Notifications
Clear all
The Lounge
13
Posts
9
Users
47
Reactions
993
Views
Topic starter
14/10/2024 3:18 pm
John Bono
North Jersey
14/10/2024 3:24 pm
Some see this car as an oddity. It certainly has been the brunt of jokes, and it certainly had a few flaws, like an immense greenhouse and an A/C system inadequate for the job at hand. I always thought AMC was ahead of its time. They produced a relatively small car with a huge interior and enough width to provide decent handling. It wasn't exactly "cab forward," but it was on the right track. Prices in the secondary market are rising!
John Kuvakas
Warrenton, VA
14/10/2024 3:37 pm
An especially good choice today, John, for "Something Different", as that is exactly what it was. John K. is correct; it was considered an oddity and people laughed at certain elements of the design. Back in the day I'm sure I did too.
I won't go so far as defending it here but in the photo in John's link, it's not a bad looking car, in today's marketplace, if it were still for sale.
I dislike the grille on this post's tan car but the concept was viable.
Another great choice for car conversation John!
14/10/2024 3:58 pm
I love my 1/43 Neo Pacer and think nothing says 1970s US TV drama, like the sight of a Pacer in a mall parking lot! I agree with Tony though, in that I'm not so keen on the present model's grille. In a way, it's too aggressive for this anodyne little school run / shopper.
14/10/2024 4:40 pm
The change in the grill was an ill-conceived effort to make the car more palatable. People were staying away by the thousands. Even more stayed away after the redesign.
John Kuvakas
Warrenton, VA
15/10/2024 3:26 am
John, the grill/hood changes were necessary to fit the new 304cid V-8 engine option under the hood in 1978. With the addition of the heavier wagon to the Pacer line-up in 1977 performance suffered with the I-6 so the V-8 was added. I agree, the original design was much more palatable.
1977 Wagon
1978 Wagon
15/10/2024 7:29 am
When it first came out, I thought it looked like the charioter on Lost in Space.
Charles Rockett and John Bono reacted
15/10/2024 7:47 am
Hadn't heard of a 'charioteer' before and was not a watcher of "Lost in Space". So I looked it up.When it first came out, I thought it looked like the charioter on Lost in Space.
By golly; you're right!!
15/10/2024 9:59 am
As I recall AMC billed this offering in its ads as "the car of the future". It was considered homely looking by most comments I ever heard and at best rather odd looking. Perhaps too big of a styling step at the time as it flopped and the ugly enlarged grille only added to its failure. But like other sales failures we have seen, its uniqueness seems to have ensured that it became somewhat of a collector car, which is nice to see as it deserves recognition in automotive history
This post was modified 1 year ago by Jack Dodds
Topic starter
15/10/2024 3:57 pm
One sold this year at Mecum Kissimmee auction for $30,000.
John Bono
North Jersey
Jack Dodds and Tony Perrone reacted
15/10/2024 6:32 pm
@grockwood Sorry but I don't see the resemblance. Like others have said, the original looked okay while the update not so much.