Of all of the oddly shaped cars AMC gave us throughout the years, the Pacer may win the prize for the most unusual, earning it names such as the jellybean and the flying fishbowl. However, over the decades, these cars have developed quite a loyal following and a level of appreciation that wasn’t as apparent back in the seventies. Nice examples seem to have no problem exchanging hands these days, and I’m guessing somebody’s going to snag this 1976 model here on Craigslist pretty quickly, especially once they see what’s under the hood. This one’s in San Diego, California, with the $6,500 asking price not sounding like an unreasonable starting point.
Our thanks go out to reader Rocco B. for the excellent tip here! The ’76 Pacer gave buyers a choice of two inline-six engines, including the base unit measuring in at 232 cubic inches and the optional 258, with a V8 not appearing on the menu until 1978. Somebody decided a six-cylinder powerplant wasn’t good enough here, and in the bay now is a Ford 289 V8, along with a matching-era Mustang transmission. The seller says his AMC starts, runs, and drives, and also mentions some recent fuel system work, including a new carburetor, fuel filter, and a freshly cleaned gas tank.
It’s hard to spot in the photos, but the seller reports some body rust, specifically in the rear hatch and lower rocker areas. Fortunately, it’s already said to be a solid driver, but the next owner will need to address this if they want it perfect. The red paint still presents well, and the hood was modified out of necessity to clear the carb. The blacked-out trim is also a catchy touch, but I’m not so sure about the bumpers, as they sort of remind me of the safety bars next to the bathtubs in our house.
Inside, the seller states that a previous owner had the interior redone in Italian leather, and it’s said to be clean and in nice shape. A few custom components can also be found inside, including an aftermarket radio and a tachometer, plus a sunroof has been added above. For a car in this price range, the 1976 AMC Pacer seems to offer a lot, and I’m finding many of the mods here fun and well-thought-out. How about you?
Well, at least he fixed the main problem with this car. Someone in a free state could end up with an interesting “hybrid.”
This would have been sold if it was on my side of the country. Love it. Sick. My mother had one late 70s, and it was like sitting in a fish bowl from all the windows. I just sat in one a few weeks ago at a bike show. Nice tip, and write up.
Sitting in the back seat was hotter than hell when the sun was out.
Yes it must bring lots of attention. Nerf bars for bumpers.
Nah,,see, thing is, the Pacer is just a weird car to begin with, and any appeal would be one in original form, not some cobbled hot rod. Someone had good intentions, just missed the exit ramp.
A chopped roof would do wonders for a Pacer.
I’m surprised Calif didn’t find a way to prevent even the swap being done there.
You can do what you want, they have no way to monitor what someone is doing at the time they do it, you just can’t register it afterwards because it fails its smog inspection. There is no indication in the ad where the engine swap was done, or what state issued the title.
Steve R
Read this & the comments(some very funny) …
https://www.jalopnik.com/sacramento-county-says-its-illegal-to-work-on-your-own-1836085130/
In my state? You could slap a plate on it, and enjoy. I feel for the folks that have to get a 50 year old car through a smog test.
JoeNY, this is nothing new. I had a friend living in a subdivision that was restoring a 1957 Nomad in the late-1980’s get cited by code enforcement after a new neighbor complained. HOA’s are more draconian than cities, unfortunately people that aren’t enthusiasts are becoming more likely to complain than they used to be.
Steve R
In Nevada there is o smog check except Washoe County (Reno) and Clark County (Las Vegas) And for older cars it is just a a sniffer test. But it goes back to 1966 cars. If you have “collector/antique “plates you are exempt as long as you drive less than. 5,000 miles per year.. The rest of the state is free to do whatever! (Wahoo! That’s me!) My Daughter had an older Audi with a,Weber carb. andcwe lived in Washoe County. Once a,year I would jack with the timing and carburetor, take it for it’s test and come home and reset it. Nowadays with aftermarket throttle body fuel injection. It’s generally not an issue.
There was a chopped one around Kenosha many years back. Looked pretty cool.
I always referred to the AMC Pacer as a “rolling bathyscaphe” due to its distinctive rounded, expansive, glasshouse appearance. It’s no wonder it had a short production run due to poor fuel economy, rust issues, crappy engines and design.
The factory bumpers didn’t win any beauty contests either. Maybe just delete them altogether, or fabricate roll pans to cover the recess. At any rate this builder made the Pacer much more interesting with this swap. A manual transmission would be even better.
I called my Pacers the “peoplequarium.” It looks pretty good to me, but I’d have to find a bumper for the rear and delete the front, I think they look better that way. I like the instrument cluster treatment, the stock one is pretty dowdy.
Looks a little awkward with those bathtub handrails for bumpers.
IIRC, the Pacer was initially designed to accommodate rotary (Wankel) power.
That is correct!
Yep! The Pacer was designed around GM’s Rotary Combustion Engine (RCE). When GM cancelled the program due to emissions, fuel economy, and durability issues (the same issues that plague the Wankel to this day), AMC was forced to make a last-minute change to the firewall to accommodate their inline 6.
I’ve been an AMC buff and owner since way, way back. I’ve also had fun with the Fords I’ve owned. But, that doesn’t mean I approve of blends such as this.
Well, at least this Pacer didn’t undergo a bowtie swap. ;)
Pretty cool! NO LS!
I guess a,chip job would cut some glass weight out of the car!
I kind of like it! I wouldl likecto see one chopped!
Towel bars for bumpers, those would be the first things to go for me, they could be handy if I wanted to carry it somewhere. The car is kinda cool, would like to see a burn out.
I might put a 4L jeep i6 in it. That’s a little closer to AMC.
Wasn’t this car bad enough from the factory. Someone wasted time and money to put a Ford engine in it. I will say it again, it’s amazing what can be done with lots of beer and a three day weekend.
I always hope to see another Camaro at car shows, too.
I miss AMC.