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Scary Prospect? No Reserve 1973 AMC Gremlin

Lets just start with what TIME magazine calls one of the ’50 worst cars of all time’. Despite this, there is a dedicated following of these compact malaise-era cars, which means that someone loves these unusual models. Myself, I quite like these quirky attempts from AMC, who were struggling at the time and designed a car around one of their existing cars (the Hornet), but by just cutting off the back and calling it a day. This amazing design could be part of your own collection by visiting eBay here, where there are 4 days left on the auction, with bidding at just $860 and the lucky buyer getting to pick up the car from LA, California.

One sign of a dedicated following is the countless articles written about the car, movie appearances, and one of the longest Wikipedia entries that I have ever seen. It’s full of interesting facts about the Gremlin, including the information that two US Presidents have owned a Gremlin, one being Bill Clinton, and the other George W. Bush. However, our more humble green model from California doesn’t have such as good status, given it’s in need of a lot of work. Can you imagine taking on a Gremlin as a project – given these do not fetch a lot of money in restored condition then it really is a labor of love.

So what do you get as the successful auction winner? Well, it’s a 2-owner car but it has not been registered for 10 years and has a salvage title. So not a great start. The car has covered 184,000 miles in the last 50 years and comes with a remarkably bright ‘Blarney Green’ paint. This has been a standard run-around car for the original owner for years and has been bashed with dings and scrapes. The engine is running and is rough but you will need to fix the power steering pump.

Now although this is all-original, some of the interior has not held up well. The seats have a huge rip in them and need a good clean and probably a replacement. The dashboard looks ok, given its age, but I would be prepared to change a lot of this car in order to bring it back to life. Alternatively, you could continue to use it as a classic daily beater until it actually falls apart. So do you love the AMC enough to rescue this, or is it only good as a parts car?

Comments

  1. HoA Howard A Member

    There’s a punch in the gut 1st thing, 50 worst cars. Let’s back up a bit, shall we? Probably the most affordable classic to come out of California, and WORST? Good heavens, the Gremlin was a hero. Imports caught America with their proverbial pants down, and Gremlin was the first to make a stand. It’s exactly what America needed at the time. A cheap, economical car that could hold a family. Introduced on April Fools Day, 1970, it beat Ford and Chevy to the punch and we, I talk of AMC like it was mine, and in a way, we really felt that way in Wisconsin, AMC was ours, were very proud of the Gremlin. We sent out almost 700,000 of them. Not bad for one of the worst cars, eh? The Gremlin undercut the then cheapest car at the time, the VW, by $200 bucks and was 10 times the car. It was AMCs moment in the sun, as it were. Gremlins were given as promotional items, graduation gifts, worst my axx.
    Which brings us to this car. What gives in this bakocked hobby? Here you have a very presentable car, one that helped change history, still fits right in today, and can’t muster a grand? That’s a darn same. If it wasn’t so far away, it would be mine, FO SHO! Just try and find another. A great find.

    Like 49
    • Avatar Rixx56 Member

      Perhaps author’s personal opinion slants
      negatively just abit. Not worth alot, true,
      and likely will never achieve icon status
      value. But I’ve always enjoyed these, and
      Howard A states his thoughts very well.
      If it has been in CA, appears a good start.
      Now, tho, still a labor of love.

      Like 12
      • Avatar BrianT Member

        I had one, a ’74, and drove it and drove it and then drove it more. I didn’t baby it either. It was a 232 with an automatic that I paid $2700 new and nothing ever went wrong with the car until I replaced the transmission at 130,000 or so. Then I drove it more. I put aftermarket wheels on it and a 5.0 sticker that I ordered at the AMC dealer. I finally sold it to somebody who drove it a couple more years. Last I heard it had around 200,000 miles on it. Now tell me, how can that good be in the world’s 50 worse cars?

        Like 28
      • Avatar Psychofish2

        Exactly Rixx.

        “Fetching a lot of money”… isn’t the point of owning cars like these.

        Like 0
    • Avatar Psychofish2

      All true.

      Says more about Time Magazine than it does about the Gremlin.

      It had it’s compromises. Crude in some ways. Worst? Not even close.

      My parent’s 71, bought new, was horribly assembled, badly painted and squeaked from the very first day, but the engine and drivetrain would have served well for many years.

      Like 1
  2. Avatar JACKinNWPA Member

    Yep if only it wasn’t so far away Howard and I might get into a bidding war. I like the fact that it’s complete and has less rust than the door knob on my front door. They certainly were no worse than the Pintos and Vegas that followed.

    Like 10
    • Avatar Bill McCoskey Member

      And Jack, it looks like the roof might not need any body work!

      Like 1
  3. Avatar Cadmanls Member

    Where did Time magazine go? Nah there were worse cars, pretty sure by then it was easy to take shots at AMC they were going down and probably weren’t spending much advertising in the magazine by then. Will say that six cylinder engine lasted quite a while moving vehicles for many years. Displacement changed but design was tried and true.

    Like 11
  4. Avatar mike

    Nothing wrong with the Gremlin.Great with the 304 V8 and 4spd.

    Like 11
  5. Avatar Mark

    Fun daily driver. Just clean the interior.

    Like 4
  6. Avatar Chuckster

    Drop in a hemi like the road kill guys and rule the street

    Like 6
  7. Avatar Bud Lee

    These were actually very reliable cars unlike TIME magazine .

    Like 21
  8. Avatar Rw

    American motors 6 cyl best ever then,slant 6 then,4.3 Chevy V-6,JMO.

    Like 7
  9. Avatar Connecticut mark

    Great deal , not many people or kids would even knew what it was at a car show, get it running, cover seats, shine up that GREEN , and drive it, many cars worse off than this.

    Like 6
  10. Avatar Bo

    I love Gremlins but given all the dented panels, bent bumpers, busted grill and high mileage I’d be tempted to find one in better condition. This one will cost too much even to make a legal driver.

    Like 5
    • Avatar Chuck Simons

      Replace the headlight, check the brakes, make sure the turn signals work…it’s legal in California…body modificatiions and all.

      Like 4
      • Avatar Bill McCoskey Member

        Chuck,
        It’s got a salvage CA title, good luck in putting it back on the road in that state, and there are other states that if it passes the DMV/MVA inspection, it will still be issued a salvage title.

        Like 1
  11. Avatar Irocz28

    Knew a guy that had one back in mid 70s.Don’t remember what year it was, but it was black with gold accent stripes.Had a 304 and a 4 speed. Put a 4bbl and headers on it. Really woke that Gremlin up! This one would make a good project.

    Like 3
  12. Avatar Ken

    A good friend in Highschool bought a new one in 73. 304 & 4 spd
    It ran pretty good just stock.definitely different

    Small block automatic
    Weekends at drags
    Cheap racer lots o fun

    Like 1
  13. Avatar Steve

    Sorry, all I see is a junker. (and I LOVE AMC products.)

    Like 1
  14. Avatar Steve

    There’s always one “I’d put a V8 (Hemi) in it” comment. LOL

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Pleease

    Bought a purple(!) 1973 Gremlin X with 5 liter/automatic in 1977. It was actually more luxurious than one might imagine, with bucket seats, fancy dash, etc., and the paint itself was actually pretty deep/sparkly. Pretty fun to drive, except for the numerous rattles. Except for the ostentatious color I kinda liked it, and it did patch me through, time-wise, to my favorite car, a 1974 Celica.

    Like 3
  16. Avatar Howie

    $1,525 now, and it is in my area, but i do not want anything to do with it, i clicked on see sellers other items and over 10,000 came up!!

    Like 1
  17. Avatar ramblergarage

    Great little cars, had one new in 1972!

    Like 1
  18. Avatar Greg Gallo

    Looks like a 72 grille. Had a 73 Hornet Hatchback X with a 360 V8, Olympic Blue with white vinyl roof and white X package stripes on the sides, a real fun driver.

    Like 1
  19. Avatar Jay McCarthy

    I think more people like Gremmies than read Time magazine

    Like 7
  20. Avatar Trailer Park Hot Rod

    What happened to the left quarter??? It looks like a sack of marbles…

    Like 0
  21. Avatar Big C

    A little duct tape on that front seat? And let ‘er rip!

    Like 0
  22. Avatar Harleymarlboroman

    I have to ask, cause I can’t tell by the pic, but what engine is in this Gremlin? Thanks.

    Like 0
  23. Avatar Kent Krueger

    I like this Gremlin. Just don’t have a use for it. Always thought that these little cars didn’t get the respect they deserve. AMC made due with what they had. They sold alot of these for what they were. There were other cars that were far less reliable. Think Pinto, Vega, Chrysler “F” bodies. AMC deserves more love than they get. This from a Mopar man. Always had a soft spot for AMC, the underdogs.

    Like 1

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