1981 AMC Spirit DL
June 12, 2003: As much as I like this car, yet another has popped and I may pass this beauty on to a close friend that wants to keep it the way it is, adding minor stuff like tint and a wicked sound system. If that deal goes through, this car will take over one of his three garages, becoming his weekend out-for-dinner toy and show car. I suppose that’s a better fate than my more radical plans for it! I’m going to keep the wheels, and it’ll get a set of Magnum wheels I have on hand for it. It’s also getting the 80 AMX’s dual exhaust and rear spoiler. I’ll still update this page, as I’ll be assisting him with its work. If it doesn’t happen, she’ll remain mine and will also remain stock with only repairs and restoration efforts, perhaps becoming a fair-weather daily driver.
June 8, 2003: Took advantage of a warm-but-gray day today and began the installation of the 80 AMX’s tachometer (and removal of the Quartz clock). I noticed that the current speedometer’s printing has it’s increment lines arranged in a rectangular pattern while the ’80 tach is circular. I then found the 80 speedometer matched the tach, using the round pattern. As a matched pair, they look better, so both ’80 gauges are being used. This causes a very minor oddity, in that the older speedo has a Hi-Beam indicator in it’s face, while the ’81 cluster has it as a separate idiot light. Thus, my car will have both. Using the older speedo also instigated my learning how to adjust the odometer, which I did so that it matches the original ’81 odometer exactly.
June 6, 2003: Visited the car’s location again today because the sun finally came out for the first time in weeks. I took advantage and did some parts inventorying and photographed many so I could put them on eBay. Since I was down there, I also gave the car a quick wash, shot the tires with Armor-All, and snapped a few better photos. The rear shot here and the frontal at the top of the page were the two shots I liked most.
June 5, 2003: I got a lead from a fellow AMCer in Texas who owns the 1980 Spirit shown above (a near dead-ringer for my car), that its tan interior is being replaced with black...just as my plan has been. But this car's interior is excellent, including the front seats, so I'm making arrangements to have its entire interior shipped to me.
June 3, 2003: I was at the car's location today and took some more photos, made a quick pair of repairs, and rooted around the car some more.
The driver's door armrest was off due to the black plastic panel on the back of the armrest being broken.
I replaced the panel and re-installed the armrest.
The window crank was missing its knob, so I replaced the crank, as well.
I took a photo of the steering column where the turn signal stalk mounts, to show the damaged portion.
Is this part called the 'turn signal switch'?
The current JVC stereo.
Also, I checked the glove box for the factory amplifier, but it's gone.
The plastic cover that hides the amp is still there in real nice shape.
While in the glovebox I spotted that the car also has a remote hatch release...and to my surprise, it works.
I lifted the hatch, but the pneumatic arms gave no assist, so I expected to hold the hatch up.
Surprise again- the hatch stayed up.
When I went to lower it, it wouldn't go down...it seemed the left assist arm was 'locked'.
Looking closer, I found it has a nifty doo-dad attached at the base that has a spring-loaded arm that
aligns along the silver portion of the arm, supporting the wider black portion when the hatch is raised.
You just pull it away a little to lower the hatch. The prior owner reports it’s a NAPA add-on.
The rear defroster is not usable as the flat wire normally affixed to the glass has been pulled off and left hanging.
The cargo area looks great...the original mini-spare is there, properly secured with it's cover boards and carpet cover.
A closer look at the body finds the passenger fender is more beat up than first noticed,
as it and the door have a poor paint touch up.
Also, the hood has a minor dent on the bulge portion.
June 1, 2003: Last week I bid on this car on eBay and won the auction, and yesterday I drove to Virginia to pick it up. Despite some of the nastiest towing weather I've ever suffered through, the car was worth the trip.
At first glance, it's your generic, run-of-the-mill Spirit DL. But it is well-optioned, and except for the radio, nothing much has been altered in 22 years. The best part is that it has no rust, anywhere. The rot-free shell alone was worth the price I paid. The rest is gravy, and it consists of:
· 258cid Inline six cylinder engine with 2 barrel carb. [May have spun a main bearing, runs OK after ’squealing’ a few seconds until the oil starts moving]
· A904 Automatic Transmission. [Slips when warm]
· Power Steering
· Power front disc brakes
· Premium Sound package (4 speakers, amplifier, fader) [Aftermarket radio installed, but I have a correct factory unit on hand. Amplifier is missing]
· A/C Pkg. (with HD cooling, alternator, parcel shelf, and tinted glass)
· Light group (dome/map lights, 2 courtesy lights, glove box light, engine compartment light, liftgate dome light)
· Quartz clock
· Rear Defogger
· Cruise control [Turn signal & cruise stalk mount/switch broken]
· Tilt steering column
·
Dual remote mirrors
· Leather-wrapped sport steering wheel [worn leather]
· Turbocast II wheels [Excellent condition with original caps and all lug nuts]
· Handling package (dual sway bars)
· Remote hatch release
· Stainless Door Edge Guards
The VIN# of 1AMCC4358BK1165xx decodes as follows: 1981 AMC Spirit 2 dr liftback Passenger car Engine: AMC 4.2l (258cid) 2v I6. Trans: Automatic floor shift. This was the 16,5xx car ordered from the Kenosha WI, USA plant in 1981. This car has DL interior and seatbelts and the check digit is 8.
The car wears its original paint and still has some shine to it. A coat of wax will do wonders. The only obvious body damage is a pair of small dents, one at the front of the passenger fender, and the other at the top of the wheel well on the same fender.
The tan interior is in very good shape except that the front cloth seats have been replaced with maroon vinyl seats, which are covered.
Some of these options are very unusual in a Spirit, showing up more often in Concords and high-end Eagles. The Premium Sound System is one such rarity. Others are the Handling Package and Turbocast II wheels. The last two of those are more often found in Spirit GT or AMX models, but rarely in a base or DL model.
All four tires are in very good shape with significant mileage left on them.
I have a set of well-used but restorable Magnum steel wheels from the ’80 AMX I parted out, too.
Of course, I can’t leave well-enough alone, and will be adding some more factory equipment from a 1980 AMX parts car, including:
· In-dash tachometer
· Rear spoiler
and more.
Send me your every
thought!
JohnRosa@JavelinAMX.com