I’m an options guy as I’ve mentioned many times in the past. I grew up with bare-bones beaters and once I got my first job (a business that I started, actually) and had my first real money, I couldn’t buy a loaded car fast enough. This loaded Pacer Wagon is posted here on craigslist in Portsmouth, Virginia and they’re asking what seems like a bargain-basement price of $3,500 or best offer. Thanks to Chuck F. for sending in this tip!
This 1979 AMC Pacer D/L wagon is loaded, especially for a D/L model. One of you will know for sure, we have a lot of AMC experts out there, but I can only think of one thing that this car doesn’t have and that’s leather seating. I’m sure there are other things, like a CB radio (were they even available in a Pacer?) and who knows what else. But, the opening photo made me audibly gasp because it looked so nice and I saw the $3,500 asking price and was wondering how that could possibly be.
This is how. Once you zoom in, the details aren’t as comforting as the far-away overall shots are. There is rust to deal with, I’m wondering if it’s a lot of rust given the amount that is shown in the photos. And, kudos to the seller for being above board and showing things are they are and not hiding anything. This car will have to be stripped down to the bone and restored correctly to really bring it back. I know, it’s a Pacer, who in their right mind would nut-and-bolt restore it?! Well, I would if I really wanted a car like this that was loaded to the gills with options.
The D/L model was a nice trim level, above the base trim level cars but not a Limited. The Pacer was made in a single run, as in no different generations, no big design changes, none of that. Just boom, here’s yer Pacer! From 1975 until 1980 quirky people could buy a similar quirky car and the famous fishbowl curved rear windows on the sedans are legendary. The wagons don’t have that but I like them for the utility. The seats look good front and rear and you can see this one has power windows.
This one has Chrysler TorqueFlite three-speed automatic shifter with what the seller calls a rare console shifter. Next to that shifter surrounded by that very dirty and faded carpet that needs to go away ASAP, there was a small electrical fire that burned a bit of the carpet. Ouch. No worries, carpet is easy and hopefully the floors aren’t rusted – we don’t see any underside shots. But, we do see an overside shot, er… I mean, a photo of the headliner, and it looks like it also needs to be replaced. Hagerty is at $10,000 for a #2 excellent condition car which seems low to me and they don’t have a value for a 304 V8 car so it is low. In any case, this isn’t a car that you’re dropping off at a restoration shop and handing them a blank check unless you’ve done very well in life.
So, no leather seats but this one does have the top engine in keeping with its almost-loaded status: an AMC 304 cubic-inch V8 which would have had a mere 125 horsepower and 220 ft-lb of torque. They say that it came “with new water pump, maybe why it was parked for years, also rear brake reservoir was empty” but the engine runs, sort of, other than dying right away. And the power steering isn’t working. Yes, this is a project but hopefully it can be saved. Can it be saved?
https://youtu.be/axAtWjn3MfI
I have some good memories from 1979 and this ain’t one of them.
Looking at that engine compartment photo I think you’d have to be “Mr. Fantastic” (of the Fantastic Four) to work on the thing. The sixes were bad enough, this would give any mechanic screaming nightmares.
Getting spark plugs 8, 7 and 5 was bad enough on a FSJ. This car would be a nightmare come tune up time
Hi, it isn’t as impossible as it seems. After putting it up on a lift or jacking it up, like I did, there’s actually enough room to slip a ratchet/socket between the inner fender and sub frame to get to the spark plugs. Awkward but not impossible.
That’s a pretty rusty car. Not liking those rear 1/4’s I was trying to figure out what the thing was at 11:00 in that shifter picture but looking at the ad I can see it’s a piece of what is left of the “rare console.”
3500 for this is a big ask imo
My dad said these looked like a pregnant guppy when they came out.
I never knew they put a V8 in those. My wife had a 73 green Hornet tha actually had engine compartment room to work on it. Was a fun car to drive. After 73 the HP went from 210 to 125. Hemings classic car magazine did a nice write up on a 77 AMX Hornet someone had and removed the suffocating pellet style catalytic converter that really woke it up.
The V8 Pacer had a raised hood bulge to accommodate the engine.
The converter was probably replaced by a “test pipe.” Remember those? They were for “verifying the need to replace your catalytic converter.”
It’s a safe bet almost none of those test pipes were ever removed to make way for a new converter. ;)
They were offered with with the V8 i reason 1978/79 only, in an attempt to increase the appeal. That’s the reason for the raised hood design.
Parts car. Take that 304 and the tranny for a Jeep. Also, that console shift boot went in CJ8 Scrambler RHD U.S. postal models and RHD export models. It’s a rare factory part for those restorations.
Well, LastCJ – now that you mention it, what WOULD be “cool” would be to find one of those AMC 4-wheel drive wagons and drop the 4-wheel drive set-up into this Pacer – simple, right? Then you’d have an off-road-capable “Duck’s Head”- mobile (w/trailer hitch and beau-coupe towing capability – and maybe cut it so you could pull a 5th wheel) – WHOO-WHEE! Ozarks HERE WE COME – Mudder Lover!
Yes mighty rough!! But i bet he would come way down in price.
from a ” no low ballers I know what I have” to “Lowball me I know its a rusty Pacer, but its all I have”
This turd box is a $100 stone.
Don’t sugar-coat it Mark.
Yes, Mark, tell us what you really think! I say that with what is now a ‘Robin’s Egg’ Blue exterior, some Shriner – type can get it cleaned up just in time for the Easter Bunny to arrive in it, and it’s the perfect shape to be full of eggs and such for the kids – Roll Away The Stone!
And, as for “Pacer” – Maybe do a nameplate update to “Pacemaker” – YES!
Yes, Mark, tell us what you really think! I say that with what is now a ‘Robin’s Egg’ Blue exterior, some Shriner – type can get it cleaned up just in time for the Easter Bunny to arrive in it, and it’s the perfect shape to be full of eggs and such for the kids – Roll Away The Stone!
And, as for “Pacer” – Maybe do a nameplate update to “Pacemaker” – YES!
Oops, Ed’s repeating himself again…
Not completely loaded – my 79 pacer had a CB/am/fm cassette deck from the factory with a mount for the microphone on the dash. Breaker 1 9 good buddy. These are tough to restore, rust is bad enough but all that glass baked the hard plastic interiors. Wagons to my eye look so much better than the fish bowl coupes. If I was 20 years younger I’d be all over this.
Despite looking like something George Jetson would drive, the Pacer was an easy car to rent. the first time a customer had to take one, the look on his face was as if he were having Brussels sprouts jammed down his throat. The next time he rented he generally requested a Pacer, or as we called it the second time since it had been used, Recap-the reverse of Pacer. Great ride, no sporty handling, no excess power.. Rental industry was beginning to make money despite impositions of Uncle Sam
3300 78-79 Pacer wagons produced. Few exist. Besides rust, they had issues with rear suspension, leaf springs. I would rather have root canal no anathesia than change a starter on V8 Pacer. No, you can’t use that 304/AT for a Jeep,, motor mounts in different area. Yes, Pacer was first ‘cab forward’ design before that term invented. This is my 78 Pacer panel wagon that ended up a 401/727 here in Houston. http://www.planethoustonamx.com/photo-gallery-stakes-amcs-1/78-amc-pacer-panel-wagon.jpg
Another Pacer wagon 78 I lowered and shaved & drove daily, 258-6, also drove loaded with parts all over Texas for years swap meet car http://www.planethoustonamx.com/photo-gallery-stakes-amcs-1/78-amc-pacer-custom-woodie-wagon.jpg
The black car was in a national television commercial for a electronic tax return company, quite funny
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqPE2IeiYhs which is generic, english & spanish, the companies used their logos at end.
They are neat cars but really tough to find parts for since most items unique to only Pacer, good luck to new owner.
nother one for: ‘Gimmie da wagon” – but not for utility – looks instead !
See if I can find the europeanize a 2nd owner (car was just 3, 4 yrs old) did in (was it ?) Ohio:
https://pholder.com/amc-pacer
yup, here it is in a redish. Not sure where it is now or if any 360* views but it knocks my sox off.
(get rid of spolier tho)