1975 AMC Hornet front 3/4

Would you like to sport about in this 1975 AMC Hornet?

Jeff Glucker

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Comments

It’s no Gucci Sportabout, but this 1975 AMC Hornet looks like it would be fun to try and save. Especially since it’s ripe for some manner of engine swap that brings power and fun way up. At one point, AMC was popping the 360 V8 in the Hornet, but that’s not what this particular machine has under the hood.

1975 AMC Hornet rear 3/4

According to the auction listing, this car doesn’t have keys and has been sitting for five years. It’s not running. But body-wise it doesn’t look too bad. And that interior could be cleaned up fairly easily, minus the rips in the front seats. It seems like that engine would be easy to remove, and you know there’s enough space for something larger. The color is cool, the badges are great, and the Sportabout name is just fun to say/.

1975 AMC Hornet rear 3/4
1975 AMC Hornet interior
1975 AMC Hornet engine

What do you think this car is worth in this condition? And do you think it would be fun to bring back to life?

Thanks to Cody for sending in the tip!

About

Jeff Glucker

Jeff Glucker

Jeff Glucker is the co-founder and Executive Editor of Hooniverse.com. He’s often seen getting passed as he hustles a 1991 Mitsubishi Montero up the 405 Freeway. IG: @HooniverseJeff

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10 responses to “Would you like to sport about in this 1975 AMC Hornet?”

  1. smaglik Avatar
    smaglik

    So is this the 2wd, non lifted version of the eagle? I’ve always liked that vehicle, just way before my time.

    Reply
    1. danleym Avatar
      danleym

      This is the 2WD version that predated the Eagle. Around the same time they started building the Eagle, they made some tweaks to the body, and dropped the Hornet name and started calling it a Concorde. Those were available most years the Eagle was, and were still 2WD.

      Reply
      1. danleym Avatar
        danleym

        There was also a 2 door variant- the Eagle SX4 for the 4WD, and the Spirit for the 2WD.

        I’m partial to the Spirit myself, had one for 20 years. It was a stock 258 with a 3 speed auto, but I’m just about done with a big update and now it has a 5 speed stick with a much higher performance 258. It isn’t quite ready for the road yet, but it’s gonna be a blast.

        Reply
        1. smaglik Avatar
          smaglik

          That thing looks pretty sweet. I remember you were doing some welding of the floorboards at some point.

          Reply
          1. danleym Avatar
            danleym

            Yep, floorboards are done, interior is back in, engine and trans are back in, rear end is rebuilt. I have to finish some stuff under the hood- installing intake and exhaust manifolds, plumbing the fuel line, and figuring out some final clutch details. After that it’ll go to an exhaust shop to get an exhaust system, and then I should be ready to fire it up.

  2. Batshitbox Avatar
    Batshitbox

    There’s a Hornet I pass on my way to work and I always think, “Yeah, that would be a kookie car to have to hack around in.”

    Except, the one I see is obviously running and registered, and it’s a 2-door, and it’s green. Literally a Green Hornet. But this brown, 4-door, SMOG-era barely rolling rodent condo? Nah.

    Hey, why not start with this 1973 (green) Hornet 2-door that some nice person has done you the favor of removing the engine from already? I’d be looking for a marine spec 4300 V6 and a Muncie Rock Crusher. Because it’s wrong.

    https://fresno.craigslist.org/cto/7550615373.html

    Reply
    1. smaglik Avatar
      smaglik

      How in the world is that valued at $1500? I know the car market is nuts, but that’s barely more than a collection of parts…

      Reply
      1. Jeff Glucker Avatar
        Jeff Glucker

        The Dale sticker adds big value

        Reply
      2. Batshitbox Avatar
        Batshitbox

        SMOG exempt, clean title, rust free. Sure it’s a rolling junkyard, but there’s definitely $1500 worth of parts there. Anyway I bet he gets $1200 for it.

        Reply
  3. Maymar Avatar
    Maymar

    If it goes cheap enough, swapping in a 4.0 from a rusted out Jeep and doing a bit of cleanup would probably be plenty on this.

    Also;

    “Buyer agrees to check for outstanding recalls on the sale vehicle, and to contact either their local dealership or use the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) website to check the vehicle’s recall status.”

    I’ll get right on that. I’m sure my nearest Chrysler dealer is acutely aware of any outstanding recalls this might have.

    Reply