Here is another letter from my drafts file not sure whether sent or not: Doc wrote: > I sold the unused space saver from my yellow Hornet for 10$ with the bottle in 1979. We all have done similar stupid things at one time or another. I undersand the bottles are still available from Datsun I think. > "Doc" Yes, the red tire inflator bottles that were used on many Datsun models int he 80s look almost identical to the red AMC ones, just add the sticker of which I usually stock, but am out of, but other vendors also stock the decal. You can pick up these at swap meets. Spacesaver spares: A number of AMC models came with these spares, made by B. F. Goodrich. The rims were usually orange and sloppily painted, every one that I have ever had the paint behind it is run city. C, D, E 78X14 were usually used for the Grem/Horn Series. I do not know however what determined whether a Gremlin, or Hornet, got a Spacesaver. Doc mentions the hidden lift up compartment on Hornet hatchbacks, which was a option. It would be my guess that if the car didn't have this, it would get a full sized spare with cover, such as the Hornet AMXs did. As for Gremlins, I have seen both. A funny story is that the dealership where my dad worked, All American Motors in Corpus Christi, TX used to have new Gremlin owners come back claiming their Gremlin was bouncy at over 70mph and the dealership would ask them to leave the car, andeither give them a loaner AMC or courtesy ride to wherever they needed to go, home or work. The cars were always ready either that afternoon, or early next day. I would later find out this was commonplace, but this dealership would get a 50 lb bag of cement and place it behind the seat, add a spacesaver spare, air bottle, and recover the area with carpet of that model's color, the spacesaver would be covered with a vinyl tire cover, real neat, I had about 8 of these NOS I sold on ebay last year for $30 each. All out now. But after the back area was done, it looked really nice covered up spare, my dad used to joke that the only time the owners would ever notice is when the car got a flat and would have to lift up the carpet to see Don Knotts face on the big bag of ACME Cement. But no one ever complained. Later, AMC would also offer the roof spoiler as seen on this Mexican VAM built 75 Gremlin. But the spoiler was no match for Don Knotts and ACME which held the cars down better at higher speeds! Lastly, some of you know Ross Guistino of the Northern California AMC Club near San Fran, he bought my 75 Gremlin X, 258-6, 4spd, AC, PS, PDB, for $1500 a few years ago and flew in and drove it home. That is about 1500 miles folks. The original owner I bought the car from she looked like George Burns without the cigar. Very sweet, the car's name was "Greta The Gremlin" well, when I went to look at the car I could not stop laughing, as in the back was a bag of Don Knott's ACME Cement that was a BRICK as the Houston humidity had gotten to it for many years. I asked her how long had that been back there and she indicated since 1981!!! And she said Archer AMC had put it back there for her! So I had a NOS AMC Brick I guess. I left it in the car for Ross and he drove it out to California with brick still in it. See ya'll, Eddi eStakes' Planet Houston AMX www.planethoustonamx.com ============================= IMPORTANT PLEASE READ Hi and thanks for writing. Please note if you wrote/emailed me in February and did not get a reply I had computer problems and all those letters and requests were lost. OVER 100 OF THEM. I am still restoring files and photos, but again, please be patient, adn I just reconfigured my email setup again today as it is complex having the eddiestakes@xxxx email address as it gets rerouted and is not direct, but had 218 emails wating for me today, (February 29th) so it will take some time to get to them.
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