Actually there is "more to the story" on the Bricklin/Abernethey clash. The
real reason why Bricks switched was AMC could not
guarantee a steady supply
of engines. Why? The company that was pressing the 360s (Holmes Foundry of
Sarnia, Ontario, Canada eh)
could not keep up with demand as AMC was
selling itself thin in 1973/74 and selling their 360s to not only Bricklin
but
International Harvester also. It's also why mid year you started seeing
oddities like 74 AMXs with 304 2 barrels. A LOT of them thru
end of
production unless someone ordered a 360 or 401 AMC. There were 58819 AMC
vehicles made in calender year 1973 with a AMC 360V8
and 42140 AMCs
produced in 1974 with a 360V8 for you AMC engine bean counters.
Eddie
Stakes
713.464.8825
eddiestakes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.planethoustonamx.com
-----------------------------
Frank
Swygert wrote:
"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!
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