Appearing to be wearing AMC Eagle fender flares on the rear wheels and an unusual paint scheme on the driver’s door above the handle, this 1973 AMC Gremlin has a unique look, to say the least. Not to mention, this “orange” color was known as Trans-Am Red. The seller has it posted here on craigslist in West Babylon, New York on Long Island, and the seller is asking $6,750. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Tony P. for the tip!
Missing the rubber bumper trim on both bumpers but otherwise looking pretty nice in the very few photos that the seller has provided, it’s hard to beat those original wheel covers and white wall tires for me. AMC made the Gremlin from 1970 through 1978 in the U.S. and up to 1983 in Mexico City. It’s somewhat rare for a car company in this era to not offer different body styles, but this car only came as you see it here, as a two-door hatchback.
AMC’s Eagle brand, however, was a different story. Eagle offered 4×4 cars based on AMC models and they had fender flares as seen in the photo above on the rear wheels of this Gremlin. The Kammback was their version of a 4×4 Gremlin and those fender flares can be incredibly hard to find if you’re restoring an Eagle. I’m not sure why they’re on this car, they give it a similar look to aftermarket rear fender skirts on cars that never had them from the factory. The rear bumper appears to have been bent a bit, and it’s hard to miss that exhaust tip.
This is it for interior photos, sadly. The seller must have been in a hurry to get this one posted as there are four photos of the exterior and just one interior photo. At least 24 photos are allowed in craigslist ads so we never know what sellers are thinking when they skimp on photos but it’s an old story here. In any case, what we can see of the interior looks good.
You must know by now that there is no engine photo. Sigh. The seller says that it’s a six-cylinder and it could be either a 232 or 258-cu.in. OHV inline-six. Whatever it is, it’s said to run well and it sends power through a column-shifted automatic transmission to the rear wheels. Any thoughts on this Gremlin with flare, as in rear fender flares?
I always thought it was funny that you see tons of bigger AMCs still on the road, but Gremlins are pretty scarce. Were they not built to the same standards as the Concords, Eagles and Spirits?
They were very “plasticky” and most owners ran them into the ground. That being said, they were some of the best sub-compact cars you could get at the time, at least ones that were made in America. I’d take a Gremlin any day over a Pinto or Vega.
Where were the other ones made, Canada, Mexico, China?
AMC had plants in Kenosha and Brampton, Ontario.
A lot of the Brampton production was imported to the States. My 1972 Gremlin was, as was other AMCs I looked at, before and since.
It’s hard to miss – there’s stickers in the door jamb, saying TRANSPORT CANADA. At the time, Canada had a heavy tariff on imported cars, and the US did not…which was why every popular model, all the brands, were built in some variation in one of the US brands’ Canada plants.
The Mexican models were made in Mexico City by VAM, a government-owned maker that licensed AMC and Jeep models for domestic Mexican manufacture.
Ha ha you would find more plastic pieces on a new f 350
Pinto for sure…but a Vega?! Come on Terr!!
I believe that the passenger door was larger than the driver’s side..
Kinda threw me off when I was doing bodywork on one I picked up for nothing from a friend that trashed the motor,found an engine in a junkyard and eventually I made a profit on the thing 👍
Wasn’t that the other technical marvel from AMC, the Pacer?
Nope! That would be the Pacer.
🔊 Didnt Howard own one of these w the 3or4 spd stick? 😎
Could be both. Never noticed on my Spirit derivative.
Gremlins were a popular “first car” in its time. A kid going off to college, or looking to buy his/her first new car.
I think a lot of fathers preferred those for purchase, as they were based on a compact car and appeared more substantial (meaning, safe) than a Pinto, Vega or Dodge Colt.
And even the most responsible teen is going to be harder on a car than a mature driver, with perspective. So these wound up driven into the ground…or, just as frequently, rusted from lack of winter washings.
Rust was a major issue with the Gremlin and took many of them off the road. 1976 and 1977 were also two years that had record snowfalls in the Eastern and Midwestern USA. Record cold Temps, blizzards.. itv was bad. It also meant tons of salt were used on roads.
These were mostly gutless wonders, however an option for the Gremlin X wad a 302 V8 which was a real sleeper.
Gutless wonders?… compared to what?… In the day, the 6 cyl Gremlins (both 232 and 258) were faster than all the sub-compact competition… Pinto, Vega, Rabbit, etc… but I suppose if you were running it up against a V8 Nova…
You’re close. That would be the 304. The sixes had torque enough.
Same standards. Good one.
Why don’t they take more pictures? Because there isn’t much they want to reveal, is why. AMC Gremlins in good non-beat-up shape are hard to find, and I’ve got a feeling this one was rode hard and put away wet..and the seller doesn’t even know what engine it has?
The ad says it has a 6 cylinder. The exhaust tip is hilarious.
Exhaust tip adds 10 horsepower, 15 if he painted the inside red.
Maybe they flipped the air cleaner lid for an extra 5hp as well.
A burnt orange Scout II with a plaid interior and the a two toned orange Gremlin! I’ve died and gone to heaven.
A burnt orange Scout II with a plaid interior and then a two toned orange Gremlin! I’ve died and gone to heaven.
I liked these cars back in the day and seen plenty of them about . Some of my friends stuffed big blocks in them and put slicks on and had a lot of fun racing them. I really hate the flares on this and that ridiculous tailpipe has got to go for sure . I think the original look for this one would be a better selling point for this seller but someone will pick this up im sure but I dont think for what price hes asking, especially with little known facts given for this classic. Still worth looking at in person for sure if your in to AMCs.
You could get one with a 401 in it from a place in Arizona. I believe called Randall Products. I bought a 73 Gremlin new with a 304 and the Chrysler tranny in it and I believe it was a 3.73 rear end. I had to order it because everything was a 6 banger because of the gas crunch and no one had one anywhere. Made a few modifications and had a lot of fun with it toying with a few Camaros and Mustangs around town.
You are correct, it was Randall AMC in Mesa Arizona and they also put 401 from the AMX into the Pacer. The dealership was located just west of Alma School Rd. I would love to find one of these cars. My son is an AMC fan and has a Pacer but it is a straight six car. He took it on the Hot Rod Power Tour this year and had more fun with it than he had with other cars that had taken on any of the Power Tours.
Randall was an AMC dealer that put the 401 in them for drag racing. I had a chance to buy one when i was in college, Sorry I didn’t, i probably would have gotten a lot of speeding tickets. My brother bought a used 69 AMX from them. That was a fast car and great to drive. I borrowed it to get to a golf tournament in Nogales. Quickest trip I ever made.
A 3.73 gear is very unlikely to be in a Gremlin, or any other AMC. A 304 Gremlin with a 904 trans would have 2.87 stock and 3.15 optional and perhaps a 3.54. The 3.73 axle would be dealer installed & very uncommon. Over 40 years involved with AMC and i can think of only one car said to have a 3.73 axle: it was a 69 AMX with a 343 & 4-speed…….either way, a 304 Gremlin can boogie, especially if the 2 barrel is replaced with a 4V.
I would assume that the flares were the beginning of a major redo. You flare the wells and put wider rim tires on it and drop a amc V8 in it and drop it down the thing would look great.
The Gremlins had the coolest gas cap ever. I actually found one on the side of my road when I was picking up trash. It makes for a great piece of garage art.
When I take my 304 Gremlin x to a show, there are a lot of people wonder what it is and the under 40’s usually have never seen one.
Everyone saved the AMX’s, Javelins and Matador v8’s, but no one seemed to interested in the Gremlins. AMC lives!!!
Several Gremlins went thru the household when I was a kid… father had one, older brother, then I got one as a college beater… dirt cheap and easy to maintain which was perfect for that point in my life… odd car… handled really weird in the snow… good for date prevention. Mine was a ’77 with the VW/Audi based 4… also had Ford front brakes, a Ford 4 speed manual transmission and Bosch ignition… all that way from the factory.
No! Gremlin brakes in 1977 were Bendix single piston floating calipers. Ford and others also used the Bendix brake. The trans in these Gremlins were Borg-Warner manuals or Torque Flight 904s. Again, not Ford, although Ford did use Borg-Warner sourced transmissions over the years.
Very well could be… however, my memory was from sourcing the parts and the counter guys x-referencing Ford part numbers… I distinctly remember having to replace the reverse light switch on the transmission… and the bag containing the part had Ford labels all over it…
That Six, with its seven main bearings and forged connecting rods, is bulletproof.
Had two gremlins. 258 engines and floor shifts. Fun cars. Someone kept stealing the gas caps. Would easily outrun the vegas and pinto’s. Something about the two extra cylinders….
They had torque that neither of the others did. That 232 six did well with a three-on-the-floor. It wasn’t spirited motoring, but it was quick off the line at a light.
Now that that’s an extinct experience, I kinda miss it. Never thought I’d feel that way…but I do, now.
The gas cap theft was a problem I had been warned about, before I bought mine. My gas cap, chrome with the painted gremlin figure, looked nearly new – probably NOS that the previous owner bought.
So I took it off, and set it in the garage; and put a generic cap on. With the raised steel ears, the kind that’s supposed to be used on a filler behind a fender door.
Never had my cap stolen.
My dad knew the owner of the Rambler dealership. My brother and I each got a 72′ Gremlin X.
His 258/Auto,Green/White stripes.I had the Wild Plum/Gold strpes stick shift.
With photos like these, especially on Craigslist, I tend to wonder if they actually own the car or if they were just walking by and decided to throw up a scam ad. There’s no indication they even have keys for it, lol. Isn’t that “interior” shot taken through the glass? Anyway, I love these cars :)
Just love those AMC postings, makes me feel right at home. Tip of the hat to the author for that. In case you WERE born yesterday, or simply not old enough to know the whole Gremlin story, here it is.
Born off the Hornet, AMCs most versatile vehicle, it was introduced as a stop gap measure for the influx of Asian compacts. The VW Bug was the Gremlins target, and was introduced on April Fools day, 1970, at a cost of $1895, $100 less than the Bug, the then least expensive car in America. It predated Vega/Pinto by 6 months and was an instant hit. Gremlins became graduation presents, radio giveaways, and for most, their 1st car. Simpsons Gremlin owners included Marge, Comic book guy, and Mole man, all drove Gremlins, a stark observance as to who drove them in real life. The originals were pretty basic, not seen since the Studebaker Scotsman days, but it was a start. Over 650,000 Gremlins were made, most from my hometown, and we were darn proud of that.
Overbuilt. A small car made of big car parts. If it passes a rust inspection it’s a steal at that price. The 258 is preferred but not a necessity. Ugly by some opinions, timelessly unique by others, but never mistaken for anything else. Make sure it has grease fittings and not plugs in the front suspension.
Had two Gremlins. One a 232 with three on the floor and the other was a 304 with three on the floor. I never liked the factory shifter. Kept getting stuck while power shifting from 1st to 2nd. Gerry rigged a Hurst on the 304 and most of the problems went away. Could fill the inside with tire smoke with the 232. A real beater engine. Now I’m not allowed to get one lol. Still looking for fun.