An AMC memory

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

I realized that this note could interest AMC fans beyond Planet Houston, so, since there's nothing personal involved, I'll send it again for all to see. 

 -----Original Message-----
From: 	Mahoney, John  
Sent:	Thursday, December 08, 2005 2:31 PM
To:	'eddiestakes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'
Subject:	Your Mashigan note

We lose a lot of them sadly, you can add my father Homer T. Stakes Sr to
that 'last nash man standing' list, who passed away October 30th. And before
him AMC designer Chuck Mashigan.

Eddie,

Thanks for writing (but keep those giant rattlers in Texas...); you might like to read what someone (who'd worked on interiors for the Detroit Bigs) wrote about Chuck not too long ago:


"I would love to see guys build more Gremlins (with AMC drivetrains though) early forged crank high compression AMC 390, 401 and the right 360's are real strong but not cheap to build. And yes Gremlins or even Hornets for that matter were not the most beautiful cars but they had a unique looks to them and the guys in the back seat although not alot of leg room could sit up straight. I knew both of the guys that designed the AMX, Jav and Gremlins. One was also the guy that penned the port hole in the early T-birds when Ford had issues with visability on the hard tops. Sorry to say Dick Teague and now Chuck Mashigan who passed last fall were some of the coolest guys you would ever want to meet. But Chuck who is known as the father of the AMX and the AMX II that turned into the Gremlin was one of the nicest guys I have ever met.

The Gremlin was originally an X but I did not leave it badged as an X. And it was the Blue Levi edition for those that remember it. In fact that is what made it fun. The cam was so heavily lobed it would sound like it was about to quit at a light. I had a single rear dump at the back and the passenger side had a curb dump so from the back it looked like a stock Gremlin single exhaust 6 banger. Most guys that I raced had their own loud pipes so they never heard mine. 

Except it had a little height added to the rear because I put double mains on the rear springs to calm down the axle on launch. And the hood had a clean 1 1/2 added rise on the entire Square bump detail the Gremlins hood had so I could add a cowl induction baffle I got from a SCCA Road Car Javilin hooked to the oval track manifold. Alot of the other goodies that are too little and numerous to mention I got from finding information on AMC's drag campaigns of the 70's. The car was a real sleeper on the outside but underneath the unibody was linked, the engine was moved back 5 inches and lowered 3 to improve the CG. All the heater and AC and unecessary dash stuff was thrown in the trash. Rear seat was thrown out, sound deadener (Not that AMC used much) removed. No radio or speakers, but did have a police issued CB for police monitoring (before radar detectors). Trans was a 727 reworked with oversized bands and a manual shift only valvebody. Rearend was a Ford 9" with a Detroit locker posi kit. Big Discs all the way around. 14" AMC rally wheels With little 9" wide tires on the back for stealth. 

I would have to give up the 1st 5' to anyone but as soon as I could feather it to a slow roll, pedal down hard to the floor hit 4 grand slam the shifter, up to 6 hit it again and hold on and shut up to about 7. I loved that 401 it would effortly rev to 7 grand without a single glitch. The thing was run mostly in Michigan on Telegraph/Gratiot and if the guy cried and said he had me at top end out to I-275 we would go when it was really late and he would see little red retangles run away. As I grew older and the car became too expensive (drivers liscense retraining/restrictions and rediculous insurance cost of my own making) I got alittle smarter. About 22 years ago pulled the motor which I still have and will never part with as a reminder of a colorful youth and shared the car with the rest of the parts with a local AMC enthisiast. >From what I hear the body is still out there and still Blue so if a Blue Gremlin ever eats your lunch in Michigan remember ugly quick is still quick."


7 grand?!  Some said that AMC couldn't "rev beyond a walk" --- those some being some experts at old C&D.  Remember them next time you read what common wisdom perceives.

John