chris80502's '81 SX/4 Sport from California

[chris80502]

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/amc/eagle/1155313.html?refer=rss

I'll post some pictures of the car once I've had a chance to buff out the paint.  I started and worked on just one fender for nearly two hours and I only have a section that is perhaps 8" x 16" that is nice and shiny and without blotches.  I've made a lot of cars shine that looked like their days were over, but this one is by far the most oxidized.

I purchased this car from the ad (I'm surprised it the ad is still up really, the car was delivered almost two weeks ago already).  I've driven the car 400 mile in it's present condition, it needs new tires and a tune up pretty bad though aside from that it's in great shape.  I think the ad is correct when it says it only has 55k on the odometer, though who can be sure.  Aside from the paint buffing, I want to touch up the blackout sections and find new rubber ends for the bumpers.  The one on the drivers rear crumbled when I touched it and just left the red section hanging there (any help finding those replacement parts would be appreciated, not sure but I'd guess not so easy to find for the sport version.  The car of course has the 4.2L I6 and has the 4spd transmission.  I had posted a while ago about my brother destroying the engine on my '83 SX/4.  I still have that car and wonder if there are parts I should take off to upgrade my new '81.  I loved the 5 spd from the '83, and I liked the fact that I could turn off the 4wd on that car as well.  I also read that the brakes are perhaps better, low drag at least.  It doesn't seem like the '81 stops nearly as well as the '83 could (could just be the components that need replacing though).  The car does get terrible mileage, right around 14.5 mpg at the moment and there are a bunch of electrical issues that need to be fixed.  It has some weird switch on the dash that will cut all power to the car (perhaps it had some kind of battery drain?).  Regardless it will need work, but I've been enjoying it so far anyways.  I love the color and the sport package on the car, and if the polishing doesn't work out well enough I think I will have it repainted to it's original colors/scheme.  The entire car was just filthy too, I've been cleaning and cleaning and still I find dirt all over the place.  The interior is pretty good aside from the headliner.  I will assume that AMC had some type of factory floor mats for this car, does anyone know if they were special for the sport package or where I could find a set?  First things first I suppose...  The transmission also seems to make a whine, like gears meshing, could I be low on fluid, and if so, where do I check?  In any event, thought some people might like to have a look.  I thought it was cool to bring it back to Wisconsin!  I'll try to get some new pictures of it soon along with some pictures of my '83 (as poor as it is).  Oh one last thing, does anyone know what circuit the hatch is on, I don't see any place to manually open the hatch and I know the key lock is underneath the spoiler but the button in the glove box doesn't work and all the fuses seem fine.

[mudkicker715]

Where in wi?

[chris80502]

I'm in Madison now, just moved here six months ago from Sheboygan where I lived since birth.

[amc78concord]

Hello there, and greetings from another Wisconsin'er to ya! Grats on your new Eagle, I'm envious    

You had a couple of questions...Rear Endcaps you're talking about>>>Are EXTREMELY hard to find for SX/4's.  There was a couple on eBay a week ago that went for $100 bucks each... It really doesn't matter for sport packages or not, they're just painted black and the chrome strip is painted red or white for the package.

There are no special sport floor mats, if the interior is black then it would have just regular AMC floor mats.  Or...none at all if none were ordered for the car from the dealership.

If you would like to check the tranny fluid, it would be under the hood on the passenger side of the engine way in the back.  You might have to push back some vacuum lines and some other odds and ends to be able to see the silver dipstick.

Your hatch is another thing... my friend has an '81 SX/4 Sport with the push button opening in the glovebox.  His also doesn't work either, but what he did is make a long rod with a "poker" at the end and he goes from the front and reaches back there with the poker and sticks it in between where the striker sits on the post in the hatch, and turns it manually.  He doesn't go back there much, so its perfect for him...but if I owned the car I would have it fixed, my OCD would be killing me...it would have to work properly... lol       But other than that, I don't have experience with fixing it, more research would have to be done!

Have a great time with your new Eagle, and don't let it get exposed to Wisconsin winters!!! Or at least not too much    My Eagle and I sure do love 4-wheeling in the snow...  

[IowaEagle]

The red insert in the end caps if you don't have a red car were actually red all the way thru and not the silver painted over.  Although, I have matched the red used or at least how it looks after nearly 30 years with some red acrylic paint, like the kind (Plaid brand) sold at Wal Mart and Hobby Lobby in those little bottles.  Its found in Wal Marts craft section.