Fellow Barn Finds writer Andrew Tanner found the same treasure trove of ex-government vehicles being cleaned out in California as I did, with his recent write-up of a Plymouth Fury police package vehicle. I, too, found the collection of dusty vehicles too tempting to ignore but decided to go with the 1982 AMC Concord wagon featuring a manual transmission. Can you imagine a government / municipal vehicle of any kind having a stick these days? This one is a trip in the way back machine. Find the AMC here on eBay with one bid to $200 and no reserve.
The seller says it was decommissioned in 1990, which is a term I more often associate with old warships than a passenger car (though some might call an AMC wagon a battleship, but I digress…) Mileage is still fairly high at 123,000, but it hasn’t racked any up any recently. The body looks mostly sound, with a dent noted on the rear wagon hatch. Glass is intact, and it appears most of the hubcaps are still attached. The Concord was a fairly big seller for AMC, and this one is likely one of the best combinations for enthusiasts: four-speed manual with the 4.2L inline-six.
I’m surprised this combo was even an option for a government agency. There was the four-cylinder “Iron Duke” option available that year, which would have been cheaper and delivered better fuel economy, two attributes most local governments would prioritize. The interior looks fairly solid despite the many years of storage, perhaps just needing a good cleaning. Though the seller is doing very little in the way of assessing its mechanical health, this Concord is selling so cheaply I can’t fault them for not providing an in-depth assessment. He does note some damage to the lower rear quarters that should be repaired by the next owner.
And if the AMC or the late-model Fury don’t tickle your fancy, the seller also has this sharp 1978 Plymouth Fury police package car here on eBay, which has attracted strong interest with bids over $1K. All of the cars appear to be ex-California state/town vehicles that were acquired at one time and sent directly to warehouse storage. They aren’t worth much now but it may be surprising to see how well they clean up with a wash; however, the Concord would still be my first choice. Check out the full collection on eBay and let us know which one you’d choose.
Keep the Fury, I’ll take the Concord wagon. I’ts a bit of a mixed blessing that such great deals are too far away to be a practical buy. If this dusty little gem were nearby, I’d be on it
if they were close by to you they would be rusted out
if you have never experienced the absolute joy of a solid, rust free dry western US car, you are either a masochist or a body shop owner that loves to charge for “rust repair”
😉
ooooo now up to $207.50. someone got to spec out a vehicle for their duties and from their choices came up with this. personally, i’d like to meet them and have a beer, they seem like a kindred spirit.
it was used for 8 years (~15,000/yr) and has been sitting for 28 years. how does that happen?
Wow – a 4 speed? How many of those are around?
Inline six, 4-speed, dual mirrors, and A/C! These cars ride nicely and handle OK. If I were in the market, I’d be all over this one.
As a kid, I remember seeing odd builds when my Dad took his ’74 Cherokee in for service. Concord coupes with the big laudau padded roofs, big velour interiors … and a 4-speed stick!
The last gasp for AMC. These were actually good cars, just about every govt. car for state employees in Wisconsin, were Concords. My ex-FIL, was an elevator inspector for the state, had one of these, only a sedan, and put a TON of miles on it. This was still kind of a newer Sportabout, and I think people had moved on from that design, there were all kinds of hatchbacks, even though, AMC kind of pioneered it with the Sportabout. IDK, would anybody want this? The cop car, pull the motor, and line it up next to the white one from earlier.
Maybe I missed something, but I didn’t see anything in the ad which says it was a part of a government fleet, fleet yes, but nothing about government fleet. The plates definitely aren’t government issue.
It’s an interesting car, but might have been parked when it was worn out. If there is no government connection proven, it would throw into question the cars mechanical condition since a private owner would be less likely to keep the car maintained throughout it life.
Steve R
My wife and I had one of these in the early ’90’s. Ours was a 258 6 cylinder
mated to an auto tranny. And while it wasn’t a speed demon, it would take
whatever you dished out and come back for more. We used ours to carry
newspapers seven days a week and other than an issue with the torque
converter, and my adopted son’s lead foot, the car did exactly whatever you
asked it to do without complaint. When we first bought it, the kids I worked
with thought it was a 4-wheel drive due to the very high ground clearance.
Sad to see this great old car going to waste.
I’ll take both of them.
What could be more malaise than a base-model government car with poverty caps, from 1982. The stick is cool though.
What a difference paint and bumpers make:
https://tinyurl.com/y8zh4gxo
Even on the same-ish year:
https://tinyurl.com/y8699bnl
this co (hysperdia/victorville, ca) hits all our inboxes right B4 an auction. Never saw anything right priced or desirable. Spotted an ol falcon wagon shell (desirable 2 me due 2 some motors I got) but it went for 1,100$ – rather hi…
I am trying to find a way to get this car. It just seems impossible though for less than 3 times the purchase price just for shipping, and I own a car transport company.
I bought a telephone service vehicle from a lot of 15-20 identical cars for peanuts when in college. The cars were all AMC Rebel station wagons, 1970 vintage and white, with 3 on the tree and 6 cyl. All of the back seats were in the down position with a cage directly behind the driver. I seem to recall they were selling for $350 apiece in 1981. I did a lot of carpooling and ride shares with this car during school breaks, until the car was decommissioned by me for needing too much front end work.
The only thing that scares me is that the window was left open. looks like the damage to the car was when it was dragged by whomever moved it.
What,no love for that sexy Citation sitting next to it? Or should that be loathe?