Somewhere on my site is one of the oldest files, posibly 'altered amcs' don't remember but
from late 1980s and my fear(s) of AMC becoming a 'invisible marque'. With millions made
who will remember? Used to be you could drive around Kenosha for hours and AMCs at
shopping centers, Andys, outlet mall, Brewmasters and most of all, in driveways and parked
on street. Even used to see many of them rolling around in Houston. No more though. Hard
pressed to see any AMC on streets of Kenosha, much less at cruise nights and car shows.
There used to be huge Prince's Drive Inn Friday night cruise night here in Houston, slow
night was 100 cars, large night upwards of 500 cars, of which many had to park block away
at Sears downtown. I was usually the only stray AMC there with a AMX or Rebel or Javelin.
This was in the 1980s and 90s! A similiar huge cruise night was the FM1960 Street Meet
held somewhere along FM1960 in north Houston, sometimes WalMart parking lot, other times
at Kuykendahl club, it moved around as it continued to grow. Same thing, usually lone AMC
in sea of brand x cars.
Not whining, as when you consider how much a certain car production was to say brand x, we
are usually on low end, even with high production cars like Gremlin or Rambler. Still, a
two edged sword here, good is that with you usually being lone AMC, your car garners more
attention simply because it ain't a cookie cutter Mustang or another recycled Challenger
or Camaro. Bad is, well it would be nice to have a few AMCs at local cruise nights,
whether it is at Sonic or something like the huge meet mentioned here....
Might be why I continue to drive AMC vehicles in 2011. They still get lots of positive
comments, cell phone photos, thumbs up and waves. Yesterday I went to Jason's Deli on I-10
and came out and several people admiring the 74 Hornet Sportabout, and offered me $1000
for it, I told them thanks but no thanks, but they really liked the car even though they
didn't know what 'American Motors' was or 'who made american motors'.
Sigh. As time goes on. When was last time you saw a Studebaker on road, and there were
millions of those made? Enjoy your cars as much as possible as one day they will belong to
someone else so enjoy them while in your possession.
Eddie Stakes
713.464.8825
eddiestakes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.planethoustonamx.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "gremlin_corvette_guy" <gremlin_corvette_guy@xxxxxxxxx>
> Did Woodward Dream Cruise Friday night and most of morning Saturday. 40,000 classic cars
> (over 1 million spectators along 16 mile route) and of all the 40K cars, just 2 - count
> them - two AMC Gremlins. My 1973 Maxi Blue X and a guy from Ontario Canada with an
> Orange 1976 base model with X stripe kit. BTW also saw one Pacer. Goes to show that
> either AMC is becoming less desirable on the cruisin' scene or I really have one hot,
> rare collectible.
> Amazing to me and my wife - most frequent comment (after of course, "Sharp Gremlin or
> cool car") - "I used to have one of those." If so where the hell did they all disappear
> to??? 2 divided by 40,000 is a very small percentage indeed. Glad I own several. Hang
> onto to yours guys.
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