1973 AMC Ambassador and AMC Pacer By Greg Zyla

Q: Dear Greg, I own a 1973 AMC Ambassador Custom Brougham 4 dr. sedan. Would you please let us know how many were produced that year, and also let us know about your feelings on the AMC Pacer? David, New Jersey.

A: David, American Motors Corporation (AMC) did not officially release production numbers for the Ambassador in 1973, as I’ve had a similar question before sans the Pacer add on.

However, I can tell you that in 1972 AMC produced an estimated total of only 15,000 Custom Brougham hardtops and sedans, both four-door models. In 1974, AMC produced 17,901 total of the Ambassador Brougham model, again this number estimated by AMC. By way of averaging, my best educated guess might be about 16,000 or so of 1973 4-door Brougham models.

Now to the AMC Pacer. This was to be AMC’s “breakout” all-new compact car, but it never happened. Produced from 1975 through 1980, the Pacer was built around a spacious, four passenger cabin and actually looked a bit like a bubble when finished, with lots of glass everywhere. It was as wide as a full size luxury car of the era, and “Car and Driver” and “Road & Track” magazines gave it some praise, even calling it one of the 10 best forward looking designed vehicles.

With the actual design beginning in 1971, the Pacer was to originally house a Rotary Wankel engine, but the extra costs involved, and the fact that we were in a gas crisis in 1973-1975 didn’t help matters, as the Rotary has never been known for its fuel efficiency.

Instead of the Wankel Rotary, AMC decided to use GM built 4-cylinder engines, but that deal also dried up, leaving AMC with no other choice but to adapt its Inline 6 cylinders, in 232 and 258 inch versions. Later in the run, a 304 V8 joined the fray.

The first year of Pacer sales were good, at over 145,000 sold. But by 1980, the total of all six years of selling amounted to only 280,000, and the Pacer went away. In its place came the AMC Spirit, a car which I personally owned and came with a Volkswagen built 4-cylinder engine. It was a really nice car. Today, you can probably own a well-restored Pacer for $5,000 or less.

The Pacer received its best publicity ever thanks to Mike Myers and Dana Carvey, who tooled around in a 1976 AMC Pacer in the blockbuster Hollywood hit, “Wayne’s World” in 1992.

Additionally, I also owned a 1974 AMC Matador Sedan with the 304-V8, a 1974 Hornet X 258, a 1976 Gremlin X 258 and the aforementioned ’79 Spirit, all of which I used selling advertising for my newspaper company. I always felt AMC offered cheap, dependable transportation.

Thanks for your question.

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