Many of you know me from back in the Nest days. I was a very active member for several years using the same username. I joined the forum because I have always loved the AMC Eagle and was looking into them and considering buying. I finally bit the bullet in Sept. 2011 when me and my GF drove to the Eagle meet in Cordova, IL where the AMC Nationals where being held. There I found a beauty woody wagon and I put a deposit down on it that weekend. I owned the car for almost a year, but I always felt it was too nice for me so I sold it in June of 2012. Here is a link to "Trailer Queen" or "TQ" as I called her!
http://forums.amceaglesden.com/index.php?topic=36546.0I was without an Eagle for almost another year until I found a pretty decent looking SX/4 locally. Mostly rust free. And several of the SX/4 goodies. Problem was the car had been sitting for almost 4 years so it wasn't running. I bought it anyway hoping it would just be an easy gas tank drain and carburetor clean out! Unfortunately after months of messing with it I could never get the dang thing running. The PO was nice enough to let me keep it on his property while I tried to mess with it. The car resided over 200 miles away from where I live so I was hoping to get it running and not have to pay someone to haul it to me. Finally after like 6 months of sitting on the POs property he had moved it off the gravel and I did not like it's new home. So that weekend I tried one more time to get it running, but to no avail. So I called up a local shop and had them come pick it up. After just a day at their shop they pulled the valve cover and saw it had a broken push rod and the inside of the engine was a rusty mess! So after several weeks of searching I finally pulled the trigger on a 4.0 engine and decided to just have the shop do the swap. For now it will be staying carburated, but eventually I'd like to upgrade to the 4.0 injectors and wiring harness. That's where the project sits now.
A bit more about the car. Non-sport, but is sporting a rear spoiler and louvres, sunroof, center console gauges, tach cluster, black interior, T5 transmission. The interior is in very nice shape. Drivers A pillar plastic needs replaced as well as both sunvisors. Headliner is drooping! Drivers seat has one small tear. Exterior is a dull copper penny color which is why I've named her Penny! The paint is dull, but the body appears to have little to no rust and just one small ding on the passenger door. Underside is the same way. Some surface rust here and there, but for the most part rust free and no spots of cancer...at least that I can see. I might have to take the skirts/flares off and give it a thorough look one of these days. Rear louvres are plastic and do have a few small cracks. Sunroof appears to not be leaking. I've already purchased sport mirrors and steering wheel and already has 215/75/15 tires mounted on a Cherokee Turbine wheels. I'd like to turn this into a weekend cruiser and show car. And I use the phrase show car generously. I don't mean I'll be prepping it and painting it to make it a show winner or anything. I just want a sweet classic I can take to shows when I get the chance so that I can spread the AMC love!
The car would possibly see some offroad use, but only for fun and not for sport.
On to what you've all been waiting for...less text, more pics!
Here she was the day I bought her! Glasses found in the glove box and still worn today!
General pics to show exterior condition when bought. Driver front wheel wasn't holding air so PO had installed the spare.
Hard to see the small dings, but their like 3 inches above the trim above the SX/4 Decal.
General pics to show the interior condition when bought.
The small tear on the drivers seat. Actually found more towards the center of the seat and not on the edge closest to the door.
Some vintage aftermarket wiper delay system. I tried it out when I got a fresh battery for it. It was non-operable.
Center Gauge Cluster. PO had installed a wooden shifter knob. Might like to have a stock one at some point.
The broken A pillar.
Sunroof!!!
Bad visors.
No AC
A work in progress
The tires I had mounted. Goodyear Wrangler AT/S 215/75/15 I bought them off a Wrangler owner who drove the car off the lot. And immediately changed to bigger wheels/tires when he got it home. Less than 50 miles on tires.
And here they are on the car.
And lastly for this post. Getting hauled to the shop!
Also when I went to work on the car that weekend the drivers rear tire was completely flat. I sure hope the PO didn't put a hole in my new tires!
Topic: 1983 SX/4 Dull "Penny" (Read 91182 times)