(first posted 2/22/2012) Growing up in south-central Pennsylvania, trips to the Gettysburg battlefield were a regular family outing. My father has always been a history buff, which meant that we spent quite a few summer Saturdays touring the battlefield. Among other lessons, it instilled an appreciation of AMC’s repeated use of the name “Rebel”.
A regular stop was the site of Major General George Pickett’s infamous charge. My father would solemnly tell us that this spot represented the High Water Mark of the Confederacy. Over 12,000 Confederate soldiers marched across 3/4 of a mile of open field, right into a heavy barrage of Union artillery fire. The Confederates suffered a 50 percent casualty rate, and General Robert E. Lee’s attempt to threaten both Harrisburg and Philadelphia was stopped in its tracks. From that point on, the question wasn’t whether the Confederacy could win the war, but how long until it surrendered.
America’s independent auto makers were a lot like the Confederacy. They battled much bigger and wealthier foes with a combination of daring and inspired leadership, primarily because they didn’t have much else.
Regular Curbside Classics commentator Dr. Lemming has proclaimed that the 1973-77 Hornet hatchback represented a High Water Mark for American Motors. Given that AMC was the last independent automaker, this car represents the final High Water Mark for the independents.
AMC was looking a lot like the Confederate forces after Pickett’s Charge by the time the Hornet debuted in the fall of 1969. The Hornet replaced the tired Rambler (which had debuted as the Rambler American in 1958, but was simply tagged as “Rambler” for its final year). The Hornet’s debut marked the demise of the old Rambler nameplate, which AMC had been phasing out since the mid-1960s. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) George Romney, who combined messianic zeal with a general’s discipline, drove AMC to third place in total sales by 1961 (or 1960, if Valiant sales are separated from Plymouth sales). Romney, realizing that going head-to-head with the Big Three was a losing battle, placed all of AMC’s chips on the intermediate-size Rambler. He was helped by a combination of the 1957-58 recession, the ballooning size of the Low-Price Three, and the lousy build quality of far too many Big Three cars.
In an exquisite bit of timing that has so far eluded son Mitt, Romney left AMC to run for Michigan’s Governor’s office in early 1962. His replacement was Roy Abernethy, who was determined to match the Big Three model-for-model. AMC was preparing all-new Classics and Ambassadors for 1963, followed by a 1964 American that was to be based on the same platform. The cars were quite handsome on the outside, and boasted new “uniside” construction for better panel fit and durability.
Romney would later criticize Abenethy’s direct attack on the Big Three, but, in reality, he had few options, given that they were invading AMC’s market segments. AMC was thus backed into making its own version of Pickett’s Charge.
And not all of AMC’s problems were Abernethy’s fault. AMC had neglected chassis development, and its engines lagged behind those of the Big Three. The American was still using the ancient Nash flathead six in 1965! That didn’t matter as much when AMC had the intermediate field largely to itself, but by 1965, GM, Ford and Chrysler had invaded the compact and intermediate fields with handsome designs and more modern drivetrains. In the military, business and politics, leaving just before things go sour is an art in and of itself, and Romney’s exit from AMC was a classic example of leaving at just the right time.
AMC fought back with excellent new sixes for 1964, and new V-8s for 1966. Abernethy pushed for larger, fully restyled Classics and Ambassadors for 1965, and planned another generation of all-new, even larger cars for 1967. He also demanded more distinction between the Classic (renamed Rebel for 1967) and Ambassador.
The only problem was that all of that spending on new sheetmetal and engines failed to generate increased sales. The bigger cars and more powerful engines were also erasing AMC’s economy advantage. AMC sales slumped badly for 1966 and 1967, leaving the company on the verge of bankruptcy in early 1967. By 1969, AMC was offering five distinct lines of cars – Ambassador, Rebel, Javelin, AMX and what had been the Rambler American. Their total sales failed to equal the sales of what had been the “standard” Rambler just nine years earlier.
Battle-weary AMC dealers therefore looked at the Hornet the way a beleaguered general looks at a fresh infusion of troops. Riding on a trim 108-inch wheelbase, the Hornet came in two-door and four-door sedans. Having learned its lesson with its 1965 and 1967 cars, AMC made sure that both body styles shared the same roof stampings, and the front and rear bumpers were interchangeable, all to minimize tooling costs.
The engines were standard AMC fare – straight sixes in 199 and 232 cubic inches, or a 304 cubic inch V-8, with the 199 six gone after one year. Styling was the Hornet’s strong point – its Dick Teague-designed flanks were smooth and clean, while the grille and taillights managed to be simple without being boring. The Hornet avoided the contrived “mini-Mustang” look of the Maverick or the plain-jane frumpiness of the Valiant/Dart, making it the best-looking domestic compact of the 1970s.
Hornet received good reviews, but, surprisingly, sales were somewhat of a disappointment. AMC, to its credit, kept trying, and followed up with the handsome Sportabout wagon for 1971, which is still one of the best-looking wagons ever produced. An important mechanical improvement was the replacement of the outdated Borg-Warner automatic with Chrysler’s terrific Torqueflite automatic in 1972 (named Torque-Command by AMC) for all AMC cars, something the company should have done in 1964 or 1965 to better show off its new engines.
AMC’s sales and balance sheet steadily improved after 1971, so by 1973, AMC was ready to add some sex appeal to its compact line. Hatchbacks were all the rage in the early 1970s, so, for 1973, AMC added this handsome one to the Hornet line-up. Car and Driver promptly proclaimed it “the styling coup of 1973,” and the praise was right on target. While GM and Chrysler took a blowtorch and cut a hatch into their standard compact bodies, Dick Teague designed an entirely new roofline and rear quarter panels for the Hornet hatchback. It flowed beautifully on to the neatly bobbed deck. That curse of the Great Brougham Epoch – the vinyl roof – couldn’t completely hide the slick new roof and quarter window.
Even the new-for-1973 bumper standards didn’t ruin the Hornet, as Dick Teague designed a sharp new front fender, hood and grille ensemble that mated perfectly with the rest of the body. This Hornet is a post-1974 model, as it sports the segmented grille and rectangular parking lights adopted for 1975.
Even the details were handled nicely. AMC placed a Hornet medallion on the leading edge of the hood, thus avoiding the stand-up hood ornament craze sweeping the industry while still giving buyers an extra bit of decoration.
The door handles were AMC’s trademark, flush-mounted units that it had used since 1968, which added a nice premium touch to the car, while maintaining a visual link to the rest of the line-up.
Sparked by improving Hornet and Gremlin sales, AMC’s market share increased for 1973, and rose again in 1974, which was a terrible year for the industry. AMC seemed to have recovered from its 1960s mistakes. And then, in two consecutive years, it would repeat them in rapid fashion, ensuring that it would be driven out of business. It introduced the Matador coupe for 1974 and Pacer for 1975, both of which used unique sheetmetal shared with no other AMC car. Neither car generated enough sales to recover their tooling costs, largely due to their oddball styling and uninspired mechanicals.
The hatchback’s impact died almost as quickly, as domestic compact buyers decided they wanted either mini-Continentals or faux-Benzes, and hatchback lovers bought VWs and Hondas.The Hornet soldiered on through 1977, after which AMC surrendered to the Brougham craze and brought out the Concord, which was a Hornet with styling and appointments inspired by a Lincoln Continental Mark IV. The hatchback continued as a Concord through 1979, and even served as the basis for a revived AMX in 1977 and 1978. The Concord, in turn, spawned the all-wheel-drive Eagle in 1980, which was still in production when Chrysler bought AMC from Renault in 1987. The Eagle wagon, still wearing the same basic body of the old Hornet Sportabout, lasted through the 1988 model year, after which it was finally phased out by Chrysler.
One wonders what would have happened to AMC if, instead of blowing precious development dollars on the Matador coupe and Pacer, it had used that money to give the Hornet the Concord treatment in 1975 and sold it alongside the Hornet as a downsized Ambassador. It could have then restyled the Gremlin into the Spirit for 1976, but given it the Javelin name, selling it as a more rational pony car that bridged the gap between the awkward Mustang II and sleek-but-cramped Camaro and Firebird.
In the end, it probably wouldn’t have mattered. In the Civil War, the talents of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson couldn’t overcome the Confederacy’s disadvantages that were rooted in an economic system based on slavery. That hindered its economic development and stopped Great Britain or France from coming to its aid during the Civil War.
AMC ultimately couldn’t survive as an independent, despite the talents of George Romney, Dick Teague and Roy Chapin, Jr, because it could not compete head-on with the richer Big Three. The Confederacy died because it found itself on the wrong side of history in regards to slavery, but AMC vanished, ironically enough, because George Romney was more right than even he realized. Americans would happily drive more rationally sized cars. The only problem was that Americans buying those cars could be swayed by style and status, too. A Ramber Rebel or even an AMC Ambassador was ultimately no match for an Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme that had been styled by Bill Mitchell’s troops.
But, over 30 years later, we can still appreciate this Hornet hatchback, not only for its handsome looks, but as the final High Water Mark of the independent automakers. Sitting in a yard in suburban Harrisburg – without, oddly enough, any “For Sale” placards – it shows off its smooth, sleek lines. We can appreciate Dick Teague’s efforts to keep the final independent alive, even if they weren’t ultimately enough to turn the tide of history.
Great-looking cars, especially in hatchback and wagon form. Very few survive in the south/mid-Atlantic though; I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen a Hornet or Concord on the road. Maybe an Eagle wagon or two, but even those seem hazy in the “way back” of memories.
I did see a tidy little mid 60’s American street parked last year, but that’s the only AMC I can specifically remember seeing outside a show in the past 10? years.
My late darling wife and I shared our first kiss in her “new” used 1974 Hornet with the Orleans song “Love Takes Time” on the AM radio (in 1979). The Hornet will always have a large share of my heart. I miss her and her Hornet.
The Confederacy did not ‘find’ itself on the wrong side of history – it chose.
Bought my 74 Hornet Hatchback new, came with the 75 grille. Had the 258 six, was my first car. Added hooker headers & dual exhaust. Paint: Mellow yellow, interior: black. Was a good car, added mags w/ Michelin radial tires and cruise control. Made a few cross country trips from MD to AZ and CA and back. Was very comfortable on the highway with the radial tires vs the bias ply of the day. The car survied me @ 16 years old into my 20’s.
I kepted it for 5 years, until I fell in love with a new 79 Mercury Capri RS.
Extra comments about this car.
It was a very good inexpensive car for it’s time
Faults:
1) Had to replace “T.A.C.” hose every couple of weeks. It was an aluminum hose covered with black paper. It connected the air filter to the exhaust header, providing warm air to the carburetor during startup. It was designed poorly, and was easily damaged just by bumping it. Without it, the engine would take longer to warm up.
2) The drivers seat was a problem, dealer had to replace the bottom section a number of times, as the support kept breaking where the seat back hinged together. The hinge didn’t fail, it was the rear section on the bottom seat.
3) A tapping noise was heard, the dealer replaced the lifters, and still heard the noise. Then the rocker arms were replaced. Turns out, the last rocker was scored, thus creating the tapping. After replacing, was quite as new!
4) Valve cover design caused the gasket to leak oil. Unlike “normal” covers, A.M.C.’s design had the bottom metal rolled over where the gasket met. Later in 1977, AMC changed it, and made it with a “channel” where the gasket met. I changed over to this design and had no more valve cover oil leaks.
5) The hatchback gas filled supports failed and replaced twice. When they fail, the hatchback would not stay opened.
General Comments:
It was my first car. I was in the last year of High School, and holding down a job. My friends accepted it as a “cool” car.
The stock AM radio was the first thing to be replaced, for of all things, an “AM/FM 8-Track player!
The stock shocks were next to be replaced, as they were not very good. Put air shocks in the back. Kids then loved that raised rear look. My dad threatened to cut the lines if he ever saw it “jacked up”
After the stock tires wore out at 29k miles, replaced with Michelin’s. Boy that really improved the ride. It was so noticeable. Felt like a new car.
The folding rear seat came in handy for hauling things and for date night!!
The car survived my “teenage years”. I tried to run the heck out of it, and it kept coming back for more.
Dick Teague was the genius of automotive design. This car was a mini Javelin. I had a ’73 hatchback X, copper with white vinyl roof. No problems with the car, but I had to have the 360, and that was the problem. Too front-heavy, and, whenever it snowed, I couldn’t keep the car going straight. ‘Way-too-much power for such-a-light vehicle. Sold it to my brother. Now wish I had it. It was a real looker!
And the front and rear bumpers were interchangeable.
I seem to remember the Studebaker Lark had them too, but I’m coming up blank for any major-ish maker doing this post-WWII until the Hornet. Anyone else have a better handle on this?
I guess you had to be there. I was born the year the Hornet debuted, so when I became car-savvy (around the same time AMC was circling the drain) a decade of seeing rusty Gremlins, Pacers, and Matador coupes on the road made the brand seem cheap rather than thrifty and odd-ball rather than unique. If Chevy was Coke and Ford was Pepsi, AMC was Mr. Pibb.
Snobbery aside, I give respect the brand now that I know more about their history and ingenuity, but I still can’t muster any enthusiasm.
The handsome Hatchback bodystyle should have been there from the outset, it could have gone right up against the Nova or Duster. Mind you I think the “coupe” is handsome enough but it’s purely a 2-door sedan, it just screams frugal unless you were one of the few who sprung for a SC360(tell me that wouldn’t have sold way better if it were available in his bodystyle!) even the outgoing 1969 Rambler still had the hardtop coupe available.
The design was solid though, some may disagree but I think the later incarnations as Eagles fit in remarkably well with the squared off sheer look lines of cars of the early to mid 80s but aged better than them with their still in vogue flared fender arches that weren’t so easily massaged away from the original design. It’s easy to cite the long lifespan of this basic bodyshell as a sign of failure, death, lack of resources… all of which are true, but had AMC eschewed the Pacer, dropped out of the floundering intermediate and full size game when they dropped out of ponycars and focused on refining this basic Hornet with new engines, improved suspension and other things of substance with the savings these could have been something akin to one of those long lived European type cars that everyone loves where refining a core good looking design is the norm. The 4×4 Eagle was a near glimpse to that alternate reality,
AMC’s high-water mark was either the 1963-65 Ramblers or the 1984 Jeep Cherokee
AMC could have survived if it sunk its money into something other than styling. After 1965, all AMC products were attractive bodies on old cars.
Had they chosen to ensure that their Hornet was the best compact, kept it thoroughly modern, offered variations of it, and topped it off with Jeep 4WD, (which they eventually did), they would have become the American Volvo. Gilding an old lily however, is all AMC kept doing.
While we all love the Dick Teague designs on the outside, there simply is no way we should ignore the ancient technologies underneath them.
The 1956 Rambler had the OHV modification of the flathead 3.2 liter six. The flathead was the price cutter engine, and the OHV was the upgrade. This continued until the 1965 new OHV engines and the end of the flat head. Also, from 1961 to 1964, AMC offered an aluminum block six of 196 cubic inches. Cast iron head, it had some problems similar to the Vega with the same aluminum block cast iron head expansion issues. AMC was not just a troglodyte in Detroit…
I missed the boat on these, or rather their Concord successors, as I could finally afford (sort of) a new one by ’82 or ’83. I didn’t even consider one of these then, as I’d bit a piece of guardrail with my ’74 Datsun 710 since I was still living up north in the snowbelt, made FWD a requirement (forget about 4WD, though I guess Subaru had it in some cars (not in all of them yet) and AMC hadn’t come out with their AWD vehicles quite yet (OK, maybe more ’81 than ’82 or ’83. I bought a ’78 Scirocco but was only to live in the snowbelt a couple more years; I joined my parents who had moved to central Texas. I guess I could have bought one in ’86 instead of my GTi, but I didn’t need AWD, just air conditioning (which my Scirocco, bought up north didn’t have). So it was more of what I needed changing, and what AMC offered changing (and the two didn’t line up).
My Dad owned 2 Rambler Classic wagons in a row, a ’61 and a ’63. Don’t know what happened to the ’61 that he traded it so soon, but the ’63 was totalled in an accident outside our motel room when we were moving from Catonsville to Burlington, VT (the first time…we actually moved back to Vermont 10 years later, though from Manassas, VA to Shelburne, Vt). With both Grandparents in northern PA, we drove up right through Gettysburg on frequent trips to visit them. There wasn’t a bypass around the town back then; we’d usually stop at the Distelfink for a steak sandwich, they were $1 back then (yes, it was about 50 years ago that we did that). Of course living in Manassas, where there were 2 Civil war battles a year apart we were in prime area for that. People were just starting to move to Manassas as a bedroom community for DC, but my Dad worked right in the town…my teacher back then sent me to a speech therapist since I talked different than my classmates (since my parents were from PA) but after one visit, it turned out that I just didn’t speak southern yet, and she wasn’t used to hearing a PA accent.
Would have liked to have owned an AMC, guess it wasn’t meant to be. Funny thing is that I’m more into the sedan than the hatchback or wagon (and I’m a longtime hatchback owner). Other than that, RWD would suit me just fine where I live now.