1977 AMC Pacer

DL Wagon

258 Inline 6 cylinder

Automatic 3 Speed Chrysler A904

A8A687C363972

Clear

Gasoline

For your bidding pleasure, we offer a 1977 AMC Pacer Wagon DL. It comes equipped with the 4.2L 2 BL 6 Cylinder 258C engine and the 3 Speed Automatic Chrysler A904 transmission. It is the Garth Mobile, just waiting to happen. A little blue paint and some flames and Wam! You could roll around town with the windows down blaring Bohemian Rhapsody while singing along as loud as you can. Rock On! This car is need of restoration. The Good: The engine is in great shape, runs like a top. The body is tight and pretty straight. I have replaced the intake and manifold gaskets, as well as the carburetor gasket. All of the vacuum lines have been replaced, the master brake cylinder was replaced. It has a new fuel pump and filter. It got new spark plugs, wires, distributor and rotor button. New air filter. Tires are two years old. New EGR? valve. New battery. I have most of the chrome trim pieces but some are missing. The Bad: The dash lights do not work. The gear indicator does not work. The interior door handles are broken. The paint job is possibly the worst I have ever seen. The car was originally yellow. The previous owner painted the car black, without even sanding it down or applying a coat of primer or any other type of preparation. The brakes need to be serviced. The windshield has a very unique circular shaped crack in it, and therefore needs to be replaced. The interior will need to be restored, especially the carpet and the front seats. The Ugly: The transmission, has issues with the forward gears only. Reverse works perfectly. I am not 100% on the actual problem. I have been told that its just the torque converter, because it only slips sometimes. I have also been told that it needs to be rebuilt, by a different technician. I was then told by a family friend, also a transmission technician, that it would be cheaper to just replace it with a salvage unit. This is a cool little car, a real head turner. It has been dubbed the George Jetson Mobile, The Midget Hurst, The Mini Bat Mobile, and The Garth Mobile, just to name a few. The body is in really good shape, with the exception of a few small dents in the tailgate, some surface rust on the rear bumper and some rust damage in the drivers side floorboard. The car has 85,326 original miles on the odometer. The 258 inline 6 cylinder is unbelievably powerful. Reviews A 2005 Hemmings Classic Car magazine article said that in 1975 the Pacer was "sleek" and "audacious"; "it looked like the car of the future" and "the automotive press loved it."[49] Motor Trend magazine, one of many that pictured the car on the cover, said it was "the most creative, most people oriented auto born in the U.S. in 15 years".[50] Consumer Reports said the Pacer "scored quite high in our tests. We would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone who wants a fairly small car."[51] The report concluded that the Pacer did "at least as well as the Dodge Dart, the Plymouth Valiant, and the Chevrolet Nova, the U.S. compacts we like best," and that "overall, the Pacer scored better than such domestic subcompacts as the Ford Pinto, the Chevrolet Vega, and AMC’s own Gremlin." Small Cars magazine noted that "admiration was an obvious reaction" at the press preview, and that "the knowledgeable product writers knew without being told that they were privileged to be there to see something new in automobile design."[49] Road & Track ran a cover story with design and engineering details.[52] Michael Lamm, writing in Popular Mechanics, commented on many "thoughtful touches that distinguish AMC's strikingly futuristic new Pacer".[53] He said the ride was “not choppy as in so many short-wheelbase cars”, the rack-and-pinion steering gave "handling a feeling of precision ... sticking well in turns, with hard cornering generally solid and predictable”, the “tight turning radius" made parking "easy”, and the steering wheel was too big.[53] Summing up, he said that with its "very modern styling, ample power and generous interior" the Pacer was "more car" than "the Mustang II or "GM’s sporty compacts (Monza, Skyhawk/Starfire)", and that its performance felt "strong—certainly on a par with most V8s."[53] Don Sherman wrote in the February 1975 issue of Car and Driver that it was "our first real urban transporter...There is, of course, the chance of monumental failure; it might be another Tucker ahead of its time or a pariah like the Marlin. But...with its high priority on comfortable and efficient travel and absence of Mach 2 styling, [it] at least seems right for the current state of duress. Consider this bold offering from AMC a test: Are we buying cars for transportation yet, or are they still social props?"[10] The April 1975, Road & Track road test described the Pacer's appearance as "bold, clean and unique...even when it's going 60 mph is looks as if it's standing still..." but noted that, even with the test car's optional front disc brakes, "in the usual panic-stop tests...our driver had one of his most anxious moments ever as the Pacer screeched, skidded and demanded expert attention at the steering wheel to keep from going altogether out of control. The histrionics are reflected in long stopping distances from highway speeds... [The car’s] engineering—old-fashioned and unimaginative in the extreme—does not match the perky design", which the magazine declared "most attractive to look at and pleasant to sit in."[54] 1975 Pacer X In a follow-up road test in August 1976, Motor Trend wrote: "Since its introduction in January 1975, we have been quite smitten with AMC’s Pacer."[55] The magazine criticized the performance and the absence of a 4-speed transmission. A 2-barrel carburetor was offered on the larger six at the end of 1975, as well as a 4-speed manual, but the testers noted that although "the 2-bbl Pacer was faster than the 1-bbl car by a fair margin, it did not 'feel' faster" (author's emphasis).[55] They commended the car's comfort: "Even with its compact exterior dimensions, the Pacer is one of the most comfortable 4-passenger cars around...The wide bucket seats were firm, but very comfortable...Front passenger leg room is extraordinary even with the seat racked well forward, and the rear seat leg room exceeds such full-sizers as the Buick Riviera and Continental Mark IV."[55] The British press was critical, and the cover of The Motor, a weekly automobile magazine, stated: "We test the Pacer - and wish we hadn't."[46] Popular Mechanics described the newly added 1977 Station Wagon body style as a "Styling Coup", and said: "who needs the coupe!"[56] By 1978 the luster had worn off the design, and as more sophisticated competitors were introduced the press began criticizing the lack of power and performance.[49] Collectibility Now old enough to be a "classic car", the Pacer has come to be regarded in some quarters as a 1970s design icon.[57] According to Business Week, the 1970s were "infamous for disco, Watergate and some of the ugliest cars ever."[58] Most cars in the U.S. from the early 1970s are noted more for their power than their styling, but they even lost their power by the late-1970.[59] Many automobiles began to lose their character and looked the same across brands and automakers, as well as focusing on "luxury" features such as vinyl roofs and non-functional opera windows.[59] The "roly-poly" Pacer was one of the few of that era that had "real personalities" and it embodies a sense of "artful desperation" making it "stand out from the crowd and epitomize at once the best and worst of the seventies."[59] Nevertheless, in spite of their bad reputations, cars of the 1970s era such as the Pacer are becoming collectors' items.[58] Business Week reported that the rising values of so-called "nerd cars"[60] - ugly 1970s-era cars[61] - prompted the CEO of a major collector-car insurance company[62] to buy a Pacer[58] which has "inexplicably appreciated substantially beyond the $2,300 that he paid for it in 2004."[61] In 2002 he said: "In what can sometimes be a sea of automotive sameness, the AMC Pacer continues to turn heads even today",[63] and he put the value of a "mint Pacer" at "between $4000 and $6000", saying that "the increased value is fueled solely by the heart. The Pacer has been described as one of the formerly unloved cars from the 1970s that are enjoying a resurgence in both collectibility and auto restoration — especially among fans of cars from that era.[64] The Pacer is one of several 1970s cars that were always thought of as cheap vehicles; therefore they were poorly maintained, which reduced their life expectancy.[64] Also the heavy engines used in the car put more load on the front suspension than intended, which caused the rack & pinion steering to fail frequently on Pacers built in 1975.[46][57] One collector-car expert says you will pay just about the same, around $20,000, for a complete restoration, whether it’s on a $1,000 1978 AMC Pacer or a $5,000 1969 Chevrolet Camaro. When restored, the value of the Pacer may be about $4,000, compared with the Camaro’s $25,000.[65] Today the Pacer's originality, as well as its deficiencies, are appreciated, if not loved, by car hobbyists and serious collectors alike.[60][63][66] Although "automotive oddity" is a recognition that the Pacer gets for its contribution to history, some owners appreciate them and have also upgraded them with the modern AMC 4.0 Jeep engine as a "low-buck, dare to be different" automobile.[67] Use in media Since being classified as a "classic car", the Pacer has seen numerous appearances in movies and television programs. In the 1995 Disney comedy, A Goofy Movie, the lead character drives a 1978 Pacer which is painted yellow. In Disney Pixar's Cars 2, Acer is a green 1975 Pacer, with plate FSHBWL being a reference to "fish bowl". In Mike Myers' first film, 1992's Wayne's World, the lead characters, Wayne and Garth are usually seen driving a 1976 model which is painted a sky blue color with flames painted on the sides. The characters in the film refer to it as the "Mirthmobile". In Nickelodeon's film, Good Burger, the film's protagonist, Ed drives a light blue, slightly modified 1976 model which he uses throughout the film's duration (especially during deliveries), the modified vehicle is called the "Burgermobile" and has a large burger mounted on the front bumper (causing the driver not to see where he/she is going), French fry windshield wipers, and 2 neon arrows on either side, the company's name is mounted to the roof in a theater marquee style, and the radio antenna has a plastic cup with the company's name on it. On the FOX Network situation comedy, Raising Hope, Frank drives a 1975 Pacer, sporting a red paint job. The Pacer (among other vehicles) appears in several background shots in the 1990 fantasy film, Edward Scissorhands. In Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and Damned, a modified variation of the Pacer appears as a drivable vehicle. It's named the "Rhapsody", a reference to the 1992 film Wayne's World. Ownership support The classic vehicle publication Hemmings Motor News lists AMC clubs[68] with over fifty national and regional AMC automobile clubs as of 16 April 2009. Pacers share the drivetrain as well as other parts and components with other AMC models, while new old stock (NOS), used, and reproduction parts are available from vendors specializing in AMC vehicles.[69] If you have any questions please contact me before you bid. I do not offer a return policy, simply because I am a person to person seller, not one of the huge sellers on here. I will leave positive feedback as soon as I receive your payment. Immediate payment is requested and preferred. Paypal only. I try to thoroughly describe the items that I am selling, to the best of my, as well as Google machine's knowledge. Thank you for looking and happy bidding! UPDATE! I have decided that I will deliver this car, within the Continental United States ONLY. The terms and conditions are as follows:1. The buyer will pay all expenses, such as Gas, rental of a car dolly from 38834 to the U-Haul rental business nearest your destination, Hotel expenses (single room) if needed for long distance delivery. TO AND FROM. 2. Buyer will pay an additional NON-REFUNDABLE $500.00 delivery fee, before vehicle will be delivered. 3. If you choose this option, you must contact me, message me through Ebay and I will give you my telephone number, before you pay the $500.00 deposit at the end of the auction. This way I can change the amount to $1000.00 USD. 4. Buyer will agree, by accepting these terms and conditions, that THE SALE IS FINAL. SERIOUS BUYERS ONLY. I will only be able to deliver over the weekend, preferably the weekend immediately following the end of this auction. On Feb-01-13 at 04:33:47 PST, seller added the following information: This really is a great deal on this car. It really is a great little car. It is drivable but the transmission is not functioning properly and the brakes squeak. My Wife and I really love this old car but can not afford to finish the restoration. The mechanical parts are really easy to find. Just go to your local parts store and they'll have them because the parts were used on so many different types of vehicles. The cosmetic parts are not as easy to find but they are out there.