"At the same time, he (the car buyer) wants to be treated like a individual and stand out
from the crowd."
"The car (supercar) buyer is usually young, relatively affluent and has a 'critical
awareness' of exterior styling."
R. W. McNealy, Vice President of AMC Marketing in October 1969 about American Motors new
Rebel Machine.
Hmm....someone just mentioned standing out from crowd, Rambler or anything AMC will do it.
Remember the 'invisible marque' comments from over 20 years ago? It's almost true. With
exception of occasional tidbits in mixed make magazines such as the Car Craft mag, or
Hemmings Muscle, Muscle Car Review, Old Cars Weekly, to name a handful, AMC would not get
any exposure with only the national clubs that remain and Franks AIM magazine I would
guess. How many of you subscribe to any or all of them? It's a good place to start with
younglings who are mite impressionable at that
age. Sure, it is probably more fun to pick
up a Super Chevy magazine with 454 rat something on cover at Wallyworld, but like the
poster of Lara Croft on the wall, it won't happen.
Last weekend there was really big swap meet at Traders Village in Houston, on any given
weekend there is 10,000+ pass thru gates.
http://tradersvillage.com/houstonGood sized swap meet, even with mediocre economy here, seemed to be more lookers than
buyers of parts though. Kids more interested in the actual swap meet, not auto part of
swap meet it seemed. In regular rows of swap meet you can find anything and everything
from unlocked cell phones, to fake IDs to pillow pets though.
"Kids and Ramblers? Yep - I know a few kids that like 'em. Having a
place to put them is a different matter."
Something I didn't consider good point! Another good
point is from Terry: "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."
While may or may not be a kid, and I was typing this appeared on my site:
"In need of a 1968 AMC Rebel drivers side fender. Thanks Eddie for the Space ! Nathan
Albertson
brokensylence@xxxxxxxxxxx 541-953-0448 03/24/2011 08:39:24 PM"
Tick tock, tick tock, Terry's point above.
I may add I burned minutes the other day to let this fellow know there was a whole 4 door
68 Rebel that was headed to crusher near him, same 541 area code, for $150. He bought it
and will part it, and hopefully some will benefit from a car no one wanted that was
headed
to crusher due to lack of interest.
And this came in: "What a delight to find your web page. I am from Houston. Born in 1940
and
attended San Jacinto High School and Texas A & M. I lived near OST and Griggs road in SE
Houston. My grandmother lived near Heights Blvd. and 11th Street. My dad lived in Spring
Branch after he divorced my mother. In the 1980's I lived in some town homes near
Hammerly Blvd. and Brittmoore St. I looked up your house on goggle and saw you were
right down the street from
me. My brother lives in Friendswood and next time I am back in Houston I will have to
come see your cars. I owned a 1959 Ambassador, black, I bought in Dallas in 1963. It was
THE FASTEST car I have ever owned. It was a stick with O/D. I don't believe any car could
have caught me. Somewhere I have a picture of me in front of the car taken at a shopping
center at Griggs Road and South Park Blvd. [ now
MLK Blvd.] Enjoyed looking at great
pictures. My aunt who lived in Spring Branch had a Marlin . Jack Isaacson Chattanooga,
TN"
How do you capture that enthusiasm above and bottle it. Obviously some good memories from
old Ramblers there. No longer owns one I guess, but was excited to see something that set
them off on my site. Probably not a kid either, but sure a kid at heart.
Also as I was writing this too came in, not sure how I ended up on their mailing list,
probably because I put them in my AMC LINKS section years ago. Hotrodhotline Newsletter
Roddings Largest Online Magazine HotrodHotLine Newsletter March 24, 2011
Worth reading and maybe some ideas is their Young Rodders section, timing is everything
you know and can't believe this came in while we harping about younglings in the hobby!
http://www.hotrodhotline.com/feature/youngrods/How cool is that. Let's see if some AMCers can post photos of their tribe in there.
Eddie Stakes
713.464.8825
eddiestakes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxwww.planethoustonamx.com
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