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'Packin Pacer' - Hot Wheels
AMC Pacer - Corgi
AMC Pacer - Corgi
AMC Pacer - Corgi
AMC Pacer - Tomica
AMC Pacer - Wheeler
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Few cars have shapes so different from their contemporaries as did the
AMC Pacer. My mother called the one my father bought the 'moon car'.
My father with the 'moon car' in 1980, a week after the eruption
of Mt. St. Helens. Note the ash on the tires.
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I was already in college but did join my family for one trip in the Pacer.
The photo above was taken on a fishing trip in 1980, one week after Mt.
St. Helens erupted, and required frequent stops to clean out the air filter.
The Pacer has not been neglected as a toy car. Models were produced by
Hot Wheels, Tomica and Corgi when the actual car was still in production.
Hot Wheels did the Pacer Wagon but in their own style with an additional
engine in the rear. The Tomica example is an excellent representation
with all the quality for which Tomica is known. The Corgi Pacer is also
quite authentic and came in a variety of colors, even a red wine version
much like the one owned by my parents. Corgi's chrome interiors were a
bit distracting. Universal and Wheeler offered copies of the Hot Wheels
and Corgi castings in their lines (images courtesy of Kimmo Sahakangas).
 More recently, we have seen new models of the Pacer from Racing Champions
and Motor Max. Racing Champions offered the Pacer in their Mint Edition
series and then produced a budget version in their Street Wheels line. The
Mint Edition version came with an opening hood, metal base and rubber tires.
The black version was offered in their 'Muscle Series' with white letter
tires. That anyone would consider the Pacer a muscle car is hard to accept.
The 'Street Wheels' castings are slightly smaller than the original casting
and often came with curious wheels as shown on the yellow example. Another
odd variation is the Pacer in modern rally colors. At least the wheels are
a big improvement.
Motor Max has offered the latest example of the AMC Pacer, identified as
a 1978 model. The quality is excellent, especially for less than $2. Stock
paint colors, rubber tires and chrome wheels and metal bases are all provided
in the 'Fresh Cherries' series of cars from the 1970's. An AMC Gremlin is
also produced.
With all these examples of the Pacer available, more small-scale examples
would seem un-necessary. Other AMC models of the 1970's and 1980's, like
the Matador, Eagle 4WD Wagon or Spirit hatchback would be far more welcome.
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AMC Pacer - Universal
1977 AMC Pacer - Racing Champions Mint Edition
1977 AMC Pacer - Racing Champions Muscle Series
1977 AMC Pacer - Racing Champions Street Wheels
1977 AMC Pacer rally - Racing Champions Street Wheels
1978 AMC Pacer - Motor Max
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