Re: [AMC-list] I bought a Bricklin

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

There's an interesting story as to why only the 74 Bricklin has an AMC 
drivetrain. Malcolm Bricklin was something of a "character". He was 
considered by many to be an engineering genius, definitely a good 
businessman. But he was also a bit on the arrogant side, or maybe just 
boastful is a better way to put it. Anyway, he had a "personality clash" 
with Roy Abernethey, then president of AMC, during a visit to the AMC 
plant in Kenosha. Bricklin started pointing things out that AMC was 
"doing wrong" and giving what he considered helpful 
suggestions/constructive criticism during the plant tour. Apparently 
this rubbed Abernethey the wrong way, and after some comment having 
something to do with how many cars AMC was making and I believe how they 
could make more, Abernethey had had enough an reportedly commented 
"Let's see how many you can make without motors" and cut Bricklin off!

The other AMC parts kept going though, so apparently he just cut the 
motors off. The other parts may have been coming from AMC Canada, which 
was a partially independent entity, though still under AMC's (and 
therefore Abernethy's) direct control. Don't know why he didn't cut 
everything off, might have been due to the Canadian branch still selling 
him parts (they made bodies so had to have lots of suspension parts, but 
motors were all made in Kenosha), maybe some other exec stepped in and 
kept that part hushed... who knows? Could just be a story that's been 
repeated so much it's taken as truth. Maybe Ford built 351s in Canada (I 
don't think so) and Bricklin switched to get more Canadian content.  I 
think the Bricklin's used the 360, not the 304, so larger engine 
wouldn't be the reason.

--
Frank Swygert
Editor - American Motors Cars Magazine
www.amc-mag.com

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