1986 AMC Eagle - Off-Road in a Vintage 4WD Wagon | AutoMoments
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- Опубликовано: 20 дек 2015
- Before wheel slip detection and torque-vectoring software, the AMC Eagle revolutionized the 4WD world with its viscous coupling transfer case. Sadly, financial hardships and a lack of updates prevented this hero from saving American Motors Corporation.
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This car was so ahead of its time. It would sell like hot cakes if it were made today.
No because it doesn't have 30 cup holders, a touch screen navigation system, and you had to flip a lever for the 4WD...people today are way too lazy to drive one of these.
You were right, it was WAY ahead of its time...Had they spent the money, or HAD the Money...and engineered the 4.0 H.O. a few years earlier (or at least put TBI or Port Fuel Injection on the 4.2/258-I6) and optionally installed Onan/Cummins L634T/6AT Turbo Diesel, (125hp@3600 RPM and 235lb-ft@1600 RPM inline six) and mated it to Ford's AOD transmission...(avg mileage of 24 "combined" with the Diesel/AOD and "26mpg Combined" Diesel 5-speed, would have made it an awesome car.) It would have had the gearing and the performance, with a proven transmission for that size vehicle. (Ford was already putting EFI 5.0/AOD in Econoline Vans in 86) The Chrysler 990 series 3 speed with lock up torque converter was very strong, but it lacked "dual purpose" gearing...i.e. Have sufficiently low gears pull trailer in Direct (3rd) and yet Cruise on the Highway in Overdrive...The 1982 Coupe AMC Eagle with the 4.2 and T5 manual was a Great Combination, had everything the Chrysler Auto didn't, especially if you got the "High Elevation" Colorado model with the lower axle gears...standard 2.73:1 even with the 5-speed was too high for pulling your Boat or Small Scamp Camper. At this same time there was Mitsubishi Colt wagon 4WD and Toyota made some 4x4 Vans and Wagons...though slotted on either side of sizing. Ford had actually played with the idea of AWD Taurus, the first Generation 86-91...Too bad they didn't go forward, the Vulcan V6 was as bullet proof as the 4.2 Jeep engine, could have been the next big AWD Wagon Hit!
@@misters2837 The 4.0 was an AMC engine that chrysler repurposed. They ran out of money just before it was able to debut
Mister S ,
Not trying to be persnickety nearly as much as trying to make sure I understand.... it (the I6) was making 38% more *torque* at its peak *horsepower* (because of the better aligned torque band) ?
I'd buy one. Without a cvt
I currently have 7 AMC Eagles, and had 12 at one time.. I have driven an Eagle up until several months ago. All that I have driven has gone over 200,000 miles and were running when taken off the road to put another one on. They are awesome cars and I will be putting the one I've used as a daily for 16 years back one the road. I have a barn full of parts to keep my Eagle going until I can't. I was upset to see the last independent automaker fade away. This video really hit home with me, and want to thank you so much for posting it.
+Fred Bush Thanks, Fred! We love hearing stories from our viewers about their cars. It sounds like you had quite the collection of Eagles! Thanks for watching!
Fred Bush damn nice
Fred Bush You should put out some videos!
I grew up in the shadow of the AMC factory in the middle of Kenosha, Wisconsin. Everyone worked at the "plant" , no more needed to be said. Bought my first 62 or so Ambassador with windows broken out for 45$. Fixed it and sold it for $400. I was rich! Many a AMC car came to me for a teenagers rebuild, and they were great cars. Best of all were the Rogues. I dropped a 343 v8 in one and won every street race in town. Wish I had kept it.
Fred Bush it didnt fade away.
The AMC Eagle was truly one of the first crossover vehicles before the term "crossover vehicle" became common.
They were great cars! Way ahead of their times. That engine was bullet proof.
+John Hiram It's a fantastic engine. If only they would have added fuel injection to it sooner! Thanks for watching!
John Hiram Oh definitely my friend in fact more bullet proof than the 5.4L SOHC 3V Triton engines as well as Ecoboost engines to.
AutoMoments ditto i wish the design were more appealing n having at least 150hp motor for an L6 to match its innovative 4WD....
AutoMoments ,
Hmmm. Are any of the new fuel injection conversion options that have the learning engine management control module option - within any reasonable install modification efforts - get a good ROI on fuel mileage, throttle response, horsepower and torque output? Or have there been better results & ROI with engine swaps?
@Womb Raider you know nothing about engines obviously everyone knows Triton's suffer from valvetrain failure
My mom had an Eagle when I was a kid. I didn't realize how cool they were til recently. Wish I had one now.
+Logan N They're pretty cool, aren't they! Thanks for watching!
I thought the can of Tab in the front cup holder was a nice touch. good job keeping it real.
Haha. Thanks, but we can't take credit for that--it was the owner's! He loves the 1980s. Thanks for watching!
Handmade we in the back seat was a nice touch too.
They still make Tab.
No cup holder needed, the bucket seats were perfectly spaced to hold a 12oz. can without crushing or falling over.
@@thomasleemullins4372 just discontinued it
I miss my Eagle AMC car. The best car I ever had. They don't make cars like this no more.
i agree, I feel that too as a former 1980 AMC eagle coupe owner. The car gave you a sense of invincibility you don't even get even with a 1990s Toyota.
The car can always be patched up to limp back home or a shop, even my mothers 1995 Landcruiser is a great car with an inline 6; but it didn't have the ak47 loose tolerance and overbuilt nature to suffer neglect, overuse just keep moving till it is dust. Which is saying a lot as Landcruiser's are utter tanks and my family owns 4 of them.
C.A.F.E regulations are some of the reasons why they don't sell utilitarian vehicles like this in America anymore. Small, bare bones AWD vehicles still sell well in other parts of the world where reliable roads ate more of a luxury.
Love AMC
The Eagle was far ahead of its time. It was the first crossover.
amc concord rusted whike yiy watchedmmfront fenders rotted thru ,re sale value was dismall,,the egle came along and it was a perfected dream but the legacy of garbage amd s lot alot of convidence in the eagle ,i loved all onf mine
The Eagle was built in the days before meaningless marketing buzz words like "crossover" and artificial category and niche creation infected the auto industry.
Precisely put. And the station wagon version was just the ULTIMATE crossover/ SUV to EVER exist
You just don't realize how valuable AWD or 4WD is on your vehicle until it snows heavily and you run out of beer.
I love this car, a buddy of mine back in High School had one about 96 or 97 or so.. blew my mind..a 4WD car!!
Eagle, the godfather of crossover.
And to make it even better, it looks like a car! All the current SUVs have the profile of a work boot.
I have a 1983 AMC Eagle SX4 Sportback and i love the car, it was bought brand new when i was 7 and 34 years later im still driving it, thank god my dad is a mechanic and he loves working it, that 4.2 liter 6 is a great engine. I dont care if it only gets 18 mpg i would drive it anyday. I miss AMC we had alot of great AMC cars in our family, Hornet, Gremlin, Pacer, And Concord.
It's always good to hear from another AMC fan! We're glad you love your SX/4, and thanks for watching!
Thank you for your feature on the
AMC Eagle !
I owned a 1981
Eagle SX4 spin-off of the AMC Spirit.
I bought it brand new, and used it on a rural delivery route every day, in every possible road condition, including heavy winter storm situations where nothing but heavier
4x4 trucks were getting through.
I never once got my Eagle stuck !
It never let me down !
Not Once !
It had a Pontiac Iron Duke 4cyl. with a 4speed transmission.
It was definitely austere by today's standards, but was everything I needed.
I have thought many times about how far ahead of it's time that Eagle was, and how well it would have fared in today's market with only a few upgrades to it's interior.
Great video !
Thanks again !
*Thank you for this video, brings back a lot of good memories! Back in The Day, early-1985 to be exact, my mother-in-law to be said that, "If the Chicago Bears won Super Bowl XX", she would "buy a brand new car". It would be the first new car she had purchased since her 1970-something, rusted to bits Datsun 240-Z. That's "Nissan" to you younger folks. She proudly drove her new, right off the showroom floor AMC Eagle 4-WD to her snowy Rockford, Illinois home after the '85 Bears stomped the poor NE Pats, proclaiming that it would be the "last new car I will ever buy until the Bears won another Super Bowl." Here we are some 35 years later and, as we all know, the Bears never won another one, as such she is still driving her white on beige AMC Eagle! Admittedly, I did all of her service and extremely meticulous detail work, lot's of pure carnauba to protect that paint too! Plus, it was always garage kept and, she rarely drove the car; to which the current 45-K miles attest. She is well into her 80's now and her beloved ole AMC Eagle spends most of it's time in her Florida garage, where she retired to in 2000. She said she intends to "will it to me, unless, of course, the Bears win another Super Bowl" lol... I hope it's a long, long time before I get that car! Not that I don't want the Bears to win another one, I would much rather have her around for a long, long time.*
The original cross over vehicle! Was kind of ahead of its time! If that car would have come out today! It would have sold like hot cakes! Always like that body style, i think still looks good today!
I loved my AMC Eagle. Got good gas mileage, was reliable and had 4 wheel drive. Mine was Dark and light blue. The 4X4 transfer case system used a viscous coupling system developed jointly by AMC and AUDI. I drove mine until 1995, when it was replaced with a Jeep Grand Cherokee which had a transfer case that also used a viscous coupling system, but added a low range and a true locking mechanism.
Back when I was about 10, I was in the cub scouts, and our troop had rented a cabin at Hawk Mountain for the weekend. We went over the mountain in a convoy, led by my dad in a 1984 Eagle Limited Wagon, replete with brown vinyl seats, wood paneling, tan paint with brown accents, and an 8-track player. There was black ice on the mountain highway there, and we handled it the best. But when we got to the road to the cabin, it was not only extremely steep, but covered in deep snow. The other parents had Bronco , a Civic, and a LeSabre. We were the only car that could get up the hill to the cabin, so we had to take three trips, with the car loaded full of kids and their stuff, and the other dads had to leave their cars by the side of the highway for the length of the weekend.
I loved that car. It's a shame we had to get rid of it. It was partly because it struggled to get 18 mpg, but mostly because my mother refused to drive it. She wouldn't touch any American cars after a bad experience with a Plymouth Caravelle (extended K-car).
+Daniel McLean What a shame you had to get rid of it! Eagles were awesome, there's no doubt!
@CaptainSpauIding it wasn't cheap when you lived in that time. Energy is at the fore front of inflation, its always the most expensive commodity.
The Bronco must have had crappy tires a horrible driver or a combination
@CaptainSpauIding yeh, my 76 cougar got 14......18 is pretty good when gas is 69 cents a gallon!
@@tisiluca really?? gas was .89 cents a gallon, I was in high school and I could fill the tank of my truck, buy a cheeseburger and still have change from a 20 dollar bill. gas was CHEAP. for chrimony sakes, in 1984 the most popular form of entertainment for teen drivers was 'cruising'. we would burn five gallons of gas in a night of cruising, it didnt cost anything.
eighty nine cents a gallon!! minimum wage was four something an hour. you made enough to buy a months worth of gasoline in less than one day.... how bout today? can you do that today?? no? then shut up. life was better back then.
I bought my 1982 AMC Eagle brand new for $10,000.00 and really loved it. All Eagles came with the factory Zebart rust proofing (that eventually failed). I drove it for 14 years. It got 24 MPG highway and it was very good in snow blizzards and icy roads in New England with the Summer tires that it came with. AMC Eagles, like the AMC Spirit, had the Rambler door handles, GM alternators, Ford starter systems, and Jeep drive trains ( mine had the viscus coupling "Selectrac"). One of the best features that it had was the bumper height. My wife drove it to a stop sign and was rear ended. The Eagle's bumper, that was attached directly to the Eagle's frame, was over the bumper of the car that rear ended her and destroyed that car's front end and radiator and had to be towed. No damage to the Eagle at all.
I owned a 81 Eagle wagon. Bought it brand new. I remember driving in the snow and everyone
else was stuck while I drove around them :D
I cry when I see "1986" and "vintage" in the title.
VinATGe
I cry when I see bmx in stuff.
Or when I hear songs from the era played on "Classic Rock" stations.
'86 isn't vintage. Vintage period ended in 1979 when X-bodies and K-cars were released.
It's too bad that the world just wasn't ready for a 4WD CUW back then. This is where it all began, albeit with a little bit of a generation gap. Seeing this video reminded me of the scene in Back to the Future when Fox goes off on this weird tangent of a guitar solo, and out of nowhere he realizes that no one is dancing anymore, but they're just standing there all slack jawed and zombie eyed. Then he said something to the effect of them not quite being ready for it yet, but trust me... your kids are gonna love it.
These really weren't a far cry at all from what we have now. A few modern styling updates like rounding off some of those corners, throw some modern safety equipment at it, a V-6 mated to a 6 speed A/T, a dozen cupholders, touch screen with computer controlled everything, and you have today's car.
If I could I would have this car for when I get my license when I turn 18. I just love American Motors and its rather unfortunate that they had to go out of business. You just don't see cars like this anymore on the streets of America. Funny story here as well. A week ago I was out on the road with a couple of my friends and we came to a stoplight. To my right was a parking lot. What was in that parking lot caught my eye. An AMC Eagle Wagon. Now the vehicle has seen better days but it was still running. It sort of makes me happy to see cars like this still on the road today. Let me just tell you this car in some ways is still better than today's cars!
+TuAnh Duong It's awesome to hear from other AMC fans! It's really cool when you see one of these cars in person. Thanks for watching!
TuAnh Duong You could thank Chrysler's selfish asses for that. Bought AMC just to have Jeep then killed it.
TuAnh Duong, there are still a few on the roads. There is an AMC Eagle in my town, still being driven daily, and my little '69 Rambler wagon is still going strong. They are great cars, and it is a shame that AMC is no longer around.
There were a bunch of them where I live, when I was a teen, and I always thought they were old, crappy American cars.... now that I am much older, I REALLY wish I had snagged one of them from someone selling one, because they're all gone and I now appreciate just how fantastic they were.
You deserve alot more subscribers than you have.
+hanksranger Thank you! Please share this video with friends so we can get some new subscribers!
+hanksranger I agree, this channel is awesome!
yes.
I agree - I just stumbled upon your Pacer documentary and then subscribed. This channel is great, and I hope it continues to grow.
Thanks! We've got more videos on the way! You can help us by sharing our vids with your friends to get more views!
Our family was the proud owners of a burgundy 1980 eagle from 1990 till 1993. We used to use it for driving parts and materials around to repair beachfront cottages we were managing. I must say that the Eagles were bulletproof, and I do not recall ever once getting suck in sand or deep snow. its demise, in the end, was due to transmission issues, as the 1980 version was a "one-off" as far as parts went. many parts from all the Eagles to follow were simply not compatible with our little 1980, and we had to scrap it purely for the lack of transmission parts. was sad to see it go. The Eagles had a sturdiness about them that made them enjoyable to drive in all conditions.
Just found this channel today, but I wasn't surprised at all to see Joe behind the wheel. Followed him on Twitter for a while, keep it up y'all! Love seeing these AMCs on the road
Be sure to watch all the old test drive vids! Lots of odd car content here, lol.
Had 2of these, unstoppable in the snow,and good economy
Awesome stuff! When I heard "Eagles began flying out of AMC's …" factory wasn't the first word that came to mind … =)
+MPGomatic Haha. Oh dear.. Thanks for watching!
Keep knocking 'em out! =)
AutoMoments can you please b do a video on a 1993 Ford Aerostar Eddie Bauer?
Very good!! Love the video. These are amazing cars. In fact, I used to own an '81 SX/4 (the two-door hatchback version based off the Spirit) and I loved it. Unfortunately, frame-rot killed it. But even to this day in the interior of British Columbia, there are STILL Eagle Wagons prowling the highways in winter.
This is a story I must share. In 2002, I was attending Vocational School and one of my classmates (Paul) was very much a Chevy guy with a jacked up 4x4 Chevy and an older Toyota 4-Runner. His truck needed an engine overhaul, and his wife needed the 4-Runner so, on a whim, he bought an older AMC Eagle Wagon. The first day he drove it to school, I, being the only AMC fan, loved the car as I had my SX/4 at the time. Paul, along with the rest of the class all felt it was a complete pile of garbage, but it was cheap. I casually mentioned that when winter comes around, pack a long chain and some jumper cables. When he asked why, I simply told him: "When it happens, you'll know."
Sure enough, winter rolls around and the first heavy snowfall Paul is late for class. He shows up about an hour later looking physically exhausted. When asked what happened and why was he late, he glares at me with a look that could kill and he says: "Everybody who had driven off the road, flagged me down! And because I had a chain, I could easily pull them out!!" Turns out, on his drive to school that morning, he stopped and pulled no less than four people out of the ditch, many of which were large trucks or SUV's. All were saved by the discount, aging AMC Eagle. In this area, they are known for their winter prowess. So if you're stuck in the ditch and need help, the ONLY car you flag down is an AMC Eagle.
A year later, our training is ending, Paul has rebuilt the engine in his Chevy and now had three vehicles for two people. He was also moving to Vancouver Island. When I inquired if I could purchase the Eagle, he told me that it had become such a reliable member of the family, he and his wife were selling their 4-Runner and KEEPING the Eagle!
+Harold Lloyd Ha! Take that, AMC haters! That's an awesome story. Thanks for sharing! Be sure to send your friend a link to this video!
Alfred Neuman What an awesome story man and I'm sure Paul learned his lesson.
People who never owned an AMC will never get it. My uncle bought a 1979 Concord 232 straight six with 4sp manual gor $5000. Yeah, the plastic head lamp adjuster clips broke all the time, the heater didn't work and the AM radio broke, but that thing eas a tank and looked good. Got crazy good mpg. I got rear ended by my friend's Civic on the hwy in the rain. Her car's front end looked pretty bad, my rear bumper was barely bent up a bit on one side, and i pushed her car off the hwy. Change the oil, lasted forever. Completely reliable. Live the Eagle when it came out the following year. Its spirit lives on.
Had a AMC Eagle Wagon while stationed in the USAF. It was perfect. When used with good studded snow tires it got me where and when I needed to be in bad snow storms , remote sites, icy roads etc ..... I miss that "family car" .
I've always liked the quirkiness of the Eagle. Sadly there were so few of them when I got my drivers license in 2002 so I never got to drive one (much less own one).
Love the Tab drink between the front seats! Nice touch :)
+LandonGendur If you do some scouring on Craigslist you might be able to find a good deal. We found that the support community for Eagles is both robust and friendly! Thanks for watching!
I wondered if I was the only one that noticed the Tab drink lol
As popular as Subaru and Audi awd is today, these were ahead of their time. I used to love these cars and always smile when I still see one on the road.
My grandma bought one new in 82 and it was a daily driver until 2007
I'm european and have never seen an Eagle in real life, but damn that's a good looking car! Clever too
Had an '86 wagon in college, loved it! That thing went everywhere!
I had a 1983 Eagle SX/4. It was my favorite car by far. I had it until it was 30 years old.
I was 10 years old in 1982 when we got are eagle limited wagon it was great we traded it in in 1986 on a Ford Taurus wagon
If only AMC had been in better financial shape in 86. If they had been able to spurn Chrysler and had the money to make it another 10 years they would have been one of the leading selling car companies in America and maybe still around today.
wow I read all the comments but it seems the beauty of this vehicle are lost. 1 this vehicle was the first crossover car/SUV. no one knew the term back then. 2. The AMC Eagle was not 4 wheel drive, it was the first All Wheel Drive car. AMC had such a fantastic car on their hands but missed the marketing mark. it is funny, I had an 85, it was on a lift and the mechanic laughed and made a comment that AMC stole the idea from Oldsmobile BRAVADO. It was the exact same system. and as he laughed, I reminded him that mine was an 85 and Bravado did come out till the 90's, so who stole from who. He stopped laughing. AMC was great!
+Ae Falzon AMC was indeed great. Thanks for watching!
The system was on the ASTRO VAN before it was installed in the Bravado!
+audvidgeek AMC first yeah.
You're right about the AMC/Oldsmobile thing, but wrong about 4 wheel drive. The Eagle DID have 4 wheel drive. Before you disagree with me you need to learn what 4 wheel drive and all-wheel drive really mean. To do that you need to learn who came up with the term all-wheel drive, and why they coined it.
mikek0135 you are so wrong and do not even know it.
It's been a while since I saw this video. Time to watch it again.
Good idea!
My mom had a 1976 Hornet X with a 256 in line 6, factory mags, tan interior and 6 coats of Pearl Black paint! To me the Eagle is a Restyled Hornet with 4 Wheel Drive. It still looks fantastic, and I and my mom wishes we had one today! AMC was good to us!
We took one in high school for a test drive for fun and put this car thru sum crazy stuff thinking what a joke but I was blown away at the capability of these cars ... Way ahead of anyone else this car is crazy cool and very off road capable !!! Way worth owning today
I had a '78 Concord Hatchback with the Audi 4 banger mated to a 4 speed stick that couldn't get out of its own way, but that car ran as smooth as silk. I bought a brand new 1980 Spirit with the Iron Duke mated to a Ford 4 speed stick and had that until I moved to Florida in 1989. Sold it before I left Connecticut because it didn't have a/c. I traded the '78 Concord in for a 1981 Eagle (Spirit Body) SX/4 with full time 4WD 4 speed with the Iron Duke. That car was like a mountain goat! So much fun in the snow. Then our family was growing so we traded the SX/4 in for a 1984 Eagle Wagon 258 cu. in. with 5 speed stick maroon metallic with red interior. I loved that car, and had it until 1998 but too many issues with it nickel and diming me with repairs so I sold it to a work buddy and don't know whatever happened to it because I moved out west in 1999. But I think my favorite one of all was the Spirit with the Iron Duke. I've heard over and over again that that motor was useless for power, but I have to tell you, it may have been less than 100 h.p. but on the freeway that thing would scoot! Way better motor than the Audi sourced 4 banger AMC used before it. I never had any major problems with any of my AMC's. As far as I'm concerned, they were great cars!
Why the heck doesn't this channel have much more subscribers?! Keep up the great work, already one of my favorite channels! :D
+Krister Falch Thank you so much! Help us out and tell you friends to subscribe!
probably because of the music
I used to own an AMC Eagle. Great car for snow covered roads, that car got me to work a few times when nobody else could make it.
These cars were awesome. I lived in upstate NY and had one of these. The car laughed at snow. The 6 banger was gentle enough to pull the car out of almost anything. Miss this car to this day.
They're great cars, for sure. And they'll last forever if you treat them right. Thanks for watching!
I grew up in these cars, took my drivers license test in one when i was 16. My dad loved them, he kept bringing new ones home.
I always thought these cars looked quirky, but somehow you manage to make one feel sorry for the Eagle. It's just like the Pacer, before I used to cringe whenever I saw one, nowadays I just smile :)
Very entertaining and informative video, as always. Great camera-work as well.
+MannerMan Thank you very much! We're glad you enjoyed the video, and we're even happier that we changed the way you look at these cars! Thanks for watching!
I had a '87 AMC Eagle wagon complete w/ the faux woodgrain, absolutely loved it and I'm a car guy having owned muscle cars, pony cars, 4X4 trucks, CJ's and XJ's. It's one of my favorite vehicles ever. It didn't all things great but it did everything well. Great all season DD. I ran dedicated snow tires in winter and it went everywhere I wanted.
I'm a car guy and just bought an 86 wagon with woodgrain. See ruclips.net/video/Emumwji-Shw/видео.html if you're interested. I have all studded tires so I'm kinda sorta looking forward to winter now!
AMC Eagle was ahead of its time. Too bad AMC didn't take the financial gamble on evolving the Eagle. So sad.
My first car was a 1980 AM Eagle Wagon and to be quite honest I wish I still had it. I would love to have another one.
I'm hoping to purchase an Eagle soon. Coolest wagon of the 80's!
It looks better than any new crossover. I wish AMC was still in business. They made such cool cars.
these cars are great in the snow! dunno how reliable they were, but the short time I spent driving one taught me that they are good cars in the snow.
I watched this movie for the subject matter. I subscribed for the execution and content.
+Tictacpanter Thank you! We're glad you enjoyed it. Please share it with your friends and tell them to subscribe!
Reminds me of my Audi Allroad! Great job on uploads, regards from Ireland
Thank you! Be sure to share it with your friends!
You hit the nail right on the head. The AMC Eagle wasn't glamorous but it absolutely was very ahead of its time in thinking. When i was younger and realized that the Subaru Outback was the same type of car as the Eagle, I've always thought since that the Eagle is under-celebrated for the idea behind it.
It's fun to see old cars go off-road.
All the videos that I've watched in this channel are great, good production values, dialogs, analysis, cars, etc. are high quality.
Let me tell you something you could easily beat your competition.
Congratulation guys Keep going!
Thank you very very much! We've been on hiatus for a bit, but there'll be new videos coming soon!
Wow. That motor. So much spaghetti. So many of these when I was in Colorado in the 80s. Loved them. Still want one now.
Most of it can be removed with an HEI install and a Motorcraft 2150 carb swap
I love this channel! Showing the good old days! We need more of this on RUclips reminders that things were simple but lasted!
Thanks for being a fan! We're glad you like the videos!
Thank you for giving me a little nostalgic reboot. I needed that. My mom owned an AMC hornet in the yellow and my aunt and uncle's family owned the exact model u test drove. So awesome to know the history behind those two cars. Thank you again.
My dad had one when I was little. It was a great vehicle.
They're special cars, for sure. Thanks for watching!
I remember when I was a kid, my parents had one of these, and my mother was the one that drove it the most. My mom, one of her friends, and myself were in the car, and we slid off the road into a huge ditch in the wintertime. the woman was all screaming about being stuck in the cold and being late...then my mom pulled the one lever down, the other lever over, and back on the road we were. The woman's mind was blown; "You can do that from the inside of the vehicle?! This car can do that?!" I was exposed to such a vehicle from a young age, so I never fully appreciated how unique that was at the time:)
Uhm, ok, that's different. This one you just have to move the one switch over, the one my parents had you had to pull another lever down, before switching from 2w to 4w.
Haha. That's a great story! I'm sure that was revolutionary for somebody who'd never seen it. Thanks for sharing.
That was a very nice video, giving credit where credit is due. AMC deserves a little more respect than it gets.
Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed it!
Loved me some AMC! Owned the fishbowl Pacer DL, intermittenting windshield wipers with Navajo interior! Two tone Agua/White! Great for drive inns here in Texas backed in backwards laided down the back seat, pillows and blankets cranked up the FM stereo & AC with the huge back window was better than a movie house, chilled 12 pack of Lone Stars, slow movie or bad movie? No problem get me some lovie dovie and didn't even need a motel room! For $500.00 I drove it until the tires falloff! The 258 motor dependable and cheap! Great MPH! Only thing I replaced was the rack & pinion, $58.00 at a u pick it salvage yard! The best $500.00 I've ever spent! Love to have an AMC Eagle Wagon, be a great surf fishing vehicle! Thanks for the way back! Sinn Fein Byrne
Always loved those. Still want one!
my brother had one of these when i was a kid, back in 1993 i think :)
Those things always looked awesome in slushy snow. Nice Ken Burns reference in a car short documentary.
I had an 83 Eagle with a five speed manual. The viscus transfer case was destroyed by a driveshaft failure so I installed the transfer case from a Jeep YJ. It bolted right up and worked fine but I lost the ability to drive around in 4 by 4 unless it was slippery but I could now run with the Wranglers off road (most of the time) as long as I didn't get too crazy. It was a great car.
I wish I still had my family's Eagle.
Eagle is more capable than a tahoe, subaru or explorer. It fails short of wranglers and cherokees. They didnt just predict the future demand, they won it.
@ganymedeIV4 I own a '04 Wj Columbia edition in the same color and trim as the one shown in the video, and I do 70 on the highway on regular basis without hitting death wobble. Still '04 track-bar, and steering linkages, ball joints, and suspension (springs/shocks) with less than 100K on it.
Any car with a solid front axle can get death wobble
Yeah, I don’t think Jeep is going to comprise the wrangler by getting rid of the solid front end, making it a less capable off roader
@@combinationpizzahutandtaco3782 it's debatable. IFS equipped Off Roaders CAN be just as capable. (Raptor comes to mind.) Especially with Factory R&D behind it. The problem comes when cost cutting from the Accountant's office. Weaker half shafts get swapped in to save $, it sits to high, etc. However, the current Solid Axle is cheaper to produce so why change it to begin with? Simple. Who currently buys them? Same as the old K-5 Blazers, Broncos and Cherokees. Not many that will ever take them on anything rougher than a Gravel Road.
So true Had one.
I special-ordered a 1972 Hornet wagon with the 258 engine. I washed it once a week whenever the temp was above freezing and it wasn't raining. It still looked like new in 1977 until I crashed it into a ditch during an Iowa blizzard. My next car was the least expensive version of a '77 Civic but I did visit an AMC showroom at one point, thinking that, maybe, I would someday have the wherewithal to get another AMC product. Even after I told the dealer I couldn't afford an Eagle wagon, he asked me how I would spec it if or when I could afford one. A couple of months later, he gave me a call and said I wasn't obligated to buy it but he thought I might like to see the Eagle wagon built to my specifications. It was on his showroom floor. Well, I still couldn't afford it but I did go to see it. Several months later - maybe a year - the dealer called me again to tell me a farmer had traded his very old Jeep in on the Eagle wagon the dealer had special ordered to my specification, that the farmer had been using it to drive almost everywhere on his farm - even in the snow - and that the farmer said the Eagle could go everywhere the Jeep had and that he liked it better than the Jeep. It would be another nine years before I bought a 4WD vehicle - the least expensive Isuzu Trooper - and I'm almost certain that I would never have attempted to take an Eagle the kinds of places I drove the Trooper but I just thought Eagle fans might be interested in that Iowa farmer's evaluation of the Eagle wagon.
Roger Metzger...that farmer must've had an AMC piece of shit Jeep then, cuz a Ford GP, a Willy's Cj, or a Kaiser Cj can and will "out-wheel" any Eagle produced..I own a 1944 Ford GP, and a 1949 Willys Cj-2a, and there's hardly any place I take those rigs that an Eagle would be able to follow...I'd bet money on it....
Lol......My mother had one while my father had the Cadillac Seville. I remember driving from Florida to our cabin up in the Smoky's in Tennessee in the winter and it handled quite well in the slush and snow!
Like Dad use to say, "It's not the Cadi but it sure gets you there"
+TWTR4EVER That's awesome. While it's certainly not a Cadillac, you could get leather seats and other amenities, so a nicely optioned Eagle could still be pretty comfortable. Thanks for watching!
You’re father never said that
Great job ! So glad I stumbled on it.
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I just watched Junkyard Digs take one of these, bought for $50 with a tree fallen on it and driven with an engine knock for a year before parked to rot, to a Jeep event and, with slipping transmission and missing CV shaft, still pass the green course with 5 people inside. Impressive car. Seems like only rust and lack of parts availability can kill one.
This is one of my favorite cars when growing up.
Man do I love the Eagle. Always keep a weathered I on the horizon for an Eagle in good condition. I think that it's something in my subconscious. My Pop-Pop had a Gremlin +an Eagle when I was just a wee one.
AMC had so many great ideas... Maybe AMC was just from the future.
Very well put together.
My first car was 1981 Eagle Sedan that was given to me when my parents bought a 1986 Comanche to deal with our northern Wisconsin winters. Great car. A little engine and suspension work later and it performed great.
That's great! Thanks for watching!
Looking back, I wish I'd bought one. It would have come in handy MANY times going over the Sierras, through Wyoming, etc.
I can never get enough AMC reviews!
+Joe Williston We're glad you like it! Thanks for watching!
My 5th grade teacher and boys 5/6 grade basketball coach had an Eagle Wagon. We had to ride as many kids as we could to away games in that wagon. This was in 1985 or so.
I had an 87 that was even the same color as this one. I loved that car and would still have it if not for my brother totaling it.
you as usual did an exemplary job thank you so much great job I don't even know what else to say I like AMC's I got a 76 J10 with a nice lift kit and big tires I built it myself from scratch thank you again
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This is just incredible, wonderful car I have ever been able to watch on RUclips... :)
Your work is incredible. Thanks for another fine video. Once again learned a lot.
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The TAB cola between the front seats was a nice touch.
Took me back thanks for the video
You have some of the best car review videos on You Tube. Thanks and keep it up!
+W Sears Thank you very much! Don't forget to share our videos with your friends!
Great video. Very well done!
Thanks! We had one of these when I was about 12. It was blue and looked sharp. It was also a 5 speed manual. We lived in an area that received more than its share of snowfall and the Eagle handled it like a champ. Unfortunately, it was the transmission that ultimately ended our time with it.
I loved my 2 door Eagle All Wheel Drive. I used it on a 100 mile back roads paper route in the winter in snowy Ottawa Valley Ontario. Anything else I ever had got stuck, and often, but not that Eagle; not once. It also had by far the most powerful interior heater I've ever had. It could roast you right out in -20° weather even with a window down. I was never cold in that wonderful car. It was quiet, comfortable, incredibly sure-footed, and just a pure pleasure to drive. It was a sad day when the front wheel drive went out of it and the mechanic told me now was the time to financially walk away from it. I wish I had it now.
That tiny scene in Back To The Future made it immortal.
My mom had one in the 90's. You'd be driving down the road, and the paint would fly off. I miss that car.
They truly are special cars. Thanks for watching!
Gene Jamieson eariler amcs the wheels fell off .RAmbler trunion. Suspension.😁
Great work putting this video together. Eagles are sweet cars, I just moved and my new neighborhood has 3 or so of them roaming around.
The AMC Eagle is the OG crossover utility vehicle.
While not wanting to compare apples to oranges...
I just bought, in Jan. '24, a '73 AMC Sportabout Gucci X ...
Driving it home this weekend ... Zero rust, or dents... Just needs a paint job at some point... And minor work ... Running, driving, stopping ... Yippie ! 🇺🇸
Very good thorough report!
+srercrcr Thanks! We're glad you enjoyed it.