Yeah, the weather outside is frightful, alright, more so if you’re in an area that hears the words “lake effect snow” during the weather report on the evening news. Even if you aren’t buried up to your eyeballs in tons of snow, the weather is certainly here, with rain, sleet, and the generally nasty conditions of winter becoming prominent. If you’re smart, you’ve put the hot rod up for the winter, but let’s face facts: sometimes having four-wheel drive is worth it, if for nothing more than peace of mind. Sure, a Subaru would be fun, and we all love trucks and SUVs for the rough stuff, but maybe you just want to be different.
With that, we present to you this 1981 AMC Eagle SX/4 hatchback. Looks really clean, doesn’t it? That’s because it’s had a recent visual restoration and the paint, Ford Sunset Red Metallic over Toyota Solara Gold, sets off the normally dowdy looks of the AMC. Inside, the black bucket interior is very clean, and lo and behold, there are three pedals, as there should be. Two people fit well in the SX/4, but if that isn’t enough people space for you, there are plenty of Eagle wagons out there that could use a good home, and would clean up as nice as this hatchback.
If this car has one sincere fault, it’s sitting in the engine bay. Instead of the inline-6 or even a 304 V8, there sits the four-cylinder lump of Pontiac-sourced Iron Duke, which might be good for 100hp. But looking at the car overall, left alone it makes for a decent driver, and it’s an engine swap away from greatness. Maybe a set of Jeep Cherokee wheels instead of the 1980’s Ranger wheels would be a good choice, too.
Click Here to see the eBay listing for this AMC Eagle SX/4 while available!
Do want, bad! Wish it was on Craigslist, I’d snap it up if the price was under $5k. Can’t view the ebay ad right now.
SORRY! Fixed the link…it’s up for $5500, which I think can be talked down some.
Want!
Growing up, my uncle had an Eagle wagon and that thing rocked. You could literally keep it alive with hand tools and a well-stoked drawer of silverware.
The SX4 would be the best of both worlds: Eagle platform, but hatchback awesomeness!
Yep, my folks looked at these when I was a kid and I had all the sales booklets. I wouldn’t give up on the Iron Duke 4…..Its just some bolt-ons away from spinning tires and if you are into junkyard turbos that thing would really sing. Always wanted one of these for a DD.
WANT! lifted, some AT’s, light bar…perfect little desert trail vehicle…
Hellcat swap candidate?
Literally the best idea ever!
Stroke a Jeep I-6 & bore it 0.030″ over for 4.6 liters & 3xx ft-lbs.
Add more meaningful brakes.
Rally.
I have always wanted one of these. Love the Hellcat idea, but I was originally thinking a built 401, grill mounted KC Day-lighters, flared fenders and 33″ BFG TA tires. The rally stickers will come later.
Cool car, looks well kept and the paint came out nice, but the thing that’s gonna make this a tough sale is the title issue.
Don’t know about anyone else, but I’d never buy a car with no title, unless it was to be a parts car, and then it’d have to be dirt cheap.
This guy says bill of sale only, no title, but he has the “title document”, whatever that is, which the previous owner signed.
No, thanks, too many alternatives out there with clean titles for this kind of money.
These things never came with V8’s as best I know… Only the 4.2 I6, the Iron Duke, and the Evergreen 2.5L I4 (maybe a Renault diesel). There has been at least one swapped in though.
I’d take the 4dr or Wagon version with an AW4 auto, NP242, 4.0 HO/4.2 stroker (with needed differential mount bracket due to the missing bolt holes in the 4.0) and Megasquirt it.
If I was going to take this one… Evergreen I4 with M90 AND turbo, get the T-5 seriously beefed up, and swap in 8.8in Ford axles/diffs. Not knowing my transfer cases, something viscous clutch with no low range. Go Sube hunting.