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AMC Pacer
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The AMC Pacer is a two-door compact automobile produced in the United States by the American Motors Corporation between 1975 and 1980. Its initial design idea was started in 1971. The car's unusual rounded shape with massive glass area greatly contrasted with the mostly boxy, slab-sided models of the era. The Pacer's "jellybean" body style is a readily recognized icon of the 1970s.
s chief stylist Richard A. Teague began work on the Pacer in 1971, anticipating an increase in demand for smaller vehicles through the decade.
Car and Driver magazine noted that "AMC said it was the first car designed from the inside out.
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Encyclopedia
The AMC Pacer is a two-door compact automobile produced in the United States by the American Motors Corporation between 1975 and 1980. Its initial design idea was started in 1971. The car's unusual rounded shape with massive glass area greatly contrasted with the mostly boxy, slab-sided models of the era. The Pacer's "jellybean" body style is a readily recognized icon of the 1970s.
Design
AMC's chief stylist Richard A. Teague began work on the Pacer in 1971, anticipating an increase in demand for smaller vehicles through the decade.
Car and Driver magazine noted that "AMC said it was the first car designed from the inside out. Four passengers were positioned with reasonable clearances and then the rest of the car was built around them as compactly as possible."
Designed to appear futuristic, the shape was highly rounded with a huge glass area, and was very unusual for its time. Road & Track magazine described it as "fresh, bold and functional-looking".
Development was under Product Group Vice President Gerald C. Meyers, whose goal was to develop a car that was truly unique: "...everything that we do must distinguish itself as being importantly different than what can be expected from the competition..."
Unique for a comparatively small car, the Pacer was as wide as a full-size American car of the era. Contrary to myth, it was not widened six inches (152.4 mm) to make room for the rear-wheel drive configuration. According to an AMC market study from the early 1970s, front-wheel drive was never considered, although the editor of Road & Track asserted that front-wheel drive, as well as a transverse mid-engined configuration, were among "various mechanical layouts...tossed around by the idea people at AMC", adding that "it's unlikely they ever had much hope of being able to produce anything other than their traditional front engine and rear drive, using components already in production." A rear-engined layout was also explored. 1975 AMC advertising literature proclaimed it as "the first wide small car".
The width was dictated partly by marketing strategy—U.S. drivers were accustomed to large vehicles, and the Pacer's occupants had the impression of being in a larger car—and partly by the fact that AMC's assembly lines were already set up for full-size cars.
Also unique at the time, the passenger door was four inches (101 mm) longer than the driver's. This made passenger loading easier, particularly from the rear seats; and they would also tend to use the safer curb side in countries that drive on the right. Ford used this design element in the 1990s Ford Windstar minivan.
Teague's low-drag design, which predated the fuel crisis and the flood of small foreign imports into the American market, was highly innovative. Its drag coefficient of 0.32 was outstandingly low for a car of its size. Teague even eliminated rain gutters, smoothly blending the tops of the doors into the roof—an aerodynamic detail which, although criticized at the time for allowing rain onto the front seat, has become the norm in today's designs.
The Pacer was also among the first production cars in the U.S. to feature rack-and-pinion steering.
In the mid-1970s the U.S. government mandated major safety improvements for the 1980 model year, to include front-end crash testing, side crash testing and rollover testing, as well as installation of bumpers to resist impact at the front and at the rear. The Pacer was designed to these specifications, and also had laminated safety glass in the windshield.
General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler persuaded the government that it was not financially viable to modify existing production cars to comply with the new regulations, and that instead each company would be put to the enormous expense of producing new, safety-compliant vehicles. Accordingly the government requirements were reduced, which led to the deletion of several safety features from the production Pacer—for example the roll bar over the passenger compartment, and the bump in the roof that accommodated it. The Pacer's remaining safety features were not strongly advertised, and seldom influenced a potential customer's purchasing decision. The car's extra weight—due in part to the safety equipment and the abundance of heavy glass—hurt fuel economy: production models tested by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gave in the city, but or better on the highway (depending on driving habits and transmission), thanks to aerodynamic efficiency.
Originally the car was designed for a Wankel rotary engine. In 1973, AMC signed a licensing agreement with Curtiss-Wright to build Wankels for cars and Jeep-type vehicles. (The agreement also permitted Curtiss-Wright to sell rotaries elsewhere.) Later, AMC decided instead to purchase the engines from General Motors (GM), who were developing them for use in their own cars. However, GM canceled development in 1974 for reasons that included durability issues, the fuel crisis, tooling costs (for the engines and also for a new product line designed around the rotary's ultra-compact dimensions) and the upcoming (late 1970s) U.S. emissions legislation. It was also thought that the high-revving Wankel would not suit Americans accustomed to low revs and high torque.
GM's change of plans left the Pacer without an engine. AMC had invested too much money and effort in the car's design to scrap it, so they hastily reconfigured it to accept their existing straight-six engine. This involved a complete redesign of drivetrain and firewall to keep the longer straight-6 within the body dimensions designed for the Wankel, but allowed the Pacer to share many mechanical components with other AMC models.
Production
Introduced in showrooms on February 28, 1975, the Pacer was designed to attract buyers of traditional large cars to a smaller package during a time when gasoline prices were projected to rise dramatically. In its first year of production, the Pacer sold well, with 145,528 units. Some reviewers referred to it as a "fishbowl on wheels" or a "jellybean in suspenders" because of its unconventional styling, while some described it as a "cute" car. There was little competition from other American manufacturers, most of whom had been blindsided by the oil crisis. The increased demand for compact, economy vehicles was growing rapidly. However, Pacer sales fell after the first two years, and it was available through the 1980 model year. Similar to its mid-year introduction, on December 3, 1979, production of the Pacer ended at the Kenosha, Wisconsin assembly plant where it had begun five years earlier. A total of 280,000 cars were built. Increasing competition from the Big Three U.S. automakers and the rapid consumer shift to imported cars during the late 1970s are cited as the reasons for this outcome.
The Pacer's unconventional styling was commonly cited in its lack of success. Other concerns included a lack of cargo space when carrying a full load of passengers (because of its short wheelbase). Cargo space could be increased to by folding down the back of the rear seat to form a flat floor. Drivers also cited a lack of power. The Pacer was heavy; Car & Driver wrote, "American Motors had already quoted a curb weight of 2990 lb. for the basic Pacer when we first wrote about the car, and that already seemed quite heavy; but when we weighed the test car (whose air conditioning, automatic transmission, power steering and so forth would not account for the full difference) it registered an astounding 3425 lb.", and the standard I6, with a single-barrel carburetor and optimized for low emissions (all vehicles at the time carried emissions-reducing devices); was relatively low-powered ("The Pacer comes with either of two AMC inline six-cylinder engines, both producing 100 bhp, but the larger 258-cu-in. (4.2 liter) unit delivering better mid-range torque"). In 1976, a "High Output" version of the engine was offered, which helped performance at the cost of higher fuel consumption. By the time a V8 was offered in 1978, the company had introduced a successful line of "luxury-compact" models (the AMC Concord). Additionally, gasoline prices remained high, limiting demand for V8-powered vehicles.
For increased cargo capacity, a station wagon body style was offered from 1977. A less unusual-looking design, it was longer, with a squared-off back and straight, almost upright, rear side windows. Although front vent windows were optional on all Pacers, the wagon's rear side glass featured vent windows as standard. The big rear hatch opened to a wide, flat cargo area with of space. The rear seat also folded flat to form a continuation of the cargo floor. Some wagon models featured simulated wood-grain trim on the lower body sides and the liftgate.
Model designations
The short lifespan of the Pacer is interesting as it went from being an economy car initially, to becoming a small luxury car. The following information details some of the highlights.
The "X" Package: A "sporty" edition Pacer. The Pacer X was available from 1975-1978 on the coupe version of the car. The title changed to "Sport" in 1978 and was eliminated after that. The package consisted mainly of cosmetic changes including vinyl bucket seats, and a floor gear shift. On the outside it received exterior chrome features, styled road wheels, and package identification.
The "D/L" Package: A more upscale edition of Pacer, the D/L was available for the entire run of the car becoming the "base" model in 1978. This package was more upscale including, originally, a "Navajo-design" seating fabric and a woodgrain instrument panel as well as a few interior features that were optional without it. The exterior received additional chrome accents, different wheelcovers, and identification badging.
The "Limited" Package: Available in 1979-1980, the Limited package was an elegant farewell for Pacer. Inside, leather seating was standard as were many features that would have been options: AM radio, power door locks, power windows, and tilt steering wheel, to name a few. The exterior offered many chrome accents, styled road wheels and exterior identification badging.
The "Sundowner" Package: In 1975 only, a Sundowner Pacer was available through AMC dealers in California. This marketing promotion consited of the basic Pacer with a $3,599 suggested retail price. This package included options listing for $300 at no extra cost. In addition to the mandatory California engine emissions controls and state-required bumper guards, the Sundowner package included a "custom interior" featuring Basketry Weave fabric upholstery with coordinated trim on the door panels, remote control exterior mirror, rear window washer and wiper, styled road wheels with white wall tires, and a roof rack.
The "Levi's" Package: Attempting to capitalize on the popularity of the Levi's Gremlin and Hornet, AMC introduced a Levi's Pacer for 1977. This option added blue denim-like upholstery and door panel trim, with small "Levi's" tags on both front seats. However missing were the traditional copper buttons found on the other AMC Levi's seating. The package also included a "Levi's" logo sticker for each front fender. It could be combined with the Pacer "X" package. Not well promoted, the Levi's Pacer didn't sell in large numbers so very few exist today. The Levi's Pacer did not return for 1978.
All Pacers without the optional vinyl roof trim could be finished in several unique two-tone paint combinations that included front and rear body side scuff molding extensions. However, the top and bottom two-tone treatment was changed in 1977, to an "up and over the roof" accent paint scheme for the duration of production.
1979-1980 saw a hood ornament and center chrome strip down the hood. Power door locks were available in 1978; however it would be 1979 before power windows would join the option list.
International markets
Europe
American Motors exported the Pacer to several European nations. The AMC distributor in Paris France, Jean-Charles, compared the rounded body of the new Pacer to another attractive rear-end shape in its magazine advertisements. Cars exported to Europe were available in higher trim levels. According to some reports, the Pacer sold well in Europe and even Brigitte Bardot is said to have promoted the car in Paris. Nevertheless, the Pacer was designed for American drivers and highways, and not the narrow streets typically found in Europe.
The level of current European interest in Pacers is indicated by the number of European nations listed in the AMC Pacer Registry, the members' cars in the Swedish AMC/Rambler Society, a German Pacer enthusiast Internet site, and the fact that a former AMC dealer in Germany that stocked an inventory of original parts as recently as the early 2000s. A private museum in the Netherlands exhibits a Pacer wagon.
United Kingdom
Unlike AMC's other models, the Pacer was only available with left-hand drive. The British importer for the Pacer converted the car from left-hand to right-hand drive by leaving the majority of the steering gear on the left-hand side of the car, and running a chain-drive behind the dashboard from the steering wheel (now on the right-hand side) to the top of the steering column. However, the car retained its unequal-length doors, designed for LHD markets, meaning that in the UK the longer door was on the driver's side, leaving the passengers to use the smaller door, which "in the typically confined British parking spot was virtually impossible.". The Pacer was wider than a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow and slightly longer than the then-current Ford Cortina. .
The car was adversely reviewed by the motoring press and AMC soon stopped importing it.
Mexico
The Pacer was produced in Mexico by Vehículos Automotores Mexicanos (VAM) starting in 1976. The cars came with different engines, interiors, and other components because vehicles made in Mexico had to have at least 50% locally sourced parts. The engine was an AMC design, but modified and built by VAM. A unique to Mexico I6 engine was standard. It was designed to cope with low octane fuel and high altitudes. This engine featured dished pistons with a bore and stroke, as well as a unique head and exhaust porting design.
All Pacers built by VAM came with the following standard equipment: power disk brakes, power steering, handling package, slot wheels with ER78x14 radial tires, reclining front seats, and a radio. The Mexican Pacers also had different interior trim and seats that featured high-design upholstery that was not available in the U.S. models.
Media appearances
Feature films
The "Mirthmobile" in the 1992 film Wayne's World is a Pacer. Wayne's World 2 (1993) has two Pacers: customized convertible and stretch limousine. Other feature film appearances include Car Wash (1976), Eyes of Laura Mars (1977 film), Oh, God! (1977), Mask (1985), Cobra (1986), Miracle Mile (1988), Edward Scissorhands (1990), The Spirit of '76 (1990), A Goofy Movie (1995), Good Burger (1997), Beethoven's 3rd (2000), and Crash (2004),
Songs
Lisa Brokop wrote (with co-writer Kim MacLean) a song titled Lime Green Pacer, which appears on her 2005 CD, Hey, Do You Know Me.
Television
American television appearances include Married With Children when Al Bundy bought a new car, That '70s Show, The X Files and Pimp My Ride. The Pacer appeared in the Mexican TV series La Familia P.Luche from the famous actor/comedian Eugenio Derbez.
A talking Pacer, C.A.R.R., is also the mode of transportation for the misfit detectives Stroker and Hoop.
A 1975 Pacer appears in the music video for Alien Ant Farm's cover of the Michael Jackson hit Smooth Criminal. About 2 minutes and 15 seconds into the video, AAF's lead singer, Dryden Mitchell, re-enacts a moment from a Michael Jackson video by leaping onto the roof of the car and belting out a scream that blows out the car's windows.
Print and new media
Magazines and newspapers
In the Pacer's first year of production the American press said polite things about it. For example, Don Sherman wrote in the February 1975 issue of Car and Driver that it was "our first real urban transporter...There is, of course, the chance of monumental failure; it might be another Tucker ahead of its time or a pariah like the Marlin. But...with its high priority on comfortable and efficient travel and absence of Mach 2 styling, [it] at least seems right for the current state of duress. Consider this bold offering from AMC a test: Are we buying cars for transportation yet, or are they still social props?"
Road & Track magazine's April 1975 road test review described the Pacer's appearance as "bold, clean and unique...even when it's going 60 mph is looks as if it's standing still..." but noted that, even with the test car's optional front disc brakes, "in the usual panic-stop tests...our driver had one of his most anxious moments ever as the Pacer screeched, skidded and demanded expert attention at the steering wheel to keep from going altogether out of control. The histrionics are reflected in long stopping distances from highway speeds... [The car’s] engineering—old-fashioned and unimaginative in the extreme—does not match the perky design", which the magazine declared "most attractive to look at and pleasant to sit in." And Michael Lamm, writing in Popular Mechanics, said that with its "very modern styling, ample power and generous interior" he felt it was "more car" than "the Mustang II or "GM’s sporty compacts (Monza, Skyhawk/Starfire)", and that its performance felt "strong—certainly on a par with most V8s."
The British press has shown less restraint: the cover of The Motor, a weekly automobile magazine, announced: "We test the Pacer - and wish we hadn't", and the motoring journalist and author Martin Buckley wrote in The Independent newspaper in 2006 that "[t]he Pacer looked horrible, drove badly and ate money."
Buckley said that its problems "really stemmed from the fact that the Pacer was the issue of AMC (American Motors Corporation), by far the weakest of the Detroit producers," and that it "might have had more credibility as the all-American answer to the invading hordes had it not been powered by a 3.8-litre straight six engine that could barely push its quivering bulk to 90 mph on an emissions-strangled 95 bhp while averaging 18 mpg or less." He added that the weight of the Pacer’s "boat anchor of a power unit", which was "[t]aken from the Jeep", was so great that it "broke the steering on early Pacers." (The AMC 232 was standard in 1972-1978 Jeep CJs and 1965-1970 J-series pickups and Wagoneers.)
Buckley concluded that the Pacer was "so uniformly inept in almost all respects that it has passed into folklore and become perversely ‘cool’," and that its "cult following" in America "proves that some Americans do have a sense of irony."
In the latter respect, the Englishman's view is shared by American automotive journalist Marco R. della Cavo, writing in USA Today in 2002: "[Pacer owners] love that their cars often draw incredulous guffaws. You can’t say these folks don’t have a sense of humor."
Books
In The Ultimate Classic Car Book motoring expert, TV presenter and 2004 Motoring Journalist of the Year Quentin Willson writes: "Who will ever forget the...AMC Pacer?...truly awful...painted in violent hues, laden with safety devices and strangled by emission pipery."
The car also appears in several humorously-written opinion-based books of "worst cars", including:
- The World’s Worst Cars.
- The Worst Cars Ever Sold.
- Lemon!.
- Automotive Atrocities! The Cars We Love to Hate, whose cover the Pacer graces.
- Crap Cars. The author, a BBC Top Gear scriptwriter and Evo magazine journalist, rates the Pacer the third worst car out of 50.
Internet
The Pacer features in several lists solicited from the general public and published online, e.g.:
- MSNBC.com's 2005 "least-loved American autos".
- Time.com's 2007 "50 Worst Cars of All Time".
- "The Most Questionable Car Designs of All Time", a 2007 non-scientific survey of policyholders with a major collector-car insurance company.
Famous owners
Pacers have been owned by American country music artist Conway Twitty, Singer Toni Tennille, French actress and animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot, American auto racer Richard Petty and 2008 U.S. Presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
Collectibility
Now old enough to be a "classic car", the Pacer has come to be regarded in some quarters as a 1970s design icon. (According to Business Week magazine the 1970s were "infamous for disco, Watergate and some of the ugliest cars ever.")
Nevertheless, in spite of their bad reputations, cars of the 1970s era such as the Pacer are becoming collectors' items. Business Week reported that the rising values of so-called "nerd cars" - ugly 1970s-era cars - prompted the CEO of a major collector-car insurance company to buy a Pacer which has "inexplicably appreciated substantially beyond the $2,300 that he paid for it in 2004." In 2002 he said: "In what can sometimes be a sea of automotive sameness, the AMC Pacer continues to turn heads even today", and he put the value of a "mint Pacer" at "between $4000 and $6000", saying that "the increased value is fueled solely by the heart. This trend is all about a fascination with '70s things almost because they were so bad." (Author's emphasis.)
The Pacer has been described as one of the formerly unloved cars from the 1970s that are enjoying a resurgence in both collectibility and auto restoration — especially among fans of cars from that era. The Pacer is one of several 1970s cars that were always thought of as cheap vehicles; therefore they were poorly maintained, which reduced their life expectancy. Also the heavy engines used in the car put more load on the front suspension than intended, which caused the rack & pinion steering to fail frequently on Pacers built in 1975.
One longtime collector-car expert says you will pay just about the same, around $20,000, for a complete restoration, whether it’s on a $1,000 1978 AMC Pacer or a $5,000 1969 Chevrolet Camaro. When restored, the value of the Pacer may be about $4,000, compared with the Camaro’s $25,000.
Today the Pacer's originality, as well as its deficiencies, are appreciated, if not loved, by car hobbyists and serious collectors alike.
Ownership support
There are many active AMC car clubs that welcome Pacers. New, used and reproduction parts are available.
External links
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