1970-78 Gremlin

1970-78 Gremlin

1973 Gremlin 1975 Gremlin 1973 Gremlin 1977 Gremlin

General Information Body Styles And Trim Levels Engines Transmissions Production Numbers Serial Number Decoder Unit Body Identification Plate Bibliography

General Information

The 1970 model year started out with the all new AMC Hornet. The AMC Hornet attempted to meld the frugal image of the Rambler with the image of luxury into a new type of compact car. The company recognized the difference between an economy car and a small car as a new breed of automobile began to surface. The Hornet was a small car. An economy car was considered a smaller car yet with aura of implied austerity. You have to give the company a lot of credit for announcing then, on April fools day (April 1st) , the newest sub compact car made by a major maker and badged as the AMC Gremlin. It rode on a wheel base of 96 inches, four inches shorter the original Rambler of 1950. The growing subcompact market was no longer left to the imports.

Both GM and Ford were still working on their sub-compact offerings (Vega and Pinto) so AMC beat the major manufacturers into this important segment of the market by a full six months and served notice on the automobile industry that AMC was a serious if not novel contender. The first Gremlins were advertised for $1879.00 as a two place (7046-0), bottom of the line car with rubber floor mats, a bench front seat, and no back seat at all. There was also a four place version (7046-5) that had the fold-down rear seat, flip open rear tailgate window, and a much longer option list with a starting price of $1995.00, just under $2000. This was the bench mark dollar value that seemed to divide the line between austere economy and the luxury of the compact. With initial sales of only 872 two place Gremlins it was clear that the buying public, while willing to buy a sub-compact, did not want to do away with the image or aura of luxury. The four place car with the optional 232 six rather than the base 199 six and options up to and including A/C was well received and helped to further define the positioning of the Sub Compact Car Market.

Standard equipment on the two place car for 1970 consisted of front arm rests, front ashtray, 35 ampere alternator (55 ampere with air conditioner) dome light, rubber floor mats, heater and defroster, split back front foam seat cushion, wheel trim hubcaps, dual pinstripes, ‘B’ rated 6.00 x 13 Black wall polyester tires, three-speed manual transmission with column mounted shift controls and a 128 hp 199 six. The four place car featured a rear window lift gate, and a foam cushioned rear seat with folding backrest. Gremlins with the optional 232 cid six came standard with floor shift transmission controls. A selection of thirty options or accessories plus seven packages guaranteed that the size of the car did not have to be deficient in luxury.

A brief summary of changes follow that will highlight the Gremlins production run from 1970 to 1978:

1971: The Gremlin featured no major body changes, and with the price increase for that year, a four place Gremlin could still be purchased for $1.00 under the magic $2000.00 level. The four place Gremlin outsold the 2 place Gremlin on an order of 10:1, so as might be expected, this was the last year for the two place car. Mechanically the 199 cid aix replaced with 232 cid six as the base engine and the new 258 cid six became the new optional engine. An automatic transmission option was added. The Sporty “X” package made it’s first appearance this year and consisted of special striping on the body sides, a body color grille surround, Goodyear Polyglass D70 x 14 belted bias ply black wall tires mounted on 14 x 6 slotted wheels with the volcano center cap, the space-saver spare tire, custom interior trim including bucket seats, "engine turned" instrument trim and special "X" decals. This was also AMC’s first use of the 3.8 L (232 cid) and the 4.2 L (258 cid) engine nomenclature.

1972: There were minimal body changes in the form of trim and badges. Also mechanically there was little change except for two notable areas. This was the first year the 304 V-8 was offered in this package and as one might expect it was a very quick subcompact. If you purchased the “X” package trim the 304 CID V-8 was identified by a 5.0 L V-8 badge on the rear insert. Additionally the automatic transmission source became that of the Chrysler Torque flight series of transmissions. They had proved to be smoother shifting and more reliable that the previous Borg Warner transmissions that had been in use. Other changes were a fully synchronized manual transmission, redesigned front seats and improvements in both the suspension and brakes.

1973: There were again minimal changes in body, trim, and most of the interior. Notable was the installation of the federally mandated 5 mph safety bumpers which required some redesign in the bumper mounting points on the unit body frame. The biggest single change was in the interior with the addition of the Levi trim package. This consisted of special “blue jeans” spun nylon fabric covering the seats, door inserts and map pockets on the door panels. The addition of orange stitching and copper rivets furthered the illusion of the Dungaree look. A Levi Trademark decal on the front fenders identified the car as a “Levi” packaged automobile. The Levi interiors could be had in both blue and brown. It should be noted that the base price was pushed over the magic $2000.00 range by inflation.

1974: Once again, there was relatively little major change in the body and power train. Any changes that were made were in an attempt to incorporate the now mandatory safety bumpers into the overall body style both in the front and in the rear. There was a token redesign in the form of the grill, and the headlight surround area. Of significance a rally “X” packaged was offered that included a dash mounted tachometer using the Hornet three pod instrument panel. Oil pressure and ammeter gauges were added as well as a blacked out instrument panel and steering column. For the six cylinder models a front sway bar was added. Styling was almost a complete carry over both in the body and the interior. However increasingly stringent smog criteria required the use of an electronic ignition now standard on all engines and the first use of a Catalytic converter. Interesting enough not all engine combinations were required to use a catalytic converter as there were some engine applications clear through 1977 that the lack of a converter was “Federally” correct. The most notable mechanical change was the addition of an electronically activated overdrive for cars with the six cylinder engine and manual transmission. The incorporation of both the electronic ignition and the Catalytic converter allowed a better tuned engine so both performance and fuel economy improved over the previous year.

1976: The AMC Gremlin received another restyled grill and headlight arrangement along with new side marker lights. Mechanically the 304 cid V-8 was dropped at mid year. Other than those two pieces, there were no notable changes in 1976.

1977: This year was notable as the year the AMC Gremlin received its first major body restyling. The front of the car was shortened by 4 inches, with new front clip sheet metal, fenders, grill and bumper. The rear was restyled with a larger glass hatch and tail lights. The gasoline filler was moved behind the rear license plate. This eliminated the exterior location of the gasoline filler cap which at one time became a signature of the car with a heavy and ornate Gremlin symbol cast into the design of the filler cap (then as now, a high theft rate item causing a redesign shortly after the introduction of the car with a simpler and less ornate filler cap). Mechanically the biggest change was the availability of a new four cylinder engine based on the Porsche/Audi design. This engine featured an overhead camshaft and an aluminum cylinder head. Unfortunately this engine was underpowered and to some extent improperly geared to move the Gremlin and other AMC cars down the road well and proved to be an unpopular option. This was also the first year for the introduction of a new four speed transmission, an all synchronized Borg Warner designated the SR-4. It was available on both of the six cylinder engines. The 2.0L four got a lower power version called the HR-1.

1978: Following the restyle of 1977, the 1978 AMC Gremlin turned to interior refinements. This included color keyed carpets, a custom steering wheel , standard floor shift for the three speed transmission, a standard AM Radio and more sound insulation to keep things quite Exterior standard equipment featured (some available as standard only on the custom models) B78 x 14 with wheel covers, manual front disc brakes and defroster. The "X" was available in Levi trim which included bucket seats and identifying decals on the body, a front sway bar, D78 x 14 tires on slot styled 14 x 6 inch wheels. In early 1978 a GT package was announced that consisted of fiberglass body components featuring a body-colored front air dam with striping, front and rear flares matching the body colors, black side stripes with color-keyed pin striping, a black grill insert and black mirrors and windshield wipers. Tires were D70-14 white letter radials. Included on the interior were a sports steering wheel, gauge package, brushed aluminum dash panel overlay, extra insulation and a day night mirror. 1978 was the last year for the Gremlin. In 1979 the Gremlin line was replaced by the AMC Spirit two door Sedan and Liftback (hatchback).

1979-83 Spirit

1979-83 Spirit

1979 AMC Spirit Sedan 1979 Spirit Liftback

General Information Body Styles And Trim Levels Engines Transmissions Production Numbers VIN Decoder Unit Body Identification Plate Bibliography

General Information

The Spirit for 1979 was conceived as an upscale market replacement for the 1978 Gremlin. The Spirit was produced in two body styles from 1979 through 1983. The two door sedan direct replacement for the Gremlin featured larger rear windows and dual head lights. The head lights were accomplished by placing a head light bucket that housed both lights over the single head lamp design of the front fenders and then masking the edges using trim pieces on the fender and hood to hide the single head lamp origin of the body parts used in 1978. This body style is sometimes referred to as a "Kammback" design, but is actually a two door sedan. The second style was the liftback design. This design is referred to as a hatchback by many. Both cars included as base equipment a high pressure compact spare tire, manual front disc brakes, inside hood release, lighted ash tray, full wheel covers, rear bumper guards, custom steering wheel and color keyed interior carpets. The tail lights were extended from the outside rear of the car to the license plate mount on the liftback which was also the opening for the hidden center rear fuel filler. These two body styles were continued through 1982, with just the liftback seeing the end of production in 1983, with minor changes in trim, paint, interior appointments and grill design. Note: The AMX version of the liftback carried its own body style number. See the AMX data page for further information on that model.

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Body Styles and Trim Levels

There were three trim levels and two body styles available. The body styles and trim levels can be determined from either the model number on the door tag or the 4th, 5th, and 6th characters of the VIN through 1980; 6th, 7th, and 8th characters from 1981 on (see VIN and Door Tag Decoder for additional information on decoding the VIN and door tags). The body styles and trim levels are:

• 2 door sedan in Base, DL, and Limited trim (1979-80)
• 2 door liftback in Base, DL, and Limited trim (1979-80)
• 2 door sedan in Base and DL trim (1981-82)
• 2 door liftback in Base and DL trim (1981-82)
• 2 door liftback in DL and GT trim (1983)

Base equipment: Black wall C78x14 tires, vinyl bucket seats, 4 spoke steering wheel, lighter, locking glove box, folding rear seat, spare tire cover, dual paint stripes plus moldings for the wheel lip, drip rail, hood front edge, windshield surround and rocker panels. Lift backs included a front sway bar for improved handling.

DL equipment: Custom bucket seats in Caberfae corduroy or Sport vinyl, walnut burl woodgrain instrument panel overlay, wood grain steering wheel, day-night mirror, digital clock, extra quiet insulation, dual horns, courtesy lights, package shelf, folding split rear seat back, front/rear bumper guards and white wall tires with color keyed styled wheel covers.

Limited equipment: Leather bucket seats, an AM radio, power door locks, power steering, power liftback release, dual remote mirrors, light and visibility groups, convenience and protection groups, tilt steer wheel, full length console with center armrest, 18 oz carpeting and P195/75R14 glass belted whitewalls.

A GT package was available 1979-82 (it became a trim level for 1983). This included a black full-length console, black leather-wrapped steering wheel, black instrument panel with woodgrain overlay, woodgrain door panel accents, tachometer black bumpers with nerfing strips and guards, twin black remote mirrors, black exterior trim moldings, black grill insert and headlight bezels, and black rear venturi area. GT models carried P195/75R14 steel-belted radials on spoke style wheels V-8 with manual shift and a Performance tuned exhaust sound. The GT Rally Tuned Suspension Package added a tuned front sway bar, rear sway bar, heavy duty Gabriel Strider adjustable shocks, tuned strut rod bushings and rear spring iso-clamp pads, High Control rear leaf springs, unique steering gears and heavy duty brakes.

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Engines

The available engines are as follows. The 7^th character of the VIN is the Engine Code and indicates original engine size:

• Engine Code G, 121 cid inline four, 80 hp, 8.1:1 compression ratio, 2 bbl, 1979 only
• Engine Code B, 151 cid inline four, 99 hp, 8.3:1 compression ratio, 2 bbl, 1980-82
• Engine Code E, 232 cid inline six, 90 hp, 8:1 compression ratio, 1 bbl, 1979 only
• Engine Code A, 258 cid inline six, 100 hp, 8.3:1 compression ratio, 1 bbl, 1979 only
• Engine Code C, 258 cid inline six, 110 hp, 8.3:1 compression ratio, 2 bbl, 1979-83
• Engine Code H, 304 V-8, 125 hp, 125 hp, 8.4:1 compression ratio, 2 bbl, 1979 only

If you are unsure of the size of the engine currently installed, you can check it's size by the following methods:

• For inline six engines, there is a machined pad on the distributor side of the engine between the first and second spark plugs. This contains the six character Engine Day Build Code. The first digit indicates the calendar year the engine was built. 1979 will be a 3. Due to a change in the numbering system, 1980 and later uses the last digit of the year (1980 = 0, 1981=1 etc.). The next two numbers will be the month the engine was made in. A letter code (same as VIN engine code) will tell engine size and compression. It is possible that the engine has been replaced with a newer or older engine. 199, 232, and 258 cid cid six cylinder engines made between 1964 and 1971 are almost externally identical as are the engines made from 1972 through 1983. The bell housing bolt pattern changed in 1972, so only 72 and later engines are direct bolt in swaps. There will also be a number of different mounting holes on the intake depending on the year as well as valve cover variations. If the original intake and accessories are used there should be few problems swapping in any 72 or later engine.
• For V-8 engines, the best way to tell size is to look at the size cast into the engine block near the first and second core (freeze) plugs on either side of the engine. Note that service replacement blocks do not have the displacement cast into them and tear down to measure bore and stroke is the only way to positively identify the installed engine. The second way to identify engine size is from the tag attached to the valve cover. The valve cover tag will be coded the same as the inline six Engine Day Build Code (see above description).

Note: Engine dates are calendar dates and not model year dates. Since model year production actual starts in the previous calendar year, it is possible to have, for example, an engine coded 1978 in a 1979 vehicle and be correct but an engine coded 1980 would not be correct for the same car since no 1979's were manufactured in calendar year 1980.

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Transmissions

The following transmissions were used in 1979 – 1983 AMC Spirits. The general transmission type can be determined by the third digit of the VIN.

• 150-T Three speed manual (258/304) 1979
• SR-4 4 speed manual (258/304) 1979-81
• T-4 Four speed manual (151/258) 1981-82
• T-5 Five speed manual (151/258) 1982-83
• HR-1 Four speed manual (121) 1979 *
• Torque Command Automatic – based on Chrysler 904 (121) 1979 *
• Torque command Automatic – based on Chrysler 904 (151) 1980-83*
• Torque Command Automatic – based on Chrysler 904 (232/258) 1979-1983 (1980 on with lock up Torque Converter)
• Torque Command Automatic – based on Chrysler 998 (304) 1979

Transmission note: Due to the common identification of the Chrysler series numbers AMC Torque Command automatics are generally referred to with the more common Chrysler identifications, usually with an "A" preceding or following (i.e. - A904 or 904A). The internals of these transmissions are identical to their Chrysler counterparts. They are not, however, interchangeable between AMC and Chrysler engines due to the difference in bell housing bolt patterns.

* 121 and 151 four has a unique bell housing bolt pattern. Transmissions will not fit any other engine used by AMC at any time. These transmissions use the same bolt pattern as a small block Chevy.

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Production Numbers

A blank indicates that the body and trim style was not available for the year in question.

Body & Trim Style	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983
2 door sedan, Base	Note 1	Note 2	2,367	119	-
2 door sedan, DL	Note 1	Note 2	Note 3	Note 4	-
2 door sedan, Limited	Note 1	Note 2	-	-	-
2 door liftback, Base	Note 1	Note 2	42,232	20,063	-
2 door liftback, DL	Note 1	Note 2	Note 3	Note 4	3,491
2 door liftback, Limited	Note 1	Note 2	-	-	-
2 door liftback, GT	-	-	-	-	Note 5
Total	52,714	71,032	44,599	20,182

Note 1: Total is for all Spirit and AMX production. 3,657 were AMX (which was available with six or V-8, Liftback only), 16,237 four cylinder, 36,241 six cylinder, and 3,893 V-8.

Note 2: Total is for all Spirit and AMX production. 37,799 four cylinder, 33,233 six cylinder.

Note 3: Base totals are for both body styles. 26,075 four cylinder, 18,524 six cylinder.

Note 4: Base totals are for both body styles. 9,290 four cylinder, 10,892 six cylinder.

Note 5: DL total includes GT. All were six cylinder.

Dates of model introductions:

1979 - Sept 18, 1978
1980 - Oct 11, 1979
1981 - Sept 25, 1980
1982 - Sept 24, 1981
1983 - Sept 22, 1982

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VIN Decoder

The VIN tag on all 1968 and later cars sold in the US will be on the left side of the dash board visible through the windshield. The VIN is also stamped into the left frame sill behind the steering gear box. It is necessary to remove the steering gear box to view the VIN in this location. A 13 character VIN is used through the 1980 model year, a 17 character VIN for 1981 and later model years.

The 13 character VIN can be decoded as follows:

Company	Year	Transmission Type	Series	Body Type	Trim Level	Engine	Sequential Serial Number*
A	9	F	4	3	7	B	100001

Note: Character one is always an A (American Motors) and character four is always a four (Spirit).

Char. 2 - Year 9 1979 0 1980	Char. 3 - Transmission Type A Automatic column shift C Floor shift automatic M Four speed floor shift	Char. 5 - Body Type 3 2 door liftback 6 2 door sedan
Char. 6 - Trim Level 0 Base trim 5 DL 7 Limited 9 AMX	Char. 7 - Engine A 258 cid, 1 bbl B 151 cid, 2 bbl C 258 cid, 2 bbl E 232 cid, 1 bbl G 121 cid, 2 bbl H 304 cid, 2 bbl

*The last six digits are the numbers assigned to the car when it was ordered from the factory. Numbers starting at 100001 are assigned to cars made in Kenosha, WI. Numbers starting at 700001 are assigned to cars made in the Brampton plant in Ontario, Canada.

The 17 character VIN added country of origin, vehicle type, a check digit, and a final assembly plant code. It can be decoded as follows:

Country	Company	Vehicle Type	Engine	Transmission Type	Series	Body Type	Trim Level/ Restraint	Check Digit*	Year	Final Assembly Plant	Sequential Serial Number*
1	A	M	B	M	4	3	7	2	B	K	100001

Note: Character three is always an M (Passenger Car) and character six is always a four (Spirit).

Char. 1 - Country 1 or 4 United States 2 Canada 3 Mexico	Char. 2 - Company A AMC (US) C AMC (Canada) V VAM (Mexico)	Char. 4 - Engine B 151 cid 4, 2 bbl C 258 cid 6, 2bbl	Char. 5 - Transmission A 3 spd auto, column C 3 spd auto, floor L 5 spd manual, floor M 4 spd manual, floor
Char. 7 - Body Type
3	2 dr Liftback
6	2 dr Sedan

Char. 8 - Trim Level / Restraint
0	Base / Manual Belts
5	DL / Manual Belt
7	Limited / Manual Belt

Char. 10 - Year
B	1981
C	1982
D	1983
	Note: I, O and Q not used.

Char. 11 - Final Assembly Plant
B	Brampton, Canada
K	Kenosha, WI
M	Mexico City, Mex.

*The last six digits are the numbers assigned to the car when it was ordered from the factory. Each plant started with 000001.

The Check Digit, character 9, is used to verify authenticity of the VIN. Verification must be accomplished by hand. Any small mathematical error will result in an incorrect answer, so be careful! Any changes in the VIN to disguise the vehicle or change factory equipment will result in an error.

Step 1: Write the VIN down with double spacing between each character. Assign each number in the VIN its numerical value (4=4, etc.), and assign each letter the value specified below. Write these values in a row directly beneath the VIN.

    A=1    B=2    C=3    D=4    E=5    F=6    G=7    H=8    J=1    K=2
    L=3    M=4    N=5    P=7    R=9    S=2    T=3    U=4
    V=5    W=6    X=7    Y=8    Z=9 
(Letters I, O, and Q not used to avoid confusion with numbers 1 and 0)

Step 2: Make a third row of characters directly below the second with the values shown below for each character's numerical position. Make a fourth row by multiplying the values in row two by the values in row three.

     1=8    2=7    3=6    4=5    5=4    6=3    7=2    8=10    9=0
    10=9   11=8   12=7   13=6   14=5   15=4   16=3   17=2

Step 3: Add all the numbers in row four together and divide by 11 (long division, not with a calculator!). The remainder should be equal to the check digit. If the remainder is 10, the check digit will be an X.

EXAMPLE:

Row 1(VIN)	1	A	M	C	A	0	6	5	2	B	K	0	0	0	0	0	1
Row 2	1	1	4	3	1	0	6	5	2	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	1
Row 3	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	10	0	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2
Row 4	8	7	24	15	4	0	12	50	0	18	16	0	0	0	0	0	2

Sum of Row 4=156. 156/11=14 with 2 (check digit) remaining.

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Unit Body Identification Plate

The body tag for a Spirit can be found on the latch edge of the driver's door. It can be decoded as follows:

Body

This is the number assigned to the body as it was being produced at the body plant. This number is different than the last six digits of the VIN.

Model

This identifies the body and trim styles. The first two digits are the year, the third the series, fourth body style, and fifth trim level. Base trim level is often left out (only four digits). A blank indicates that the body and trim style was not available for the year in question. Replace "xx" with last two digits of year for complete model number.

Code w/Body Style and Trim	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983
xx43-0 = 2 door liftback, base trim	X	X	X	X
xx43-5 = 2 door liftback, DL trim	X	X	X	X	X
xx43-7 = 2 door liftback, Limited trim	X	X
xx43-9 = 2 door liftback, GT trim					X
xx46-0 = 2 door sedan, base trim	X	X	X	X
xx46-5 = 2 door sedan, DL trim	X	X	X	X
xx46-7 = 2 door sedan, Limited trim	X	X

Trim

This identifies the interior trim style, color, and seat types. The trim code through the 1981 model year is a 4 character number. The first character is the year, the second the series, third color, and the fourth is the seat type.

Paint

The following colors were available in 1979-1983. The original color can be determined by looking at the Paint code on the body tag. If there are two codes separated by a dash, the first code is the primary body color and the second code is the upper body (sometimes roof) or accent color. For example, a car that was black with a white top would have a paint code of 1-72. Paint codes may also be prefixed with a P or suffixed with an A. Note that some cars were painted non-standard colors. These cars will typically have a code such as  00  or  SPEC . This was reserved for large orders in the special color, usually for fleet use.

Paint Code	Color	Years
P1	Classic Black	1979-83
6P	Firecracker Red	1979
9E	Wedgwood Blue	1979
9M	Starboard Blue Metallic	1979
8A	Khaki	1979
9H	Cumberland Green Metallic	1979
8B	British Bronze Metallic	1979
9A	Alpaca Brown Metallic	1979
9K	Sable Brown Metallic	1979
9C	Russet Metallic	1979-80
9N	Morocco Buff	1979
8C	Quick Silver Metallic	1979-81
9L	Saxon Yellow	1979-80
9B	Olympic White	1979-83
9P	Bordeaux Metallic	1979-80
9Z	Misty Beige Clear coat	1979-80
0B	Smoke Grey Metallic	1980
0C	Cameo Blue	1980
0D	Medium Blue Metallic	1980-81
0E	Dark Green Metallic	1980
0H	Navy Blue Metallic	1980
0K	Cameo Tan	1980-81
0L	Medium Brown Metallic	1980-81
0M	Dark Brown Metallic	1980-83
0P	Cardinal Red	1980
0R	Caramel	1980
0T	Black Medium Gloss	1980
1B	Moon Light Blue	1981
1C	Sherwood Green	1981
1D	Autumn Gold	1981
1E	Copper Brown Metallic	1981
1J	Vintage Red Metallic	1981-83
1K	Deep Maroon	1981
1L	Steel Grey	1981-83
1M	Oriental Red	1981-83
2A	Mist Silver Metallic	1982-83
2B	Sun Yellow	1982
2C	Slate Blue Metallic	1982-83
2D	Deep Night Blue	1982-83
2E	Sea Blue Metallic	1982
2H	Topaz Gold	1982-83
2J	Jamaican Beige	1982-83
3A	Almond Beige	1983
3B	Sebring Red	1983
3C	Sterling	1983
3H	Diamond Blue	1983
3J	Jade Mist	1983
3L	Amber Glow	1983
3P	Garnet	1983
75R1003	Low Gloss Black (black out)	1980
76R19	Low Gloss Black (black out)	1981

Fleet Only Colors	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983
Transport Yellow		FA	FA
Omaha Orange		FB	FB
Federal Grey		FC	FC
Forrest Green		FE	FE
Olive Drab		FH	FH

Color samples can be viewed at http://autocolorlibrary.com/aclns.html

Sequential Assembly Number

The unlabeled number at the bottom of the body tag is the Sequential Assembly Number. This number was assigned to the vehicle as it entered the final assembly line. Cars assembled in Kenosha will have an "E" or "W" preceding the number. This designated the East or West assembly line. Cars assembled in Brampton will have a "B" preceding the number. Vehicles were assembled in batches as needed -- i.e., 10 Spirits may be assembled then 20 Concords followed by 15 Matadors, etc. Minimum and maximum sizes of batches are unknown -- in some cases single cars may have gone through the lines.

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Bibliography

The following sources were used to verify the information contained on this page:

• American Motors, The Last Independent; Patrick Foster, ISBN 0-87341-240-0
• Cars & Parts Catalog of American Car ID Numbers 1970-1979, ISBN 0-87938-518-9
• 1974 American Motors Technical Service Manual
• 1980-81 American Motors Technical Service Manuals
• 1979-83 American Motors Sales Catalogs
• The Standard Catalog of American Motors, 1902-1987, ISBN 0-87341-232-X
• MOTOR AUTO REPAIR MANUAL 46th Edition. 1977-1983
• Chilton Repair & Tune-Up Guide. American Motors 1975-1986
• The Compact Chronicles, Copyright 1992, Frank Swygert

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