The Life and Death of American Motors Corporation: RCR Car Stories
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- A look into the life of the American Motors Corporation, and the decisions that led to its death. What were the successes that defined AMC, and what were the tragedies that changed its path forever? What lessons can we learn from its demise? It's an all-new RCR Stories! The longest ever. Whether that's a good or a bad thing is entirely up to you.
Special thanks to AutoMoments for additional AMC footage!
Subscribe to AutoMoments: / thecarmeat
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A UA-cam personality makes a video that last 10 minutes or less. A UA-cam journalist makes a video that lasts 2 hours and is loaded with research on the subject.
This is a masterpiece in which you should be very proud.
A Narrator, whose impersonation of the late Jack Palance is the worst i have ever heard, believe it or not.
Agree. Yet you'll still get people complaining that it's too long because the stupid average person has no attention span these days. Sad
Ha ! What are you trying to date this guy's daughter or something?
@@Beaches_south_of_L.A. Already nailed her
Absolutely, a journalist masterpiece. Extremely well done.
My aunt and uncle worked at the Kenosha plant and lived just a couple blocks from there. My father was a definite advocate for AMC products being born and raised in Kenosha on 25th st. In 1976 my father pre-ordered our '76 AMC Matador wagon, it was yellow with wood assimilation, it was fully loaded with a 360 4brl with dual exhaust, power windows, Cruz, etc etc. It was car to be proud of living in Beverly Hills, California. In 79 we (mom, dad & 6 kids) moved to Haiku, Maui, HI and the wagon came with. In '83 we came state side on vacation (Dad, sister Marie, sister Mia and myself Matthew) while in Kenosha my father bought a '82 AMC Concord sedan limited edition, it was chairman of the board of AMC's car with 14,000 miles on it. It was so plush inside with all the bells and whistles air ride leveling suspension etc. My father passed in Oct. 30th 2017 and was the greatest man in the world at the age of 93. Thank you for your documentary it has brought back such awesome memories and I too wish AMC was still around.
p.s. my dad had owned other products starting with a nash metropolitan, ambassador station wagon and a Javelin
Bye,
Matthew V. Bonofiglio
I am 75 years old and watching your creation bought back so many wonderful memories as I owned many of the vehicles featured in you presentation! Thank you for bringing me back so many really great memories that I lived for so many years!
My grandpa worked engineering out of Kenosha at AMC. He hand drew their illustrated parts breakdowns and jacking and tire stowage diagrams from about 1960 to 1975 and then after that he was involved with moving and installing assembly lines at different plants. If you look at the jacking and tire stowage on '60s and early 70s midsize and full size cars in the bottom right hand corner you can see the initials RW for Ralph Walentowski. He's ( and I) very proud of that claim to fame.
Edited because Google voice to text is not the best idea while driving in a loud clunky mail truck!
@@johnwalentowski133 Cheers to you and your grandpa, my good man.
I use those parts diagrams a number of times each week, and even today as a matter of fact. Beautiful work.
Thats awesome!!!
Outstanding!
I love the "ya know what I mean?" It's so informal, as if this isn't a 2.5 hour documentary but a one sided conversation with a friend, it's the small things that get me, keep up the good work Roman
45:41 hours and still not strata see see
My Dad got me into AMC as a little guy riding in a Nash Rambler. Mom ordered a '71 Gremlin. Pop sprung for the extra charge for the 258 in his Hornet. My love was a 69 AMX. I found your program to be informative and entertaining. Thanks for doing it!
Brother had gremlin with 383 crazy fast
As a big AMC fan and a feverient defender of their rise and a realist as to why they fell, I appreciate a long form history about them. Thanks for not forgetting them ♥️
I love AMC, my dream car is the 1969 AMX and my guilty pleasure in the Gremlin. I used to go to the All AMC Drag Racing Day at Cecil County Dragstrip; you rarely see two AMC cars at a car show and at the Dragstrip over 75 AMCs were racing with another 50 in the show & shine in the parking lot...good times.
I had a Gremlin three speed on the floor. The dabdarn thing had like a 27 gallon gas tank.
AMC would be better than ford chev and dodge if the big three hadn't forced them out
They ended up buying Nash, Hudson, Willys just to name a few it's sad how they ended
@@edrose2772 hhhhhhhh
1:48:56
"Primarily a Passenger Car wearing an Indiana Jones hat"
Probably the best analogy I've heard all year.
Perfect, but at least the Eagle could manage a few Indy moves, so it wasn't a complete fraud.
Now I'm just imagining the Audi Quattro being the guy with the fancy swordsmanship in Temple of Doom and the AMC Eagle being Indy with the gun.
Perhaps the most enjoyable long form video ever. Humbly and honestly produced. The story of AMC has always brought a melancholy feeling of all that could have been, yet died too young. Great job!
Melancholy
Good word
For history nerds like me, RCR stories hit different. Roman, please never stop doing them. I'll wait months in between if I have to but don't stop.
Two and a half hour RCR Story, Roman's bringing out the big guns for this one.
2.5 hours? I have to go to work.
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psych, its just RCR saying coooooooooock for 2 and a half hours
C&Rsenal... CRsenal... RCsenal... RCRsenal
@@asakuras01 good for you
I see the Eagle as the spiritual ancestor to my Crosstrek. I remember as a kid wanting my parents to get an Eagle in 1983 when they ended up buying an Impala. They almost opened their wallet for a Pontiac 6000, but it was too new at the time for their comfort. My brother and I played hockey and that involved travelling to towns and villages in eastern Ontario in the nastiest parts of winter. We had some scary moments in the big-ass sedans. They insisted on owning full-sized cars and a large compact/small mid-sized wagon was not going to cut if for them. It was a missed opportunity.
They were fools, some of the wagons were four wheel drive pal.
@@wildestcowboy2668 hahaha, this guy is trying to rub it in. What in the hell.....
@@TheGhjgjgjgjgjg He's probably a switch hitter.....
This is probably the longest UA-cam video I've ever watched. I did have to pause it for pee breaks, smoke breaks, dinner, etc, but I did get through all of it. And I'm glad I watched this.
2 hours, 27 minutes and 5 seconds of an absolute masterpiece.
I think my comment was a ridiculous 500 words or something; your eleven words say absolutely everything that needed saying.
@@Studio44B Occam's razor..
This guy deserves some kind of an award for compiling all this info, and narrating it all in grand fashion. BRAVO
P❤
À😊😊
I'm a longtime AMC fan myself. We had several AMCs over the years and today I am the proud owner of a '69 AMX.
Nice
AMC had some pretty sharp cars . The Javelin was pretty popular car when I was a kid.
8avexp Youve got some great taste in cars, enjoy!.
69 max one of my fav
Had a 74 amc hornet,changed the oil every 3000 miles and the (soft camshaft) went at 95,000 miles. Made my mind up then to stay away from amc after that.
I cannot thank you enough for such a fascinating automotive story. I never knew just how complex, unique, and truly weird and interesting AMC's history truly was.
One thing you didn't mention: When Romney left, GM and to a lesser extent Ford, took advantage of the perceived instability in the AMC hierarchy, and approached AMC dealers to convince them that AMC was dying and that the dealer should change brands. GM has played no holes bared business since day one and always sparing no expense to destroy other companies, especially start-ups. (Tucker)
“No holes bared”, hahahahaha!
GM is now headed to death by killing its own EV!
capitalism...that's how it works...
"No holds barred" means that no regulations, rules or restrictions are applied to a situation or contest - it is literally a free-for-all where no judges or referees are needed. Famous examples: wrestling, boxing, etc.
@@jamescrane4050 Its also the title of the Classic Wrasslin' movie where the Hulkster fights Deebo
As an automotive historian, but having not researched AMC (to any great depth), I found your video to be the best in-depth on the subject. It is easy to listen to, and you did a great job of mapping the entire history. Thank you for your efforts, this video could (and should) be mandatory for any MBA program. All failed businesses follow a similar pattern.
Speaking as the holder of an MBA degree, I suspect this video will the draw attention of those like I am.
@@laurendoe168 Would an MBA say that the issue was undercapitalization which was due to its location far from the industrial center of the industry?
@@robertkeyes258 While those played roles, I personally would not place them in the Top 3. I'd say the biggest issue was a lack of consistent vision, followed by not understanding its target market. Marketing TO THEM also wasn't the best. So MANY classes could use this video as examples.
Pp
@@robertkeyes258 lmoo
Okm
It’s understandable you don’t want to undertake a video with this length, but it’s awesome to see a whole ass feature length documentary on your channel. I can’t imagine how many hours this project took, but thank you so much and we look forward to the next one!
Well and very deeply researched. Thank you! I worked for a AMC dealership in the mid 80's and even bought a new J10 pickup truck. I've owned Jeeps and Ramblers over the years and loved them all. It's a crying shame they didn't survive.
Roman I gotta say, I've been watching RCR since like 2014, and these documentaries are quickly becoming my favorite part of the channel. It seems you've really hit your stride, and I can't wait for more!
As a '65 AMC Rambler Cross Country Classic owner- you, sir, just added some more lore to my AMC knowledge. You're such a good writer, and I love your scatologic sense of humor as usual. Thank you
My father was an electrical engineer for AMC. I remember sitting in our family car (a Matador Station Wagon) on Richards Street in Milwaukee and watching Semi Truck auto carriers full of Javelins, Gremlins, Matador's, etc... My Boy Scout derby car was taylored to look like a Javilin (my favorite AMC car) even the paint was acquired from the plant. My father grumbled that he was held back due to his Italian Accent but when AMC and Renault merged my Father who spoke fluent Italian and a Renault Engineer spoke Italian, the two translated meeting after meeting after meeting. When Renault got a foot hold into AMC, my Father's career got the shot in the arm he felt was long over due. Since I was a kid at the time and by the time I went off to college my dad was working as an engineer for a subsidiary of Chrysler and retired with over 40 years. This video gave me a glimpse into his world in the Automotive Industry. Thanks so much for your efforts. Well done. Mark Pieragostini, an AMC Brat😊.
Here before RCR becomes a reference and source for future historians.
here before someone edits the wikipedia page with a transcription of the entire video
@jey don't tempt me
We're witnessing history in the making
Sans the 2020 Ford ranger having oil disillusions
@@jeyendeoso and
I feel suprisingly emotional hearing a fan talk about them. Thank you.
I’ve lost track of how many times this video has appeared in my suggested videos feed, but every time, I saw 2½ hour length and passed. Today I finally watched the entire video and I am so glad I did. My father was a huge AMC fan and over the years there have been many different AMC cars that I would like to have owned. Thank you for making this excellent video. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Excellent. I've owned a number of AMCs over the years. Today my wife drives a 2016 Jeep Compass. The AMC DNA is still there in a small way. If you've forgotten, when AMC bought Jeep, they changed the logo to match the font used on the AMC logo. To this day, Jeeps still say 'Jeep' in the AMC font!
-__-
Thank you so much for bringing this very detailed history of AMC to those of us that are interested. This company obviously overcame many, many obstacles (some through no fault of their own) but had tremendous successes as well. Through all of these trials and tribulations, it still managed to survive for a very long time. For that reason, we must be grateful.
There's no one that can do what you do on this completely impressive video. You're one of a kind. The knowledge and passion AND humor and the ammount of hours invested here... I watched it all through in one evening. Feeling I not only learned about it all but also got a clear view of historic events that occured around the world thanks to and because of that industry. Thank you so much.
I legitimately didn't realise this was 2 n a half hours long. Enjoyable as always Roman, thank you.
My now ex brother in-law's family were big AMC fans. Apparently starting back in the Hudson days, they had an Ambassador in the 60s and early 70s. My brother in-law had a '68 AMX for a while. It was a great handling car and good looking.
My first new car was a 1961 Rambler! Push button transmission!
When I was in high school, our next-door neighbor, Ed, bought a new AMC Eagle. Ed was in his 70s and was very proud of his car. The thing that he was most proud of was the fact that it was the first car he had ever owned where the clock kept accurate time. Times have changed. Btw, Ed also had a model A ford which he would put around in.
AMC is honored with this video & would be proud. Thank you.
❤
My parents had an 82 Concord. AMC holds a special place in my heart. I owned 2 Concords between 1996 and 2000.
Those old Ramblers were just ahead of their time, I smile every time I see one
They were very popular from the late 50s through mid-60s. I spent many a car pool ride in a Rambler wagon. They were always the choice of people who valued thrifty practicality over style or luxury. Sort of the Subaru of their day (minus the AWD, of course).
You two have got to come out with a book. Roman, you're killing this all these historical accounts. Absolutely incredible.
This was very, very excellent. I am an old man who remembers Hudson and Nash as separate auto manufacturers in the 1950's and have followed the industry since I was young. Well done, well done.
Without RCR, I'd have no idea its Monday whilst being stuck at home during Covid times. Thank you guys for helping me keep a bit sane!!
It was a great presentation. You added the human element into the story and made it very personal. My family almost bought an orange Gremlin X in 1977. It was between that, a VW Rabbit (1st year of production) and an Audi Fox. My dad chose the Audi, later to his chagrin. A friend of his ended up buying that orange Gremlin X and drove it for a few years before his daughter took over and drove it into the mid 80s, through her high school years.
I owned a Gremlin X, much to my sorrow. Be glad that your dad didn't buy one.
Thanks for the great video. It was a trip down memory lane. My Dad worked at AMC from 1958 to 1988, so practically had a front row seat from the Nash-Hudson merger to the light going out. American Motors put food on our table and kept a roof over our heads. In the early 70s, Dad worked at the Proving Grounds in Burlington, WI. Being a high schooler with my own car, a 67 Ambassador DPL two door hard top, and a last period study hall, it wasn't uncommon for me to show up in Burlington and watch the going ons.
I always like seeing AMC products at car shows and hope to find another 67 Ambassador DPL someday.
I almost never post on youtube videos, but just wanted to tell you guys that I absolutely love these. Great job, Roman!
I mean, it may be heavy lifting to call it this, but I have to say this is the RCR manum opus. I was not expecting to see a 2 1/2 hour AMC eulogy video this morning, but here it is. Great Job.
I became an AMC fan way back in the mid '60's. My grandparents bought a brand new 1965 Rambler Classic, with a 287 cu. in V8 and no radio. I liked it because it was kinda different than other cars, and it had the coldest A/C of any car I had been in!
In the ensuing years, I've owned several AMC's:
A 1966 Rambler American, the most basic car ever made; no radio, no power nuthin', vacuum powered windshield wipers, 3-on-the-tree standard trans, 199 cu. in. inline 6. But, it kept on truckin'!
A 1961 Rambler Classic with push button automatic, 199 cu. in. aluminum 6 cylinder, and the front seat backs laid down to make the whole interior one big bed (just what a teenage kid needs, right guys?). It ran great, got about 20 miles to the gallon of gas, and 25 miles to a quart of oil! I called it the FuFu wagon, because it would leave a trail of white smoke wherever it went.
A '73 Hornet wagon, I think it was called the "SportAbout". It had either a 232 or 258, with auto trans. It was school bus yellow. It was reliable, even though it wasn't stylish.
A '67 Ambassodor with the 287 V8, bald tires, bad brakes, and smashed in left front fender. But, it ran like a bat outta hell! Every bit of 125 mph.
To steal a line from a VW ad, "It may be ugly, but it gets you there." That was AMC.
The AMC eEagle is one of the first car I fell in love with. I used to walk past one on my way to school in fourth and fifth grade. I still check to see if it's there 20 years later...
I bought an ‘85 Eagle after GM screwed me over on an ‘81 Citation and it’s so-called “paint job”. It was a great car except that I couldn’t keep the rocker cover from leaking oil. Even with the $60 gasket they came out with! It anointed my driveway with a quart of oil every 4,000 miles! The paint didn’t fall off like the Chevy though. And that Eagle would go anywhere! I used to drive it in the snow and went past everyone else who got stuck, including 4WD pickups! I embarrassed Subaru owners! The high ground clearance allowed me to take it in rough country roads. Alas, the 255 engine started burning oil and I decided to trade it in. That was a mistake.
@@keithweiss7899 yeah,..a minor problem..all things considered...it's amazing how many people used to own one of these...it did set up a little high but that could be counteracted by getting the right tires...Goodyear Eagles always seemed to work pretty well.....
@@frankpienkosky5688 anyone remember those Kamm-tail eagles? Those really looked like gremlins on steroids xD
Worked for AMC body shop 1970- 1976
You did a great job paying homage to AMC, Nick. Good job. This was well worth the listen.
What a nice job and a fascinating story. Well done! I would love to see your take on the International Harvester corporation.
i'd like tosee that, too, at least the passenger vehicle division;
i'm mainly interested in what drove the company to create the Scout in the first place. they were absolute beasts in the 4wd consumer vehicles. class.
@@kristophergalland8358 Their (IH) pickups were pretty awesome too. I remember a friend of my father had one in the early '70's, and that thing was extremely well-built and durable.
@@kristophergalland8358 I've read that it was to fill a whole in very rural America like rural enough to where the tractor dealership was there and the Ford dealership wasn't
@@kristophergalland8358the runaway success of the Bronco coupled in with a baked in dealer network across the Midwest made them take the shot, when ford sold a million farm trucks i e the Bronco they jumped.
@@BriteFrogtruly agricultural running gear.
This is approaching hardcore history levels of length. I love it.
You have a solid talent as a narrator and script writer, tha has onnly grown over the years. This narration is worldclass. I can listen to you for literal hours in one sitting. Keep it up!
Just FYI ... I'm back for my THIRD viewing of this awesome documentary. I love AMC and its lineage, and this is the BEST video on the company. BRAVO!
Roman! This was top notch! I can't wait until you cover the demise and in-house struggles of divisions like Pontiac and Oldsmobile. GM did them dirty for far too many years.
A more complex story than the death of the Australian Ford Falcon. The nostalgic feelings of what could've been are always there at the bottom of my fifth pint.
Thank you for doing the research that was required to produce such an in-depth and accurate history of an automaker who; while being iconic as it is, has been all but forgotten. This video solidifies AMC's place in american motor history where it should be, while insuring that the story of AMC may never be forgotten. I feel you have done a great justice with this video. I also feel as though there is no way that you could have compressed this story in a way that would have done justice to the AMC brand, or the amount of time it took to mass the information you sourced. Well done!
My brother's first car was a 67 Rambler American, which he drove to college. 3 on the tree, man.
Mine was a 66 Rambler American Convertible . My dad bought it for 400 bucks for me when I got my drivers back in 78 . It was white with a red interior. I miss it deeply.
This was a riveting history. Great job, and thanks sincerely! I’ll be watching this video again!
My dad was a Mopar guy and always had a big Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler, but he had a fondness and respect for American Motors too.
His first car back from the war was a new Hudson, followed by one more before. I think it was a woody. I was born in ‘54.
In ‘68, my older sister needed a car for college and work. Dad bought her a new Rambler American with the 232 six.
Three on the tree, squeeze bulb washer pump, no radio!
The rubber floor mats were luxurious.
At $1,800.00 it was a treasure. Later, got it as a temporary hand me down.
I loved this car!
This thing was used like a pickup on our cattle farm.
We hauled hay in the trunk and an occasional calf in the passenger seat! I couldn’t break it!
Also, my dad later bought an Eagle Premier that he drove until he passed away, and I eventually bought a new Eagle Vision in ‘93.
Oh yeah, my mother in law had a Pacer! What a trip that was!
Thanks for the great video.
Growing up in the Milwaukee/Racine area I remember seeing ALOT of AMC cars, probably because of proximity to Kenowhere.
So it surprised me when the person in the video said their dream car was an AMC Eagle.
Those were EVERYWHERE back in the 80s and 90s, especially the wagons.
I can think of at least 3 of my friends parents that owned an AMC eagle wagon.
They were a great choice for winter driving.
The first car I can remember being in was an AMC Pacer my mom had in the early 80s.
The pregnant rollerskate is what she would call it.
Thank you for a very well done AMC history video. Your research brought out so many poor decisions and marketing moves, which like you acknowledged, seemed right at the time. I was a young boy alive during the Hudson car years, and remember the Metro well. I have owned 3 Jeep’s, a 1955 Willys wagon, 1998 Cherokee driven from 1999-2019, and now a 2019 Wrangler unlimited S. The Eagle was so ahead of its time in concept, and it’s pretty much the forerunner of the Subaru Outback. A sad but inevitable ending to a very innovative company. Keep up the great work. It does give closure to the company story.
Eagle had better ground clearance than the Subaru...did affect the handling a little bit
Isn't it ironic how AMC both began and ended out of tragedy? It was born out of the sinking of the Lucitania, and died after George Besse's assassination
And these are the Waves and a Dies.
All My Caskets.
General Horsepower.
The Young and the Renaultless.
The Bold and the Bankrupt
FantAMC Island. "Boss! Boss! The Plant! The Plant! (is being tore, down and this Narrator's Jack Palance Impersonation, sucks. Rest, In Peace, Jack Palance and AMC.)"
I have friends whose parents worked at AMC. We referred to the cars as Kenosha Cadillacs. I have a buddy, who was an AMC brat, like I was a Johnson Outboard brat, that owns a 70 AMC that he's had since high school. He graduated in 1983 and he did a full restoration of the car. He goes to these AMC events all the time as he lives in Kenosha.
Me: "Ugh, another Monday!" *checks notifications* "Yay, another Monday!"
hahah dude when you mentioned seeing them on car lots all over PA in the 80's, you're not alone, i grew up in NEPA and i swear from 1982-86 AMC Eagles were everywhere, my neighbor owned one... I moved to Florida in 87 and I never saw an AMC eagle ever again.
I’m a Mopar guy with of course a passing interest in AMC stuff being family n all. You sir have created something quite wonderful, the longer I watched and listened the more I want you to do this treatment to my beloved Dodge and Plymouth. I’ve listened and watched now 3 times. Your a very talented man.
AMC is my favorite car brand and I’ve been waiting for this!
The Pacer and Gremlin may have been incredibly bizarre when new, but as far as 2021 goes, they've greatly increased in coolness and desirability.
I would love to have a Gremlin X
A friend of mine back in high school bought a Gremlin brand new in 70, and he had good luck with it, i also knew a lady who bought a Pacer new and again it was a reliable car, ugly as hell, but it ran fine
Yea AMC has a significant cult following
My dad had a 1970 Gremlin as a graduation present from his parents. Apparently it was early enough in the production run that it had a Hornet steering wheel and dash instead of the proper Gremlin one. And it didn't last all _that_ many years against the road salt of Minnesota winters. He got rid of it in '74 when he and Mom got together.
They got a '74 VW Super Beetle, and (except for a Subaru wagon in the early 80s) Dad has had nothing but VWs since. (Mom, on the other hand, has had nothing but Saabs since '79, until she got a VW last year.)
@@AaronOfMpls I swappped out the grill on my Eagle for a Concord One...[perfect fit]...and a slightly different look from the standard egg-crate...then installed my own driving lights on the bumper, added window tint...she's still a looker...
This was a very well presented history of AMC! I liked the Rebel and Javelin. They were great cars! I think the Gremlin and Pacer were mistakes that ultimately gave the brand a bad direction. I was a mechanic back then and worked on many AMC cars. One thing I noticed was that both Gremlin and Pacer had typical body issues such as driver door hinges wearing out quickly. Not only that, many people considered the Pacer to be ugly, but the Gremlin was sort of the template for North East Modified racing cars (at least the body was). I really regret that AMC did not survive. The Javelin had so much potential and so many people my age (born in the 1950s) wanted that car.
This was a very interesting story. Thank you for putting in all the research and time to produce it. Back in high school and my buddies and I were not AMC fans but, we had a healthy respect for the Javelin and AMX in the muscle car world (along side our Mercury Cougars) and AMC's racing success.
One of the cars on my wish list is the Javelin. I love those front fenders.
I still remember having to go up into a tiny North Carolina mountain town for court back in 2008 due to having received a speeding ticket from a NC State Trooper, and seeing a long-abandoned AMC dealership complete with signs and livery and just being SO excited to see a dealership for a brand that was sold to Chrysler when I was 4 years old. I still did and do find AMC extremely fascinating and seeing that dealership was a real treat, and it made me wonder why that dealer never changed over to Chrysler or another brand, although I'm glad that they never did because seeing that unmistakable sign was like stepping back in time.
Epic! Born and raised an AMC guy in K-town.
Very well done.
My father worked as an electrician at the Kenosha plant when I was born in the mid-1960s. I remember him saying that anti-import sentiment was so strong there at the time, if a foreign car was spotted in the employee parking lot, it would usually receive a large sticker that read "Buy American". This was often placed on the windshield, in front of the driver's seat. Different times.
Our family, unsurprisingly, owned several AMC cars. An Ambassador, a Gremlin, and a Javelin. In the early '80s, when I got my first car, it was a Rambler American wagon, that was 1 year younger than me. 😄 I loved how easy it was to work on, although, it never needed a lot of work.
Needless to say, a lot of fond memories include AMC vehicles.
Fantastic job, Roman! Cannot say enough about your work. Thank you for doing these, I cannot imagine how hard you work. I appreciate you guys!
Excellent job on the AMC story. This has to be one of the best and most informative videos done by your channel or by anyone else. Please keep producing excellent content like this.
I just fell asleep to this playlist.. 12 hours ago. That was the best sleep I've ever had in my entire life. Thanks, RCR
I love these, and it was actually pretty awesome listening to this for over 2 hours, because I have always wanted to hear even more about AMC. Thank you for that :)
What about "The Man With the Golden Gun"?
I wanted to buy an AMC after that epic jump over the river during a chase scene
Hornet X
If Scaramanga thought it was good enough for him, it's good enough for me. Not many evade Bond.
@@chrismc410 Scaramanga didnt make the jump; Bond did. Scaramanga was in the Matador (with Britt Ekland in the trunk). Bond was trying to follow S and wound up on the wrong side of the river, and had to jump it to keep contact.
At least that was just 2 AMCs. I was always amused by how many cars were donated by the various sponsors. I think the most extreme example was "Live and Let Die" where EVERY SINGLE CAR in NYC (including ALL the taxis!), Louisiana and San Monique was a Chevy. Except for the 1 Cadillac of course.
@@natehill8069 no but Scaramanga did make it fly.
With a jet no less! Altho it looked and performed suspiciously like a radio controlled model...
The AMC Tran Am successes must be remembered with respect that, AMC was the only factory team running after the big three had pulled out. Great PR though😎
Amazing story! I have owned AMC products and never knew the history and significance of what I had. My Hornet was a warrior, lasting longer than I expected (or desired). My Alliance was also a complete surprise for how well it served me.
Longest UA-cam video I have ever watched........and I was glued to it. Simply masterful.
I been waiting for this RCR Story and one of the longest....
Been waiting for another one of these. Will watch at work, Thanks Roman :D
Well done research my Friend. Thank you for your insight and patience to document the transitions from 1909 to 1990+
I loved it. Thank you. Would love more long in depth videos just like this. Just because everyone else has short videos doesn't mean you have to. Kind of the AMC spirit isn't it? This video made me a new fan and subscriber.
Since it's been mentioned again I humbly request a RCR on Diamond Star Motors and the whole interesting story around the factory.
What a great car documentary, perfect for PBS. The first car my father bought was a used black javelin, being a solid mustang admirer, I fell in love with the Javelin. I would see one in my neighborhood on my way to and from school in the 1970's
I loved this. LOVED. Watched the WHOLE THING, and shared it, too.
Kudos on a very fine piece of work.
CAUTION! Big amount of text!
Well, we, as Russians, did not have much to be proud of in the automotive industry for citizens, even during the Soviet era. In the middle of the 20th century, according to the choice of passenger cars in the USSR, the alignment was as follows:
- Motorcycle car issued for disabled people;
- The cheapest, but fragile rear-engined coupe ZAZ;
- Our own design, but fragile 4-door AZLK and its more qualitatively produced twin IZH;
- A copy of Fiat 124 under the name VAZ Zhiguli, which did not break immediately;
- Mid-size GAZ 21 or 24 Volga for the richest non-party people and for small party members;
- Inaccessible to the common man, the GAZ 13 and 14 Chaika limousine for the most important persons of the USSR.
- SUV UAZ and Station wagons for goverment companies that were also not available to an ordinary person.
Half a century later, the situation with our already Russian Federation automobile industry became even worse:
- Motorcycle cars, ZAZ, AZLK and IZH were destroyed and nothing of ours was done in return. And everyone didn't care, because compared to the German Big Three and Japanese brands, our cars were shit and no one from the directors tried to fix it. They just watched until the brands of cars died, squeezing all the juices out of them.
- As for VAZ (aka AvtoVAZ or LADA), they were gradually bought out by the Renault-Nissan alliance, and under the Renolutia program, Romanian Dacia are now going to be produced under the LADA brand.
- GAZ now produces only the commercial GAZelle van that was successfully launched in the 90s.
- UAZ has now scrapped its plan to sell the "Russian Prado" because of the virus, which they prided themselves on, selling the territory of their plant and are now just planning to produce Isuzu pickups.
As a result, if the Soviet, and later, Russian brands did not die, then they definitely degraded and nothing is done by the owners or the authorities in order to somehow remedy the situation.
Why did I write this for?
The fact that I see the same degradation now with the once great Detroit Big Three with this "hipster" tail of the AMC! And I feel sorry for her much more than our plain car industry. After all, there were so many opportunities for an ordinary Americans in the last century. Almost no restrictions like ours! Thank God Tesla gives you at least some hope. After all, we do not have Tesla for which one we can hope yet. Thank you for your attention! That's all I wanted to say folks!
An absolutely awesome documentary! I loved the content and the presentation. My first car was a second hand 1964 220 Rambler American coupe with the 3.2L Inline 6 (90hp). It didn't break any speed records and was a bit under powered but it was reliable transportation and had it's own charm in a quirky way (ie vacuum powered windshield wipers). I really loved that car and was sad when I got rid of it for a 1974 VW 412 sedan. Thanks for the time you took in making this video. Kudos!
Oh come on a 412 is a beyond cool car, you have great taste
Absolutely fantastic. I love deep dives in automotive history, and it brings back memories of the Eagle we had when I was a kid. Much thanks, Roman.
so did a lot of folks..great car if you ever lived where it snows or the roads get icy...wish they would make a die-cast of this car...i'd buy it in a heartbeat!...we had an '82 as a patrol car...that one didn't hold up as well as my '80...
One thing that made it tough for non big 3 in the 50's thru 70's was brand loyalty..if you weren't already big it was very hard to get that way...i.e.few folks traded Chevy for Ford or vs versa and both scoffed AMC, while ya could get stuck with a lemon from any of the makers except AMC..in my 70 years I knew of noone who had serious trouble with an AMC product..
Bravo, Roman. This epic presentation is an achievement worthy of some kind of UA-cam award. I can’t imagine the colossal amount of research you undertook to put this together.
When you like maritime history and cars. And then Lusitania randomly comes up in a car history video.
No doubt... At least as far as the more famous/infamous events. Did you hear about the boat commissioned to be built, and privately owned by the Dodge Brothers, that served as one of the largest luxury yachts of it's time, albeit in the Great Lakes... then ordered to serve in war, and subsequently left to rot over time?
I did nothing while listening to this. Just sat there and appreciated. Thanks Roman!
I hadn’t planned on watching all two hours in one sitting but I just could not disengage. This was not only automotive history, it was my history growing up with AMC since I was born late in 1959. Wow it was good.
Since I am a week late to the video, here's a sacrifice to the algorithm.
My dad was a Rambler/ AMC dealer in the early '60's in Upsate NY. One of my first cars in high school was a well used, 1960 Rambler station wagon I called the green banana because it was two tone yellow/ green. It ran well and got good mileage with its 6 cylinder motor and I really enjoyed driving it, despite its looks. One of the last cars my dad sold before giving up the franchise and taking on Dodge/ Dodge Trucks was a maroon '64 Ambassador that my grandfather bought. I was still a fan of AMC, buying a used red Pacer coupe and a new red Pacer wagon in the same year- 1976, I believe. They were great cars- better than they got credit for. I really enjoyed this video and learned so much. What an amazing story about the company that was always trying!
That was a thoroughly enjoyable listen, thank you Roman!
AMC was a classic example of "scope creep." Thank you for pronouncing Willys correctly. I love AMC cars, especially the Eagle.
one thing I noticed in both my Eagle and Cherokee chief was that something broke in the gas pedal linkage...rendering it inoperable...my mechanic fixed it but said the part was the only one he could find in the entire country...guess that's a problem for anyone who likes old cars
Thank god a proper video on this amazing story
I enjoyed every minute of this Guys. Always look forward to the next one.
Liked and subscribed. Had no idea why I started listening, except that I remember a few families in my old neighborhood who owns AMC cars, but I’m glad that I did. Very informative and well done.
Thank you, I appreciated this documentary. Showing my age here. Growing up, the family had a ’67 Rambler, ’70 Ambassador and a ’72 Hornet with 3 on the tree. It is a shame what happened to AMC. The Eagle AWD you like reminds me of a Subaru Outback of which I own the Onyx XT.