While you may be wondering if the title of this post is an oxymoron, I’m here to tell you that a lot of AMC enthusiasts are salivating over this extremely original, low-mileage Gremlin X. It’s listed for sale here on eBay where heavy bidding has already driven the price over $13,000, and that hasn’t met the reserve yet. The classic car dealer selling the Gremlin is located near Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
If you recognize this car, you’re correct, this is the formerly Jeff Dunham-owned car that was featured here on Jay Leno’s Garage. It has only 13,478 documented miles and naturally is almost completely original. Trivia note for today: I learned from the video that the Gremlin was introduced on April 1, 1970; I wonder how many folks thought the sawed-off Hornet was an elaborate April Fool’s joke? This car certainly isn’t a joke and apart from a few minor blemishes, it is really beautiful — for a Gremlin.
While this Gremlin didn’t have a full hatchback, the luggage area was accessible through the rear window. Even the weatherstripping looks mint! You’ll notice how small the rear seating area is, though. I remember that area well. We ended up with a loaner Gremlin that was the same color as this one when our AMC Hornet Sportabout had some issues shortly after purchasing it from the dealer. Getting into that back seat was no mean feat, and it was frustrating to not be able to see much either. The fact that I remember this almost 50 years later tells me that the impression was a strong one!
Naturally, the original interior looks mint as well. You can get much better views of the car by watching the video. Jay even ends up preferring this original car over the other Gremlin Dunham has/had, a V8 Levi’s Edition model!
This is the 258 cubic-inch inline six-cylinder was rated at 110 horsepower, the basic design of which that stayed in production from 1964 until 2006 (of course there were refinements during that time)! Naturally, it runs and drives well and has been freshly serviced. I doubt that you’ll ever find a more original, lower-mileage Gremlin, but is that what you want? Tell us about your experiences with these unusual AMC compacts in the comments!
I don’t think that obesity was quite the epidemic back in the ‘70’s as it is today. There is a much better chance people could sit in the back seat. Watch most any television series from the ‘60’s-‘80’s and see if I am kidding.
The problem with the Gremlin’s back seat is that with a foot of wheelbase chopped out of the Hornet (which did not have generous rear leg room to begin with) there really is no room for anyone but small children. Adults even of normal girth need not apply.
Gremlins are cool cars but from the standpoint of space utilization the less said the better.
My friends dad had a Pinto Runabout in the early 70s ; it wasn’t easy getting in the back seat of that either !
If I recall correctly this car was on offer on BaT late summer of 2018. Went unsold close to $10k, and while it’s a nice looking example it’s also not adding value that it was owned by Jeff Dunham.
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1972-amc-gremlin/
Already been cancelled on Ebay for some reason.
If I had to guess, it’s likely because there was some cancelled bids or shill bidding taking place. It’s fairly hard to believe that – even in the condition that car is in – the car would claim such a high bid as was seen earlier.
I love Gremmies, I really do, but I’d be hard pressed to see anyone pay $15k or so for this one. The passenger side damage really chops a lot off of the sales value of this little car, and you can just bet that someone claimed a tidy insurance check off of that if it happened in the recent past.
Gone!
Odd the pinto had ample rear seat leg room.
I would like to see a base gremlin with no back seat & non openable rear hatch(the latter being silly IMO, tho).
Does this 1 have vaccum wipers?
Great steering wheel for earlier AMC’s & Mopars.
I see an electric wiper motor on this.
Yes, 1972 was the year AMC finally went to standard electric windshield wipers across the board. Prior to this all AMC passenger cars (except Metropolitan) were equipped with vacuum windshield wipers as standard. This was the case even on an otherwise fully-equipped AMX or Ambassador.
The only reason I can think of for this is that the Company must have had a warehouse full of vacuum wiper motors to use up.
I always have liked the gremlin and that cool gas cap. I bet they got stolen often.
Yes, they did. I lost three in the year I had my ’76 X (304-4speed with Levi’s). Fortunately, I worked at the dealer & could readily get new ones.
My mom bought one the first year they came out after I had seen pictures of it in Motor Trend Magazine. While driving to work in our upstate winter’s the light weight car caught some heavy slush went sideways and rolled completely over landing back on it’s wheels. She sold it shortly after that.
A very nice example, couldn’t be cleaner. Definitely of interest to the AMC fan as well as someone who wants something that’s an oddball. No matter how nice it is, it’s still only worth so much and probably not a car that will appreciate a whole lot. I doubt that just because somebody who plays with dolls owned it adds much to it’s value.
Looks like the engine was repainted, and not original AMC blue metallic. Or is it me?
Nope, you are correct , it has been repainted.
My Gremlin X had nylon bushings on the door hinges that promptly broke allowing the door to hang crooked enough that the door wouldn’t latch. AMC really should have spent the extra dollar and gotten brass bushing hinges. For anyone foolish enough to spend a lot on this at least make sure the hinges have been changed out. 60 grand seems high for a car that sold for only two thousand and even adjusting for inflation is about 5 times what it is worth.
$13 grand?!? Well, again folks, no one to blame but ourselves. When they came out, they were the least expensive car you could buy, under cutting the $1995 VW Bug by $100.(I think) We had our chance to save one,,,except when this picture was taken, they were already beginning to rust.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6f/32/15/6f3215b1b76314aeb290ab7954c7aac0.jpg
The overall inflation between rate between 1970 and 2020 would put this car just under $13,000, $12,264 to be exact if you used your base price of $1,895 (1,895 x 6.62) with no options. Since you think the car isn’t worth what the seller is asking, what do you consider to be a fair price?
Steve R
I’d be all in at $9,000. Clean as it is there is a reason why Dunham sold it off (he has another one that’s nicer), and also a reason why this car has been in the market for approximately 18 months. I think the seller may believe that a second-rate comedian/ventriloquist’s prior ownership adds value, or else they bought this car for $10k and are desperate to make at least 40%. Either way, I personally see this one as worth $9,000.
Worth is a tricky thing. Worth is the value someone who is not you is willing to assign to something and trade in order to have it.
While we ooh and aah over the condition, and I say this time and again, if you grew up with these, they just aren’t $13,000 dollars worth of vehicle. They were junked on a daily basis because they weren’t worth saving. Then along comes this example, saved for whatever reason, yes, it is odd to see, but for the price of what I consider a nice car would go for, sorry, I don’t see more than $5g’s here. Novelty has a way of raising the price, but when it comes down to it, there were way better cars. I’d be interested in seeing the reaction of someone that spent $13 grand on a Gremlin, driving it for the 1st time, when they could have had that Buick GS400( or whatever)
In April of ’70 I bought the first Gremlin sold in my town. $2043 delivered, Frost White, red stripe, w/deluxe interior and wheel covers. No radio. 199cid, three-on-the-tree.
13 large for a gremlin , they are officially manufacturing snow cones in hell .
Maybe it’s the lights, or my old eyes, but the passenger door looks a little different shade then the rest of the body. I really like this, but not for 13 large.
Looks like a good candidate for a LS 6 speed swap !
My sister bought a new Gremlin, forgot what year it was. I do remember that it was purple! The other thing I remember about it was she ordered it with a three speed transmission (I think it was floor mounted) but was too cheap to pay the extra $35 for synchromesh transmission. So she had to come to a complete stop to put it 1st gear. I remember her constantly grinding the gears into first.
Oh and people regularly bugging her about where the rest of the car was.
Ha, Yes I forgot about that. Sounds like your sisters car was a 71. I had a few non syncro early Gremlins. They are not common.These were a hold over from the Rambler days. Rambler owners were older. Never in a hurry never ruined one. The younger set didn’t know you had to come to a full stop before putting back in first. The Gremlin X looked sporty and was usually driven as one. I know I had no trouble smoking the rear tires…..ever.
Once I bought a nice 71 with only second and third gear. Had half of reverse. I had heard of a farmer that had one he wrecked had a three spd. I went and in fact had the car. He pushed it over the hill and was on it’s top. For $10 I got the trans and the drive shaft. He helped pull it out. I was 16 and on top of the world. The trans was a syncro first gear and what the doctor ordered. Fun times.
Interesting AMC info: When Chrysler bought AMC-Jeep, AMC stockholders got Chrysler stock. Then when Chrysler-Jeep was bought out by Daimler-Benz, the Chrysler stock became Daimler Benz stock. Benz eventually sold Chrysler-Jeep to a hedge fund who then sold Chrysler-Jeep to Fiat but there was no stock transfer from Benz so my 100 shares of AMC are now 23 shares of Daimler-Benz. Worth more than when it was AMC, and pays a nice dividend!
The black vinyl interior kills it for me. It needs patterned cloth in green or at least tan.
This is one of the more unusual color combinations of a Gremlin. I would want to see the trim tag. I would also want to inspect in person. I can see the stripe being white as well as the interior. Black interior Black stripe. Gold/brown interior. The black interior is striking.
1972 AMC had their game on. They were making a profit. They offered the new Buyer Protection Plan and they gave you a 1-800 number to call them. The seats were used in the 70-72 Javelin. These were changed from 73 on.
I would rather see the original unpainted engine. Interesting to note. The reproduction spray paint is considered the standard. It’s not correct. WTF? painting the radiator cap? Clear a true AM enthusiast didn’t own this.
The repro Wide Ovals would be correct. Can’t see the engine call out but would like to see 4.2 for the 258. Don’t like the dent but glad it was not patched up. This is a very nice car. I bought a one owner 73 X with 47K miles in the 80’s and it wasn’t this nice. One cannot understand how tough it is to fine one in this condition. 72-73 are the best years. The wheels the strips scream Gremlin X and it is. Luggage rack and window deflector and all.
Can’t believe this but listen up. The proper way to enter the back seat is (driver or passenger) slides the front seat up so passengers can enter the back seat. Return the seat to original pos. Ask the rear passengers if they have room. Get in and drive.
I can see eyes rolling in the crowd but I don’t see the price as being bad. The color combo has to be one of one at least today. Bottom line is find another un restored. There are too many incorrectly restored ones.
Agree with most comments above but do not think you are correct on the wheels. Original (unless 1972 was drastically different from my original 73’s) wheels were D70X14 Goodyear raised white letter biased belted tires not Wide Ovals. I own a couple that are much nicer than this and I would not part with either for less than $15K simply because you absolutely just cannot find these vehicles in original shape anymore. They just do not exist. Out of 40,000+ cars that drive the Woodward Dream Cruise each year in August outside the MOTOR CITY there are maybe 3 Gremlins seen cruising. Thousands of Mustangs, GTO’s, Vettes, Pontiacs, AND 3 GREMLINS. Hens teeth are more plentiful. I get more “looks” in mine than many other cars out there and had a ZO6 pull up next to me one year so that his girfriend could take a picture of my car. Everyone has a story about their experience with a Gremlin but few can claim ownership. I would not pay $15 for this but it is worth a lot more than $5K and could see it above $9K easily.
Painted radiator cap. I’m out……..
Maybe Leno bought it? He said it was almost as fast as the V8 & did not break down on HIS! road test, like the other v8 one did. lol
Is that gas filter stock? I see a lot of ’em on many old cars many makes – today.
The 1970’s Gremlins were competing with the Ford Pinto and the Chevy Vega. The Pinto and Vega had pretty bad reputations with rust, bad aluminum 4 cylinder engines, etc. while most Gremlins came with cast iron 6 cylinder engines originally designed for cars weighing 500 to a 1000 pounds more. They were good engines and bigger Chrysler torqueflite automatic transmissions allowed Gremlins on average to stand the test of time much better than their Ford and Chevy competition. Also the engine compartments and front end can take a small block V-8 (AMC, Chevy, Ford) with minimal modification. I’d love to see how many Pintos, Vegas and Gremlins were produced and how many of each are still running today. I’d bet the Gremlin has a higher % surviving for the obvious reasons.
All great points, though I’d argue about “small block” and “AMC”. The 304/360/401 are all based on the same engine block architecture, and there is no “small block” or “big block”. The Gremlin was available with the 304 and a six-cylinder car is easily adapted to fit any of the AMC Gen3 V8’s. I’ve seen many 401 Gremlins done over the years along with 360 and 401 Hornets.
Nice. put it in a museum
I want a V8 and The Levi package
2 Gremlins sold at the 2020 Mecum Auction one sold for $32,450.00 and the other for $16,500.00. There is some real world values to go by, like it or not!
Depends what you want to have in a “poor man’s collector car like a Gremlin. If you want an all original that looks and runs great that is a great buy as they are so hard to find anymore. I know as I have two of them. If you want a big engine and modified that’s great too, but again it depends on the desires of the guy who modified the car and whether a buyer wants exactly what the modified version is. Seems to be the case with most classic cars, but usually at Mecum, everyone wants as close to classic original as possible. I would love to see pics of the two Gremlins that sold. BTW, the world’s mos beautiful Gremlin is miles away from being exactly that. Too many flaws in that ride.