"I didn't know that." AMC Pacer

[Joe Handley]

Why would they need a different radiator? If the carbed I-6's were like the 4.0l's I'm used to, they would need a good cooling system that would work well for a big V-8.

[unclescott58]

From what I've read, the Pacers converted to 401 V-8s by the dealer in Phoenix, Arizona had no cooling problems with the earlier style front end. An AMC 304 does not require a bigger radiator than an AMC 401. It's obvious the hood redesign was strictly done to give the car a different look. Going into what would have been its fourth year with exact same styling was something rarely done on American cars in the 1970's. Pacer sales were falling, and looks were part of the reason why. Big "Mercedes" style grilles (and I'm not saying the grille on late Pacer looks like anything from Mercedes) were very popular at the time. It was a quick and easy styling change. And I personally don't like it as much as the earlier styled front end. Make mine a '75 Pacer with the 401.

Scott

[unclescott58]

Doing a quick web search, it was Randall AMC in Mesa, Arizona (okay Arizona guys, is this near Phoenix?) that was doing the 401 conversions on the early style Pacers. And they were not the only ones. The conversion was even approved by AMC itself. Plus there is a fun video on YouTube showing two Pacers drag racing. The black one with the later style grille is running with a 401. The other has the earlier styled grille and hood, and is powered by a Chrysler 440. The 440 power Pacer does have one modification to the early style hood. But, I doubt it it has much to do with cooling in the conventional sense. It looks like a hood scoop to feed air into the carburator/intake.

Oh, the 440 Pacer beat the 401. Despite this, I'd still want my Pacer to be a '75 "X" model with the 401. A '77 wagon with a V-8 would be cool too (no pun intended).

Scott

[disabled modeler]

By the way, it would be cool if Round 2 was able to reissue a stock version of AMT's Pacer wagon kit. I believe that kit was modified into a custom only wagon/van thing after the initial run. And did MPC ever offer a Pacer wagon kit? I'm pretty sure they made a promo of the wagon. But, I don't remember a kit.

Scott

Scott...I cant remember who made the Pacer wagon kit but was thinking MPC had a factory stock version of it ???...I had built the kit as a kid.

[Jantrix]

And for your building pleasure, MPC released a '76 and '77 coupe with the inline six and a '78 coupe with the V8. Also AMT released the '77 wagon, both in a stock and custom version. I'm currently building the wagon. All in all it's not a bad kit.

[Greg Myers]

Edited April 5, 2015 by Greg Myers

[Greg Myers]

AMT

Edited April 5, 2015 by Greg Myers

[1930fordpickup]

Why would they need a different radiator? If the carbed I-6's were like the 4.0l's I'm used to, they would need a good cooling system that would work well for a big V-8.

Same block with changes over the years. Went all the way back to the Rambler I read once (I believe it was Hemmings classic car). It was also ran at Indy one time.

[Joe Handley]

Same block with changes over the years. Went all the way back to the Rambler I read once (I believe it was Hemmings classic car). It was also ran at Indy one time.

I was thinking cooling system wise, the 4.0l XJ's tend to run a bit hot.

[unclescott58]

And for your building pleasure, MPC released a '76 and '77 coupe with the inline six and a '78 coupe with the V8. Also AMT released the '77 wagon, both in a stock and custom version. I'm currently building the wagon. All in all it's not a bad kit.

MPC's '78 Pacer coupe never came with a V-8. It still retained the straight six. I don't know anything about AMT's wagons. Other than I want one.

Scott

[Aaronw]

Neat video, I never realized the Pacer didn't have very good fuel economy but not really surprising with a big 6 or a V-8 under the hood. Looking online it looks like it was rated 18/24 by the EPA which isn't bad for an American car in the mid '70s. Not quite as good as a Vega (19/28) or Pinto (18/26) but comparable. On the other hand you could do almost as well with a larger Chevy Nova (16/21) and even a Camaro with a 350 V-8 (13/20) doesn't look too bad.

Compared to the imports though really poor. If you were worried about gas prices in 1975 you could buy a Datsun B210 (27/39), Honda Civic (27/39), Toyota Corolla (21/33), or VW Rabbit (24/38). Really not surprising the US auto industry lost the fight over the economy market in the 70s.

I wonder if anyone has put a rotary engine in a Pacer (donated from a Mazda RX-7 maybe) to show what the Pacer might have been. It wouldn't have helped fuel economy (the 1975 Mazda RX-3 had a rotary engine and got 14/20 mpg), but it might have made it more sporty.

Edited April 5, 2015 by Aaronw