mpc Pacer x it has a mile of glass but no class lol

[mnwildpunk]

http://round2models.com/models/mpc/amc-pacer-x I was on round 2 website and saw this. Who has built it? I got to have one because it's like a pug dog so ugly but loveable in a way Edited June 15, 2013 by mnwildpunk

[slusher]

Glad they are bringing it back..

[Poncho-Power]

Party on Wayne, Party on Garth

I can see a replica of the merfmobile on my workbench soon

[Guest]

Am I correct that this kit has a AMC 6, and snow tires?

[Tom Geiger]

The kit in question is the old 1978 AMC Pacer that was made by MPC. There were two versions of this kit, the early version 1976-77 era car with the low hood, and the one we are getting here, the '78 with the taller hood that was modified to accept a V8. As with all old tools, they exist as the last version that was issued.

A few things... I'd rather have the earlier low hood. I think it's a better looking car. And that would be the version necessary to do the Wayne's World car. With Tom Lowe being into the TV and movie memorabilia market, I'm surprised that the car wasn't done with the tie-in. The movie is quite a cult classic and more relevant than the Beverly Hills Cop car. Maybe we'll see it as the next issue.

Moving forward, MPC had the AMC 6 in the kit. In '78 they modified the hood to the V8 version, but didn't change the engine in the kit. I'm pleased to get the AMC 6 engines, but I'd swap in a V8 from maybe the Matador kit into the Pacer. The original kit came with two of the Suburbanite snow tires, and it would be cool if they put those in there again.

The other Pacer kit was the wagon version done by AMT. I like that a whole lot. The last version of that was as a custom van, so the tooling might not be up to a stock reissue. Time will tell.

As far as the Pacer, AMC originally designed the car to be sold with a Rotary engine. The engine source (help me here) never delivered, so they went with their standard engine offerings. It was a revolutionary design at the time. AMC had the smallest design budget in the industry, but managed to do a heck of a lot with their limited resources. And they had the guts to bring out a whole string of very interesting cars like the Gremlin, Hornet, Matador and the Sportabout. Later on the 4x4 versions of these cars were cool as heck and unique in the industry at the time.

Note that when you are a small manufacturer, you don't need to appeal to everyone. Building a car that maybe 10% of the consumer market would want to buy can be quite a success and keep your small factory going full tilt. And that was the case with AMC. They didn't appeal to everyone, but those AMC guys were very loyal and vocal!

Now if the Pacer had been sold with the rotary engine, the popularity and it's position in the collector car market could be quite different today. And I've always maintained that if it had been sold as a Chevy or Ford, it would be considered a classic today. Still, there is a very loyal cult following on these cars. A member of one of my model clubs has a Pacer wagon today.

In short, (yea I can be short!) I'm pleased to see the car come back. I'm sure the resin casters will be offering up the earlier version of the hood. Buy at least one of these, hopefully several. That will be a vote to Round 2 to keep digging in the 70s vault to bring back some more of the cool old kits!

[mini trucker]

Another interesting Pacer fact is that they were the first car to be built without the traditional rain gutters that other cars of the era had. They used the weather stripping for the doors to drain water away rather than traditional rain rails. This gave the car a sleeker look and most importantly improved aerodynamics in wind tunnel testing leading to improved fuel mileage. The hidden gutter idea is still used on many cars to this day

[Tom Geiger]

And another interesting fact.. the passenger side door is longer than the drivers side door. That was to assist rear seat passengers getting in and out on the preferred side for safety.

[mnwildpunk]

thanks guys I learned a lot. Dispite the joke I do like these car's. I heard that the pacer holds the record as the production car to ever have most glass I can't remember how many sq ft it was.

[Ramfins59]

I'll definitely be getting at least one of these. It'll go along with the Gremlin.

[Austin T]

I'm pretty exited about this getting re-issued,as many know I love old AMC's. I wish they did the early version mainly because Waynes World is one of my favorite movies. I also would LOVE to make this monster if they re-issue the the older version.

[Craig Irwin]

Wayne's World! Wayne's World! Excellent! I hope a resin caster does the early hood and grille!

And another interesting fact.. the passenger side door is longer than the drivers side door. That was to assist rear seat passengers getting in and out on the preferred side for safety.

I never understood this, if it made it easier to get into the rear seat why weren't both doors longer? (Most parking is done in lots or driveways)

[slantasaurus]

Last weekend at a swap meet I picked up a kit of the Pacer Custom Wagon/Van (for $15 !!!!...look at ebay prices). Looking the kit over, the hood, front clip, and rear bumper are the only pieces that are really modified. Using the stock pieces from this upcoming reissue I will be able to build a stock Pacer Wagon, so maybe there is hope that the wagon will be reissued too in stock form.

[Jantrix]

I love Pacers. I almost bought a V8 model in '92 but the slipping tranny, 6 inches of play in the steering and the fact that the car tried to turn left when you applied the brakes, made the decision easy.

I will definitely be getting at least one of these. They are seem so much like a caricature of a car, that I would come up with all kinds of Pacer phantoms. The NASCAR Pacer, the LSR Pacer, the pace car Pacer, the drift Pacer. The humorous adaptations are endless.

[Edsel-Dan]

I have a 76 MPC awaiting Resto. Been stripped. And a Buiilt AMT Wagon!!

I want a few more, so I am glad to see this one re-issued!

[1972coronet]

Back in 1975 , my parents and I walked over to the local AMC dealership ( Ricker Motors AMC-NASH-Rambler on Whittier Blvd @ Dorland Dr. ) to have a peek at the then-new Pacer . My 5 year old eyes were fixated on its accompanying display , until I became distracted by the loud rumblling of the Dealership-sponsored Hurst-AMX SS/D ! It was being prepped in the service bay across the street ; man that thing was loud !

My folks passed on buying the Pacer , opting instead for a 1976 Mercury Monarch Ghia 2 door (351W).

Let's not forget that Randall AMC in Arizona swapped a mildly-warmed-up 401 / Torque-Command '8' combo into a 1976 Pacer in 1976 ! The 'Pacer 'XR' performed quite well ; I'm not sure of how many were actually sold (if any). Afterall , 1976 was a dark year in performance , with the EPA and other college-boy-infiltrated agencies swooping-down on dealers' engine swaps (with the first 'deployment' in 1974 to Motion Performance after High Performance CARS ran an article called "King Kong Lives on Long Island" and their 350 and 454 powered Vega monsters !).

I am quite looking forward to getting my dry , cut and bruised hands on at least one of these much-welcomed reissues of a 70's gem :) :) !

Thanks again , Round2 !

[Daddyfink]

I remember when our neighbor bought one. Orange with a plaid interior! Nice!! We called it the moon car and my dad called it a fishbowl!

A few year back I was at the local car parts swap and this guy had a box of these pacer kits, for only $5 bucks each! And I walked away from it!!! Insert sound of palm slamming into forehead!

Glad that the 70's are cool again! Bring them on Round 2!

[pack rat]

Like Tom G said, I was very surprised there is no tie-in to Wayne's World with this kit, given several other recent movie-themed releases (Three Stooges, Beverly Hills Cop, Elvis Manx etc).

I believe the Pacer Rotary engine was to be purchased from GM, who was developing it for their H-bodies (Monza etc), but GM canceled the project.

[Rob Hall]

Like Tom G said, I was very surprised there is no tie-in to Wayne's World with this kit, given several other recent movie-themed releases (Three Stooges, Beverly Hills Cop, Elvis Manx etc).

I believe the Pacer Rotary engine was to be purchased from GM, who was developing it for their H-bodies (Monza etc), but GM canceled the project.

Maybe they will do a second issue w/ retooled hood and grille to do the earlier car later...like they did w/ the '75 and '76 Gremlins.

[DaveM]

I am looking forward to this reissue. While we hated most of the '70s cars at the time (and with good reason) they stubbornly have become parts of our lives and histories. The skinned knuckles and putrid performance has been long since forgotten, along with the recurring service nightmares caused by these cars. Now, we seem to fondly remember the cars as being part of the best years of our lives. My main memory of a Pacer is riding up to Higgins Lake in the back seat of one with the cutest girl in my class (Who was wearing a bikini) on a perfect summer day for a big picnic with all of our friends. (And getting baked by all of that glass, while Alice Cooper played on the 8 track)

Hopefully, we will get some other '70s reissues in the future. Vegas, Monzas and Pintos would be naturals, as they were all extensively used in drag racing and street machines. In the AMC camp, the Matador would be sweet if the tooling for the factory stock version still exists. (I remember a hideous custom version that might have trashed a lot of the stock trim) It would also be a lot of fun to get some of the other Jeeps back, like the Hombre and Honcho.

Edited June 16, 2013 by DaveM

[gray07]

If you had the other hood and grill you could build this sweet pacer.

[LongRoofNut]

It's kinda like a pug dog, so ugly but they are cute in a way. I remember as a little guy in the '80s my non kid friendly neighbors had a ton of these in good shape, orange, light blue and green come to mind. I have a '76 wagon kit I will be building as "Oh God" the one John Denver drove in red with the wood panels and a '76 sealed annual that I have yet to touch but I will be picking up a few of these. These will be right at home between my Country Squire, Cadillac Coupe Deville and Chevy Caprice.......

[Drake69]

Another must-have. Wife is going to kill me.

[Austin T]

Another must-have. Wife is going to kill me.

Now just remind her your bringing home a model pacer, not a real pacer.

[Chuck Most]

I never understood this, if it made it easier to get into the rear seat why weren't both doors longer? (Most parking is done in lots or driveways)

I think it was meant more for parallel parking situations- the rear seat passenger's could get in from the curb side rather than have to step out into the street.

[charlie8575]

I'll be getting one of these. I like AMCs, and I have a feeling a lot of those 258s are going to end up in a lot of other builds.

Charlie Larkin