Online gambling has become a popular pastime, but the odds would be against your finding two AMC Hornet Sportabouts parked in the same lot in 2026. Nevertheless, CC’s Hyperpack did just that and posted them on the CC Cohort.
AMC was very good at finding empty niches in the marketplace and exploiting them, and they did so with the wildly popular (for AMC) Hornet Sportabout in 1971. With the possible exception of the Chevrolet Nomad and similar glamour wagons, the Sportabout was the first wagon that became the dreamboat of its lineup, and buyers responded. It made up the majority of Hornet production in 1971: 73,471 units out of 123,304 Hornets. By zooming in on the window sticker, we can see that this light blue Hornet is indeed from that inaugural season.
This second Sportabout brings with it a few inconsistencies. On the surface, its grille narrows it down to the very similar 1975-1977 models (and there’s no sign on the windshield to guide our way).
However, a quick internet search turned up this same Hornet listed on one of those consignment websites, where it is labeled as a 1974 model. There is even a picture of the car’s 1974-model literature, along with pictures of its original 232-cubic-inch six; therefore, our coppery Sportabout may be a 1974 model with a grille from a 1975-77 model (it would be an easy enough swap). Sadly, a little quick internet research shows that it’s been passed from owner-to-owner several times over the last few years. Some cars just can’t catch a break.
For comparison’s sake, this is the grille that belongs on a 1974 Hornet. Sportabout sales remained strong in 1974: 71,413 out of 186,275 Hornets. Sales would fall in 1975, however, and they never recovered.
Regardless of the model year, all Sportabouts are, if you like this kind of thing, borderline seductive. The hatchback-like tailgate gives it a much racier look than previous compact wagons.
Compare the Hornet to my 1965 Dodge Dart 170 Wagon, for example. The Hornet is only six model years newer, but it looks dramatically more modern. My Dart brings up another good point about the Hornet; it had the compact domestic wagon field to itself from 1971 to 1976. Chrysler Corporation cancelled the Dart/Valiant wagons after 1966, Chevy didn’t offer a Nova wagon after 1967, and Ford hung on with its third-generation Falcon through the beginning of 1970. This shows us that the Sportabout’s brisk sales were no fluke; there was a market for a good-looking small wagon, a market that the rest of the industry had abandoned.
And somehow, the Hornet Sedan’s clean but innocuous styling translates better as a wagon. Regardless of the model year of this example, it’s hardly spoiled by the five-mile-per-hour bumper laws that plagued the looks of so many mid-1970s cars.
The difference in styling comes down to preference. The 1971 model is flashier than the 1974-77 cars from the rear, with bright trim spanning the taillight panel. The trimmer bumpers also keep the 1971 Sportabout to under 180 inches in length, a genuine compact by 1970s standards.
The 1974 model grew to 187 inches in length, still small enough to handle easily. A lot happened in the badging department in three short model years, as AMC adopted this clean little badge that they’d use up until the end.
This is a 1987 AMC Eagle with that familiar badge and familiar styling. It really did hold up fairly well considering that the basic design went all the way back to the 1971 Hornet Sportabout.
The 1971 Sportabout that Hyperpack found fairly begs us to look under the hood. It has 275 tread width rear tires and a decidedly modified stance. Is it a big AMC V8, something like a 390 or a 401? Or is it something less interesting, such as an LS swap? Maybe it’s a sheep in wolf’s clothing, and is powered by the same 232 six as its car-lot brother.
It does seem to have taken some kind of hit in the rear; the bumper and liftgate both seem to be a little tweaked.
On the other hand, the 1974 (or newer) Sportabout sits at a stock ride height with wheel covers that are probably factory-assigned, as full wheel-covers were optional. The double pinstripe was, however, standard.
What was not standard, or even optional, on a 1971 Hornet of any stripe was the Levi’s interior. Although this blue Sportabout is sporting a Levi’s sticker on the side, that interior option wasn’t introduced until 1973, and even then, it was only available on the Gremlin and Hornet Hatchback. Given this car’s paint color, however, a blue “denim” Levi’s interior would certainly look good.
But I think I’d take my chances on this completely stock 1974(ish) Hornet, complete with its 100-horsepower 232 six. Sure, I’d prefer a V8, but I like my cars stock, and I actually prefer the 1974 styling update, big bumpers at all. But the consignment ads online, if they are correct, will leave me searching for another Sportabout. The asking price is $20,495, and that’s quite a bit for a Hornet. Nevertheless, a surprising number of Sportabouts pop up for sale, which proves their relative popularity, and therefore, if you’ve fallen in love with the Sportabout, you should have no problem finding one of your own. Or maybe two.
Related Reading
Vintage Review: 1972 AMC Hornet Gucci Sportabout – Road Test Drives A Designer Edition (by GN)
1972 AMC Hornet Gucci Sportabout – The First Fashion Designer-Mobile (by Edward Niedermeyer)
Car Show Classic: 1974 AMC Hornet Sportabout – A Dorky Cupid Moment (by me)
1976 AMC Hornet Sportabout — The Color of Sad (by Mark Jeanerette)
Big fan of the Sportabout – my brother’s friend had a one in green with some tasteful mods in the early ‘80s. That was probably the first wagon I fell for.
I’m an even bigger fan of the ‘74 GTO that’s parked next to the ‘71. One of my all time favorite 1 year oddballs and a mainstay in my dream garage.
I was never much of an AMC guy, but I always had a quiet yen for a Sportabout. Finding two in a single lot is quite the accomplishment! I think I have only come across one over the past decade -at a show a few years ago, a black 71 that looked really great.
I would imagine that if someone broke a grille on his 74 Hornet/Sportabout, the rule would be to take any decent grille you could find that would swap on, model year be hanged.
I have always liked the design of the Sportabout. The reason for the fast-slope of the tailgate was cash-strapped AMC was unable to afford to relocate the fuel filler to the side, and permit a bumper-height tailgate opening. One would have thought at one point, the Sportabout being a money-maker for AMC, they would have invested some cash to redesign the fuel filler, and enlarge the tailgate opening, even though it was at the time considered a ‘lifestyle’ wagon, not unlike the ’55-57 Nomad, and the Volvo 1800ES Sportwagon that came out for 1972.
That’s another example of AMC’s taking something that was a limitation based on engineering/money and making something pretty decent out of it.
Their biggest coup was four months prior to the introduction of the Sportabout when they introduced the Gremlin, beating GM and Ford with a sub-compact on the same body. A lower-opening tailgate on the Sportabout a few years later would have been a sign of ‘continuous improvement’ when it came to practicality on AMC’s part, and may have gained some repeat buyers. Unfortunately, it was not the same story with the Pacer when the station wagon was introduced as it didn’t gain AMC many sales, which in my opinion, was far better proportioned, and better looking than the hatchback.
I had 2 ’73 Hornet hatchbacks and enjoyed them both. The first I bought while in college in 1977; it did a great job with college duties even with the base 232 engine and automatic. Sadly it was totaled when I was hit at a stop sign by a drunk driver going 70 mph. The second was during my series of ‘cheap, post-college’ cars in 1980 and had the 258 and A/C! Living the big life! It carried me through to my first new car purchase, a 1981 Corolla sport roof. I gave the Hornet to my brother for his commute to trade school.
I was hoping that the blue one was an actual Levis edition. I’m not too good about placing these AMCs in terms of model years, so I d n k that the Levis package wasn’t available until 1973. I’ve seen a Gremlin with that interior and it really does hold up well in terms of durability and attractiveness. It’s kind of sad that this one only has the sticker.
I prefer the early versions. Good point about it being the only compact wagon at the time; that does go a long way to explain its popularity, along with the good looks. The Sportabout came closest to being what a Rambler had been in the ’50s: a rather stylish compact that appealed to more than just the cheapskates.
As to what’s under the hood, I’d bet it’s stock, as there’s no big exhausts out the back. I’ve found that a lot of owners of older cars put on different wheels to give them a bit more visual appeal but can’t be bothered to make more significant changes.
My grandfather loved his purple 74 Gremlin so much that my dad bought a new 75 Gremlin in the same orange color as one of these wagons. It was SO awful that it got traded in on a new 76 Olds Cutlass S. The Gremlin spent a lot of time at Wullenweber Motors in the service department and the final straw was when the radiator fell out of the car when he parked in the church parking lot one Sunday. I just remember steam coming out of the car, and my dad’s ears.
Friends had a skinny-bumper Sportabout and got many years of good service out of it. I think theirs was light green.
I always liked them. “74”, or newer for me.
The Sportabout makes your Valiant look like a Volvo!
Dart sorry, not Valiant.
No problem, Peter. They’re almost identical from the side.
Give me a ’73 “X” with 360, heavy duty suspension, A/C, PS PB (disc) in Copper Tan Metallic.
I much prefer the 1971 version, so many nice detail features, like the little hornet badge on the front fender instead of the cheap looking side marker, the clean simple front grille, that would have looked fresh and original in 71. To be honest the later ones just looked cheap and clunky to me, even though the basic design was still handsome
Great looking wagons. On one hand I’m quite a bit over the whole pro touring look on classic cars but on the other hand the sportabout body style really does lend itself well to customization in the same way tri-five Nomads did, so I don’t dislike it at all since it’s really not a common sight to see them modified in such a way… even if it has a boring LS under hood!(which I doubt for the same observed reasons as Paul).
It’s no surprise AMC let the body live for as long as it did, it really didn’t age at all until the Taurus wagon showed up, prior to that it still looked slicker than every other wagon on the market. The Eagle versions wood paneling and all look like totally natural mid-80s products.
The red ’74 Sportabout is indeed a correct, original late ’74 car (with a ’75 style grille and other features from the factory.) AMC received an odd exemption from the EPA to continue ’74 model year production into the 1st week of November of 1974 to avoid the stricter 1975 EPA requirements a bit longer. Late-build ’74 Hornets (I have an original one from September ’74) have the ’75 grille, a ’75 trim code on the door tag, and multiple other ’75 features. Under the hood, they are still ’74s. Strange, I know. But true!
That one will have to be filed under “you learn something new every day,” Paul. It must have been stressful working at AMC in the 1970s when you had to ask for exemptions like that.
How did I not notice the vintage, “GTO”, badged, “Pontiac”? So, so few of them existed.
I have some museum pictures of a white ’74 GTO; given that a couple commenters have mentioned the car, I might have to write about that one.
Easy to miss. The ’74 is the most forgettable GTO ever made.
While not as desirable as earlier GTOs, it was a great car for its day and I would love to own one. I dismiss the ‘it’s not a real GTO’ talk, which I would call lazy commentary. The earlier models may have been more visually differentiated from their Chevelle stablemates, this was as much a true Pontiac as they were, in that it was powered by a Pontiac division 350, and had meaningful suspension and handling upgrades. In many ways, it was truer to the original 1964 GTO concept than the late ’60s/early ’70s models. It’s performance numbers and dimensions are shockingly similar to the ’64.
The wheels and stance on the blue one are fantastic! Found an old listing for it, says it has the original 232 six and 3-speed manual.
Found an old listing for the blue one, which says it has the original 232 six and 3-speed manual. I think the wheels and stance on it are unexpectedly fantastic!
I love the blue ’71 but would prefer the Dart wagon if necessary .
Where is this great old car sales lot ? .
-Nate