(first posted 9/17/2015) Whether or not the benefits truly outweigh a good set of snow tires is debatable, but there’s no denying that all-wheel drive has surged in popularity within the past decade, particularly with sedans. Indeed, a significant percentage of today’s sedans, in varying size and price classes, offer available all-wheel drive (usually for about a $2,000 premium). But not that long ago, all-wheel drive in a sedan was nearly unheard of.
In the early-1980s, if one wanted a vehicle with power sent through all four wheels, the pickings were pretty slim. Each American automaker offered at least one SUV and pickup with some form of four-wheel drive, but the idea of putting this feature in a car was a rather novel idea.
The idea for the Eagle originated in the late-1970s, when AMC was struggling especially hard. An early purveyor of small cars, its subcompact Gremlin and compact Hornet accounted for over half of AMC’s car sales by this point. However, without a modern 4-cylinder providing capable power and competitive fuel economy, AMC was now taking a substantial blow as buyers flocked to the growing number of Japanese imports.
AMC was also losing further ground to the Big Three. Given its limited resources, AMC couldn’t afford to keep up with GM, Ford, and even Chrysler with new vehicles and platforms, forcing its product cycles to be longer. Lacking a full-range lineup was also taking its toll on sales. Additionally, the few new vehicles AMC did roll out, such as the Pacer, failed to provide a significant return on investment relative to developmental costs.
With sales of its small and dated lineup of passenger cars slumping, AMC was in serious need of a new product offering a unique value proposition. Unfortunately, the automaker’s precarious financial situation meant that AMC would have to turn to existing vehicles and technology to create this vehicle.
The one bright spot in the AMC empire was the Jeep brand, which as a whole was virtually unchallenged in the market. Historically, AMC had seen other successes in segments where it lacked competition (i.e. the Rambler, which predated other domestic compacts by two years), and it was the application of this principle that led to the creation of the Eagle.
Back in the early-1970s, AMC had experimented with four-wheel drive in a passenger car. Taking an existing Hornet, engineers used a Jeep Quadra-Trac 1 transfer case, modified Warner front axle, and unique constant velocity front drive shafts by Dana to create this concept. Although the system worked fine mechanically, excessive NVH and sub-par handling ended any possible plans for production. Several years later, with limited options available for new vehicles, AMC thought it was time to revisit this idea of a 4WD passenger car. Apart from the subcompact Subaru Leone, the four-wheel drive passenger car market was largely uncharted territory in the U.S., and AMC saw this as a prime market niche to exploit.
With work on what would become the Eagle (internally codenamed “Project 8001 plus Four”) commencing in 1977, AMC engineers turned to the Hornet’s successor and their “newest” car, the Concord, for their starting point. Admittedly, the Concord was hardly “all-new”, as it was really just a revised and restyled Hornet, with many visible shared parts. Not the greatest starting point, but this was the best AMC had to work with.
Like the four-wheel drive Hornet concept of several years earlier, AMC made use of its existing Quadra-Trac full-time four wheel drive system used in Jeep models. With the Eagle, however, AMC integrated a new Ferguson-developed single-speed transfer case with viscous coupling and an open differential. This system allowed for the front and rear axles to turn at different speeds, as needed. In the event of slipping, the coupling would send more torque to whichever axle had the best traction.
The Eagle’s four-wheel drive was primarily intended as a permanent aid for on-road traction, and not for serious off-road capability. Due to this, engineers did not add a two-speed transfer case, and no driver action was required to engage the four-wheel drive. The Eagle’s permanent all-wheel drive system provided seamless operation. Due to customer concerns over fuel economy, in 1981 AMC made a rather cumbersome “Select Drive” feature available, which allowed the Eagle to operate as rear-wheel drive only. However, it was not until a shift-on-the-fly system was implemented in 1985 that drivers could shift into 4WD without being in “Park”.
The Eagle also implemented several other “firsts”. Unlike any other four-wheel drive vehicle built in the U.S., the Eagle was a unibody vehicle, as opposed to body-on-frame. It was previously believed that such a vehicle couldn’t handle the added stress of a four-wheel drive system, but extensive testing of prototypes dispelled this belief. Whereas four-wheel drive SUVs and trucks used a solid front axle, the Eagle was unique in implementing an independent front suspension.
Upon its introduction, the sole power plant for the Eagle was the 4.2L AMC inline-6. Making 110 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque, it was coupled with a TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic transmission. Beginning in 1981, GM’s 2.5L “Iron Duke” I4 was added as the base engine in sedans and wagons, along with a 4-speed manual, in an effort to squeeze out a bit more mileage, which was not an inherent strength of the Eagle.
The Eagle sat approximately 3.5 inches higher than the Concord, and was 300 pounds heavier due to its all-wheel drive modifications. Despite riding on a 1.3-inch longer wheelbase, overall length was actually down 4.1 inches due to less-protruding bumpers. Other visible changes to the Eagles included the slimmer bumpers, flared wheel arches, and wider rocker moldings. While these modifications looked right at home on the wagon, quite possibly enhancing its somewhat dowdy appearance, they made for a rather awkward look on the sedans and coupes. Especially with standard vinyl roofs, this “jacked-up Brougham” look was a bit hard on the eyes.
During its nine model year run, the AMC Eagle was available in five body styles. These included the Concord-derived 2-door coupe (1980-1983), 4-door sedan (1980-1987) and 5-door wagon (1980-1988), as well as the smaller Spirit-derived SX/4 3-door liftback (1981-1983) and Kammback 3-door hatchback (1981-1982). From the get-go, the wagon was the most popular model by far, accounting for 60 percent of total Eagle production. With the exception of 1981, when the new SX/4 claimed top spot, in every year, the wagon handily outsold other Eagles by a large margin.
This 1984 Eagle is one of just 4,241 sedans produced from a total of 25,535 1984 Eagles. By this point, the Concord and Spirt had been discontinued, leaving the Eagle as AMC’s sole homegrown car line from the pre-Renault involvement. It appears this car’s vinyl roof was removed at some point, and it certainly looks a lot better without it.
Given the rest of the car’s similarity, interiors of the Concord-based Eagles were predictably carry-over, with the exception of the added Select Drive switch. While its two-tiered dash did stand out among other cars in its class, the design and many components dated back to the 1970 Hornet, something that can be said about mostly everything else of the car. Unlike The Big Three, who had multiple brands in somewhat hierarchical positioning, AMC’s solo status meant that Eagle interiors could range from spartan to luxurious.
Notwithstanding certain intrinsic shortcomings, the AMC Eagle was a very innovative vehicle for its time. Never before had an automaker released a full line of cars with either permanent or selectable all-wheel drive. It likely succeeded in bringing more foot traffic into AMC showrooms, and many of its buyers were probably people who would’ve never considered an AMC were it not for the Eagle’s four-wheel drive.
Unfortunately, the Eagle’s shortcomings were many. Based on the dated Concord, which in turn was a face-lifted version of the ancient Hornet, the Eagle offered the novel feature of all-wheel drive and not much else more. The Eagle’s sheetmetal was a clear teller of its early-1970s roots, looking quite elderly among crisp “Sheer Look”-inspired late-1970s/early-1980s models from the Big Three, and even more so against new “Aero” designs from Ford beginning in the mid-1980s. Especially given the somewhat ungainly modifications required by adding four-wheel drive, the Eagle’s appearance was not one of its selling points.
Considering the very cash-strapped AMC’s limited resources, the automaker must be given credit for its ingenuity in creating such a trend-setting vehicle as the Eagle, all while using mostly existing parts. While the Eagle achieved moderate success, it was merely too ahead of its time. The idea of an all-wheel drive car was very attractive to some consumers, but it was a few decades away from mass appeal. AMC continued to sink further, and by the year this car was produced, the Eagle was the last AMC car that didn’t come from Renault.
Following Chrysler’s buyout of AMC in 1987, the Eagle was transferred to the newly-created Eagle brand of Chrysler’s new Jeep-Eagle division, the Eagle’s initial legacy in name. The remaining wagon models were simply marketed as the “Wagon”, with no other model name. Although it would be a few more years, who knew that AMC’s idea of an all-wheel drive car would make its way to many FWD and nearly every RWD-based car on the market 30 years later?
Related Reading:
Curbside Classics: AMC wagon and sedan
Curbside Classic: 1981 AMC Eagle sedan
Looked at one of these in the UK for sale about 15 years ago. They were unheard of then here and would have been imported into the country in minute numbers. Did not buy it as even then it was too rough. However it was an import from France with a Paris dealer sticker on the dash for added interest -probably had an interesting back story.
This was my first car I wanted a girly car but my dad said nope, after learning to change my own oil I went 4 wheeling in the snow on the mountains in Wyoming lol I loved it!
Cool story. I’ve never seen an Eagle sedan before. I used to see the AMC Eagle wagons when I was a boy, and I’ve seen the Concord, and the Hornet, in all their body styles, 4 door sedan, 2 door sedan, hatchback, and Sportabout wagon. But for some reason, I’ve never seen an eagle 4 door sedan. My favourite cars are sedans and wagons. I’d buy an Eagle sedan if I could find one in decent condition. 🙂
I swear the featured Eagle is wearing a Spirit grille. Am I wrong?
Interesting that Subaru doubled down on AWD, and then years later introduced the conceptually similar Outback sedan. And now Volvo has the S60 Cross Country sedan which I find fascinating.
The S60 Cross Country sedan is probably the closest thing to a present-day Eagle sedan, as it has the same “jacked-up” look. Since the 5th generation (2010), the Legacy sedans have had a much less obviously AWD and more conventional, looking less high in ride height. I still think the 4th generation (2004-2009) was the high point (no pun intended) of the Legacy in design and personality, as it’s gone far more mainstream since.
All US-market Subarus since 1995 or 96 have been AWD; the Outback offered the extra ride height as an option on wagons only at first, was successful so the option was extended to sedans where it was less so and withdrawn after a few years.
Finally, in about ’08 or so, they dropped the low, regular Legacy wagon.which is a shame because the 2010+ Outback is ruined by its’ high-water look; I was reminded of the kid who had a growth spurt over the summer and showed up on the first cold day in last year’s pants.
It’s definitely not an Eagle grille, you’re probably right about the Spirit. And those are base Cherokee rims.
But as ashamed as I am to admit it, as likely one of the few commenters who has ever owned one of these (a wagon inherited from my grandfather), I never realized that these were basically gussied-up Hornets. I can totally see it now in the rear window of the wagon. Can’t believe I didn’t realize it sooner!
Some early Eagle wagons had the sport trim with black paint around the rearmost side window which gave it a different look than a Hornet or Concord wagon, with the window appearing to continue the beltline of the door windows. Indeed, the first Audi Allroad from decades later looked eerily like it, and even new ones do a bit.
You are correct. It looks like it is a 79-80 Spirit grill. I guess it is a testament to AMC’s penny pinching as a grill can fit multiple AMC vehicles.
I recall about five interchangable grilles that fit the ’80s Eagle/Concord/Spirit
– the chrome vertical bar Brougham-y grille for the Concord
– the four-section horizontal bar grille for Spirits (seen here swapped onto this Eagle sedan)
– narrow black horizontal bars on the first-year 1980 Eagle only
– tough-looking SUV-style grille for ’81 & later Eagles with squares
– black diamond-pattern on Spririt AMX sport models
There’s probably some I forgot….
Definitely a Spirit grille, Cherokee rims, and no vinyl roof. IIRC, I’ve never seen a sedan without a vinyl roof. Eagles were the top of the line sedans, while you could get a government-spec Concord sedan until the mid 1980’s, the Eagle sedans all seemed to have vinyl tops. I may be wrong, but I’m pretty certain I’ve not run across one.
My brother had an Eagle sedan for approx. 15 years, it was one tough old bird. Finally, the tinworm took it off of Pennsylvania roads and the engine was getting tired after close to 300K miles.
Yes this Eagle is wearing a 1979/1980 Spirit grille.
Excellent precis Brendan. Interesting that the wagon was the best seller. Certainly a harbinger of future trends but who back then would have been able to anticipate the rise and subsequent dominance of the five door CUV/SUV?
The sad story which creates the demise of many small/independant businesses: lack of capital.
I always liked the post-1978 AMC products due to the fact that AMC finally caught up with the other manufacturers in interior equipment offerings. As far as I know, things like leather seats, power door locks, and 6-way power seats were never available on AMC products prior to 1979. Power windows were available in the sixties (Ambassador sedan), but the other features were not.
Power windows were also offered on the Matador sedan and wagon (though not the coupe), the Pacer, but strangely not on the the Concord yet they were made available on the Eagle. Peculiar justification to say the least.
Power locks were added as an option to Concord for 1979 and in 1980 a full range of power options were added including windows and seats. The Limited Concords with all the bells and whistles were really quite nice cars.
So I did some additional research, and apparently power windows were available on the Concord from 1980-1983. Which makes sense, as they were available on the Eagle Limited from the very beginning.
Good write up and interesting to spot the link to the Audi Allroad et al, even if it was a “1 of each from the parts bin” initially.
Until I saw how crudely they had to resolve the rear window I thought this car never had a vinyl roof. The badge-in-the-center Spirit grille and non-vinyl top would’ve made a cheap and effective, if slight, update had it been factory.
I never knew these were built with a “Shift on demand” feature, or a two speed transfer case. I guess these were classed as trucks/SUVs, resulting in the smaller bumpers.
While these didn’t sell in huge numbers, they “inspired” many other car manufacturers to offer AWD sedans. Ford sold an AWD Tempo, Toyota an AWD Camry, Honda AWD Civic wagons, and Mitsubishi AWD minivans.
It doesn’t have a two-speed transfer case. The article specifically says so.
The Selectrac system is essentially a full-time AWD system that allows power to the front wheels to be shut off. It’s not like the Command-Trak which was a more conventional 4WD system, with a transfer case that had 2 and 4WD, and a low range.
Yup, these never came from the factory with 2sp transfer cases but many have them now. The desired set up is to get a Cherokee 4.0, trans and transfer. I have a friend who did that with a rolled 5sp equipped Cherokee he found cheap.
i think hondas reinventing these look at the new crosstour
Nice, I appreciate that these cars kept AMC staggering along for a few more years until the Chrysler buyout.
I note that there’s aftermarket padding on the steering wheel, that rim is thin and hard.
My 2wd Concord was pretty good in the snow because I had Firestone Town & Country snowtires on the back (GRRR!!) however I don’t think it would have been adequate for driving right up to the base of ski hills as shown in the Eagle advertisments. 🙂
When I was a kid my dad wouldn’t spring for real T&C snow tires for his cars…he bought retreads with snow tire treads, and drove on them year round. I can tell you that the humming noise on the highway in the back seat of a 69 Delta 88 was enough to drive a kid batty.
I don’t suppose retreads are viable for automotive tires anymore, new tires from Asia are so cheap…
When we lived in Amsterdam, NY in 2005, there was a guy down our street that owned a AMC SX/4 and it looked like the car had been sitting for at least a decade more. I drooled over that car every day and I’m sure that my wife wanted to smack me.
The Eagle is one of my favorite cars ever for so many aspects that you pointed out but I’ve never owned a AMC yet in my life, but needs to happen.
It’s interesting how much ground clearance that Eagle has compared to the trucks sitting beside it. Today’s trucks are worse, and CUVs even worse yet. One of my pet peeves about modern AWD vehicles.
Combined with the fairly narrow tires, I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see that Eagle leave modern AWDs in the snowbank.
Do you know what the numbers are for ground clearance? The only spec I can find for the Eagle says it has 6.9 inches. The 2015 F-150 has a minimum of 8.4″ on the SuperCrew/6.5′ bed 4×2.
The 2004-08 model we see here has a minimum of 7.7″ as a 4×2, but it’s much more likely that it’s around 8.3″ as a 4×4 (given that at least 90% of pickups made after 2000 have 4WD). CUVs will generally have less ground clearance because of their AWD/unibody architecture. But even a FWD Ford Escape has 7.9″. Ground clearance appears to decrease as the CUV gets larger, but this is (mostly) an optical illusion because of the vehicle’s increased length and width.
The narrow tires thing is valid, though. Our ’08 F-350 came with some gaudy chrome rims and 325-mm “cat-squishers;” when we put the original rims and tires back on, it was a lot easier to move through snow.
The AMC Eagle may leave more modern AWDs behind, but only because it’s got a 4WD running gear off a Jeep, not necessarily because of any advantages in ground clearance.
Going by numbers alone can be deceiving as that is measured at a single point and not necessarily a reflection of ability. The approach and departure angles on the Eagles look quite good.
But upon closer inspection of the sx/4 photo, it appears there is something hanging down on the Eagles and the front suspension is quite low, so maybe I am mistaken.
“Whether or not the benefits truly outweigh a good set of snow tires is debatable, but there’s no denying that all-wheel drive has surged in popularity”
I think there are benefits to AWD in rainy and snowy weather but I don’t see the need for it in warm, sunny and dry weather. Therefore I don’t see the need to have fulltime AWD on cars. Up until the late 1990’s Subaru’s AWD system could be shut off via button when not needed. This saved gas. But now it seems that every AWD system offered in cars is the of the full time variety.
I have seen several Eagle sedans around in the last 20 years(there was a guy in the neighborhood of a good friend of mine that was nutso about them and had 6 of them but that was 20 years ago)
But folks that only thought that AMC offered an Eagle wagon can be forgiven for thinking this way because it seems that almost every AMC Eagle out there was a wagon.
We’ve never gotten stuck in our Middle West winters driving FWD minivans or compacts… part of that of course is being prudent on when we sally forth after a big snow.
The only time I’ve *nearly* gotten stuck was with my 4WD F-250. As the saying goes, “4WD only means you need a longer rope to get it unstuck.”
I live in cold country where these sold well (by AMC standards). That, combined with a nine year production run, and these were regularly seen on the road for about 20 years.
The evolution of the lowly Hornet to a vehicle with four wheel drive that sometimes had a leather interior, power windows and all the trimmings was an interesting one. The Eagle paralleled the evolution of the AMC / Jeep Grand Wagoneer as an early luxury SUV that had relatively high education and income demographics – a polar opposite of the typical Rambler / AMC buyer until these vehicles came along.
I’m sure a few folks at AMC were wondering how to leverage that even further, but other people at AMC were loading showrooms with rather crappy Renault based econo car fare, creating a confusing brand image.
Personally, I’ve thought the butching up of the Hornet worked surprisingly well as a sort of Americanized Subaru. The only version that does not appeal to me is the notch two door sedan with that awful vinyl top treatment. The (standard?) vinyl top on the four door sedan worked to a degree, and keep in mind vinyl tops were pretty popular at the time. Still, interesting to see the subject sedan without its top. I’m surprised that the C pillar glass was developed properly to go topless.
i still see these things occasionally in upstate new york or vermont. the bottom half is mostly rust but people keep driving ’em.
“Whether or not the benefits truly outweigh a good set of snow tires is debatable, but there’s no denying that all-wheel drive has surged in popularity within the past decade, particularly with sedans.”
Leon’s comments got me to thinking about this. I have 35 years of experience driving in snow country with many different drive configurations and utilizing different kinds of tires.
Generalizations are hard to make. People swore by FWD as a miracle in snow. But, FWD in a tiny econo car or a big rear heavy vehicle like a minivan is pretty terrible. My FWD ’95 Chrysler Concorde sedan was largish and front heavy and a good snow car. Good tires can make a vast difference. Surprisingly, old RWD fare like GM’s A, B, C, D cars in the early ’70s with Posi-Traction and good tires could embarrass FWD Saab 900s all the way back to Sweden.
But, good tires on a well balanced vehicle with AWD, and you have close to the most invincible vehicle available for normal road travel. My 2002 Durango with its Jeep related AWD / 4WD system falls in this category. Snow tires on a RWD only version would not come close in terms of capability.
Does anyone else (besides this article’s author) find the station wagon “dowdy” looking?
No, I think the Eagle wagon is a fine looking car, esp. with woodgrain!
Sorry if I was unclear, but what I meant was that the wagon was the best-looking of the Eagles. They were all based on an antiquated design that did indeed look somewhat dowdy (in my opinion), but the Eagle’s visual modifications to the Concord/Hornet wagon’s sheetmetal made it look less so.
I don’t think I understand what dated means in reference to cars. I had a 78 Concord that I absolutely loved. 258 I6 and chrysler automatic. If that car had fuel injection it would be something I would be happy to use today. I feel as though many of the add-ons just add weight and expense. I think the Spirit or Eagle look just great and would probably commit an illegal act or two to have that little wagon with my concords power train. (Exits humming lost in the fifties tonight).
The Jeep Grand Wagoneer from that same time frame (1980s) was also an antiquated design. It was introduced in 1963 by Kaiser-Jeep. American Motors added luxury features like power windows and locks to the Grand Wagoneer during the 1980s. It even received a new dash as well. It was discontinued in 1991 and was the last vehicle produced in the US that had a carbureted V8.
These wagons were a favorite car of mine when I was a child. Quirky, definitely, but I just loved the look (who knew how well the “fast” slope of the Hornet wagon’s tailgate would work with woodgrain, fender flares, and fat tires on alloys) and the idea of a 4wd wagon was novel at the time. The only other ones in the 80’s were the Tercel SR5 and the awd version of the Civic tall wagon, both of a different breed than these Eagles.
Ahead of its time, indeed. It’d fit right in nowadays, with the popularity of wagon-ish crossovers plus legit sedan/wagon spiritual descendends like the S60 cross country, XC70, and Audi Allroad..
I’m pretty sure that fast tailgate angle is because it actually shares a hatch with the the hatchback. Cost cutting that somehow styled well.
I am not sure if the hatch was shared with the hatchback but there is a story about the wagon. When the wagon came out in 1971 or 1972, it was called the AMC Hornet Sportabout. It was the only US “compact” wagon until the 1976 Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volare. The AMC Rambler wagon was discontinued after 1969. The Chevy II wagon was discontinues after 1967 and Ford Falcon wagon after 1969. So AMC had the only compact wagon for a few years. It changed into the Concord wagon in 1978 and the Eagle in 1980. The “Sportabout” label helps explain the tailgate slope.
I see wagon versions running around now and then. I like the metal top, but think it would look better without the c-pillar “opera windows”.
I am not a fan of full time AWD…I sense that they eat tires, in my limited experience. I will be curious to see how my Volvo V90 does in snow…just bought it this spring, new Goodrich Touring T/A tires and it has the cold weather package which includes heated seats and limited slip rear end…see how that compares to an open rear end. There is a hill into my subdivision that I can just barely climb on crappy days in our Honda Accord and Civic…see if the wagon can get me home. I have had big RWD cars that did OK in snow, but I lived in a less hilly area then. It should be interesting.
In my pickup I have found limited slip helps when going in a straight line on snow and ice but requires due caution in corners. When both wheels lose traction there is much more tendency for the back end to kick out. For that reason I tend to keep it in 4×4 when it’s slippery out.
I owned several Concords in the early ’90s, sedans and wagons. The wagons were my favourite. Drove an Eagle 2-dr around the same time and it was much like the Concord, if a bit more sure-footed feeling. Always liked these things. If only AMC had had the funds for proper fuel injection and a more modern interior, these could have really taken off. As it was, they did sell quite well during their first 2-3 model years.
These vehicles were classed as light trucks and hence were not subject to the same bumper standards as regular cars, which is why starting in 1981 AMC was able to pull the bumpers in and integrate them more smoothly into the overall design. The bumpers on 1980 models were the same as Concords.
Thanks for that info about the bumpers. I was wondering why the Eagles got such better-integrated bumpers while the Concords were stuck with the battering rams.
I love all Eagles but the tough, jacked up look never looked right on the sedans, especially the 2drs. It looks great on the wagons, good on the hatchbacks and downright funny on the Kammbacks. You just can’t beat the versatility of the wagon though. A real swiss army knife of a car. I wonder how many prospective Jeep Wagoneer buyers were persuaded into an Eagle when they experienced the Jeep’s truck-like manners.
It’s too bad the Eagle didn’t hang around long enough to get he new 4.0 litre mill in 1987. You can’t blame Chrysler for not putting any effort to change anything in 1988, they were just getting rid of left over stock. I’d love to come across an Eagle with the AMC 2.5 litre and a 5 speed, only offered in 1983-84 and mighty rare. Found one with a Iron Duke once but would take the AMC 6 over that any day.
I had an Eagle with the same red interior as the one in the pics. I miss non-gray interiors.
I expect that once the XJ Cherokee was established there was no point to the Eagle, in addition to it being ready for replacement by that time.
I [i]think[/i] I saw one in Australia at a car show a couple of years ago, but it was from a distance and leaving at the time, driving away from me.
The SX/4 looks like the current Subaru XV Crosstrek, minus a couple of doors of course!
I always had a soft spot for the Concord/Eagle. If only, if only they could have held out for someone willing to put the 4WD platform on a more modern body. But I think AMC did what they could style-wise. I do agree that the 2-door looked silly with the landau roof.
In the early 1980s I drove my an Eagle station wagon belonging to my father’s girlfriend (now my stepmother). It was sort of cool, but basically unimpressive: no power, horrible exhaust note, and less stowage space than almost any other wagon I can think of. The basic Hornet design was definitely an early sportwagon rather than anything practical.
in 1970 consumer reports has a picture of them trying to get a big box in and out of the
back of a hornet wagon cr said the wagon ” CHOKED ON THE LOAD” i always did think
that was funny!
I had one of these as a first car, a 1982 wagon. I’d missed out on a Hornet when I was 12 (yes, I was a handful, and god bless my mom for putting up with me and my crazy ideas) so two years later, when I was 14, I procured my first car. Never mind that I couldn’t drive for two more years…
This car was kitted out with every available option – power everything, air, self-leveling rear air suspension (interestingly, included with the owners materials was an adapter so I could inflate beach balls and such with the supplied needle and hose), towing package, and leather wrapped steering wheel. It had beautiful, deep maroon paint and woodgrain siding.
With 80K on the odometer, I was convinced I’d have it forever. That said, I only kept it for a few months once I got my license. In spite of being a cream puff, it was very poorly built and couldn’t be counted upon to go more than a few miles without incident. And it sucked gas to the tune of 12 mpg, due (in retrospect) to a Holly carb in need of a rebuild.
That said, it was unstoppable in the snow, had plenty of space, was comfortable and useful. I also loved the look of the machined aluminum wheels and Eagle GT Goodyears.
I replaced it with a Civic and while I had a bad experience, I’m always happy to see them on the road, and chronicled here. And the people who kept them running for 300K miles? They should be commended.
Another great write-up. Thank you Brendan!
Just think, if Chrysler had used the Eagle as a step stool, made their own AWD station wagon/sedan, and who knows, they could have been better off.
Very enjoyable article. I’m a fan of all the Hornets/Concords – but have to admit the AWD sedans and coupes just looked too unbalanced. I saw few of them in Ohio but left for a military assignment in upstate NY in 1979 and saw significantly more in Lake Placid. After one upstate NY winter I learned my lesson and started looking for a replacement for my Plymouth Arrow. I couldn’t afford an Eagle but did buy the second most prevalent vehicle – a Subaru AWD wagon – and it was almost unstoppable in the snow.
Great write-up as usual, Brendan!
Our neighborhood druggist (remember those?) had one of these in a sedan. It was a cream and brown two-tone, Limited w/tan leather interior, and kept in absolute mint condition. I often asked his wife “Polly” how they liked that car and she always said they loved it. It got them through any type of weather – and they wanted to get in to their store regardless of the weather! These cars were the true pioneers of AWD vehicles, IMHO.
Imagine if there was an AWD Matador wagon and sedan, even the Froggie two door!
I had a 1985 Eagle Wagon with a 5 speed manual. Drove to 170,000 miles. Excellent car all around and stellar in the snow. 2nd best snow car I have had just a bit behind my 98 Volvo XC70 and just ahead of five different Subarus (which are also great snow cars). I got mid high 20’s mpg and could crack 30 on the highway. Drive train was excellent. Front suspension was exceptionally stout. Never needed front end alignment. Brakes were noticeably better in AWD mode. Carb was sensitive to dirt and I rebuilt twice. Door hinge bushings wore out fast. Door handle linkages failed. Body held up really well in NE Ohio salty winters. No rust to speak of when I sold it in 2001. AWD was more than twice as good as 2WD.
Would love to have late SX/4 with 6 cyl and 5 sp to romp in the snow.
A friend of mine just bought an ’84 Eagle Limited wagon with the 4.0 I6, almost identical to the wagon in the sixth picture down (just below the brochure cover with the silver sedan). Same orangey color, no woodgrain, alloys, even whitewalls. The only thing missing on his are the fog lamps. It’s in fantastic shape.
Had a 85 Eagle Sedan when living in New York City, 1998-2001. I loved the car very deeply.
Grew up in Switzerland, where we had the wagons in the alps, i recall being impressed by it when being a kid. AMC should have marketed it as a Jeep. Ahead of its time.
I have to wonder how much hand work was involved in resolving and finishing those rear quarter windows without the vinyl top, which was standard equipment on all Concord and Eagle sedans through their 6-window years with the few cars built for fleet orders without it having the old wide Hornet C-pillar and 4-window styling all of which makes me suspect the windows were hand-cut out and the padded vinyl was hiding some rough work.
I saw this one at a show several years back.