Image below is of a privately owned 1979 AMX
Image below is of a privately owned 1980 AMX
All AMXs were distinguished by their front air dam that was integrated into the front wheel flares, rear wheel flares, and rear deck spoiler. Because the spoiler had no provision for a key hole to open the liftgate, an electric remote opener was standard. A button is located in the glove box. The liftgate could be manually opened from the inside by carefully releasing the lock mechanism with a screwdriver. However, keeping all the electric contact points clean and the lock mechanism lubricated assures reliable operation. The greatest problem is maintaining the air dam and fender flares. Click here for more information.
The 1980 Data Book illustrates the unique
features and exterior identification for the AMX models, as
shown below. Five spoke styled wheels (Magnum 500) were
standard, while the Turbocast II aluminum wheels were made
optional for 1980.
The standard wheel flare and spoiler decals were all
red/orange/black with all exterior colors. However, the
blackout bodyside striping and the blackout back panel was
not included on cars finished in Classic Black (Paint code:
P1). All AMXs came with black finished aluminum bumpers,
black rubber rub strips, black plastic end caps, and black
rubber guards. Identification in the rear consisted of a
center mounted AMX logo on the spoiler and an AMC logo in
the left corner.
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The picture on the right shows Number 12, a Hornet hatchback race car. Similar to the 1978 AMX, but the Hornet was larger sized than the Spirit-based '79 and '80 AMX. Nevertheless, it had a similar side window design. The stripes started at the front fender and then back around following the large sloping rear window/trunk hatch just like later copied for the '79 and '80 AMXs.
This picture was taken on Daytona's road course during the Permatex 200 for NASCAR modifieds. The race was only staged several of times on the road course during the late 1970s.
Situated in the beautiful Eifel region in Germany is the oldest, best known, and fascinating German automobile race track.
The consensus is that the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring is the most difficult race track in the world.
It is about 21 km (13 miles) in length and contains over 73 (the official number) of corners.
There is also a difference of about 300 meters (1000 feet) in altitude between lowest and highest points on the track.
This track existed before safety entered motor racing, therefore it has blind corners behind crests, no run-off areas, bumps and dips, as well as slippery conditions.
It is a torture chamber that only the best cars, rivers, and teams can endure.
"Before the first [1979] Spirit went on sale, it was snapped up with a Trans-Am-Javelin type enthusiasm by veteran race car driver Amos Johnson for IMSA campaigning. And the Spirit was immediately given a sporty companion model specially equipped for performance-oriented car buyer -- and its designation was ... AMX. In October 1979 a B.F. Goodrich-sponsored two-car team of V-8 AMX's became the first American entries in the traditional twenty-four hour Group One endurance race at West Germany's legendary Nurburgring race track."
Automotive Quarterly, Volume 19, Number 1, pages 30-39.
The two street-stock cars were obtained less than three weeks before their ship would sail to Europe.
The AMXs finished #1 and #2 in their class out of a 120-car field in the grueling 24-hour road race Nurburg, Germany
They were the fastest cars on street rubber, BFG T/A radials.
Drivers car #1: Amos Johnson (Team Highball Racing), Dennis Shaw, and James Brolin. Drivers car #2: Jim Downing, Lyn St. James, and Gary Witzenburg
.
October 1979 Road & Track magazine advertisement on page 55 announcing BFGoodrich performance T/A tires in victory lane.
Pictured in the ad is a 1979 AMC Spirit (#6). Cars with the street radials won first and second in Sebring on March 16, 1979.
Any information on thiese cars will be appreciated -- Thank you! Chris
March 22, 1980
Track: Sebring Airport Florida, 8.369 kms
Entrys: 100
Practiced: 84Started: 79Finished:
34Driven by Lou Statzer, Amos Johnson, and Dennis Shaw
Result: 51st - did not finish (engine) - 84 laps
Grid: 52nd (3:07.445)
driven by Bob Lee, Rick Kump, and Jim Leo finished 22nd
Photo by: Mike Heselton
Source:
http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/Sebring-1980-03-22-photo.html
Irv Hoerr racing
team at Road America.
Photo by: Dennis Kupferschmid,
Source: http://www.AMXfiles.com
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Click here or on image below for 1980 AMX model description.
Click here or on image below for AMX standard features and drive train availability.
Click here or on image for below for 1980 Spirit and AMX factory options.
Click here or on image below for 1980 AMX exterior and interior selections.
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Description and drawing
below: 1980 AMC press release
The AMX Turbo Pace car is an exclusive -- the personal design of Richard A. teague, American Motors' Vice President of Automotive Design. It was constructed by Autodynamics of Troy, Michigan under contract from PPG Industries. This will be one of four official pace cars in the PPG Indy Car World Series during the 1981 auto racing season.
The AMX Turbo is powered by a turbo-charged fuel-injected 258 CID 6-cylinder engine delivering 450 horsepower, built by Turbo-Systems Inc. The AMX Turbo measures 50 inches in overall height, 164 inches long and is 72 inches in overall width. The car is equipped with Goodyear Eagle GT low profile 245x50x16 tires on 16" x 8" Gotti aluminum alloy wheels on a 96" wheelbase.
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And what makes AMX-citement so special?
AMX styling. One-of-a-kind. G.T. Rally Tuned Suspension. With heavy-duty front and rear sway bars and adjustable Gabriel Striders shocks. 4-speed stick. 4.2-litre Six (258) CID) or available 5-litre V-8 (304 CID). Row on row of precision gauges. Including a tachometer. Performance-tuned exhaust sound. 60 series Goodyear G.T. radials mounted on husky 14x7 styled aluminum wheels. The AMC Buyer Protection Plan -- with the only full 12,000-mile/12-month warranty offered by any car maker. At no extra cost. And much more.
AMX. Not a laid-back kind of a car.
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In terms of automobile platforms, the new Spirit models introduced in 1979 -- on which the 1980 AMX is based -- were a revised version of AMC's original subcompact, the 1970 Gremlin. The designers and marketers at AMC were very skillful in product life extension. Even the Gremlin's original platform was itself a timeless design -- the 1970 Hornet that replaced the long reign of the Rambler American.
All the automakers were hard hit during 1979. This was because of an economic slump initiated by soaring energy prices. Regular gasoline averaged about $1.40 per gallon by the end of 1980, which was a staggering amount at the time. The economic downturn was accompanied by automobile plants shutting down and domestic unemployment rising. To make thing worse, large numbers of buyers decided on imports. This shift was due in part to consumers' perception that viewed the domestic models as inferior in quality. The minor petroleum shortage of 1979 did what the major crisis of 1974 had failed to do: it completely changed buyer preferences in motor vehicles. This time the market for large cars almost vanished as customers almost exclusively were looking for vehicles with good fuel economy. The consequences were clear as sales of domestic built automobiles went into prolonged decline. Even more factories closed and auto workers were laid off in large numbers, to a total of 300,000 at the end of 1979. Sales of automobiles set many records, but they were the kind domestic automakers would like to forget. The domestic new-car sales total for 1980 were at a 16-year low. AMC managed to slightly increase its automobile market share during 1980 with a total of 163,502 deliveries, a 12% increase over the 146,078 posted in '79.
Sales of imports continued throughout 1980, fueled by the need for high-mpg vehicles. The Big Three had just introduced front-wheel-drive compacts, but the imports simply had more to offer to consumers in the way of fuel-efficiency and high quality. Thus, a protectionist sentiment began to rise across the US with a raging sea of resentment over the highly successful import car and truck invasion.
The economic recession continued to depress the auto industry. The whole US economy went into the multiyear Reagan recession that continued into 1982. Even the strongest auto company, General Motors, lost money in 1981 for the first time in sixty years. The Big Three were able to sustain losses, but AMC's $155 million of red ink was staggering. It forced management into crisis mode, and AMC had to scramble just to keep stockholders. The company would have almost certainly have gone under except for its new relationship with Renault. At the same time as AMC sought shelter during difficult economic times with a French partner, protectionist fever swept the United States and captured the attention of the Reagan administration. However, attempts by the maligned Big Three to fight back (sponsored in part by Reagan's efforts to spark economic recovery through Voluntary Import Restraint agreements from the Japanese, easing of emission standards, and "tough talk" protectionism strategy) simply backfired. The response of foreign auto firms was to challenge the US producers directly on their home turf. For example, Nissan and Toyota planned vehicle assembly factories in Tennessee and California respectively.
As the domestic economy severely affected AMC's financial position, top management was left with two options: either get out of business or sell more of the company to Renault. AMC's managers negotiated the second option. By the end of 1981, Renault owned 46 percent of AMC's common stock and other securities. This action provided AMC with needed cash for its operations and strengthened production and marketing agreements that were already parts of the first trans-Atlantic, international auto alliance.
Click here for more information on AMC's 1980 business operations, management, and financial summary. Source: Ward's Automotive Yearbook, 43rd edition, page 213 -- in PDF format (Adobe Acrobat).
