AMC-CaminO chech it out !

[AMC-MJ]

AMC Camino:

http://wizbangblue.com/2009/06/30/those ... trucks.php

 

Mike

[Geonovast]

My mom got me a Jeep coffeetable book a few years ago that has pics of that in it. Apparently they made 3 of the Jeep ones... one with a 258, one with a 360, and one just a fiberglass mockup.

[87Warrior]

Holy heck, the Cowboy has Butler County Kansas plates :eek:

[AMC-MJ]

I believe these 2 concept truck's turned into the Comanche . . .

 

Mike

[pingpong]

I have akways thought that AMC was behind the power curve with vehicles. If they would have built them... ppl would have bought them. Look at us with our "car trucks".

[KYMJ]

HornetCowboy.club.com. Would have had to have it's own forum. I like the hornet, but they could have built a more stylish bed for it. One of my favorite cars was a 67 El Camino I rebuilt back in the early 80's.

[AMC-MJ]

I think by this point AMC was pretty well running out of idea's . . . who knows maybe them goofy truck's may have been the goofy thing that saved the company :roll:

 

weirder things have happened but AMC is long gone, and our truck's are now slowly going extinct !

 

Mike

[whowey]

I think by this point AMC was pretty well running out of idea's . . . who knows maybe them goofy truck's may have been the goofy thing that saved the company :roll:

 

weirder things have happened but AMC is long gone, and our truck's are now slowly going extinct !

 

Mike

 

 

Ideas were the one thing that AMC had plenty of....Development money was what they were short on. In 1981 or 1982 the mid-sized Cherokee was first photoed. At that time it was riding on a Hornet/Concord chassis. It was what AMC had in house for testing. They even had the Grand Cherokee on the drawing board when Chrysler took over. But Nash/American and AMC were considered to be more innovative than the big companies.. because they had no other choice.

[Wildman]

I think by this point AMC was pretty well running out of idea's . . . who knows maybe them goofy truck's may have been the goofy thing that saved the company :roll:

 

weirder things have happened but AMC is long gone, and our truck's are now slowly going extinct !

 

Mike

 

 

Ideas were the one thing that AMC had plenty of....Development money was what they were short on. In 1981 or 1982 the mid-sized Cherokee was first photoed. At that time it was riding on a Hornet/Concord chassis. It was what AMC had in house for testing. They even had the Grand Cherokee on the drawing board when Chrysler took over. But Nash/American and AMC were considered to be more innovative than the big companies.. because they had no other choice.

 

:agree:

 

AMC did come out with some off the wall models throughout the 70's, like the "Pacer" and the Gremlin, but the one that really got attention, was the "Eagle" in '79, like at that time, whom would by a car with all-wheel-drive :dunno: Now, look at the big 3, and imports, how many models don't have AWD :hmm:

[jpnjim]

I think by this point AMC was pretty well running out of idea's . . . who knows maybe them goofy truck's may have been the goofy thing that saved the company :roll:

 

weirder things have happened but AMC is long gone, and our truck's are now slowly going extinct !

 

Mike

 

 

Ideas were the one thing that AMC had plenty of....Development money was what they were short on. In 1981 or 1982 the mid-sized Cherokee was first photoed. At that time it was riding on a Hornet/Concord chassis. It was what AMC had in house for testing. They even had the Grand Cherokee on the drawing board when Chrysler took over. But Nash/American and AMC were considered to be more innovative than the big companies.. because they had no other choice.

 

:agree:

 

AMC did come out with some off the wall models throughout the 70's, like the "Pacer" and the Gremlin, but the one that really got attention, was the "Eagle" in '79, like at that time, whom would by a car with all-wheel-drive :dunno: Now, look at the big 3, and imports, how many models don't have AWD :hmm:

 

 

 

I agree with both these last 2 statements, :agree: :agree:

 

and I'll add one,

'Personal Luxury Cars', like the Lexus, Infinity, etc were created by adding luxury options to compact cars

(the cars themselves have grown since their original incarnations, and the 'size' of what we consider compacts has shrunk, so now, a couple decades later Lexus, etc are considered 'midsize' luxury cars).

 

AMC was laughed at when they were the first to load up compact cars (Hornets, rebadged as Concords) with luxobarge power options.

No one else was doing that in 1979.

 

They had done the same with Jeep pickups in the 70's (luxury trucks, who would want that :rotfl2: ), and continued the Kaiser Jeep trend of building luxurious Waggy's (a luxury SUV, what a silly idea :D ).

 

If you want to go back (much) further than that, look to AMC for making seatbelts standard, duel reservoir master cylinders, and being early adopters of tons of other safety innovations the other guys didn't want to bother with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back to the Cowboy,

I have a bunch of pics of it from the Kenosha 2002 (AMC) show (not digi pics tho :( )

I was surprised that the bed was separate from the cab (ala Comanche).

I had originally thought it was one piece (like all the other ElCamino types).

 

I had always liked this build, and really liked it after seeing it up close.

One of the cool things about many of the AMC prototypes is that they ended up in the hands of private collectors, instead of being sent to the scrapyard like most of the Big 3's.

Just another case of being frugal (not destroying the cars) paying dividends decades down the line. :cheers:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lastly,

The Pacer's unique styling was to showcase it's unique powerplant,

a Rotory engine.

But the supplier (GM) pulled the plug on the engine, AMC had no way of continuing development themselves, so, to their credit, they went ahead with their investment in the Pacer anyway.

 

This required them to completely redesigned the engine compartment to swallow the MUCH MUCH larger AMC L6, while keeping the hood short, to match the original concept.

This greatly added weight & complexity to the design, and completely transformed the whole vehicle to something 'else' (a 3200+lb 'compact' car that actually sold very well).

Unique styling allowed the Pacer to carry the company for a few years, till it became old hat, and sales fell off (see: 'New Bug', 'PT Cruizer', etc etc).

 

 

 

AMC rocked,

they listened to their customers, and used innovation & creative design instead of cubic tons of development $$ like the 'other guys'.

[AMC-MJ]

AMX/3:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now that is sweet even ! few where built but not many circulated over sea's 1 or 2 maybe 3 made it here . . .

 

Mike

[whowey]

We had a Hornet Sport Wagon from the mid 70's with an electric locker in the rear end. It had a switch inside the glove box to control it.

 

Lest us not forget that AMC also introduced the first four door compact SUV..and it was built on a unibody....

 

Or the fact they were the first to introduce a truly mid-sized pick-up and the only ones to ever offer a 1 ton payload in a mid-sized truck.

[jpnjim]

AMX/3:

 

 

Now that is sweet even ! few where built but not many circulated over sea's 1 or 2 maybe 3 made it here . . .

 

Mike

 

 

There really needs to be a 'Basking in the afterglow' smilie for after pics like these are posted.

:drool:

[AMC-MJ]

The AMX/2 was AMC's Internal design bureau's entry into the call from AMC for designs for a mid-engined 2-seat sports car. The proto-type made the major shows in 1969 and hardly anyone believed that stodgy old AMC designed it.

This car was found on top of a pole in front of a used car dealership. The car has a fake interior, just two headrests and a section of steering wheel really. The window tint is such that from more than one foot away you can't tell that it isn't a "real" car. This is a real one-of-a kind. The car has recently undergone a full restoration bringing it back to its original beauty and splendor.

It has been too long since we (the AMC community at large) have not had access to this bit of our history.

 

AMX/2:

 

 

One glance at these photographs shows that the car was a stunner--then and now. Designed in late 1968 and much of 1969, its superb proportions complement an interesting mix of curved shapes and lots of surface detail. It's a much more voluptuous car than the rival Pantera, although which is more attractive is a question of personal taste. The 3's most engaging features are the "S" line that runs down the side of the car and the rear-hinged deck that incorporates louvers and the rearmost of two back windows. A pop-up spoiler, which in theory raised at speed much like that on a Porsche Boxster, was mounted at the trailing edge of the rear deck. The car's window shapes are pure, the prow aggressive. No doubt about it: The AMX/3 stands as the undisputed magnum opus of Dick Teague's distinguished, near-40-year career in automotive design.

 

Like the Pantera, the AMX/3 was an Italo-American hybrid. Giotto Bizzarrini sheparded the chassis development work and the construction of the first six prototypes in Turin. Having been involved in numerous Ferrari and Iso designs, not to mention cars he built and sold under his own name, Bizzarrini certainly qualified for the job. The AMX/3 chassis was a semi-monocoque design rendered in steel, as were the body panels. All the underpinnings were standard Italian fare for the day: upper and lower wishbone suspension front and rear, Teves four-wheel power disc brakes, Campagnolo alloy wheels, and a front-mounted radiator and cooling fans.

 

 

AMX/3:

 

 

 

 

The AMX/3 can be had as a kit car:

http://www.amx390.com/

 

So yes you can own one :drool:

 

Mike

[ejndssn]

:cheers: that was great and truly enjoyed :brows: if the money was right i would also enjoy building one of them

[-600JeepMJ]

:agree: with big lift and enormus monster truck tires :thumbsup:

[landlubber]

semi related.

 

 

never heard of those amx/2 or /3's before, very cool.

[AMC-MJ]

Very cool pacer on a truck chassie with implement tires !

 

Mike

[Wildman]

Yea........I wonder if the AMC engineers ever thought the Pacer would end up like that :hmm:

 

Ya know........out of all the topics on this forum.......This one really brought out alot of history and info on how AMC competed as the lonely #4 :yes:

[jpnjim]

 

Ya know........out of all the topics on this forum.......This one really brought out alot of history and info on how AMC competed as the #1 independent auto manufacturer :yes:

 

fissed :yes:

[aemsee]

As a long time AMC tech, my take on some of AMC's downfall. (well, other than the screwing they got by GM with several dealings. reason I despise GM). They were by far the most innovative US car company at the time. They did a very good job of identifing niche markets, going for unconventional designs and looking toward the future. All wheel drive passenger cars, small SUV's, overdrive units for their trannys. The Pacer alone was a vehicle that incorporated many designs we see today. The aforemmentioned cab forward design, large greenhouse with lots of glass, wrap around interior components, no drip rails etc. Unfortunately manufacturing and materials were several years behind AMC design engineers.

If AMC had the access to todays computer technology and todays advanced plastics I think they may have had a chance. It would have cleaned up alot of their designs as well. Add composite headlamps to the Pacer front end, a bit more curve to the sheet metal....hey, it's now Fords number one selling car, the Taurus.

Some day I'll get a digital picture up of my 73 Hornet. Factory 304, disc brakes and 50k on the clock. Just wish it was a wagon.

[jpnjim]

As a long time AMC tech, my take on some of AMC's downfall. (well, other than the screwing they got by GM with several dealings. reason I despise GM). They were by far the most innovative US car company at the time. They did a very good job of identifing niche markets, going for unconventional designs and looking toward the future. All wheel drive passenger cars, small SUV's, overdrive units for their trannys. The Pacer alone was a vehicle that incorporated many designs we see today. The aforemmentioned cab forward design, large greenhouse with lots of glass, wrap around interior components, no drip rails etc. Unfortunately manufacturing and materials were several years behind AMC design engineers.

If AMC had the access to todays computer technology and todays advanced plastics I think they may have had a chance. It would have cleaned up alot of their designs as well. Add composite headlamps to the Pacer front end, a bit more curve to the sheet metal....hey, it's now Fords number one selling car, the Taurus.

Some day I'll get a digital picture up of my 73 Hornet. Factory 304, disc brakes and 50k on the clock. Just wish it was a wagon.

 

:agree:

 

It's funny how the Gremlin was considered a laughingstock, then 25 years later 1/2 the import compacts out there had a similar chopped off back.

 

AMC did more with less,

and when they finally did get developmental bucks (Renault 'partnership' ), they had to obey they're supreme overlords as to where & how they spent the money (not to mention being forced to sell off the cash cow AM General).

 

 

 

Its hard not to imagine what AMC would've looked like had they gotten the sweetheart deal Lee Iaccoca got with his low interest government loan to bail out Chrysler the first time:

 

 

 

Imagine AMC flush with money (even more than they were for the short time Renault was interested in the US market), but without a (French) government owned entity pulling the strings.

 

I imagine the 4.0L & XJ/MJ/YJ series being developed (as they were with Renault $$$),

 

but also the engine update design that was later used to transform Chrysler's aging LA small block series into the refreshed Magnum series of engines actually being used on the engine it was developed for (AMC V8's).

 

Imagine if the REVOLUTIONARY early 1990's Dodge Ram truck suspension was actually used to update the J-series line, like it was designed for.

(that coil suspension isn't much more than an upsized Jeep suspension).

 

Add in all the $$$$ AM General received from building Hummers for 3 wars, then later signing a deal with GM

(tho the GM deal might not have happened if AMC still owned AM General).

Even better, imaging if AMC spun off the retail Hummer brand, next to Jeep, and made all the rapstar bucks from selling H2's themselves (not likely, but possible).

 

 

It sucks that at the beginning of the Truck/SUV surge, AMC had all the pieces in place to completely dominate the market,

but the lacked the money, and control of their own corporation to do it.

[Wildman]

 

Ya know........out of all the topics on this forum.......This one really brought out alot of history and info on how AMC competed as the #1 independent auto manufacturer :yes:

 

fissed :yes:

 

Maybe I'm dating myself........But, at one time, there was the Big 4 :roll:

 

 

Mr. aemsee, as always, some very informational points :clapping:

[jpnjim]

Back to the Cowboy,

I dug out the Kenosha '02 pics, and scanned some of them:

 

 

the rocker panel detail was kinda interesting:

[AMC-MJ]

AMC had a strong following or rather the ones who bought AMC refuse to own anything but there are a lot of people still driving AMC's refusing to update past the 88'/89' Model year's . . . The 2 newest model to have an AMC sticker under the hood :cheers:

 

MJ Production numbers:

Model Year - SWB/LWB - Manufacturer:

1986 - xxxxxx/23,251 - AMC (4wd-only)

1987 - 6,199/6,685 - AMC (4wd-only)

1988 - 6,895/9,167 - AMC (4wd-only)

1989 - 5,354/5,021 - AMC / Chrysler (4wd-only)

1990 - 3,283/2,129 - Chrysler (4wd-only)

1991 - 5,188 - Chrysler (total MJ production)

1992 - 3,142 - Chrysler (total MJ production)

 

Notice the numbers drop off as Chrysler takes over AMC/Jeep ? must say some thing for how liked AMC was ?

 

I was told by a Chrysler employee that AMC was renamed Eagle and stayed in production until employment and warenty requirements were fulfilled ?

 

Mike