The Restoration starts!- '80 Eagle Turbo Diesel

[IowaEagle]

Good deal.

[shanebo]

Im sure glad to see such a rare piece of American Motors history is safe in the hands of someone who really loves and appreciates it. This is literally a once in a lifetime chance to see a project like this come together.

[rollguy]

I have some good and bad news to share with you all the TD Eagle.   I have had difficulty finding the time and resources to finish this project (the bad news), so I have decided to let someone else finish it.  I have thought long and hard about who should carry on the restoration.  I thought about putting it for auction on this site, but decided that it needs to go somewhere that it would be seen and enjoyed by many folks.  The only and best place I thought of is the Rambler Ranch (the good news).
I contacted Terry and we came to an agreement.  Terry has the resources to restore it to the level that it deserves.   I think it will have a good nest in Colorado with the rest of his flock (50+ Eagles). He will be sending a friend out to So. Cal in a week or so to pick it up.  I will start another thread that will give all the details of the move.  It will be a sad and happy day for me when it flies the coop, but I think it is for the best.......Rich 

[shanebo]

That must have been a pretty hard decision to make Rich...I am struggling with my current project I can only imagine how difficult it must be to try to restore somthing that rare and complicated.....Eggs too you for deciding to place the car somewhere that it can be enjoyed by all.

[rollguy]

I got the engine and trans ready to transport.  I made a fixture that doubles as a transport and running stand.   The oil pan can be removed, the trans can be removed, and/or the TC can be installed, or just left off.   I made 4 mounts on each side so each unit can be removed and the other/s can remain.


After the engine is repaired, it can be run before installing it in the car to make sure everything is working properly.  It was a real pain to just remove the engine, so it will be much harder to install it. 

[philotomy]

So are you sending out to get rebuilt or is Terry taking it off your hands?

[rollguy]

So are you sending out to get rebuilt or is Terry taking it off your hands?

If everything works out, Terry will restore the entire car and it will nest with the other birds at the Rambler Ranch for many folks to enjoy.

[shanebo]

I certainly look foward to seeing that car! Its a going to be a an extraordinary experience for not only AMC guys but all car fanatics....Not often you get a chance to see not only the rarest of AMC's but probably one of the rarest american made automobiles.

[philotomy]

I guess my question is why did they make so few? Diesel powered rigs with turbo's are pretty popular(now)maybe I answered my own question

[rollguy]

I guess my question is why did they make so few? Diesel powered rigs with turbo's are pretty popular(now)maybe I answered my own question

In 1980 the TD Eagle sold for over $19,000.   The company that converted them had to pay full price for the stock Eagles.  Also the interest rate was near 20%.   Very few people could afford to buy them.

[shanebo]

$19,000 was a huge sum back then. That was nearly $4,000 more than a new Cadillac Eldorado. The whole high end luxury cross over thing was unheard of back then today there would have been a waiting list for a car like that....just one more way AMC was so far ahead of their time.

[vangremlin]

Wow, I had no idea they cost that much!  While the idea for the car is a good one, I would think that some market research would have shown that there wasn't much demand for the car.  However, they may not have done it strictly from a sales point of view,, but to demonstrate it could be done.  Were there ever any write ups in any of the major car magazines about the TD?  How did the experts view this experiment?  Thanks.

[shanebo]

I think they were just too far ahead  of their time. America wasnt ready for a 4x4  deisel powered luxury crossover yet..

[keverbeek]

Can anyone tell me more about the TD engine from VM Motori?
What are the specs? Where else was this engine used?
I guess it should be possible/legal to swap a petrol for a similar diesel, right?