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Detroit, 11:40 AM
Mon Nov 30
14 posts in the last 24 hours
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11/12/09
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11/12/09
In 1974, the fastest Chevrolet vehicle was not the Camaro, or the Corvette, or any sneaky big block sedan model, but...the Chevy C-10 pickup, with the 454 big block engine. It actually ran high 14's in the quarter.
The Gremlin X, as shown here, when stock could wheeze its way through the quarter in something like 15.12@88 mph. That was goddam fast, and the canyon deep gear spacing of the 3-speed didn't help it. One of the most popular mods to this car was a Borg-Warner T-10 four speed tranny, which got it into the 14s. Barely. #1974amcgremlinx
11/12/09
Basically, it came down to this. Are there enough nut cases in the Gremlin Owners Club to actually make this a car worth collecting, i.e. buying it and hoping it will appreciate?
Adding in all the rest of the nut cases NOT in the Gremlin Owners Club, and gritting my teeth hard, this thing just made it into Nice Price territory.
The body looks decent, and although Gremlin V8s totally invalidate the 'ran when parked' clue, (in their case the act of turning off the ignition can forever destroy the electrical system) the underhood area lacks oil, grease and other loose fluids.
Sure, it's a Gremlin, but it's probably the BEST Gremlin, and there are over 6000 members of the Gremlin Owners Club, so it's worth a shot. #1974amcgremlinx
11/12/09
11/12/09
How creepy would a Gremlin Owner's Club meeting be... #1974amcgremlinx
11/12/09
The stripe is nature's way of saying,
"I'm cute but dangerous!"
Like one of those tiny, lethal Philippine hot peppers that look like itty-bitty baby jalapenos but then melt your tongue and blister the inside of your mouth. #1974amcgremlinx
11/13/09
11/12/09
You can get all kinds of go fast stuff for that 304. Look in any Jeep catalog. Anybody could hot rod a pony car, but only a real Jalop would hot rod a Gremlin. Nice Price. #1974amcgremlinx
11/12/09
For my money I'd much rather have a 1973 Hornet X hatchback. It was one of the most beautiful American sporty coupes of the early 1970s, and it captured the spirit of the original pony cars -- cheap, light-weight and fun -- much better than early-1970s pony cars.
I don't know why anyone would want a 1974-76 Gremlin. If you had a contest for the worst-looking 5 mph bumpers, I'd bet that the Gremlin would win. The designer of that front end should be sued for malpractice.
I didn't think it was possible, but the above-shown Gremlin makes matters much worse with the black-out fascia, dorky hood and ill-fitting front bumper from a 1977 Gremlin. #1974amcgremlinx
11/12/09
If it ain't an Eagle Kammback, it ain't...
...well, actually it IS. That saying just can't work here. #1974amcgremlinx
11/12/09
11/12/09
11/12/09
or maybe a tunnel ram with working butterflies.
Then you have a car that would turn every freaking head.
Look at it this way, in any other car on the road, racing this thing is akin to fistfighting with a midget. If you win, so what, you beat a Gremlin; if you lose, then you lost to a freaking Gremlin?
You could hoon this with impunity as well, because what judge is going to believe that you were doing 110mph in a Gremlin?
helo #1974amcgremlinx
11/12/09
11/12/09
11/12/09
I agree with many here that the Cragars are a definite plus.
Nice Price! #1974amcgremlinx