Reviving old classics is a gamble, especially if you are going to do a full-cycle restoration. They also pack a ton of surprises, something Kevin of Junkyard Digs YouTube channel knows too well. On a recent upload, he stumbled upon an abandoned 1985 AMC Eagle that had been begging for a new lease of life.
Kevin and his friend Angus recently stumbled upon an abandoned 1985 AMC Eagle that had been grounded for 8 years. Angus is a big fan of the Eagle, and this unit was his second find (it only cost him $1,200).
Not too many young car enthusiasts are familiar with the AMC Eagle station wagon. It's not your ordinary professor's daily, but in fact could have been the very first version of a crossover. This 4-door four-wheel drive vehicle was released between 1980 and 1987 by AMC (American Motors Corporation).
“If you don’t know anything about the AMCs, basically they are everyone else’s leftover parts made into an AMC shape, and then they had the wagon version, the coupe version, which is what the Concord is, and a hatchback.” Kevin revealed.
The classic station wagon rolled out in 1979 for the 1988 model year. Together with the sedan and coupe, it was based on the AMC Concord sibling.
The duo’s find had a 258 cubic-inch 4.2-liter AMC straight-6 engine with an aftermarket valve cover under the hood. These powerplants were also used in AMC branded cars and Jeep SUVs between 1964 and 2006.
Apart from not having an idea if this classic four-wheel-drive passenger car run, they faced a bigger hurdle. It didn’t come with a key, and the steering wheel was locked. Therefore, the duo had to fiddle with the wheel to free the cylinder lock.
They also checked the engine for fluids, boosted the dead battery, and sprayed some starter fluid into the air cleaner. After some back and forth the ’85 AMC Eagle roared to life, only to die soon after.
After an undercarriage inspection, they discovered the brake and fuel lines were rusted. That didn’t stop them from hooking up an auxiliary fuel tank and loading it up a truck.
We recommend watching the video below for the full detailing and repair process. There’s a lot to learn about getting these classics up and driving.
Humphrey is a car enthusiast whose love and passion for automobiles extended into collecting, writing, driving, and working on cars. He got his passion for cars from his Dad, who spent thousands of hours working on his old junky 1970 E20 Toyota Corolla. Years later, he would end up doing the same with a series of lemons he’s owned throughout his adult life. Full profile
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