American Motors may well have the most devout fans in the world.
AMC fanatics typically know their cars from inception to final model year.
AMC produced some very unique cars in the 70s but one of their most interesting marketing strategies was the Levi edition of the Gremlin.
Brandon Williams loved the look but his AMC roots ran deeper than the average car guy.
Brandon explained, “My Grandfather owned the last AMC dealership in town so I guess I came by this car naturally”. This car is a 1974 Gremlin X Levi Edition and he is justifiably proud of his unique AMC ride.
The cars were produced with Levi stitching and logos and they were designed to draw in younger buyers back in 1973. AMC was trying to build a younger clientele on a budget and the Levi association was aimed at kids who were still immersed in the free spirit of the post-Woodstock era.
The seats had the rivets and the Levi red tags but the material is nylon, not denim. Buyers probably would have bucked at seats that didn’t wear well and burned like crazy in a fire.
Brandon was born long after his ’74 Levi Gremlin X was brand new but he truly appreciates the significance of his four-wheeled AMC marketing device. This car would likely win best of class at every show because the competition is not like the bloodbaths you’ll see in E-Body Mopars.
These Gremlins are in a class of their own because they struggled to gain an identity back in the 1970s. AMC took dead aim at the up and coming early 1970s econo-box market and one of their first targets was the venerable VW Beetle.
Entry level cars like Gremlins are typically the first victims on the recycling pile so Brandon faced a daunting task with his car as he explained, “It was a bush car, really rough but it was a Levi edition Gremlin X so it was well worth saving”.
Clearly Brandon’s AMC genetic code kicked in because this car was a lengthy, complicated and expensive car to bring back to factory showroom condition. He sourced out replica material for the seats and invested heavily in the original look of the Levi interior.
Car like this AMC Levi Gremlin X attract attention at a car show that would rival Mick Jagger showing up at a church bake sale. This car was surrounded by people all day because Gremlins have such a unique body and once they dig deeper they marveled at the “blue jean” story.
This car easily passes inspection for attention to detail and quality of work so essentially Brandon saved a piece of automotive history that is virtually overlooked in the car hobby. That makes this ’74 Gremlin invaluable at any car show but he didn’t save this car for typical reasons.
Brandon didn’t restore this car for the publicity or the investment potential because that’s not the end game for AMC-philes.
He restored it because his grandfather sold them.
Jerry Sutherland
Follow this link for another MSCC ’74 Gremlin story.
