Author Topic: a guage pod of a different kind (Read 11466 times)

thereverendbill · « **on:** June 04, 2011, 03:54:19 PM »

While lurking through one of my regular salvage yards today I peered into the trunk of the yellow AMX he has there and I found a package tray with a gauge pod attached. So I bought it just because my rule of thumb is that if it's AMC and I have not seen one before I must get it. Is this really as rare as I think it is?

the gauges are all of about shot but the housing could be modified slightly to accept after market gauges

philotomy · « **Reply #1 on:** June 04, 2011, 04:04:10 PM »

Have to admit I've never seen one like this before myself.

Mechanic · « **Reply #2 on:** June 04, 2011, 04:23:00 PM »

Neither am I. I can say this with relative certainty though, it's not off of any model of eagle or concord or spirit after 1980. The package trays mount differently than that one does.

thereverendbill · « **Reply #3 on:** June 04, 2011, 04:49:47 PM »

I think I was told on the forum that it is from a 1979 concord AMX

this is the car I found it in

ammachine390 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 04, 2011, 04:51:42 PM »

That's the gauge pod that was used on Hornet, Concord, and Spirit AMXs. It was also an option for regular Spirits, but not Concords. They did use them up to at least 1981 as they are described in my 81 Concord/Spirit Owners manual.

Also, does that package tray have A/C vents at the edges? If not that makes it even rarer.

thereverendbill · « **Reply #5 on:** June 04, 2011, 04:53:35 PM »

there are no AC vents but the package tray is broken on the corner and has a break on the front. I figure since it was all off I might as well take the whole thing so that if I decide on using it I can put the brackets in the exact same place on a good package tray

ammachine390 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 04, 2011, 05:01:35 PM »

I think package trays without A/C vents were only used Limited models, but without air conditioning. Finding an Eagle without A/C is uncommon, and so are Limited eagles, but limited Eagles without air, are very uncommon.

Also, according to the 81 TSM, the ammeter in the gauge pod, is actually a voltmeter with a specialized scale.

AMCKen · « **Reply #7 on:** June 04, 2011, 05:45:33 PM »

Quote from: thereverendbill on June 04, 2011, 04:49:47 PM

I think I was told on the forum that it is from a 1979 concord AMX

this is the car I found it in

That looks like a 77 AMX. The 78 was the Concord based one and 79 and 80 were Spirit.

eagleman · « **Reply #8 on:** June 04, 2011, 05:58:14 PM »

Strange indeed,but never the less neet! I had a pacer once that had a guage package similar to that,but yet different than the one you just found!

El Matador · « **Reply #9 on:** June 04, 2011, 11:00:41 PM »

Quote from: AMCKen on June 04, 2011, 05:45:33 PM

That looks like a 77 AMX.

It has a Concord hood though... and it appears to be a power bulge one at that.

I'm guessing it's a '78 Concord, but I don't know if it's an AMX.

shanebo · « **Reply #10 on:** June 05, 2011, 11:03:44 AM »

I cant say Ive ever seen one before...Definatly a conversation piece.

thereverendbill · « **Reply #11 on:** June 05, 2011, 12:07:38 PM »

Quote from: shanebo on June 05, 2011, 11:03:44 AM

I cant say Ive ever seen one before...Definatly a conversation piece.

It's one of those things that I love about AMC, just when you think you have seen everything thing cool. Something else pops up

BenM · « **Reply #12 on:** June 06, 2011, 06:25:00 PM »

They used that pod in Pacers too, but obviously not on a package tray.

thereverendbill · « **Reply #13 on:** June 06, 2011, 07:10:09 PM »

Quote from: BenM on June 06, 2011, 06:25:00 PM

They used that pod in Pacers too, but obviously not on a package tray.

in all honesty I have never seen a pacer in person up close. I have spotted a few behind fences, but I am not the kind of person to just walk on private property unless I get consent from the owner of said property. maybe one of these days I'll stumble across one

shanebo · « **Reply #14 on:** June 07, 2011, 12:42:20 AM »

I have not seen a Pacer on the road in a very long time.....come to think of it I havent seen one anywhere!!

amc78concord · « **Reply #15 on:** June 07, 2011, 02:14:59 AM »

I'd definitely say it's a '78 AMX. Even if it is a '77 AMX, it is still a VERY RARE car either way. If there is anything else left on the car (which is special to it), you should remove them! They are hard to find!

The Targa band looks like it is still on there in one piece, I would remove that. I've heard it is a PITA to remove, but done correctly, you would have a very rare part.

Also check the spoilers/flares. Those were special to the '77/'78 AMX's. Look around for anything else maybe inside the car, since the grille is missing in the picture, look inside the car, maybe it's in there. The '78 AMX had a special mesh grille with the special turn signal lamps inside the grille. Also a VERY RARE part, that would be sought after if a person were restoring one.

Bottom line, get everything you can off that car. Even the bumpers, they were prone to rusting out in those years. If they're good, take them! They're pretty rare as well...

Too bad the owner who owned that car didn't know how rare it was... makes me sad to see it sitting there in pieces

ammachine390 · « **Reply #16 on:** June 07, 2011, 08:34:33 PM »

I don't think its an AMX, I think its just a regular 77 Hornet hatchback or 78 Concord hatchback. There doesn't seem to be any AMX badges and the interior was brown. AMXs had the black with aluminum dashes and black seats.

thereverendbill · « **Reply #17 on:** June 07, 2011, 08:40:56 PM »

it really is an AMX, the picture is old and the car was moved and you can now see the AMX decal located right behind the door near the rocker panel. it is a shame to see an AMX in the yard, but I am slowly working on getting all of the useable parts off of it (one weekend at a time)

amc78concord · « **Reply #18 on:** June 07, 2011, 11:30:58 PM »

Quote from: ammachine390 on June 07, 2011, 08:34:33 PM

I don't think its an AMX, I think its just a regular 77 Hornet hatchback or 78 Concord hatchback. There doesn't seem to be any AMX badges and the interior was brown. AMXs had the black with aluminum dashes and black seats.

Only AMX's had Targa Bands on the roofs... It is 100% an AMX. Plus, my dad has a '77 AMX with brown interior... They came with black or brown, and there are a couple out there that have Levi's interior documented.

Thereverendbill: You can tell if it is a '77 AMX if it has "three little lines" before the letters 'AMX' on the lower rocker panels > It would look something like this: ///AMX

The '78 AMX just had in plain letters 'AMX'

Here are some pictures:

This is my Dad's '77 AMX with brown interior. (You can see a little bit of the seats) That's what the AMX decal looks like on a '77 AMX.

Here is a '78 AMX

ammachine390 · « **Reply #19 on:** June 08, 2011, 01:03:33 AM »

Wow, was I wrong. Sorry about that

Quote from: amc78concord on June 07, 2011, 11:30:58 PM

Only AMX's had Targa Bands on the roofs...

However, I have seen Concord hatchbacks that were not AMXs with targa bands. Not sure about the Hornets though.

shanebo · « **Reply #20 on:** June 08, 2011, 01:11:17 AM »

The cars in the 70's and very early 80's were so interesting. There were so many qwirky and awesome options available back then...Just when you thought you saw everything something like this pops up.

shanebo · « **Reply #21 on:** June 08, 2011, 02:04:27 AM »

thereverendbill · « **Reply #22 on:** June 08, 2011, 02:19:06 AM »

without going and looking at the build date (if it is still legible) I'd say with 90% certainty it's a 78 AMX

ammachine390 · « **Reply #23 on:** June 08, 2011, 03:28:05 PM »

What kind of dashboard did it have? If it was a 78, the dash would be the same as an Eagle's dash. Didn't the 77 AMXs still use the old Hornet dashes, with the 3 round gauges?

thereverendbill · « **Reply #24 on:** June 08, 2011, 04:40:57 PM »

yup, it is the same dash as an eagle with the stainless trim. The glove box door is missing and someone was not very gentile at taking the cluster piece out. I love the old hornet dashes, I want to install one in my wagon in the worst way

shanebo · « **Reply #25 on:** June 09, 2011, 02:10:12 AM »

I do too Bill! I think the they looked alot sharper than the flat ones. I bet it would be a nightmare to find one in good shape though

SleepsUnderCars · « **Reply #26 on:** June 09, 2011, 11:12:13 AM »

I didn't look at dashes in port matilda.....but with 6 hornets surely 1 is good....

thereverendbill · « **Reply #27 on:** June 09, 2011, 02:39:36 PM »

Quote from: SleepsUnderCars on June 09, 2011, 11:12:13 AM

I didn't look at dashes in port matilda.....but with 6 hornets surely 1 is good....

shhhh can't give away the honey hole. There is loads of cool stuff there except gremlin emblems

mojobean · « **Reply #28 on:** June 09, 2011, 07:31:47 PM »

i agree its a 78 AMX. I have one of those pods. I also have two 78 AMX's (one with Levi's interior, one black vinyl) and one 77 AMX. I kinda like the round instrument gauges compared to the squarish-ness of the Concord/Eagle dash gauges. I agree, you should get anything off it that you can. Heck,.. i may even end up buying some parts from you. Oh.. and if by chance the front air dam is still there.. i can hook you up with someone desperately searching for one of those. And i could use a couple flares probably. Possibly the passenger rear qtr panel too. I don't suppose you can take the whole car?