Hi Terry, a few comments here. If a car was being fitted with special
anything it was taken off line. A production facility geared for mass production
would have slowed down otherwise. Slow down production and you have to answer to
angry stockholders. One of the reasons the painted big bad bumpers of 69 didn't
get extended into 70 was that the bumpers had to be manually rolled along with
car as it got made, big pain in ass. A memo was sent out by AMC's Director of
Marketing E. B. Brogan telling dealers to "paint their own r/w/b 70 T/A
Javelins' since AMC had trouble doing the originals in amass production
facility, big pain in ass to paint car 3 colors.
Yes! AMC had a skunkworks up in Kenosha and Milwaukee where cars got mods,
AMC even used local Rambler dealer Topel for "one offs" and "group 19" tests.
Scroll down to Topel Rambler at bottom of this page:
May I recommend Chris Zinn's neat book "AMX: A Photo Archive" which
leans heavily into prototypes and pre production cars, including clay,
fiberglass and other methods aMC used before getting cars into actual
production, he got to interview a number of legends who were there....for this
book. Sadly, some like Jim Alexander Team Manager show on left, tall
fellow)
passed away recently, as did Chuck Mashigan who was head of aMC's
Performance Activities.
As for how many Gremlins built Feb/Mar 70 befroe introduction I don't
believe anyone knows that figure. I also know that not all the dealerships
actually got a Gremlin. Memos? Mid year brochures? Yes, but not all of them
(2374 at the time) would have gotten a Gremlin.
Side note: If any of you have ever talked to Jock who heads NAMDRA, he went
to local AMC dealership in 1969 and tried to order a SC/Rambler, but dealership
didn't know what he was talking about, had heard nothing about a feisty colored
390 Rambler. Not uncommon! Sometimes communication was not only Rambler slow, it
was Rambler slow without wheels.
The workers used what was in the parts bins, if a item was incorrect color,
it was quickly painted, if not there at all, the car kept rolling along with
note(s) according to many of the line workers I have talked to thru decades It
was not a big deal, as long as line kept moving everyone make money! But
dealers, many of them, were left with photos and brochures to show
prospects.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, March 12, 2010 11:54
PM
Subject: Re: [BaadAssGremlins] Re: teages
first gremlin pilot car 360 grrremlin feb 1970... [3 Attachments
I agree a lot of money was and is wasted. My father worked for the VA as
a cook and because some guy in Washington said the life of a pan or pot was 5
years they had to throw every pot, pan, spoon and fork in a dumpster every 5
years. He said since they had twice as many as they needed they were throwing
stuff out that were never used. Having spent a summer at GE working on and
around a assembly line I just find it hard to believe that they would
run this special car with all the special parts on it down the line. I would
love to know how many times that line had to be stopped because a special part
wasn't there. It would have cost them a fortune. Now if you told me they drove
it off the line as a 6 and it went to the rework shop where it was turned into
this car I would believe that. I also believe all these special cars existed
and that most ended up being crushed. I just don't believe they were built on
the assembly line. I also find it very hard to believe that there wasn't any
Gremlins built in February if they had them in the showroom on April 1. That
would mean that in a three week span AMC built enough Gremlins and shipped
enough Gremlins to every dealership in the US and Canada to have 5 or 6 on the
lot. That would been one hell of a feat if it happen. I am not
saying it didn't happen. I am just saying it is all hard to believe.
Terry
From: Eddie Stakes
<eddiestakes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To:
BaadAssGremlins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Fri, March 12, 2010 10:51:15
PM
Subject: Re:
[BaadAssGremlins] Re: teages first gremlin pilot car 360 grrremlin feb 1970...
[3 Attachments
There is way more to this than could ever be told Terry. AMC had a major
strike by UAW in 1970 (Oct 69) which cost them 36,000 cars. Imagine if each
new 70 AMC was a loaded $5000, heck, even $4000 Ambassador. Lots of money
there They had just bought Jeep from Willys for $40 million also. They were
phasing out long running model Rebel, and had dropped their namesake Rambler
year before, and had brought in, and spent much money on development of new
Hornet, which would sell well in 1970s. The Gremlin was another way of taking
one model and creating another. For instance they had a slogan back then of
'we will introduce a new model ever 6 months' which was easy to do, take base
Javelin, make SST, or take base Ambassador, change a few things, now it is DPL
new model, change a few more now SST. If you have ever looked at back of a
"The Mix" 1970 catalog, it has a whopping 16 offerings from AMC....2 door, 4
door, wagons....many created from same platform, and some with simple cosmetic
changes to make a different model which shared tons of items with another
model for instance.
Yes! Was AMC wasteful? Well, yes, I can tell you horror stories of
digging thru dumpsters at the dealerships my dad worked at with stuff that had
been tossed due to 'imperfections' sort of like the mentality we see today
with computers, cell phones, flat screen tv's and yes, even cars. Cheaper to
replace it than fix it. Why have your Toshiba 32 inch $400 screen fixed for
$350 when it is cheaper to simply buy another new one. Or computers, what one
buys today is obsolete when you leave Best Buy.
Cars? The Houston area pick a parts are loaded with 1990s/2000s what we
consider "new" cars, simply because they crapped out at 100K miles or less. It
is more a sad commentary on society that we are wasteful (well not all of us,
old car people are the original recyclers before it was 'green' to do).
The Gremlin GT was built, then destroyed after New York auto show.
http://www.planethoustonamx.com/press_photos/amx_gt.jpg
Why? It was common practice back then by automakers to destroy prototypes
mostly due to the liability factor. Lucky for us some still are around 40+
years after being made.
Teague customized his own AMX
of which many of the things you saw on it never made production.. ...some
did. Same with other models like the GT above.
This AMX was customized for instance, the shop manager/foreman and crew
stand proudly by it:
note the YOM plates. It was stolen off the streets of Kenosha and has
never been seen since. It was built more for testing purposes, as many cars
were.
A good example? Mercedes crows in their new commercial about destroying
50,000+ cars to make their cars safer. There is more I'm sure, but hope this
sort of helps explain how AMC used some of their limited resources back then
and got creative with what they had and how they did it, whether marketing, or
actual production.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, March 12, 2010 5:58
PM
Subject: Re: [BaadAssGremlins] Re:
teages first gremlin pilot car 360 grrremlin feb 1970... [3
Attachments
This is very interesting, So AMC introduced a car on April 1, 1970 that
they hadn't even started assembling on the line and they spent their time,
energy and money running a car down the assembly line using parts they never
intended to be used on the final product. While I would love to own that
very first Gremlin still I think you just gave us another insight on the
death of American Motors. May I ask another question did Teage have a reason
for building the car or did he do it because he wanted another toy.
Terry
From: uneedittwo48239
<uneedittwo48239@ yahoo.com>
To: BaadAssGremlins@ yahoogroups
com
Sent: Fri, March 12,
2010 3:17:40 PM
Subject:
[BaadAssGremlins] Re: teages first gremlin pilot car 360 grrremlin feb
1970... [3 Attachments
i will see if i can get tom viland on here his dad was the friend of dick
teage production assembly line didnt start tell april 1970 the car was built
with the 360 in the factory with automatic and all the v 8 stuff disc brake
larger like the 72 amxs had factory traction bars and sway bars dayna 308
posi a/c no power brakes
--- In BaadAssGremlins@
yahoogroups. com, Terry Atkins <twa1950@... >
wrote:
>
> OK there are things here I am not understanding. This
is the first Gremlin built right. Did it come down the assembly line and
they built it like this or was it built as a 232 auto and Teage took it home
with him and turn it into the 360 hot car. I don't really understand why you
would do this. You are getting ready to introduce an econo car to the public
and your messing around with something like this. Doesn't make a lot of
since to me. Then since the only thing new about the Gremlin was the shape
of the rear end maybe they would have. They should have gotten all the bugs
out of it with the Hornet. Are you telling me they didn't start
producing the Gremlin until some time in March of 70. Sure didn't give
them much time to get them off the assembly line and into the showroom by
the first of April. Then again when they first hit the showroom did they
have any for sale or did the dealers just have one or two and you had to
order them. I would have
> thought AMC would have pulled the first one
off the assembly line and would have put it in a show room some where. I
know they do that at the Toyota plant in Georgetown Ky. They pulled the very
first car off the assembly line and put it in the lobby where it is today.
They tell me they do that with every model change. Just wondering. I was 20
when they came out but I don't remember much about their introduction all I
knew it didn't have a V8 in it so it wasn't much of a car.
>
Terry
>
>
>
>
> ____________ _________
_________ __
> From: uneedittwo48239 <uneedittwo48239@
...>
> To: BaadAssGremlins@
yahoogroups. com
> Sent: Fri, March 12, 2010 1:01:03 PM
>
Subject: [BaadAssGremlins] Re: teages first gremlin pilot car 360 grrremlin
feb 1970... [3 Attachments
>
> Â
> hi yes i
realize the vin said 6 cly this was a pilot car teage built like the amx
pilot cars i dont know of any gremlins with a February build date also the
engineers and people working on the car in Michigan the painter and builder
both live in farmington hills Michigan this is a well known and documented
car here, he has had several high dollar offers on this car above a shelby
needing restored way out of my range thats why i cloned it the car it was
suppose to go to the crusher with the other pilot cars teage was able to get
a few out like the amx3s i remember the amx 3 sitting in mr vilands driveway
while he worked out the overheating problems
>
> --- In
BaadAssGremlins@ yahoogroups. com, "Tim" <timkott@ > wrote:
>
>
> > The Vin says its a 1970 232 automatic column shift, number
213179 produced in kenosha
> >
> > --- In
BaadAssGremlins@ yahoogroups. com, "uneedittwo48239" <uneedittwo48239@
> wrote:
> > >
> > > http://groups. yahoo.com/
group/BaadAssGre mlins/photos/ album/2014499344 /pic/list?
mode=tn&order= ordinal&start= 1&count=20& dir=asc
>
> >
> > > --- In BaadAssGremlins@ yahoogroups. com,
"uneedittwo48239" <uneedittwo48239@ > wrote:
> > >
>
> > > > hi yes there is 2 pages under grrremlin currant
pics are second page
> > > >
> > > > --- In
BaadAssGremlins@ yahoogroups. com, Davis Martin <martin-davis@ >
wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Yes that
sounds like a Great story! Its really nice that you shared it with us. That
would be an awsome gremlin to own! I can understand why they owner wouldnt
sell it back but whats he plan to do with the car... Get to it "some
Day"?
> > > > >  Great pics of the car then....
how bout some pics of it now? of your clone?
> > > > >
 Davis
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > >
> > ____________ _________ _________ __
> > > > >
From: "Plumpy72@" <Plumpy72@>
> > > > > To:
BaadAssGremlins@ yahoogroups. com
> > > > > Sent: Thu,
March 11, 2010 8:36:01 PM
> > > > > Subject: Re:
[BaadAssGremlins] teages first gremlin pilot car 360 grrremlin feb 1970..
[3 Attachments
> > > > >
> > > > >
ÂÂ
> > > > > Thanks for sharing the photos of the
Grrremlin. I would have never known of of this car if it
hadn't been for this.
> > > > >
> > > >
> It must have been a wicked ride........ ..
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Rick
Sipole
> > > > > Southeast Texas
> > > >
> 1972 Gremlin
> > > > > 401/Turbo 400ÂÂ
>
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
>
> > > > >
> > > > >
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > From:
phillip nicholas <uneedittwo48239@ yahoo.com>
> > > > > To:
BaadAssGremlins@ yahoogroups. com
> > > > > Sent: Thu, Mar
11, 2010 2:42 pm
> > > > > Subject: Re: [BaadAssGremlins]
teages first gremlin pilot car 360 grrremlin feb 1970.. [3
Attachments]
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > ÂÂ
> > > > >
[Attachment( s) from phillip nicholas included below]
> > >
> >
> > > > >
> > > > > --- On
Thu, 3/11/10, baadass73gremlin@ aol.com <baadass73gremlin@ aol.com> wrote:
>
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> >From: baadass73gremlin@ aol.com <baadass73gremlin@
aol.com>
> > > > > >Subject: Re: [BaadAssGremlins]
teages first gremlin pilot car 360 grrremlin feb 1970...
> > >
> > >To: BaadAssGremlins@ yahoogroups. com
> > > >
> >Date: Thursday, March 11, 2010, 3:26 PM
> > > > >
>
> > > > > >
> > > > >
>ÂÂ
> > > > > >You have any pics? if you
can't post them please send them to BaadAss73Gremlin@ aol.com and I'll post
them for you.
> > > > > >Bart
> > > >
> >
> > > > > >In a message dated 3/11/2010
1:32:20 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, uneedittwo48239@ yahoo.com
writes:
> > > > > >ÂÂ
> > > >
> >>that i know of this was the first gremlin made and the only one
that came with a v8 360 race block for 1970 build, date feb for teage to
drive it had machine heads and intake a/c power steering and larger front
disc brakes but not power , 308 dana that later was changed to a 444 gear
toms viland dad was freinds and worked with teage the car was to go to the
crusher but got reprieved because tom asked for it or 2nd choice a machine ,
there are pics of the car in its currant state i took today also pics of it
at the plant on plymouth road in michigan also the car had hand made letters
grrr-emlin that were glue on, a trans am steering wheel i put a 401 4 speed
in it around 1977 also was a pace car at mis it has a 1 off hood scoop and
head liner a hornet dash cluster and tac hornet hood ,race car gas cap
hornet hood side winder pipes 4 mufflers and was very fast came out of the
hole straight i got married and had to sell i could not drive that
car
> sane we
> > > > > are aloud 12 points in
michigan i had 22 point i have owned over 200 cars in my life and had more
fun with that car than any of them that why i cloned it
> > >
> > >>
> > > > > >>
> > >
> >
> > > >
> > >
>
>
>
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