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Rough Start: How An AMC Fan Can Have Their Cake And Eat It Too With A 1980 AMX!


Rough Start: How An AMC Fan Can Have Their Cake And Eat It Too With A 1980 AMX!

Two AMCs in one day? Why not? They are good for more than quirky four-wheel-drive cars, you know! Javelins are badass, SC/Ramblers and Rebels can stomp, and a Hornet with a hot small-block just sounds like fun, but there is a perception problem with AMC products, that the “good” cars are high-dollar and the low-dollar cars need tons of work. We don’t agree. Do you have to look a bit? Of course, but that goes with any car you are wanting if you aren’t going for a late-model ride.

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This 1980 AMC AMX has more than just the historic name going for it. The Spirit coupe might be a rehashed Gremlin/Hornet car, but it looked good and with AMC’s limited budgets, it wasn’t like AMC could do much more. Sure, a 304 would make this Eagle that much tastier, but the 4.2L inline six can hold it’s own, especially if a turbocharger is added to the equation, and frankly the six adds to the character of the car in our eyes. The Offenhauser intake and Carter four-barrel carb ought to help, though a manifold gasket should be on your list of parts. If you’re disappointed about the six cylinder, though, fear not: the transmission is now a five-speed manual. We’d like to say it would be economical, but the 3.73-ringed Ford rear axle might offset any gains. Four-wheel disc brakes keep things safe.

At $4,500 we’d bring it home, replace the intake gasket, polish up the paint and replace the MIA stereo system, then drive it as much as possible. These Spirit AMXs are neat little cars and are very underrated compared to Fox Mustangs and F-bodies!

Craigslist Link: 1980 American Motors AMX

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3 thoughts on “Rough Start: How An AMC Fan Can Have Their Cake And Eat It Too With A 1980 AMX!

  1. Frank

    The 390 and 401 engines are in high demand and short supply. AMC stopped making the 390 in 1970 and the 401 in 1974 after all! The 360 is the most common, lasting until 1991 in the Jeep Grand Wagoneer (and old big body Wagoneer, before they added “Grand” around 84, and J-20 pickups). That’s right, it’s the AMC engine, Chrysler didn’t sub their own 360! After 78 that’s the only place you’ll find an AMC 360, after 79 the only place you’ll find a V-8 period. 79 was the last year of the 304.

    The six can be hopped up to have more power tan a stock 304, as much as a mildly modified one. You can go all-out on the 304 and eventually get more than the six (it IS 44 inches bigger), but it’s a lot of trouble and some parts for the 304 are hard to come by. If going V-8 get the 360, as it will be cheaper in the long run. I’d only mess with a 304 if I got a good one to begin with. The 4.0L EFI engine has as much or more power than a stock 360, so that’s something to think about, That 4.0L really wakes one of the little cars up. Except for the electrics is a drop-in, and the electrics aren’t that hard if you get a complete donor vehicle. In snow country it’s hard to find a 2WD Cherokee though (for the trans)..

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