46,000 Mile Survivor: 1973 AMC Gremlin

Don’t let its impressive cosmetics fool you: this is an original paint Gremlin, a former magazine feature car with under 50,000 original miles. Wearing grasshopper green paint with a six-cylinder mill under the hood, this Gremlin is a survivor that really shouldn’t be modified or restored beyond its current state. Find it here on eBay with bidding over $4K and a $13,000 Buy-It-Now. 

The seller is correct that this Gremlin is too nice to over-restore, but he does allude to some fixes needed. No details are offered when the seller mentions “…needs only minor work to be perfect,” but I’m assuming that means fairly run-of-the-mill repairs. The Gremlin will come with two sets of wheels, as included in the eBay picture gallery, but the steel wheels seen here is the look I’d stick with.

The engine bay presents nicely with evidence of recent belts and an air cleaner assembly that’s either been restored or simply never got crusty. The seller says the Gremlin lived out most of its life in Oregon before retiring to Florida, and that it was previously in the June 2015 issue of Hemmings Classic Car. Those fellas usually have a good eye for survivors, so that’s some ideal validation of the seller’s claims as to the honesty of his AMC.

The green theme continues to the interior, where both the front and back seats appear unused. The Gremlin is certainly an iconic car, even if it hasn’t fully vaulted to collectible status. The Buy-It-Now seems ambitious to me, and I suspect the selling price will fall under it. $8K-$10K seems like a very fair result for the seller, and a good deal for the buyer considering a batch of NOS parts are included with the sale.

Comments

  1. Avatar NotSure

    I worked with a young lady back in about 1977. She drove us everywhere in her Gremlin. It was peachy yellow-something-or-other color. We had a lot of fun together! I’d be happy to drive this green one just to relive the memories! It’s nice to see the six-cylinder looking so well under the hood!

    Like 10
  2. Avatar slickb

    someone get jeff dunham on the phone!!!!!!!!!!!
    :)

    Like 5
  3. Avatar Scott

    My daughter is 21 and loves these cars, nice that I have two daughters that appreciate older cars, especially green ones. I still get a hard time for selling my 71 Camaro SS (cottonwood green) from my oldest.
    I think they would love driving something like this until they realized there are no options aside from brakes and a steering wheel but I could be wrong…..

    Like 6
  4. Avatar j liu

    Different memory…lol. The State of California bought a ton of these for state employees to take out on field calls as needed. We used to beg the guy in charge to give us something else. Often when nothing else was available, we had to take the miserable car and every trip was anguishing. Horrible seats, super sensitive power steering, brakes? that term was used as a description only. All were so glad when these eventually got auctioned off and better replacements found their way into the fleet. Prayers were answered.

    Like 5
    • Avatar That AMC Guy

      What a Gremlin is like to live with is highly dependent on how the option list was checked off. With standard crap seats, undersized tires and drum brakes, slow manual steering, etc., they are pretty miserable to drive. However the same could be said of other American economy cars of the time.

      The experience changes drastically with bucket seats, power steering, front disc brakes, and decent tires. It’ll never be a Cadillac but I’ve driven well-equipped Gremlins and they’re pretty reasonable rides. The last year (1978) even got a halfway decent dashboard from the then-new Concord.

      Like 6
  5. Avatar XMA0891

    To my taste anyway; last year of the best-looking, better-built Gremlins. Someday I will get a ’70 – ’73, but it is going to be a manual, preferably with the dog-dishes and a 304. Nice little car.

    Like 6
  6. Avatar Wayne

    A buddy that I worked with bought a new ’71 silver in color. The “X” option package with the manual transmission. It’s name was Malcolm. They had good luck with the car until it rusted to death. (It was the Chicago/rust belt area.) So they only had it a few years.

    Like 5
    • Avatar scott

      I assume it had the deluxe Levi interior…..that stuff wore like iron.

      Like 3
  7. Avatar J-

    Umm -just realized a teally cool thing. I drove a 74? AMX Gremlin for a summer in AK on Northern lights and took down some longstanding titles ! Illegally at 17 of course ! But ths car i drove eas mv buddies and eith his peemission we flogged it ! It was unbeliveably fst ! I always thought everything i drove after that was sloooow but i founfd out yge only buit 21 of them and released them from a dealership in AZ. Researched looked looked researched never found a thing until i was watching a show ..a Famous Dorito comedians Garage ! ;0) and found out where it came frome and how rare it actually was ! Lol i am not a big fan of AMC with a few exceptions. Some were petty cool but not super quality… but tgey were oh so much fun!!
    Onto my 65-66-gt convertible search ! Thx guys for a great website and great cars! Rememver
    Let em rust a little .. then hit em with satin and keep drivin! j-

    Like 2
    • Avatar Jon Anderson

      My mom bought a special order 74 Amx gremlin, black on black with gold stripe, was Her first car. Delivered new to Anchorage alaska. Sold it in 84 with 45000ish miles on it Might have been the same one.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Johnny Joseph

      I’m trying like hell to decipher what you just wrote. I think you owned one, it was fast, and rare. Beyond that, it’s like reading a shorthand meth heads diary. C’mon Man!

      Like 16
      • Avatar Patrick Huot

        You got that right brother !!
        I agree!!

        Like 3
    • Avatar Patrick Huot

      Where the hell did you learn to type??
      Not a clue what you said??

      Like 4
  8. Avatar Bill Shields

    I have that article. The guy paid peanuts for the car.
    If he’s the one selling it outside of changing the wheels what now makes it worth triple what you paid for it??

    Like 3
  9. Avatar RoughDiamond

    A classmate in high school had a sharp and great performing Gremlin “X” equipped with the 304 engine and floor shifted 3-speed manual. I believe it was Hunter Green Metallic and it had Gold Gremlin “X” decals and stripes.

    Like 5
  10. Avatar Wayne

    Bill, it is worth what someone will pay for it. Profit is not a dirty word, nor is it illegal. If you got a good deal and did not pull a fast one on someone. There is no law against making a bundle as long as you do it honestly. I am a very moral person, and I make a profit all the time. And the people that buy my Rangers get a very good deal on a very reliable, safe truck.

    Like 8
    • Avatar Sidney

      I tend to agree somewhat with Bill and somewhat with you. If the person selling it just wanted it gone for convenience, then good for the flipper who took the time to properly prep and advertise it, but if the flipper lied about value to an unsuspecting seller, then karma is a harsh mistress. Though, 300% profit does seem a bit excessive, so the flipper was maybe somewhere in between those two scenarios.

      Like 2
  11. Avatar Ted

    Curbers and morals, nope. Not holding my breath for that movie.

    Like 1
  12. Avatar RICHARD TRUESDELL

    Just a quick note that the Gremlin’s legendary designer, Bob Nixon, passed away on 2/5 at the age of 86.

    Besides the Gremlin, he was most responsible, working with Dick Teague, for AMC’s small cars from the 1964 American, the 1966 refresh, the 1969 Hurst SC/Rambler, the Pacer, and his true legacy, overseeing the design of the landmark 1984 XJ Cherokee. Continuing his career, he was also involved in the first-generation ZJ Grand Cherokee before retiring in 1992.

    Not too many designers can boast such a legacy.

    Bob Nixon, rest in peace.

    Like 15
    • Avatar That AMC Guy

      Wow, that’s definitely a bummer. Although not as well known overall as Richard Teague, Nixon was a key designer on so many AMC vehicles.

      Like 1
    • Avatar CarBuzzard Member

      The story that Dick Teague sketched the idea on the back of a flight sickness bag is apparently true, is it not, Rich?

      Like 0
  13. Avatar Bill Shields

    Wayne.
    I do agree with you that it is worth what the market will pay. I’ve sold some vehicles and made some good coin. But I never had the nerve to ask more than book value which from what I am reading seems to be the case.
    As I said above, if it’s the owner from the article sorry I still think that’s just greedy. If its a flipper, enough said.🤐

    Like 1
  14. Avatar Jim

    Had a 73 – X that was new, fun little car for a kid who just graduated high school. Good on gas cheap to buy (around $2,200). The only thing I didn’t like it was really really bad in snow with no weight in the back it got stuck easily.

    Like 1
    • Avatar Patrick Huot

      That makes sense. And in upstate NY where I am, I know what you mean !

      Like 0
  15. Avatar MrF

    Air conditioned!!

    Like 0
  16. Avatar Wrong Way

    I owned 2 Gremlins. One was exactly like this one, but the other a 4 door V8. I honestly cannot say one bad thing about the Gremlins. They were great cars IMHO. Many memories here. I drove the green one back and forth from Alabama to Calli many times and not one breakdown!

    Like 0
    • Avatar AlanBob

      Did they make a 4-door Gremlin? I’d love to see one!

      Like 1
    • Avatar CarBuzzard Member

      A four-door Gremlin?

      Like 2
      • Avatar Wrong way

        Sorry about that! I don’t see well sometime. It was a 2 door V8 sorry for the mishap.

        Like 1
      • Avatar Carstories Member

        Hey Victor, great story but bad luck! I’m guessing that woulda been a “black” cat?

        Like 0
  17. Avatar victor Sanchez

    Funny story not funny at the time, a friend of mine had a 1972 Gremlin- X darker green then this one with a tan interior not really a bad looking car. One night on his way home from visiting his girlfriend a cat ran in front of him he slammed on the brakes and the motor and tranny mounts broke which in turn sent the running gear through the radiator. He got it fixed but was never the same ahhh the good old days LOL

    Like 3
    • Avatar Patrick Huot

      Holy crap!! That’s a wild story !!LOL.

      Like 1
  18. Avatar W9BAG

    Very nice example. Really like it, and the pictures of the illuminated instrument panel is a class act.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Patrick Huot

      Where do you see a dash panel pic?

      Like 0
      • Avatar W9BAG

        On the eBay listing.

        Like 0
  19. Avatar Patrick Huot

    I’d like to see a pic of the gremlin itself on the back hatch!!

    I know some kids who used to collect them from these cars!!

    Like 0

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