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AMC Gremlin

April 09, 2024

The AMC Gremlin (also American Motors Gremlin)[1] is a subcompact automobile introduced in 1970, manufactured and marketed in a single, two-door body style (1970–1978) by American Motors Corporation (AMC), as well as in Mexico (1974–1983) by AMC's Vehículos Automotores Mexicanos (VAM) subsidiary.

AMC Gremlin
1975 AMC Gremlin
Overview
ManufacturerAmerican Motors Corporation
Also called
  • American Motors Gremlin[1]
  • VAM Gremlin (Mexico)[2]
Production
  • 1970–1978 (US)
  • 1974–1983 (Mexico)
  • 671,475 produced
Assembly
Designer
Body and chassis
ClassSubcompact
Body style
LayoutFR layout
Related
Powertrain
Engine
Transmission
Dimensions
Wheelbase96 in (2,438 mm)
Length
  • 161.3 in (4,097 mm) (1970–1972)
  • 165.5 in (4,204 mm) (1973)
  • 170.3 in (4,326 mm) (1974–1975)
  • 169.4 in (4,303 mm) (1976)
  • 166.5 in (4,229 mm) (1977–1978)
Width70.6 in (1,793 mm)
Height51.8 in (1,316 mm)
Curb weight2,633 lb (1,194 kg)[4]
Chronology
SuccessorAMC Spirit

Using a shortened Hornet platform and bodywork with a pronounced kammback tail, the Gremlin was classified as an economy car and competed with the Chevrolet Vega and Ford Pinto, as well as imported cars including the Volkswagen Beetle and Toyota Corolla.[5][6] The small domestic automaker marketed the Gremlin as "the first American-built import."[7]

The Gremlin reached a total production of 671,475 over a single generation. It was superseded by a restyled and revised variant, the AMC Spirit produced from 1979 through 1983. This was long after the retirement of the Ford Pinto that suffered from stories about exploding gas tanks, as well as the Chevrolet Vega with its rusting bodies and durability problems with its aluminum engine.[8][9]

History edit

Origin and design edit

 
 
The design of the Gremlin was inspired by the AMC AMX-GT concept car.

The idea for the Gremlin began in 1966 when design chief at American Motors, Dick Teague, and stylist Bob Nixon discussed the possibility of a shortened version of AMC's compact car.[10] On an airline flight, Teague's solution, which he said he sketched on an air sickness bag,[11] was to truncate the tail of a Javelin. Bob Nixon joined AMC as a 23-year-old and did the first formal design sketches in 1967 for the car that was to be the Gremlin.[12]

Ford and General Motors were to launch new subcompact cars for 1971, but AMC did not have the financial resources to compete with an entirely new design.[13][14] Teague's idea of using the pony car Javelin resulted in the AMX-GT concept, first shown at the New York International Auto Show in April 1968.[15] This version did not go into production, but the AMX name was used from 1968 through 1970 on a shortened, two-seat sports car built from the Javelin.

 
1971 AMC Gremlin X, 1972 Ford Pinto Runabout, and 1973 Chevrolet Vega GT
 
1978 Gremlin X

Instead, Bob Nixon, AMC's future Chief of Design, designed the new subcompact based on the automaker's Hornet model, a compact car. The design reduced the wheelbase from 108 to 96 inches (2,743 to 2,438 mm) and the overall length from 179 to 161 in (4,547 to 4,089 mm), making the Gremlin two inches (50 mm) longer than the Volkswagen Beetle and shorter than the Ford Pinto and Chevrolet Vega.

Capitalizing on AMC's advantage as a small car producer, the Gremlin was introduced on April 1, 1970. The April 6, 1970, cover of Newsweek magazine featured a red Gremlin for its article, "Detroit Fights Back: The Gremlin". The car was available as a "base" two-passenger version with no rear seat and a fixed rear window, at a suggested retail price of $1,879, and as a four-seat hatchback with an opening rear window, at $1,959 (US$15,370 in 2023 dollars[16]).[17]

From the front of the car to the B-pillars, the Gremlin was essentially the same as the AMC Hornet. Although it was only fractionally longer than the contemporary Volkswagen Beetle, Time said the length of its hood over the front-mounted engine made "the difference seem considerably more", adding that the car "resembles a sawed-off station wagon, with a long, low hood and swept-up rear, and is faintly reminiscent of the original Studebaker Avanti."[18] As with the Volkswagen, the Gremlin's styling set it apart from other cars.[19] Time said, "like some other cars of less than standard size, the back seat is designed for small children only."[18] The Gremlin's wider stance gave it "a stable, quiet and relatively comfortable ride—for the two front passengers", for whom, by small-car standards, there was more than average interior width, seat room, and legroom.[20] The six cubic feet of luggage space behind the back seat was less than in the rear-engined Volkswagen Beetle, but with the seat folded the cargo area tripled to 18 cubic feet (509.7 L).[20]

The upright design of the tail, which enlarged interior space, was aerodynamically efficient. Later, European and Japanese manufacturers similarly created different body styles on one compact car chassis by extending or curtailing the trunk (e.g. Volkswagen's Jetta and Golf models).

Marketing edit

 
AMC Gremlin logo on gas cap

Designed and named by Teague to look either "cute or controversial - depending on one's viewpoint ... for many, it seemed perfect for the free-thinking early 1970s."[21] American Motors executives apparently felt confident enough to not worry that the Gremlin name might have negative connotations.[20] Time magazine noted two definitions for gremlin: "Defined by Webster's as 'a small gnome held to be responsible for malfunction of equipment.' American Motors' definition: 'a pal to its friends and an ogre to its enemies.'"[18] The car's cartoon-inspired mascot was marketed for product differentiation and was intended to be memorable to consumers.[22][23] The Gremlin's hatchback design was also needed to make the car stand out in the competitive marketplace, and according to Teague: "Nobody would have paid it any attention if it had looked like one of the Big Three" automobiles.[21]

AMC promoted the Gremlin as "America's first subcompact".[24] This description overlooks the Nash Metropolitan and the earlier Crosley.[25] The Metropolitan—a subcompact-sized[26][27] captive import, American-conceived and American-designed for the American market, and built in the UK with a British engine—has a claim to be "America's first subcompact."[28]

AMC marketed the Gremlin as "cute and different," a strategy successful in attracting more than 60 percent of purchasers under the age of 35.[29]

Annual changes (1970–1978) edit

1970 edit

 
1970 AMC Gremlin

The Gremlin debuted in April 1970 with AMC's 199 cu in (3.3 L) I6, a seven main bearing design which produced 128 hp (95 kW; 130 PS) as standard equipment, with AMC's 232 cu in (3.8 L) I6 - producing 145 hp (108 kW; 147 PS) - as an option. AMC said the Gremlin offered "the best gas mileage of any production car made in America". According to the auto editors of Consumer Guide, it had "an unusually long option list for the era" so owners could have luxury and conveniences typically found in more expensive cars, and these options "came with a much higher profit margin" for the automaker.[20]

As the first of the new domestic subcompact cars, "the Gremlin has been the most talked-about car since its introduction."[30] Sales for the abbreviated model year were 25,300.[17]

Popular Science assigned its editor to the equivalent of one year of driving by conducting a 10,000-mile (16,093 km) cross-country road test of a brand new Gremlin, and reported after driving it "without a single problem is an enviable record" and that "we were all impressed with the quality of this vehicle."[31] A nationwide survey based on owners driving their 1970 AMC Gremlins over 1,350,000 miles (2,172,614 kilometres) conducted by Popular Mechanics concluded that the unique styling attracted many buyers, but economy topped their likes.[32]

1971 edit

 
1971 AMC Gremlin

For the 1971 model year the "X" appearance/equipment trim package was introduced as a $300 option on the 4-passenger model and "proved extremely popular."[33] It included body side tape stripes, body color front fascia, slotted road wheels with D70x14 Goodyear Polyglas tires, blackout grille insert, bucket seats, and "X" decals.

The 2-passenger Gremlin version entered into its second and final season. The 232 cu in (3.8 L) I6 engine that was optional for 1970 became standard, while a longer-stroke 258 cu in (4.2 L) version became the option. Compression ratios dropped from 8.5:1 to 8:1 for 1971, resulting in 135 hp (101 kW; 137 PS) (gross) from the 232 cu in (3.8 L) and 150 hp (112 kW; 152 PS) (gross) from the 258 cu in (4.2 L)[34]

1971 Gremlin prices increased slightly (up by $20 to $1,899 for the base model),[33] and sales for this first full model year rose to 53,480.[35]

1972 edit

 
1972 AMC Gremlin X with factory sun roof and V8
 
1973 AMC Gremlin X with Levi's interior trim package
 
1973 AMC Gremlin X with Levi's interior trim package

Among many other changes was an available 304 cu in (5.0 L) V8 engine. It was "the muscle car formula of stuffing a big motor in a small car."[36] Engine ratings were downgraded to more accurate Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) net hp figures, bringing the 232 cu in (3.8 L) engine to 100 hp (75 kW; 101 PS), the 258 cu in (4.2 L) to 110 hp (82 kW; 112 PS)[37] and the 304 V8 to 150 hp (112 kW; 152 PS).[37] Even with the lower engine output ratings across the industry, "the V8 Gremlin was a poor-man's Corvette, able to spin its rear tires at will and outrun some larger, more expensive pony cars" and it was "the only real performance car available under $2,200."

The base two-seater model was discontinued, having sold 3,017 units in 18 months.[38] Gremlins also switched from non-synchronized 1st gear manual transmissions to full synchromesh, and the Borg-Warner-sourced automatic transmission was replaced by the Chrysler-designed TorqueFlite. Other minor technical upgrades improved the car's reliability and durability.[19] The Gremlin X package continued to be popular, while optional features now included an AM/FM radio, fabric sunroof, tilt steering wheel, inside hood release, trailer towing package for up to 2,000 lb (910 kg) with a Class 1 hitch, as well as manual or power-assisted front disk brakes.[39]

American Motors introduced the automobile industry's first 12-month or 12,000 mi (19,000 km) bumper-to-bumper warranty, called the "Buyer Protection Plan".[40] Its foundation was an emphasis on quality and durability, improved production by reducing the number of models and increasing the level of standard equipment.[41] The new warranty included an innovative promise to customers that AMC would repair anything wrong with the car (except for tires).[40] Owners were provided with a toll-free number to the company, as well as a free loaner car if a warranty repair took overnight. Numerous production and product improvements would result in fewer warranty claims, better public relations, and greater customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Model year 1972 sales totaled 61,717,[38] a 15% gain over the previous year.[38]

1973 edit

For the 1973 model year, AMC strengthened bumpers able to withstand a 5-mile-per-hour (8 km/h) impact in the front and a 2.5-mile-per-hour (4 km/h) impact in the rear, without any damage to the engine, lights, and safety equipment according to new mandates by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Optional was a Levi's interior trim package, which included spun nylon upholstery made to look like denim (fire safety regulations prohibited the use of real cotton denim). Details included removable map pockets, burnished copper denim rivets, and red Levi's logo tabs. Rear-seat legroom was increased. The X package received a new tape-striping pattern that kicked up over the Gremlin's rear-wheel flares.

Sales improved to 122,844 units, nearly 30% more than in 1972. A 1973 Gremlin purchased by Consumer Reports was top-rated in a group of six subcompact models tested for the June issue. That car had relatively few sample defects and proved reliable over a long-term test.

1974 edit

 
1974 AMC Gremlin

The Arab Oil Embargo of October 1973 came just as the 1974 model year began. AMC improved the Gremlin's back seat. A deeper front fascia made the car appear longer. A larger front bumper was mounted on self-restoring telescoping gas and oil cylinders. Unlike most other designs, the Gremlin did not use a filler panel between the bumper and body. A stronger rear bumper was set lower—front and rear passenger car bumpers were now required by NHTSA to have uniform heights, take angle impacts, and sustain 5-mile-per-hour (8 km/h) impacts with no damage.[42] The rear fascia was modified slightly to blend with the design changes. The Gremlin X stripe pattern was given a "hockey stick" look for 1974: the stripes followed the window line as it tapered aft, and swept up now to include four diagonal lines on the wide C-pillar. A new typeface for nameplates was used by AMC for 1974, including on the Gremlin. With the car's 1974 model year extended into November to delay the need to install catalytic converters required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2004 regulations starting with 1975 models, AMC sold 171,128 1974 Gremlins, an increase of nearly 40% over 1973 and 130% over 1971.

1975 edit

 
1975 AMC Gremlin

Changes for the 1975 model year Gremlins included standard electronic ignition developed by Prestolite.[43] All U.S. market Gremlins featured catalytic converters that required the use of unleaded regular-grade fuel. "Unleaded Fuel Only" warnings were placed by the fuel filler and on the fuel gauge. Gremlins with I6 engines and manual transmissions gained a new option, the electrically operated overdrive from Laycock de Normanville.[43] The 0.714:1 "J-type" unit was controlled by a pushbutton at the end of the turn signal stalk.[43] When turned on, the unit engaged automatically at speeds above 35 miles per hour (56 km/h) and dropped out at 32 mph (51 km/h).[43] An accelerator pedal kick-down switch provided faster passing when needed.[43] Steel-belted radial tires were now standard on Gremlins with the X package.

American Motors was promoting its economical models covered by the comprehensive "Buyer Protection Plan" warranty, as well as preparing for the launch of the Pacer[43] The automaker was planning to spend half of the entire 1975 advertising budget on the new Pacer.[44] Marketing for the Gremlin included tie-ins with a "Home Value Days" supplement designed to promote 18,500 hardware stores in Popular Science[45] and The Reader's Digest[46] as well as with Colgate-Palmolive's campaign using Willie Mays to "Help Young America" in Jet[47] and Ebony.[48]

The U.S. subcompacts were compared to the new, front-wheel-drive Volkswagen Rabbit that replaced the aging Beetle. Popular Science road tests showed the Gremlin to be the fastest and quietest of all, but had the lowest fuel efficiency with an average EPA rating of 21 mpg‑US (11 L/100 km; 25 mpg‑imp), compared to the Chevrolet Vega's 22 mpg‑US (11 L/100 km; 26 mpg‑imp), Ford Pinto's 23 mpg‑US (10 L/100 km; 28 mpg‑imp), and the Rabbit's 24 mpg‑US (9.8 L/100 km; 29 mpg‑imp).[49] The Gremlin had an I6 engine and a three-speed transmission (in contrast to the I4 engines and four-speed transmissions in the other cars) and weighed over 1,000 lb (454 kg) more than the VW Rabbit.[49]

Struggling under stagflation and an inflationary economy, all the domestic subcompact cars' sales slumped compared to the industry's record-breaking 1973 model year. In total, AMC sold 56,011 Gremlins in the (albeit shortened) 1975 model year, a 67% drop.[44] The success of the innovative Pacer launched in mid-February 1975 "severely cut" the sales of both the Gremlin and Hornet models.[44]

1976 edit

 
1976 AMC Gremlin

Changes were greater for 1976. Oval headlight bezels replaced the previous circular items. The grille shape became a stretched hexagon and included in its insert two opposing loops stacked atop each other and housing new rounded parking/turn signal lights. A new "Custom" trim line debuted, featuring a striped interior trim called "Potomac", as well as a spare tire cover and other minor details. The A models were given another new striping scheme: the hockey stick-style stripe of the previous year adding a secondary extension that ran from the door handle straight back. The X package was now available only on Custom models. Due to flagging sales, the 304 cu in (5.0 L) V8 engine option (now downgraded to 120 hp (89 kW; 122 PS)) was cancelled at midyear, after only 826 installations. (A total of 40,994 Gremlins were equipped with the V8 engine from 1972 until 1976.) A 4-speed manual transmission was made available at midyear. Sales tapered slightly to 52,941 - a decline of 5.5%. The Overdrive option continued to be available until midyear when Laycock de Normanville entered receivership. American Motors attempted to purchase the British manufacturer but could not acquire the funding in time.

1977 edit

 
1977 AMC Gremlin featured new front end styling
 
1977 AMC Gremlin Custom 2 Liter

1977 changes included redesigned sheet metal for the first time in the Gremlin's now 8-year history: revised hood, shorter front fenders, new bumpers, taller glass tailgate, enlarged taillights, and rear license plate now covering the fuel filler. The front end was shortened by four inches (102 mm) with all-new sheet metal and a crosshatch grille insert. Parking lights reverted to rectangular, and headlights were recessed into square bezels with rounded corners. The new hood had a small "power bulge" at the front. The base model now included carpeting, as well as rocker panel and wheel lip moldings. The "Custom" model was available with a list price of $2,998. The X package returned as a $189 option, with a new striping pattern that ran straight back from the front fenders and crested upward over the rear wheels. Front disc brakes became standard.

At the start of the model year, the Gremlin was available with either the standard 232 cu in (3.8 L) or optional 258 cu in (4.2 L) six-cylinder engines. Both had increased power from updated cylinder heads and two-barrel carburetors. In addition, AMC offered a carbureted four-cylinder engine: a Volkswagen/Audi 2.0 L (120 cu in) inline-four, also used in fuel-injected form in the Porsche 924. It gave better fuel economy but less power than the standard six-cylinder engines, and reduced the Gremlin's weight by 250 pounds (113 kg), allowing it to achieve an EPA rating of 21 mpg‑US (11 L/100 km; 25 mpg‑imp) in the city, and 33 mpg‑US (7.1 L/100 km; 40 mpg‑imp) on the highway.[50] It was reserved for the Custom version of the Gremlin because the expense of acquiring the rights to the engine meant that AMC could not afford to make it standard equipment. Of 46,171 Gremlins built for 1977 (13% less than in 1976), 7,558 had the new 2.0 L engine.

1978 edit

 
1978 AMC Gremlin X

In its final year of 1978, the Gremlin received a number of changes, but customers on a tighter budget could still get a standard six-cylinder base model Gremlin for under US$3,400.[51] A new "Custom" model featured either the four- or six-cylinder engine with a standard four-speed manual transmission and new vinyl bucket seats, wheel lip moldings, and other trim upgrades.[52] Inside the Gremlin there was a revised instrument panel borrowed from the then-new 1978 Concord. The dashboard had high-level ventilation HVAC, radio switchgear within easier reach, and a flat, full-width top. The X's tape striping pattern was revised to match the 1978 Concord Sport package design, with the stripe at the lower body side and curving over the wheel lip.

At mid-season, a GT package became available with a front spoiler and flared wheel openings as on the 1978 AMX. The GT added an aluminum overlay to the instrument panel, was powered by the 258 cu in (4.2 L) I6 as standard, and had a unique striping scheme: a wide tape stripe, outlined by a narrow one, ran back from the front fenders and widened aft of the rear quarter windows. The package also included body-color fender flares and front air dam, as well as body-color bumpers, all of which combined to give the GT a modern, aggressive look. Fewer than 3,000 Gremlin GTs were built.[51]

The Gremlin's body shape had not changed appreciably in its nine years of production, and other more advanced subcompacts, lighter in weight, with more doors, better interiors, and front-wheel drive, had appeared on the market. Gremlin sales for the final year fell 52% to 22,104 units. By the time production ceased, a total of 671,475 Gremlins had been built.[53]

The updated AMC Spirit replaced the Gremlin for the 1979 model year, basically "a Gremlin with conventional styling ... Lovable, sturdy cars are hard to kill."[21]

Performance edit

 
258 cu in (4.2 L) six-cylinder engine

The Gremlin was faster than other subcompacts of the time. Motor Trend magazine recorded zero to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) in 12.6 seconds with the 232 cu in (3.8 L) engine. The Ford Pinto and the VW Beetle were in the 18-second range. Fuel economy was 28 mpg‑US (8.4 L/100 km; 34 mpg‑imp) to 30 mpg‑US (7.8 L/100 km; 36 mpg‑imp) with the small six, compared with the 35-plus mpg economy of the VW Beetle.[54]

Although front-heaviness was generally thought to compromise the handling, Tom McCahill wrote in Mechanix Illustrated that the Gremlin was "fast and easy", with a comparatively stiff ride because of the shortened rear springs. He ran a 232-engined Gremlin with automatic transmission from zero to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) in 11.9 seconds, saw 100 miles per hour (161 km/h) on the Daytona Speedway straightaway, and summarized: "On a dollar for dollar basis, I rate the Gremlin the best American buy of the year".

Car and Driver magazine also recorded 0 to 60 mph in 11.9 seconds with a 232-powered Gremlin.[20]

Automobile Quarterly's article "A Critical Look at the 1973 American Cars" summarized that the basic "Gremlin offers outstanding performance for an economy car and excellent fuel mileage."[55]

When Popular Mechanics magazine tested the car with the Audi four-cylinder engine introduced in 1977, they said its acceleration with a four-speed manual felt "amazingly strong", with 0-60 mph and quarter-mile times one second slower than with the 232 cubic inch straight-six (16 vs. 15, and 21 vs. 20 seconds respectively).[56] The smaller engine produced EPA mileage of 35 mpg‑US (6.7 L/100 km; 42 mpg‑imp) highway and 22 mpg‑US (11 L/100 km; 26 mpg‑imp) city.

The Gremlin's body was heavier and stronger than its domestic or imported rivals.[57] The engines were also more powerful than the Gremlin's main domestic and imported competition. The powertrains were smoother and more reliable, and the car had fewer recalls.[57] Its chief import rival was the Volkswagen Beetle, which did not handle as well and got similar gas mileage from about 40% of the Gremlin's horsepower. The same overall size as the Gremlin, it was packaged marginally better. Gremlin designer Richard Teague commented in Motor Trend that to compare the Beetle (whose basic design originated in the late 1930s) to the Gremlin in profile and body design was like "comparing a Ford GT40 to the Hindenburg".[12]

The Gremlin holds the "distinction of offering one of the widest engine ranges of all time—from two liters to five liters."[29]

Randall 401-XR edit

 
Randall 401-XR advertisement on a replica car

Randall AMC dealership in Mesa, Arizona, received AMC's endorsement to build 401 cu in (6.6 L) V8 powered Gremlins. The cars started out as 304 cu in (5.0 L) models from the factory and after Randall's modifications would turn in 13.90 second passes at 103–106 mph (166–171 km/h) in the quarter mile, for $2,995. Known as the Randall 401-XR (X for Gremlin X, R for Randall), a total of twenty cars were built for the street and one for the strip during 1972, 1973, and 1974. In 2012, the Randalls built a 22nd Continuation Plum 1974 Gremlin 401XR, originally intending to build a few, but completed only one.[58] Car Craft magazine tested one with some modifications and achieved 115.07 mph (185.19 km/h) in 12.22 seconds in the quarter while still remaining a "totally streetable, daily-driver".[59] In 1972, Super Stock magazine had a "Special Gremlin" issue. One of the many venues where Randall's 1972 Gremlin 401XR Super Stock car[clarification needed] at the 1972 Winternationals.[citation needed][clarification needed]

Competition edit

 
Modified 1977 AMC Gremlin at a dragstrip
 
The "99 WIBG" Pro-Stock 1972 AMC Gremlin

The AMC Gremlin saw action on numerous auto racing venues, including endurance, as well as oval and road racing. Due to their inherent inexpensiveness, strength, and simplicity to modify them for higher performance, many AMC Gremlins were used in drag racing.

In the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) RS series for compact sedans, Raleigh, North Carolina's "Team Highball", run by Amos Johnson and Bunny Johnson, was the AMC factory-backed team, with Amos Johnson, Whit Diggett, and later, Dennis Shaw driving. The torque of their 232 cu in (3.8 L) 6-cylinder Gremlins gave a big advantage on the faster tracks like the Daytona International Speedway, where they were often more than a match for the BMW 2002, Alfa Romeo GTV, Datsun 510, Ford Pinto, Mercury Capri, and Opel Manta. Johnson was the series 1973 co-champion, while independent driver George Alderman took the 1974 title.[60]

Starting in 1970, Wally Booth headed AMC's Pro Stock drag racing efforts.[61] He and other drivers campaigned Gremlins painted in the hash red, white, and blue pattern that AMC had adopted as its corporate race livery. Dick Arons built the engines. The team "transformed the brand's staid grocery-getter reputation from the ground up into that of a genuine performance powerhouse".[62] Wally Booth "was one of the Edelbrock crew's favorite racers".[63]

The rule changes for the 1972 Pro Stock season opened drag racing for smaller cars fitted with small-block engines and AMC was committed to fielding the Gremlin.[64] The first car Booth built was a Gremlin body-in-white, but it was wrecked in a towing accident.[64] In preparation for the 1973 racing season, Booth built a tube chassis Gremlin with the former Penske Racing fabricator, Ron Fournier, but switched to a Hornet body Pro Stock body after realizing that the Gremlin's aerodynamics were limiting top speed during testing at the Milan Dragway in Michigan.[65]

The automaker's involvement in drag racing led to coordination in the development of the Gremlin 401XR. Grant and Mike Randall owners of Randall Rambler/AMC, built a 1972 Gremlin 401XR Drag Car, that they raced at the ARHA Winter Nationals 1972. The Randalls also wrote a high-Performance AMC Engine Tuning guide as well as the "Randall Rambler & Jeep Speed Bible."

Three factory Pro-Stock 1972 Gremlin drag racers were campaigned around the nation. One was driven by Rich LaMont and sponsored by radio station 99 WIBG in Philadelphia, PA. This car has been restored with a 401 cu in (6.6 L) AMC V8 with 4-speed manual transmission and it still runs the quarter-mile at around 8.75 seconds achieving over 150 mph (240 km/h).[66]

At the 2006 World Power Wheelstanding Championships (not a race, but a "wheelie" contest), Brian Ambrosini's specially modified 1974 Gremlin took second place.[67][68] The car gets all four of its wheels off the ground by its modified 485 cu in (7.9 L) AMC V8 producing 1,300 hp (969 kW; 1,318 PS) and achieving average quarter-mile e.t. in the low 8s with a trap speed of around 165 mph (266 km/h).[69][70][71]

The body of the Gremlin was widely used by NASCAR paved and dirt modified stock car teams in the northeastern U.S. and elsewhere from the 1970s to the early 1990s. It was believed that Gremlin's long roof with its rear kick-up provided aerodynamic advantages over the more commonly used Pinto and Vega bodies. Lenny Podbielski was "a major player in late 1970s Speedbowl action".[72]

Other markets edit

Canada edit

 
Canadian-built, base-model Gremlin

American Motors built an assembly plant in Brampton, Ontario, in 1961 for production of motor vehicles for the Canadian market as well as for the United States. The plant built and offered almost all AMC vehicles through the 1960s, allowing AMC to take advantage of the Canada–United States Automotive Products Agreement established between the two countries in 1965.[73] By 1969 production at the Brampton Assembly had grown to such a size that AMC had the plant producing vehicles for the eastern half of the American continent while Kenosha produced vehicles for the western half of the continent.[74] The plant ceased building the Ambassador after 1968 and imported the Javelin and later Matador from the United States but continued to build the Gremlin and Hornet throughout the 1970s.[75]

With Canada moving to the metric system during the 1970s, late model Gremlins were built with their speedometers reading in kilometers per hour.

Mexico edit

 
VAM Gremlin in Mazatlán, Mexico
 
1979 VAM Gremlin X in Mexico City (missing side decals)

Vehiculos Automotores Mexicanos (VAM) manufactured Gremlins in Mexico under license and partial ownership (38% equity share) by AMC. Although the Gremlin was introduced to the U.S. and Canadian markets in 1970, VAM continued assembling its version of the Hornet still bearing the name Rambler American as its smallest, least expensive car until 1974.[76] The fact that VAM already had three lines of products (the top limit permitted by legislation) from 1968 through 1973 made it impossible for the Gremlin to be offered. It was until the discontinuation of the Javelin line in 1973 that free space was available for Gremlin production, making 1974 its year of debut.

The 1974 Gremlin was the third VAM car not to bear the Rambler name since the 1968 Javelin and the 1972 Classic (Matador in the U.S.) models. Moreover, the Mexican market continued to use the Gremlin model name for VAM's version of the AMC Spirit sedan from 1979 through 1983, several years after the Gremlin nameplate was withdrawn in the U.S. market.[51]

The VAM cars had trim, interiors, and model names that differed from the equivalent AMC-made models.[77] All engines built by VAM were of AMC design, modified to deal with Mexico's lower octane gasoline and higher altitudes.[78] The VAM Gremlin was the only car line of its time not to be available with VAM's 282 cu in (4.6 L) version of AMC's I6, due to the economy market segment focus of the cars. This is exactly the opposite case as the AMC Gremlin, which was offered with the option of a 304 V8. The three-speed manual transmission with overdrive, the four-speed manual transmission, the V8 and Audi four-cylinder engines were never available. Trim levels and versions like the two-seater, the Levis Gremlin, the Gremlin Custom, and the Gremlin GT were also never available.

1974 edit

The introductory 1974 Gremlins became unique by incorporating the front clip of the 1974 U.S. AMC Hornet models.[76] VAM never attempted to hide the relationship between the two models, which never harmed the sales or image of either model and was favored by the public. The launch of the Gremlin in Mexico also meant the resurrection of the 232 cu in (3.8 L) I6 engine that was discontinued in 1972. The engine was practically the same as in its final year except for a slightly lower compression ratio (8.3:1 instead of 8.5:1). The advertised output was still the same at 145 gross horsepower at 4,400 revolutions per minute and was restricted to one-barrel carburetors. In contrast, since 1973 all VAM-based Hornets had the 258 cu in (4.2 L) six as the standard and only engine. VAM Gremlins were basic economy cars with a full synchromesh manual 3-speed transmission, heavy-duty clutch, manual four-wheel drum brakes, manual steering, front sway bar, 3.31:1 rear gear ratio, rigid four-bladed cooling fan, collapsible steering column with anti-theft lock, base steering wheel, side marker and hazard lights, column-mounted shifters only, two-tone padded dashboard with silver-colored front surfaces, electric wipers and washers, monaural AM radio, cigarette lighter, front and rear ashtrays, locking glovebox, folding bench seats, two-point front seatbelts, flip-open rear side vents, roof rack, full carpeting with driver's side rubber mat, padded sun visors, sound-insulating cardboard-type headliner, dual coat hooks and round dome light. Factory options for 1974 included a column-mounted automatic transmission, power steering, power drum brakes, heater, parcel shelf, light group, remote-controlled driver and passenger side outside mirrors, sports steering wheel, bright molding package, wheel trim rings, and heavy-duty cooling. All VAM Gremlins used AMC's three-pod instrument cluster from the domestic-built Hornet with a blank in the third gauge position from the factory, which could be equipped with a universal tachometer or clock as dealership options. The introductory year production was 2,137.[76]

1975 edit

The 1975 Gremlin models were upgraded, and along with the improvements to the larger car lines VAM took 9% of the Mexican market.[76] VAM Gremlin interiors now featured individual folding front seats with low backs and new door panels, the "two-tone" dashboard with silver-painted front surfaces was replaced by a color-keyed unit, and a new fuel economy gauge was standard on the third space of the instrument cluster. Manual front disk brakes and electronic ignition were among the mechanical upgrades, while the compression ratio of the engine was dropped to 7.6:1. Both transmissions now came only with a floor-mounted shifter. VAM Gremlins ordered with automatic transmissions now included a heater and power steering at no charge. The exterior featured a variation of AMC's "hockey stick" side decal and a new design for headlight bezels, grille, and parking lights at the front end that AMC originally developed for its Hornet models. Production doubled to over 4,200 VAM Gremlins.[76]

1976 edit

The Gremlin X version was added in 1976 as a separate model rather than an optional package. The X models included VAM's larger 258 cu in (4.2 L) I6, a 6000 RPM tachometer, sports steering wheel, 7.00X14 radial tires, Hurst linkage with T-shaped shifter for the manual transmissions, courtesy lights under the parcel shelf, heater, power steering, tinted windshield, bright molding package (drip rails, wheel arches, rocker panels), wheel trim rings, and an in-house two-color rally stripe that was unique to the Mexican market.[76] The 1976 VAM Gremlin X also came with an interior featuring the "Navajo" pattern cloth upholstery that was optional on AMC's Pacer DL models built for the Canadian and U.S. markets.[79] The base VAM Gremlin now also included luxurious seating with a center armrest that was never available in the U.S. models.[80] Due to the debut of the Gremlin X and its sportier focus, the base Gremlin switched back to the standard column-mounted shifters for either transmission, but keeping the individual seat configuration. Both versions included revised gauges with a 160 km/h speedometer, new side panel designs, longer folding sun visors, and a styled round dome light lens. Sales for 1976 increased to over 6,000 units.[76]

1977 edit

Starting with the 1977 models, all VAM Gremlins were powered by the 258 cu in (4.2 L) I6 regardless of trim level. The exterior featured the shorter new front end clip and rear end treatment as did the U.S. models.[76] The 1977 Gremlin X model included a new digital tachometer and three-point retractable seatbelts, as well as new in-house VAM designs for the seats. The sporty side decal was slightly revised. The seatbelts on the base Gremlin were also changed to three-point units, which were fixed and lacked retractable mechanisms. The option list was expanded with the possibility of ordering a factory air conditioning system for the first time in the VAM line, which was available only in the X model. The previously optional dealership-offered universal air conditioning system remained available for the base model. The VAM Gremlin X (along with the 1977-1979 American ECD, Concord DL four-door equivalent) would be the only VAM car with the 258 I6 engines to be available with a factory air conditioning system, as all other VAM models with it would be 282 cu in (4.6 L) units. Around 6,800 VAM Gremlins were sold during 1977.[76]

1978 edit

Only a few changes were made to the 1978 VAM Gremlin. The dashboard design was from the new U.S. market Concord being restricted to the unit with black surfaces only (no wood imitation or brushed aluminum versions). For the Gremlin X, there was a new VAM logo on the steering wheel horn button, smaller pointy volcano hubcaps with bright exposed lug nuts, and a new full-length bodyside decal incorporated the "Gremlin X" logo on the rear quarter panel.[81] The sporty model also got the set of four bumper guards as standard equipment. The base model got another set of new hubcaps with exposed lug nuts, but with a flat top instead. Production fell just below 6,000 VAM Gremlins.[76]

Second Generation edit

Main article: AMC Spirit § VAM models

VAM Gremlins used the updated body design of the U.S. and Canadian market AMC Spirit two-door sedan, as well as VAM versions of the Spirit Liftback, called the American GT and the Rally AMX.[76] At the time, cars in Mexico took longer to be perceived as outdated than in the US and since the VAM Gremlin came to the public until 1974 instead of 1970, it was still relatively fresh among the Mexican buyers. Aside from this, the model kept a positive image throughout its whole run. It exceeded VAM's sales expectations in its first years. The company originally considered it a temporary low-volume model that would eventually be replaced by the upcoming Pacer model. In the end, the Gremlin stood and became VAM's all-time second best-selling line after the American. For these reasons VAM decided to keep the Gremlin name for the upcoming Spirit sedan model, being a testament to the very favorable image VAM cars in general held in Mexico. This was the third time a case like this happened within the company with Rebel and Matador models keeping the name Rambler Classic and the Hornet the Rambler American name.

Australia edit

 
One-off Australian Gremlin, first featured at the 1970 Sydney Motor Show
 
Badged as a "Rambler" this test car was converted from LHD to RHD for evaluation purposes.

AMC exported a fully built Gremlin to its Australian partner, Australian Motor Industries (AMI) of Port Melbourne, Victoria in 1970 for evaluation purposes.[82] (AMI assembled and marketed other AMC models since 1961.) The evaluation model was painted in AMC's "Big Bad Orange" and was converted from left-hand drive to right-hand drive by Sydney Toyota dealer Bill Buckle Pty Ltd. The car featured AMC's 232 cu in (3.8 L) six-cylinder engine and a three-speed manual transmission.[83] The car was presented at the 1970 Sydney Motor Show to gauge interest and test the market.

The car was featured on the front cover of the November 1970 issue of Australia's top motoring magazine, Wheels magazine.[83] The magazine's review pointed to the likelihood that the "local content" requirements would force the price up to that of the high-priced, Australian-assembled Hornet, and probably price the car out of the market.[83]

For marketing purposes, it was branded as a "Rambler Gremlin" in keeping with the use of the Rambler marque for all AMC vehicles sold in Australia despite that Rambler as a brand was retired in the United States at the end of the 1969 model year.[82] However, no Gremlin models were put into production in Australia.

Right-hand-drive Gremlins were imported into Australia by U.S. servicemen.[84]

Switzerland edit

Beginning in 1970 Zurich automotive importer J.H Heller AG began importing American Motors vehicles, specifically the Javelin, Gremlin and later the Pacer.[85] Swiss market vehicles were shipped from AMC's Canadian plant.[86]

United Kingdom edit

American Motors vehicles were exported to the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s and sold by Rambler Motors (A.M.C.) Ltd[87] in London with dealers in London, Yorks, Kent, and Worcester. While earlier models such as the Rambler Classic, Rebel, Ambassador, and Matador had been exported as completed factory right-hand-drive vehicles, only left-hand-drive Gremlins were exported to the United Kingdom. A U.K company called C.T. Wooler, in Andover, Hampshire had been in the business for a long time converting LHD cars to RHD and entered into an agreement with AMC to convert AMC vehicles. C.T Wooler converted Gremlins as well as AMC Pacers and Jeeps.[88]

Hurst Rescue System 1 edit

 
1973 Hurst Rescue System 1

Between 1972 and 1974, Hurst Performance marketed "a highway safety vehicle" for emergency services,[89] as well as a compact alternative to trucks for motorsport race tracks.[90] The "Hurst Rescue System 1" was based on the AMC Gremlin and designed to quickly assist vehicle extrication of crash victims.[91] The vehicle came with the "Hurst Rescue Tool", commonly known as "The Jaws of Life", winch, stretcher, and firefighting and first aid supplies.[92] The vehicle also included push bumpers and a 25-gallon water tank. The price for this fully equipped rescue vehicle was between $11,000[93] to $13,000.[94]

Police edit

A 1975 Gremlin was used as an experimental police vehicle by the Houston Police Department's Traffic Bureau, but this did not result in fleet orders.[95]

Experimental cars edit

The Gremlin proved a popular testbed for experiments with alternative fuels. Many universities converted them to run on natural gas, hydrogen, and electric power.

Hydrogen edit

In 1972 University of California, Los Angeles researchers won a nationwide Urban Vehicle Design Competition when they modified a 1972 AMC Gremlin to run on hydrogen. The lessons learned are still useful today.[96] The engine was a converted Ford 351 cu in (5.8 L) V8 noted for its volumetric efficiency. Lacking sophisticated electronics and injection systems, the carburetor was a modified propane unit and the 100-litre (26.4 US gal) "thermos"-type hydrogen tank gave the Gremlin a range of 160 miles (257 km).[97] Tests indicated that the car would not only meet the scheduled 1976 vehicle United States emission standards, but also actually emit slightly cleaner air than it took in.[98] As part of the 1972 Urban Vehicle Design Competition, UCLA engineering students also enlarged the side glass area above the rear wheels for improved visibility, designed a roll cage which projected through the Gremlin's roof to double as a roof rack, and designed 5 MPH bumpers with an environmentally-friendly energy-absorbing popcorn core, covered with a recycled-tire tread surface.[99] In 1984, UCLA's first hydrogen-powered car was sold for one dollar to the William F. Harrah Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada.[100] In 2010, the car was available on an auction site.[101]

Alternative fuels edit

Other experiments used AMC Gremlins. To evaluate non-petroleum fuel and measure mechanical wear under mostly short city driving, a 1970 Gremlin with AMC's 232 cu in (3.8 L) engine operated successfully on methanol for ten years and 46,250 miles (74,432 km).[102]

The broadest range of fuel tests were conducted by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) labs in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Engineers estimated the performance and fuel economy of 1977 Gremlin Xs operating on ordinary gasoline, a variety of wide boiling range fuels (naphtha, kerosene, etc.), as well as two alcohols, ethanol and methanol.[103]

Electric edit

 
Seattle City Light Superintendent Gordon Vickery at charging station for the electric Gremlin

The Electric Fuel Propulsion Company (EFP) of Ferndale, Michigan, produced a number of electric cars including the AMC Gremlin based, two-passenger X-144. Introduced in 1973 it featured a 20 horsepower (15 kW) direct current motor fueled by a 144-volt cobalt-lead storage batteries designed to reduce the formation of harmful gases during recharging, as well as a regular 12-volt battery to operate the cars lights, horn, and heater blower.[104] Performance was claimed to be similar to a base gasoline Gremlin, including a top speed of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h), but with a calculated lower cost per mile for the X-144 over five years and 20,000 miles (32,187 km) of use.[105]

Inventor "Cotton" Whatley of Wichita Falls, Texas, offered an unknown number of modified electric Gremlins for sale through various dealerships between 1973 and 1978. Whatley's Gremlin Electric had a top speed of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h) and a maximum range of 50 miles (80 km).[106]

Exhibition edit

Engineers at Coleman Products Corporation in Coleman, Wisconsin, created a non-drivable plexiglas Gremlin as a demonstrator of the placement and function of electrical wiring harnesses.[107]

Concept Gremlins edit

Gremlin Voyager edit

In 1972 AMC developed a prototype "Gremlin Voyager" with a slide out rear panel called "Grem-Bin".[108] The car was a production Gremlin with a proposed "shelf" design to make cargo loading easier.

XP prototype edit

 
AMC Gremlin XP concept car

In 1974 a production car was modified and dubbed the Gremlin XP prototype.[109] It has a larger glass hatchback and additional side quarter windows. A pronounced crease started from the mid-body section and wraps over the roof while the rear quarter panels feature bulges around the wheel well openings. The rear panel has a recessed and blacked-out area with four lights. The design of the concept car improved visibility around the Gremlin's original wide C-pillar.[110]

G/II prototype edit

Another 1974 Gremlin was modified with a front end from the Hornet.[111] The concept car received a special grille, but the most radical design feature was its fastback roofline. This concept car turned out to be similar to the Gremlin's replacement, the liftback Spirit model introduced for the 1979 model year.[111]

Concept 80 edit

In 1977 American Motors presented six show cars to illustrate the automaker's commitment to smaller, fuel-efficient vehicles for the 1980s.[112] Three of them, the "Concept I", "Concept II", and "Concept Grand Touring" represented new subcompact designs.[113]

  • The Concept I car combined a "wedge-design" with a short hood, low body beltline, steeply raked windshield, and expanded glass area. The front featured a mesh grille with "rally-type" parking lights and rectangular headlamps. The rear end was squared off featuring large rear quarter windows to eliminate blind spots. The rear panel incorporated a characteristic continental tire bulge.
  • The Concept II design was another Gremlin replacement proposal featuring integral soft bumpers, and headlamps concealed by flush sliding doors. A pronounced center structural "Targa-band" was designed to add strength to the roof. The squared-off rear end featured a glass hatchback.
  • The Concept Grand Touring was a larger luxury hatchback designed for four passengers. The interior was appointed in leather and corduroy upholstery and luxury appointments with deep-pile carpeting. The front end featured a "venturi" grille with rally-type lights. The rear side windows were "opera" recessed and surrounded by a vinyl cover that ran over the roof's rear quarter. The Concept GT car had genuine wire wheels.

Design elements from the AMC's show cars "Concept II" and "Concept GT" were incorporated into the Gremlin's replacement, the AMC Spirit that was introduced in 1979.

Production history and reception edit

The 1970s were one of the most volatile periods in the history of the automobile industry which is renowned for its ups and downs.[114] A total of 671,475 Gremlins were sold in the United States and Canada, making it the most popular single generation body style/chassis produced by AMC (other models, such as the Rambler and even Hornet, have higher production numbers, but consisted of more than one chassis design and body style in the case of the Rambler, multiple body styles for the Hornet).

A book about the popular history of the 1970s introduces it as the decade of "pet rocks, shag carpets, platform shoes, and the AMC Gremlin."[115] It is among the cars that people who were in high school in the late 1970s and early 1980s would be familiar with because it was one of the first cars they drove and among most often seen in student parking lots.[116][117] Kiplinger's personal finance magazine, Changing Times, listed the AMC Gremlin as first among the best subcompact used cars as "selected by top mechanics for good value, good service."[118] Five years after the Gremlin's introduction, the mechanics liked the six-cylinder engine and most preferred automatic transmission.[118] Comments included, "I have one. It's the greatest. I own one with a 304 V-8 engine. Have no trouble outside of normal maintenance."[118]

During the early 1970s American cars "are remembered far more often for their power than their style, and ... throughout the decade, the character of cars became blurred. Only a handful of cars had real personalities...." the AMC Gremlin was one of them, "a pioneering hatchback".[11] According to Tom and Ray Magliozzi, "it's easy to criticize this car now, because just about any car from the early '70s would look bad next to today's cars. They had no fuel injection, no independent suspension, no air bags, no anti-lock brakes, no nothing! But compared with the other cars of its era, the Gremlin wasn't bad."[119]

Officially discontinued after the 1978 model year, the Gremlin was restyled, including a new model that featured a sloping liftback for 1979 and the model line renamed the AMC Spirit. This restyled continuation of the familiar chopped-tail two-door and the new hatch coupe caused sales to increase to 52,478 units for 1979.[120] The original "Kammback" body style continued in production until 1982 as the Spirit Sedan with larger rear side windows. The basic design was also used for the small AMC Eagle Kammback in 1981 and 1982.

American Motors lacked the funds to come up with a separate platform for a sub-compact car, so it did something different with an existing model, and "although car snobs make fun of the chop-tailed Gremlin, it was a huge sales hit."[36] The authors of the book 365 Cars You Must Drive "that any self-respecting auto enthusiast just has to know and experience from the driver's seat" describe that "driving a Gremlin isn't about the drive; it's about being seen in one, making a statement that you dig the mid-1970s, and also wouldn't be caught dead in something normal."[36] An article published by Time in 2007 included the Gremlin as one of "The 50 Worst Cars of All Time", describing it as an AMC Hornet with the rear end whacked off, and criticizing its exterior proportions, with a long low snout, long front overhang, and a truncated tail, "like the tail snapped off a salamander".[121]

In 2007, Popular Science magazine included the 13.4-foot (4.1 m) AMC Gremlin as one of six historic cars that took "Small Steps to a Smart Future" in a special issue about the "Future of the Car: Efficiency".[122]

Future U.S. Presidents edit

Two former U.S. presidents drove AMC Gremlins during their younger days.

"Bill Clinton drove the back roads of Northwest Arkansas in his green AMC Gremlin"[123] during his 1974 campaign for the only attempt he made for a seat in the United States Congress.[124]

An AMC Gremlin with a Levi interior was owned by the George H. W. Bush family and driven by George W. Bush in 1973 while getting his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.[125][126]

Collectibility edit

 
1976 AMC Gremlin X at the Tupelo Automobile Museum

The Gremlin has a following among old car hobbyists and collectors of historic vehicles. In some cases, the Gremlin enjoys "a cult-like following in today's collectible car market".[25] In 2007, Business Week reported that 1970s cars such as the Gremlin were increasingly attractive to buyers, and an insurance provider for collector-car owners reported that values were rising at that time.[127][128]

In light of rising gasoline prices, the Gremlin offers a relatively economical alternative to muscle cars and the more massive American cars of its era-especially for buyers leaning toward the eccentric.[19] AMC said the Gremlin got "the best gas mileage of any production car made in America", and its 21-US-gallon (79 L; 17 imp gal) gas tank allowed 500 miles (805 km) or more between fill-ups.

Hot Wheels model edit

Hot Wheels designer Paul Tam created a model of a Gremlin with six wheels for the 1972 Hot Wheels series, called "Open Fire", with the extra pair of wheels under a large, exposed metal engine.[129] Other than the engine, extra wheels, and elongated hood, "the Open Fire retains many accurate styling details of the Gremlin. Later on, in the Flying Colors range, Hot Wheels made the Gremlin Grinder: A rear-jacked Gremlin with a huge open engine that was produced through the mid-1970s in either green or chrome. The last one was a stockcar or rally car custom version of the Gremlin that was first made in the early 1980s and is still popular today, "The Greased Gremlin".[129]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b "The New American Car (1970 AMC advertisement)". oldcaradvertising.com. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  2. ^ "Made in Mexico - Gremlins with a Spanish accent". Hemmings Classic Car. July 2010. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  3. ^ Severson, Aaron (April 8, 2008). "Do Not Feed After Midnight: The AMC Gremlin > Ate Up With Motor". Ate Up With Motor. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  4. ^ Lamm, Michael (April 1970). "The Gremlins will get you if you don't watch out!". Popular Mechanics. 133 (4): 106–109. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
  5. ^ "Gremlin sub-compact draws bead on VW Beetle and other imports". Product Engineering. 41. Morgan-Grampian: 42. 1970.
  6. ^ National Research Council (1982). The Competitive Status of the U.S. Auto Industry: A Study of the Influences of Technology in Determining International Industrial Competitive Advantage. National Academy Press. p. 71. doi:10.17226/291. ISBN 978-0-309-03289-6. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  7. ^ Gustafson, Sven (April 1, 2020). "AMC Gremlin was unleashed 50 years ago today, no fooling". Autoblog. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  8. ^ Wojdyla, Ben (May 20, 2011). "Ford Pinto Fuel Tanks: Epic Auto Failures". Popular Mechanics. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  9. ^ Huffman, John Pearley (October 19, 2010). "The Car That Nearly Destroyed GM". Popular Mechanics. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  10. ^ Severson, Aaron (October 13, 2007). "Do Not Feed After Midnight: The AMC Gremlin". Portraits of Automotive History: ate up with motor. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
  11. ^ a b Hine, Thomas (2007). The Great Funk: Falling Apart and Coming Together (on a Shag Rug) in the Seventies. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. pp. 41–42. ISBN 978-0-374-14839-3. Retrieved June 27, 2014. AMC Gremlin.
  12. ^ a b Cranswick, Marc (2011). The Cars of American Motors: An Illustrated History. McFarland. p. 157. ISBN 978-0-7864-8570-3. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  13. ^ Auto Editors of Consumer Guide (October 17, 2007). . How Stuff Works. Archived from the original on June 12, 2011. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
  14. ^ Vance, Bill (May 9, 2008). . National Post. Archived from the original on June 2, 2013. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
  15. ^ Koos, Alfred. "Gremlin Aberrations". American Motoring. 16 (2). American Motors Owners Association (AMO).
  16. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
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  26. ^ Auto Editors of Consumer Guide (October 23, 2007). "1954-1962 Metropolitan". How Stuff Works. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  27. ^ Foster, Patrick (October 2005). "Developing the Metropolitan". Hemmings Classic Car. Retrieved June 27, 2014. The term "subcompact" was not in use to describe the Metropolitan's size: "During World War II and immediately afterwards, Mason began to explore the idea of developing a truly small car, the size of what today we'd call a subcompact."
  28. ^ Note: the North American categories of "compact", "subcompact", "midsize" etc. had not come into use when the Metropolitan was made. It was called an economy car, not a subcompact, at the time. (Contemporary articles also called the Metropolitan "a small automobile"; in sales brochures, the Met was described as "America's entirely new kind of car" (1955), "Luxury in Miniature" (1959), and "crafted for personal transportation" (1960). Sales brochures. Retrieved 27 June 2014. One writer described it as "little larger than a toy car.") The Metropolitan fits the "subcompact" classification, as stated in the following: "[T]he...president of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation decided to market what would ultimately be called a "subcompact"..."Auto Editors of Consumer Guide, "1954–1962 Metropolitan", 23 October 2007. Retrieved 3 February 2022. Numerous small American-made cars, e.g. American Austin, American Bantam, Crosley and World War I-era "cyclecars" such as the American, existed long before the Gremlin. (Except for the cyclecars, those cited are classified as microcars.) "List of microcars", Vintage Microcar Club. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
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  34. ^ Flory, p. 787.
  35. ^ Flory, p. 789.
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  37. ^ a b Flory, p. 866.
  38. ^ a b c Flory, p. 868.
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References edit

  • Conde, John A. (1987). The American Motors Family Album. American Motors Corporation. OCLC 3185581.
  • Foster, Patrick (2004). AMC Cars: 1954–1987, An Illustrated History. Motorbooks International. ISBN 978-1-58388-112-5.
  • Foster, Patrick (1993). The Last Independent. Motorbooks International. ISBN 978-0-87341-240-7.
  • Gunnell, John, ed. (1987). The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946–1975. Krause Publications. ISBN 978-0-87341-096-0.
  • Mitchell, Larry (1994). AMC Buyers Guide. Motorbooks International. ISBN 978-0-87938-891-1.

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to AMC Gremlin.

April 09, 2024
gremlin, also, american, motors, gremlin, subcompact, automobile, introduced, 1970, manufactured, marketed, single, door, body, style, 1970, 1978, american, motors, corporation, well, mexico, 1974, 1983, vehículos, automotores, mexicanos, subsidiary, 1975, ove. The AMC Gremlin also American Motors Gremlin 1 is a subcompact automobile introduced in 1970 manufactured and marketed in a single two door body style 1970 1978 by American Motors Corporation AMC as well as in Mexico 1974 1983 by AMC s Vehiculos Automotores Mexicanos VAM subsidiary AMC Gremlin1975 AMC GremlinOverviewManufacturerAmerican Motors CorporationAlso calledAmerican Motors Gremlin 1 VAM Gremlin Mexico 2 Production1970 1978 US 1974 1983 Mexico 671 475 producedAssemblyKenosha Wisconsin United StatesBrampton Ontario CanadaMexico City Mexico VAM DesignerBob NixonDick TeagueBody and chassisClassSubcompactBody style2 door sedan2 door hatchbackLayoutFR layoutRelatedAMC SpiritAMC EagleAMC HornetAMC ConcordPowertrainEngine1 984 cc 121 cu in VW EA831 3 I43 258 cc 198 8 cu in AMC 199 I63 801 cc 232 0 cu in AMC 232 I64 230 cc 258 1 cu in AMC 258 I64 978 cc 303 8 cu in AMC 304 V8Transmission3 or 4 speed Borg Warner manual3 speed with Laycock de Normanville overdrive3 speed Borg Warner automatic 1970 1971 3 speed Chrysler TorqueFlite automatic 1972 1978 DimensionsWheelbase96 in 2 438 mm Length161 3 in 4 097 mm 1970 1972 165 5 in 4 204 mm 1973 170 3 in 4 326 mm 1974 1975 169 4 in 4 303 mm 1976 166 5 in 4 229 mm 1977 1978 Width70 6 in 1 793 mm Height51 8 in 1 316 mm Curb weight2 633 lb 1 194 kg 4 ChronologySuccessorAMC SpiritUsing a shortened Hornet platform and bodywork with a pronounced kammback tail the Gremlin was classified as an economy car and competed with the Chevrolet Vega and Ford Pinto as well as imported cars including the Volkswagen Beetle and Toyota Corolla 5 6 The small domestic automaker marketed the Gremlin as the first American built import 7 The Gremlin reached a total production of 671 475 over a single generation It was superseded by a restyled and revised variant the AMC Spirit produced from 1979 through 1983 This was long after the retirement of the Ford Pinto that suffered from stories about exploding gas tanks as well as the Chevrolet Vega with its rusting bodies and durability problems with its aluminum engine 8 9 Contents 1 History 1 1 Origin and design 1 2 Marketing 1 3 Annual changes 1970 1978 1 3 1 1970 1 3 2 1971 1 3 3 1972 1 3 4 1973 1 3 5 1974 1 3 6 1975 1 3 7 1976 1 3 8 1977 1 3 9 1978 1 4 Performance 1 5 Randall 401 XR 2 Competition 3 Other markets 3 1 Canada 3 2 Mexico 3 2 1 1974 3 2 2 1975 3 2 3 1976 3 2 4 1977 3 2 5 1978 3 2 6 Second Generation 3 3 Australia 3 4 Switzerland 3 5 United Kingdom 4 Hurst Rescue System 1 4 1 Police 5 Experimental cars 5 1 Hydrogen 5 2 Alternative fuels 5 3 Electric 6 Exhibition 7 Concept Gremlins 7 1 Gremlin Voyager 7 2 XP prototype 7 3 G II prototype 7 4 Concept 80 8 Production history and reception 8 1 Future U S Presidents 9 Collectibility 9 1 Hot Wheels model 10 See also 11 Notes 12 References 13 External linksHistory editOrigin and design edit nbsp nbsp The design of the Gremlin was inspired by the AMC AMX GT concept car The idea for the Gremlin began in 1966 when design chief at American Motors Dick Teague and stylist Bob Nixon discussed the possibility of a shortened version of AMC s compact car 10 On an airline flight Teague s solution which he said he sketched on an air sickness bag 11 was to truncate the tail of a Javelin Bob Nixon joined AMC as a 23 year old and did the first formal design sketches in 1967 for the car that was to be the Gremlin 12 Ford and General Motors were to launch new subcompact cars for 1971 but AMC did not have the financial resources to compete with an entirely new design 13 14 Teague s idea of using the pony car Javelin resulted in the AMX GT concept first shown at the New York International Auto Show in April 1968 15 This version did not go into production but the AMX name was used from 1968 through 1970 on a shortened two seat sports car built from the Javelin nbsp 1971 AMC Gremlin X 1972 Ford Pinto Runabout and 1973 Chevrolet Vega GT nbsp 1978 Gremlin XInstead Bob Nixon AMC s future Chief of Design designed the new subcompact based on the automaker s Hornet model a compact car The design reduced the wheelbase from 108 to 96 inches 2 743 to 2 438 mm and the overall length from 179 to 161 in 4 547 to 4 089 mm making the Gremlin two inches 50 mm longer than the Volkswagen Beetle and shorter than the Ford Pinto and Chevrolet Vega Capitalizing on AMC s advantage as a small car producer the Gremlin was introduced on April 1 1970 The April 6 1970 cover of Newsweek magazine featured a red Gremlin for its article Detroit Fights Back The Gremlin The car was available as a base two passenger version with no rear seat and a fixed rear window at a suggested retail price of 1 879 and as a four seat hatchback with an opening rear window at 1 959 US 15 370 in 2023 dollars 16 17 From the front of the car to the B pillars the Gremlin was essentially the same as the AMC Hornet Although it was only fractionally longer than the contemporary Volkswagen Beetle Time said the length of its hood over the front mounted engine made the difference seem considerably more adding that the car resembles a sawed off station wagon with a long low hood and swept up rear and is faintly reminiscent of the original Studebaker Avanti 18 As with the Volkswagen the Gremlin s styling set it apart from other cars 19 Time said like some other cars of less than standard size the back seat is designed for small children only 18 The Gremlin s wider stance gave it a stable quiet and relatively comfortable ride for the two front passengers for whom by small car standards there was more than average interior width seat room and legroom 20 The six cubic feet of luggage space behind the back seat was less than in the rear engined Volkswagen Beetle but with the seat folded the cargo area tripled to 18 cubic feet 509 7 L 20 The upright design of the tail which enlarged interior space was aerodynamically efficient Later European and Japanese manufacturers similarly created different body styles on one compact car chassis by extending or curtailing the trunk e g Volkswagen s Jetta and Golf models Marketing edit nbsp AMC Gremlin logo on gas capDesigned and named by Teague to look either cute or controversial depending on one s viewpoint for many it seemed perfect for the free thinking early 1970s 21 American Motors executives apparently felt confident enough to not worry that the Gremlin name might have negative connotations 20 Time magazine noted two definitions for gremlin Defined by Webster s as a small gnome held to be responsible for malfunction of equipment American Motors definition a pal to its friends and an ogre to its enemies 18 The car s cartoon inspired mascot was marketed for product differentiation and was intended to be memorable to consumers 22 23 The Gremlin s hatchback design was also needed to make the car stand out in the competitive marketplace and according to Teague Nobody would have paid it any attention if it had looked like one of the Big Three automobiles 21 AMC promoted the Gremlin as America s first subcompact 24 This description overlooks the Nash Metropolitan and the earlier Crosley 25 The Metropolitan a subcompact sized 26 27 captive import American conceived and American designed for the American market and built in the UK with a British engine has a claim to be America s first subcompact 28 AMC marketed the Gremlin as cute and different a strategy successful in attracting more than 60 percent of purchasers under the age of 35 29 Annual changes 1970 1978 edit 1970 edit nbsp 1970 AMC GremlinThe Gremlin debuted in April 1970 with AMC s 199 cu in 3 3 L I6 a seven main bearing design which produced 128 hp 95 kW 130 PS as standard equipment with AMC s 232 cu in 3 8 L I6 producing 145 hp 108 kW 147 PS as an option AMC said the Gremlin offered the best gas mileage of any production car made in America According to the auto editors of Consumer Guide it had an unusually long option list for the era so owners could have luxury and conveniences typically found in more expensive cars and these options came with a much higher profit margin for the automaker 20 As the first of the new domestic subcompact cars the Gremlin has been the most talked about car since its introduction 30 Sales for the abbreviated model year were 25 300 17 Popular Science assigned its editor to the equivalent of one year of driving by conducting a 10 000 mile 16 093 km cross country road test of a brand new Gremlin and reported after driving it without a single problem is an enviable record and that we were all impressed with the quality of this vehicle 31 A nationwide survey based on owners driving their 1970 AMC Gremlins over 1 350 000 miles 2 172 614 kilometres conducted by Popular Mechanics concluded that the unique styling attracted many buyers but economy topped their likes 32 1971 edit nbsp 1971 AMC GremlinFor the 1971 model year the X appearance equipment trim package was introduced as a 300 option on the 4 passenger model and proved extremely popular 33 It included body side tape stripes body color front fascia slotted road wheels with D70x14 Goodyear Polyglas tires blackout grille insert bucket seats and X decals The 2 passenger Gremlin version entered into its second and final season The 232 cu in 3 8 L I6 engine that was optional for 1970 became standard while a longer stroke 258 cu in 4 2 L version became the option Compression ratios dropped from 8 5 1 to 8 1 for 1971 resulting in 135 hp 101 kW 137 PS gross from the 232 cu in 3 8 L and 150 hp 112 kW 152 PS gross from the 258 cu in 4 2 L 34 1971 Gremlin prices increased slightly up by 20 to 1 899 for the base model 33 and sales for this first full model year rose to 53 480 35 1972 edit nbsp 1972 AMC Gremlin X with factory sun roof and V8 nbsp 1973 AMC Gremlin X with Levi s interior trim package nbsp 1973 AMC Gremlin X with Levi s interior trim packageAmong many other changes was an available 304 cu in 5 0 L V8 engine It was the muscle car formula of stuffing a big motor in a small car 36 Engine ratings were downgraded to more accurate Society of Automotive Engineers SAE net hp figures bringing the 232 cu in 3 8 L engine to 100 hp 75 kW 101 PS the 258 cu in 4 2 L to 110 hp 82 kW 112 PS 37 and the 304 V8 to 150 hp 112 kW 152 PS 37 Even with the lower engine output ratings across the industry the V8 Gremlin was a poor man s Corvette able to spin its rear tires at will and outrun some larger more expensive pony cars and it was the only real performance car available under 2 200 The base two seater model was discontinued having sold 3 017 units in 18 months 38 Gremlins also switched from non synchronized 1st gear manual transmissions to full synchromesh and the Borg Warner sourced automatic transmission was replaced by the Chrysler designed TorqueFlite Other minor technical upgrades improved the car s reliability and durability 19 The Gremlin X package continued to be popular while optional features now included an AM FM radio fabric sunroof tilt steering wheel inside hood release trailer towing package for up to 2 000 lb 910 kg with a Class 1 hitch as well as manual or power assisted front disk brakes 39 American Motors introduced the automobile industry s first 12 month or 12 000 mi 19 000 km bumper to bumper warranty called the Buyer Protection Plan 40 Its foundation was an emphasis on quality and durability improved production by reducing the number of models and increasing the level of standard equipment 41 The new warranty included an innovative promise to customers that AMC would repair anything wrong with the car except for tires 40 Owners were provided with a toll free number to the company as well as a free loaner car if a warranty repair took overnight Numerous production and product improvements would result in fewer warranty claims better public relations and greater customer satisfaction and loyalty Model year 1972 sales totaled 61 717 38 a 15 gain over the previous year 38 1973 edit For the 1973 model year AMC strengthened bumpers able to withstand a 5 mile per hour 8 km h impact in the front and a 2 5 mile per hour 4 km h impact in the rear without any damage to the engine lights and safety equipment according to new mandates by the U S National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA Optional was a Levi s interior trim package which included spun nylon upholstery made to look like denim fire safety regulations prohibited the use of real cotton denim Details included removable map pockets burnished copper denim rivets and red Levi s logo tabs Rear seat legroom was increased The X package received a new tape striping pattern that kicked up over the Gremlin s rear wheel flares Sales improved to 122 844 units nearly 30 more than in 1972 A 1973 Gremlin purchased by Consumer Reports was top rated in a group of six subcompact models tested for the June issue That car had relatively few sample defects and proved reliable over a long term test 1974 edit nbsp 1974 AMC GremlinThe Arab Oil Embargo of October 1973 came just as the 1974 model year began AMC improved the Gremlin s back seat A deeper front fascia made the car appear longer A larger front bumper was mounted on self restoring telescoping gas and oil cylinders Unlike most other designs the Gremlin did not use a filler panel between the bumper and body A stronger rear bumper was set lower front and rear passenger car bumpers were now required by NHTSA to have uniform heights take angle impacts and sustain 5 mile per hour 8 km h impacts with no damage 42 The rear fascia was modified slightly to blend with the design changes The Gremlin X stripe pattern was given a hockey stick look for 1974 the stripes followed the window line as it tapered aft and swept up now to include four diagonal lines on the wide C pillar A new typeface for nameplates was used by AMC for 1974 including on the Gremlin With the car s 1974 model year extended into November to delay the need to install catalytic converters required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency EPA 2004 regulations starting with 1975 models AMC sold 171 128 1974 Gremlins an increase of nearly 40 over 1973 and 130 over 1971 1975 edit nbsp 1975 AMC GremlinChanges for the 1975 model year Gremlins included standard electronic ignition developed by Prestolite 43 All U S market Gremlins featured catalytic converters that required the use of unleaded regular grade fuel Unleaded Fuel Only warnings were placed by the fuel filler and on the fuel gauge Gremlins with I6 engines and manual transmissions gained a new option the electrically operated overdrive from Laycock de Normanville 43 The 0 714 1 J type unit was controlled by a pushbutton at the end of the turn signal stalk 43 When turned on the unit engaged automatically at speeds above 35 miles per hour 56 km h and dropped out at 32 mph 51 km h 43 An accelerator pedal kick down switch provided faster passing when needed 43 Steel belted radial tires were now standard on Gremlins with the X package American Motors was promoting its economical models covered by the comprehensive Buyer Protection Plan warranty as well as preparing for the launch of the Pacer 43 The automaker was planning to spend half of the entire 1975 advertising budget on the new Pacer 44 Marketing for the Gremlin included tie ins with a Home Value Days supplement designed to promote 18 500 hardware stores in Popular Science 45 and The Reader s Digest 46 as well as with Colgate Palmolive s campaign using Willie Mays to Help Young America in Jet 47 and Ebony 48 The U S subcompacts were compared to the new front wheel drive Volkswagen Rabbit that replaced the aging Beetle Popular Science road tests showed the Gremlin to be the fastest and quietest of all but had the lowest fuel efficiency with an average EPA rating of 21 mpg US 11 L 100 km 25 mpg imp compared to the Chevrolet Vega s 22 mpg US 11 L 100 km 26 mpg imp Ford Pinto s 23 mpg US 10 L 100 km 28 mpg imp and the Rabbit s 24 mpg US 9 8 L 100 km 29 mpg imp 49 The Gremlin had an I6 engine and a three speed transmission in contrast to the I4 engines and four speed transmissions in the other cars and weighed over 1 000 lb 454 kg more than the VW Rabbit 49 Struggling under stagflation and an inflationary economy all the domestic subcompact cars sales slumped compared to the industry s record breaking 1973 model year In total AMC sold 56 011 Gremlins in the albeit shortened 1975 model year a 67 drop 44 The success of the innovative Pacer launched in mid February 1975 severely cut the sales of both the Gremlin and Hornet models 44 1976 edit nbsp 1976 AMC GremlinChanges were greater for 1976 Oval headlight bezels replaced the previous circular items The grille shape became a stretched hexagon and included in its insert two opposing loops stacked atop each other and housing new rounded parking turn signal lights A new Custom trim line debuted featuring a striped interior trim called Potomac as well as a spare tire cover and other minor details The A models were given another new striping scheme the hockey stick style stripe of the previous year adding a secondary extension that ran from the door handle straight back The X package was now available only on Custom models Due to flagging sales the 304 cu in 5 0 L V8 engine option now downgraded to 120 hp 89 kW 122 PS was cancelled at midyear after only 826 installations A total of 40 994 Gremlins were equipped with the V8 engine from 1972 until 1976 A 4 speed manual transmission was made available at midyear Sales tapered slightly to 52 941 a decline of 5 5 The Overdrive option continued to be available until midyear when Laycock de Normanville entered receivership American Motors attempted to purchase the British manufacturer but could not acquire the funding in time 1977 edit nbsp 1977 AMC Gremlin featured new front end styling nbsp 1977 AMC Gremlin Custom 2 Liter1977 changes included redesigned sheet metal for the first time in the Gremlin s now 8 year history revised hood shorter front fenders new bumpers taller glass tailgate enlarged taillights and rear license plate now covering the fuel filler The front end was shortened by four inches 102 mm with all new sheet metal and a crosshatch grille insert Parking lights reverted to rectangular and headlights were recessed into square bezels with rounded corners The new hood had a small power bulge at the front The base model now included carpeting as well as rocker panel and wheel lip moldings The Custom model was available with a list price of 2 998 The X package returned as a 189 option with a new striping pattern that ran straight back from the front fenders and crested upward over the rear wheels Front disc brakes became standard At the start of the model year the Gremlin was available with either the standard 232 cu in 3 8 L or optional 258 cu in 4 2 L six cylinder engines Both had increased power from updated cylinder heads and two barrel carburetors In addition AMC offered a carbureted four cylinder engine a Volkswagen Audi 2 0 L 120 cu in inline four also used in fuel injected form in the Porsche 924 It gave better fuel economy but less power than the standard six cylinder engines and reduced the Gremlin s weight by 250 pounds 113 kg allowing it to achieve an EPA rating of 21 mpg US 11 L 100 km 25 mpg imp in the city and 33 mpg US 7 1 L 100 km 40 mpg imp on the highway 50 It was reserved for the Custom version of the Gremlin because the expense of acquiring the rights to the engine meant that AMC could not afford to make it standard equipment Of 46 171 Gremlins built for 1977 13 less than in 1976 7 558 had the new 2 0 L engine 1978 edit nbsp 1978 AMC Gremlin XIn its final year of 1978 the Gremlin received a number of changes but customers on a tighter budget could still get a standard six cylinder base model Gremlin for under US 3 400 51 A new Custom model featured either the four or six cylinder engine with a standard four speed manual transmission and new vinyl bucket seats wheel lip moldings and other trim upgrades 52 Inside the Gremlin there was a revised instrument panel borrowed from the then new 1978 Concord The dashboard had high level ventilation HVAC radio switchgear within easier reach and a flat full width top The X s tape striping pattern was revised to match the 1978 Concord Sport package design with the stripe at the lower body side and curving over the wheel lip At mid season a GT package became available with a front spoiler and flared wheel openings as on the 1978 AMX The GT added an aluminum overlay to the instrument panel was powered by the 258 cu in 4 2 L I6 as standard and had a unique striping scheme a wide tape stripe outlined by a narrow one ran back from the front fenders and widened aft of the rear quarter windows The package also included body color fender flares and front air dam as well as body color bumpers all of which combined to give the GT a modern aggressive look Fewer than 3 000 Gremlin GTs were built 51 The Gremlin s body shape had not changed appreciably in its nine years of production and other more advanced subcompacts lighter in weight with more doors better interiors and front wheel drive had appeared on the market Gremlin sales for the final year fell 52 to 22 104 units By the time production ceased a total of 671 475 Gremlins had been built 53 The updated AMC Spirit replaced the Gremlin for the 1979 model year basically a Gremlin with conventional styling Lovable sturdy cars are hard to kill 21 Performance edit nbsp 258 cu in 4 2 L six cylinder engineThe Gremlin was faster than other subcompacts of the time Motor Trend magazine recorded zero to 60 mph 0 to 97 km h in 12 6 seconds with the 232 cu in 3 8 L engine The Ford Pinto and the VW Beetle were in the 18 second range Fuel economy was 28 mpg US 8 4 L 100 km 34 mpg imp to 30 mpg US 7 8 L 100 km 36 mpg imp with the small six compared with the 35 plus mpg economy of the VW Beetle 54 Although front heaviness was generally thought to compromise the handling Tom McCahill wrote in Mechanix Illustrated that the Gremlin was fast and easy with a comparatively stiff ride because of the shortened rear springs He ran a 232 engined Gremlin with automatic transmission from zero to 60 mph 0 to 97 km h in 11 9 seconds saw 100 miles per hour 161 km h on the Daytona Speedway straightaway and summarized On a dollar for dollar basis I rate the Gremlin the best American buy of the year Car and Driver magazine also recorded 0 to 60 mph in 11 9 seconds with a 232 powered Gremlin 20 Automobile Quarterly s article A Critical Look at the 1973 American Cars summarized that the basic Gremlin offers outstanding performance for an economy car and excellent fuel mileage 55 When Popular Mechanics magazine tested the car with the Audi four cylinder engine introduced in 1977 they said its acceleration with a four speed manual felt amazingly strong with 0 60 mph and quarter mile times one second slower than with the 232 cubic inch straight six 16 vs 15 and 21 vs 20 seconds respectively 56 The smaller engine produced EPA mileage of 35 mpg US 6 7 L 100 km 42 mpg imp highway and 22 mpg US 11 L 100 km 26 mpg imp city The Gremlin s body was heavier and stronger than its domestic or imported rivals 57 The engines were also more powerful than the Gremlin s main domestic and imported competition The powertrains were smoother and more reliable and the car had fewer recalls 57 Its chief import rival was the Volkswagen Beetle which did not handle as well and got similar gas mileage from about 40 of the Gremlin s horsepower The same overall size as the Gremlin it was packaged marginally better Gremlin designer Richard Teague commented in Motor Trend that to compare the Beetle whose basic design originated in the late 1930s to the Gremlin in profile and body design was like comparing a Ford GT40 to the Hindenburg 12 The Gremlin holds the distinction of offering one of the widest engine ranges of all time from two liters to five liters 29 Randall 401 XR edit nbsp Randall 401 XR advertisement on a replica carRandall AMC dealership in Mesa Arizona received AMC s endorsement to build 401 cu in 6 6 L V8 powered Gremlins The cars started out as 304 cu in 5 0 L models from the factory and after Randall s modifications would turn in 13 90 second passes at 103 106 mph 166 171 km h in the quarter mile for 2 995 Known as the Randall 401 XR X for Gremlin X R for Randall a total of twenty cars were built for the street and one for the strip during 1972 1973 and 1974 In 2012 the Randalls built a 22nd Continuation Plum 1974 Gremlin 401XR originally intending to build a few but completed only one 58 Car Craft magazine tested one with some modifications and achieved 115 07 mph 185 19 km h in 12 22 seconds in the quarter while still remaining a totally streetable daily driver 59 In 1972 Super Stock magazine had a Special Gremlin issue One of the many venues where Randall s 1972 Gremlin 401XR Super Stock car clarification needed at the 1972 Winternationals citation needed clarification needed Competition edit nbsp Modified 1977 AMC Gremlin at a dragstrip nbsp The 99 WIBG Pro Stock 1972 AMC GremlinThe AMC Gremlin saw action on numerous auto racing venues including endurance as well as oval and road racing Due to their inherent inexpensiveness strength and simplicity to modify them for higher performance many AMC Gremlins were used in drag racing In the International Motor Sports Association IMSA RS series for compact sedans Raleigh North Carolina s Team Highball run by Amos Johnson and Bunny Johnson was the AMC factory backed team with Amos Johnson Whit Diggett and later Dennis Shaw driving The torque of their 232 cu in 3 8 L 6 cylinder Gremlins gave a big advantage on the faster tracks like the Daytona International Speedway where they were often more than a match for the BMW 2002 Alfa Romeo GTV Datsun 510 Ford Pinto Mercury Capri and Opel Manta Johnson was the series 1973 co champion while independent driver George Alderman took the 1974 title 60 Starting in 1970 Wally Booth headed AMC s Pro Stock drag racing efforts 61 He and other drivers campaigned Gremlins painted in the hash red white and blue pattern that AMC had adopted as its corporate race livery Dick Arons built the engines The team transformed the brand s staid grocery getter reputation from the ground up into that of a genuine performance powerhouse 62 Wally Booth was one of the Edelbrock crew s favorite racers 63 The rule changes for the 1972 Pro Stock season opened drag racing for smaller cars fitted with small block engines and AMC was committed to fielding the Gremlin 64 The first car Booth built was a Gremlin body in white but it was wrecked in a towing accident 64 In preparation for the 1973 racing season Booth built a tube chassis Gremlin with the former Penske Racing fabricator Ron Fournier but switched to a Hornet body Pro Stock body after realizing that the Gremlin s aerodynamics were limiting top speed during testing at the Milan Dragway in Michigan 65 The automaker s involvement in drag racing led to coordination in the development of the Gremlin 401XR Grant and Mike Randall owners of Randall Rambler AMC built a 1972 Gremlin 401XR Drag Car that they raced at the ARHA Winter Nationals 1972 The Randalls also wrote a high Performance AMC Engine Tuning guide as well as the Randall Rambler amp Jeep Speed Bible Three factory Pro Stock 1972 Gremlin drag racers were campaigned around the nation One was driven by Rich LaMont and sponsored by radio station 99 WIBG in Philadelphia PA This car has been restored with a 401 cu in 6 6 L AMC V8 with 4 speed manual transmission and it still runs the quarter mile at around 8 75 seconds achieving over 150 mph 240 km h 66 At the 2006 World Power Wheelstanding Championships not a race but a wheelie contest Brian Ambrosini s specially modified 1974 Gremlin took second place 67 68 The car gets all four of its wheels off the ground by its modified 485 cu in 7 9 L AMC V8 producing 1 300 hp 969 kW 1 318 PS and achieving average quarter mile e t in the low 8s with a trap speed of around 165 mph 266 km h 69 70 71 The body of the Gremlin was widely used by NASCAR paved and dirt modified stock car teams in the northeastern U S and elsewhere from the 1970s to the early 1990s It was believed that Gremlin s long roof with its rear kick up provided aerodynamic advantages over the more commonly used Pinto and Vega bodies Lenny Podbielski was a major player in late 1970s Speedbowl action 72 Other markets editCanada edit nbsp Canadian built base model GremlinAmerican Motors built an assembly plant in Brampton Ontario in 1961 for production of motor vehicles for the Canadian market as well as for the United States The plant built and offered almost all AMC vehicles through the 1960s allowing AMC to take advantage of the Canada United States Automotive Products Agreement established between the two countries in 1965 73 By 1969 production at the Brampton Assembly had grown to such a size that AMC had the plant producing vehicles for the eastern half of the American continent while Kenosha produced vehicles for the western half of the continent 74 The plant ceased building the Ambassador after 1968 and imported the Javelin and later Matador from the United States but continued to build the Gremlin and Hornet throughout the 1970s 75 With Canada moving to the metric system during the 1970s late model Gremlins were built with their speedometers reading in kilometers per hour Mexico edit nbsp VAM Gremlin in Mazatlan Mexico nbsp 1979 VAM Gremlin X in Mexico City missing side decals Vehiculos Automotores Mexicanos VAM manufactured Gremlins in Mexico under license and partial ownership 38 equity share by AMC Although the Gremlin was introduced to the U S and Canadian markets in 1970 VAM continued assembling its version of the Hornet still bearing the name Rambler American as its smallest least expensive car until 1974 76 The fact that VAM already had three lines of products the top limit permitted by legislation from 1968 through 1973 made it impossible for the Gremlin to be offered It was until the discontinuation of the Javelin line in 1973 that free space was available for Gremlin production making 1974 its year of debut The 1974 Gremlin was the third VAM car not to bear the Rambler name since the 1968 Javelin and the 1972 Classic Matador in the U S models Moreover the Mexican market continued to use the Gremlin model name for VAM s version of the AMC Spirit sedan from 1979 through 1983 several years after the Gremlin nameplate was withdrawn in the U S market 51 The VAM cars had trim interiors and model names that differed from the equivalent AMC made models 77 All engines built by VAM were of AMC design modified to deal with Mexico s lower octane gasoline and higher altitudes 78 The VAM Gremlin was the only car line of its time not to be available with VAM s 282 cu in 4 6 L version of AMC s I6 due to the economy market segment focus of the cars This is exactly the opposite case as the AMC Gremlin which was offered with the option of a 304 V8 The three speed manual transmission with overdrive the four speed manual transmission the V8 and Audi four cylinder engines were never available Trim levels and versions like the two seater the Levis Gremlin the Gremlin Custom and the Gremlin GT were also never available 1974 edit The introductory 1974 Gremlins became unique by incorporating the front clip of the 1974 U S AMC Hornet models 76 VAM never attempted to hide the relationship between the two models which never harmed the sales or image of either model and was favored by the public The launch of the Gremlin in Mexico also meant the resurrection of the 232 cu in 3 8 L I6 engine that was discontinued in 1972 The engine was practically the same as in its final year except for a slightly lower compression ratio 8 3 1 instead of 8 5 1 The advertised output was still the same at 145 gross horsepower at 4 400 revolutions per minute and was restricted to one barrel carburetors In contrast since 1973 all VAM based Hornets had the 258 cu in 4 2 L six as the standard and only engine VAM Gremlins were basic economy cars with a full synchromesh manual 3 speed transmission heavy duty clutch manual four wheel drum brakes manual steering front sway bar 3 31 1 rear gear ratio rigid four bladed cooling fan collapsible steering column with anti theft lock base steering wheel side marker and hazard lights column mounted shifters only two tone padded dashboard with silver colored front surfaces electric wipers and washers monaural AM radio cigarette lighter front and rear ashtrays locking glovebox folding bench seats two point front seatbelts flip open rear side vents roof rack full carpeting with driver s side rubber mat padded sun visors sound insulating cardboard type headliner dual coat hooks and round dome light Factory options for 1974 included a column mounted automatic transmission power steering power drum brakes heater parcel shelf light group remote controlled driver and passenger side outside mirrors sports steering wheel bright molding package wheel trim rings and heavy duty cooling All VAM Gremlins used AMC s three pod instrument cluster from the domestic built Hornet with a blank in the third gauge position from the factory which could be equipped with a universal tachometer or clock as dealership options The introductory year production was 2 137 76 1975 edit The 1975 Gremlin models were upgraded and along with the improvements to the larger car lines VAM took 9 of the Mexican market 76 VAM Gremlin interiors now featured individual folding front seats with low backs and new door panels the two tone dashboard with silver painted front surfaces was replaced by a color keyed unit and a new fuel economy gauge was standard on the third space of the instrument cluster Manual front disk brakes and electronic ignition were among the mechanical upgrades while the compression ratio of the engine was dropped to 7 6 1 Both transmissions now came only with a floor mounted shifter VAM Gremlins ordered with automatic transmissions now included a heater and power steering at no charge The exterior featured a variation of AMC s hockey stick side decal and a new design for headlight bezels grille and parking lights at the front end that AMC originally developed for its Hornet models Production doubled to over 4 200 VAM Gremlins 76 1976 edit The Gremlin X version was added in 1976 as a separate model rather than an optional package The X models included VAM s larger 258 cu in 4 2 L I6 a 6000 RPM tachometer sports steering wheel 7 00X14 radial tires Hurst linkage with T shaped shifter for the manual transmissions courtesy lights under the parcel shelf heater power steering tinted windshield bright molding package drip rails wheel arches rocker panels wheel trim rings and an in house two color rally stripe that was unique to the Mexican market 76 The 1976 VAM Gremlin X also came with an interior featuring the Navajo pattern cloth upholstery that was optional on AMC s Pacer DL models built for the Canadian and U S markets 79 The base VAM Gremlin now also included luxurious seating with a center armrest that was never available in the U S models 80 Due to the debut of the Gremlin X and its sportier focus the base Gremlin switched back to the standard column mounted shifters for either transmission but keeping the individual seat configuration Both versions included revised gauges with a 160 km h speedometer new side panel designs longer folding sun visors and a styled round dome light lens Sales for 1976 increased to over 6 000 units 76 1977 edit Starting with the 1977 models all VAM Gremlins were powered by the 258 cu in 4 2 L I6 regardless of trim level The exterior featured the shorter new front end clip and rear end treatment as did the U S models 76 The 1977 Gremlin X model included a new digital tachometer and three point retractable seatbelts as well as new in house VAM designs for the seats The sporty side decal was slightly revised The seatbelts on the base Gremlin were also changed to three point units which were fixed and lacked retractable mechanisms The option list was expanded with the possibility of ordering a factory air conditioning system for the first time in the VAM line which was available only in the X model The previously optional dealership offered universal air conditioning system remained available for the base model The VAM Gremlin X along with the 1977 1979 American ECD Concord DL four door equivalent would be the only VAM car with the 258 I6 engines to be available with a factory air conditioning system as all other VAM models with it would be 282 cu in 4 6 L units Around 6 800 VAM Gremlins were sold during 1977 76 1978 edit Only a few changes were made to the 1978 VAM Gremlin The dashboard design was from the new U S market Concord being restricted to the unit with black surfaces only no wood imitation or brushed aluminum versions For the Gremlin X there was a new VAM logo on the steering wheel horn button smaller pointy volcano hubcaps with bright exposed lug nuts and a new full length bodyside decal incorporated the Gremlin X logo on the rear quarter panel 81 The sporty model also got the set of four bumper guards as standard equipment The base model got another set of new hubcaps with exposed lug nuts but with a flat top instead Production fell just below 6 000 VAM Gremlins 76 Second Generation edit Main article AMC Spirit VAM models VAM Gremlins used the updated body design of the U S and Canadian market AMC Spirit two door sedan as well as VAM versions of the Spirit Liftback called the American GT and the Rally AMX 76 At the time cars in Mexico took longer to be perceived as outdated than in the US and since the VAM Gremlin came to the public until 1974 instead of 1970 it was still relatively fresh among the Mexican buyers Aside from this the model kept a positive image throughout its whole run It exceeded VAM s sales expectations in its first years The company originally considered it a temporary low volume model that would eventually be replaced by the upcoming Pacer model In the end the Gremlin stood and became VAM s all time second best selling line after the American For these reasons VAM decided to keep the Gremlin name for the upcoming Spirit sedan model being a testament to the very favorable image VAM cars in general held in Mexico This was the third time a case like this happened within the company with Rebel and Matador models keeping the name Rambler Classic and the Hornet the Rambler American name Australia edit nbsp One off Australian Gremlin first featured at the 1970 Sydney Motor Show nbsp Badged as a Rambler this test car was converted from LHD to RHD for evaluation purposes AMC exported a fully built Gremlin to its Australian partner Australian Motor Industries AMI of Port Melbourne Victoria in 1970 for evaluation purposes 82 AMI assembled and marketed other AMC models since 1961 The evaluation model was painted in AMC s Big Bad Orange and was converted from left hand drive to right hand drive by Sydney Toyota dealer Bill Buckle Pty Ltd The car featured AMC s 232 cu in 3 8 L six cylinder engine and a three speed manual transmission 83 The car was presented at the 1970 Sydney Motor Show to gauge interest and test the market The car was featured on the front cover of the November 1970 issue of Australia s top motoring magazine Wheels magazine 83 The magazine s review pointed to the likelihood that the local content requirements would force the price up to that of the high priced Australian assembled Hornet and probably price the car out of the market 83 For marketing purposes it was branded as a Rambler Gremlin in keeping with the use of the Rambler marque for all AMC vehicles sold in Australia despite that Rambler as a brand was retired in the United States at the end of the 1969 model year 82 However no Gremlin models were put into production in Australia Right hand drive Gremlins were imported into Australia by U S servicemen 84 Switzerland edit Beginning in 1970 Zurich automotive importer J H Heller AG began importing American Motors vehicles specifically the Javelin Gremlin and later the Pacer 85 Swiss market vehicles were shipped from AMC s Canadian plant 86 United Kingdom edit American Motors vehicles were exported to the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s and sold by Rambler Motors A M C Ltd 87 in London with dealers in London Yorks Kent and Worcester While earlier models such as the Rambler Classic Rebel Ambassador and Matador had been exported as completed factory right hand drive vehicles only left hand drive Gremlins were exported to the United Kingdom A U K company called C T Wooler in Andover Hampshire had been in the business for a long time converting LHD cars to RHD and entered into an agreement with AMC to convert AMC vehicles C T Wooler converted Gremlins as well as AMC Pacers and Jeeps 88 Hurst Rescue System 1 edit nbsp 1973 Hurst Rescue System 1Between 1972 and 1974 Hurst Performance marketed a highway safety vehicle for emergency services 89 as well as a compact alternative to trucks for motorsport race tracks 90 The Hurst Rescue System 1 was based on the AMC Gremlin and designed to quickly assist vehicle extrication of crash victims 91 The vehicle came with the Hurst Rescue Tool commonly known as The Jaws of Life winch stretcher and firefighting and first aid supplies 92 The vehicle also included push bumpers and a 25 gallon water tank The price for this fully equipped rescue vehicle was between 11 000 93 to 13 000 94 Police edit A 1975 Gremlin was used as an experimental police vehicle by the Houston Police Department s Traffic Bureau but this did not result in fleet orders 95 Experimental cars editThe Gremlin proved a popular testbed for experiments with alternative fuels Many universities converted them to run on natural gas hydrogen and electric power Hydrogen edit In 1972 University of California Los Angeles researchers won a nationwide Urban Vehicle Design Competition when they modified a 1972 AMC Gremlin to run on hydrogen The lessons learned are still useful today 96 The engine was a converted Ford 351 cu in 5 8 L V8 noted for its volumetric efficiency Lacking sophisticated electronics and injection systems the carburetor was a modified propane unit and the 100 litre 26 4 US gal thermos type hydrogen tank gave the Gremlin a range of 160 miles 257 km 97 Tests indicated that the car would not only meet the scheduled 1976 vehicle United States emission standards but also actually emit slightly cleaner air than it took in 98 As part of the 1972 Urban Vehicle Design Competition UCLA engineering students also enlarged the side glass area above the rear wheels for improved visibility designed a roll cage which projected through the Gremlin s roof to double as a roof rack and designed 5 MPH bumpers with an environmentally friendly energy absorbing popcorn core covered with a recycled tire tread surface 99 In 1984 UCLA s first hydrogen powered car was sold for one dollar to the William F Harrah Automobile Museum in Reno Nevada 100 In 2010 the car was available on an auction site 101 Alternative fuels edit Other experiments used AMC Gremlins To evaluate non petroleum fuel and measure mechanical wear under mostly short city driving a 1970 Gremlin with AMC s 232 cu in 3 8 L engine operated successfully on methanol for ten years and 46 250 miles 74 432 km 102 The broadest range of fuel tests were conducted by the United States Department of Energy DOE labs in Bartlesville Oklahoma Engineers estimated the performance and fuel economy of 1977 Gremlin Xs operating on ordinary gasoline a variety of wide boiling range fuels naphtha kerosene etc as well as two alcohols ethanol and methanol 103 Electric edit nbsp Seattle City Light Superintendent Gordon Vickery at charging station for the electric GremlinThe Electric Fuel Propulsion Company EFP of Ferndale Michigan produced a number of electric cars including the AMC Gremlin based two passenger X 144 Introduced in 1973 it featured a 20 horsepower 15 kW direct current motor fueled by a 144 volt cobalt lead storage batteries designed to reduce the formation of harmful gases during recharging as well as a regular 12 volt battery to operate the cars lights horn and heater blower 104 Performance was claimed to be similar to a base gasoline Gremlin including a top speed of 60 miles per hour 97 km h but with a calculated lower cost per mile for the X 144 over five years and 20 000 miles 32 187 km of use 105 Inventor Cotton Whatley of Wichita Falls Texas offered an unknown number of modified electric Gremlins for sale through various dealerships between 1973 and 1978 Whatley s Gremlin Electric had a top speed of 50 miles per hour 80 km h and a maximum range of 50 miles 80 km 106 Exhibition editEngineers at Coleman Products Corporation in Coleman Wisconsin created a non drivable plexiglas Gremlin as a demonstrator of the placement and function of electrical wiring harnesses 107 Concept Gremlins editGremlin Voyager edit In 1972 AMC developed a prototype Gremlin Voyager with a slide out rear panel called Grem Bin 108 The car was a production Gremlin with a proposed shelf design to make cargo loading easier XP prototype edit nbsp AMC Gremlin XP concept carIn 1974 a production car was modified and dubbed the Gremlin XP prototype 109 It has a larger glass hatchback and additional side quarter windows A pronounced crease started from the mid body section and wraps over the roof while the rear quarter panels feature bulges around the wheel well openings The rear panel has a recessed and blacked out area with four lights The design of the concept car improved visibility around the Gremlin s original wide C pillar 110 G II prototype edit Another 1974 Gremlin was modified with a front end from the Hornet 111 The concept car received a special grille but the most radical design feature was its fastback roofline This concept car turned out to be similar to the Gremlin s replacement the liftback Spirit model introduced for the 1979 model year 111 Concept 80 edit In 1977 American Motors presented six show cars to illustrate the automaker s commitment to smaller fuel efficient vehicles for the 1980s 112 Three of them the Concept I Concept II and Concept Grand Touring represented new subcompact designs 113 The Concept I car combined a wedge design with a short hood low body beltline steeply raked windshield and expanded glass area The front featured a mesh grille with rally type parking lights and rectangular headlamps The rear end was squared off featuring large rear quarter windows to eliminate blind spots The rear panel incorporated a characteristic continental tire bulge The Concept II design was another Gremlin replacement proposal featuring integral soft bumpers and headlamps concealed by flush sliding doors A pronounced center structural Targa band was designed to add strength to the roof The squared off rear end featured a glass hatchback The Concept Grand Touring was a larger luxury hatchback designed for four passengers The interior was appointed in leather and corduroy upholstery and luxury appointments with deep pile carpeting The front end featured a venturi grille with rally type lights The rear side windows were opera recessed and surrounded by a vinyl cover that ran over the roof s rear quarter The Concept GT car had genuine wire wheels Design elements from the AMC s show cars Concept II and Concept GT were incorporated into the Gremlin s replacement the AMC Spirit that was introduced in 1979 Production history and reception editThe 1970s were one of the most volatile periods in the history of the automobile industry which is renowned for its ups and downs 114 A total of 671 475 Gremlins were sold in the United States and Canada making it the most popular single generation body style chassis produced by AMC other models such as the Rambler and even Hornet have higher production numbers but consisted of more than one chassis design and body style in the case of the Rambler multiple body styles for the Hornet A book about the popular history of the 1970s introduces it as the decade of pet rocks shag carpets platform shoes and the AMC Gremlin 115 It is among the cars that people who were in high school in the late 1970s and early 1980s would be familiar with because it was one of the first cars they drove and among most often seen in student parking lots 116 117 Kiplinger s personal finance magazine Changing Times listed the AMC Gremlin as first among the best subcompact used cars as selected by top mechanics for good value good service 118 Five years after the Gremlin s introduction the mechanics liked the six cylinder engine and most preferred automatic transmission 118 Comments included I have one It s the greatest I own one with a 304 V 8 engine Have no trouble outside of normal maintenance 118 During the early 1970s American cars are remembered far more often for their power than their style and throughout the decade the character of cars became blurred Only a handful of cars had real personalities the AMC Gremlin was one of them a pioneering hatchback 11 According to Tom and Ray Magliozzi it s easy to criticize this car now because just about any car from the early 70s would look bad next to today s cars They had no fuel injection no independent suspension no air bags no anti lock brakes no nothing But compared with the other cars of its era the Gremlin wasn t bad 119 Officially discontinued after the 1978 model year the Gremlin was restyled including a new model that featured a sloping liftback for 1979 and the model line renamed the AMC Spirit This restyled continuation of the familiar chopped tail two door and the new hatch coupe caused sales to increase to 52 478 units for 1979 120 The original Kammback body style continued in production until 1982 as the Spirit Sedan with larger rear side windows The basic design was also used for the small AMC Eagle Kammback in 1981 and 1982 American Motors lacked the funds to come up with a separate platform for a sub compact car so it did something different with an existing model and although car snobs make fun of the chop tailed Gremlin it was a huge sales hit 36 The authors of the book 365 Cars You Must Drive that any self respecting auto enthusiast just has to know and experience from the driver s seat describe that driving a Gremlin isn t about the drive it s about being seen in one making a statement that you dig the mid 1970s and also wouldn t be caught dead in something normal 36 An article published by Time in 2007 included the Gremlin as one of The 50 Worst Cars of All Time describing it as an AMC Hornet with the rear end whacked off and criticizing its exterior proportions with a long low snout long front overhang and a truncated tail like the tail snapped off a salamander 121 In 2007 Popular Science magazine included the 13 4 foot 4 1 m AMC Gremlin as one of six historic cars that took Small Steps to a Smart Future in a special issue about the Future of the Car Efficiency 122 Future U S Presidents edit Two former U S presidents drove AMC Gremlins during their younger days Bill Clinton drove the back roads of Northwest Arkansas in his green AMC Gremlin 123 during his 1974 campaign for the only attempt he made for a seat in the United States Congress 124 An AMC Gremlin with a Levi interior was owned by the George H W Bush family and driven by George W Bush in 1973 while getting his Master of Business Administration MBA degree 125 126 Collectibility edit nbsp 1976 AMC Gremlin X at the Tupelo Automobile MuseumThe Gremlin has a following among old car hobbyists and collectors of historic vehicles In some cases the Gremlin enjoys a cult like following in today s collectible car market 25 In 2007 Business Week reported that 1970s cars such as the Gremlin were increasingly attractive to buyers and an insurance provider for collector car owners reported that values were rising at that time 127 128 In light of rising gasoline prices the Gremlin offers a relatively economical alternative to muscle cars and the more massive American cars of its era especially for buyers leaning toward the eccentric 19 AMC said the Gremlin got the best gas mileage of any production car made in America and its 21 US gallon 79 L 17 imp gal gas tank allowed 500 miles 805 km or more between fill ups Hot Wheels model edit Hot Wheels designer Paul Tam created a model of a Gremlin with six wheels for the 1972 Hot Wheels series called Open Fire with the extra pair of wheels under a large exposed metal engine 129 Other than the engine extra wheels and elongated hood the Open Fire retains many accurate styling details of the Gremlin Later on in the Flying Colors range Hot Wheels made the Gremlin Grinder A rear jacked Gremlin with a huge open engine that was produced through the mid 1970s in either green or chrome The last one was a stockcar or rally car custom version of the Gremlin that was first made in the early 1980s and is still popular today The Greased Gremlin 129 See also editNebraska v One 1970 2 Door Sedan Rambler Gremlin Notes edit a b The New American Car 1970 AMC advertisement oldcaradvertising com Retrieved April 10 2015 Made in Mexico Gremlins with a Spanish accent Hemmings Classic Car July 2010 Retrieved September 20 2020 Severson Aaron April 8 2008 Do Not Feed After Midnight The AMC Gremlin gt Ate Up With Motor Ate Up With Motor Retrieved September 20 2020 Lamm Michael April 1970 The Gremlins will get you if you don t watch out Popular Mechanics 133 4 106 109 Retrieved June 27 2014 Gremlin sub compact draws bead on VW Beetle and other imports Product Engineering 41 Morgan Grampian 42 1970 National Research Council 1982 The Competitive Status of the U S Auto Industry A Study of the Influences of Technology in Determining International Industrial Competitive Advantage National Academy Press p 71 doi 10 17226 291 ISBN 978 0 309 03289 6 Retrieved February 3 2022 Gustafson Sven April 1 2020 AMC Gremlin was unleashed 50 years ago today no fooling Autoblog Retrieved September 20 2020 Wojdyla Ben May 20 2011 Ford Pinto Fuel Tanks Epic Auto Failures Popular Mechanics Retrieved August 1 2022 Huffman John Pearley October 19 2010 The Car That Nearly Destroyed GM Popular Mechanics Retrieved August 1 2022 Severson Aaron October 13 2007 Do Not Feed After Midnight The AMC Gremlin Portraits of Automotive History ate up with motor Retrieved June 27 2014 a b Hine Thomas 2007 The Great Funk Falling Apart and Coming Together on a Shag Rug in the Seventies Farrar Straus and Giroux pp 41 42 ISBN 978 0 374 14839 3 Retrieved June 27 2014 AMC Gremlin a b Cranswick Marc 2011 The Cars of American Motors An Illustrated History McFarland p 157 ISBN 978 0 7864 8570 3 Retrieved April 10 2015 Auto Editors of Consumer Guide October 17 2007 1970 1978 AMC Gremlin How Stuff Works Archived from the original on June 12 2011 Retrieved June 27 2014 Vance Bill May 9 2008 Gremlin was a cut down larger car National Post Archived from the original on June 2 2013 Retrieved June 27 2014 Koos Alfred Gremlin Aberrations American Motoring 16 2 American Motors Owners Association AMO 1634 1699 McCusker J J 1997 How Much Is That in Real Money A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States Addenda et Corrigenda PDF American Antiquarian Society 1700 1799 McCusker J J 1992 How Much Is That in Real Money A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States PDF American Antiquarian Society 1800 present Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Consumer Price Index estimate 1800 Retrieved February 29 2024 a b Flory J Kelly 2004 American Cars 1960 1972 Every Model Year by Year McFarland p 712 ISBN 978 0 7864 1273 0 a b c Autos Shifting Down for the 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compact car St Louis Post Dispatch Archived from the original on March 15 2012 Retrieved June 27 2014 Auto Editors of Consumer Guide October 23 2007 1954 1962 Metropolitan How Stuff Works Retrieved February 3 2022 Foster Patrick October 2005 Developing the Metropolitan Hemmings Classic Car Retrieved June 27 2014 The term subcompact was not in use to describe the Metropolitan s size During World War II and immediately afterwards Mason began to explore the idea of developing a truly small car the size of what today we d call a subcompact Note the North American categories of compact subcompact midsize etc had not come into use when the Metropolitan was made It was called an economy car not a subcompact at the time Contemporary articles also called the Metropolitan a small automobile in sales brochures the Met was described as America s entirely new kind of car 1955 Luxury in Miniature 1959 and crafted for personal transportation 1960 Sales brochures Retrieved 27 June 2014 One writer described it as little larger than a toy car The Metropolitan fits the subcompact classification as stated in the following T he president of Nash Kelvinator Corporation decided to market what would ultimately be called a subcompact Auto Editors of Consumer Guide 1954 1962 Metropolitan 23 October 2007 Retrieved 3 February 2022 Numerous small American made cars e g American Austin American Bantam Crosley and World War I era cyclecars such as the American existed long before the Gremlin Except for the cyclecars those cited are classified as microcars List of microcars Vintage Microcar Club Retrieved 3 February 2022 a b Vance Bill May 9 2008 The Gremlin both goofy and great Winnipeg Free Press Archived from the original on March 29 2015 Retrieved June 27 2014 Norbye Jan P July 1970 Test Results Popular Science Vol 197 no 1 p 56 Retrieved June 27 2014 Davis Jim July 1970 10 000 miles in the new Gremlin Popular Science Vol 197 no 1 pp 54 56 Retrieved June 27 2014 Lamm Michael June 1971 PM 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d e f Lamm Michael October 1974 AMC polishes its petrol pinchers Popular Mechanics Vol 142 no 4 pp 105 176 Retrieved June 27 2014 a b c Hyde Charles K 2009 Storied Independent Automakers Nash Hudson and American Motors Wayne State University Press pp 216 217 ISBN 978 0 8143 3446 1 Retrieved June 27 2014 AMC October 1975 Win one of 3 Gremlins Popular Science 207 4 131 Retrieved June 27 2014 Wallace De Witt Wallace Lila Acheson 1975 Fall Home Value Sweepstakes The Reader s Digest Vol 107 p 175 Retrieved June 27 2014 Company Johnson Publishing October 10 1974 Help Young America says Willie Mays Jet Vol 47 no 3 p 26 Retrieved June 27 2014 Help Young America says Willie Mays Ebony 29 12 12 October 1974 Retrieved September 20 2020 a b Dunne Jim June 1975 U S subcompacts vs the Rabbit Popular Science Vol 206 no 6 pp 20 22 24 26 29 30 Retrieved June 27 2014 Auto Editors of Consumer Guide October 17 2007 1977 AMC Gremlin How Stuff Works Archived from the original on August 5 2020 Retrieved February 3 2022 a b c Auto Editors of Consumer Guide October 17 2007 The 1978 AMC Gremlin How Stuff Works Archived from the original on August 5 2020 Retrieved February 3 2022 Lamm Michael October 1977 Driving the 1978 cars from American Motors Popular Mechanics Vol 148 no 4 p 178 Retrieved June 27 2014 Ireson Nelson October 4 2010 Blast from the past AMC Gremlin Motor Authority Retrieved June 27 2014 Vance Bill 2002 Reflections on Automotive History Vol 2 Eramosa Valley Publishing ISBN 978 0 9698922 3 6 Vorderman Dan Norbye Jan P 1972 Critical Look at the 1973 American Cars Automobile Quarterly Vol 10 no 4 p 344 ISBN 978 1 59613 139 2 Retrieved June 27 2014 Lamm Michael February 1977 Driving the new 30 mpg Gremlin Popular Mechanics Vol 147 no 2 pp 87 amp 144 Retrieved June 27 2014 a b Cranswick Marc 2001 Cars of American Motors An Illustrated History McFarland pp 237 238 ISBN 978 0 7864 4672 8 Retrieved June 27 2014 Randall 401 XR gremlinx com Archived from the original on October 5 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Sam May 27 2010 eBay Find of the Day Hydrogen powered 1972 AMC Gremlin by George Barris Autoblog Retrieved November 12 2018 Proceedings of the IV International Symposium on Alcohol Fuels Technology volume 2 Instituto de Pesquisas Technologicas do Estado de Sao Paulo 1981 p 655 Ruppenthal Karl M 1981 Energy for transportation its availability its cost and its conservation Centre for Transportation Studies University of British Columbia p 91 ISBN 978 0 919804 26 5 De Waard E John Klein Aaron E 1977 Electric Cars Doubleday p 68 ISBN 978 0 385 00962 1 Reardon William A 1973 Electric car versus the present The energy and resource conservation aspects of electric vehicle utilization for the City of Seattle Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories pp 27 28 Knight Bridget January 26 2016 Gremlin Electric died with its namesake car Times Record News Retrieved November 17 2017 Koos Alfred Gremlin History Aberrations Archived from the original on October 5 2012 Retrieved June 27 2014 1972 AMC 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Mansour David 2005 From Abba to Zoom A Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th Century Andrews McMeel p 17 ISBN 978 0 7407 5118 9 Retrieved June 27 2014 Graf Tony September 19 2008 What s homecoming without a Gremlin The Herald News Joliet IL Archived from the original on September 24 2015 Retrieved June 27 2014 a b c The best of the used cars Top mechanics name their favorites for good value good service Changing Times 30 1 Kiplinger s 9 September 1976 Retrieved June 27 2014 Magliozzi Tom Magliozzi Ray May 17 2004 Gremlin may have some life left in it Charleston Daily Mail Archived from the original on September 24 2015 Retrieved June 27 2014 Flammang James M 1994 Chronicle of the American automobile over 100 years of auto history Publications International p 515 ISBN 978 0 7853 0778 5 Retrieved June 27 2014 The 50 Worst Cars Of All Time Time September 7 2007 Archived from the original on October 15 2007 Retrieved June 27 2014 Funk McKenzie May 2007 Small Steps to a Smart Future Popular Science 270 5 86 87 Retrieved June 27 2014 Olson Barbara 2001 Hell to Pay The Unfolding Story of Hillary Rodham Clinton Regnery Publishing p 89 ISBN 978 0 89526 197 7 Retrieved June 27 2014 Cooper Matthew July August 2004 Bill of Right What Clinton really reveals in his new memoir Washington Monthly Archived from the original on March 17 2014 Retrieved June 27 2014 Rove Karl 2010 Courage and consequence my life as a conservative in the fight Threshold Editions p 39 ISBN 978 1 4391 9105 7 Retrieved June 27 2014 AMC Gremlin Dubose Lou Reid Jan Cannon Carl M 2002 Boy Genius Karl Rove the Brains Behind the Remarkable Political Triumph of George W Bush PublicAffairs p 14 ISBN 978 1 58648 192 6 Retrieved June 27 2014 AMC Gremlin Palmeri Christopher August 23 2007 Revenge of the Nerd Cars Business Week Archived from the original on August 14 2012 Retrieved June 27 2014 Nerd cars capture special market Best s Review July 1 2003 Archived from the original on May 17 2011 Retrieved June 27 2014 a b Ragan Mac 2001 Hot Wheels Cars MBI Publishing pp 36 37 ISBN 978 0 7603 0839 4 Retrieved June 27 2014 References editConde John A 1987 The American Motors Family Album American Motors Corporation OCLC 3185581 Foster Patrick 2004 AMC Cars 1954 1987 An Illustrated History Motorbooks International ISBN 978 1 58388 112 5 Foster Patrick 1993 The Last Independent Motorbooks International ISBN 978 0 87341 240 7 Gunnell John ed 1987 The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946 1975 Krause Publications ISBN 978 0 87341 096 0 Mitchell Larry 1994 AMC Buyers Guide Motorbooks International ISBN 978 0 87938 891 1 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to AMC Gremlin An article about the AMC Gremlin The Best and Worst Subcompact the AMC Gremlin Data information and resources by Gremlin X com AMC Gremlin at the Internet Movie Cars Database VAM Gremlin at the Internet Movie Cars Database AMC Rambler Club American Motors Owners Association Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title AMC Gremlin amp oldid 1217953882, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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