Re: [BaadAssGremlins] Re: running changes

--- Begin Message ---

From: <eddiestakes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 27 Jun 2005 09:57:18 -0500

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

----- Original Message -----

From: themixtoo@xxxxxxx

To: BaadAssGremlins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sent: Monday, June 27, 2005 8:34 AM

Subject: Re: [BaadAssGremlins] Re: running changes (was gremlin nos grill)
Doc, That was not the first time anybody did that. The real reason AMC did it was to take advantage of the '74 emisson regulations. If you recall '74 was the last year for leaded gas and no cats (except for California). The 49 state EPA requirment for use of unleaded gas took affect on Jan. 1, 1975. Oh yea, you don't remember the extended run of '69 Camaro's? The '70 restyled Camaro didn't come down the assembly line till Feb. of '70. 'The Mix'

-----Original Message-----
From: AMC74HORNET@xxxxxxxxx
To: BaadAssGremlins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Mon, 27 Jun 2005 06:52:23 -0400
Subject: Re: [BaadAssGremlins] Re: running changes (was gremlin nos grill)
I don't understand about the extension on building more 74's. If you
bought one of these 74 extension cars when everyone else is making 75
models you bought a car by the model year that was 1 year old and the
minute you took position of it you lost a lot of money blue book wise
than usual.
"Doc"



 
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Attached Message

From: eddiestakes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

To: BaadAssGremlins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Subject: [BaadAssGremlins] Re: running changes (was gremlin nos grill)

Date: Sat, 25 Jun 2005 23:11:23 -0500

Speaking of mid year changes, and also 74 model year, AMC asked for, and got, a extension from the Feds to continue production on 1974 models to take advantage of changing emissions laws. Production which was supposed to stop July 30th, 1974 on the 1974 models (it began Aug 1st, 1973) continued on into November 1974. My 74 Gremlin which I recently sold for $2000, was a July 1974 build.......and a 1975 production color of J7, not found in any production books, paint chip charts, anything as it was not supposed to be offered for 1974. The color is Jade Green. A more damning mid year (or running change as we like to call them) shows up here on one of AMC's paint suppliers for 1974: http://www.planethoustonamx.com/parts%20&%20Literature/new_paint/images! /74_pcc_martin_senour.jpg I like to sometimes look at original color catalogs from AMC, but you can't use them as a sole source as many times you are looking at stuff that never made it to production, or stuff AMC airbrushed heavily. A excellent example of this is the 1973 AMX & Javelin photo at the track for instance. I don't know if that two page photo from the catalog is on the internet, but if not, I'll be more than happy to take a photo and post it here, only because to me it is sort of a Where's Waldo of AMC photos! 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

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