|
1974 model year vehicles first appeared in dealer
showrooms in Sept, 15th, 1973. Model year production peaked at 509,496 units,
while calender year production was 351, 398 cars. There were 3734 AMCs made in
1974 with a 401V8. Calender year sales by AMC dealer franchises in the US was
355,093 units. The model year as I mentioned earler, ended in November 1974 so
AMC could take advantage of changing emissions laws. All US automakers could
have taken advantage of this, although I do not know personally how many did.
But the high figures above is due solely to the extension AMC got from the feds.
R. D. Chapin was head of AMC at the time. AMC also
saw a net profit of $28.6 million. I may add that this model year is
'electronically challenged' as just about every AMC I have personall owned thru
the years from the 1974 model year, has electrical problems due to the damned
Seat belt Interlock System which was mandated on the US automakers by the
federal government. I jokingly tell people if they ever want to see what a
disaster it was, simply look at shop manuals. From 1967 thru 1973 they are about
1" thinck, then you have 1974 which is about the size of War & Peace, or
Ivanhoe. Then back to 1975 thru 76, same 1' size again, before the model year
1977 where AMC busted the shop manual into a three volumn set of engine,
chassis, and body.
But the 1974 TSM is DOUBLE the size of all those
model years, and a majority of it is 'electrical'.
This Seat Belt Interlock system was such a disaster
for US automakers that Congress stepped in and recinded the law for 1975 model
year. However!! Since we are talking about 'running changes' I may add I have
owned three 75 AMCs that STILL had the crappy seat belt interlock system in it.
All early cars built from Nov 74-Jan 75.
As for 1974, AMC had some real problems with the
electrical systems, women would put purse on the passenger seat, or groceries,
and car would not start, as in the seats were imbedded a relay that would read
the weight, and make you 'buckle up' your purse, groceries, whatever even a
newspaper from a major metro city would cause car not to start if sitting
on passenger seat. And if you have ever looked at a owners manual from 1974, it
basically states if car won't start, open hood and stick a matchstick in the
'seat belt relay' which is a small horn relay looking thing on the passenger
side engine bay, and has a red button on it. This is a override and many people
simply shoved matchsticks, pencils, screws and what not in there. American
Performance in FL sells a Seat Belt Interlock Override wiring harness, small
little thing that simply bypasses your unit so it can start like normal
vehicles.
I also wish to add that on my 1974s, including the
74 Sportabout I currently have, problems like flickering headlights, flickering
dashlights, false or no readings on fuel/temp gauges, sometimes no headlights at
all (some have even blacked out while driving, great on back dark Texas country
roads, good to see UFOs and stars) and in my 74 Sportabout's case, you turn key
and nothing happens, so I bypassed it and put a remote starter switch in the
dash. Bottom line is that the 74 AMC models wiring system was a huge piece of
shit.
Also in 1974, people were selling off big cars and
gas guzzlers, and you could not give them away at dealerships, this included
muscle cars, trucks too, as the gas crisis with OPEC was hitting hard. And so
AMC not seeing this, introduced the new Matador coupe, which the hood alone was
bigger than many cars. Bad timing.
All 1974 cars were designed to run on regular
leaded, low lead or unleaded fuels also I want to add.
On November 15th, 1974 the *NEW* 1975 AMC models
were finally introduced; although the NEW Pacer would not be introduced until
Febuary 28th, 1975. And offically.....it went on sale March 1, 1975. . Model
year output was 244,941 units, while calender year production was 323,704 units.
And sales by US dealers was 268,526 units.
We can easily 'monday morning quarterback' here all
we want. AMC's timing sucked. There was no way they could have forseen the oil
embargo, nor the effects. I am not sure they could have seen the problems with
the Wankle 4 banger either the Pacer was "supposed" to have gotten, nor could
have forseen people dumping large cars for smaller ones, right as they decided
to introduce a car that had a engine bay big enough to fit 10-12 illegals coming
across the border (Matador coupe).
Nor could they have forseen the Pacer being
underpowered, even when they quickly changed course and shoved in the 232 and
258 sixes in them. Remember, the Pacer was suppoed to be AMC's "Rambler"
carrying them thru the 1970s in a ever changing and really fickle market. And
the Pacer went to shit by 1977, the honeymoon with buyers lasted 1 1/2 years,
but AMC had invested $40 million into developing it. $40 million? Hell, that is
what they bought Jeep from Willys for in 1970. And in 2005, we are STILL reaping
benefits from that marriage with recently introduced aluminum heads, intakes and
so forth. Because of Jeep.
You know, some of this currently mirrors a whole
crapload of 2005. GM and Ford being reduced to junk bond status. Toyota fixing
to be #1 in the world automaker. GM 'skunkworks' buying and then
disecting...Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys in a effort to duplicate them. What
a bunch of idiots, too little too late in my opinion, they simply need to build
crap the buying public wants. I laugh every time I see a 'YOU PAY WHAT WE PAY!'
employee discount commercial on tv lately. To me it says "hey, we have been
cornholing you buyers for years, how about a break on a vehicle we can't move
anyhows at is was overpriced to begin with?". Just build cars that are low
maintainence, can go 50-100K without major repairs, and shops won't be able to
call you by first name basis since you are a 'regular' since buying your new GM
or Ford. It is ok that the car looks like a Pacer, everythign else looks like
Pacers now, all jellybeans!
I'm not sure about your area, but here in Houston,
Texas is known as the 'truck capital of the world' and many dealerships are
offering incentives on top of that 'employee discount' crap. Overstocked? That
is a understatement, you would have to drive by many of the marshalling yards
near the Port of Houston and see miles, yes.......MILES........of brand new
vehicles sitting, with a backlog of thousands, with no place to go, simply
because dealerships are having a hard time moving what is on their lots. Sounds
like AMC in 1966, 1970 and 1977 all over again........
Eddie Stakes'
Planet Houston AMX 713.464.8825 eddiestakes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx www.planethoustonamx.com email volume is currently light; 4-7 day reply time; call if important
|
Attachment:
ft_wayne_dealership.jpg
Description: JPEG image
Attachment:
clay pacer studio.jpg
Description: JPEG image
Attachment:
74 matador flyer.JPG
Description: JPEG image
Back to the Home of the AMC Gremlin
