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74k Original Miles: 1974 AMC Gremlin X

One of the defining characteristics of AMC as a vehicle manufacturer was its ability to produce quirky and interesting cars. One of the most easily recognizable vehicles was the AMC Gremlin, and this 1974 Gremlin X has just been listed for sale here on eBay. It has a few issues and problems that the next owner will need to address, but with only 74,000 genuine miles on the clock, it should also have plenty of life to offer that person. The Gremlin is located in Barto, Pennsylvania, and while bidding has reached $2,100, this figure remains short of the reserve.

There’s a bit to consider with this little classic, not the least of which is its tired Medium Green Metallic paint. However, before the car receives a repaint, there are some rust issues that the buyer will need to address. Affected areas include the floors, rockers, and lower front fenders, but the owner includes replacements for both the rockers and the floors in the sale. There are also a few dings and dents that will need to be tackled, but none of these are particularly bad and should be able to be repaired in a home workshop. Some of the trim and chrome has been damaged, but most of it looks salvageable while the glass is in good overall condition. This car shows a lot of promise as a restoration project.

Lifting the hood on this Gremlin reveals its numbers matching 258ci six-cylinder engine. The original owner also chose to equip the car with a three-speed automatic transmission and power steering. With 110 horsepower on tap, this Gremlin should be capable of covering the ¼ mile in approximately 18.6 seconds. That’s not fast, but for the period, it’s pretty acceptable. The owner has recently replaced the tires, fuel pump, carburetor and performed an oil change. He states that the fuel tank is badly corroded and has been removed from the car. The buyer will need to source a replacement, but these are pretty affordable. He says that the car runs and drives, but it shouldn’t be considered roadworthy because it is running on an external fuel source. The indications are that it shouldn’t take a lot of work to return this Gremlin to a roadworthy state.

When I got my first look at this Gremlin’s interior, I was pleasantly surprised. I admit that the front seat requires a new cover, but the remaining trim and upholstery actually don’t look that bad. The buyer will probably choose to replace the front and rear seat covers to maintain color consistency, and a complete set of covers are easy to find for under $600. There are no visible cracks in the dash pad, and the rest of the dash seems clean and tidy. The carpet will probably need replacing, but otherwise, there’s not a lot of work required to get this interior into a decent state. I can’t tell whether there is a radio or any other accessories fitted, so she’s a pretty bare-bones interior for the next owner to deal with. If the buyer is not concerned about spotless originality, adding aftermarket air conditioning and a CD player would make the interior of this Gremlin far more pleasant on longer journeys.

The AMC Gremlin spent many years in the wilderness, but they have their own dedicated following of owners and potential owners. The latter are people who have been looking for a car, but the right one has never emerged for them to restore. However, their search could be over with this one because although it has rust problems, the parts are included to address most of these. If you’ve always longed for a Gremlin, maybe you should watch this listing closely.

Comments

  1. Avatar Evan

    Nah. Get one from the south or southwest. You’ll save a ton of money in the long run.

    Like 6
  2. Avatar Mopar55

    Sorry…..This is not a Gremlin X….it just has the X decals….

    Like 4
  3. Avatar flynndawg

    nice ‘hubcaps’…

    Like 0
  4. Avatar JT Member

    As Mopar55 said, not a real X. There is more to a real X than a decal. No X on the grill, missing the sport steering wheel, rear decal that would say *** Liter V/8, rally wheels and much more.

    Like 1
    • Avatar Stevieg

      Not all Gremlin x’s had a V-8, but otherwise you are correct.

      Like 1
      • Avatar John Tyler Member

        Right. I corrected my post later, but it didn’t post. Supposed to say *** Liter and V8 for the 304 only. Sorry

        Like 0
    • Avatar Jeff

      I owned a ’71 Gremlin X just like this one, same color and all, back in the 70’s. I bought it at Davies Auto dealership in San Diego in 1975. It didn’t have an X on the grill, and it had a peppy 6 banger 256 under the hood. The previous owner had painted two wide stripes down the hood which added to the overall appearance. It made it look like a sports car, but tantamount to painting tiger stripes on a donkey. As funny looking as it was, and in spite of it’s flaws I loved it. It was easy to work on and a practical, economic daily driver.

      Like 0
  5. Avatar Howie Mueler

    $2,400 now, lots of toys, trains and trucks listed too.

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Robert Eddins

    Look real close at body and not so close at the interior and it spells money pit.

    Like 0

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