We’ve seen many AMC Pacers here on Barn Finds, in both sedan and wagon variety, and this has to be one of the nicest wagon versions that I can think of off-hand. The seller has this 1977 AMC Pacer D/L Wagon here on Facebook Marketplace in Wakarusa, IN and they’re asking $14,000. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Tony P. for the tip!
An AMC brochure says, “In 1975, AMC introduced the Pacer Sedan. In 1977, we’re proud to announce that the revolution isn’t over – the all new Pacer Wagon is here!” That’s a nice bit of trivia to tuck into your belt for when you’re sitting around the garage with friends working on an old car and one of them starts yammering about some obscure car trivia. You’ll really turn heads with AMC Pacer trivia.
AMC made the Pacer from 1975 through the end of 1979 for the 1980 model year, and, as mentioned, the wagon came out for the 1977 model year. The wagon lacks the infamous fishbowl rear window but I think they’re infinitely more useful and the best part is that a wagon may cut down on the Wayne’s World comments, at least a smidge. Although if I know anything about humans in 2024, probably not.
“Rallye Perforated Vinyl” seats with individual recliners for each side are in this car and this is the only glimpse of the interior, other than one showing the odometer with 59,888 miles racked up over the last 47 years. The seller is pretty sedate on their description, saying that this is a “nice fine original example” and it’s never been restored. It looks like a museum car to me. $14,000 in 2024 dollars would have been around $2,700 in 1977 dollars, so this asking price doesn’t seem bad to me. This car cost more than $2,700 when it was new. Hagerty is at $13,900 for a #2 excellent example, just for the record.
There are two engine photos, so kudos to the seller for popping the hood, a lot of folks don’t do that. The standard engine was AMC’s 232-cu.in. OHV inline-six, but a 258-six was optional. One of you AMC experts (Howard?) will know which one this is by looking at it, hopefully. The seller doesn’t say, but they do say that it “runs drives great” and that’s good enough for me. This looks like an outstanding example, and the asking price may not be as crazy as a lot of people will think. It is 2024, after all, not 1994. How much would you pay for this Pacer wagon?
Wow. These are everywhere lately. This is the nicest of the nicest we’ve seen. Looks great in the red and wood tone. Interior is so clean it’s hard to believe it’s for sale.
The Pacers today are rare enough let alone in good shape but this one being a Pacer wagon is even rarer and it was maintained! It was a goofy little AMC model like all their lovable, quirky models. The Pacer wagon for me has a better look than the basic Pacer. They always turned heads because of their bubble stature!!! I always wondered about the personalities of the AMC design team…. What were they like?
A while back I looked at production numbers by year for Pacers. I was surprised how many sold the first year, and how fast the sales fell. It was a good idea, especially now knowing what the future brought.
I imagine AMC never sold one of these Pacer’s to anyone under 30. But here’s your chance to relive your inner nerd, that you hid so well, back in the late 70’s.
I was 19 when I bought my ’78 Pacer wagon. And that was one neat car in my eyes. Mine had a 232 with a 4sp stick, even when loaded with camping gear it got about 30 mpg on the highway. I guess I was a bit of an odd kid, now I’m just an old man.
Wow, a 4speed, cool
I don’t think you can tell the difference between the 232 and 258 engines from the outside, at least not from a glimpse of the motor in the tight Pacer engine bay. They’re basically the same engine aside from displacement. Given that this Pacer is pretty well optioned I’d expect it has the 258.
AMC doubles-down on failure. I guess the numbers-crunchers at the Plymouth Road offices, didn’t understand the Sunk-Cost Fallacy – that is, no matter how much money has been WASTED in a mistake, spending more behind it, almost-always leads to greater waste and dire consequences.
As here. This was two years before Gerald Meyers made panicked calls to various prospects, seeking some sort of relief, loan, merger or operating agreement. Those never go well – anyone remember Studebaker turning to Curtiss-Wright for help, and getting a disastrous “Management Agreement”…?
Meyers somehow called the head of Renault, in France, and got a sympathetic ear. Renault had vast resources – it was French-government owned at the time. Renault had been convinced their failure in the States was NOT the product, but lack of dealers.
An AMC linkup would have aided that little shortcoming. And extension of a credit line…sure, no problem. Dealers get that quality Le Car to sell; AMC gets some revolving credit; Renault gets to explore further tightening of a joint operation.
Actually, Meyers chose well. Renault’s cars were…well, pick your pejorative. But management was positively beneficent, compared to how other such dominant-subservient mergers (Daimler-Chrysler) sometimes go.
But this was the crossroads, where AMC chose wrong. In their own back shops, a set of Hornets were already being outfitted with Quadra-Trac for testing. Had they just thrown up their hands at the collapsing Pacer sales, and brought the Eagle out two years earlier…before the company had the stench of death on it…perhaps their history would have been vastly different.
AMC was actually looking at trying to do something, anything, to recoup their investment in the failed Pacer platform. As reported some years ago in “Hemmings Classic Cars” magazine they were even considering a Pacer-based Jeep-like vehicle! (Though the front suspension would have had to been redesigned to permit drive axles for 4WD, or a solid axle substituted for the IFS.)
https://supra-eighty.tumblr.com/post/182691055666/amc-lil-chief-4×4-hemmings-classic-car-of
Really what sunk AMC was the dual blow of the Matador Coupe and the Pacer, both of which failed in the marketplace once initial interest waned. The Company might have lasted a bit longer had they instead invested in updating their core products. The Eagle was a great product but by the 1980s the Hornet platform it was based on was beyond obsolete.
The AMC Eagle was the right product at the right time, but a few years later all-wheel drive cars were being offered by other makes. I always thought it would have been a good ideal to offer an all-wheel drive Pacer as well, but Pacer sales were dead by this time. There was even rumored to be a Pacer in the works, maybe AMC could have been a trend-setter in that dept.,but we’ll never know.
EDIT: a Pacer van in the works. I need to proofread before I hit send
A Pacer van? I can only imagine. In 1978, I had an Econoline. Now there was a trendsetter.
✔️ wagon
✔️ vinyl seat
✔️ i6 (but needs 258)
✔️ no hood bump, smoothed bumpers
X price (like the fairmont)
BigC, my dad was 47 when he ordered a ’75 Pacer. He and I were both nerds, lol. He traded in a ’70 Volkswagen van. The only options dad order over base were the 3 in the tree with overdrive and front bucket seats. Dad drove 332 miles a week just back and forth to work, not to mention a 22, 21, and 16 year olds also driving that car. We also owned a ’69 Impala sedan. I (22m) bought my first car In 1974, but still drove the other cars mentioned here occasionally.
I have a 1978 Pacer wagon runs and drives has good title and am asking $28-00. Put 4 or 6 into it and you have the same car.- obo
waiting for reply