Good Morning...Classic Car Joins Automotive History

[Okla-homey]

but first...
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/9982/ppppppppppbig12champsbh6.jpg

December 3, 1979 End of the Line for "Pacer"

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/7290/paceruntitled7ub.png

On this day, near the end of a decade which was a helluva lot of fun*, but arguably had some of the butt-ugliest cars and clothes evar, the last "Pacer" rolled off the assembly line at the American Motor Company.

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/3779/pacerlast27cc.jpg
Image of the actual last Pacer built...it was a brown 1980 Pacer wagon. Legend has it it is still out there on the road somewhere.

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/5461/pacer0oc.jpg

The bubble-topped Pacer was a reasonably popular economy car, though its Jetson-styled body attracted flack from car critics and stand-up comedians alike.

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/5671/pacerjetsonsspeedlimit2ut.jpg

The Pacer enjoyed a somewhat narrow resurgence in popularity, or at least notoriety, as the roadmobile piloted by Garth of "Wayne's World."

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/4039/pacere1wayne2yo.jpg

BTW, who knew the lowly AMC Pacer was the absolute nexis of the automobile kingdom. See the chart below.

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/1449/paceruniversecolor1nd.jpg
Kinda cool find while surfing for "Pacer" stuff...if you like those "degrees of separation" kinda dealios and how everything comes together at some point.

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*why the 70's were especially fun:

1) I graduated from HS in 1978 and thus was enjoying full-fledged "dudehood"
note: I've explained this before, but "dudehood" begins the summer between your soph and junior year of HS and runs until you get married.
2) We were legal to drink at 18
3) Gas was cheap
4) There was no such thing as an incurable communicable disease
5) Some absolutely stunningly superb bands -- and I ain't talking about "KC and the Sunshine Band" either.
6) No innerweb or mobile phones...but we managed somehow.
7) Barry Switzer
8) Billy Sims

http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/6238/insane7zocn2.jpg

[KsSooner]

Dude, I graduated in '76.

Pacer, Matador, and Gremlin were the three ugliest cars ever made!

[Okla-homey]

Dude, I graduated in '76.

Pacer, Matador, and Gremlin were the three ugliest cars ever made!

Ever seen a Rambler? ;) I think the good folks in the American Motors designdepartment pretty much stayed high all the time from 1965 until the company merged into Chrysler. It's as if they said to themselves..."Wow, that is one ugly design." <toke> "Let's see if the suits buy off on it."<another toke> "If they build it, we'll be famous."<pass-out>

[Mixer!]

duuuuuuuuuuude.... (http://www.timelife.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=495)

[Preservation Parcels]

Ever seen a Rambler? ;) I think the good folks in the American Motors designdepartment pretty much stayed high all the time from 1965 until the company merged into Chrysler. It's as if they said to themselves..."Wow, that is one ugly design." <toke> "Let's see if the suits buy off on it."<another toke> "If they build it, we'll be famous."<pass-out>

When my brother and I were learning to drive, my father bought two ancient '62 Rambler station wagons so we could practice without jeopardizing Dad's good cars. One was to drive, and the other was for parts. It had a push-button starter. I think he figured that we would be so embarrassed to be seen in it, it would save a lot on gas. He also said something about insurance being very cheap since it was like a tank. I carried a gallon of oil at all times, and filled that more often than the gas tank.

Much to his chagrin, it became something of a legend in the town where we lived. There were two stoplights, and one turned into a blinky yellow one at 10 P.M. I used to put my St. Bernard, Max, into the back and pick up all my friends. We cruised back and forth through town, waving to everyone else who was doing the same. It was like something out of American Graffiti, but with much more modern music. Sheesh, I feel old, now. ;)


Tostitos, anyone? :D