AMC Gremlin

AMC Gremlin
Overview
Manufacturer	American Motors Corporation
Production	1970 – 1978
Assembly	Kenosha, Wisconsin USA Brampton, Ontario, Canada Mexico City, Mexico (VAM)
Designer	Richard A. Teague
Body and chassis
Class	Subcompact
Body style	3-door hatchback
Layout	front-engine, rear wheel drive
Related	AMC Concord AMC Hornet AMC Spirit AMC Eagle
Powertrain
Engine	Template:Auto CID Audi/VW EA827 I4 Template:Auto CID I6 Template:Auto CID I6 Template:Auto CID I6 Template:Auto CID V8
Transmission	3-speed Borg-Warner manual 4-speed Borg-Warner manual 3-speed with Laycock-DeNormanville overdrive 3-speed Borg-Warner automatic 3-speed Chrysler TorqueFlite automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	96 inches (2,438 mm)
Length	161.3 inches (4,097 mm)
Width	70.6 inches (1,793 mm)
Chronology
Successor	AMC Spirit

The AMC Gremlin is a subcompact car that was made by the American Motors Corporation (AMC) for nine model years. During its manufacturing run from April 1 1970 through 1978, a total of 671,475 Gremlins were built in the United States and Canada.

The AMC Gremlin also has the distinction of being the first American subcompact car, a full half-year ahead of Ford and GM. With AMC's thriftiest six-cylinder engine and base prices below US$2,000, this import-fighter sold well: over 26,000 in its abbreviated first season before the Ford Pinto and Chevrolet Vega were introduced.

History

Executives at American Motors knew that Ford and General Motors were coming out with subcompact cars for 1971, but did not have the financial resources to respond with an entirely new competing design. Chief stylist Richard A. Teague came up with an ingenious solution; chop off the back end of a Javelin (legend has it that Teague first sketched out the design on the back of a Northwest Orient air sickness bag). The resulting car was the AMX-GT and was first shown at the New York International Auto Show in April 1968. The AMX-GT was never produced (although the "AMX" name was used from 1968 to 1970 on a shortened, two-seat version of the Javelin).

The new subcompact, designed by future Chief of Design Bob Nixon, was instead based on the Hornet. The Hornet is a compact car based on interior volume and had a wheelbase of 108 inches (2,743 mm). To produce the Gremlin, the wheelbase of the Hornet was reduced to 96 inches (2,438 mm) and the overall length was reduced from 179 to 161 inches (4547 to 4089 mm). The resulting Gremlin hit the market six months before Ford and GM were able to introduce their subcompacts. The Gremlin came two versions: a plain two-passenger with fixed back window model targeted as an import-fighting suggested retail price leader for US$1,879 and a four-seater with a flip-up rear window "hatch" that was priced at US$1,959.

From the seatbacks forward the Gremlin was essentially a Hornet. The wheelbase and overall length reductions to make the Gremlin made for a minimal rear seat size and cramped rear legroom space. The cargo area was smaller than that of a Volkswagen Beetle (although folding the rear seat more than doubled the cargo area). The Kammback design was radical for the time and spawned jokes, such as "what happened to the rest of your car?" However, it was surprisingly aerodynamic and the Kammback was adopted by many other popular subcompacts in following years including the Chevrolet Vega station wagon. Its handling suffered from being front-heavy and its ride is a bit stiff because of the shortened rear springs. Nevertheless, the Gremlin's performance was above subcompact car levels of the era. Road tests by Motor Trend magazine recorded a zero to 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) acceleration time of 12.6 seconds with the optional Template:Auto CID engine. Both the Ford Pinto and the VW Beetle were in the 18-second range. Tom McCahill in Mechanix Illustrated wrote that the Gremlin exhibited "fast and easy" handling. He ran the 232 engine with automatic transmission from 0 to 60 mph in just 11.9 seconds and got the little car going at 100 miles per hour (161 km/h) on the Daytona Speedway straightaway. He summarized his article that "on a dollar for dollar basis, I rate the Gremlin the best American buy of the year".

File:Newsweek cover 1970-04-06 AMC Gremlin.jpg

Newsweek magazine cover "Detroit fights back" with the new Gremlin.

Year-to-year changes

1970

In 1970, the Gremlin debuted with AMC's Template:Auto CID I6 (a very sturdy and durable seven main bearing design), which produced Template:Auto hp as standard equipment, with AMC's Template:Auto CID I6 – producing Template:Auto hp – as an option. Sales started at a respectable 28,560 units in only five months of production.

1971

In 1971, the famous X appearance/equipment trim package became optional ($300) on the 4-passenger model. This package included body side tape stripes, body color front fascia, slotted road wheels with 70-series tires, blackout grille insert, bucket seats, and "X" decals. The 2-passenger Gremlin version soldiered on into its second and final season. The 232 in³ I6 that was optional for 1970 became standard, while a new stroked version of the 232, a Template:Auto CID I6 became the optional powerplant. Compression ratios dropped from 8.5:1 to 8:1 for 1971, resulting in the 3.8 L six producing Template:Auto hp, while the new 4.2 L made Template:Auto hp. Sales improved for 1971 to 76,908 units.

1972

1972 brought a host of changes to the Gremlin, not the least of which was an available [[AMC V8 engine#290|Template:Auto CID]] V8 engine. Engine ratings were downgraded to more accurate Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) net hp figures, bringing the 3.8 L engine to Template:Auto hp, the 4.2 L to Template:Auto hp, and the 304 V8 to Template:Auto hp. The base two-passenger model was pared from the line, having only sold a paltry 3,017 examples in 18 months. Gremlins also switched from non-synchro 1st gear manual transmissions to ones with full synchromesh. The Borg-Warner-sourced automatic transmission was replaced for 1972 by the sturdy Chrysler-designed TorqueFlite unit. Other, more minor technical upgrades found their way into the Gremlin in order to make the car more reliable and durable. This year, AMC would introduce America's first bumper-to-bumper warranty called the Buyer Protection Plan. The objective was to ensure that AMC's product improvements would result in fewer warranty claims, good public relations, as well as improved customer satisfaction and loyalty. All Gremlins received a new body-colored front fascia treatment for 1972. AMC produced and sold 94,808 Gremlins for 1972, a 23% gain over 1971.

1973

For 1973, recoverable bumpers able to withstand a 5-mile-per-hour (8 km/h) impact in the front and a 2.5-mile-per-hour (4 km/h) impact in the rear debuted to meet new U.S. government mandated safety regulations. Gremlins also received the option of a Levi's interior trim package, which included spun nylon upholstery made to look like real denim, but for fire safety regulations, could not be. It featured such details as removable map pockets, burnished copper denim rivets, and red Levi's logo tabs. One notable and widely appreciated change was the increase in legroom in the rear seats. The X package received a new tape-striping pattern that emphasized the Gremlin's rear wheel flares by kicking up over the flare itself. Gremlin sales improved again to 122,844 units, a nearly 30% gain over 1972. A 1973 Gremlin purchased by Consumer Reports was top-rated in a group of six subcompact models tested for the June issue. That car had relatively few sample defects and was reliable over a long-term test.

1974

The Arab Oil Embargo of October 1973 came on just as the 1974 model year began, and AMC was ready with an improved back seat. The car's appearance changed with the use of a deeper front fascia that made the car look longer and more mature, and larger front bumpers that were freestanding (no filler panel between the bumper and the body). Appearance at the rear also changed with a new federally mandated 5 mph rear bumper, which was set much lower in 1974 than in previous years. The rear fascia was then modified slightly to accept with fluidity this new design. The Gremlin X stripe pattern took on a "hockey stick" look for 1974, with the stripes following the window line as it tapered aft, and swept up now to include four new slanted vertical impressions on the wide C-pillar. A new typeface for nameplates was used by AMC for 1974 and the Gremlin was no exception to this change. AMC decided to extend the 1974 model year into November 1974 to delay the need to install catalytic converters needed to meet United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2004 regulations starting with 1975 models. In so doing, AMC sold 171,128 1974 Gremlins, an increase of nearly 40% over 1973 and 130% over 1971.

1975

1975 showed few changes for the Gremlin, as all of AMC's attention was focused on the midyear debut of the revolutionary new AMC Pacer. However, minor modifications to the shape of the bumpers were seen, as well as the availability of a catalytic converter and standard electronic ignition. Struggling under stagflation and an inflationary economy, American subcompact sales slumped and AMC was not immune, having only sold 56,011 Gremlins in the (albeit shortened) 1975 model year, a 67% drop.

1976

1976 showed greater change, as Gremlin's front fascia was revised again to gain headlight bezels that changed from the circular shape used previously, to one of a more rounded diamond shape. The grille shape became a stretched hexagon and included in its insert two opposing loops stacked atop each other and housing new rounded parking/turn signal lights. Front fenders were also modified to be taller, with a slight finned effect. A new Custom trim line debuted for 1976 and featured a special interior stripe pattern called "Potomac" trim, as well as a spare tire cover and a few other small details. The A models made do with another new striping scheme, this time with the hockey stick-style stripe of the previous year adding a secondary extension that ran from the door-handle straight back. The X package was now available only on Custom models. Due to flagging sales, the 304 V8 engine option (now downgraded to a paltry Template:Auto hp) was cancelled at midyear, after only 826 installations were made. A total of 40,994 Gremlins received the V8 option from 1972 to 1976. A 4-speed manual transmission came available at midyear. However, the changes AMC attempted to get Gremlin sales going again were not enough, and sales tapered slightly to 52,941, a decline of 5.5%.

1977

1977 was the first time in its now 8-year history that the Gremlin received redesigned sheet metal. This came in the form of a new hood and shorter front fenders, as well as a taller glass tailgate and enlarged taillights. At the rear, the license plate now covered the fuel filler. New bumpers were also featured. The front fascia treatment was far more pleasing for 1977 and included a crosshatch grille insert sporting parking lights the reverted to a rectangular shape. Headlights were now recessed into square bezels with rounded corners, and the new hood included a slight "power bulge" at the front. The X package returned again for 1977, but this time with yet another new striping pattern that ran straight back from the front fenders and at the rear wheelhouse, crested upward, giving the impression of a two-part wave look. Front disc brakes became standard equipment for 1977. It was also the year that AMC introduced the availability of a Volkswagen/Audi-designed Template:Auto L I4 engine, the first time a four-cylinder engine was available with the Gremlin. The engine was the same one used in the Porsche 924, although the Porsche was fitted with Bosch fuel injection instead of carburetors on the AMC models. This engine provided improved economy, but was not as powerful as the standard six-cylinder engines the Gremlin carried over from 1976. The six-cylinder engines received updated cylinder heads, which brought power ratings up. Because of the expense of acquiring the rights to the new 2.0 L engine, AMC could not afford to make it standard equipment in its base model. It was, however, standard in the uplevel Custom version. However, the improvements did not result in improved sales, and AMC moved only 46,171 Gremlins for 1977, a mere 7,558 of which carried the new 2.0 L engine. Sales had dropped 13%.

1978

In its final year of 1978, the Gremlin received a number of changes. The biggest change was inside, with a revised instrument panel borrowed from the then-new 1978 Concord. The dashboard featured high-level ventilation, HVAC and radio switchgear within easier grasp, and a flat top all the way across. The X's striping pattern was once again revised to mirror that of the 1978 Concord Sport package's design, that is, the tape striping being located at the lower body sides and curving over the wheel lips. At midseason, a GT package came available with a front spoiler and front and rear wheel opening flares that were shared with the 1978 AMX. The GT added an aluminum instrument panel overlay and received the 4.2 L I6 as standard equipment. A different tape stripe scheme was used with the GT version that involved a main wide stripe reaching back from the front fenders, and widening to a plateau just aft of the rear quarter windows. An extra stripe was used to outline this wider, fatter stripe. However, fewer than 3,000 Gremlin GTs were built.

The Gremlin's body shape hadn't changed appreciably in its nine years on the market and the bloom had worn off and more advanced subcompacts with more doors, better interiors, front-wheel drive, and lighter weights had hit the market. This probably explains the 52% drop in sales for the Gremlin's final year, bringing the 1978 total to 22,104 units.

Performance

The Gremlin was not as economical as smaller, lighter, subcompacts with four-cylinder engines, but did get a reasonable 28 to 30 miles per U.S. gallon (8.4 to 7.8 L/100 km) overall with the small six-cylinder engine. However, the Gremlin far outperformed other subcompacts. Mechanix Illustrated magazine clocked it at zero to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) in 11.9 seconds with the Template:Auto CID engine, where the Ford Pinto took twice as long. The V8 reduced this time to 8.5 seconds. The Template:Auto L I4 introduced in 1977 gave the Gremlin the distinction of having one of the widest ranges of engine sizes of all time: from 2.0 L to 5.0 L.

It is important to note that the Gremlin's main domestic competition fielded engines that were never nearly as powerful. Their body structures were not as sound, either. None of them featured engines that were as reliable and smooth, or had the relatively clean recall record the Gremlin experienced - the Ford Pinto became notorious for exploding upon impact in rear-end collisions due to that car's gasoline tank/filler design and the Chevrolet Vega was plagued with major problems including a body prone to rust and an aluminum engine whose reliability problems included high oil consumption, overheating, and engine block warpage. The Gremlin's chief rival, the Volkswagen Beetle, did not handle as well, got similar mileage with only about 40% of the horsepower the Gremlin had, and was packaged only marginally better, as both cars were the same overall size. Gremlin designer Richard Teague commented in a Motor Trend article that to compare the Beetle (whose basic design originated in the late 1930s) to the Gremlin in profile and body design was like "comparing a Ford GT40 to the Hindenburg".

Due to their inherent strength and ease to increase their performance, many AMC Gremlins went to see action in drag racing. They are still active on the strips; for example, Brian Ambrosini in his 1974 Gremlin took second place at the 2006 World Power Wheelstanding Championships.

Other markets

VAM Gremlin in Mazatlán, Mexico.

Vehiculos Automotores Mexicanos (VAM) manufactured Gremlins in Mexico under license from AMC. The cars came with different trim, interiors, and model names than the equivalent AMC-made models. However, all engines built by VAM were of AMC design incorporating appropriate changes to deal with lower octane gasoline and the higher altitudes in Mexico. This included a unique Template:Auto CID version of AMC's straight-6 engine.

Experimental Gremlins

The Gremlin proved a popular test-bed for experiments with alternative fuels. Many universities converted them to run on natural gas, hydrogen, and electric power. For example, in 1972 University of California, Los Angeles researchers won a nationwide Urban Vehicle Design Competition when it modified an AMC Gremlin to run on hydrogen and the lessons learned are still useful today. Engineers at Coleman Products Corporation in Coleman, Wisconsin created a non-drivable plexiglas Gremlin as a demonstrator of the placement and function of electrical wiring harnesses.

Legacy

A total of 671,475 Gremlins were sold in the United States and Canada, making it the most popular single generation body style/chassis produced by AMC (other models, such as the Rambler and even Hornet, have higher production numbers, but consisted of more than one chassis design and body style in the case of the Rambler, multiple body styles for the Hornet).

The Gremlin was restyled with a sloping hatchback for 1979 and renamed the "AMC Spirit". The original "Kammback" body style continued in production until 1983 as the Spirit Sedan with larger rear side windows. The basic design was also used for the small AMC Eagle Kammback from 1981 to 1983.

Collectability

The unique Gremlin has a following among old car hobbyists and collectors of historic vehicles and enjoys the advantage of numerous shared parts and components with other AMC models. There are many active AMC car clubs for the Gremlin and it is one of the easily recognizable cultural icons of the 1970s. Reasonably priced examples can be found as the rudimentary Gremlin with its durable mechanical components has outlasted the competition that sold in large numbers. Untold scores of Gremlins, particularly in the Northeast, were chopped up through the late Seventies and Eighties because their bodies were popular with dirt-track modified racers.

In its day, the Gremlin held its own when it came to performance as it blew the doors off most other subcompacts, but it lacked the backing of most subcompact consumers. Today, the Gremlin is a sought after car for restoring; perhaps it has finally caught the imagination of what some may consider a car ahead of its time. Original cars equipped with V8 engine, "X" package, or "Levi" trim are most sought after and carry premiums in their market value. According to Business Week the attraction to 1970s cars such as the Gremlin is increasing and Hagerty's (an insurance provider for collector car owners) reports the values of the vehicles are climbing.

From an investment standpoint, the most collectible versions include: the V8 and the sporty "X" package, the "Levi's" interior, the early 2-seater models are novelty items, as well as the Gremlin GTs produced during 1978; however, any Gremlin in good shape is worth keeping since they are becoming quite scarce--they are definitely worth preserving as a unique piece of automotive history.

In fiction

The Gremlin is a now perhaps unjustly legendary figure in the halls of vehicles with poor or infamous reputations, along with the AMC Pacer, Yugo, Lada, Chevrolet Vega, and Ford Pinto, mostly because of its controversial styling, and engineering a subcompact based on a truncated Hornet. It was ranked #4 in Car Talk's Worst Car of the Millennium contest, and also appeared in Time Magazine's list of 50 worst cars, and a number of books of "worst cars". It should be noted that these contest come from public popular vote, or an editor's choice, not based on any specific criteria, and that the Gremlin sold well.

The Gremlin has since spawned a never-ending but sparse series of negative references in popular culture. It has recently almost become a 1970s icon — most people still tend to make fun of the Gremlin's unusual shape, but the Gremlin is easily recognizable as a 1970s car.

Hans Moleman, a character in the Simpsons drives one. Also, in the Simpsons Hit and Run video game, there is a driveable Gremlin belonging to "Comic Book Guy".

References

Inline

General

• Gunnell, John, Editor (1987). The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975. Kraus Publications. ISBN 0-87341-096-3. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

External links

• Original drawing of the Gremlin by Bob Nixon
• Picture of the AMX-GT from matadorcoupe.com
• An article about the AMC Gremlin
• AMC Gremlin fan site
• Page containing pictures of the car
• The American Motors Marque
• A Hot Wheels six-wheeled, 12-cylinder Gremlin