Hey!! I haven't seen one of those in years!! It's a..........right?

[shaggimo]

Now that we've had some road time with the SX/4, I get this claimed and asked many times through out my(our) travels. So here's a short list of the claims I've heard, some are kinda funny.

Chevette!!-  Have heard this quite a bit.

Pinto!!- Yup someone went there, she asked her bf, "was that a lifted Pinto?" bf responded, "no that's Shaggy with the Eagle" lol (coworker).

Vega/Monza- Just another confused gent....

Spirit- Young gal, former amc spirit owner, tracked me down at a carshow to ask me if I would sell it, lol, turns out she is a friend of Eaglegirls (she wasn't with me at the time, I snuck her car out to a cruise in while she was shopping, )

Gremlin- at least they knew it was an AMC and had the right size car in mind, lol. We hear this the most out of any.

Hornet- Not just any hornet, guy walks up, "Wow, this is just like the one they used on that James Bond movie!!" I almost hated to tell him that it wasn't...

Javelin- Had to take that as a complement.....

Pacer- Yup even asked where the flames and licorice dispenser were,  (I got a kick out of that one).

AMX- We went out to dinner, the manger of the restaurant was outside as we pulled in, literally ran over to ask about the AMX, lol, we got very good service at the restaurant that night too, maybe coincidence??

Everynow and again I do meet someone that knows what the car is by its proper name, lol, either they had one or knew someone that did. The one that stands out in my mind most though, is when I was at a little gas station in the southern tier of NY. I was pumping away, when I heard a shriek of sorts from across the street, followed by a stream of obscenities proclaiming it's a  AMC EAGLE!!! I couldn't say say a thing to that, so it was just a laugh and wave moment, hahaha.

[amcinstaller]

with the spirit i used to get gremlin alot, or "waynes world car". some people said it was "one of those 4 wheel drive things". one guy asked me what it was with no idea, and after i explained, he says, "so, that things like a cross between a vega and a pinto then?" "sure.  "

your last one is awesome tho

[eaglefreek]

I've gotten Gremlin a couple times myself. At least they have the right manufacturer. During the Rambler Ranch meet I went to a few years ago, a bunch of us pulled into a breakfast joint. Next door was a shop where they make statues out of logs with a chain saw. We went to check it out and the guy told us he said to his coworker, " Holy cow, look at all those Eagles!" He said she looked to the sky and said, "Where?" She said she didn't notice all the cars in the parking lot were the same model until he brought it to here attention.   

[amc78concord]

I heard a shriek of sorts from across the street, followed by a stream of obscenities proclaiming it's a   AMC EAGLE!!!

That's awesome.  

I've had a few of such instances like this, I turn head all of the time with my Eagles.  It's a LOT of fun, I enjoy it so much as I'm sure you do too.

So keep Eaglin' and turnin' those heads man.  

[shaggimo]

It's kind of funny, this car does the exact opposite of what I thought it would. When I first brought it home and started fixing it up, I figured it will be a great car to fly below the radar with, slip around without being noticed, lol. I couldn't have been further from wrong, haha, at least it's all positive so far.

On another confused note: A friend of mine has a Marlin, he was at a car show a while back, had a guy walk up to it, look it all over, and say to him "I've never seen a fastback Malibu before"  .

[amc78concord]

It's kind of funny, this car does the exact opposite of what I thought it would. When I first brought it home and started fixing it up, I figured it will be a great car to fly below the radar with, slip around without being noticed, lol. I couldn't have been further from wrong, haha, at least it's all positive so far.

On another confused note: A friend of mine has a Marlin, he was at a car show a while back, had a guy walk up to it, look it all over, and say to him "I've never seen a fastback Malibu before"  .

LOL... Coincidentally... My dad owns a Marlin as well, and had THE SAME comment said to him!  LOL

[shaggimo]

  aparently it's the 327 engine along with the script used that throws people off, haha.

[shanebo]

when I went to  a junk yard the other day i asked the guy to see the eagle they had...he said we actuaally have 5 of them....I though "jackpot" but my bubble was soon popped when i saw 3 talons a premeire and a summit...not quite what i had in mind...the one i was actually there to look at had been crushed.

[83Eagle!]

Interesting reactions. 

Shane you actually saw a Premiere?  I don't think I ever saw one of those when they were new. 

I had some good reactions to eagles this last week. 

1.  One of the classes I am course assisting (kind of like student teaching) is doing a unit on buying a car.  We gave the students some options on cars they can mock purchase.  We gave them a few options for first cars (all of our first cars - 3 adults in the room). 
They had choices of generic: Pickup, Sedan, Economy car and convertible.  Then came the free choices our first cars (so the eagle wasn't my first - so what...
A.  1984 Chevy Cavalier (Teacher's 1st car - no reactions)
B.  71 Chevy Nova (para's first car - no reactions)
C.  AMC Eagle (showed them an SX/4 and a Wagon)
Here's the reactions to the Eagle...
Teacher: "That looks a lot like my old Cavalier (SX/4)"
Students: "So it's like a wagon right?"
"No it's a Jeep genius"
"That's 4 wheel drive?!?!" (wagon)

I couldn't help, but laugh.

[83Eagle!]

Earlier today Morgan and I arrived at my gym.  As we were getting out the car a few spaces down a guy got out of his.  He glanced over and nodded at me and turned toward the door.  Then he did a double take and walked up to the passenger fender of the Eagle, he stared at it a second and nodded. 

Then he turned to me and said, "Nice car.  I remember those when they were new.  AMC was ahead of it's time on that."

I thanked him and mentioned I've put a lot of work into it.  He responded, "Nice touch with the wheels; the way they should have been."  Then I pointed out the "Eagle" script stickers.  He said, "Nice!" and went about his way. 

Have to love reactions like that.

[Whuntmore]

At lunch the other day, guys were sharing what they're doing for the weekend.  My turn came and I said, "work on my Eagle".  My supervisor said, "think you should lower the car some".  I go, "What?  why would I do that?  I like it where it is"  

He goes, "Nahhh, put it back to where it was"

I go, "that IS where it was.  That's the factory ride height.  I didn't lift it"

Supervisor says, "A buddy of mine had one, and they were not lifted like that, I'm sure of it".


I actually really like him, and he's pretty smart, but I think he's thinking of a concord.

[83Eagle!]

I can see how a concord and an Eagle could get confused (of course not the Chrysler concord).

[maddog]

I can see how a concord and an Eagle could get confused (of course not the Chrysler concord).

a former coworker of mine had one of those chrysler concords and i made her mad when i told here that it wasn't a real concord in my opinion.

[craigp29690]

At about every cruise-in or car show I hear about how AMC cobbled parts from the other manufacturers for their cars.  It's like the AMC guys in charge of purchasing parts were just driving a truck from the Chrysler, GM and Ford warehouses looking for whatever was laying around and wasn't used.  I've also heard that the 6-cyl AMC engine was made by GM, the 360 is a Chrysler engine, the AMC Concord and Eagle were the basis for the Chrysler Concord and Eagle cars, the AMC 327 is the same as the Chevy 327, etc.   I had one avid chevy guy look at my 64 Classic and ask when I was gonna drop a Chevy 350 in it and I told him emphatically NEVER!  He wasn't too happy with that response.

[priya]

At about every cruise-in or car show I hear about how AMC cobbled parts from the other manufacturers for their cars.  It's like the AMC guys in charge of purchasing parts were just driving a truck from the Chrysler, GM and Ford warehouses looking for whatever was laying around and wasn't used.  I've also heard that the 6-cyl AMC engine was made by GM, the 360 is a Chrysler engine, the AMC Concord and Eagle were the basis for the Chrysler Concord and Eagle cars, the AMC 327 is the same as the Chevy 327, etc.   I had one avid chevy guy look at my 64 Classic and ask when I was gonna drop a Chevy 350 in it and I told him emphatically NEVER!  He wasn't too happy with that response.

My uncle told me something similar.  He said AMC bought the rejected motors from other manufacturers that the assembly line said were substandard.  The 327 was chevy motor, the 390 a Ford, and so on.

[shaggimo]

At about every cruise-in or car show I hear about how AMC cobbled parts from the other manufacturers for their cars.  It's like the AMC guys in charge of purchasing parts were just driving a truck from the Chrysler, GM and Ford warehouses looking for whatever was laying around and wasn't used.  I've also heard that the 6-cyl AMC engine was made by GM, the 360 is a Chrysler engine, the AMC Concord and Eagle were the basis for the Chrysler Concord and Eagle cars, the AMC 327 is the same as the Chevy 327, etc.   I had one avid chevy guy look at my 64 Classic and ask when I was gonna drop a Chevy 350 in it and I told him emphatically NEVER!  He wasn't too happy with that response.

My uncle told me something similar.  He said AMC bought the rejected motors from other manufacturers that the assembly line said were substandard.  The 327 was chevy motor, the 390 a Ford, and so on.

Gotta love when schlubs know more about your car than you do eh? haha. I had one the other week that insisted that the SX/4 didn't have an AMC engine in it, (car show and the hood was open). 

[priya]

Gotta love when schlubs know more about your car than you do eh? haha. I had one the other week that insisted that the SX/4 didn't have an AMC engine in it, (car show and the hood was open).  

That was actually many years ago when I was a teenager long before I bought my first AMC.  He was a real idiot, once claimed he could hear the piston rings ringing in a  running car.

[craigp29690]

I've learned there's no point arguing with an idiot-know-it-all.    I guess it goes with the territory of owning a car that was the red-headed-stepchild of the auto industry as far as most are concerned.   

[shaggimo]

I've learned there's no point arguing with an idiot-know-it-all.    I guess it goes with the territory of owning a car that was the red-headed-stepchild of the auto industry as far as most are concerned.   

Agreed, that's why when I get annoyed with it I usually drop the "I restored it, I think I know more about it than your readers digest told you" card,  . Jerkish, yes, but it stops them in their tracks, and makes them think twice about proving me wrong, lol, that sometimes leads to curiosity though, so it's not all bad.

[mudkicker715]

Rattling off my signature works. Especially with the 2 new additions.

[shanebo]

Your right Maddog, they weren't real concords....Real Concords wore the AMC Logo 

[rohnk]

There is a guy I work with that seems to like bringing up that AMC used parts from every other manufacturer. Yesterday he said it again and I told him that it makes it easier for us to find parts for our cars that way since nothing is specifically made for one car model. He agreed!

Ignorance is bliss.

[jsherrod]

i almost always here "i havent seen one of those in forever"... everyone seems to know what they were and thought they were kinda cool, but no one bought one lol

[IowaEagle]

I find today's lookers mostly agree they are nice looking cars.   I think folks just did not pay attention back then and bought in the big three hype and "conventional wisdom" of the times.

[AMC1]

You mentioned Chevette. In 1976 I was determined to purchase my first "NEW" car (I had had numerous used autos at that time). It was the first year of production for the Chevette as I recall and I was somewhat hesitant about that. The test ride was OK on a very cold night. I think the price was slightly higher than what I wanted to pay so I purchased my first AMC (Gremlin). I believe it was $3,999. I'll be driving that first new car today to pick up a new battery for one of my SX4's. I wonder if that Chevette would still be running.

[rollguy]

I wonder if that Chevette would still be running.

I think not.  When was the last time you saw a Chevette on the road?  I have not seen one for years, but have seen plenty of AMC's.

[IowaEagle]

Chevette's were built from compressed rust.  Keep the old Gremlin going, its actually considered a Classic these days.

[carnuck]

Chevettes had a big problem with the coil springs popping through the fender on the top, even here in the relatively rust free west

[Whuntmore]

Last time I saw a Chevette (a shovette)  was a few months ago.

I actually have a picture of it, but I can't post it to photobucket, because It keeps saying extension mis-match. 


I'm gonna get into the habit of not bothering to correct idiot people anymore.  It's becoming a total waste of time.

[JayRamb]

Last time I saw a Chevette (a shovette)  was a few months ago.

I actually have a picture of it, but I can't post it to photobucket, because It keeps saying extension mis-match. 


I'm gonna get into the habit of not bothering to correct idiot people anymore.  It's becoming a total waste of time.

There is a little old lady in my home town in Fessenden, ND that has an 81 chevette. It's a  brown.