They were Awesome 4WD vehicles, especially the wagon. They were bulletproof. I had a friend who put over 300K miles on their wagon. They went Everywhere, both on and off road. They moved to Alaska and yes they were ahead of their time. I’d LOVE to have one in great condition
Most people didn’t like the looks of these cars. My wife at the time (I got married in ‘89) called it a “truck car”. That kinda sums it up. It’s like it can’t decide whether it wants to be a truck or a car. She hated it, and really, most people didn’t like them.
oldsmobile built some 88's for the US military with the diesels and an air start so they could run and drive in the event of an EMP. the radio and lights were the only electric accessories. the starter was not omitted, the compressed air start with accompanying tank and belt driven compressor was an "in case of emergency" thing
@@manitoba-op4jxthat's really interesting. That makes sense. I've seen semi tractors with air starter at grain elevators due to the explosive tendency of grain dust, which you would know about living in Manitoba.
My sister used to have a 1982 AMC Eagle wagon when she lived in Flagstaff, AZ. The apartment building where she lived had a lower parking area and an upper parking area. The front door to her apartment was accessible only from the upper parking area, but to get to the upper parking area, there was a steep hill at the end of the building. Whenever it snowed, it was nearly impossible to get to the upper parking area. Her Eagle would go up that hill as easily in snow, as it would when the hill was dry. Other people couldn't get their 4X4 trucks up that hill in the snow without slipping back down, but her Eagle would go up the hill without any problems.
My father (now retired) had a co-worker who refused to drive anything but Eagles from the time they first came out, through the whole span of their availability, and beyond until he couldn't find decent used ones any more. Here in Maine, they would only survive a handful of years apiece before the strange omissions in rustproofing you mentioned did them in, but he kept at it until he'd used up every last one he could get his hands on.
Where I lived in the Rockies during the early 80's, AMC Eagles were common and very effective in winter conditions. The majority of them were wagons, but the sedan would have been my choice. The 258 straight six was a great engine, only hampered by its 1980's emission-era carburation and emission controls. It's too bad that the AMC Eagle did not last until the introduction of the 4.0L straight six, arguably one of the best straight six engines ever made.
My father bought one off the showroom floor without consulting my stepmother. Her first response was, " You bought a Rambler???!!!" It was almost grounds for divorce, but it was a great little car. His was the 4-door Limited sedan with a full complement of power accessories and a leather interior. I loved driving it in the snow and it was quite reliable.
Haha, you know you're dealing with someone who remembers the earlier days of AMC when they still called them all "Rambler". My dad did that from time to time. I'd pull up in my Jeep, and he'd comment about my old "Rambler".
My uncle had one of these when I was a kid. I remember him taking us out on the farm to go fishing. We kind of got stuck, he backed up, did something and then went through the mud bog. That blew my mind. We didn't even have a 4x4 truck yet on the farm, since we had sold the Scout II for a longbox Silverado Big-10 (2wd). My uncle had to explain to me what 4x4 was. That was a fun day of fishing and going through mud... in a car!
The Eagle 4x4 wagon was a bulletproof tank with the in-line 6cyl engine. They were super reliable and if maintained properly, they would go for 300K miles. I’d LOVE to have one if it was restored.
I never owned one of these, but I always admired them. They were ahead of their time, and seemed to stay on the road for years. There seemed to be many still on the road well into the 2000's which is a testament to their durability.
AMC Eagles are incredible in the snow. I can't emphasize how good the traction was. They had plenty of room and were comfortable too. A bit quirky. They didn't look 50 years ahead of their time...but they were.
@@mosesberkowitz3298It was a low budget demonstration! That said, the video had a lot of info and was a fun watch. When is the last time you saw an Eagle on the road?
Hey Adam! My Polish grandmother had "Eagle" as she would say and loved it! It was a gift from her younger sister Antionette who purchased an E-class in burgundy to match her 1979 Lincoln Town Car coupe. Antionette did not like "Eagle" dripping oil on her pristine driveway, so she gave her sister the Eagle. All the heavy snows in Chicago for many years in the 80s and into the 90s, grandma never got stuck once with "Eagle" on the horrible snow and ice rutted Chicago side streets that trapped so many cars.
I always liked these. They were cool looking cars, even though pretty pedestrian overall. They just had kind of a classy flair to them, including as just a Concord. I remember my grandmother buying a brand new '82 Eagle wagon when I was 16. I was so shocked that she let me drive it even when it was only a few days old. Well, she was with me, so it wasn't like I was going to try drifting it or anything. The rest of the family thought she was nuts for trading in her '74 Olds Cutlass with swivel seats for it, but she loved that Eagle and kept it until she passed 14 years later. Living in Colorado, she loved that car more every winter and called it her mountain goat.
My father was the proud owner of a blue (with the blue plaid interior upholstery) early-80s Eagle wagon that he bought used sometime in the mid-90s. He was a downhill skier from his Army service in Europe during the early ‘50s, and incessantly bragged about what a great ski car his old, cheap Eagle was. His 210cm downhill skis fit inside the car with the back seat folded down, and he was always glad to keep the skis and bindings inside, and sheltered from road grime, during his long winter trips from Pittsburgh out to Colorado and Utah ski resorts. Adam-your Eagle is in very nice condition, but if you want to become less anxious about road salt-induced corrosion, have the car oil-sprayed by Krown Rust Control. All four of our Michigan daily-drivers get their annual resprays, and all remain rust-free. My oldest vehicle that’s had Krown treatments is a ‘95 Dodge pickup with > 250K miles-their process works.
When these were introduced I was working at our local AMC/Jeep dealership having the experience of preparing the newly arrived cars. AMC was greatly enhancing the interiors of their new models. Lots more improvements needed.
I remember driving a new one of those back in the day for a test drive during a snowstorm I came away with a few observations I still remember today, especially as someone with no 4wd experience or with AMC: 1…not a bad looking car, especially by the low standards of AMC in those days. 2…as someone who was driving typical 70’s American rear drive cars the ground clearance and 4 wheel traction was a eye opening experience. 3…couldn’t help but notice how primitive and dated it felt compared to say a concurrent GM, Ford or even mopar.
I loved the intro. I was imagining that it was Christmas of 1985 and I was leaving my parents garage to visit my grandparents in my three year old AMC Eagle with AWD that I just paid off. Oh, to be able to go back and do just that! Thanks for sharing.
The aunt of a friend of mine had the Eagle woody Wagon that was also 4 wheel drive. I just remember that I was impressed with it back then. One thing is quite clear about you is that you really have a very wide range in vehicle taste!! I never expected to learn that you own an AMC Eagle!!!
These things were everywhere when I was in my 20’s and 30’s. I was not into four wheel drive vehicles then so I never really paid much attention to them. But the people who had them surprisingly liked them a whole bunch. And they generally kept them for a long time.
American Motors did so much with so little they are one of my unsung heroes. AMC produced so many products from stretched & shrunk platforms. Renault was the beginning of the end long before Chrysler.
I've always had a soft spot for the AMC Hornet (I own a '70 and a '72) and all the other uniquely AMC vehicles they managed to squeeze out of that same platform. I owned an 85 Eagle 4 door sedan for awhile in the early 2010s. It was a 258 with a 5 speed. It was just a $500 beater that was in super rough shape from being used as a winter car in iowa road salt for most of its existence. I had some ford ranger wheels with some 31x10.50 all terrains on them, I made them fit on the eagle by clearancing the rusty wheel wells with a sawzall 😂 Like 8 or 9 times I stuck that car in a ditch while out messing around on snowy gravel roads, every single time it'd just drive right out and keep going. I ended up parting it out when the front diff let go on it, poor car had a HARD life but just kept on going. I'd love to have another one, in nicer shape.
I know that winter weather isnt good for classics, there's something so visually intoxicating about the sight of these majestic machines covered by a light dusting of snow. It harkens back to a time that these were "just cars" and did regular service during all weather conditions, all year long, for families across America. What a great video, Adam! I couldn't have picked a better weather and car matchup for an overview tour of a car. The Eagle itself is honestly a great representation of how, even during the malaise era, American automakers could find ways to stretch tight budgets to both deliver innovative and effective designs from time to time. In particular, this car looks so great in this mild winter wonderland.
My 1981 vw has never stopped being main transport in Ohio for 30 years Then North Dakota Then Washington state Then oregon Then cali Then North Carolina Then Washington state again. A car can last half a man’s lifetime if he takes care of it and understands what he’s doing
I'm aging myself to say that I sold AMC Jeeps in the mid 80s. Our dealership in southern New England didn't have many of the Eagles. I did get to drive an SX4 for a while. This was when Renault had a large stake in AMC. Interesting times. Thanks for the video!
First, what an eclectic trio of cars in your garage! I never thought I'd see one of your jewels out in the snow, so I'm glad it didn't leave your driveway. A fun little car, and I love the upholstery.
Great memories !! I remember pleading with my parents NOT to buy the new Plymouth Reliant K wagon back in 1981. They were test driving several new cars, thankfully finding the K car too crude and nasty. We lived in Alaska, and needed something that would work well year round, and much to my delight, my folks decided on a new 1982 Eagle wagon, which we picked up at the dealer in Fairbanks and drove it home in a November 1981 snow storm. It was so comfortable and handled so well in the snow. That was a great car that served my parents well for a decade.
These came out when I was about 9 years old, and I was living in Wyoming at the time, and between 1979-1981 that I lived there with my family, we saw some massively epic snowstorms that dumped huge amounts of snow, including at least 2 very memorable blizzards that saw the snow drift to a height that was the same as me, and towered over my 4 year old brother at the time. There were A LOT of these on the roads in that area in those days, and if I remember correctly, the local AMC/Jeep dealer in Cheyenne had a tough time keeping them in stock, they were so popular. I always liked them, thought they were very cool, and though at a young age, I could even see they based this on the Hornet, but did a good job disguising it.
Hi Adam and Happy New Year ! I enjoyed your Eagle snow video as I have not seen one in years. I had an Aunt that had a Concord of similar vintage and a 4 door Hornet before that. Yours appears to be in great shape and a nice color combination. I will be out " playing " in the snow tomorrow here in Connecticut as we are expecting about a foot of it in my area. My play toy will be my 1966 Jeep Gladiator pickup with Meyer 7 and one - half snowplow which has been plowing for my family since December of 1965 when my Dad brought it home from Moriarty Lincoln/Mercury/Jeep . This truck has the seven foot pickup body, 232 AMC straight six cylinder with three speed manual transmission and two speed transfer case. I put the plow on it today and it is on standby in the garage for tomorrow.
I really do like AMC vehicles. They really did offer innovation beyond just bling. Neighbor had a Javelin he had bought brand new. Such a cool car. One day he had not set the parking brake and it rolled down the driveway, through our back yard and right into our screen porch.
My uncle,who worked for Nevada Bell Telephone had one of these as his company car. It was great but he did have exhaust manifold issues several times. Love to have one today.
Im a machinist, but my understanding is that when you weld galvanized it puts off noxious fumes. Seems like maybe they only used galvanized for the panel stampings that didnt have to be welded.
Yes, that’s right. The gal (well, zinc) also made for a poor weld. Many galvanised bodies were first assembled (welded together) and then electroplated. Stamped panels, as you note, could be stamped from rolled steel that was already galvanised.
I took a Corporate Strategy course at the University of Michigan Business School that was taught by Gerald Meyers, the former head of AMC and one of the fathers of the Eagle. He was a very kind and interesting man. He had many thoughtful kernels of wisdom. One of them went something like, “If you borrow $20,000 and lose it, you’re in trouble. If you borrow $20 million and lose it, someone else is in trouble.” Great teacher.
I purchased new a 1982 Eagle SX/4 red and black with a 5 speed manual transmission. It cost 10.000 in 82, it had a very cool black & silver interior with fake wood trim . I was a snow skier and drove it in the worst weather to ski resorts every winter , it never once let me down or even came close to getting stuck, I would stop and pull other skiers out of snow banks or ditches on my way up the mountains to the resorts. It was a fantastic vehicle in it’s element, I wish I Had not let it go years later.
Hi: yes it sure was, but I got my money"s worth I kept that car for 18 years garage kept, the person I sold it to totaled it in less then a month of purchasing it! @@tomwesley7884
I knew a few people who had these, mostly wagons. They would embarrass just about any 4wd pick-up at the time in snow. Way ahead of their time, if only AMC had a little more cash to spend on them. A kid with a '93 F150 4x4 challenged me to a front bumper to bumper push-off with an Eagle wagon I had here. I knew the Eagle was underpowered, so I just held the brakes hard and a little throttle with the other foot. He broke his tires loose, I let off the brakes and gave it some gas and I pushed the Ford back a car length. He was not amused. He knew what he did wrong.
I remember seeing this car in the car yearbooks back in the day, it was soo exotic to see it because of the unique concept and of course we never saw it on the road here in the Netherlands. Great car!
Thank you Adam. They did a lot on a budget at AMC. As you said if they had got that Grand Cherokee out, who knows what would have been under AMC. They were trying. Look at Jeep thriving globally in 2023 under Stellantis. There was the Eagle brand that is no longer with us. The Toyota Crown has the tall stance look like this car. This Toyota Crown reminds me of this car. Thank you again.
These vehicles were definitely a novel concept and were ahead of their time. Very surprised to learn that they had nearly a decade production run. BTW - hard to believe that by '82 this vehicle still didn't include a passenger side MIRROR. Was this optional and did it eventually become standard on the later in the decade models ?!? Many Thanks Yo ! 🚘🔍. 🤔
Amazing it took another OEM on its back (Subaru circa 1994) to revive the lifted car idea. In Subaru's case it totally revived them (along with Colin McRae's 1995 WRC championship). Great vid Adam!☺️👍
AMC had some good looking automobiles in the day. This model has stood the test of time. AMC vehicle’s shared many parts throughout the line as well as purchase parts from GM and Ford. Imagine an Eagle Gremlin or Pacer, now that would be unique!
I remember the ads saying, "The Eagle has landed..... on all four wheels!" I always thought the high riding look on an otherwise plain sedan was cool-looking! 👍
@grandinosour Absolutely not. AMC never sourced their V8's and I-6's. You had a 258 cid AMC in your rig. AMC sourced many good parts over the years but their blocks and internals were their own. The ONLY exception was for a very short while in '78-'79 AMC sourced an anemic AUDI 4 cylinder.
Nice car. I had a '79 and '82 Subaru 4WD wagons both which I loved and both had tartan plaid seat inserts. The '82 had dual range 4WD and had the odd Cyclops center driving light hidden behind a vacuum powered door in the grille.
The memories of that sound. Living on a 9 acre property which was remote and on the side of a foothill, my parents were Eagle fans. My dad briefly had a ‘82 sedan however his had the Iron Duke 4 cyl borrowed from GM. He quickly replaced it with a very nice looking white ‘78 Wagoneer. Mom had a ‘80 coupe w/ the full time 4wd setup, she had it for a few years as a daily until she and dad found a beautiful ‘81 Limited wagon Select Drive w/ wood grain sides and the same interior your ‘82 has. It was copper colored- she loved it and she drove that one for many years, until 1993-1994 I believe where it became a wintertime only ride. Because we were a family, it was the wintertime family ride that we could all get into, effectively and thankfully replacing the very clunky and very thirsty ‘78 Wagoneer. When we moved away from the mountains in 1994, she had a ‘85 Ford Tempo for a split second which she hated…. And then she found a beautiful ‘86 Regency 98, which I see you have parked along with your Eagle. That’s actually when we finally sold the Eagle.
Love your channel. You have all my favorite cars lol. I’ve had two Eagles. The first was a teenage project. The second I bought as a winter beater that became my favorite car of all time. As you said, certain parts are not friendly to salt and mine lived a hard life and finally had to be put to rest. Assuming I ever get a 3rd, it won’t be a winter car. That being said, best vehicle I’ve ever driven in the snow. It would look great next to my Mark VII and 500 SL
My in laws had an1980 Eagle Wagon 4x4 with the in line 6 cylinder engine, fully optioned, Burgundy over a burgundy tartan plaid interior and the woodie panels on the side. Not a very refined vehicle but perfectly comfortable for four passengers and luggage. A very cool car that me and my now ex wife would borrow it and get lost in the woods and mountains. It was a very capable off roader if you took careful consideration of it's unprotected underbelly. My friends would marvel at how unstoppable it was in all kinds of weather and on unpaved roads. My daily driver was a 1981 Subaru GL Wagon, fully optioned with the cool Cyclops center headlight and all of 82 hp with a four speed manual. I thought the Eagle was the cat's ass. Very, very cool vehicle.
I remember when this car came out, I was in my mid 20s and my friends thought I was weird because I actually liked the styling and came close to selling my Mustang for one.
Adam, at the time many were still laughing at AMC - people mock what they don't understand... For the people who owned them, well, THEY understood. AMC was an innovator not an imitator. Gr8 feature!👍🏼
Glad that I live in the sunbelt however, just 30 minutes drive and can be in snow country at over 8,000 feet. I don't drive up there in winter as they salt the road going into the mountains. The Eagle was an interesting car of its time and saw many back in those days.
The concept of this car was 20 years ahead of its time - especially the wagon version.
Subaru and Audi also embraced 4wd at this time.
I don't remember any of those sitting up in the stratosphere like these did🙂
They were Awesome 4WD vehicles, especially the wagon.
They were bulletproof.
I had a friend who put over 300K miles on their wagon.
They went Everywhere, both on and off road.
They moved to Alaska and yes they were ahead of their time.
I’d LOVE to have one in great condition
Most people didn’t like the looks of these cars.
My wife at the time (I got married in ‘89) called it a “truck car”.
That kinda sums it up.
It’s like it can’t decide whether it wants to be a truck or a car.
She hated it, and really, most people didn’t like them.
Love the wagon version! ❤❤❤
You have to admire AMC for keeping the lights on and innovating with a very limited amount of $$$. The Eagle was really so far ahead of its time.
I really appreciate the older cars and trucks that are not dominated by electronics.
oldsmobile built some 88's for the US military with the diesels and an air start so they could run and drive in the event of an EMP. the radio and lights were the only electric accessories. the starter was not omitted, the compressed air start with accompanying tank and belt driven compressor was an "in case of emergency" thing
@@manitoba-op4jxthat's really interesting. That makes sense. I've seen semi tractors with air starter at grain elevators due to the explosive tendency of grain dust, which you would know about living in Manitoba.
I used to think these looked Strange being so high. Now I think how awesome these truly were especially working with a low budget. 👍
It does look strange, but ya got the four wheel drive - if that's what's important to the driver.
My sister used to have a 1982 AMC Eagle wagon when she lived in Flagstaff, AZ. The apartment building where she lived had a lower parking area and an upper parking area. The front door to her apartment was accessible only from the upper parking area, but to get to the upper parking area, there was a steep hill at the end of the building. Whenever it snowed, it was nearly impossible to get to the upper parking area. Her Eagle would go up that hill as easily in snow, as it would when the hill was dry. Other people couldn't get their 4X4 trucks up that hill in the snow without slipping back down, but her Eagle would go up the hill without any problems.
It's a shame that more Americans didn't buy AMC. They had great engines.
Cars way ahead of their time due to creative problem solving and forging ahead. Kudos to the AMC guys keeping them alive!
AMC was so far ahead of their time with these.
Plus analog everthing, miss simpler times.
My father (now retired) had a co-worker who refused to drive anything but Eagles from the time they first came out, through the whole span of their availability, and beyond until he couldn't find decent used ones any more. Here in Maine, they would only survive a handful of years apiece before the strange omissions in rustproofing you mentioned did them in, but he kept at it until he'd used up every last one he could get his hands on.
Had he oiled the underbody he'd still be driving them today.
@@browngreen933 Well, he didn't.
Where I lived in the Rockies during the early 80's, AMC Eagles were common and very effective in winter conditions. The majority of them were wagons, but the sedan would have been my choice. The 258 straight six was a great engine, only hampered by its 1980's emission-era carburation and emission controls. It's too bad that the AMC Eagle did not last until the introduction of the 4.0L straight six, arguably one of the best straight six engines ever made.
I bet these things would scream with a decent 4.6L stroker build.
My father bought one off the showroom floor without consulting my stepmother. Her first response was, " You bought a Rambler???!!!" It was almost grounds for divorce, but it was a great little car. His was the 4-door Limited sedan with a full complement of power accessories and a leather interior. I loved driving it in the snow and it was quite reliable.
Great car!
Haha, you know you're dealing with someone who remembers the earlier days of AMC when they still called them all "Rambler". My dad did that from time to time. I'd pull up in my Jeep, and he'd comment about my old "Rambler".
My uncle had one of these when I was a kid. I remember him taking us out on the farm to go fishing. We kind of got stuck, he backed up, did something and then went through the mud bog. That blew my mind. We didn't even have a 4x4 truck yet on the farm, since we had sold the Scout II for a longbox Silverado Big-10 (2wd). My uncle had to explain to me what 4x4 was. That was a fun day of fishing and going through mud... in a car!
This channel is my easy listening of the evening when I'm relaxing, love the content.
The Eagle 4x4 wagon was a bulletproof tank with the in-line 6cyl engine.
They were super reliable and if maintained properly, they would go for 300K miles.
I’d LOVE to have one if it was restored.
Absolutely a classy car in style & mechanicals.. Beautiful condition.
AMC leveraged that Hornet design to the end. The wagon was ahead of its time.
The Eagle was a real tank in the snow. We loved ours.
The concept at the time was mind-blowing to me. They took a sedan and plopped it onto a Jeep and called it a day, basically. So ahead of its time.
I never owned one of these, but I always admired them. They were ahead of their time, and seemed to stay on the road for years. There seemed to be many still on the road well into the 2000's which is a testament to their durability.
AMC Eagles are incredible in the snow. I can't emphasize how good the traction was. They had plenty of room and were comfortable too. A bit quirky. They didn't look 50 years ahead of their time...but they were.
You sure couldn’t tell they were good in the snow by watching this video. That was a sad demonstration in his driveway.
@@mosesberkowitz3298It was a low budget demonstration! That said, the video had a lot of info and was a fun watch. When is the last time you saw an Eagle on the road?
For an older car, I love the fully manual controls for the HVAC system. No vacuum pods to rot out and require deep dash disassembly… America or worse!
Hey Adam! My Polish grandmother had "Eagle" as she would say and loved it! It was a gift from her younger sister Antionette who purchased an E-class in burgundy to match her 1979 Lincoln Town Car coupe. Antionette did not like "Eagle" dripping oil on her pristine driveway, so she gave her sister the Eagle. All the heavy snows in Chicago for many years in the 80s and into the 90s, grandma never got stuck once with "Eagle" on the horrible snow and ice rutted Chicago side streets that trapped so many cars.
I always liked these. They were cool looking cars, even though pretty pedestrian overall. They just had kind of a classy flair to them, including as just a Concord. I remember my grandmother buying a brand new '82 Eagle wagon when I was 16. I was so shocked that she let me drive it even when it was only a few days old. Well, she was with me, so it wasn't like I was going to try drifting it or anything. The rest of the family thought she was nuts for trading in her '74 Olds Cutlass with swivel seats for it, but she loved that Eagle and kept it until she passed 14 years later. Living in Colorado, she loved that car more every winter and called it her mountain goat.
My father was the proud owner of a blue (with the blue plaid interior upholstery) early-80s Eagle wagon that he bought used sometime in the mid-90s. He was a downhill skier from his Army service in Europe during the early ‘50s, and incessantly bragged about what a great ski car his old, cheap Eagle was. His 210cm downhill skis fit inside the car with the back seat folded down, and he was always glad to keep the skis and bindings inside, and sheltered from road grime, during his long winter trips from Pittsburgh out to Colorado and Utah ski resorts.
Adam-your Eagle is in very nice condition, but if you want to become less anxious about road salt-induced corrosion, have the car oil-sprayed by Krown Rust Control. All four of our Michigan daily-drivers get their annual resprays, and all remain rust-free. My oldest vehicle that’s had Krown treatments is a ‘95 Dodge pickup with > 250K miles-their process works.
These were way ahead of their time - basically a 4-runner!
When these were introduced I was working at our local AMC/Jeep dealership having the experience of preparing the newly arrived cars. AMC was greatly enhancing the interiors of their new models. Lots more improvements needed.
If it only had a hatchback it may have been the crossover nobody thought they needed in the 80s 😮
I remember when these AMC Eagles with 4WD hit the market. My Dad was very interested in them and he considered purchasing one.
Such a beautiful car, it's a keeper!
I remember driving a new one of those back in the day for a test drive during a snowstorm I came away with a few observations I still remember today, especially as someone with no 4wd experience or with AMC:
1…not a bad looking car, especially by the low standards of AMC in those days.
2…as someone who was driving typical 70’s American rear drive cars the ground clearance and 4 wheel traction was a eye opening experience.
3…couldn’t help but notice how primitive and dated it felt compared to say a concurrent GM, Ford or even mopar.
I loved the intro. I was imagining that it was Christmas of 1985 and I was leaving my parents garage to visit my grandparents in my three year old AMC Eagle with AWD that I just paid off. Oh, to be able to go back and do just that! Thanks for sharing.
The aunt of a friend of mine had the Eagle woody Wagon that was also 4 wheel drive. I just remember that I was impressed with it back then. One thing is quite clear about you is that you really have a very wide range in vehicle taste!! I never expected to learn that you own an AMC Eagle!!!
The Eagle has landed. Attractive car!!
These things were everywhere when I was in my 20’s and 30’s. I was not into four wheel drive vehicles then so I never really paid much attention to them. But the people who had them surprisingly liked them a whole bunch. And they generally kept them for a long time.
American Motors did so much with so little they are one of my unsung heroes.
AMC produced so many products from stretched & shrunk platforms. Renault was the beginning of the end long before Chrysler.
Renault 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮
I've always had a soft spot for the AMC Hornet (I own a '70 and a '72) and all the other uniquely AMC vehicles they managed to squeeze out of that same platform.
I owned an 85 Eagle 4 door sedan for awhile in the early 2010s. It was a 258 with a 5 speed. It was just a $500 beater that was in super rough shape from being used as a winter car in iowa road salt for most of its existence. I had some ford ranger wheels with some 31x10.50 all terrains on them, I made them fit on the eagle by clearancing the rusty wheel wells with a sawzall 😂 Like 8 or 9 times I stuck that car in a ditch while out messing around on snowy gravel roads, every single time it'd just drive right out and keep going. I ended up parting it out when the front diff let go on it, poor car had a HARD life but just kept on going. I'd love to have another one, in nicer shape.
My Dads friend had 2 Eagle wagons , a 79 and a 84 . He loved them both 😊
I know that winter weather isnt good for classics, there's something so visually intoxicating about the sight of these majestic machines covered by a light dusting of snow. It harkens back to a time that these were "just cars" and did regular service during all weather conditions, all year long, for families across America. What a great video, Adam! I couldn't have picked a better weather and car matchup for an overview tour of a car.
The Eagle itself is honestly a great representation of how, even during the malaise era, American automakers could find ways to stretch tight budgets to both deliver innovative and effective designs from time to time. In particular, this car looks so great in this mild winter wonderland.
I agree. They look quite majestic in the snow
My 1981 vw has never stopped being main transport in Ohio for 30 years
Then North Dakota
Then Washington state
Then oregon
Then cali
Then North Carolina
Then Washington state again.
A car can last half a man’s lifetime if he takes care of it and understands what he’s doing
Ten cans of Fluid Film per year will keep them rust free forever.
Yes, I'd really like to see it leave the driveway in deeper snow, but I do understand why it isn't.
I'm aging myself to say that I sold AMC Jeeps in the mid 80s. Our dealership in southern New England didn't have many of the Eagles. I did get to drive an SX4 for a while. This was when Renault had a large stake in AMC. Interesting times. Thanks for the video!
These were so odd looking back in the day. In 2024, it's handsome and not at all strange.
The Subie of its day.
This continues to be the best and most informative car channel on UA-cam!👍
Probably my favorite 80's car. That one is in fantastic shape, must have been kept inside and taken care of.
First, what an eclectic trio of cars in your garage! I never thought I'd see one of your jewels out in the snow, so I'm glad it didn't leave your driveway. A fun little car, and I love the upholstery.
Growing up, my dad bought a used 83 Concord. White with a blue vinyl top, probably the most reliable car that I can remember.
Woke up to snow on the ground this morning. Hello from Bloomington,IL.
Great memories !! I remember pleading with my parents NOT to buy the new Plymouth Reliant K wagon back in 1981. They were test driving several new cars, thankfully finding the K car too crude and nasty. We lived in Alaska, and needed something that would work well year round, and much to my delight, my folks decided on a new 1982 Eagle wagon, which we picked up at the dealer in Fairbanks and drove it home in a November 1981 snow storm. It was so comfortable and handled so well in the snow. That was a great car that served my parents well for a decade.
These came out when I was about 9 years old, and I was living in Wyoming at the time, and between 1979-1981 that I lived there with my family, we saw some massively epic snowstorms that dumped huge amounts of snow, including at least 2 very memorable blizzards that saw the snow drift to a height that was the same as me, and towered over my 4 year old brother at the time. There were A LOT of these on the roads in that area in those days, and if I remember correctly, the local AMC/Jeep dealer in Cheyenne had a tough time keeping them in stock, they were so popular. I always liked them, thought they were very cool, and though at a young age, I could even see they based this on the Hornet, but did a good job disguising it.
Nice car. Gems from the past and will last and run even decades from now unlike the junk cars made nowadays with a dozen ECUs and sensors.
It clearly did not spend much time in U.P. snow, despite being initially purchased in Ishpeming. A cool-looking survivor.
Hi Adam and Happy New Year ! I enjoyed your Eagle snow video as I have not seen one in years. I had an Aunt that had a Concord of similar vintage and a 4 door Hornet before that. Yours appears to be in great shape and a nice color combination. I will be out " playing " in the snow tomorrow here in Connecticut as we are expecting about a foot of it in my area. My play toy will be my 1966 Jeep Gladiator pickup with Meyer 7 and one - half snowplow which has been plowing for my family since December of 1965 when my Dad brought it home from Moriarty Lincoln/Mercury/Jeep . This truck has the seven foot pickup body, 232 AMC straight six cylinder with three speed manual transmission and two speed transfer case. I put the plow on it today and it is on standby in the garage for tomorrow.
I remember when they came out and thought they were interesting, nice looking cars and still do.
I really do like AMC vehicles. They really did offer innovation beyond just bling. Neighbor had a Javelin he had bought brand new. Such a cool car. One day he had not set the parking brake and it rolled down the driveway, through our back yard and right into our screen porch.
The ORIGINAL crossover!
The ORIGINAL Subaru Outback!
The ORIGINAL Swiss Army knife of a car!
My uncle,who worked for Nevada Bell Telephone had one of these as his company car. It was great but he did have exhaust manifold issues several times. Love to have one today.
That Eagle has better faux woodgrain on the dash than some luxury makes of the time period.
Agreed. AMC did a nice job making their interiors look more upscale than they were at closer examination.
We should petition our car makers to bring back the BURGUNDY vinyl interiors, had a Datsun sentry wagon with it and the 280ZX had it too!
Im a machinist, but my understanding is that when you weld galvanized it puts off noxious fumes. Seems like maybe they only used galvanized for the panel stampings that didnt have to be welded.
Yes, that’s right. The gal (well, zinc) also made for a poor weld. Many galvanised bodies were first assembled (welded together) and then electroplated. Stamped panels, as you note, could be stamped from rolled steel that was already galvanised.
i think it makes phosegene gas. Thats very, very bad lol
I took a Corporate Strategy course at the University of Michigan Business School that was taught by Gerald Meyers, the former head of AMC and one of the fathers of the Eagle. He was a very kind and interesting man. He had many thoughtful kernels of wisdom. One of them went something like, “If you borrow $20,000 and lose it, you’re in trouble. If you borrow $20 million and lose it, someone else is in trouble.” Great teacher.
I purchased new a 1982 Eagle SX/4 red and black with a 5 speed manual transmission. It cost 10.000 in 82, it had a very cool black & silver interior with fake wood trim . I was a snow skier and drove it in the worst weather to ski resorts every winter , it never once let me down or even came close to getting stuck, I would stop and pull other skiers out of snow banks or ditches on my way up the mountains to the resorts. It was a fantastic vehicle in it’s element, I wish I Had not let it go years later.
That was quite a chunk of change, for the time
Hi: yes it sure was, but I got my money"s worth I kept that car for 18 years garage kept, the person I sold it to totaled it in less then a month of purchasing it! @@tomwesley7884
As much as i love classic cars, this is one of the few i would want to own. A 2 door hatch with the strait six and a/c. Nice ride.
I rented the wagon version in Colorado and it drove beautifully. Solid car!
I've heard good things about the AMC/Jeep straight 6.
Very very tough. Not as easy on gas as Chrysler's 225 slant six or Chevy's 250, but AMC's 258 was probably the toughest.
I have owned many and and 4x4 vehicles over the years, including 2 Eagles. They were the best snow vehicles I have ever driven.
1965 AMC INLINE 6 USED FOR YEARS IN JEEPS..EXCELLENT MOTOR..
About a gazillion of these engines ran around in US Postal service vehicles - they were indeed excellent engines …
Nice looking little ride. I remember those.
The definition of "winter car"!
I knew a few people who had these, mostly wagons. They would embarrass just about any 4wd pick-up at the time in snow. Way ahead of their time, if only AMC had a little more cash to spend on them.
A kid with a '93 F150 4x4 challenged me to a front bumper to bumper push-off with an Eagle wagon I had here. I knew the Eagle was underpowered, so I just held the brakes hard and a little throttle with the other foot. He broke his tires loose, I let off the brakes and gave it some gas and I pushed the Ford back a car length. He was not amused. He knew what he did wrong.
If AMC didn't waste so much money on their new, expensive, and barely used Pacer platform, they may very well still be around today
I remember seeing this car in the car yearbooks back in the day, it was soo exotic to see it because of the unique concept and of course we never saw it on the road here in the Netherlands. Great car!
Very popular back in the day in western Newfoundland for obvious reasons. But RUST.
I always thought these should have been much more popular
I really like the proportions of the AMC Eagle, it's very pleasing to the eye.
Thank you Adam. They did a lot on a budget at AMC. As you said if they had got that Grand Cherokee out, who knows what would have been under AMC. They were trying. Look at Jeep thriving globally in 2023 under Stellantis. There was the Eagle brand that is no longer with us. The Toyota Crown has the tall stance look like this car. This Toyota Crown reminds me of this car. Thank you again.
That's a really nice car!
My Friend bought a brand new one of these in 1982. It was a Great Car. !!!!! Thanks Adam....
Nice eagle!
These vehicles were definitely a novel concept and were ahead of their time. Very surprised to learn that they had nearly a decade production run. BTW - hard to believe that by '82 this vehicle still didn't include a passenger side MIRROR. Was this optional and did it eventually become standard on the later in the decade models ?!? Many Thanks Yo ! 🚘🔍. 🤔
I had a similar Amc Eagle sedan, 1984, blue over blue, while living in NYC in the 1990ies, loved it.
I had a 1974 Gremlin in 1980 and when these came out, I wanted that ground clearance and driveline in my car!
One of my favorite cars of all time.
Amazing it took another OEM on its back (Subaru circa 1994) to revive the lifted car idea.
In Subaru's case it totally revived them (along with Colin McRae's 1995 WRC championship). Great vid Adam!☺️👍
AMC had some good looking automobiles in the day. This model has stood the test of time. AMC vehicle’s shared many parts throughout the line as well as purchase parts from GM and Ford. Imagine an Eagle Gremlin or Pacer, now that would be unique!
I remember the ads saying, "The Eagle has landed..... on all four wheels!" I always thought the high riding look on an otherwise plain sedan was cool-looking! 👍
Ford shifter, GM column, Jeep running gear, and on and on. Very interesting vehicle. Thanks for showing it off and explaining it's origin.
I had an Eagle with a Ford in line 6 without the Ford stamping on the valve cover.
@grandinosour Absolutely not. AMC never sourced their V8's and I-6's. You had a 258 cid AMC in your rig.
AMC sourced many good parts over the years but their blocks and internals were their own. The ONLY exception was for a very short while in '78-'79 AMC sourced an anemic AUDI 4 cylinder.
Talk about a car that was way ahead of its time. Great video on a car that I just dont see anymore, not even at cruise ins.
Nice car. I had a '79 and '82 Subaru 4WD wagons both which I loved and both had tartan plaid seat inserts. The '82 had dual range 4WD and had the odd Cyclops center driving light hidden behind a vacuum powered door in the grille.
The memories of that sound. Living on a 9 acre property which was remote and on the side of a foothill, my parents were Eagle fans. My dad briefly had a ‘82 sedan however his had the Iron Duke 4 cyl borrowed from GM. He quickly replaced it with a very nice looking white ‘78 Wagoneer. Mom had a ‘80 coupe w/ the full time 4wd setup, she had it for a few years as a daily until she and dad found a beautiful ‘81 Limited wagon Select Drive w/ wood grain sides and the same interior your ‘82 has. It was copper colored- she loved it and she drove that one for many years, until 1993-1994 I believe where it became a wintertime only ride. Because we were a family, it was the wintertime family ride that we could all get into, effectively and thankfully replacing the very clunky and very thirsty ‘78 Wagoneer. When we moved away from the mountains in 1994, she had a ‘85 Ford Tempo for a split second which she hated…. And then she found a beautiful ‘86 Regency 98, which I see you have parked along with your Eagle. That’s actually when we finally sold the Eagle.
Love your channel. You have all my favorite cars lol.
I’ve had two Eagles. The first was a teenage project. The second I bought as a winter beater that became my favorite car of all time.
As you said, certain parts are not friendly to salt and mine lived a hard life and finally had to be put to rest. Assuming I ever get a 3rd, it won’t be a winter car. That being said, best vehicle I’ve ever driven in the snow. It would look great next to my Mark VII and 500 SL
My friend had one in high school 1995. It was a crazy car. I had a AMC jeep. So we were homies.
Great old car, ahead of its time & cool as hell....
One of AMC's Best-Looking Cars and very practical with The 4WD Setup, Adam🤔👏
My in laws had an1980 Eagle Wagon 4x4 with the in line 6 cylinder engine, fully optioned, Burgundy over a burgundy tartan plaid interior and the woodie panels on the side. Not a very refined vehicle but perfectly comfortable for four passengers and luggage. A very cool car that me and my now ex wife would borrow it and get lost in the woods and mountains. It was a very capable off roader if you took careful consideration of it's unprotected underbelly. My friends would marvel at how unstoppable it was in all kinds of weather and on unpaved roads. My daily driver was a 1981 Subaru GL Wagon, fully optioned with the cool Cyclops center headlight and all of 82 hp with a four speed manual. I thought the Eagle was the cat's ass. Very, very cool vehicle.
This car was great. Severely misunderstood, but great.
I'm in MN. Heavily salted. In any rate AMC is underated. First SUV?
I always wanted a late 1980s Eagle Eagle.
I love learning tidbits of history. Thank you…
If only they made these again, I liked the wagon. What simplicity that did the same thing.
I remember when this car came out, I was in my mid 20s and my friends thought I was weird because I actually liked the styling and came close to selling my Mustang for one.
Adam, at the time many were still laughing at AMC - people mock what they don't understand...
For the people who owned them, well, THEY understood.
AMC was an innovator not an imitator.
Gr8 feature!👍🏼
My aunt had one exactly like that. When I was a kid I never saw anything like it so it was cool.
Glad that I live in the sunbelt however, just 30 minutes drive and can be in snow country at over 8,000 feet. I don't drive up there in winter as they salt the road going into the mountains. The Eagle was an interesting car of its time and saw many back in those days.