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I liked the dorky appearance of the Gremlin. I also like rooting for the underdog, which AMC certainly was back then. They made good cars with limited resources. My father bought a 1971 AMC Ambassador SST wagon in 1973 and owned it until 1986. It was only 15 years old, but a savvy AMC enthusiast bought it the day the classified ad came out (he and his wife drove up in a Gremlin and drove both cars home 2 hours away). I hope both of those cars are still around and being loved and appreciated now that they're over 50 years old.
The X, originally, was very sporty looking and had the performance to back that up (for a subcompact). Later, when the 5 mph bumper mandate was mandated, the Gremlin took on a chunkier, heavier look.
It's sad really but any AMC car is a rare thing to see today. Even rebuilt not altogether original versions aren't really out there. Maybe not the Gremlin but the Javelin for instance was a cool lookin' car.
My brother had an AMC Hornet. Thing was built like a tank. He had a chevy chevette pull out in front of him and he took the front end right off the chevette. Only damage to the hornet was the chevette paint on the bumper.
I knew 5 people who owned AMC Gremlins. 3 of the 5 complained about the Gremlin's rear traction issues. 4 of the 5 said their Gremlin was easy on gas. 4 of the 5 said their car was relatively trouble free. And ALL 5 OWNERS LOVED THEIR GREMLINS. Enough said.
When I was in high school (well over 50 years ago, I got a part time job at a local AMC dealer. The dealer was tiny (only 6 employees) and had been owned by the same family since the late 1920s. Originally a Hudson dealer, they began selling Ramblers in 1957 when Hudson production stopped. Only 3 blocks up the street, was another AMC dealer that had sold Nash automobiles until they too were discontinued in 1957. Both dealers had solid customer bases and despite being within sight of each other, operated in perfect harmony for the next 30 years. I prepped new/used cars and was the dealer's "gopher", picking up parts, driving customers home and buying gallons and gallons of coffee. It was a wonderful job, and my boss (half owner along with his father) helped me keep my very tired 1959 Ford ex police car, running. The showroom, like everything else, was very small...a full sized Ambassador wagon would barely fit. When the first truck arrived (March 1970), we took delivery of 4 brand new Gremlins...I'll NEVER forget how horrified my boss Norman and his father Pat were, when they first saw those little cars! They couldn't imagine anyone buying such an ugly little car...no matter how inexpensive it was. The only positive, we could fit TWO Gremlins in the showroom! Their opinions of those "ugly" little cars changed VERY quickly...the first 4 cars sold in just 3 days! Pat was on the phone to the New England AMC distributor before the end of the week, asking for a DOZEN Gremlins. He was told that 5 or 6 cars would arrive within a week, but he'd have to wait a while for the rest...Gremlins were selling like crazy in New England! Unlike Pintos and Vegas, Gremlins were very sturdy and durable. AMC's 199, 232 and 258 6 cyls. were all 7 main bearings and virtually indestructible. These "unusual" looking little cars could really take a pounding and continue running. Decades later, no one EVER sees a Pinto, and the last Vegas rusted into oblivion by the mid 80s...but every now and then, you'll come across an old Gremlin. Its probably pretty beat up and has some rust here and there, but it's still running, which is more than can be said for any Pinto or Vega. More than 50 years later, not many people remember Pintos or Vegas...but nearly everyone recognizes a Gremlin when they see one!
Nice book. Obviously it's a fiction piece....There are 10x as many pinto's and vega's than gremlin's still kicking, which you would know if you had ever been to a drag race or car show in the last twenty years. If you were into that scene you would also be aware that the mustang 2 ( PINTO) front suspension was used in hot rods for DECADES because it worked so well and was easily adaptable. Something that has NEVER been said about an AMC gremlin's suspension... The pinto 2300 4 cylinder was a great little engine, which is why it was used in the the ford ranger all the way until 1997. In it's defense the gremlins inline six turned into the Jeep 4.0, which was a great engine until 1997. After that they started suffering from weak pistons skirts, weak cylinder heads prone to cracking , and loose tolerances between the oil pump drive ( distributer) and camshaft which resulted in nightmare's for owners of 2004-2006 Jeep wranglers. Don't get me wrong. I love gremlins and am searching for a solid early one with the small bumpers. It's just that your novel is full of BS...
Great story. Good to hear from an AMC fan. Like any car, they have their good and weak points. I bought one brand new in 1975. I loved it. I never thought they were ugly, quite the opposite. It was my first car. I am glad I did, for I had the experience of buying American Motors brand new. So sad they are gone.
@@dansmusic5749 I worked at the AMC dealer off and on for nearly 5 years...they helped me pay a good sized chunk of my college tuition. I frequently got to drive older Hudson, Nash and Rambler products. I also got to drive brand new cars practically every day...it really was a great job. During the summer of 1968, I got to meet several members of the AMC Northeast Marketing Team. They were actually interested in my opinions/observations about their cars...how cool is that? The dealership closed shortly after AMC sold out to Chrysler...Norman (who had become sole owner) was not the least bit interested in selling ANY Chrysler products. Several years ago, I was present at Norman's funeral...he was 84 when he passed. When I started working there, I was a teenager and Norman was 32. I have many wonderful memories of my time there and the incredible experience of being around (and driving) many terrific and innovative cars...it turned out to be so much more than just another part time job!
In the 70’s Ford, GM, and AMC all built small cars, Ford’s Pinto blew up, GM’s Vega rusted on the showroom floor and burned oil at 20k, while AMC’s Gremlin had no major problems. And which company failed?
When I was growing up our neighbor had two of them. He was a pediatrician and his wife was a professor of History. They said they were never really interested in cars they just wanted something that started and ran every day and got them to their destination. They said they chose the Gremlin because it was small enough to be maneuverable and easy to park but it had more than adequate power with an automatic transmission and they had good Ol American air conditioning and heating. They drove them for years and years and years before rust finally got them.
I am fairly wealthy. I give much of the credit to my first car, the Gremlin. It got me around until I was 30. Not spending money on cars and car loans allowed me to buy real estate in Colorado and Vegas. I ran that Gremlin over 300,000 miles with normal maintenance. Friends made fun of my Gremlin for years as I avoided a car payment.
Wow! Pleasantly surprised to read your comment as I can relate to it. My first car was a 1980 Spirit, aka a Gremlin in drag. It was dependable, easy to maintain and a useful design. I saved quite a bit of money by not financing new cars in my 20s which, in retrospect, was my first personal financial smart move. I retired when I was 56. When did I part with that AMC Spirit? I haven’t. In fact, this Thursday (Apr 07) will mark 42 years that I’ve owned that car. JACKPOT!!
My son has taken this approach. Bought a 97 Lexis. Does his own repair when possible. No car payment. Bought it cash. Nice ride as well. He’s 27. Has had it 3 years so far. Im passing your story on to him.
Great story! My first car was also a Gremlin... a 1972 Gremlin X with the big 258 six. I put 100,000 miles on that car in 5 years without one bit of trouble. Best car I ever had... until my current Tacoma 4 cylinder LOL
My first car was a '72 Gremlin X. It would start in all but the coldest weather. And go where nothing but a big 4 wheel drive would in the ice and snow. That car had more personality than most people I've ever met and I regret selling it to this day.
We'd buy one Scott. I say one today on Facebook for sale. $12k... Too much for me but it was nice. Thanks for watching and for sharing. We hope you are a subscriber if you're not already.
They were good solid reliable cars! They were easy to work on, and parts were easy to get, maybe the car companies could learn from them! They were made mostly of metal, not plastic!
A 1973 white Levi’s Gremlin was the first car I bought myself. I got every option I could. Loved the seats. I got 100,000 miles before I sold it. Wish I still had it.
The Gremlin was so ugly it was beautiful. I grew up in the 60’s and graduated high school in ‘72. Other than the Javelin/AMX, no serious car enthusiast in our crowd would touch an AMC. Dads with a little cash would buy their daughters Gremlins to go off to college, though VW Beetles were still the economy car for many.
i remember clearly going for a walk on that nice sunny day as an 8 year old boy, an impressionable young kid and already a genuine car nut checking out every parked car in view no matter where the location - when sitting in the driveway of a neighbor's home a brand new and shiny purple and white Gremlin X with dual exhaust, V8, and wheels that might have been rally wheels or even Cragars. Keeping in mind there was no snobbery towards the Gremlin at this time, it was fresh and a positive vibe surrounded this car and I was in love with it! That romance lasted many years with the Gremlim. Thanks for video, guys, a thumbs up, and subscribe and I even watched the ads in support of your channel - can't get enough American classic cars! Bruce from Toronto Canada.
My first car of only four I've ever owned. The BEST PERFORMANCE, SPEED, MILEAGE, STOPPED & TURNED ON A DIME, VERY STURDY, 1972 @ $2,600. No trunk space, but I was single & despite the size & My 6'3" height, I slept in it when I was poor .. I had a fresh shipment of fifty to choose from .. Chose a Baja Brown Metalic with racing stripe after examining every one. TgT
I once rode in a new '73 Gremlin, at first thinking, what am I doing in THIS thing. To my amazement, I was floored by the smooth quiet ride and peppy I6 engine. Though I loved my '73 Plymouth Duster with slant 6 engine, I had to admit the Grem was more fun to drive.
Saw a hatchback white with black stripe without a hood the guy put a mustang rear end under it a 454 chevy out ot caprice classic 4speed muncie and a shortened mack truck driveshaft raised all the way around with dunlop cheater slicks and dunlop front tires i think they were about g 60s never saw it driven but looked badass as hell ! Always thought it was little over built ! This was in the late 1970s
Have to admit, remember seeing these on the local AMC dealership lot as a kid looking at cars with my dad. Thought the Levi's package was so cool and not knowing any better, believed the V-8's to be rockets!!!😅 As it turned out, these were superior to the junk Vega and Pinto. Thanks for the memories!!!👍
I will admit the late years are very slowly growing on me, but i still prefer the early year narrow lights snd smaller rear window. My father and I are working at restomodding a 78 gt with levi interior, and giving it the amc v8 it deserved to have with it's decal performance kit 😅
I am 63, and have always been a VW Beetle fan (the, uh, air cooled one) I have owned over 20 of them, and still have one. But I also love the AMC Hornet and Gremlin. I drag raced a Gremlin for nearly 7 years. I had over 450 rwhp under the hood, and it did not require any reinforcement. I have raced several other cars, and every one of them required reinforcement to prevent the chassis from flexing. Driving a Gremlin on the street was extremely enjoyable, especially with the manual transmission (yes, I owned a total of 3 Gremlins, one of them was strictly a street car) It's simplicity and lack of "technology" made it a pleasure to drive. It had a visceral feel that no modern car has. You8 could hear and feel the engine, and feel the tires on the road. It was not a sports car as far as handling goes, but it could easily be turned into a muscle car that would anything Chrysler made in the late '60s/early '70s. The one I drove on the street even had A/C, one of the Beetles few shortcomings. I only sold my Gremlins because I could no longer find parts for them, unlike the Beetle, which still has unlimited parts availability. You can build one out of a catalog. I definitely preferred the Gremlin over the Pinto and Vega. It was bigger, heavier, and much stronger. And I absolutely love the look. And yes, I still have several lava lamps, which, for some reason, can STILL be bought brand new.
I had a 1973 Purple Gremlin in college (mid-80s) and it was fun to drive. It was very reliable which was important to a college student. And it definitely got noticed. So '73 would have to be my favorite.
The most DANGEROUS CAR ever made ... this piece of junk made the Hugo look like a masterpiece... couldn’t track straight, plowed like a boat, no road feel, no feedback, no crash worthiness, no crumple zone, terrible milage... hated it from day one!
For the Levi’s model, AMC only licensed the design (and logo) from Levi Strauss as cotton wouldn’t have met the interior materials flame retardant standards of the time. In the prototype stage, they found when using actual jeans fabric in seating areas, it began showing excessive wear almost immediately. This issue was solved by switching to a rayon blend used in other production vehicles.
The door panels had genuine denim. And Levi’s buttons. Gremlins were made in Mexico by VAM through 1982. At the end they had the Spirit hatchback roof and a Concord grille.
I love how it looks, how it feels, how it drives and how it lasts and lasts and goes and goes when other more expensive and fancier cars are stuck on the roadside waiting for a tow. I bought one in 1971 and traded it in 1982. Except for frequent (3,000 mile) oil changes, regular tune ups and the occasional replacement of spark plugs, etc., I never had a major repair done to it and it had around 70,000 miles on it when I reluctantly let it go because the body was rusting out. It burned around 18-20 mpg if I didn't gun it to much (no, it didn't win any stoplight drag races), and it didn't leak oil. It started in under 10F degrees every time, and it ran until I shut it off. Oh, and I could park it in NYC almost anywhere, but admittedly, no power steering made that something of a chore. It cost leas than $2,000.00 ($14,197.73 today) brand new with warranty, and yearly maintenance was under $70.00 ($332.10 today) every year I had it. It carried four in comfort and five scrunched together (yeah, it had a back seat), the radio and the heater were fine and always worked. It also carried lots of bulky stuff in the back, easily loaded through the rear window, the struts of which only broke once and was cheap to fix. I had an automatic transmission in mine (my wife did not yet drive standard) and it never needed more than the usual service. It never broke and it ran like a watch. Find another car like that. In1971 the was nothing on the market that could compare to it and there still isn't.
I had a 70 gremlin i loved that car. Strait six three on the tree lots of room... I put a mina a mile cruising the beach. South texas you can drive on the beach!
I was a high school kid in the late 70's. College in the early 80's. Had 2 Gremlins during that time in my life. They were both great little cars for what they were. Had a lot of fun with them.
I spied a 72 sitting behind a Buick dealer one day. When I inquired an old women who had always driven Buicks purchased it and did not like it. Three months later she traded it for a Buick. I asked them to hold it until the next day. That evening I told my girl friend (now wife) about. Her 65 LTD was falling apart. I finally convinced her to get the Gremlin as it had less than 2000 miles on the clock. When she first filled it up she thought certainly some gas must be pouring on the ground. Great car, had the 232 automatic. Several years later I drove it from Western Illinois to Central Florida. Loved every minute of it. It today's world I wish we still had it.
Remember the first time I saw a Gremlin. Thought it was a really neat car, like the Hornet. Checked out the Gremlin's tires - they were 2-ply bias-belted tires. Most cars came with 4-ply tires. Gee, anything to save a couple of bucks...
I had a 1970 Hornet and I wish I'd never sold it . I rolled it down a side hill and got a couple small dents dragged it up the hill and fired it back up
I was issued an orange Gremlin as a government car in 1977 and the back window spontaneously exploded while it was parked on the sunny side of the street right outside my office.
My sister had a Levi gremlin it was plain inside but reliable. I liked the hatch back it think it was a hatchback . Automatic transmission . My little sister bought a AMC eagle same engine as the gremlin but 4 wheel drive and automatic transmission.
It's amazing how many did not appreciate AMC back in the day. I also had to do a lot with having enough money to advertise. The Big 3 had a lot of moola. AMC were great cars. As a teen, I never really appreciated on. Neighbor across the street from us had an Ambassador station wagon.
My wife bought a new 1975 Gremlin with a 6 cylinder when she was just 16 years old. A/C and plenty of options. I inherited it when I married her in 1977. A fine running car and really no issues EXCEPT for the horrible weight ratio from front to rear. Emergency stops were actually dangerous. The dealership did their best with correcting this but physics takes over and it became a serious enough issue that we sold the car in 1982 after 60k miles.
I owned a 73 Levi Gremlin X , blue with white hockey stripe. I wish I still had it , great gas mileage.( first new car, I think it cost 2,395.00). my best friend who got me hooked had a 72 gremlin x purple with gold stripe. that car was the most fun you could have back in the day.
I owned a 1972 Gremlin with the 304 V8 engine and automatic Trans. I had it custom painted in black with diamond dust flake and 6 coats of clear. I installed wide Mickey Thompson rear tires and narrow tires in the front. The car was very dependable and i drove it everywhere. I really enjoyed cruising in it around my home town. everyone that saw it, loved it. never wanted to sell it, but i finally traded it for a restored 1960 Corvette. I wish today I still had my Gremlin.
Remember the fake gas shortage of the 70's. That's why these car were made. I can't remember the year, but a buddy put a 327 chevy in one. Fastest thing on the high level bridge south of Springville, NY. Old 219. Now I think it's Miller road?? In 1987 I bought a 74 for $450. New York winters finally did it in. ☹☹☹☹ It be nice if they brought back AMC cars. But our government is too greedy.
While a lot of people can belittle AMC, they did have cars that were more economical than the big3 back in the day, the recession in the late fifties proved that, they weren't huge cars, but they were roomier than the rest, nobody had air conditioning standard equipment in a full size car, nobody had a car like the AMX, Gremlin, Hornet, or even the Sportabout, AMC was a different group from the rest, at least they backed their cars better, it's rare you see anything from AMC, even a Pacer, but you have to give them credit for what they produced, anything different today would be better than the way the car industry is at present, what cars are left, very few, we're SUV/truck industry!!!
Has a 72 bought new, for $2,200. Only option was 'X' package in yellow. All drum brakes went out when it was drove though water. 21 gallon fuel tank was great.
These cars were basically Jeep frames with a car body on top. Rugged as it gets. My Sister-in-laws had one each at 16 and they went through everything. One cleaned out a ditch at high speed and was still able to drive it home and for months after. The engines was a straight six, easy to work on and tough as it gets. If I could find one in good shape now I would buy and drive it.
Rugged indeed! Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers
Where I live, there was a yellow Gremlin X sat beside a house, with a really sad For Sale sign in the window. It was a 304 stick car. Mock me for not buying it, but it was so rotted one of the headlights was hanging out, only the wires kept it in. When an AMC rusts, it rusts really bad. I couldn't have fixed it. That thing was done.
My wife and I bought the 71 Gremlin. She thought it was cute and I liked the engine and the price at $2400 for a stick six. The engine was a 230 cubic inch displacement. Seating was cramped with zero trunk area. The rear window was spot welded on and was always popping off. The three speed stick was a Borg Warner manufacturer , but 2nd gear was not synchronized so gear grinding wore out the transmission i the first year. My wife had the car most of the time and didn’t know his to double clutch. I wished we has bought the automatic. It was the last tome I bought a car with a stick shift ever. One Easter we drive to Disney World and back from Philadelphia, Pa. it was a back breaking trip. I got the transmission fixed and in six months the gear box failed again. So one Saturday I took the car out for and oil change and came hime with a leftover Ford Grand Torino, automatic and V8 that cat lasted me 8 years. I had a philosophy of not keeping a cat once it his 80k miles. The next car was the Pontiac Phoenix. That car lasted 12 years and rode beautifully, good on gas and had umph with a V6 engine. Currently I am driving a 2007 Chevy Impala LT with 180 k miles. Its leaking oil somewhat but still gets 18 MPG. This will be my last car. Im 80 years old now and its question of who or what is gonna last longer. Happy Easter!
I'm an AMC fan and owned a 70 AMX. The Hornet SC/360 was a sleeper, so when AMC chopped the Hornet and made a Gremlin it was great. My buddy and I flagged down an elder woman with her new Gremlin. She was nice and gave a ride. She had one of the first and told us all the defects and dealer repairs. She still loved it. lol. Same friend later bought a Gremlin X with a 304 V8, 4-speed, positraction, and power disc brakes. It had 7x15 wheels with fat BFG Radial TAs. The car was quick and I thought it was fun to drive such a quirky little car.
Randall AMC in Mesa, AZ built a number of 360 and 401 Gremlins that were street and dragstrip terrors. Sort of American Motors' answer to the Motion Vega, one might say!
I owned one. It was not fun to drive. Good around town but on the highway it would wear you out after A few hours. Handling and ride were mediocre at best. It was a tough vehicle and easy to work on but honestly the Hornet was much more drivable on the highway.
I purchased my 73 gremlin which was yellow with a racing stripe.. after graduating high school in 77... Automatic with AC.. the V6 seem to have plenty of pep.. I had slightly wider tires on the back but never had any problems with handling.. the ride didn't seem choppy to me as I remember... Not great traction in the snow though being very light in the rear... I did have the opening rear window and fold down rear seat..
In the ‘80’s, Santa Fe Speedway in Chicago had a spectator race class for small cars. Some Gremlins came with a V8 and would kick butt on the track against Vegas and Toyotas. In a demolition race they were almost indestructible. The Gremlin definitely gets it’s place next to the VW Beetle. Simple, Ugly and Reliable.
Yup..the blue jean model! lol.....Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers
Pretty cool. '74, i'm 16 and doing yard work for some spending money. A few regular customers, one a widow with a Gremlin. Every other week, front and back yard. Every other month, wash and wax the car. Her example was silver. I dug it.
I had a 74 Gremlin back in the mid 70’s and while I liked the car, it was terrible in upstate New York winters. I slid into a ditch or was stick in snow many times due to the lack of weight over the rear axle.
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Not the only time that a new car was created by chopping off the end of another AMC vehicle. In 1980 AMC's Mexican arm, VAM, would marry the front of a Concorde and the rear of a Spirit hatchback to create the VAM Lerma 3 and 5 doors. It is a shame this was never sold in the USA as I think Americans would have loved the extra convenience of a full-size back seat mated to a hatchback.
I had a 79 Spirit GT with a 304 V8. I loved that car. One of my friends had a Levi edition Gremlin that was pretty cool. Another had a Gremlin X that had the 304 V8. My brother had a 74 Javilin. My first car was a 65 Rambler that had the 327 4bbl with a 3speed trans with an actual overdrive. I am very familiar with AMC.
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@@ThisOldCarChannel Kept it two years. Fell in love with the Pacer. Purchased it in 1976. Yes, I am a subscriber. Love your videos. I wonder why AMC did not seek out other car companies to purchase their 4 cylinder engines
The AMX Javelin w/390 motor was my Dream car In High School. I didn’t have that but my Gremlin was Bulletproof!!!! I did S ht with that car dat shouda kill me , or Jail. Won of da best learner cars ya could have .
Nice to see all the nice ( for the most part) comments. I bought a new 74 x with the 304 back in the day. Loved it. All the comments about snow , rust and body roll is true. Car went away when marriage came along. Fast forward to three years ago when one very similar to the first one became available. Restored it and now I have a small piece of my younger years back. Went to register it. My state allows for antique auto vanity plates- was able to get” Gremlin “. Probably the only AMC Gremlin in my state. Factoid- approximately 43,000 over the entire model run had the 304.
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Oh you did
I liked the dorky appearance of the Gremlin. I also like rooting for the underdog, which AMC certainly was back then. They made good cars with limited resources. My father bought a 1971 AMC Ambassador SST wagon in 1973 and owned it until 1986. It was only 15 years old, but a savvy AMC enthusiast bought it the day the classified ad came out (he and his wife drove up in a Gremlin and drove both cars home 2 hours away). I hope both of those cars are still around and being loved and appreciated now that they're over 50 years old.
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The X, originally, was very sporty looking and had the performance to back that up (for a subcompact). Later, when the 5 mph bumper mandate was mandated, the Gremlin took on a chunkier, heavier look.
It's sad really but any AMC car is a rare thing to see today. Even rebuilt not altogether original versions aren't really out there. Maybe not the Gremlin but the Javelin for instance was a cool lookin' car.
My brother had an AMC Hornet. Thing was built like a tank. He had a chevy chevette pull out in front of him and he took the front end right off the chevette. Only damage to the hornet was the chevette paint on the bumper.
The Gremlin is one American car I'd love to import to the UK. 😀
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My first car was a Gremlin. One of the best cars I ever owned.
I had a 1970 Hornet Sportabout. Easiest car to work on and cheap to keep. It was awesome!
I bough one in 1989 for $60 and drove it over 2 years.
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Excellent video 📹!
The Gremlin X from 1974 is literally my DREAM CAR. 😢😢👌👌💖💖💖💖
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In high school, guys would put fat rear tires on these things and drag race them. They were quick.
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I knew 5 people who owned AMC Gremlins. 3 of the 5 complained about the Gremlin's rear traction issues. 4 of the 5 said their Gremlin was easy on gas. 4 of the 5 said their car was relatively trouble free.
And ALL 5 OWNERS LOVED THEIR GREMLINS. Enough said.
When I was in high school (well over 50 years ago, I got a part time job at a local AMC
dealer. The dealer was tiny (only 6 employees) and had been owned by the same family
since the late 1920s. Originally a Hudson dealer, they began selling Ramblers in 1957
when Hudson production stopped. Only 3 blocks up the street, was another AMC dealer
that had sold Nash automobiles until they too were discontinued in 1957. Both dealers
had solid customer bases and despite being within sight of each other, operated in perfect
harmony for the next 30 years. I prepped new/used cars and was the dealer's "gopher",
picking up parts, driving customers home and buying gallons and gallons of coffee. It
was a wonderful job, and my boss (half owner along with his father) helped me keep my
very tired 1959 Ford ex police car, running. The showroom, like everything else, was very
small...a full sized Ambassador wagon would barely fit. When the first truck arrived (March
1970), we took delivery of 4 brand new Gremlins...I'll NEVER forget how horrified my boss
Norman and his father Pat were, when they first saw those little cars! They couldn't imagine
anyone buying such an ugly little car...no matter how inexpensive it was. The only positive,
we could fit TWO Gremlins in the showroom! Their opinions of those "ugly" little cars changed
VERY quickly...the first 4 cars sold in just 3 days! Pat was on the phone to the New England AMC
distributor before the end of the week, asking for a DOZEN Gremlins. He was told that 5 or 6 cars
would arrive within a week, but he'd have to wait a while for the rest...Gremlins were selling like
crazy in New England! Unlike Pintos and Vegas, Gremlins were very sturdy and durable. AMC's 199,
232 and 258 6 cyls. were all 7 main bearings and virtually indestructible. These "unusual" looking
little cars could really take a pounding and continue running. Decades later, no one EVER sees a Pinto,
and the last Vegas rusted into oblivion by the mid 80s...but every now and then, you'll come across
an old Gremlin. Its probably pretty beat up and has some rust here and there, but it's still running,
which is more than can be said for any Pinto or Vega. More than 50 years later, not many people
remember Pintos or Vegas...but nearly everyone recognizes a Gremlin when they see one!
Nice book. Obviously it's a fiction piece....There are 10x as many pinto's and vega's than gremlin's still kicking, which you would know if you had ever been to a drag race or car show in the last twenty years. If you were into that scene you would also be aware that the mustang 2 ( PINTO) front suspension was used in hot rods for DECADES because it worked so well and was easily adaptable. Something that has NEVER been said about an AMC gremlin's suspension...
The pinto 2300 4 cylinder was a great little engine, which is why it was used in the the ford ranger all the way until 1997. In it's defense the gremlins inline six turned into the Jeep 4.0, which was a great engine until 1997. After that they started suffering from weak pistons skirts, weak cylinder heads prone to cracking , and loose tolerances between the oil pump drive ( distributer) and camshaft which resulted in nightmare's for owners of 2004-2006 Jeep wranglers.
Don't get me wrong. I love gremlins and am searching for a solid early one with the small bumpers. It's just that your novel is full of BS...
Great story. Good to hear from an AMC fan. Like any car, they have their good and weak points. I bought one brand new in 1975. I loved it. I never thought they were ugly, quite the opposite. It was my first car. I am glad I did, for I had the experience of buying American Motors brand new. So sad they are gone.
@@dansmusic5749 I worked at the AMC dealer off and on for nearly 5 years...they helped me
pay a good sized chunk of my college tuition. I frequently got to drive older Hudson, Nash and
Rambler products. I also got to drive brand new cars practically every day...it really was a great
job. During the summer of 1968, I got to meet several members of the AMC Northeast Marketing
Team. They were actually interested in my opinions/observations about their cars...how cool is that?
The dealership closed shortly after AMC sold out to Chrysler...Norman (who had become sole owner)
was not the least bit interested in selling ANY Chrysler products. Several years ago, I was present at
Norman's funeral...he was 84 when he passed. When I started working there, I was a teenager and
Norman was 32. I have many wonderful memories of my time there and the incredible experience
of being around (and driving) many terrific and innovative cars...it turned out to be so much more
than just another part time job!
In the 70’s Ford, GM, and AMC all built small cars, Ford’s Pinto blew up, GM’s Vega rusted on the showroom floor and burned oil at 20k, while AMC’s Gremlin had no major problems. And which company failed?
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They were crap too.
AMC just didn't have the following. I was a big fan and owned a 1974 Matador X with the 360 4 bbl. Try finding one of those today.
Can't make money if your cars don't fail. Look at all new cars, they are all throw away spend $30,000+ to use it a few years before getting a new one
When I was growing up our neighbor had two of them.
He was a pediatrician and his wife was a professor of History.
They said they were never really interested in cars they just wanted something that started and ran every day and got them to their destination.
They said they chose the Gremlin because it was small enough to be maneuverable and easy to park but it had more than adequate power with an automatic transmission and they had good Ol American air conditioning and heating.
They drove them for years and years and years before rust finally got them.
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I am fairly wealthy. I give much of the credit to my first car, the Gremlin. It got me around until I was 30. Not spending money on cars and car loans allowed me to buy real estate in Colorado and Vegas. I ran that Gremlin over 300,000 miles with normal maintenance. Friends made fun of my Gremlin for years as I avoided a car payment.
Wow! Pleasantly surprised to read your comment as I can relate to it. My first car was a 1980 Spirit, aka a Gremlin in drag. It was dependable, easy to maintain and a useful design. I saved quite a bit of money by not financing new cars in my 20s which, in retrospect, was my first personal financial smart move. I retired when I was 56. When did I part with that AMC Spirit? I haven’t. In fact, this Thursday (Apr 07) will mark 42 years that I’ve owned that car. JACKPOT!!
@@RichInDet I love these types of stories, im 17 sitting on a 180k mile aeronose f150 and a 117k 77 gremlin both are the best cars I could own.
My son has taken this approach. Bought a 97 Lexis. Does his own repair when possible. No car payment. Bought it cash. Nice ride as well. He’s 27. Has had it 3 years so far. Im passing your story on to him.
Great story! My first car was also a Gremlin... a 1972 Gremlin X with the big 258 six. I put 100,000 miles on that car in 5 years without one bit of trouble. Best car I ever had... until my current Tacoma 4 cylinder LOL
Can u teach me real estate?
My first car was a '72 Gremlin X. It would start in all but the coldest weather. And go where nothing but a big 4 wheel drive would in the ice and snow. That car had more personality than most people I've ever met and I regret selling it to this day.
If they were being made today. I'd buy as many as I could afford. I ❤AMC Cars!
We'd buy one Scott. I say one today on Facebook for sale. $12k... Too much for me but it was nice. Thanks for watching and for sharing. We hope you are a subscriber if you're not already.
I was circumcised in the back of a Gremlin, Mom said the ride was smooth.
@@jimijefferson82 There was a commercial of a circumcision in a certain car to hype their smooth ride and suspension.
@@dleet86 That was me, LOL I will prove it if we ever meet.
that yellow w/ black Gremlin at 2:00 was the exact same one I had in 1984 - PEACE LOVE n HIPPYNESS!
Peace, love and happiness! Thanks for watching and for sharing. We hope you are a subscriber if you're not already!
They were good solid reliable cars! They were easy to work on, and parts were easy to get, maybe the car companies could learn from them! They were made mostly of metal, not plastic!
True Mark! hanks for watching and for sharing. We hope you are a subscriber if you're not already.
AMC was ahead of its time when it came platform sharing and mechanics!
Government emissions regulations ended the idea of simple and easy to work on.
We drove a 73 Levi Gremlin from Nebraska to San Francisco on our honeymoon. Loved that car . Wish I still had it.
A 1973 white Levi’s Gremlin was the first car I bought myself. I got every option I could. Loved the seats. I got 100,000 miles before I sold it. Wish I still had it.
100k and Levi seats? wow!! awesome! Thanks for watching!
The Gremlin was so ugly it was beautiful. I grew up in the 60’s and graduated high school in ‘72. Other than the Javelin/AMX, no serious car enthusiast in our crowd would touch an AMC. Dads with a little cash would buy their daughters Gremlins to go off to college, though VW Beetles were still the economy car for many.
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1973 levis 304 3sd
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i remember clearly going for a walk on that nice sunny day as an 8 year old boy, an impressionable young kid and already a genuine car nut checking out every parked car in view no matter where the location - when sitting in the driveway of a neighbor's home a brand new and shiny purple and white Gremlin X with dual exhaust, V8, and wheels that might have been rally wheels or even Cragars. Keeping in mind there was no snobbery towards the Gremlin at this time, it was fresh and a positive vibe surrounded this car and I was in love with it! That romance lasted many years with the Gremlim. Thanks for video, guys, a thumbs up, and subscribe and I even watched the ads in support of your channel - can't get enough American classic cars!
Bruce from Toronto Canada.
Wow Bruce! We like to read stuff like this. It takes us back to the younger days. I can picture a sunny day and seeing the car passing by. Thanks man!
What you were experiencing my man was the original Hot-hatch!
My first car of only four I've ever owned. The BEST PERFORMANCE, SPEED, MILEAGE, STOPPED & TURNED ON A DIME, VERY STURDY, 1972 @ $2,600. No trunk space, but I was single & despite the size & My 6'3" height, I slept in it when I was poor .. I had a fresh shipment of fifty to choose from .. Chose a Baja Brown Metalic with racing stripe after examining every one. TgT
I once rode in a new '73 Gremlin, at first thinking, what am I doing in THIS thing. To my amazement, I was floored by the smooth quiet ride and peppy I6 engine. Though I loved my '73 Plymouth Duster with slant 6 engine, I had to admit the Grem was more fun to drive.
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Saw a hatchback white with black stripe without a hood the guy put a mustang rear end under it a 454 chevy out ot caprice classic 4speed muncie and a shortened mack truck driveshaft raised all the way around with dunlop cheater slicks and dunlop front tires i think they were about g 60s never saw it driven but looked badass as hell ! Always thought it was little over built ! This was in the late 1970s
Over built ? YUP! LOL Thanks Alton
Have to admit, remember seeing these on the local AMC dealership lot as a kid looking at cars with my dad. Thought the Levi's package was so cool and not knowing any better, believed the V-8's to be rockets!!!😅 As it turned out, these were superior to the junk Vega and Pinto. Thanks for the memories!!!👍
My friend had a Gremlin when we were in high school it ran forever.
For what AMC had, the Gremlin was ingenuous! I have a 1977 and it handles quite nicely...no body lean in the back at all!
MonsterHobbiesModelCarGarage, that word "ingenuous", I don't think it means what you think it means.
@@youtuuba You ever take one apart? I have.
Having owned 5 I'd have to say the 73 was my favorite followed closely by the 75. I couldn't stand the 77-78's with their larger rear taillights
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@@ThisOldCarChannel also had 2 Spirits and dated a girl who owned a 77 AMX
And I'm a subscriber. Love your channel
I will admit the late years are very slowly growing on me, but i still prefer the early year narrow lights snd smaller rear window. My father and I are working at restomodding a 78 gt with levi interior, and giving it the amc v8 it deserved to have with it's decal performance kit 😅
I am 63, and have always been a VW Beetle fan (the, uh, air cooled one) I have owned over 20 of them, and still have one. But I also love the AMC Hornet and Gremlin. I drag raced a Gremlin for nearly 7 years. I had over 450 rwhp under the hood, and it did not require any reinforcement. I have raced several other cars, and every one of them required reinforcement to prevent the chassis from flexing. Driving a Gremlin on the street was extremely enjoyable, especially with the manual transmission (yes, I owned a total of 3 Gremlins, one of them was strictly a street car) It's simplicity and lack of "technology" made it a pleasure to drive. It had a visceral feel that no modern car has. You8 could hear and feel the engine, and feel the tires on the road. It was not a sports car as far as handling goes, but it could easily be turned into a muscle car that would anything Chrysler made in the late '60s/early '70s. The one I drove on the street even had A/C, one of the Beetles few shortcomings. I only sold my Gremlins because I could no longer find parts for them, unlike the Beetle, which still has unlimited parts availability. You can build one out of a catalog. I definitely preferred the Gremlin over the Pinto and Vega. It was bigger, heavier, and much stronger. And I absolutely love the look. And yes, I still have several lava lamps, which, for some reason, can STILL be bought brand new.
I had a 1973 Purple Gremlin in college (mid-80s) and it was fun to drive. It was very reliable which was important to a college student. And it definitely got noticed. So '73 would have to be my favorite.
The most DANGEROUS CAR ever made ... this piece of junk made the Hugo look like a masterpiece... couldn’t track straight, plowed like a boat, no road feel, no feedback, no crash worthiness, no crumple zone, terrible milage... hated it from day one!
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The orange with black striping my fave colour scheme on a Gremlin 👍
That probably be mine too. My brother is Yellow with black! Thanks for watching and for sharing. We hope you are a subscriber if you're not already!
For the Levi’s model, AMC only licensed the design (and logo) from Levi Strauss as cotton wouldn’t have met the interior materials flame retardant standards of the time. In the prototype stage, they found when using actual jeans fabric in seating areas, it began showing excessive wear almost immediately. This issue was solved by switching to a rayon blend used in other production vehicles.
The door panels had genuine denim. And Levi’s buttons.
Gremlins were made in Mexico by VAM through 1982. At the end they had the Spirit hatchback roof and a Concord grille.
compare the gremlin to the pinto . as far as i'm concerned the gremlin looks much better than the pinto , then and now .
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I love how it looks, how it feels, how it drives and how it lasts and lasts and goes and goes when other more expensive and fancier cars are stuck on the roadside waiting for a tow. I bought one in 1971 and traded it in 1982. Except for frequent (3,000 mile) oil changes, regular tune ups and the occasional replacement of spark plugs, etc., I never had a major repair done to it and it had around 70,000 miles on it when I reluctantly let it go because the body was rusting out. It burned around 18-20 mpg if I didn't gun it to much (no, it didn't win any stoplight drag races), and it didn't leak oil. It started in under 10F degrees every time, and it ran until I shut it off.
Oh, and I could park it in NYC almost anywhere, but admittedly, no power steering made that something of a chore.
It cost leas than $2,000.00 ($14,197.73 today) brand new with warranty, and yearly maintenance was under $70.00 ($332.10 today) every year I had it. It carried four in comfort and five scrunched together (yeah, it had a back seat), the radio and the heater were fine and always worked. It also carried lots of bulky stuff in the back, easily loaded through the rear window, the struts of which only broke once and was cheap to fix.
I had an automatic transmission in mine (my wife did not yet drive standard) and it never needed more than the usual service. It never broke and it ran like a watch.
Find another car like that. In1971 the was nothing on the market that could compare to it and there still isn't.
I had a 70 gremlin i loved that car. Strait six three on the tree lots of room... I put a mina a mile cruising the beach. South texas you can drive on the beach!
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I was a high school kid in the late 70's. College in the early 80's. Had 2 Gremlins during that time in my life. They were both great little cars for what they were. Had a lot of fun with them.
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I spied a 72 sitting behind a Buick dealer one day. When I inquired an old women who had always driven Buicks purchased it and did not like it. Three months later she traded it for a Buick. I asked them to hold it until the next day. That evening I told my girl friend (now wife) about. Her 65 LTD was falling apart. I finally convinced her to get the Gremlin as it had less than 2000 miles on the clock. When she first filled it up she thought certainly some gas must be pouring on the ground. Great car, had the 232 automatic. Several years later I drove it from Western Illinois to Central Florida. Loved every minute of it. It today's world I wish we still had it.
I drove for a pizza delivery place in 78 . THIS WAS THE COMPANY'S CAR . It was indestructible . Hard as I tried , I couldn't kill it .
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Remember the first time I saw a Gremlin. Thought it was a really neat car, like the Hornet. Checked out the Gremlin's tires - they were 2-ply bias-belted tires. Most cars came with 4-ply tires. Gee, anything to save a couple of bucks...
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I had a 1970 Hornet and I wish I'd never sold it . I rolled it down a side hill and got a couple small dents dragged it up the hill and fired it back up
I was issued an orange Gremlin as a government car in 1977 and the back window spontaneously exploded while it was parked on the sunny side of the street right outside my office.
Pacer next video? Always love AMC. They were inexpensive and easy to work on. My love for them started as a kid when I saw a Marlin.
The Marlin was a damn nice lookin car… still is.
We will begin doing some research guys.
My sister had a Levi gremlin it was plain inside but reliable. I liked the hatch back it think it was a hatchback . Automatic transmission . My little sister bought a AMC eagle same engine as the gremlin but 4 wheel drive and automatic transmission.
I had two Gremlins, 72 and 75 , both :X" s . My 75 had Levi interior and a V8 !
I loved my 1972 gremlin in 1987! 3 speed on the floor, 6 banger!
I had a 74 in college. It had 258 6 3 speed on the floor. It was a quick car.
Awesome Mike! Thanks for watching and for sharing. We hope you are a subscriber if you're not already.
Loved my gremlin, good little car. Mine was a neon blue 76.
I got a new 1974 Ford Maverick instead . Not back , but later found the Gremlin was better . 😎☕️🍰🍦
It's amazing how many did not appreciate AMC back in the day. I also had to do a lot with having enough money to advertise. The Big 3 had a lot of moola. AMC were great cars. As a teen, I never really appreciated on. Neighbor across the street from us had an Ambassador station wagon.
My wife bought a new 1975 Gremlin with a 6 cylinder when she was just 16 years old. A/C and plenty of options. I inherited it when I married her in 1977. A fine running car and really no issues EXCEPT for the horrible weight ratio from front to rear. Emergency stops were actually dangerous. The dealership did their best with correcting this but physics takes over and it became a serious enough issue that we sold the car in 1982 after 60k miles.
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I owned a 73 Levi Gremlin X , blue with white hockey stripe. I wish I still had it , great gas mileage.( first new car, I think it cost 2,395.00). my best friend who got me hooked had a 72 gremlin x purple with gold stripe. that car was the most fun you could have back in the day.
My first new car. A 1973 Gremlin X. A great car!
Glad it worked for you Glenn!
I owned a 1972 Gremlin with the 304 V8 engine and automatic Trans. I had it custom painted in black with diamond dust flake and 6 coats of clear. I installed wide Mickey Thompson rear tires and narrow tires in the front. The car was very dependable and i drove it everywhere. I really enjoyed cruising in it around my home town. everyone that saw it, loved it. never wanted to sell it, but i finally traded it for a restored 1960 Corvette. I wish today I still had my Gremlin.
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Vacuum powered wipers. 😆
I had a 71 gremlin 6 with a stick. I absolutely loved that car!
I always loved the Gremlin. You do know that you could get a 304 V8 in it? They were fast.
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Remember the fake gas shortage of the 70's. That's why these car were made. I can't remember the year, but a buddy put a 327 chevy in one. Fastest thing on the high level bridge south of Springville, NY. Old 219. Now I think it's Miller road??
In 1987 I bought a 74 for $450. New York winters finally did it in. ☹☹☹☹
It be nice if they brought back AMC cars. But our government is too greedy.
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It's not ugly, 95 percent of the new cars now are truly ugly by far.
While a lot of people can belittle AMC, they did have cars that were more economical than the big3 back in the day, the recession in the late fifties proved that, they weren't huge cars, but they were roomier than the rest, nobody had air conditioning standard equipment in a full size car, nobody had a car like the AMX, Gremlin, Hornet, or even the Sportabout, AMC was a different group from the rest, at least they backed their cars better, it's rare you see anything from AMC, even a Pacer, but you have to give them credit for what they produced, anything different today would be better than the way the car industry is at present, what cars are left, very few, we're SUV/truck industry!!!
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Has a 72 bought new, for $2,200. Only option was 'X' package in yellow. All drum brakes went out when it was drove though water. 21 gallon fuel tank was great.
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These cars were basically Jeep frames with a car body on top.
Rugged as it gets. My Sister-in-laws had one each at 16 and they went through everything.
One cleaned out a ditch at high speed and was still able to drive it home and for months after.
The engines was a straight six, easy to work on and tough as it gets.
If I could find one in good shape now I would buy and drive it.
Rugged indeed! Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers
Where I live, there was a yellow Gremlin X sat beside a house, with a really sad For Sale sign in the window. It was a 304 stick car. Mock me for not buying it, but it was so rotted one of the headlights was hanging out, only the wires kept it in. When an AMC rusts, it rusts really bad. I couldn't have fixed it. That thing was done.
LOOOVED the AMC Kammback .-)
My wife and I bought the 71 Gremlin. She thought it was cute and I liked the engine and the price at $2400 for a stick six. The engine was a 230 cubic inch displacement. Seating was cramped with zero trunk area. The rear window was spot welded on and was always popping off.
The three speed stick was a Borg Warner manufacturer , but 2nd gear was not synchronized so gear grinding wore out the transmission i the first year. My wife had the car most of the time and didn’t know his to double clutch. I wished we has bought the automatic. It was the last tome I bought a car with a stick shift ever. One Easter we drive to Disney World and back from Philadelphia, Pa. it was a back breaking trip. I got the transmission fixed and in six months the gear box failed again. So one Saturday I took the car out for and oil change and came hime with a leftover Ford Grand Torino, automatic and V8 that cat lasted me 8 years. I had a philosophy of not keeping a cat once it his 80k miles. The next car was the Pontiac Phoenix. That car lasted 12 years and rode beautifully, good on gas and had umph with a V6 engine. Currently I am driving a 2007 Chevy Impala LT with 180 k miles. Its leaking oil somewhat but still gets 18 MPG. This will be my last car. Im 80 years old now and its question of who or what is gonna last longer. Happy Easter!
It was a moving bathtub until it rusted out, then it was a moving bathtub full of holes.
My first car was '74 Gremlin, blue with gold accent stripe and Levi's interior. Loved that car, fun to drive.
I would love to have a Levi’s interior in my car. I wonder how much it would cost to have someone make it
I'm an AMC fan and owned a 70 AMX. The Hornet SC/360 was a sleeper, so when AMC chopped the Hornet and made a Gremlin it was great. My buddy and I flagged down an elder woman with her new Gremlin. She was nice and gave a ride. She had one of the first and told us all the defects and dealer repairs. She still loved it. lol. Same friend later bought a Gremlin X with a 304 V8, 4-speed, positraction, and power disc brakes. It had 7x15 wheels with fat BFG Radial TAs. The car was quick and I thought it was fun to drive such a quirky little car.
I, always liked it-particularly, in the light blue exterior. I never, though, drove one.
Thanks for watching and for sharing Donald. We've never driven on either. We hope you are a subscriber if you're not already!
Aren't those ugly 70's cars just beautiful today? I'd buy one immediatly...💓🇵🇷
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Had a 72 X ( Red with Black Stripes) 258 with BMX transmission. Loved that car!
Randall AMC in Mesa, AZ built a number of 360 and 401 Gremlins that were street and dragstrip terrors. Sort of American Motors' answer to the Motion Vega, one might say!
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I owned one. It was not fun to drive. Good around town but on the highway it would wear you out after A few hours. Handling and ride were mediocre at best.
It was a tough vehicle and easy to work on but honestly the Hornet was much more drivable on the highway.
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Almost was my first car. Instead bought a Kawasaki 90cc motor cycle because of the “gas shortage”.
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I purchased my 73 gremlin which was yellow with a racing stripe.. after graduating high school in 77... Automatic with AC.. the V6 seem to have plenty of pep.. I had slightly wider tires on the back but never had any problems with handling.. the ride didn't seem choppy to me as I remember... Not great traction in the snow though being very light in the rear... I did have the opening rear window and fold down rear seat..
FYI, it was a straight six, AMC never put a V6 in the Gremlin. You might also be interested to know that six evolved into the wonderful Jeep 4.0.
@@JeffDeWitt thanks.. meant to say straight six I must have had a brain fart 😂
Bought one in 73 while in the AIR FORCE AND NEVER HAD SO MUCH IN MY LIFE
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Bet this guy wasn't even born when these cars came out. Had one good car ! Had a 68 Ambassador 343. Not ta bad car
Not a bad car at all Mark. hanks for watching and for sharing. We hope you are a subscriber if you're not already.
Mitt Romney's father .. AMC President ..
I paid $2069.00 in 1972. Great car!
In the ‘80’s, Santa Fe Speedway in Chicago had a spectator race class for small cars. Some Gremlins came with a V8 and would kick butt on the track against Vegas and Toyotas.
In a demolition race they were almost indestructible.
The Gremlin definitely gets it’s place next to the VW Beetle. Simple, Ugly and Reliable.
Had a friend who's parents drove Pace4s and he had a Gremlin with a blue jean interior
Yup..the blue jean model! lol.....Thanks for watching and the comments! Please help us out by subscribing to our channel if you're not already one? Michael - Boca Brothers
Pretty cool.
'74, i'm 16 and doing yard work for some spending money.
A few regular customers, one a widow with a Gremlin. Every other week, front and back yard.
Every other month, wash and wax the car.
Her example was silver. I dug it.
The AMC Gremlin was a better subcompact than the Chevrolet Vega and the Ford Pinto because it was sturdy and the engine had alot more stamina.
I had a 73 gremlin X, 304 v8. It was the most fun car I have ever had
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Didn't Roger Moore drive one in The Man with Golden Gun in 1974.
That was actually a Hornet hatchback coupe. For the famous bridge jumping scene, they used a highly modified one-off version.
Cool 😀
Thanks!
@@ThisOldCarChannel Welcome 😀
Hey whatever Mike Damone drives, I will gladly drive.
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i bought a 1971 amc gremlin for 2k a couple months ago
How does it drive? I bet you get a lot of lookers. Thanks for watching. Make sure and subscribe!
The Gremlin was great. You could get the 304 V8 in it too.
I had a 74 Gremlin back in the mid 70’s and while I liked the car, it was terrible in upstate New York winters. I slid into a ditch or was stick in snow many times due to the lack of weight over the rear axle.
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Ooo please do the AMC Pacer!
The gremlin was a better car than the vega/ pinto ever thought about.
The amc 232 and 258 was leaps and bounds above what the Vegas and pinto had for power train. Plus they had a more distinctive styling.
I have a 72. Like the models before the 5 mph bumpers
Chief of Design Richard Teague knew how to amazing things with not a lot of money.
if amc had the money like the big 3 they still be in business
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Not the only time that a new car was created by chopping off the end of another AMC vehicle. In 1980 AMC's Mexican arm, VAM, would marry the front of a Concorde and the rear of a Spirit hatchback to create the VAM Lerma 3 and 5 doors. It is a shame this was never sold in the USA as I think Americans would have loved the extra convenience of a full-size back seat mated to a hatchback.
I had a 79 Spirit GT with a 304 V8. I loved that car. One of my friends had a Levi edition Gremlin that was pretty cool. Another had a Gremlin X that had the 304 V8. My brother had a 74 Javilin. My first car was a 65 Rambler that had the 327 4bbl with a 3speed trans with an actual overdrive. I am very familiar with AMC.
Bought a brand new 1974 Gremlin X. Bright orange with beige interior.
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@@ThisOldCarChannel Kept it two years. Fell in love with the Pacer. Purchased it in 1976. Yes, I am a subscriber. Love your videos. I wonder why AMC did not seek out other car companies to purchase their 4 cylinder engines
The AMX Javelin w/390 motor was my Dream car In High School. I didn’t have that but my Gremlin was Bulletproof!!!! I did S ht with that car dat shouda kill me , or Jail. Won of da best learner cars ya could have .
Nice to see all the nice ( for the most part) comments. I bought a new 74 x with the 304 back in the day. Loved it. All the comments about snow , rust and body roll is true. Car went away when marriage came along.
Fast forward to three years ago when one very similar to the first one became available. Restored it and now I have a small piece of my younger years back.
Went to register it. My state allows for antique auto vanity plates- was able to get” Gremlin “. Probably the only AMC Gremlin in my state.
Factoid- approximately 43,000 over the entire model run had the 304.