1979 AMC Spirit GT review from North America
"A really fun unique car, as long as you change everything"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
I blew the original 232 in line six at about 150,000 miles. That was seven years ago, and I have completely restored the car since then. The quarter panels had rust, so I cut good sections out of another car and welded them in. I also changed the interior to one from a 1980 Spirit DL and added a floor console and floor shifter at that time. I just blew out the rear end - not the original, it was from a 1974 Gremlin X - and plan to put a Ford 9-inch in it soon.
General comments?
In stock condition this is a horrible car to drive. It weighs around 3,000lbs,and has only 90 HP! The interior is roomy for front seat passengers, but useless for backseat passengers. It is nose heavy and brakes and handles poorly because of it.
Mine has been extensively modified in the 13 years I have owned it. It now has a 1973 AMC 360 V8 making approximately 350 - 400 HP. The battery has been relocated to the trunk, the air conditioning has been removed, the cast iron intake manifold has been replaced with one of aluminium, and the cast iron exhaust manifolds have been replaced with steel-tube headers. This was all done to remove weight from the front of the car, and along with a switch to wider tires on 15 inch rims has vastly improved handling.
Recommended reviews
| Good car, caught up in bad times |
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| A great car to have once, and only once, owned |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1979 |
| First year of ownership | 1989 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | 360 V8 Semi-Automatic |
| Performance marks | 10 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 3 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 6 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 4 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 120000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 150000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 5th April, 2002 |