Though American Motors never approached the size of Detroit's Big Three, it produced a long series of successful cars that were distinctive, often innovative and in many cases influential. This history examines AMC's cars from the company's formation in 1954 through its absorption by Chrysler in 1987. The Gremlin, Pacer and Eagle vehicles are examined in detail, as are the AMC custom cars of George Barris and Carl Green. The text details AMC's 1980s involvement with the French firm Renault and the design legacy of that joint venture, which includes the Hummer. The evolution of Jeep is covered from the 1960s through the 2000s.Features include some 225 photographs; a listing of AMC / Rambler clubs, organizations and business entities, with contact details; tables of detailed specifications and performance data; data on technical devices, trim packages and all model variations; a comprehensive account of AMC / Rambler appearances in film, television and cartoons.
Marc Cranswick is an artist and historian with a history of involvement with car clubs and the hobby of classic car ownership. He has written extensively on high performance German cars.
Table of ContentsForeword: My AMC Days by Carl Green viiiIntroduction: AMC—Ahead of the Game 1. Economy, a Survival Recipe 2. The Transition from Thrift 3. Being One of the Big 4 4. Big and Small—Gremlin to Ambassador Between pages 176 and 177 are 12 color plates containing 27 photographs5. AMC—The Small Car Company 6. Bricklin, Gremlin and Jeep 7. The Spirit of Hornet Goes Off-Road 8. Kenosha Serves Cafe au Lait! Appendix A: Selected American Motors Model Specification Tables Appendix B: AMC Organizations Chapter Notes Bibliography Index
“a must for any automobile enthusiast who wants to learn more about the place of American Motors in twentieth century American history”—Midwest Book Review.
