The AMC Spirit is a subcompact car sold by American Motors Corporation (AMC) from 1979 through 1983. Replacing the AMC Gremlin, the Spirit was available in two different body styles, both were two-door hatchbacks – but neither was marketed as such. Instead, AMC offered a restyled Gremlin either as a "Spirit Kammback" or "sedan", while an additional model with a more gently sloping rear was introduced as the "Spirit Liftback" or "coupe". Due to budget constraints, the Spirit shared the Gremlin's platform – its floorpan, powertrains, and many other parts were carried over. AMC also offered a four-wheel drive cross-over version using the Spirit's bodywork, marketed from 1981 through 1983 model years as the AMC Eagle SX/4 and Eagle Kammback (1981–1982 only). Spirits were manufactured by AMC in Wisconsin and Ontario, as well as under license by V.A.M. in Mexico, where they retained the Gremlin name on the restyled models.
Performance versions of the AMC Spirit competed in road racing. In 1979, B.F. Goodrich sponsored a two-car team of Spirit AMXs in the Nürburgring 24 Hours. They finished first and second in their class out of a 120-car total field and were the only racers running street tires. Spirits were also privately campaigned in the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Champion Spark Plug Challenge and Racing Stock Class events, as well as in drag racing.
Background
thumb|1979 Spirit DL liftback
The AMC Spirit was largely a restyled Gremlin, which had been manufactured from 1970 through 1978. Engineering and equipment upgrades introduced on the 1978 Concord carried over to the subcompact Spirit. The suspension system was revised with "soft-ride" mountings for the coil springs over A-arms in the front and the rear live-axle with leaf springs to improve ride and handling. Features included enhanced sound-deadening and corrosion protection as well as lightweight aluminum bumpers, lock-up automatic transmission converter, and higher-compression six-cylinder camshaft and pistons for economy, performance, and emissions. A road test by Popular Science described the transition as AMC having the "cleverest engineers in Detroit" cementing their reputation of "getting $200 worth of looks for $100".
Annual changes
thumb|right|Rear view of the new liftback body design
thumb|right|The sedan with large quarter window and opening rear glass
1979
thumb|right|1979 AMC Spirit GT
As a restyled variant of the previous Gremlin, the Spirit featured distinctly larger rear quarter windows while retaining the instrument panel introduced on the 1978 Gremlin, with a wood grain overlay on DL and Limited models.
Riding on the same wheelbase as the sedan, the liftback was identical to the sedan from the doors forward and featured a sloping roof (compromising rear headroom) and a hatchback with a more shallow Kammback tail. The rear license plate hid the fuel filler cap. The Spirit offered a generous cruising range with its "fuel tank capacity of 21 gallons and probable fuel mileage of 25 mpg or more ... enabling the car's driver to travel over 500 miles between fill ups".
Standard equipment levels and convenience features were increased on the new Spirit compared to the Gremlin. For example, the DL models featured upgraded trim inside and out, including color-keyed wheel covers, custom bucket seats in corduroy fabric or "sport" vinyl upholstery, wood accents on the dashboard, steering wheel, and floor gearshift knob, and fluorescent-display digital clock. The top trim Limited model included leather seats and trim, air conditioning, AM/FM radio, an adjustable steering wheel, dual remote outside mirrors, a full-length center console with armrest, and many more features. The AMC V8 engine was offered as an option only on the liftback. The AMX featured a flush blackout grille with an AMX emblem, fiberglass wheel flares, rear spoiler, ER60x14 white-letter tires on 14x7-inch "Turbocast II" aluminum wheels, blackout trim, "GT rally-tuned" suspension, floor shift transmission, an optional hood decal, and other sporty features.
Popular Science magazine compared the four-cylinder Spirit with the Chevrolet Chevette, Dodge Omni 024, and the imported Plymouth Champ describing the Spirit's "generous updating of the chassis and body have kept it fresh-looking." Despite its imported engine, with its heavy chassis it was "no economy standout ... what is special about the Spirit is the luxury finish ... with the look of a high-priced car."
1980
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thumb|right|1980 Spirit and AMX trim/striping/two-tone paint/molding availability
The 3.8 L I6 was dropped from the lineup, as was the 5.0 L V8 to meet the average corporate fleet fuel economy standard for the 1980 model year. The VW-based I4 was replaced with a Pontiac-built 2.5-liter I4 that was "better suited to the cars' size and weight specs." The 4.2 L I6 remained most popular, and the only engine available in the AMX model. To comply with the 1980s' much tougher emissions, computer-controlled carburetors were designed for better economy and operation.
1981
thumb|1981 AMC Spirit base model
thumb|right|1981 AMC Spirit base model with optional two-tone and rear spoiler
thumb|right|AMC Spirit DL with optional two-tone
thumb|AMC Spirit sedan with optional stripes
The 1981 model year AMC Spirits received a new crosshatch grille with a single crosshair element. New optional "Noryl" wheel covers were added. The leather-clad Limited models were canceled, leaving the DL as the top-rung model. The AMX model was discontinued, but the liftback was available with the GT appearance package, available on both base and DL trims, with both engines. An optional G.T. rally-tuned suspension for the liftback included special front and rear sway bars, tuned strut rod bushings and rear spring iso-clamp pads, heavy-duty adjustable Gabriel Strider shock absorbers, "hi-control" rear leaf springs, and a faster steering box ratio. New options included power windows, rear window wiper and washer, power antenna, as well as tricolored "rally" stripes.
The I6 was redesigned and made lighter, as well as smoother, higher low-end torque, more economical, and requiring less maintenance. The numerous engineering improvements and the substitution of aluminum for iron and steel made the venerable AMC engine "the lightest in-line Six in the domestic industry", at .
The 1981 AMC EPA fuel economy figures for the 49 states were:
- city and highway for the 4-cylinder 4-speed
- city and highway for the 4-cylinder automatic
- city and highway for the 6-cylinder 4-speed
- city and highway for the 6-cylinder automatic
There were four kinds of wheel treatments this year that included the "Custom Wheel Cover" or standard full wheel discs, "Full Styled" wheel cover made of Noryl which was standard on the Spirit DL, the "Spoke Styled Wheels" which were standard on the Spirit G.T., and the "Turbocast II" aluminum wheels which were optional on all models. Fifteen exterior paint colors were available in 1981. They were Olympic White, Classic Black, Quick Silver Metallic, Steel Gray Metallic, Medium Blue Metallic, Moonlight Blue, Autumn Gold, Sherwood Green Metallic, Cameo Tan, Copper Brown Metallic, Medium Brown Metallic, Dark Brown Metallic, Oriental Red, Vintage Red Metallic, and Deep Maroon Metallic. Interiors were available in "Deluxe Grain" vinyl in black, blue, beige, and nutmeg. "Coventry Check" fabric was available in black, blue, beige, and nutmeg. AMC tied these applications into its warranty program and the Spirit was advertised as "One Tough American Economy car" highlighting its galvanized steel in every exterior body panel. According to Dale E. Dawkins, AMC's vice-president, "Every square inch of inner surface on exterior body panels is galvanized on our Spirit, Concord, and Eagle models." to support AMC's new "Tough Americans" marketing campaign highlighting the long warranty and rustproofing measures included in their cars.
For the 1981 model year, AMC introduced Eagle models (SX/4 liftback and Kammback sedan) based on both Spirit body styles.
1982
thumb|1982 AMC Spirit base model
Changes to the Spirit for 1982 were mostly mechanical. A new 5-speed manual transmission was offered as an option, thus the "Spirit GT became America's first pony car available with a 5-speed gearbox." New low-drag front disc brakes were standard. Together, they allowed the 2.5 L Spirit to achieve on the highway, according to the 1982 EPA estimates. For automatic transmission-equipped cars, the Chrysler sourced three-speed TorqueFlite ratios were more widely spaced to afford better mileage.
American Motors Company was always a company that took chances in the name of innovation and promoted the 1982 Spirit in an unusual television ad campaign. Trying to differentiate their cars from the competition, and to make a point that the "Tough Americans" come with Ziebart rustproofing and a five-year rust warranty, the ads show a new Spirit dropped into of saltwater.
The GT package became its own model separate from the DL for the Spirit's last year. Advertisements stressed the higher level of standard equipment in both Spirit DL and Spirit GT, which sold for US$5,995 and US$6,495, respectively. The Spirit GT version was compared to the liftback version of Ford's Mustang.
For the 1983 model year, AMC introduced the new Renault Alliance, which was a much more modern, space-efficient, fuel-efficient, front-wheel-drive subcompact car than the rear-drive Spirit, with its 14-year-old platform. The Spirit was canceled as AMC released the Alliance-based Encore hatchbacks for 1984. In addition, the front-wheel drive Renault Fuego, "a nicely executed sports coupe," was also sold by AMC dealers as an alternative to the Spirit GT. The Fuego had distinctive styling, four-passenger room, fuel economy (U.S. EPA rated at on the highway), and it received good reviews in the automotive media.
Production Figures
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right;"
!Model year
!AMC Spirit production
|-
|1979
|52,714
|-
|1980
|71,032
|-
|1981
|44,599
|-
|1982
|20,182
|-
|1983
|3,491
|-
!Grand total
!192,018
|}
Spirit AMX
thumb|1979 AMX with standard striping
thumb|1979 AMX interior with standard 4-speed
thumb|1980 AMX finished in Classic Black
An AMX version of the Spirit liftback was offered for 1979 and 1980 as a way of invoking the memory of the original two-seat 1968 through 1970 AMX.
Spirit AMX model featured special body color-matched fender flares and front air dam, "Rally-Tuned" suspension with front and rear sway bars, high-effort power steering gears, front and rear three-way adjustable "Strider" Gabriel (brand name) shock absorbers, heavy-duty semi-metallic front disk brakes with ribbed 10x1.2-inch (254x30.5 mm) rear drum brakes, unique AMX grille, "Turbocast II" 14x7-inch aluminum road wheels with ER60x14 Goodyear "Flexten" GT radial RWL (raised white letter) tires, rear spoiler, special striping package, hood and door decals, console shifted automatic or manual transmission with "Rallye Gauge" package (total of eight dials including an intake-manifold vacuum gauge), as well as simulated aluminum dash overlays with AMX badge on the glove compartment door. Although the car "wasn't actually fast, it sure looked the part" with an "aggressive appearance."
The Spirit AMX was an innovative concept and was well executed from an engineering standpoint, highlighting the creative thinking and skilled engineering on a low budget that characterized AMC's efforts."
The Spirit AMX was discontinued after the two model years and replaced with the similar Eagle SX/4, a sporty four-wheel-drive successor. This model was the last car to wear the AMX name and has achieved popularity with AMC enthusiasts. Some owners modify the cars since it is easy to install a larger displacement AMC engine.
AMXs at the Nürburgring
thumb|24-hour Nürburgring race car
thumb|The #2 car at 2024 AMO show
In October 1979, the B.F. Goodrich sponsored a pair of AMXs in the annual FIA Group One 24-hour race held at Germany's legendary Nürburgring. The 1979 V8-powered Spirit AMX was already homologated for European Group One Touring Car races.
The cars were the first-ever American entries in this grueling race. They would compete against smaller-engined, but more agile competitors from BMW, Ford, Opel, VW, Renault, and Audi.
With almost no prior driving time on the racecourse, and with the race practice cut short by fog, the team qualified the cars in 20th and 21st overall. The #1 Johnson/Shaw/Brolin car was given the faster set-up, with the objective of winning the race.
The preparation of the cars and the team's experience of the race itself were covered by a period documentary film, The Ultimate Challenge.
The #1 AMX Nürburgring race car "served as a showcar for a few months after the race, then went into storage for about 25 years" and has only about on its odometer. The #2 race car returned to the racing circuit for several years, but has been located and reunited with the original drivers after over 25 years.
IMSA racing
AMC Spirits also campaigned in International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Champion Spark Plug Challenge and Racing Stock Class events. With only limited support from AMC, mainly with some technical help, AMC Spirits were prepared by "Team Highball" and driven by Amos Johnson and Dennis Shaw.
Several AMC Spirits were entered in the 1979 World Challenge for Endurance Drivers. A Spirit was driven by Joe Varde and Dave Cowart in the 6 Hours of Talladega finishing the race in third place (an AMC Concord finished first, an AMC Gremlin was second, and an AMC Pacer was fourth) out of starting field of 49 cars. Five other AMC Spirits were also racing on 1 April 1979. Eleven other Spirits placed out of the 72 cars that started in the race.
Turbo pace car
thumb|right|1981 AMX Turbo PPG pace car
thumb|right|Turbo-charged and fuel-injected AMC I6
Two AMC AMX Pace cars were prepared to serve as four official safety cars each year in Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) for the 1980 and 1981 auto-racing seasons. The objective was to create one pace car for each of the four major American car companies based on the existing production models of that time.
Both used the Spirit liftback body with the first one shown by PPG Industries featuring a white/red/blue/black painted production 1979 Spirit AMX with covered headlamps and integrated and smoothed front bumper and air dam unit. The current status of this car is unknown.
The turbocharged and fuel-injected I6 was built by Turbo-Systems Inc. to produce . The car is equipped with Goodyear Eagle GT low profile 245/50x16 tires on Gotti aluminum alloy wheels. The car made its debut as the official pace car for the Milwaukee 150 on 7 June 1981, for the 14 race series. It has since been maintained by collectors with the AMX Turbo regularly appearing at automobile shows.
Performance
thumb|1979 AMC Spirit Pro Modified race car
thumb|1980 AMC Spirit drag racing [[Wheelstand competition|wheelstand]]
Exploiting the ease and low cost of modifying an AMC Gremlin for higher performance, as well as their inherent strength, Spirits were used in drag racing. According to Hot Rod magazine, "these little cars are very cool, and while they're not traditional muscle cars, they're plenty strong in terms of performance."
Using mostly AMC hardware, the AMC Spirit could perform exceptionally well as a street car and in multiple racing arenas (including quarter-mile e.t. of 12.8 at ), with the finished vehicle costing only about $10,000. Some owners of Spirits have been converted with the AMC V8 engines and run the quarter-mile drag strip on an 11.88 dial. AMC Spirits in the Factory Street class have run e.t. of 10.62 at 126.27 mph.
Some owners of Spirits have also heavily modified their cars for pro-class drag racing using AMC engines. Other engines have also been substituted.
Stirling experimental engines
thumb|1979 Spirit with Stirling engine
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thumb|right|The Stirling engine in the 1979 Spirit experimental vehicle
The AMC Spirit served as a test vehicle for alternative engine and fuel experiments. The Stirling engine was considered theoretically to be the most efficient of the alternative heat engines under development during the late 1970s.
The Automotive Stirling Engine (ASE) Program consisted of one large engine development contract and a small technology effort. This included a MOD 1 Stirling powered 1979 AMC Spirit engineering test vehicle built by Mechanical Technology to develop and demonstrate practical alternatives. In partnership with the United States Department of Energy (DOE), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and built under contract by AMC's AM General wholly owned subsidiary, the United Stirling AB's "P-40" powered Spirit was tested extensively for over and achieved average fuel efficiency up to . The Spirit could use gasoline, diesel, or common ethanol fuel mixtures. A 1981 AMC Spirit powered by a 53-kW Stirling engine was also evaluated for performance, emissions, fuel economy, and cooling-system adequacy, but originally assembled as a transient test bed for the engine, the vehicle lacked sufficient performance. The Stirling engines used early in the program delivered an acceleration time of 36 seconds, while the early upgraded Mod I engine installed in an AMC Spirit took 26 seconds. The cars were tested by General Motors Research Laboratories (CMRL) in April 1984, to provide an independent evaluation.
The tests demonstrated that the type of engine "could be developed into an automotive power train for passenger vehicles and that it could produce favorable results." However, progress was achieved with equal-power spark-ignition engines since 1977, and the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) achieved by automobiles in the U.S. did not stand still. The Stirling engine still showed a shortfall in fuel efficiency and concerns about the ability to mass-produce it. A 1980 AMC Concord was also fitted with a P-40 engine and used to inform the public about the Stirling engine and the ASE program.
The experiments showed the Stirling engine could be better to power an extended-range electric vehicle rather than serving as the primary power for an automobile. Although successful in the MOD 1 and MOD 2 phases of the experiments, cutbacks in funding further research and lack of interest by automakers ended possible commercialization of the Automotive Stirling Engine Program.
VAM models
Mexican government-owned automaker Vehiculos Automotores Mexicanos (VAM) assembled sedan and liftback Spirits under license with AMC from 1979 (sedan) and 1980 (liftback) through 1983. To meet government regulations, VAM vehicles had to have at least 60% locally sourced parts. Mexican-built "AMCs" came with different exterior and interior trim, as well as model names than their counterparts in the United States and Canada. For example, the Spirit 2-door sedan was called "Gremlin". The Spirit liftback models were called "Rally". This meant that the two Spirit body styles in Mexico were two separate lines within VAM's product mix with the sedan targeted at the economy market segment while the liftback was almost exclusively focused towards performance. The Rally-based Spirit was the successor to VAM's American Rally AMX top-of-the-line performance model that was based on the 1978 U.S. domestic market AMC Concord AMX while the Gremlin-based Spirit can be described as a generation change within an already existing model.
thumb|VAM 282 cu in (4.6 L) engine
All VAM engines were of AMC design, but built at the Lerma, Estado de México engine assembly plant. They featured modifications to deal with low octane fuel and high altitudes. These included different head designs and exhaust porting. An indigenous VAM engine was the version of the AMC Straight-6 engine with an enlarged bore and wider dished pistons ( bore, stroke) as well as a unique head and exhaust porting design. The V8 and four cylinder engines were not available in Mexico.
Sedan
The VAM-based Spirit sedan was available in the same model configuration as the AMC Gremlin in the first half of the 1970s, including the equivalent sporty model still called the Gremlin X, which in Mexico was a higher trim level instead of an optional package. The U.S. versions such as the sedan-based Spirit DL and Spirit Limited models were not available, as also were not the previous generation's AMC Gremlin GT and AMC Gremlin Custom models. The four-cylinder engine and column-mounted shifters, plus several accessories were also not offered.
1979
thumb|1979 VAM Gremlin X in Mexico City 2015 (missing side decals)
Both VAM versions incorporated manual front disk brakes, front sway bar, floor-mounted three-speed manual transmissions, a 3.31:1 rear differential gear ratio, and the I6 engine with a Carter YF one-barrel carburetor, 266-degree camshaft and 8.0:1 compression ratio rated at at 3900 rpm.
1980
thumb|right|1980 VAM Gremlin in Mexico, similar to the Spirit Sedan marketed in the U.S.
The 1980 models now included a locking gas cap, and fold-down high-back individual seats with adjustable headrests, as well as the heater was made standard even on the base model with manual transmission. New features were a split rear seatback, a 180 km/h / 110 mph speedometer, new seat patterns, a seven-blade flexible fan for the 258 six, new steering wheel designs for each trim level, and a new VAM grille design shared between the two versions. The X model included a new side decal design and blacked-out hubcaps. The optional equipment list for the Gremlin X included a new AM/FM stereo radio, an electric antenna, and intermittent wipers. The new owner was focused more on the Jeep vehicles along with VAM's dealer network and production facilities. Renault reduced production of VAM's passenger car line so it would not compete with its own products. The remaining 1983 VAM cars existed mostly to use up the highest possible amount of existing inventories, to fulfill the previous agreements with sourcing companies as well as delivering the existing individual customer orders. The 1983 Rally AMX is almost an exact copy of the 1982 model, specifically the second half of the model year production. The only differences between both are the presence of a rear ashtray design shared with the Gremlin and American (due to the loss of the console-mounted rear ashtray), a locally produced instrument cluster replacing the imported unit, and the chromed squared door mirrors originally used on the Rally SST (minus the still optional controls). Both optional packages of 1982 were still available this year.
Dodge Spirit
The Spirit name was used by Chrysler, which took over AMC in 1987, for a four-door compact sedan called the Dodge Spirit from 1989 through 1995 model years.
References
Further reading
External links
- AMC Rambler Club
- American Motors Owners Association