vehicle proportions and styling. But they reduced repair costs for minor impacts and provided genuine protection at parking lot speeds where most minor collisions occurred.

Limited Rear Headroom in the Coupe

That fastback roofline on the coupe created the rear headroom problem. Passengers sat sandwiched between the sloping roof above and elevated seat bottom below. Taller passengers struggled. Even average-height adults found the space constraining on longer drives.

The elevated seat bottom cleared the chassis and rear axle components. The fastback roof created the sporty profile AMC wanted. Combined, they made the rear seats suitable mainly for children or short trips. The sedan and wagon didn’t have this issue. Their conventional rooflines provided normal headroom.

Different Wheelbases for Coupe and Sedan

The coupe rode on a 114-inch wheelbase. Sedan used 118 inches. Four-inch difference affected interior space and ride quality. Shorter wheelbase typically meant slightly harsher ride over rough pavement. Longer wheelbase provided more room between axles for passenger comfort.

The coupe’s shorter wheelbase contributed to its sportier positioning. Less weight between the wheels. Slightly different handling characteristics than the longer sedan. The wagon shared the sedan’s 118-inch wheelbase, needing the extra length for cargo space.

Goodyear Polyglas Tires

F70-14 Goodyear Polyglas tires came standard. Bias-ply construction with polyester cord. Not radials. The F70 designation indicated aspect ratio and profile height. 14-inch wheel diameter. Common tire specification for American cars in the early 1970s.

The Polyglas tires provided adequate grip for the performance the Matador delivered. They supported the 0.89g braking and cornering forces without excessive noise or harsh ride quality. Not sophisticated by later standards, but appropriate for the application and era.

401 Became Fleet-Only After 1974

The 1974 model year marked the last time retail customers could order the 401 cubic inch V8. 1975 onward, it became fleet-only option. Police departments, taxi companies, government agencies could still specify it. Regular buyers lost access.

Emissions compliance costs, fuel economy pressures, and limited consumer demand probably drove the decision. The 401 represented old-school American V8 philosophy: displacement and torque over efficiency and refinement. That approach was ending. AMC recognized it and adjusted the lineup accordingly.

Police Models Out-Performed Competition

Police-spec Matadors with the 401 V8 out-powered most other police vehicles despite lower advertised horsepower ratings across domestic sedans generally. Law enforcement appreciated the combination of space, durability, and performance. The 401’s torque delivery suited police work, providing strong acceleration from rolling starts during pursuits.

Those police Matadors reportedly ran the quarter-mile around 14.7 seconds, notably quicker than the 16.3-second civilian version. Reduced weight, different gearing, or less restrictive exhaust might explain the difference. Police packages often included heavy-duty components and performance-oriented calibrations not available to retail customers.