1979 AMC Spirit

[moparnut]

1979 AMC Spirit - $13,500 - Lakeland, FL - Just arrived, you never see one of these AMC Spirits in this condition.
In its day, a perfect kid's first car. They were typically sold to younger drivers
or passed on to college age kids. If you had one, here is your chance to return
to your younger years. Rarely to you see one of these sport compacts in this
condition. Now it is ready for its new owner to enjoy !!!

In 1979, the famous AMC Gremlin name changed to the Spirit.
You will recognize the same car with nameplate changes.

Over the last 37 years, only about 60K original miles.

We purchased the car and just completed a refresh including brand new dual
stage repaint. Relive your early years in this beauty !

Brand new repaint in its original Silver Metallic. All trim stripped for repaint.
Correct dual painted Red pinstriping. Gorgeous original Red velour
bucket seat interior and console. Original door panels, dash, door panels
& carpet in excellent condition. Fold down rear seat hatchback.

BOLD FACT:

AMAZING HATCHBACK COUPE SURVIVOR

ALL ORIGINAL CAR EXCEPT ONE REPAINT

FACTS:

100% laser straight, accident free sheet metal
Brand new dual stage Silver Metallic paint
Correct new dual painted pinstripe
Excellent original Red velour bucket seat interior
Original door panels, dash, carpet & headliner
Excellent chrome and soft trim throughout
Ice cold air conditioning
Original 258 cubic inch inline six engine
Power steering & brakes
Original AM radio and speakers
Factory wheel covers and newer whitewall radial tires

Check out our full inventory at www.MJCClassicCars.com





Link to ad on Hemmings.com

 

[68R/T]

I would consider it an insult to call a Spirit a re-badged Gremlin.

 

[TheIronSausage]

I'd rather drive this than a Chevy Citation

 

[68R/T]

I'd rather drive this than a Chevy Citation

I'd rather walk than drive a chevy citation. As dependable as they are you'd probably have to walk anyway. :doh:

 

[Dr.Jass]

I would consider it an insult to call a Spirit a re-badged Gremlin.

It's the exact-same chassis, and the lineage was obvious in the two-door sedan. $13,500 is about $12,000 high, regardless of condition.

 

[68R/T]

I realize that the Spirit is based on the Gremlin pinnings, (and many shared body panels) but the Gremlins stubby, unfinished look is weird, but in a cute way. The Spirit adheres more to the traditional outlines to what a car should be. :hmmm:

 

[Dr.Jass]

Well, that tan car is stubby and unfinished too... but it's a '79 Spirit. The only real difference in the profile is the much-larger quarter glass. Wheelbase, doors, etc. are the same.

 

[68R/T]

That almost straight up hatch makes it look like a chopped off station wagon.

 

[Dr.Jass]

The angle is exactly the same as a Gremlin. In fact, the entire rear-facing part of the car interchanges with a '78 Gremlin: Taillights, back glass, tail panel, everything. The different quarter window creats an optical illusion.

 

[68R/T]

I can't believe that that is the same sheet metal as this;



There is a major difference of the hatch angle.

 

[Dr.Jass]

You're either not reading what I'm writing, or not looking at the pics.

The '79 Spirit two-door was available in two configurations: The hatchback, which is the car listed in this ad, and the sedan, the tan car of which I posted a picture. Both cars are mechanically identical, and they're both mechanically identical to the Gremlin. There was nothing new about the Spirit except some appearance updates. They're the same car. All '79 Spirit two-doors used the '78 Gremlin doors and fenders, as well as the windshield and door glass being the same. The hood was mildly revised at the leading edge, but it's otherwise identical. Even Spirit wagons used the Gremlin fenders and windshield.

After I posted the picture of the tan '79 Spirit 2dr sedan you said,

That almost straight up hatch makes it look like a chopped off station wagon.

After which I posted the picture of the metallic brown '78 Gremlin, to show you that the "almost straight up hatch" is in fact 100% identical to the '78 Gremlin, including glass, taillamps, and even all the hardware. The only major difference is the shape of the quarter-window glass. Combined with the new grille and quad headlamps, it's a pretty effective disguise.

Your original assertion,

I would consider it an insult to call a Spirit a re-badged Gremlin.

is misguided since, looking at the pictures of the tan and brown cars I posted, it's pretty obvious that the '79 Spirit 2dr sedan is exactly that: A rebadged '78 Gremlin, quarter glass and new grille/headlamps notwithstanding. Obviously the 2dr hatchback (the blue car for sale) got a major body update behind the doors in terms of exterior sheetmetal, but other than the sleeker rear panels (from the rear edge of the doors forward it's) its exterior is 90% Gremlin. Skeletally it's 100%.

Gaze upon my old '81 LeBaron coupe for a moment:



It doesn't look much like a previous-year Aspen, does it?




Both of those cars use the exact same fenders (with an added marker-lamp hole), doors, windshield, and door glass. The hood is a minor revision, but the '80 Aspen in fact used a slightly-modified '79 LeBaron hood. The sheetmetal behind the doors was radically changed, but other than that it's Aspolare almost all the way. The wheelbase is the same, and mechanically they're 100% identical.

It's the exact-same situation between the '79 Spirit hatchback and the '78 Gremlin.

 

[68R/T]

I realize that the Spirit & Gremlin are mechanically the same car, and they share the same sheetmetal from doors forward. But the revamp of the Spirit hatch changes the whole profile of the car. Whereas I think the Gremlins look dorky, the Spirit hatchback looks more the part of being "a cute little car"