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AMC Eagle
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====1980==== [[File:1980 AMC Eagle Limited coupe in yellow with yellow and brown at Rambler Ranch 1of4.jpg|thumb|1980 AMC Eagle Limited coupe]] [[File:1980 AMC Eagle Limited wagon in blue with woodgrain at Rambler Ranch 2of3.jpg|thumb|1980 AMC Eagle Limited wagon]] Based on the AMC Concord, the 1980 AMC Eagle was introduced in August 1979 and available as a four-door [[sedan (car)|sedan]] and [[station wagon]], as well as a [[coupe]].<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=r9j7MWLE_jMC&pg=PA270 |page=270 |title=The Cars of American Motors: An Illustrated History |first=Marc |last=Cranswick |publisher=McFarland |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-7864-8570-3 |via=Google Books |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref> Standard equipment included [[power steering]] and power front [[disk brake|disc]] and rear drum brakes, as well as 15-inch road wheels with fiberglass-belted radial [[whitewall tire]]s.<ref>{{cite web |title=EagleWeb |first=Gerard |last=Rosa |url= http://javelinamx.com/Eagleweb/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090502124852/http://javelinamx.com/Eagleweb/ |archive-date=2 May 2009 |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref> The Eagle came base and upscale Limited trims, both of which carried the same features as the Concord DL and Limited, respectively. A [[sports package]] was available only on the two-door and wagon models featuring in addition to "Sport" emblems the following items: Durham Plaid fabric seat trim, leather-wrapped sport steering wheel, P195/75R15 Goodyear Tiempo steel-belted [[radial tire]]s (which were the first tires made to meet standards for winter tires but intended for year-round use<ref>{{cite news |title=Year-Round Tire Introduced by Goodyear |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1977/09/13/year-round-tire-introduced-by-goodyear/3fb2385d-e089-4c0d-8316-0904bf3d57e5/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=13 September 1977 |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref>), sport fog lamps, halogen high beam headlamps, dual black remote mirrors, 4X4 sport graphics, black bumpers with nerf strips, black [[lower body molding]]s, blackout grille, taillamp paint treatment, side tape stripes, and black moldings on the windshield, rear window, door frames, and [[Pillar (car)|B-pillar]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/AMC/1980_AMC/1980_AMC_Data_Book/1980%20AMC%20Data%20Book-A20.html |title=AMC Data Book β Eagle Sport |publisher=American Motors β Merchandising/Sales Support Department |via=oldcarbrochures.com) |year=1980 |page=20 |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref> All Eagles came with "[[Ziebart]] Factory Rust Protection" that included a five-year "No Rust Thru" transferable [[warranty]].<ref name="10features">{{cite web |last1=Gardner |first1=Randy |title=AMC Eagle: Ten Fascinating Features on America's First Crossover |url= https://www.hotcars.com/amc-eagle-ten-fascinating-features-on-americas-first-crossover/ |work=HotCars |date=3 April 2021 |access-date=3 February 2022}}</ref> The cars were built using aluminized trim screws, plastic inner fender liners, and galvanized steel in every exterior body panel, and the body went through an [[Epoxy#Paints and coatings|epoxy-based primer]] bath (up to the window line). Eagles were backed by the AMC Buyer Protection Plan, a 12-month/{{convert|12000|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} warranty on everything except the tires.<ref>{{cite magazine |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=LTm0ceUT6r4C&pg=PT106 |title=The Beauty of 4-Wheel Drive. American Eagle (advertisement) |magazine=Ski Magazine |pages=130β131 |date=February 1980 |volume=44 |issue=6 |via=Google Books |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref> The drivetrain consisted of one engine, the {{convert|258|CID|L|1|abbr=on}} straight-six, in conjunction with a three-speed automatic transmission (a version of Chrysler's A998), with [[Dana 30]] and [[Dana 35]] differentials. All 1980 Eagles came standard with a permanent 4WD system that employed a [[New Process]] 119 [[transfer case]] with a viscous fluid coupling that allowed the drive system to operate on wet or dry pavement without causing undue suspension and drivetrain wear. Due to its rugged undercarriage, two trailer-towing packages were available for handling trailers weighing up to {{convert|3500|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name="10features"/> The top package included a weight distributing (equalizing) [[tow hitch]], seven-connector wiring harness, wiring, auxiliary transmission oil cooler, 3.54 axle ratio, and also required both the optional heavy-duty battery and automatic load-leveling air shocks.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.n0kfb.org/homepage/amc/80_eagle/flipchrt.htm |title=Built for Today...Built to Last for Tomorrow: Eagle 4-WD (flipchart) |year=1980 |via=n0kfb.org |access-date=3 February 2022}}</ref> The 1980 Eagle's appearance differed from the Concord's in that the bodies were raised {{convert|3|in|mm|abbr=on}} further off their suspension to afford better ground clearance.<ref name="Jacobs"/> To fill in the increased visual space between the tires and wheel wells, AMC used durable [[Kraton (polymer)]] plastic wheel arch flares that flowed into rocker panel extensions. The grille was similar to the 1980 Concord's, with horizontal bars spaced slightly further apart and the Eagle emblem mounted to the left side. Because coupes and sedans carried Concord DL equipment as standard, they also carried the Concord DL coupe and sedan roof treatments, featuring [[vinyl roof]] coverings and [[opera window]]s. However, bumpers were mounted closer to the body than those fitted on Concords due to the Eagle having been classified by the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]] as a light truck. This made Eagles exempt from regular passenger-car regulations that mandated both front and rear bumpers sustain a {{convert|5|mph|0|abbr=on}} impact with no damage. As on the Concord, black plastic end caps were featured on the 1980 model year Eagle bumpers. Demand for the innovative 4WD models caused AMC to discontinue the slow-selling [[AMC Pacer|Pacer]] in December 1979, to allow for increased Eagle production capacity at its assembly facility in Kenosha, Wisconsin.<ref name="ward1981">{{cite book |title=Ward's Automotive Yearbook |volume=43 |page=213 |publisher=Ward's Reports |year=1981 }}</ref> The 4WD components beneath a conventional car made the Eagle popular in regions with snow, and AMC made the Jeep connection explicit creating "an early crossover" vehicle.<ref>{{cite book|title=Automotive Engineering International β Volume 113 |page=16 |publisher=Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) |year=2005 }}</ref> Production for the 1980 model was: 9,956 four-door sedans, 10,616 two-door sedans, and 25,807 station wagons, for a total of 45,379 units.<ref name="eaglenest80">{{cite web|url= http://amceaglesden.com/history1980/ |title=1980 AMC Eagle History |work=AMC Eagles Den |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref> The Eagle models helped AMC increase total car production to 199,613 units, or 18% higher than the previous year.<ref name="ward1981"/>
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