AMC Spirit

AMC Spirit

1979 Spirit D/L liftback
Manufacturer	American Motors (AMC)
Production	1979 – 1983
Assembly	Kenosha, Wisconsin, United States Brampton, Ontario, Canada Mexico City, Mexico (VAM)
Predecessor	AMC Gremlin
Class	Subcompact
Body style(s)	2-door sedan 3-door liftback
Layout	FR layout
Platform	AMC’s “junior cars”
Engine(s)	122 cu in (2 L) Audi/VW EA827 I4 151 cu in (2.5 L) GM Iron Duke I4 232 cu in (3.8 L) I6 258 cu in (4.2 L) I6 304 cu in (5 L) V8
Transmission(s)	3-speed TorqueFlite automatic 4-speed manual 5-speed manual
Wheelbase	96 inches (2,438 mm)
Length	167 in (4,200 mm)
Width	72 in (1,800 mm)
Height	51 in (1,300 mm)
Curb weight	2,521 lb (1,144 kg) base sedan
Fuel capacity	21 US gallons (79 l; 17 imp gal)
Related	AMC Gremlin AMC Concord AMC Eagle
Designer	Richard A. Teague

The AMC Spirit was a subcompact marketed by American Motors Corporation from 1979 to 1983 as a restyled replacement for the AMC Gremlin. The Spirit shared the Gremlin's platform and was offered in two hatchback variations, each with two doors — marketed as sedan and liftback. Manufactured by AMC in Wisconsin and Ontario, as well as under license in Mexico, the Spirit was also marketed from 1981 to 1983 as the AMC Eagle, with optional four-wheel drive.

Annual changes

1979

The 1979 Spirit, marketed as sedan and liftback body configurations, was largely a restyled Gremlin, which had been manufactured from 1970-1978.

Using the Gremlin's 96-inch (2,438 mm) wheelbase, the restyling from Gremlin to Spirit sedan included larger rear quarter windows with improved outward visibility. The 1978 Gremlin instrument panel was retained, with a wood grain overlay on DL and Limited models.

Rear view of the new liftback

Riding the same wheelbase as the sedan, the liftback was identical to the sedan from the A-pillar 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. A "GT" option package with aluminum wheels, blackout trim, an optional rear spoiler, and other sporty features that offered AMC to have a competitor in design, style, price, size, and performance to Ford's new-for-1979 Fox-based Mustang.

The standard engine on both models was AMC's 3.8 L inline-6, with the 2.0 L I4, and 4.2 L I6 optional, while the 5.0 L V8 was offered as an option only on the liftback. 1979 would mark a (one-year) reprisal for 5.0 L V8 availability in the short 96-inch (2,438 mm) wheelbase AMC chassis. The last time the two were available together was in the 1976 Gremlin. The four, sixes, and V8 could be mated to either a standard 4-speed manual transmission or an optional 3-speed automatic with either floor or column shift, depending on trim and options. A 3-speed manual transmission was only available as a delete option on the sixes.

The AMX model was transferred from the Concord hatchback to the Spirit liftback body for 1979 and came with either the 4.2 L I6 or 5.0 L V8. The AMX featured a flush blackout grille with an AMX emblem its lower driver's side corner, fiberglass wheel flares, rear spoiler, 14x7 "Turbocast II" aluminum wheels, blackout trim, "GT rally-tuned" suspension, floor shift transmission, an optional hood decal, and other sporty touches.

1980

For 1980, the 2.0 L VW/Audi-sourced I4 was replaced by a GM-sourced 2.5 L Iron Duke I4. American Motors had incurred high costs and slow sales from its deal with VW/Audi and their 2.0 L I4. On the other hand, the Iron Duke afforded slightly more power at a lower price to AMC, allowing them to make it the Spirit's standard engine, rather than optional, as the 2.0 L was from 1977-79.

The 3.8 L I6 was dropped from the lineup, as was the 5.0 L V8, leaving the 4.2 L I6 as the only engine option, and the only engine available in the AMX. No major exterior changes were seen, except on the AMX, as its grille emblem moved to the center.

All AMCs, including the Spirit, received a new rust-proofing process called Ziebart Factory Rust Protection. This process included aluminized trim screws, plastic inner fender liners, galvanized steel in every exterior body panel, and a deep-dip (up to the window line) bath in epoxy-based primer. AMC backed up the rust protection program with a 5-year "No Rust Thru" component to its Buyer Protection Plan.

1981

1981 AMC Spirit DL hatchback

Even fewer changes were made to the 1981 Spirit line. A new crosshatch grille with a single crosshair element completed the changes at the front of the Spirit. New optional "Noryl" wheelcovers were added. The leather-clad Limited models were canceled, leaving the DL as the top-rung model. The liftback still featured a GT package, available on both base and DL trims, with both engines. The AMX did not return for 1981. All AMCs were marketed under a new "Tough Americans" ad campaign, which sought to highlight the warranty and rustproofing measures that AMC took with their cars.

1981 AMC EPA fuel economy figures for the 49 states were 23 mpg city and 33 mpg highway for the 4-cylinder 4-speed, 20 mpg city and 26 mpg highway for the 4-cylinder automatic, 19 mpg city and 28 mpg highway for the 6-cylinder 4-speed, and 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway for the 6-cylinder automatic.

There were 4 kinds of wheel treatments this year, they were the "Custom Wheel Cover", "Full Styled wheel cover (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 Siver Metallic, Steel Gray Met, Med. Blue Met, Moonlight Blue, Autumn Gold, Sherwood Green Met, Cameo Tan, Copper Brown Met, Med. Brown Met, Dark Brown Met, Oriental Red, Vintage Red Met, and Deep Maroon Met. Interiors were available in Deluxe Grain vinyl in black, blue, beige, and nutmeg. Coventry Check fabric was available in black, blue, beige, and nutmeg.

For 1981, AMC introduced Eagle models (SX/4 liftback and Kammback sedan) based on both Spirit body styles.

1982

Changes to the Spirit for 1982 were mostly mechanical. A new 5-speed manual transmission was offered as an option, and new low-drag front disc brakes were standard. Together, they allowed the 2.5 L Spirit to achieve 37 mpg_-US (6.4 L/100 km; 44 mpg_-imp) on the highway, according to 1982 EPA estimates. For those who ordered automatics, the Chrysler sourced three-speed TorqueFlite ratios were more widely spaced to afford even automatic-equipped cars better mileage.

1983

1983 Spirit GT

The Spirit sedan was deleted from the line in 1983, along with the 2.5 L I4 and the base model liftback. All 1983 Spirits were 4.2 L-equipped liftbacks in either DL or new GT trim. The GT package became a 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 1983, 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.

Spirit AMX

1980 AMX finished in Classic Black

Factory installed trim/striping/two-tone paint/molding combinations, packages, or options on the 1980 Spirit and AMX models.

An AMX version of the Spirit liftback was offered for 1979 and 1980.

It featured special color-matched fender flares and front air dam, 'Rally-Tuned' suspension with 1.06-inch (27 mm) front and 0.75-inch (19 mm) rear sway bars, high-effort power steering gears, adjustable Gabriel (brand name) 'Strider' shock absorbers, heavy-duty semi-metallic 10.8-inch (274 mm) front disk brakes with ribbed 10x1.2-inch (254x30.5 mm) rear drum brakes, unique AMX grille, 'Turbocast II' 14x7 inch aluminum rims 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.

Changes in standard AMX equipment for 1980 were black flares and air dam, standard 14x6 styled road wheels with the aluminum rims optional , and no simulated aluminum dash overlays. See: 1979 and 1980 compared and 1980 Data Book

The biggest powerplant on the 1979 AMX was AMC's 304 cu in (5 L) V8 capable of doing the quarter mile in 13.4 seconds. For 1980, the only engine was the 258 cu in (4.2 L) I6. Still, it was the last car to wear the AMX name and has achieved popularity with AMC enthusiasts.

AMXs at the Nürburgring

In October 1979, the B.F. Goodrich tire company sponsored a pair of AMXs in the annual FIA Group One twenty-four hour race (for mildly modified production cars) held at Germany's legendary Nürburgring track.^[1] (The 1979 304 cu in (5 L) V8-powered Spirit AMX was already homologated for European FIA Group One Touring Car races.)

The cars were the first-ever American entries in this grueling race (the Nürburgring is a 14.1-mile (22.7 km) circuit with 176 turns). They would compete against smaller-engined but more agile BMWs, Fords, Opels, VW Golfs, Renault 5s and Audis.

Drivers Amos Johnson and his partner Dennis Shaw were the team principals in the North Carolina-based "Team Highball." Supporting drivers were factory Mazda driver Jim Downing (who would later co-develop the HANS device), actor James Brolin, Lyn St. James and automotive journalist Gary Witzenberg. Two street-stock cars (both with AMC 5.0 L V8 and four-speed transmission) were supplied to "Team Highball" for Group One race modifications less than three weeks before shipment to Europe. The #1 Johnson/Shaw/Brolin car was given the faster set-up, with the objective of winning the race.^[1]

With very little prior experience of the track, and race practice cut short by fog, the team qualified the cars 20th and 21st overall.

In the race the #1 car suffered broken front shock-absorbers and a slipping clutch, and the engine burned oil. Witzenberg reported the brakes and both front shocks "all but gone" in #2 - pumping the brakes dragged the front spoiler, but had little effect on speed. And since the AMXs were "rather crude" compared with the smaller, lighter cars they were racing against, they lost time in the turns. Nevertheless Witzenburg said the cars "ran great", especially on the straights where they reached about 140 mph (230 km/h).

They finished first and second in class, 25th and 43rd overall out of a field of 120.^[2] They were also the fastest entrants using street tires - BFG T/A radials.

The preparation of the cars and the team's experience of the race itself were covered by a period documentary film, The Ultimate Challenge.

AMX Turbo PPG pace car

Turbo pace car

An AMX Turbo Pace car was built to be one of four official safety cars in the PPG IndyCar World Series for the 1981 auto-racing season. Using the Spirit liftback body, the pace car was designed by Richard A. Teague, AMC's Vice President of Automotive Design. The car was constructed by Autodynamics of Troy, Michigan under contract from PPG Industries. The turbo-charged and fuel-injected 258 cu in (4.2 L) I6 was built by Turbo-Systems Inc. to produce 450 bhp (336 kW). The car is equipped with Goodyear Eagle GT low profile 245x50x16 tires on 16x8 "Gotti" aluminum alloy wheels.^[3]

This car was the final chapter in the AMC AMX story. The PPG AMX is currently in a private collection in Florida and appears at automobile shows.

Performance

1979 AMC Spirit pro drag car

Building on the AMC Gremlin's ease with which they could be modified for higher performance, as well as their inherent inexpensiveness and strength, AMC 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."^[4] Using mostly AMC hardware, the AMC Spirit can perform exceptionally well as a street car and in multiple racing arenas (including quarter-mile e.t. of 12.8 at 110 mph), with the finished vehicle costing only about $10,000.^[5] Some Spirits have been fitted with 360 cu in (5.9 L) AMC V8 engines and run the quarter-mile drag strip on an 11.88 dial.^[6] AMC Spirits in the Factory Street class have run e.t. of 10.62 at 126.27 mph.^[7] AMC Spirits have also been heavily modified for pro class racing.

Experimental models

The AMC Spirit served as a test vehicle for alternative engine and fuel experiments. These included the Mod 1 Stirling engine powered AMC Spirit engineering test vehicle built by Mechanical Technology Inc. to develop and demonstrate practical alternatives.^[8]

VAM models

1980 VAM "Gremlin" in Mexico, similar to the "sedan" marketed in the U.S.

Mexican government-owned automaker Vehiculos Automotores Mexicanos (VAM) assembled sedan and liftback Spirits under license with AMC. To meet government regulations, VAM vehicles had to have at least 50% locally sourced parts. Mexican built "AMC's" came with different exterior and interior trim, as well as model names than their counterparts in the United States and Canada. For example, Spirit 2-door sedans were called "Rallys", which was the name used in Mexico for AMC Gremlins in the rest of North America. The VAM Rally liftback models came in AMX, GT, and SST versions.

A unique to Mexico was the vehicle called the VAM Lerma, which was based on the Concord's 4-door chassis with the Spirit's front and rear liftback body parts and unique rear quarter panels. All VAM engines were of AMC design, but built in at the Hidalgo, Mexico 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 282 cu in (4.6 L) version of the AMC Straight-6 engine with an enlarged bore and wider wider dished pistons (3.909" bore, 3.894" stroke).

Dodge Spirit

The Spirit model name was used by Chrysler Corporation that took over AMC in 1987, for a four-door sedan called the Dodge Spirit from 1989 to 1995.

References

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