Remember

["Mahoney, John" <JMahoney@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Since my last note fell into the black hole of 10/19, the AMX Files were lost in WilmaLand, the List Leader pleaded for help, Planet Poohbahs re-posted known/shown info and the lean green five-letter killing machine was still named "Unown" after being mug-shot, I thought old AMC had finally gone bankrupt: the last fan standing would turn off the lights and drive home with nothing but memories of that make called AMC.

But surprise.  It's still alive and, in its weird fashion, it's working.

Now is it scary or just stupid to proceed?  Maybe both.  Trick or treat.


>>I thought Mr. Mahoney settled it:  Opel Rekord.

I thought he settled it more specifically: 1969 Chevy [do Brasil] Opala.

http://tinyurl.com/dhekh


>>
article on the AMX/3 in it; I hope it is the definative piece on this 

Matt Stone
Executive Editor
Motor Trend
Motor Trend Classic
<<

(And we hope an even more -definitive- piece will someday be edited...)


>>
new tv commercial for plaque psorasis in which the guy pulls up to the beach with a yellow Gremlin with black stripes and surf board on top.  
<<

Beach?  Surf?  Sun?  Psoriasis?  'S'omething?!

http://www.fda.gov/cder/warn/2005/Enbrelwl.pdf


>>
I think the luggage racks that were\ used on AMX's and Javelin's were unique to those cars. You may be able to buy one that is similar but it won't be exactly the same as the originals. Because of the slope of the trunklid, they have taller stantions on the back of the rack. They also have unique, cast, corner pieces. If you want one for your Hornet you can buy a reproduction from any of the large Corvette parts vendors. Just buy the one for a 71 Corvette because it is identical in every way to the one that came on Hornet's and Concord's.
<<

>>http://mywebpages.comcast.net/mopar/Javelin/Jav5.jpg

In fact, factory luggage racks were so popular on 2-seat AMXs, some 728 of the 4116 1970s were [supposedly] so sold.  And some Corvette interchanges may also have extended beyond 1971.  So go check for yourselves.  (If so interested.)

http://tinyurl.com/cklyr

http://tinyurl.com/ahb74

http://tinyurl.com/abl52

http://tinyurl.com/db3sq


>>curious if there was a further breakdown of 401/4spd's and colors. 

By drivetrain, yes; by Duco, no.

>>Any ideas if the DC/AC converter was done by AMC or the dealor?

By dealor, no; by dealer, maybe. 


And the rest of this world:

Saw Americans in car shows:

'59 Rambler in pic 26 of 28:

http://info.detnews.com/joyrides/story/index.cfm?id=589

'63 Rambler in pic 29 of 33:

http://info.detnews.com/joyrides/story/index.cfm?id=588

And saw Americans in Tokyo:

"If consumers won't buy bad cars from bankrupt car companies [GM, not AMC...], will they buy cars made of bad parts from bankrupt suppliers?"  Ask the Oracle of Delphi.  Or ask the experts of AMC.

"While many Asian cars offer global positioning systems, many American cars (GM's ghosts or AMC's?) instead offer standard social welfare systems."  Which equipment package will be more attractive to today's -world- car buyers?
  
(The average GM worker is paid $25/hour in wages + $40/hour in benefits, the average US worker earns $18/hour in wages + $8/hour in benefits, and the average Japanese, Korean, Mexican, Chinese or worker earns ???  Woe is we?)

"If Italian doesn't translate into English, GM can't learn to speak Japanese, and Franco-American once made better SpaghettiOs than Alliances, Encores or Allures, how can Renault and Nissan say, 'Market Share and High Profits' in multiple languages while serving up tasty vehicles for different cuisines?"  Eat up, Bon Appetit and Itadaki-masu?

Unlike MercyMopar, Saabaruturn, JagUourFord, HawkthisPackard, and the classic "Rambler Ambassador Channel Renault Premier" -- yes, unlike many failed drive-through weddings [with or without Elvis' [Cachunkcachunk] blessing, the marriage of Renault and Nissan has been successful beyond anyone's dreams.  They still seem to stay -surprisingly- independent, yet share powerful -savings-: when they do overlap overtly, they or their customers seem to benefit.  They developed one of the most fuel-efficient diesels with only 200 million euros for engineering and 250 million for manufacturing (if you think hybrid is the future, wake up and smell, or rather don't smell, the diesel fumes)

http://www.verdictoncars.com/jsp/vocmain.jsp?lnk=101&id=1376

but the Renault-Nissan Alliance is no Rambler Revival from AMC-Renault 

http://tinyurl.com/az53t

and tomorrow shines brighter than any Marlins or Medallions ever could.  

http://tinyurl.com/a4fpb

And if you don't care to think about how the past or the present made American Motors and American motor vehicles, don't look to the future

http://www.dfmc.com.cn/info/introduce_en.aspx

where American motors' competitors have already been looking.

http://www.e.u-tokyo.ac.jp/cirje/research/dp/2000/2000cf81.pdf

If you believe "America will never buy such cars!"   

http://auto.sina.com.cn/photo/lifan520/83284.shtml
http://auto.sina.com.cn/photo/lifan520/83278.shtml

http://www.dongfenglittleprince.com/cn/product_2.asp

http://www.rmg.com.cn/works/cm8/print.htm

remember what America started buying back then

http://www.adclassix.com/images/78hondaciviccvcc.jpg

http://www.pix8.net/pro/pic/46711XrXT/184025.jpg

and what it stopped buying in Big Bad numbers.

http://mclellansautomotive.com/photos/B32720.jpg

http://www.bambootrading.com/cars/c70-31.jpg

The Little Prince could become another Accord.

And the concord could become another Concorde. 

Someday, you will remember all that back when.

When Japan, Korea, and China made junky autos.


While AMC was away and I was wordless, time passed and dates were not remembered.  If it's not too bad, it's sad.  

51 years ago, on 10/8/54, George Mason ended his Nash-Kelvinator life.  He died.  On 10/12/54, George Romney began his American Motors term.  He was elected president.  Then on 10/29/54, American Motors Corporation assembled its last Detroit Hudson.  The beginning and the end of more than one fine kind of automotive era.  Or 91 years ago, on 10/28/14, Henry Ford laid a cornerstone for his home powerhouse and garage -- where I was supposed to be but wasn't the week before there wasn't any AMC online to read.  Do you know how one car now in his garage was related to the history of AMC?  And do you how that one car's wheels differ from the car wheels that were parked there originally? 

Speaking of fair lanes to auto remembrance, 20 years ago, one designer who had worked for Peerless, Baker-Raulang, Murray, General Motors, Graham-Paige, and for Ford (technically for Ford suppliers) who, in 1934, had founded his own Detroit design firm, recalled some bits from his history.  Here's that Q&A (or rather, A&Q; you discern which) interview.  

We went to Milwaukee with a man that had a lot of influence with Mr. Nash, and at that time George Mason just took over Nash.  Do you remember?

Yes. 

And just took over Nash and Kelvinator, and they wanted me to show them the hardware; what we were going to do.  So, that's how I got in there and we rode from Milwaukee down by car down to Chicago.  And Mr. Mason said, "George, why don't you ever come over and talk to us about styling?"  He said, "I understand you're doing an awful lot of automobile work." 

Were you?

Not a lot of it, but enough.

Enough to attract attention?

Publicity-wise, and I was getting a lot of that.  So I said, "I would like to do that, and I'll prepare a group of drawings and bring them over to you."  This was on a hot day, hotter than the devil and Nash-Kelvinator was out in Detroit then.  The offices of Nash were implemented right in the Kelvinator building. 

Which American Motors used thereafter?

Right, yeah.  So, he [Mason] called one day and said, "George, I thought you were coming over here," he said.  "We have our board of directors here waiting for you.  We would like to see your sketches."  I said I told them before, we had them, but I didn't bring them over.  So, some of the silly things that happened in my life - how I ever got by them!!  Well, I went over to the Fisher Building, grabbed my car and all these drawings and started out over on Grand River, and a parade was going by.  Barnum and Bailey.  I pulled over to the curb, and watched the parade for nearly an hour. 

With Mason waiting for you?

Yes.  I went up in the boardroom, and they were sitting around there -- all the members -- and all were perspiring, and Mason said, "Where have you been?  Because it's been over an hour since we called you."  I said, "Well, I'll tell you, I saw a parade and I like little parades and I pulled over and watched the parade."  Mr. Mason went like that [slapped his forehead] and Mr. Nash, he smiled, and he acted like it was amusing to him. 

A Barnum and Bailey circus parade? 

Here's a guy that's starving, so to speak.  That's the way they put it, and [he has] guts enough to tell us and all these men around there that a parade meant more than him than money.  The $75,000 he was going to pay us.  I hadn't had the account yet, and so I got the account. 

Was Nash amused? 

He turned out to be a very nice gentleman -- very good friend of mine.

Charles Nash? 

Charlie Nash.  Yeah.  I came back from Europe one time, and I ended up with a dress coat on, a derby hat and gloves and I got off the plane and happened to be going down Lexington Avenue to the automobile show, and here's this old gentleman walking along and said, "Hello George."  I said, "How are you?" and I shook hands.  He said, "Where you bound for?"  I said, "I'm going to the automobile show."  He said, "I can't get in yet -- even though we have an exhibition there."  And, I couldn't think of who he was.  He knew me.  So, we went to the automobile show, and he said, "We can't get in until 10:00" and I said, "Sure, we can."  I went in and asked for the manager and said, "I have Mr. Nash with me."  He said, "Well, oh yeah, bring him in.  He said, "How did you do that?"  I said, "Well, that's just ignorance, I think maybe on my part."  I said, "I don't like to see a man like you - a gentleman like you with all that industrial power that you have and what you're doing for the company standing outside there on a cold day waiting for you to get in."  He said, "You shouldn't do things like that."

So you presented your sketches to the board.  What did they think of them?

Fine...  But they didn't have any money.

So does today's look at 1937 via 1985 make 2005 tomorrow's auto history?

Is "they didn't have any money" about Nash, AMC, GM, Ford -- or the USA?

In 20 years, you should know that answer.  Until then, keep remembering.

Unless you forget how to read very carefully.  You might miss the facts.


PS - I'm not a Grinch on Halloween.  Thanks to some, let us say, "politically-tuned" residents of my neighborhood, its association holds a traditional -Saturday afternoon- parade and party.  Pittsford FD marching band with pumper trucks, Monroe County SD deputies on horseback and some flashing Crown Vics lead the costumed kiddies and familial entourages.  A bit much for quiet suburban culs-de-sac (and not the best use of taxpayer money), but it keeps them all safe from the evil spirits (or from the scary teenagers) on prowl tonight.  Halloween is fine for little ones;
the bigger "kids" (including those in their 30s, 40s, 50s, and ???) probably could be doing something more mature.

Like reading?  Like writing?  Like eating?  Like sleeping?  All likely.