My grandparents had an AMC Eagle that had the coldest AC ever installed in a vehicle. It was literally like being in a refrigerated food delivery truck. Absolutely unreal. That Eagle refused to die.
@derrickwoods2803 Yeah, R1234YF is awful at cooling in comparison to R12 or R134a. The only problem with R12 is that it is horrible for the ozone layer, otherwise it is way better.
I was wrong. It wasn't an Eagle. The car they had with the killer AC unit was a AMC Condord. It looks almost the exact same as the Eagle. I believe it was an 83.
I had an '83 SX4 Sport, 258 six, 4-speed manual, limited slip rear, rear louvers, fog lamps, sport caps, bucket seats, console and gauge cluster. It was a fun car!
When i first got my license...my Dad had an Eagle. 1981 ish. In Massachusetts, being able to get thru snow this car ruled. Really good. I ventured into a local graveyard with literally 2 feet of snow, with a girlfriend....got laid and knew nobody was gonna show up and ruin it. Heat worked too.
I did a married chick in a graveyard once after a good bar night. She got divorced the next week because her husband asked her why it said she died in 1908, written backward on her backside.
I loved AMC so much! My mom had an SX-4, she's 91 now but that was still her favorite car ever! I had 2 AMCs myself, a 79 Jeep J-10 pickup truck and a 74 AMC Hornet Sportabout
I had a Dj 5 postal jeep. It was tough as nails. With chains, it was unstoppable in the snow. I went off road in 20” of snow, delivered the mail, and recentered the road with little effort.I flipped it, and had some guys to right me. I carried on. I sold it for what I paid for it.
We had a Hornet wagon when I was a kid. Spent more time parked or in the shop than actually driven lol Then we got a Malibu in '79, which was probably the 2nd largest (at the time) wagon GM had. Yes, it also spent more time in the shop than it should (issues with the fuel/carburetion system that took 3 years just to diagnose, and never did fully get resolved), but that was the car that refused to die lol 20+ years and 3 owners (and one rear axle replacement)
SX4 is awesome. Note that at the time quad cab trucks were rare/not that available and really long. It’s funny that back then winter roads were worse and 4WD’s were rare but people drove better. AMC nailed it but the market didn’t catch on. People were cautious recovering from lousy 1970’s. Incredibly the Eagle line was built so well that it was not prone to rust. Dad bought a new 1976 Subaru 4WD Wagon and did a great job of off-roading, traveling, volunteering during hurricanes, tornadoes, and blizzards. Poor little car got sand blasted underneath from the dunes of Cape Cod. There wasn’t much left to it by the time we got done with it. Served us well. Eagle wagon came a little late and a little too expensive for us at our time of conquering the world.
100% I feel like people back then were also more competent drivers in general - you should see the drivers here in NJ when there is even a sprinkle of snow lol
My parents gave me an 1983 Eagle SX/4 as a hand me down first car. It was black on black with a rear spoiler with red trim and had Marchal fog lights, the 258CI six cylinder, and an automatic transmission. It wasn’t ‘cool’ like the Camaro, Mustang, Supra, or 280ZX I dreamed of, but it was quirky and unique enough to still be a damn cool first car. It was a snow monster and in Chicago winters it was an absolute blast to drive. I went on my first date in that car, and was very grateful to have that car as a teenager - it might as well have been a set of wings. It was pretty agricultural in its execution, but there’s no doubt that AMC was decades ahead of the industry in adopting all wheel drive for passenger cars.
When I was in my teens and living with my mom and sis in a tiny little apartment our upstairs neighbor drove an AMC Eagle 4x4. This car was a real brute. It could take any kind of terrain (she often took it off-road when camping) and despite my being 6'5" tall I could fit in the back seat and still have plenty of leg room. I loved that car. The main issue she had with it was rust. I think a lot of people forget that the 80's was when US iron started to slip in quality. Most manufacturers weren't using the best metal for their automobiles and a lot of it was due to steel plants fudging inspections.
I had a 2 door sedan and a wagon. Nothing like them on snowy roads. I sold the wagon to a friend. I watched him as he drove through a field with snow up to the headlights to pick up his downed deer. My grandparents had a 4 door and got t boned in an intersection by a sherrifs car that was flying right along. It pushed them into a field. The responders said," good thing you were in this TANK". They were injured but okay. If I wanted to deal with old school car issues I would get one. ie starters, water pumps, alternators, stalling , exhaust system, etc.
My dad had a SX4 he bought new, and I recall it did well in Wisconsin winters. And apparently he liked it enough that some years later his place became "The Eagle Preserve", him having bought several variations of the car.
I wanted an eagle when I first started driving. They were out of my price range at the time and now you just don't find em for sale often in decent shape
There are still an amazing amount available. I see at least a half a dozen a week for sale on the forums. Many are still in great shape. Even some decent Kammebacks still available.
I'm 50 and I remember the Eagle very well from when I was a kid, in '80, I would have been 7 and just starting to really get interested in cars at a basic level and I remember them being very different from the other cars back then. Funny, we now have a 4Runner, Forester and Flex, two of which are easily crossovers of sportish wagons. The Flex is a FWD, but of course they came in AWD too. The Subie is the closest to the old Eagle and the 4Runner is body on frame and traditional 4WD, but all kind of close.
My grandparents lived on a farm in a valley near Readstown, WI. Almost all gravel roads back then. 4 wheel drive was basically necessary in the winter in that area, still is. My grandfather bought a 1981 Eagle wagon for my grandmother to drive. They would drive this car to church as well because driving a dirty pickup truck to church wasn't proper. My Grandpa's farm truck was a 1973 Dodge Power Wagon.
Thanks for covering that one. I grew up with these and to be honest i really didn't like them. That said, now that I'm older and hopefully wiser, I really like them.
I drove an Eagle wagon for a while. It was an interesting and innovative vehicle for its time. I only wished that they would have taken the extra step of developing a small block Chrysler V8 version. I think that might have been something truly special.
I had a 81 SX4 with the in-line 6. bought it new. It was basically a Jeep. It was badass. I used to go out into the Mojave dessert with it. All the 4x4 trucks I came across out there were pretty blown away by the little hatch back
Would totally drive one. Back in the day, always admired their wagon going down the road. They were super rare then, and I still get excited seeing one today, also super rare. I never have seen an SX4 in the steel-flesh, only wagons.
Part of why I currently drive a VW Golf Alltrack is that the Eagle Wagon made such an impression on me as a child. I rarely saw the SX4 even then, though. I do think it's cool.
I absolutely love My sx4. I ve had it for over 15 years, and it is so fun to drive specially off roading. I live in Bogotá, Colombia south América and a lot of People that sees the car going off road want One. It is fun and it is unique
This vehicle made more sense than some might think. In the 1980s, it was all the rage for the man of the house to drive a sports car. Only moms drove a practical car then. Couple that with the harsh-climate regions of the USA where it would not otherwise be possible to drive a sports car (at least not all-year round) and you get this vehicle. You could argue whether this vehicle was executed well or whether it was the right vehicle but the idea did make sense.
I would definitely love to have one. I had a buddy who had one and was used as a hunting vehicle, here in Florida. It was impressive and got the job done. Underestimated, and unappreciated. Damn! Nice
Such a shame that AMC isn’t around anymore. AMC/Jeep was my favorite brand when I was a kid. We had a CJ5 and a Hornet Wagon. I always say they were the innovators of what’s so popular now. The luxury SUV with the Grand Wagoneer and the crossover with the Eagle.
My grandfather used to love those whacky looking off-road Eagles with the station wagon hatch. That's basically All he drove. Had a bunch of them and they'd break down and get another
Auto Designers in the 1980s: "A 4-wheel drive family car that can go on dirt roads and tow trailers? Ha, who the hell is going to buy that?" Those same retired auto designers, their kids and grown grandkids in the 2020s: *Drive crossovers.*
Subaru did awd first and AMC followed that suit. I remember this, as at the time we all made fun of the AMC. Because it looked like they took a car and bolted it to a truck frame. Where as the Subaru still looked like a car but with awd. That said I liked what AMC were doing (bar the Pacer - good lord).
The opening shot is of my Sx4! Its been in a Roadkill episode, on David Freiburgers Facebook and now on here! That video was when it was still 258 powered, now it has a VW 1.9L TDI swap in it
Had the wagon, use to jump in it 4' into the air to flat, hit highway exit ramp jumps at speed. Axle finally broke and it got vandalized where it sat. If they made the exact model today i would be in line for a loan.straight 6 basically maintenance free. Interior was the most comfortable vehicle I have ever owned.
I remember those when I was a kid, thinking they were weird, and not really knowing what they were. Being the pre-internet era, and with parents who weren't really car people, there was no good way of finding out.
My dad tells me stories of what it was like back then having to just figure stuff out to fix parts on your car because there were no forums or UA-cam videos - I can't imagine that
Definitely a car ahead of its time. My first car was an 84ish amc eagle station wagon 4x4. My parents bought it new, I was the third and last of their children to learn to drive in it. Other than the ignition system the thing was bulletproof.
I enjoyed this content. You did forget to mention the AMC Hornet. My first car was a used 1970 Hornet. Clearly the early Hornet was a direct predecessor.
Compared to what Detroit has now those AMC's look great, I bet someone at Subaru back in early 80s took notice of AMC 4-wheel drive cars. For me after being stuck all the time in every snowstorm from 1976 to 1984, I bought a new Bronco II, but after 4 years and wanting more interior room I bought new 88 Subaru wagon, so from 1984 to now I always had something with 4-wheel drive....
In those climates with snow I don't know how everyone used to do it with just RWD - drove my old truck in the snow in RWD mode instead of 4WD and it was an experience to say the least lol
as a 17 year old i borrowed mom's 1980 amc eagle and beat a Jeep 4 wheeling up Waterford Hill in Waterford Mi, mom only kept that Eagle for 2-3 years before trading it in for a Mini van, idk about long term reliability but it was a great car for first 3 years !
It seems to me it was a real shame AMCs weren’t exported granted from what seems the view AMC had some real shockers when it came to quality and performance but they did have some really innovative cars and ideas. I actually like AMC even cars like the Eagle, Pacer and Gremlin but being Aussie I never lived with them. Think the Eagle SX4 is a brilliant idea and car. Great job thanks for sharing. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I loved them the instant I seen them. I remember when I was 5 in 1988 and like 20 inches of snow had just fallen in like 24 hours, cars were stuck everywhere and 1 of my family friends owned 1 and he took us grocery shopping, the mall etc bc we had 2 rwd cars that couldn't make it out of our neighborhood 😂
Worked at a Jeep dealership fifteen years ago and had to test drive an 1980 Eagle in winter conditions. Best damned heater ever in a car. The vents can be aimed directly along your arms while handling the wheel. Just a perfect heater set up. And oh yeah, it drove very nice.
Europe also experimented with this concept those days. French created lifted Peugeot 505 for Africa and Matra Rancho which later inspired establishment of company called Dangel. Gernans came with VW Golf Rabbit And developed Caravelle Sincro. These days most of panel vans for EU market have optional 4x4 version with lifted off-road suspenssion and reduction gearbox with low range. Class of slightly lifted estates so called "allroad" (®by Audi )is probably the best alternative to SUV...
My first car was an 82 AMC Concord. LOVED IT. That thing was a tank and perfect for a high school kid to beat up. And we beat the shit out of that thing.
One of the most intelligent designs that have been produced in my opinion. I drove a station wagon version a few times back then and I really liked it. That’s the best set up in my opinion. I would definitely take that over any new car, but I like simplicity and I’m also feeling nostalgic. However, if it worked for people then, why not now?! Umm, by the way, it goes faster than that😊
I don’t recall the Eagle being rare at the time. Living in the NE Ohio snowbelt I remember these being everywhere when I was a kid. My grandfather had one.
Had the '81 Spirit with the 258cid engine. It was so light, it would roast the tires on demand. However, the light weight made it a detriment in the winter time, so I though the SX-4 would have made a better year around choice. Still like seeing them.
The CA highway patrol used eagle wagon models in winter months all over the sierra nevada mountains. Ive seen them back in the day at their auction yard in Sacramento
@velocity5918 Exactly. He got the car brand new as a 16th birthday present (yea, he was THAT guy). It lasted a week before he swapped tires in the rear. The engines didn't make a lot of power, but they made enough to destroy the center diff.
My dad and I went to pick one up at the dealership in the pouring rain. There were no gutters to channel the water around the hatch opening and when he opened the rear hatch and water cascaded down the sloped roof and into the rear of the car like a river. He looked at that pool of water in the cargo area and said, "No way."
Always thought these were cool. When I was a kid my parents owned both an AMC Spirit and Concorde… then in my young adulthood I owned an AMC Jeep CJ5. Would love to find an Eagle or SX4 in working order. Agree it would be cooler than any modern crossover.
It's basically a jeep frame and drivetrain with a compact car on top , the AMC 4 door wagon & sedan would go anywhere. A compact car the hatchback just reminded me of a pinto. Nowadays one of the eagle 🦅 AMC 4×4 with turbo would be sweet.
The CA SX/4 I6 engine was pathetic, the 4WD components would fail when truly needed. Aside from that, it was a comfortable ride and had surprisingly responsive steering. I think someone over-ordered vacuum hose and fittings and a kindergartner assembled something with them, then installed it under the hood. It made servicing the engine an absolute nightmare. Topping that, the valve cover was plastic (no gasket) and held on with two shouldered nuts. There was a retrofit kit that pulled 6 head bolts and replaced them with 2-level studs and T-washers to hold the new valve cover down (still no gasket, but a tube of RTV), which required lowering the engine down and removing the wiper motor to install .. and still leaked.
I bought an ‘87 eagle wagon for $1200 in 2008 when i moved to southern utah. I ran the heck out of it for a little over a decade, taking it on quite a few backroads in the canyons and mountains. Never got stuck and maintenance was minimal. The exhaust finally rusted through aand it developed an exhaust leak near the engine and trans started to slip a bit. it’s been parked in the yard the last few years. Somehow i can’t get myself to sell it. Its sunblasted and the interior is degrading pretty quickly at its age and being in the high desert (uv is a b-tch here). Still trying to decide if i want to do a resto or hand it off to another fan. (I have an IH Scout II needing attention as well). It was an amazing daily driver even though its soooo slow up the steep grades.
Had the 80 with the 258. I'd take it to the beach for a spin in the sand, to the car wash for a quick bath and back home to sit until the next time i wanted to drive on the beach. Sadly, that proved to be the end of it as the salt water and sand chewed through the oil pan and it dropped all it's oil along with a rod.
Back then, it wasn't like every car made was AWD. If you wanted AWD, You could select a 4X4 pickup, or a classic jeep, or one of about three AWD cars. AMC Eagles looked fine. Reasonably capable. I don't remember what their downfall was. Probably reliability or something. Of course, with excellent development it could have been worked out and become really something.
I once had a Dodge neon pull right out in front of me while I was driving an Eagle. The Dodge neon was completely totaled and that guy went to the hospital, I wasn't wearing my seat belt and all I got was a bump on my head.
My mom went to the AMC Jeep dealer to look at a Cherokee. I think the salesman tried to pitch the Eagle because he was dealing with a woman. She wasn’t buying it. We drove across the county and she found a year old Cherokee. I rode in that vehicle for many years.
My biggest regret in life is having to sell my SX4. I didn't know how to work on it and it wasn't reliably road worthy. I sold it to an enthusiast who fixed it up and offered it back to me for a much higher price but I just couldn't afford it. This is my dream car to own again. Albeit, with a much more powerful engine is possible lol
those cars were very popular in the area I grew up in, because of the weather. I liked them and have tried to find one recently to restore but they rusted out badly.
AMC Hornet proto type, didn't reach production?😮 WTF!? Yes the AMC did reach and continued production of the Hornet. Station wagon, hatch back 2 door, and 4 door sedan. I loved them, as many people in my community drove them.
i remember laughing at these things back in the day. now i wish i had a half a dozen of them. you would need that many to keep one or two going.that 258 was a good engine. and quadra trak was awesome offroad.
Those things were tanks. We raised my buddies put big truck tires on it. Probably got 3 years out of that thing beating the piss out of it everyday. I'd buy one right now.
I remember seeing those cars when I was just a kid and thinking they were pretty cool. Today, I'm looking at it and think I was right. I still find them cool
I lived in a small town in New Mexico in the late 70s. The police bought a bunch of these wagons. They were slow as dirt. In fact it got so bad that the police literally put an ad in the local paper saying they would no longer pursue anyone who ran... Of course this became an invitation to just about everyone. Pretty much all there was to do there was party and race cars so just about everyone had a hotrod. The cops ended up selling the entire fleet two years later... 🤣🤣
And 1990's emissions sent many of these to the scrap heap due to ratcheting up of the standards for these aging cars unfortunately. I owned an '82 Grand Wagoneer around that time, it passed on numbers with everything but the catalytic converter deleted, failing on equipment... the 360 V8 found a new life with a local that had 2 Gremlin X's, a pure dragster and a dedicated wheel stander. And I bought an '87 1/2t 4x4 RAM PU with a Slant 6 and a 4 speed from his mechanic at his body shop... It looked nice, went slow...
The SX4 looked like a lifted CRX. I liked them all, but I always wanted a wagon. The Dodge Magnum kind of stole their styling in a way and didn’t pull it off as well
My grandparents had an AMC Eagle that had the coldest AC ever installed in a vehicle. It was literally like being in a refrigerated food delivery truck. Absolutely unreal. That Eagle refused to die.
Probably because American Motors owned Kelvenator appliances. So they actually made freezers too!
Yup! That air conditioner was bone chilling cold 🥶👍
R12 baby
@derrickwoods2803 Yeah, R1234YF is awful at cooling in comparison to R12 or R134a. The only problem with R12 is that it is horrible for the ozone layer, otherwise it is way better.
I was wrong. It wasn't an Eagle. The car they had with the killer AC unit was a AMC Condord. It looks almost the exact same as the Eagle. I believe it was an 83.
I had an '83 SX4 Sport, 258 six, 4-speed manual, limited slip rear, rear louvers, fog lamps, sport caps, bucket seats, console and gauge cluster. It was a fun car!
When i first got my license...my Dad had an Eagle. 1981 ish. In Massachusetts, being able to get thru snow this car ruled. Really good. I ventured into a local graveyard with literally 2 feet of snow, with a girlfriend....got laid and knew nobody was gonna show up and ruin it. Heat worked too.
I did a married chick in a graveyard once after a good bar night. She got divorced the next week because her husband asked her why it said she died in 1908, written backward on her backside.
Cool!
I loved AMC so much! My mom had an SX-4, she's 91 now but that was still her favorite car ever! I had 2 AMCs myself, a 79 Jeep J-10 pickup truck and a 74 AMC Hornet Sportabout
I had a Dj 5 postal jeep. It was tough as nails. With chains, it was unstoppable in the snow. I went off road in 20” of snow, delivered the mail, and recentered the road with little effort.I flipped it, and had some guys to right me. I carried on. I sold it for what I paid for it.
We had a Hornet wagon when I was a kid. Spent more time parked or in the shop than actually driven lol Then we got a Malibu in '79, which was probably the 2nd largest (at the time) wagon GM had. Yes, it also spent more time in the shop than it should (issues with the fuel/carburetion system that took 3 years just to diagnose, and never did fully get resolved), but that was the car that refused to die lol 20+ years and 3 owners (and one rear axle replacement)
AMC really hit a home run with this car!!!!
In 1983 i had a AMC Eagle SX/4 i loved it had it for 8 years and passed on to a friend and he had 9 years it worked perfect.!!!
SX4 is awesome. Note that at the time quad cab trucks were rare/not that available and really long. It’s funny that back then winter roads were worse and 4WD’s were rare but people drove better. AMC nailed it but the market didn’t catch on. People were cautious recovering from lousy 1970’s. Incredibly the Eagle line was built so well that it was not prone to rust. Dad bought a new 1976 Subaru 4WD Wagon and did a great job of off-roading, traveling, volunteering during hurricanes, tornadoes, and blizzards. Poor little car got sand blasted underneath from the dunes of Cape Cod. There wasn’t much left to it by the time we got done with it. Served us well. Eagle wagon came a little late and a little too expensive for us at our time of conquering the world.
100% I feel like people back then were also more competent drivers in general - you should see the drivers here in NJ when there is even a sprinkle of snow lol
My parents gave me an 1983 Eagle SX/4 as a hand me down first car. It was black on black with a rear spoiler with red trim and had Marchal fog lights, the 258CI six cylinder, and an automatic transmission. It wasn’t ‘cool’ like the Camaro, Mustang, Supra, or 280ZX I dreamed of, but it was quirky and unique enough to still be a damn cool first car. It was a snow monster and in Chicago winters it was an absolute blast to drive. I went on my first date in that car, and was very grateful to have that car as a teenager - it might as well have been a set of wings. It was pretty agricultural in its execution, but there’s no doubt that AMC was decades ahead of the industry in adopting all wheel drive for passenger cars.
When I was in my teens and living with my mom and sis in a tiny little apartment our upstairs neighbor drove an AMC Eagle 4x4. This car was a real brute. It could take any kind of terrain (she often took it off-road when camping) and despite my being 6'5" tall I could fit in the back seat and still have plenty of leg room. I loved that car. The main issue she had with it was rust. I think a lot of people forget that the 80's was when US iron started to slip in quality. Most manufacturers weren't using the best metal for their automobiles and a lot of it was due to steel plants fudging inspections.
The AMC SX/4 was a beast! I so wish they still made them.
I had a 2 door sedan and a wagon. Nothing like them on snowy roads. I sold the wagon to a friend. I watched him as he drove through a field with snow up to the headlights to pick up his downed deer. My grandparents had a 4 door and got t boned in an intersection by a sherrifs car that was flying right along. It pushed them into a field. The responders said," good thing you were in this TANK". They were injured but okay. If I wanted to deal with old school car issues I would get one. ie starters, water pumps, alternators, stalling , exhaust system, etc.
My dad had a SX4 he bought new, and I recall it did well in Wisconsin winters. And apparently he liked it enough that some years later his place became "The Eagle Preserve", him having bought several variations of the car.
I wanted an eagle when I first started driving. They were out of my price range at the time and now you just don't find em for sale often in decent shape
They were quick to become rustbuckets, especially the front fenders.
There are still an amazing amount available.
I see at least a half a dozen a week for sale on the forums.
Many are still in great shape.
Even some decent Kammebacks still available.
@@vorpalblades that one thing I never thought of, looking on a forum. Thanks for the tip
I graduated in 86, and the eagle was the vehicle I wanted back then.
I'm 50 and I remember the Eagle very well from when I was a kid, in '80, I would have been 7 and just starting to really get interested in cars at a basic level and I remember them being very different from the other cars back then. Funny, we now have a 4Runner, Forester and Flex, two of which are easily crossovers of sportish wagons. The Flex is a FWD, but of course they came in AWD too. The Subie is the closest to the old Eagle and the 4Runner is body on frame and traditional 4WD, but all kind of close.
My grandparents lived on a farm in a valley near Readstown, WI. Almost all gravel roads back then. 4 wheel drive was basically necessary in the winter in that area, still is. My grandfather bought a 1981 Eagle wagon for my grandmother to drive. They would drive this car to church as well because driving a dirty pickup truck to church wasn't proper. My Grandpa's farm truck was a 1973 Dodge Power Wagon.
Thanks for covering that one. I grew up with these and to be honest i really didn't like them. That said, now that I'm older and hopefully wiser, I really like them.
I drove an Eagle wagon for a while. It was an interesting and innovative vehicle for its time. I only wished that they would have taken the extra step of developing a small block Chrysler V8 version. I think that might have been something truly special.
I had a 81 SX4 with the in-line 6. bought it new. It was basically a Jeep. It was badass. I used to go out into the Mojave dessert with it. All the 4x4 trucks I came across out there were pretty blown away by the little hatch back
I loved these cars. It was what the Outback was modeled after.
... except Subaru was making cars for the US market then
Would totally drive one. Back in the day, always admired their wagon going down the road. They were super rare then, and I still get excited seeing one today, also super rare. I never have seen an SX4 in the steel-flesh, only wagons.
Part of why I currently drive a VW Golf Alltrack is that the Eagle Wagon made such an impression on me as a child. I rarely saw the SX4 even then, though. I do think it's cool.
I absolutely love My sx4. I ve had it for over 15 years, and it is so fun to drive specially off roading. I live in Bogotá, Colombia south América and a lot of People that sees the car going off road want One. It is fun and it is unique
I was a teenager back then, and I LOVED them!
This vehicle made more sense than some might think. In the 1980s, it was all the rage for the man of the house to drive a sports car. Only moms drove a practical car then. Couple that with the harsh-climate regions of the USA where it would not otherwise be possible to drive a sports car (at least not all-year round) and you get this vehicle. You could argue whether this vehicle was executed well or whether it was the right vehicle but the idea did make sense.
I would definitely love to have one. I had a buddy who had one and was used as a hunting vehicle, here in Florida. It was impressive and got the job done. Underestimated, and unappreciated. Damn! Nice
Such a shame that AMC isn’t around anymore. AMC/Jeep was my favorite brand when I was a kid. We had a CJ5 and a Hornet Wagon.
I always say they were the innovators of what’s so popular now.
The luxury SUV with the Grand Wagoneer and the crossover with the Eagle.
My grandfather used to love those whacky looking off-road Eagles with the station wagon hatch. That's basically All he drove. Had a bunch of them and they'd break down and get another
When I was a kid in the 80’s, a family down the street had one, and I always thought it looked so Mad Max, and have wanted one ever since.
Born in '83, I've wanted a woodgrain wagon Eagle since I was a little kid. I've got an '89 grand wagoneer, now I just gotta find one of these.
I still have my Dark Red '83 Sx/4 with the rear spoiler. I've had it since I was 16 and it's currently going through a lot of improvements.
The Eagle is the car I miss the most from my youth. It was a fantastic all terrain vehicle.
AMC needs a comeback
Auto Designers in the 1980s: "A 4-wheel drive family car that can go on dirt roads and tow trailers? Ha, who the hell is going to buy that?"
Those same retired auto designers, their kids and grown grandkids in the 2020s: *Drive crossovers.*
LOL that is so true - I miss the days of the sedans. Just way prettier than crossovers
Subaru did awd first and AMC followed that suit. I remember this, as at the time we all made fun of the AMC. Because it looked like they took a car and bolted it to a truck frame. Where as the Subaru still looked like a car but with awd. That said I liked what AMC were doing (bar the Pacer - good lord).
The opening shot is of my Sx4! Its been in a Roadkill episode, on David Freiburgers Facebook and now on here! That video was when it was still 258 powered, now it has a VW 1.9L TDI swap in it
I've had a few, one I lifted 3in and put the Chrysler efi on, low profile with lots of ground clearance thing was awsome
Just saw a AMC Eagle on the street yesterday. Still in good shape. Remember being in Montana and seeing a dealership crammed full of them.
My grandfather had one, I loved it because he gave his J20 Honcho to me two months after he bought it
Had the wagon, use to jump in it 4' into the air to flat, hit highway exit ramp jumps at speed.
Axle finally broke and it got vandalized where it sat.
If they made the exact model today i would be in line for a loan.straight 6 basically maintenance free.
Interior was the most comfortable vehicle I have ever owned.
These are great. I'd love to have one for Colorado's sometimes unpredictable weather.
The perfect place for one!
Growing up in Anchorage, Alaska in the 80s, AMC Eagles were pretty common. I think I've only seen the 2-door once or twice during my childhood.
I remember those when I was a kid, thinking they were weird, and not really knowing what they were. Being the pre-internet era, and with parents who weren't really car people, there was no good way of finding out.
My dad tells me stories of what it was like back then having to just figure stuff out to fix parts on your car because there were no forums or UA-cam videos - I can't imagine that
Definitely a car ahead of its time. My first car was an 84ish amc eagle station wagon 4x4. My parents bought it new, I was the third and last of their children to learn to drive in it. Other than the ignition system the thing was bulletproof.
I enjoyed this content. You did forget to mention the AMC Hornet. My first car was a used 1970 Hornet. Clearly the early Hornet was a direct predecessor.
Compared to what Detroit has now those AMC's look great, I bet someone at Subaru back in early 80s took notice of AMC 4-wheel drive cars.
For me after being stuck all the time in every snowstorm from 1976 to 1984, I bought a new Bronco II, but after 4 years and wanting more interior room I bought new 88 Subaru wagon, so from 1984 to now I always had something with 4-wheel drive....
In those climates with snow I don't know how everyone used to do it with just RWD - drove my old truck in the snow in RWD mode instead of 4WD and it was an experience to say the least lol
as a 17 year old i borrowed mom's 1980 amc eagle and beat a Jeep 4 wheeling up Waterford Hill in Waterford Mi, mom only kept that Eagle for 2-3 years before trading it in for a Mini van, idk about long term reliability but it was a great car for first 3 years !
It seems to me it was a real shame AMCs weren’t exported granted from what seems the view AMC had some real shockers when it came to quality and performance but they did have some really innovative cars and ideas. I actually like AMC even cars like the Eagle, Pacer and Gremlin but being Aussie I never lived with them. Think the Eagle SX4 is a brilliant idea and car. Great job thanks for sharing. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I loved them the instant I seen them. I remember when I was 5 in 1988 and like 20 inches of snow had just fallen in like 24 hours, cars were stuck everywhere and 1 of my family friends owned 1 and he took us grocery shopping, the mall etc bc we had 2 rwd cars that couldn't make it out of our neighborhood 😂
Worked at a Jeep dealership fifteen years ago and had to test drive an 1980 Eagle in winter conditions. Best damned heater ever in a car. The vents can be aimed directly along your arms while handling the wheel. Just a perfect heater set up. And oh yeah, it drove very nice.
Europe also experimented with this concept those days. French created lifted Peugeot 505 for Africa and Matra Rancho which later inspired establishment of company called Dangel.
Gernans came with VW Golf Rabbit And developed Caravelle Sincro.
These days most of panel vans for EU market have optional 4x4 version with lifted off-road suspenssion and reduction gearbox with low range.
Class of slightly lifted estates so called "allroad" (®by Audi )is probably the best alternative to SUV...
My first car was an 82 AMC Concord. LOVED IT. That thing was a tank and perfect for a high school kid to beat up. And we beat the shit out of that thing.
Subaru was making all wheel drive raised vehicles in the 70s. My Pennsylvania high school Driver's Ed had a fleet of Eagle wagons.
Have some very fond memories that involve an AMC Eagle
One of the most intelligent designs that have been produced in my opinion. I drove a station wagon version a few times back then and I really liked it. That’s the best set up in my opinion. I would definitely take that over any new car, but I like simplicity and I’m also feeling nostalgic. However, if it worked for people then, why not now?! Umm, by the way, it goes faster than that😊
This car is the perfect winter car, and I wish someone would make a new version.
I don’t recall the Eagle being rare at the time. Living in the NE Ohio snowbelt I remember these being everywhere when I was a kid. My grandfather had one.
Those are like the anti-crossover. Crossovers are little SUV with no off-road capability, while the Eagle is a big car with off-road capability
Had the '81 Spirit with the 258cid engine. It was so light, it would roast the tires on demand. However, the light weight made it a detriment in the winter time, so I though the SX-4 would have made a better year around choice. Still like seeing them.
Those amc eagles were great, I'd love to find one today
Wayyyyy ahead of its time. Such a neat car!
The CA highway patrol used eagle wagon models in winter months all over the sierra nevada mountains. Ive seen them back in the day at their auction yard in Sacramento
A guy in my high school had one of these. The 4wd system wasn't happy when he put bigger tires on the back. . .
Can't do that dude, front and rear axels are synced togeather on any 4WD.
@velocity5918 Exactly. He got the car brand new as a 16th birthday present (yea, he was THAT guy). It lasted a week before he swapped tires in the rear. The engines didn't make a lot of power, but they made enough to destroy the center diff.
My dad and I went to pick one up at the dealership in the pouring rain. There were no gutters to channel the water around the hatch opening and when he opened the rear hatch and water cascaded down the sloped roof and into the rear of the car like a river. He looked at that pool of water in the cargo area and said, "No way."
Always thought these were cool. When I was a kid my parents owned both an AMC Spirit and Concorde… then in my young adulthood I owned an AMC Jeep CJ5. Would love to find an Eagle or SX4 in working order. Agree it would be cooler than any modern crossover.
I freaking love this vehicle. . Wasnt old enough so I never got a chance to drive one.
It's basically a jeep frame and drivetrain with a compact car on top , the AMC 4 door wagon & sedan would go anywhere. A compact car the hatchback just reminded me of a pinto. Nowadays one of the eagle 🦅 AMC 4×4 with turbo would be sweet.
The CA SX/4 I6 engine was pathetic, the 4WD components would fail when truly needed.
Aside from that, it was a comfortable ride and had surprisingly responsive steering.
I think someone over-ordered vacuum hose and fittings and a kindergartner assembled something with them, then installed it under the hood. It made servicing the engine an absolute nightmare. Topping that, the valve cover was plastic (no gasket) and held on with two shouldered nuts. There was a retrofit kit that pulled 6 head bolts and replaced them with 2-level studs and T-washers to hold the new valve cover down (still no gasket, but a tube of RTV), which required lowering the engine down and removing the wiper motor to install .. and still leaked.
I have an Eagle wagon. I love it. You would be surprised at the number of people who offer to buy it.
I bought an ‘87 eagle wagon for $1200 in 2008 when i moved to southern utah. I ran the heck out of it for a little over a decade, taking it on quite a few backroads in the canyons and mountains. Never got stuck and maintenance was minimal. The exhaust finally rusted through aand it developed an exhaust leak near the engine and trans started to slip a bit. it’s been parked in the yard the last few years. Somehow i can’t get myself to sell it. Its sunblasted and the interior is degrading pretty quickly at its age and being in the high desert (uv is a b-tch here). Still trying to decide if i want to do a resto or hand it off to another fan. (I have an IH Scout II needing attention as well). It was an amazing daily driver even though its soooo slow up the steep grades.
Had the 80 with the 258. I'd take it to the beach for a spin in the sand, to the car wash for a quick bath and back home to sit until the next time i wanted to drive on the beach.
Sadly, that proved to be the end of it as the salt water and sand chewed through the oil pan and it dropped all it's oil along with a rod.
I always wanted one. I got an AMC Wagoneer, If i ever get an Eagle, I'm dumpin one of my 360's that I have extra in it.
Back then, it wasn't like every car made was AWD. If you wanted AWD, You could select a 4X4 pickup, or a classic jeep, or one of about three AWD cars. AMC Eagles looked fine. Reasonably capable. I don't remember what their downfall was. Probably reliability or something. Of course, with excellent development it could have been worked out and become really something.
The advertisement videos alone explain it's notoriety
Yeah, that sx4 is really cool. Love to own one with 258 6 cylinder.
Same would be a great putting around car for the winter
These cars were way ahead of their time back then. They fit in more today and would be competitive with Subaru.
I remember seeing the Eagle in a book that claimed it would be a future collectable.
I once had a Dodge neon pull right out in front of me while I was driving an Eagle.
The Dodge neon was completely totaled and that guy went to the hospital, I wasn't wearing my seat belt and all I got was a bump on my head.
My mom went to the AMC Jeep dealer to look at a Cherokee. I think the salesman tried to pitch the Eagle because he was dealing with a woman. She wasn’t buying it. We drove across the county and she found a year old Cherokee. I rode in that vehicle for many years.
This was a great video. Good narration
I loved these cars, and was a little disappointed when I turned 16 and couldn’t find a used one to buy.
My biggest regret in life is having to sell my SX4. I didn't know how to work on it and it wasn't reliably road worthy. I sold it to an enthusiast who fixed it up and offered it back to me for a much higher price but I just couldn't afford it. This is my dream car to own again. Albeit, with a much more powerful engine is possible lol
By the way, this is the platform Jeep should revive!
If AMC had more backing they would have done some incredible stuff.
those cars were very popular in the area I grew up in, because of the weather. I liked them and have tried to find one recently to restore but they rusted out badly.
the transmition is like most of the 4x4 i´ve known ,refering to integrales, SX4 a nice car to have
AMC Hornet proto type, didn't reach production?😮 WTF!? Yes the AMC did reach and continued production of the Hornet. Station wagon, hatch back 2 door, and 4 door sedan. I loved them, as many people in my community drove them.
i remember laughing at these things back in the day. now i wish i had a half a dozen of them. you would need that many to keep one or two going.that 258 was a good engine. and quadra trak was awesome offroad.
Somebody needs to restomod one of these, it would be badass.
Those things were tanks.
We raised my buddies put big truck tires on it.
Probably got 3 years out of that thing beating the piss out of it everyday.
I'd buy one right now.
Yep, Traded a tuned WRX for my lifted turbo 300hp outback wilderness... They were way way way ahead, besides reliability...
I remember seeing those cars when I was just a kid and thinking they were pretty cool. Today, I'm looking at it and think I was right. I still find them cool
I lived in a small town in New Mexico in the late 70s. The police bought a bunch of these wagons. They were slow as dirt. In fact it got so bad that the police literally put an ad in the local paper saying they would no longer pursue anyone who ran... Of course this became an invitation to just about everyone. Pretty much all there was to do there was party and race cars so just about everyone had a hotrod. The cops ended up selling the entire fleet two years later... 🤣🤣
I'd love to have one. Would be amazing for Appalachian back roads.
Myth Busters used one in a collision with a semi and got hate mail for it. Jamie talked about it and, tongue and cheek, apologized for it.
And 1990's emissions sent many of these to the scrap heap due to ratcheting up of the standards for these aging cars unfortunately. I owned an '82 Grand Wagoneer around that time, it passed on numbers with everything but the catalytic converter deleted, failing on equipment... the 360 V8 found a new life with a local that had 2 Gremlin X's, a pure dragster and a dedicated wheel stander. And I bought an '87 1/2t 4x4 RAM PU with a Slant 6 and a 4 speed from his mechanic at his body shop... It looked nice, went slow...
The SX4 looked like a lifted CRX. I liked them all, but I always wanted a wagon. The Dodge Magnum kind of stole their styling in a way and didn’t pull it off as well
I still want one to this day!
TO THIS DAY!
The were trying whatever before the company was bought out. I think by eagle or jeep. But the 69sst and 70 javelin are so perfect.
The 4dr car with the 258 engine was the best version. IMO
My parents had one when I was a kid and it was a beast ..we tried to get it stuck but never really did (mind u we got about 3ft of snow)