Re: [BaadAssGremlins] re: Kids and Ramblers (long!)

Just my2 cents worth I think the reason a lot of adults as well as kids don't get into AMC's especially the Gremlin's, Hornets and Ramblers is the lack of places to buy parts especially body parts. . I have talk to a lot of guys who said they found a cheap AMC and thought this would be a good project for my kid. Then they start looking for sources of parts for them and seeing what few sources there are they pass on them. Then the number of people that buy one because it was cheap then start working on them and give up because it is too much trouble finding parts. I was parked next to a guy with a 57 Pontiac and ask him how hard it was to find parts for it. He open his trunk and handed me three catalogs with ever part you wanted for it. Ask the same question to a guy about an original Model T pick up. He said he can get every part on the car in 24 hours. If you want a 1964 Thu I think 73 Mustang there is a local guy here that has ever part you want and 99% of them are in stock. For a price he will be glad to put them on for you. Then if you want a brand new 64-73 give him 8 weeks and he will deliver you one made from the parts in his shop. He will guarantee you that every bolt, nut and piece of wire in the car is exactly like an original if you can find one that isn't he will buy the car back from you and give you a 25% bonus. Now you tell me where do I buy that new hood, fender bumper, gas tank and you name it for my 78Gremlin. You look like hell for it on the internet and pray that it is better than the one you took off after you get it.

Terry

From: Eddie Stakes <eddiestakes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: amc-list@xxxxxxxxxxxx; baadassGremlins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thu, March 24, 2011 7:33:56 PM
Subject: [BaadAssGremlins] re: Kids and Ramblers (long!)

Interesting thread. There are a lot of factors here though. With economy the way it has
been for 3-4 years, there are lots of teacher layoffs and programs. Just today here in
Texas $170 cut from schools so maybe 1000 teachers let go in Houston alone, the largest
school disctrict in state. With that comes cuts in programs like body shop, band, and so
forth, so kids can't learn welding, paint and body and other things that would expose them
to a possible career.

"64 Classic hardtop is STILL cheaper than a 64 Chevelle HT" true but if you want to be
"hip & cool" the Rambler loses hands down to most (not all thank God) kids.

"Rambler running around with a "foreign" drivetrain than crushed anyway. At least it will
be around for parts one day!" Agreed at least on this end as I watched 11,000 AMCs and
Rambler crushed in Houston pick a parts www.houstonpickapart.com in 80s/90s/00s
until....there is nothing in these self serve wrecking yards anymore, period. I was
usually only person between a AMC anything and Houston police storage lot, public auction,
but no one bid on the cars, and many times I ended up with more than could chew...but the
cars go instantly to pick a part if no one bid on them.

And no one did either, thousands of Spirits, Gremlins, Hornets, Ramblers, Eagles, even
Javelins, Ambassadors, Rebels, zero interest back then. One of the oldest files on my site
is about 'altered amcs'

http://www.planethoustonamx.com/stuff/altered_amcs.htm

Depressing that file is Yoda. So why now? What is to motivate younger people to go out and
buy a Rambler or AMC anything? Price? Montoni mentioned the Pie In Sky 304 Hornet in DC
for sale. Would not be worth $30,000 in ten lifetimes even if Shirley McLaine. But a kid
(using that term lightly, let's say someone 13-16) would look at that car and wonder where
they would get ANYTHING in a 'instant information' age. Where would they find a bumper?
Sheetmetal? Door glass? Most of the drivetrain easily found at any auto parts stores, but
finding some obsolete stuff weighs heavily onto decision as to buy or pass. Or dad's
decision to buy or pass!

On the other hand there are tons of new things coming into the hobby daily as technology
continues to improve. How about those new simulated exhaust rocker panels for 68-74
Javelin or 70 AMX?

http://www.planethoustonamx.com/restoration/new-amc-simulated-mod-rockers.htm

who would have thought it, and can be used to 'soup up' a otherwise stodgy Gremlin or
Hornet with the 70 AMX type. Some vendors have made weatherstrips no one else would do,
for Rambler models. But the "bread & butter" AMCs have always been a tough sell, they were
marketed towards certain groups, and (my opinion) hard to get excited about something
grandma bought new like 4 door Classic or Matador wagon. We think all of them are cool,
but huge chasm of opinions and age. And if they do take risk and 'fix up' a AMC, how many
times have you seen people lambast them with critisism that it is 'not stock'? Most of
those doing critiques of what is stock have never restored a car or have yard full of
rotting sh*t anyways. So no win. In internet age they join free online AMC site(s) only to
leave out of disgust with arguing, bickering, bitching, and somone diss their ride eh?

I think kids, or younger individuals should be encouraged to build it they way they see
fit, with what is out there in 2011. And you have to remember most of them do NOT have
deep pockets to drop say, $275 on new Air Gap for instance. Or $3000 on chrome swangas.
Many of them don't even have spare change for dues to national club, it is a expense. So
they hit local cruise nights and shows to show off their "work". Good for them.

Are there affordable Ramblers & AMCs out there? Of course there is. But again, even safety
comes into question in days of air bags and anti lock brakes. Mom & pop who might bore
brunt of any fix up look at this angle, take it from someone who is on the last of 7 kids
and 367 AMCs later:

http://www.planethoustonamx.com/Photo_Gallery_AMC/winter2011.jpg

safety is a issue. There is lots more here we haven't had time to touch on nor bothered
with. Invisible marque comes to mind too. So does dwindling 'common' items like brake
parts or engine items.

Not sure who wrote this as have not been totally following this thread:

"All true, however......
The problem with kids is they have a very short attention span. We all did as kids but it
seems to get worse now that kids have instant gratifiction with all this computer garbage.
How that relates to the AMC world is there are no "kits" to drop in that 750 Ci, 30,000HP
crate motor that is in every car featured in every magazine. When you tell the average kid
that he will have to do some metal fabbing, welding, measuring, figuring, etc, well his
eyes start to glaze, he scratches his head and plugs in his Iphone.
I may be painting todays kid with a broad brush but I talk to kids and they all want to
buy the stuuf and bolt it in. You can't do that with our Ramblers. You need to stay in the
family in order to "bolt things together" and there is not enough AMC flash featured in
the magazines. And kids love flash. CC tossed us a bone, thanks for that, but they are
back to featuring Camaros and Cudas.
I don't see kids learning to weld and fab. Back in "the day" we had to scramble over each
other to get into the shops in school. We leaned over a fender watching our neighbor tune
his car or pull the head to do a valve job.
No. I see our Ramlers in the near future being tossed in the heap, if they aren't already,
and forgotten as legislation against home car repairs and modification ?marches on,
crusher laws expand and gated communities continue their oppression.
This may sound just like a grouchy old man telling kids what it was like back in my time,
but I have been seeing this for a few years and it just gets worse. That said, anyone have
a 327 4 barrel manifold.......Russ?. "

Well yes and no, yes, in a time when many people can't spell "AMC" or text "AMC" it's up
to those who do own them to educate them. And let them know that even when new, the cars
were different. Unique. And collectible. And that while some are rare, rarity does not
equate market value with AMC; that 72 Matador Z code 401 2door in Matador Red for $800 for
sale recently (only 71 2dr 72 Matadors made with 401, this is probably only in existance)
comes to mind. Still should not be a deterrent though to someone wanting to 'fix up a old
car' though. Yes, the easy to get, bolt in, "popular" cars people may remember will still
get fixed up, but where is the challenge in that? I tell people *DAILY* 1/2 the fun of
owning these old cars is playing Where's Waldo on finding parts!

March 23rd: "Hi Eddie, Would you happen to have a speedo cable for an 81 Eagle wagon 6 cyl
(probably all the same)."
March 23rd: " Eddie, Do you know where I could locate a dash pad for a 1977 Pacer? I have
looked everywhere and can't seem to locate anything. Thank you, Ivan Ogburn, Seabrook, TX"
March 24th: " Can you tell me if the lower grille support is the same for a 1969 and 1970
javelin. Do you have an guess on how many 1970 big bad greens were made with green
interior? Thanks for your time, Wayne B."
March 22nd: "Dear Friend, This message might meet you in utmost surprise; however, it's
just my urgent need for foreign partner that made me to contact you for this transaction.
I am a banker by profession from Ghana"
Oops, sorry one of my immensely wealthy nigerian friends who wish to share their untold
riches with me.
March 22nd: "Do you have the tube that connects the filter to the carb that is missing in
this pic? (Or a new filter housing that fits right?)
This is a 1976 AMC Pacer."
March 22nd: "Dear Mr. Stakes, Hi, my name is Rex, how are you? I was recommended to you
and your website in regards to finding pacer parts. There are certainly couple things I am
planning to find, but first this 14" x 6" 5-spoke alloy wheel is a must-start. I have
spent a good day going thru google, local classified ads, craigslists, eBay, amazon,
theamcforum, and I ended at your site. You are quite famous among AMC lovers in America!
Please let me know. Thanks. Regards, Rex."
March 22nd: "Iam looking for a 1976 Gremlin locking gas cap. Any suggestions or do you
have one?"
March 23rd: "Looking for Driver and passenger side lens. Not sure if this is a one piece
or 3 separate. Haven't had a chance to take it apart. Also looking for a Front Grill same
car 1968 Rebel; Kind Regards MIKE M"
March 22nd: "Hey Eddie, Just wanted to pass along this picture of my freshly restored 1968
Ambassador. It's ready to hit all the Summer shows! I like to think it has the Spirit of
the original Machine prototype! Feel free to post it on your site, that is, if the AMX
guys don't mind... HAHAHA...Thanks for looking...Dustin S."

20-50 emails a day it is relentless. And one day one of my wealthy nigerian friends will
send me that $55 million. But above is a tiny, and I do mean tiny, fraction of emails I
just culled from my replies. Not one is a what we call "collectible" AMC except the
Javelin.

How many are kids? Why are they fixing up these cars? Do you care? And should you? Will
they join a club? Will you see these people at a mixed make cruise night or show? Or run
into them at a bona fide AMC Regional or National event? Congratulate them on job well
done on a seldom seen (or common) model? Or point out unsolicited and 9UNWANTED) comments
like you some sort of damned judge or pro that might discourage them from ever bringing it
out again or go buy brand x? Or maybe offer them support and encouragement to take the car
to
another level?

We have had this conversation before on the old amc-list in I believe 1998 or so. That was
13 years ago. Some of us are older now (I'll be 52 Saturday March 26th, send your NOS uh,
donations in now) and many may or may not be wiser. But getting youngsters interested in
old cars, any old cars is a real task in age of instant gratification with texts, cells
and more (is it restored yet?) and those folks, like it or not, are future of the whole
old car hobby.

And from what I experience DAILY in hurricane of emails and phone calls.....

I think we all in good hands.
Eddie Stakes
713.464.8825
eddiestakes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.planethoustonamx.com