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Homewrecker: 1974 AMC Gremlin X

amcgremlin1

This is one of the more entertaining ads I’ve read in quite some time. The listing for a 1974 AMC Gremlin X, which can be found here on eBay with a Buy-It-Now price of $3,550, really captures the excitement the seller has for this green machine. Up until recently, it was parked in an abandoned house that was in danger of collapse where the seller’s friend had left it after he began installing some aftermarket headers but never finished the job. Well, if we are to believe the listing, the original owner is a very “sharp guy” and took great care of this car before losing all interest in it and letting it soak in the dampness of a dank, poorly ventilated garage. While my definition of caretaker and the seller’s may differ, I do dig the paint scheme and the car genuinely appears un-messed with. If you can get over the effusiveness of the listing itself, could this be a good buy for a survivor – or is it overpriced?

Comments

  1. Avatar SoCal Car Guy

    So if this is such an incredible, marvelous, gotta-have exemplar of automotive design and engineering, why isn’t the seller keeping the nasty, badly-deteriorated and butt-ugly little P.O.S. for himself. Plus, he has one too many zeros on the but-it-now price. I gotta go now, need a tetanus shot after looking at the photos…

    Like 0
    • Avatar phoneman91

      “need a tetanus shot…”. Love it. And we can only imagine what the interior smells like after 25 years of humidity and no air circulation!

      Like 0
  2. Avatar JW

    It WAS a cute little car but not now and for that price. Another long winded seller. I get a headache every time I read one of these. Nope I’ll pass.

    Like 0
    • Avatar phoneman91

      That vehicle new , back in 1974 , was sold at a lower price.

      Like 0
  3. Avatar Jeff Staff

    It does make you wonder if they purposely try to put people off so they can keep it for themselves. “Honey, I listed it on eBay but not one person bid on it….”

    Like 0
    • Avatar jim s

      this and the $ 32000 corvette may be have that same game plan.

      Like 0
  4. Avatar JOEINTHOUSANDOAKS

    At least it had “ice cold air” when parked.

    Like 0
    • Avatar phoneman91

      Any of that R12 is long gone!

      Like 0
  5. Avatar BradL

    Frizzell Pontiac was also one of the larger AMC dealers back in the day. Their mascot was a whale and their slogan was, “Get a whale of a deal.” They were shut down in the early 80s with an odometer rollback scandal.

    Like 0
  6. Avatar phoneman91

    Surface rust like that -on every surface of the car—–is very damaging. We can imagine what the cylinder walls are like after the engine wasn’t started for 25 years-especially with the exhaust ports open to the environment with no exhaust manifold . I can’t imagine anyone paying the asking price for a vehicle in that condition. The humidity down in Houston is unbelievable. And that garage probably had a dirt floor.

    That is the thing about Ebay: People see high, unreasonable, asking prices for vehicles that are in very bad condition-and believe that all 40 year old vehicles should have high asking prices-no matter the condition.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Ed P

    Mold, mildew, and rust have taken over this car. It may be restorable, but the price is to high.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar A.J.

    I can’t help but think of Ramone in Fast Times at Ridgemont high pulling in the parking lot. That said, if this had the 4 gear it would be very very cool. Had is horrible and it is bad form to buy a set of tires and then jack the price up accordingly.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Mark E

    Woo, MASTERCRAFT tires! That has to make it worth how much more? NOTHING? Yeah, I believe it… It’s called NORMAL MAINTENANCE. If you were gonna buy a house and the guy went out and put a new roof on it for $10k would you pay that much more? Unlikely. But if the roof was shot, you’d better price it down for needing a roof…

    Like 0
  10. Avatar The Walrus

    “I TOTALLY 100% BELIEVE EVERYTHING THIS GUY AND HIS BROTHER TOLD ME!
    They both were just SUPER NICE guys!!!”

    While that may be true, does anyone else remember the game ‘telephone’ as a kid? This post makes me wonder if this is the kid who turned “His sisters name is Karen” into “When this game is over we are watching a movie and getting peanut butter and jelly ice cream cupcakes.”

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Dirty Dingus McGee

    Sellers ad makes my hed hurtz. Comes across as some curbstone huckster.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar sunbeamdon

    This little faker is absolutely the POS SoCal describes; the seller reminds me of the Everly Brothers – “All we have to do is dream”

    or maybe “Nightmare on Elm Street”??

    Like 0
  13. Avatar Mike D

    while I am not a huge AMC fan, I do like the Gremlin, there is one angle of the front of the car and what looks like ” rust” in other shots, looks like clumps of dirt on the other . also, if it were stored on a DAMP garage, one has to think of the underside . depending on how much work is needed on the underside, a small block Chrysler engine would fit in there nicely ( 318) . the door that is pictured looks like it can be repaired, but, if not, doors should be easy to come by . also while talking dampness have to address the interior, most likely would be replaced anyways, but there is that gawddawful musty, mildew smell

    Like 0
  14. Avatar Blindmarc

    My dad was a service manager for AMC around this time, but 1k is all this car is worth. 6 cyl. And too many unknowns……

    Like 0
    • Avatar phoneman91

      The car isn’t worth 1k-because it is a nonworking car with parts removed.And some of which are lost.

      And I can guarantee you—that there are broken fasteners involved after the original factory exhaust manifold was removed. That is reason the car sat and aftermarket header wasn’t installed. Broken studs/bolts in the head.

      Like 0
  15. Avatar jim s

    what are all the extra toggle switches for? interesting find.

    Like 0
    • Avatar JW

      Supposedly he states for a couple air horns and some are for the aftermarket stereo. One heck of a lot of toggle switches. I thought maybe it had some kind of super nitrous system.

      Like 0
      • Avatar PaulG

        JW, the super nitrous system has been used; by the person writing this awful ad!

        Like 0
  16. Avatar Rick

    If only he had covered it with a plastic sheet…it’s about the only thing that could make this car worth less.

    Like 0
    • Avatar grant

      I am pretty sure its worthless right now….I do like how the seller went on and on about his car for a page and a half using text abbreviations though.

      Like 0
  17. Avatar phoneman91

    Yeah-if only the seller’s enthusiasm could overcome the horrible condition of the vehicle.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar D. King

    I lived in Houston for 38 years (moved there the year after this car sold new). You guys know how many hurricanes, tropical storms, and just plain floods this car has been exposed to? Lots. I’ll bet anything it’s a flood car from some event, even if it wasn’t driven through water. “Moisture/dampness” my foot!

    Like 0
    • Avatar phoneman91

      Good point!

      Like 0
  19. Avatar Karl

    On top of all the drawbacks listed above, add that you can’t just swing over to the local AMC dealership and order replacements for the missing and broken parts. Mechanical parts should be easy to come by, but I’ve been told–correct me if I’m wrong–that body and trim parts are very hard to obtain. So you either find a donor car, or make this a donor car.
    Gremlins were actually somewhat popular in the early ’70s, but their sales faded fast when the first oil crisis hit, and with no four-cylinder available, they turned out to be rather thirsty for such a small car. I hope somebody can make a go of this, but it will be a challenge, and not at this price.

    Like 0
  20. Avatar gunningbar

    Too bad its now a p o s… it might be worth $1800. Parts car….? Hope someone can save it.

    Like 0
  21. Avatar Chebby

    OKAY BECAUSE U R READING THIS RIGHT NOW THE PRICE IS GOING UP TO $5,800…DONT MAKE ME KEEP THIS GEM CAUSE I WILL!!!!!!!!

    Like 0
  22. Avatar phoneman91

    94 people are “watching” this listing in Ebay?! Some sick individuals are out there!

    Like 0
    • Avatar SoCal Car Guy

      Kinda like watching a train wreck. And the seller is so dense that he’s now bragging on his eBay listing that the car has gotten mentioned on Barn Finds, when every comment is negative. As Bugs Bunny used to say, “What a maroon!”

      Like 0
  23. Avatar Blindmarc

    Changed the buy it now price to $4300! Good luck with that!

    Like 0
  24. Avatar Jim Rowe

    DON’T MAKE ME keep writing with all CAPS, or i swear i’ll keep this car and ; raise the price every hour till no one bids, ’cause i love being green!!
    i really mean it this time!!

    i’ll keep buying new stuff till it’s restored, then you’ll be sorry !!

    Like 0

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