Car of the Day:October 25, 2010

The car for today is the Motormax 1974 AMC Hornet.

The AMC Hornet was a compact automobile made by the American Motors Corporation (AMC) beginning with the 1970 model year and continuing through the 1977 model year. The Hornet replaced the compact Rambler American marking the end of the Rambler marque in the American and Canadian markets. Hornets were also assembled in foreign markets under license agreements with AMC that included Vehículos Automotores Mexicanos (VAM) and Australian Motor Industries (AMI). T

he new Hornet became an important vehicle and platform for AMC. It served the company in one form or another for eighteen years, until the 1988 model year. It would outlast all other compact platforms from the competition that included the Chevrolet Nova, Ford Maverick, and Plymouth Valiant. The Hornet was also the basis for AMC's Gremlin, Concord, and the innovative all-wheel drive AMC Eagle.

The Hornet's styling was based on the AMC Cavalier show car. Development of the new model took three years, a million man-hours, and US$40 million.[1] The Hornet marked the return of AMC to its original role as a "niche" marketer specializing in small cars.[1] Introduced in 1969 for the 1970 model year, the Hornet was the first car in a line of new models that AMC would introduce over the following three years, and it set the tone for what designer Richard A. Teague and chief executive officer Roy D. Chapin, Jr., had in mind for the company for the 1970s.[2]

With its manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP) of US$1,994 for the base model, the Hornet was an economical small family car. However, it took design cues from the popular Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro, and the company's own Javelin with a long hood, short rear deck and sporty looks.[2] The Hornet's 108-inch (2,743 mm) wheelbase platform (two inches or 5.08 centimeters longer than its predecessor the Rambler American) evolved into a number of other models (including the four-wheel-drive Eagle) and was produced through 1988. The Hornet was initially available in a choice of two thrifty straight-six engines or a 304 cu in (5.0 L) V8.

All four versions of the Hornet were mostly carryovers in 1974, with minimal trim changes. The car's front bumper lost its full-width vinyl rub strip, but gained two rubber-faced bumper guards. A larger rear bumper was added to meet new 5 mph legislation, and the license plate was moved up to a position between the taillights.

This was received in a trade with James. Motormax released a set of 6 cars in a drag themed series which as far as I know was released in Canada, but not in the US. While to my knowledge this isn't based on an actual car, it's still a nice example of what a drag car from the 1980s era might have looked like if a Hornet was used.