The Unfortunate History of the AMC Pacer

[philr]

Edsel Pacer-Citation, AMC Pacer, Chevy Citation...!

When I was 3-4 years old, my aunt had a 1975 or 1976 Pacer D/L. If I remember well, she complained about the accelerator or steering being very stiff. I really liked it's wheels (it had the optional road wheels) and the nice grille. 

 

Her next car was not a Chevy Citation but close... A 1980 <span style="font-size: 10pt;">TIAC PHOENIX</span> (the "<span style="font-size: 10pt;">PON</span>" from the <span style="font-size: 10pt;">PONTIAC</span> emblem on the hatch was gone and the whole emblem at the front was gone too, leaving some shinier paint on the hood where it used to be!). It was a 4 door with a 2.8 V6... She sent it to the junkyard in the summer of 1988 with a tired smoking motor, bad automatic transmission and bad body (water was leaking on the front seat from the rusted/cracked seam on the driver's side A-pillar and the floor pans needed major repairs when the car was just 5-6 years old!). At least, she had a garage to cover the car when it rained!  

 

Before the Pacer, she had a Chevy Vega, I don't remember that one... 

 

[stricklybojack]

My contribution..

.
to all discussions Pacer will always be this remembrance as a child of the 70's..

 

[stricklybojack]

One more time..

.
Abbodanza!

 

[washabear]

I enjoyed watching that; thanks for posting.

I never knew anyone who had a Pacer, although I did have a friend who had a Gremlin in the late 1970s, but I don't remember having much of an impression of it in any way.

My best memory of the Pacer was from the movie Eyes of Laura Mars, in which Faye Dunaway was shown driving one. It seemed funny that the Pacer was chosen as the car for her to drive in the movie, as her character was supposed to be an affluent, sophisticated avant garde photographer type thing. I always remember wondering about that detail.

 

[blackstone]

Back to the Yugo...

Why does a Yugo have a rear window defroster?

To keep your hands warm as you push it.

 

[ea56]

When I visited Santa Barbara in 1983 I saw Burl Ives driving a silver Pacer near Montecito. I was surprised to see a celebrity driving a Pacer. But thinking back, I don't know why this was a surprise, as I also once saw Fred MacMurray driving an old beat up tan Volkswagon Squareback (he was also not wearing his toupee) near his ranch on the Russian River. I can only surmise that they felt non discript autos allowed them to be incongetio.

 

[a440]

Pacer Story for 1978

You could fit a washer in this sucker with no issues!

 

 

[a440]

1980 -- Last of the Pacer

Look at the seats!  Total Comfort...while your world was falling apart around you?

 

 

[a440]

Way back when cars sounded like cars.

 

 

[rapunzel]

The Pacer was America's answer to Europe's small cars. I loved them for their unconventional and totally American look and sound; and they came in 15 colors - imagine that! Super cool.

 

[tolivac]

Fascinating videos about the Pacer-remember those from the 70's-Too me they looked like some sort of divers helmet.Didn't own a car in those days-since I lived in Wash DC rode the buses,subway,and trains to get where I needed to gccasionally rode a cab.

 

[iheartmaytag]

My High School drama teacher had a Pacer for her commuter car. She commuted 40 miles one way a day. She said she bought it because it was a safe car.

The kids at school called it her pregnant roller skate.

 

[kenwashesmonday]

Nice that people can see the real Pacer story, excellent video.

I drove AMC cars for 33 years and find them to be quite durable. Never had to retire one that had less than 200,000 miles, except the last one, a 1965 American, which was retired due to 47 salty New Jersey winters finally eating it away.

AMC pioneered many things that all automakers use today, like unibody construction, one piece door openings, and if you look at a Pacer you'll notice it has no rain gutters, the doors go into the roof, just like most new cars today.

Much innovation came from the independent automakers, and they were the last independent we had.

Ken D.
[this post was last edited: 5/11/2015-11:26]

 

[scoots]

Fred MacMurray's VW

I was so curious to see Fred MacMurray's volkswagen, I Googled it... as it turns out it's still in existanice. Here's a link...

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?4058857-1969-Squareback-Beautifull!

 

[pumper]

Made in my hometown of Kenosha WI where I currently live. Our only brand new car when I was growing up was a '69 Rambler American. My Dad bought me my first car in 1976, a '75 Gremlin X. I've also had a '71 Ambassador station wagon, a '73 Matador and an '80 Concord. The Concord was junk but I'd give anything to have my Gremlin back. This photo shows the AMC plant from 52nd St in Kenosha on the right. There were two huge AMC plants in town, the old Simmon's factory at the lakefront and this one.

 

[ea56]

Its nice to see that someone has preserved Fred MacMurray's VW Squareback, but I can assure you when I saw him driving it, it didn't look anything like this pristine example. It was the original Tan paint and REALLY dirty and somewhat ratty looking. I saw him driving it in 1976 or 77 during our last drought. It was on Wohler Rd. near the old Gay nude beach, which was very close to his ranch. I think to him this car was just a way to get from point A to point B.

 

[petek]

Enjoyable video even though I was never an AMC fan. I couldn't see past the odd factor in their designs and at that time when they were new I was more interested in the big boats. 

 

[a440]

~Pumper

Thanks for the memories Pumper!

One of my aunts had a Gremlin that she drove for about 12 years.  I have such great memories riding in that car.  She was a fun aunt to grow up with!

One of my memories entailed the A/C controls.  I never had the nerve to do it but....  on the cool selection there was a selection if you turned the knob all the way to the right that was "desert only".  I wanted to so bad to know what that would do.  I asked my aunt and she told me to never turn it to that position.

Can you answer the question for me?  What did "Desert Only" mean?  As I kid had all types of imaginations through my head.  Ice would fly out?  We would all freeze to death in a short time?  LOL!  What did this control point mean as far as the A/C controls?

Thanks Pumper!

Brent

 

[tolivac]

Remember as a child our parents drove us to various places and to our summer camp cottage in a Rambler station wagen.At that time a good "soccer Mom" car?Then later the Rambler was replaced with an International Travelall-Us kids called it the "Uglyall"But it was a another good "soccer Mom" car for that time.Despite its ugly looks and wimpy 4 cyl motor the thing did the job.Guess that car could also be considered an early SUV?It could go off road rather well.

 

[whirlcool]

I think the "Desert Only" put the compressor into constant run mode for maximum cooling. Due to the low humidity in desert areas freezing up of the condenser was not an issue. In more humid climates it was. Most people took the warning a little stronger than was meant. If the condenser freezes up, the flow of air to the cabin vents is reduced considerably until the condenser unfreezes.