Scary Prospect? No Reserve 1973 AMC Gremlin
Lets just start with what TIME magazine calls one of the ’50 worst cars of all time’. Despite this, there is a dedicated following of these compact malaise-era cars, which means that someone loves these unusual models. Myself, I quite like these quirky attempts from AMC, who were struggling at the time and designed a car around one of their existing cars (the Hornet), but by just cutting off the back and calling it a day. This amazing design could be part of your own collection by visiting eBay here, where there are 4 days left on the auction, with bidding at just $860 and the lucky buyer getting to pick up the car from LA, California.
One sign of a dedicated following is the countless articles written about the car, movie appearances, and one of the longest Wikipedia entries that I have ever seen. It’s full of interesting facts about the Gremlin, including the information that two US Presidents have owned a Gremlin, one being Bill Clinton, and the other George W. Bush. However, our more humble green model from California doesn’t have such as good status, given it’s in need of a lot of work. Can you imagine taking on a Gremlin as a project – given these do not fetch a lot of money in restored condition then it really is a labor of love.
So what do you get as the successful auction winner? Well, it’s a 2-owner car but it has not been registered for 10 years and has a salvage title. So not a great start. The car has covered 184,000 miles in the last 50 years and comes with a remarkably bright ‘Blarney Green’ paint. This has been a standard run-around car for the original owner for years and has been bashed with dings and scrapes. The engine is running and is rough but you will need to fix the power steering pump.
Now although this is all-original, some of the interior has not held up well. The seats have a huge rip in them and need a good clean and probably a replacement. The dashboard looks ok, given its age, but I would be prepared to change a lot of this car in order to bring it back to life. Alternatively, you could continue to use it as a classic daily beater until it actually falls apart. So do you love the AMC enough to rescue this, or is it only good as a parts car?
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Comments
There’s a punch in the gut 1st thing, 50 worst cars. Let’s back up a bit, shall we? Probably the most affordable classic to come out of California, and WORST? Good heavens, the Gremlin was a hero. Imports caught America with their proverbial pants down, and Gremlin was the first to make a stand. It’s exactly what America needed at the time. A cheap, economical car that could hold a family. Introduced on April Fools Day, 1970, it beat Ford and Chevy to the punch and we, I talk of AMC like it was mine, and in a way, we really felt that way in Wisconsin, AMC was ours, were very proud of the Gremlin. We sent out almost 700,000 of them. Not bad for one of the worst cars, eh? The Gremlin undercut the then cheapest car at the time, the VW, by $200 bucks and was 10 times the car. It was AMCs moment in the sun, as it were. Gremlins were given as promotional items, graduation gifts, worst my axx.
Which brings us to this car. What gives in this bakocked hobby? Here you have a very presentable car, one that helped change history, still fits right in today, and can’t muster a grand? That’s a darn same. If it wasn’t so far away, it would be mine, FO SHO! Just try and find another. A great find.
Perhaps author’s personal opinion slants
negatively just abit. Not worth alot, true,
and likely will never achieve icon status
value. But I’ve always enjoyed these, and
Howard A states his thoughts very well.
If it has been in CA, appears a good start.
Now, tho, still a labor of love.
I had one, a ’74, and drove it and drove it and then drove it more. I didn’t baby it either. It was a 232 with an automatic that I paid $2700 new and nothing ever went wrong with the car until I replaced the transmission at 130,000 or so. Then I drove it more. I put aftermarket wheels on it and a 5.0 sticker that I ordered at the AMC dealer. I finally sold it to somebody who drove it a couple more years. Last I heard it had around 200,000 miles on it. Now tell me, how can that good be in the world’s 50 worse cars?
Exactly Rixx.
“Fetching a lot of money”… isn’t the point of owning cars like these.
All true.
Says more about Time Magazine than it does about the Gremlin.
It had it’s compromises. Crude in some ways. Worst? Not even close.
My parent’s 71, bought new, was horribly assembled, badly painted and squeaked from the very first day, but the engine and drivetrain would have served well for many years.
Yep if only it wasn’t so far away Howard and I might get into a bidding war. I like the fact that it’s complete and has less rust than the door knob on my front door. They certainly were no worse than the Pintos and Vegas that followed.
And Jack, it looks like the roof might not need any body work!
Where did Time magazine go? Nah there were worse cars, pretty sure by then it was easy to take shots at AMC they were going down and probably weren’t spending much advertising in the magazine by then. Will say that six cylinder engine lasted quite a while moving vehicles for many years. Displacement changed but design was tried and true.
Nothing wrong with the Gremlin.Great with the 304 V8 and 4spd.
Fun daily driver. Just clean the interior.
Drop in a hemi like the road kill guys and rule the street
These were actually very reliable cars unlike TIME magazine .
American motors 6 cyl best ever then,slant 6 then,4.3 Chevy V-6,JMO.
Great deal , not many people or kids would even knew what it was at a car show, get it running, cover seats, shine up that GREEN , and drive it, many cars worse off than this.
I love Gremlins but given all the dented panels, bent bumpers, busted grill and high mileage I’d be tempted to find one in better condition. This one will cost too much even to make a legal driver.
Replace the headlight, check the brakes, make sure the turn signals work…it’s legal in California…body modificatiions and all.
Chuck,
It’s got a salvage CA title, good luck in putting it back on the road in that state, and there are other states that if it passes the DMV/MVA inspection, it will still be issued a salvage title.
Knew a guy that had one back in mid 70s.Don’t remember what year it was, but it was black with gold accent stripes.Had a 304 and a 4 speed. Put a 4bbl and headers on it. Really woke that Gremlin up! This one would make a good project.
A good friend in Highschool bought a new one in 73. 304 & 4 spd
It ran pretty good just stock.definitely different
Small block automatic
Weekends at drags
Cheap racer lots o fun
Sorry, all I see is a junker. (and I LOVE AMC products.)
There’s always one “I’d put a V8 (Hemi) in it” comment. LOL
Bought a purple(!) 1973 Gremlin X with 5 liter/automatic in 1977. It was actually more luxurious than one might imagine, with bucket seats, fancy dash, etc., and the paint itself was actually pretty deep/sparkly. Pretty fun to drive, except for the numerous rattles. Except for the ostentatious color I kinda liked it, and it did patch me through, time-wise, to my favorite car, a 1974 Celica.
$1,525 now, and it is in my area, but i do not want anything to do with it, i clicked on see sellers other items and over 10,000 came up!!
Great little cars, had one new in 1972!
Looks like a 72 grille. Had a 73 Hornet Hatchback X with a 360 V8, Olympic Blue with white vinyl roof and white X package stripes on the sides, a real fun driver.
I think more people like Gremmies than read Time magazine
What happened to the left quarter??? It looks like a sack of marbles…
A little duct tape on that front seat? And let ‘er rip!
I have to ask, cause I can’t tell by the pic, but what engine is in this Gremlin? Thanks.
I like this Gremlin. Just don’t have a use for it. Always thought that these little cars didn’t get the respect they deserve. AMC made due with what they had. They sold alot of these for what they were. There were other cars that were far less reliable. Think Pinto, Vega, Chrysler “F” bodies. AMC deserves more love than they get. This from a Mopar man. Always had a soft spot for AMC, the underdogs.