Saved From A V8 Swap: 1970 AMC Gremlin
The seller of this good-looking 1970 AMC Gremlin says that they are the third owner and their original intention was to put a V8 under the hood but decided against that the longer they had it and spent time cleaning it up. They have this non-V8 Gremlin listed here on eBay in beautiful Nampa, Idaho and there is an unmet opening bid suggestion of $6,999.99 and even then it looks like the reserve won’t be met. They have a $13,999.99 buy-it-now price listed.
This Gremlin is too nice to modify according to the seller and given my love of original and original spec vehicles, I agree. On the other hand, I would have no problem putting a V8 in this Gremlin if it didn’t do any permanent damage to the engine bay or anything else. It’s not like there aren’t a hundred other Gremlins for sale at any given time so it’s not like dropping an SBC into a 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic or anything. And, they did put V8s into them so it’s possible.
The photos are a little unusual for this one, unfortunately, but they cover most of the bases at least, unlike a lot of other sellers’ listings. Most of the photos are partial/cut-off images for some reason. The opening photo is literally the only one showing the whole car in one frame but it looks great to me no matter how chopped off the photos are. The seller has done a lot of work on this car, including all new shocks and new brakes all the way around and a lot of other things, check out the eBay link for the whole description, it’s a detailed one.
I love the creative use of light-colored duct tape on the left side of the driver’s seat or whatever kind of tape that is. Hey, it works until some matching vinyl can be found and SMS Auto Fabrics may have this exact vinyl. Otherwise, it looks really nice inside as far as I can tell. The back seating area looks perfect. There is a bit of body rust to deal with but not much for a 52-year-old car and they have provided a few underside photos, a very nice touch.
At the opposite end of the spectrum from a V8, this 199 cubic-inch inline-six with 128 horsepower is the smallest engine available in a Gremlin for 1970. This one has a Borg-Warner three-speed automatic. The biggest engine this year was a 232 inline-six, the V8 wouldn’t show up until 1972 when a 304 V8 was an option. The seller says that this one runs like a champ and they wouldn’t be afraid to drive it anywhere. Hagerty is at $7,000 for a car in #3 good condition but that’s with the 232 engine. That value is $0.01 above their opening bid. With that rust that’s where I’d put this one but I don’t make the rules on values, the bidders do. $11,200 is the reported #2 excellent condition value. Would you keep the six or drop in a V8?
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Comments
I’d keep the six. What’s the hurry?
“It’s not like there aren’t a hundred other Gremlins for sale at any given time…”. IDK where you’re looking, but under the rocks I frequent, the ’70 – ’73’s seem to be pretty scarce. This one looks to have been repainted(?) and unfortunately the original owner sprung for an automatic transmission. If I bought it, I’d source some steelies and some dog dishes, reupholster the seat with (hopefully) OEM vinyl, and enjoy. Nice find!
You’re right, XMA0891, I was thinking generally but the early ones aren’t seen as often, as you mentioned.
A Gremmie is a Bucket List Vehicle for me (yeah; I aim low) but for my money, other than a ’78 GT, the ’70 – ’73’s are the only ones to own.
I will never understand this opposition with sticking the ugliest wheels to ever come on a car , steelies and dog dish hubcaps , yuck.
Not an obsession. That’s how these cars were made and sold. If one wanted full hubcaps they were available.
This is a standard Gremlin 4 passenger. It even has rubber flooring. Dog dish hubcaps, rubber flooring, automatic. Just like my parent’s ’71 only white with red stripe.
2 passenger and price leader had a fixed rear window and no rear seat.
’71 hatch only had a single prop strut BTW. ’70s had two.
Love The Little Gremlin. Had a friend dropped a AMC 390 in one and we had a blast. Took about 6 months to figure out how to keep the back wheels planted and the front ones on the ground. Fun time from RED TO RED and the 1320.
If you really want a Gremlin, this looks like the one to get!
seeing how they were economy cars, as in inexpensive! people drove the hell out of them with out oil changing, or maintenance that more expensive cars and owners with money, would do. Pintos, Vegas, Mavericks….other econo boxs suffered early death, due to cheap owners………and thats my opinion .
so nice to find one that is in decent shape.
I had a 72 Gremlin, 258 with 3 speed standard, good, dependable vehicle, wish I’d kept it. Hind sight 20/20.
I vote for keeping it original.
I will never understand this opposition with sticking the ugliest wheels to ever come on a car , steelies and dog dish hubcaps , yuck.
If you are going to save one, find one of the approx. 41,000 H code Gremlins with the X package AND the 304 V 8. ( from 72- 78)
AMC people know this, but a reminder- not all X ‘s were V 8’s. Lots of clones out there.
Nice original.
Small dent in ______ . Not the best photos.
Yes a very small dent and you can see it in the hood picture #2.
The other dent is the front lower valance on the drivers side. Both tiny easy fixes.
And the rear bumper dents are easy to see.
My 2nd car was a 1971 Gremlin-X with the 232 straight 6 and 3 on the floor, roof rack and the wide Gremlin-X AMC rally wheels, (same wheels as those used on their performance cars and their bigger mid-sized cars). Bought it with 7000 miles in 1972 for $2000 and sold it in 1979 for $900 without any repairs except basic maintenance. I had fun and saved a lot of money. (I did change the oil LoL.)
Love the rally on this and how they were painted, no trim rings. Looks all business.
My first car was a ‘70 gremlin with 199 I6. Me and Dad found a 304 V8 out of a ‘74 ‘X’. What good times and great memories in the late 70’s.
I remember being at a car show in the 80’s see a Gremlin in black with a 401 and a blower. Talking about a wild ride! Also it had wheelie bars! The 80s had some crazy setups. This ride I would but a 390 or 401 flat hood and nice gear box. Nice true dual exhaust. That would be fun. Good luck to the next owner.🐻🇺🇸
V-8 is fine, as long as it’s an AMC V-8. And the original steelies would be 13″ on this car.
I bought the first Gremlin sold in my town on April 1, 1970. 199 CID six with three speed column shift.
I always liked these! Not everyone does, and that is a shame. Quirky, cool cars.
I was at a car show with a friend and his new girlfriend. Somehow he got separated from his girlfriend & I. We were looking at cars & this rude (female dog) said really loud “I don’t understand why would someone bring that piece of junk here”.
The people sitting in their lawn chairs by the car (a really clean Gremlin similar to this) were insulted, as I would have been too.
I chewed her a$$ out, and walked away from her, going back to apologize to the car owners.
My buddy, last I knew, is still dating her. I haven’t heard from him in years.
Auction update: this Gremlin sold for $8,399!