"AMC History and Factory Tour, c. 1981."

"AMC History and Factory Tour, c. 1981."
From the archives of the Kenosha History Center, this is a company-generated film looking briefly at the history of the company and walking the viewer through the construction of AMC cars at Main Plant in Kenosha. There's a break in the middle where some content is lost, and then it picks back up. In the future, we may be able to fill the gap.
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Kenosha County Historical Society is a campus of two buildings with four exhibit galleries, a gift shop, staff offices and our Archival facility. The Kenosha History Center houses the main offices, three exhibit galleries, the gift shop and our Archives. The Southport Light Station, located next to the History Center building, features the fourth gallery.
The Southport Light Station is composed of the 1866 historic lighthouse and the adjacent 1867 historic Lighthouse Keeper's home. Both floors of the Lighthouse Keeper's home have been restored to a 1908 time period. The Southport Light Station Museum focuses on the shipping industry, fishing, lighthouse keepers and the live saving station. The Southport Light Station Museum is open mid May through the end of October.
Kenosha History Center Hours
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Sat: 10:00 am → 4:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm → 4:00 pm
Closed Holidays
Southport Light Station Museum Hours
Open May 6 - October 31, 2021.
Thu: 10:00 am → 4:00 pm
Fri: 10:00 am → 4:00 pm
Sat: 10:00 am → 4:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm → 4:00 pm
Closed Mon-Wed & Holidays

[@coloradomountainman8659]

I've had numerous AMC/Nash vehicles and never had a problem with any of them. They were well built, easy to maintain, and affordable.

[@jimcrawford3185]

O had a 78 Pacer wagon It didn t age well We only got 90,000 miles out of it before unloading it on a greater fool

[@MindRiot395th]

AMC was bought by Chrysler after they suffered considerable losses on March 1987. Chrysler purchased AMC only for the Jeep brand, the other models were discontinued ( AMC was defuncted in 1988). AM General continued producing military trucks and humvees, in 1999 was acquired by GM.

[@saldada6928]

indeed

[@philbob99]

In 1975, myself and 3 others drove a new Pacer over 1,000 miles one way to see The Who. No problems with the car, 2,200 miles in 60 hours. Absolutely Great concert, too!!

[@thekekronomicon590]

Who did you see ?

[@mikeprenis2187]

If you didn’t own an AMC in Kenosha, you were branded a traitor. Great video!

[@kenfrievalt7826]

I remember that. But I lived in Racine

[@Adamz678]

Wisconsins residents took great pride in the stuff they manufactured, specifically in their area, it would make sense why they would feel like that. Now that's all gone, the large manufacturing and pride.

[@evanj875]

@@Adamz678 Thanks free market and NAFTA! We were sold a bill of goods...I cry every time I see a video like this. Young people today will never know the job security and sense of community large employers/factories brought to a community. It's really sad to watch the decline.

[@NorthernChev]

But what if I wanted to buy a RELIABLE vehicle?

[@NorthernChev]

@@evanj875 NAFTA was not to blame for the decline of manufacturing in America. All NAFTA did, essentially, was to remove the customs complications of transporting goods between Canada, Mexico, and the US. It had nothing to do with taxation and all the bullshit you’re being fed. Corporations moved their manufacturing facilities to China, Mexico, and other countries because an American won’t work for $2.50 hr, and an impoverished Mexican and Chinese citizen WOULD. SIXTY-EIGHT percent of most corporations overhead is Human Resource. So, the best way to reduce costs is to go where the labor is cheap. So, don’t fall for the bullshit stories your being told about NAFTA and or taxation. Period. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know you’re being fed a whole fake line of crap (in your particular media) to get you to fall in line with a particular political agenda, but don’t fall for it.

[@brucedale4465]

I loved my cj 5 in 1976. That jeep was almost unstoppable 👍🇺🇸

[@HarrisFS]

Currently I have an '85 CJ7 with throttle body injection upgrade on rebuilt I6. Very reliable

[@joshuacormier9294]

I just bought a 66' rambler/classic. Slowly getting it back to road worthy and am enjoying learning more about its history!

[@johndoe43]

AMC was a great company. They cared about the customer. It shows in their tech manuals. They wanted you to be able to repair the vehicle

[@goatfokerkadyrov7528]

Too bad the loZers that worked there didn’t care

[@tnc7399]

To be fair, they were probably too poor to have any other choice

[@johndoe43]

@@tnc7399 you mean the car owner?

[@tnc7399]

@@johndoe43 no, AMC didn't have much money, much less the factory space to offer even their service kit for the rebel. They weren't a profitable company

[@johndoe43]

@@tnc7399 I'm glad I got what I did. Being a Jeep fan I have 6 of their 6 cylinder engines that I love dearly.

[@williamgibb5557]

In 1971, while still in high school, went looking at a Gremlin but bought the SC360 hornet. Great car. Nose heavy with that 360 cast iron but very reliable and easy to work on. Shame I sold it for scrap long before its life was over. 160,000 and still strong running. 3.15 rear and 2.67 first gear could go to 65mph at 6500rpm. Screaming but never blew up.

[@roundcornerent]

I love my two AMC jeep j20s .

[@jjtrucker5950]

I like my 3 J10's too.

[@johnkestly4762]

I had a 1974 AMX, it was a cool car. I bought it used in 1976.

[@BELCAN57]

1978 AMC Concord D/L bought new off the lot at "Enfield AMC". Great car, wish I still had it.

[@youtoobe169]

In this video it sait it would take 10-14 days from the time a customer placed an order to delivery. Today, it takes months or even years.

[@tadinator1362]

Had an '81 Spirit. Wish it had the inline 6 and a 5 speed, but it was a fun car to drive none the less. The AMX version of it would have really been nice. I also wish I could find one of those SX/4 models now. Eagles were a great idea and the time, and its a shame more of them haven't survived.

[@petejohnson8397]

had an 83 spirit gt with a warmed up 258. loved it. looked like a lowered sx4

[@petejohnson8397]

and yes the sx4s are neat. i see one for sale once in a while. really need to jump in and buy one, price be damned

[@tadinator1362]

@@petejohnson8397 Friend had a '79 AMX w/the 258, which should have been replaced with their 304. I'd have died for such a combination on one.

[@alanmccalla6737]

Never had a lemon. I owned a 59 Cross Country pushbutton auto, 65 American 2 dr hardtop, 69 Javelin big bad orange 232 stick two barrel with the factory air, two 71 Gremlins X, 71 Ambassador Brougham 360 V8. Dad had 63 wagon, 65 Rebel and a 71 Ambassador. American made, quality built, not a lemon in the bunch.

[@larryg.9187]

... Wow, in January of '24, I bought a running and driving, 1973 AMC Hornet Sportabout X Gucci edition. Independent reclining front seats, front disk brakes, mag like wheels, roof rack, Gucci interior, including the double G headliner ... 🇺🇸 ...

[@PapiDoesIt]

I don't blame AMC for their demise, I blame their dealer network. My dad wanted to get a Gremlin X when I was little and it was a really neat car. First sunroof I had ever seen. But the dealership would not budge on the price and he got a Dodge Charger much cheaper. Later, one of my brothers wanted a Jeep and again, the dealership would not budge on the price and even tacked on extra costs. he ended up getting one at another dealership because he just had to have it.

[@goatfokerkadyrov7528]

I blame the lazy drunk UAW workers

[@veganwally]

Great video!

[@danw6014]

I can imagine AMC fans felt the same about the purchase by Chrysler as I do today about the status of Chrysler Corporation today and the eventual end of the Chrysler name and the Hemi V8.

[@WYNDRYDYR]

In 1979, I bought Pacer D/L wagon, leather interior, air conditioning, optional metallic paint and styled road wheels. Wish I could drive it today.

[@johnchambers8528]

My first two cars were AMC Hornet and latter the Concord. Both were well built and ran over 100,000 miles each. I was even in a rear end collision on my Hornet and it held up well. I did not have much damage to the body. They made good bumpers back then unlike todays cars where they fall apart at the slightest accident. My father liked my AMC Hornet so much he eventually bought their Matador model sedan and it also ran great and lasted a long time. Too bad they were taken over by other companies since they ruined the cars offered and were only interested in the Jeep line of vehicles.

[@dbeaus]

In 1982, as I sat waiting for a tow in my broken down company car Pacer, the tow arrived. This is my 4th tow in 4 months. With 40000 miles this would be the 3rd transmission. If you ever rode in a Pacer in the summer, good luck. Riding in a glass bubble in the sun with a totally useless AC. It was over a hundred inside when you give up and roll down the windows. July and August you suffer. And other goodies that summer. Starter went out twice in 4 months, 2 new batteries, oil leaks, engine and transmission, and many other little things. So, I asked Mr. tow driver if the Pacer was his most towed car. He said it was second, the Renault was by far the first.

[@dbeaus]

Why did Renault come here? That is a very involved story having to do with French elections, the rise in power of the French Socialists, and the fear of Renault that the Government was going to take over the company. According to 4 guys I worked with from Renault, they were trying to get as many assets out of France as they could. Kinda makes sense, they made horrible cars for about 4 years and then went back to France.

[@dougm6146]

Growing up I remember the United States Postal Jeeps and we had a AMC American Eagle wagon. I remember when AMC built the original Jeep Grand Wagoneer which I liked the looks of those I the 80's.

[@parkerguy3601]

I had a 68 rambler american with the in-line 6 cyl (232 ci I think). Loved it until one day I hit a big puddle and got hosed down because of the floor pan having rusted out. I inherited it from my grandmother's estate, giving $450.

[@darwinmichel2087]

My friend's dad had AMC Concord . You had comfortable bucket seats roomy for the car-sized . Road and drove well.

[@tomtbi]

Hoping to locate more Model Kits of AMC cars to build for my Model Car collection....

[@tomtbi]

So far the only true AMC Model Kit in my collection is the AMT 1/25 scale 75 Gremlin X... I also have the MPC 1/25 Scale WWll Army Jeep and Revell 03 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon kit in my collection...

[@jamesziegler2763]

Interesting

[@namerican8510]

Sure do miss the Eagle.

[@it1988a]

I want a 2 door Matador. Campy!

[@kevinferris1589]

Bring back the 1968 - 70 Javelins. Technically, Chrysler could do it.

[@coloradomountainman8659]

You do mean Fiat don't you?

[@MindRiot395th]

@@coloradomountainman8659 :( ...unfortunately

[@MindRiot395th]

1973 AMX Javelin

[@harrygatto]

Jowett used to do it too.

[@dash-qe3ul]

Sorry but it was Tucker that invented the seat belts, both my parents had javelins mom 68 dad a 72 and they would race each other home. Mom always cheated cutting though gas stations at a corner. 😂 Sometimes Id end up in the back seat from the front when I was a kid it was great with dad.

[@American-Motors-Corporation]

2.8 billion a year in sales and they couldn't make it work, they was decaled a small business and didn't pay half the corporate tax as other auto makers. I mean 2.8 billion bucks back then was a lot of money. I'd say bad management and short sightedness was the true downfall!

[@PapiDoesIt]

They had a bad dealership network, at least in the South. They were few and far between, and their sales staff demanded full price. The merger with a French manufacturer of lackluster cars didn't help either. My mom bought one of those Franco-American POS cars and it threw a rod within 20K miles.

[@alsehl3609]

Market forces killed just like almost happened to chrsler. The foreign brands were really strong at the Time...

[@American-Motors-Corporation]

@@alsehl3609 meh, the foreign brands were strong yes, but that's been over used as justification as to why management failed! Really it's a matter of updates, they say they didn't have the money to do so, yet look at all the money they spent of half hearted projects amx3 is a fine example! No i don't blame the pacer either, it was technically the right car at the right time, however AMC management didn't kill off other cars soon Enough, yes because they was still selling well, however the problem with not killing a car off is the production costs to keep making as sales slow, i know you'll point to the pacer yet it's still not the problem! They should've killed off the big cars like ambassador at least a couple of years before they did to save money to then build something new. Really they should've gutted the whole car line and geared up to rely on Jeep. Then doing the concord yes a gussied up hornet but of course perhaps they could've introduced the eagle a couple three years sooner... I know you may think to tell me it's great I'd say this that it makes me Captain hindsight... No I'm not trying to be that guy, I'm saying the folks who ran the joint was all veterans of the car industry and should've known better! Of course if you look at the average age of the old gaurd from AMC you'll find that at that time these folks was old, i mean old they remembered the heydays of Packard and Studebaker.. these were not young men running the joint... Look at what happened to those other companies... Yeah all driven into the ground by old board members and executives, to a degree designers! Amc was no different! Yes they had good things, they was cool, i love AMC, i collect anything AMC, and they was bought by Chrysler when i was 2! However people do have their intrests and people do age as age happens you do study your interests over time, though I'll never quit studying AMC my 20+ years in business as i had started young tells me there was mistakes made, and i can see where they should've known better! The foreign cars, yes they did eat into AMC but not just AMC they ate everybody's lunch because the dumb bastard's got lazy and comfortable, the American car market was exposed to being filled with arrogant jackasses like Henry Ford 2nd. Who only wanted to make cheap junk and sell it at a high price! This the 70's is wgere tge business man really got the bad image! They didn't prepare to change they was blined by their own bullshit and so it was easy to blame the competition rather than rising to the challenge! Like last decade, retailers whining along with politicians that "online is killing brick and mortar retailers" Bullshit most kilked themselves. Via large sums of debt and overpriced shit you can go to Walmart and buy... They're all pussies there's no aggression! Business is supposed to be war not fuckin excuses! Blaming the internet was bullshit on so many levels but I'll tell you 2! Number one, it was bullshit is simply because at that time all these retIlers are the internet, that's right they all have had a website with the capability to sell directly to you and home delivery if you wished! So nope blaning the internet is blaming themselves but of course the sheep ignored that logic! 2nd reason it's bullshit... Well it was used as a cover for many things, the biggest thing it was to help cover up is the fact there's been an income deficiency across the population, i had mentioned the politicians was also blaming the internet! Now lets tie it into AMC and all the United States auto industry back then... So comparing last decade's excuses brought to by bad retail management as well as shithead politicians, do you see the similarities?? Here they are::: Bad management blames something then Politicians blame something, mostly wherever bad management told them to blame! Yep the Auto industries excuses of the 70's and frankly 80's is more than on par of the bullshit surrounding retail of the past decade and a half! It's all bullshit to explain it away to the largely know nothing public! Turds in suits soeak you listen and it's repeated in the media or even by those on the street! It becomes folklore! Much like people think 2008 was when all hell broke loose lol nope it's a fakse marker in time, the 08 was merely an announcement of a problem simply because the government couldn't hide it anymore! Big interest car loans of the mid 70's though much of the 80's? Hummm i bet that was a major factor to slow sales of gas guzzlers! Oh foreign competition huh??! How about all those American owned factories down in Mexico and other south American companies??? Even amc if we're honest sold people bullshit, I mean what they called an economy car certainly wasn't! Yeah I'm afraid today they'd been outted as scamming people!! I'll leave it there! Digest this with a business mind not emotion! Reread it if you think something is unclear, don't fire off at first sight of what you don't like!

[@LouisWritingSomethingCrazy]

It was a combination of factors. Over producing the Gremlin in the 70s to the point many were rush jobs definitely hurt them. It gave them a reputation in many markets of being cheap and poorly built. However, they never had the dealership network, nor the volume of the big 3. They also never had the same budgets as the bigger guys which forced the company to be creative with their products rather than innovative. Renault taking too much control which forced the American Government to kill their contracts had a lot to do with it too. Look into how AMC was formed and you'll see. Studabaker was supposed to join, so was Packard. If they did, AMC would have survived, had the top of the line name plate as well as economy. Sadly, they didn't get that. Instead Studabaker and Packard basically dragged each other down, and AMC was left to limp along from the beginning.

[@American-Motors-Corporation]

@@LouisWritingSomethingCrazy they didn't over produce the gremlin. Futher more i know how AMC was formed, if Studebaker and Packard joined, I think we might be able to argue they could have limped along for a little longer but to be honest now I think that that would have been a terrible idea. I think it would been a terrible idea simply because they were upmarket car makers who had zero interest in the position that AMC was aiming for. Furthermore there design departments would have been in direct conflict I don't think fit across those design centers and the newly merged company there would have been very much cooperation it probably would have ended up as a conglomerate mess much like British Leyland! They still would have stumbled and made mistakes etcetera there would have been massive mismanagement of money and resources much like there was but probably to a larger extend GM and Ford Chrysler would have steamrolled them probably by the end of the sixties meaning AMC stood very large chance they could have gone under in the mid-70s had Studebaker and Packard would have joined you got understand those two companies were practically bankrupt they would have just drugged the whole merger deal down! I can also say that in a cutthroat business it's not a very good idea to rely on your competitors for off-the-shelf parts and to be honest that's what AMC is practically famous for so yeah that in some ways worked but in another way it actually killed them. Notice how when Renault took over practically the first order of business was to phase out most vehicles that coincidentally was using GM and Ford and Chrysler parts this is why they put everything behind the Renault alliance series the vehicles in the 80s. The only thing left of the original AMC line was the AMC eagle and of course the Jeep Grand Cherokee everything else was Renault by the time you get to the mid 80's!

[@saldada6928]

AMC in Kenosha WI made some beautiful automobiles (exceptions are the amc gremlin & amc pacer..imo..)

[@HowardJrFord]

There are a lot of errors in this story . I'll point out a couple . The Chrysler and Desoto airflows were the first unibody cars . The 57 Imperial was the first car with curved side glass .

[@roncobb9837]

Volume is so low ya can't hear what is being said.

[@TheCarCrazyGuy]

My mom had a Rambler in the 60’s. It sure was a slug.

[@Ka9radio_Mobile9]

I don't think my 1971 Hornet was dipped or sprayed for rust because it was rusty all over, it was only 7 years old! :-D

[@alsehl3609]

Heck of a lot of people working in all those places. All the huge buildings, what has happened to them?

[@KenoshaHistoryCenter]

In the case of Kenosha, there were two AMC factory locations. The AMC Lakefront plant, which began life as a Simmons Mattress factory, in downtown Kenosha, was demolished in the late 80s. The location is now the site of several museums, parks, and downtown developments. The main plant was kept on as an engine plant until 2008, and most of it has since been demolished as well. One section was sold off and is now a warehousing operation. The bulk of the area is currently a large empty field but soon work will begin to turn it into an "innovation neighborhood" designed to lure tech jobs; a lot of Kenoshans are skeptical (for many reasons) but it's got private money in it so this is one plan that's probably going to happen. But, yeah, at its height AMC employed 14,000 people in a city that had about 70,000 at the time.

[@KenoshaHistoryCenter]

2010, not 2008. In my mind, I think 108 years and that always screws me up for dates.

[@BIGDAVE5352]

The first car I ever crushed in the car crusher was a 1973 AMC Hornet back in 1985. I worked in a salvage yard. Back in high school I had a 1975 AMC Pacer that my old lady at the time bled through her Kotex during a Drive inn movie in the summer of ‘84.

[@philclark1688]

Good car, good company, out of business, AMERICAN WAY!

[@craigyoumans2578]

Amc made dam good cars but I agree they had too many pencil pushing geeks and didnotpay attention to business

[@georgekriz9967]

Shame they were very good vehicles. Better then a lot of crap that’s sold today

[@DavisWorthington]

Never buy an AMC that was made after lunch.

[@jdcapps21]

Nobody wanted Renault! All they had to do was invest in AMC R&D and re-tooling. Fast forward to today and Renault is now choking out Nissan.

[@PapiDoesIt]

My mom had one of the Renaults rebranded as AMC and it threw a rod at 20K miles. She always drove like an old granny, but even normal driving was too much for it. Now Renault has ruined Nissan.

[@tomtom6319]

computers...lol

[@0505abab]

Amazing but i wouldn't want to do it same shit everyday every year noway