1972 AMC Gremlin

Compact performance powered by 1972 AMC Gremlin engine family.

Exact-year, stock-presenting 304 V8 Gremlin X retained as the family baseline for body, grille, hood, lamps, bumpers, stripe treatment, 14-inch wheels, and stance; restoration and current equipment remain car-specific.

Body Four-passenger two-door with folding rear seat and lift-up rear glass

Engines 232 six standard; 258 six or 304 V8 optional

Transmissions Three-speed manual or Torque-Command automatic by engine

Brakes Four-wheel drums; optional manual or power front discs

Production 61,717 total: 33,940 232, 19,266 258, and 8,511 304

Story

1972 AMC Gremlin

The 1972 Gremlin family combined two-door, four-passenger subcompact with folding rear seat and lift-up rear window with 232 inline-six, 258 inline-six, 304 V8, Gremlin X package, handling package configurations. This page keeps those factory choices together without treating an engine, stripe, badge, or trim package as a separate car identity.

Engines and transmissions

AMC retained the 232 and 258 one-barrel sixes and added a factory 304 two-barrel V8 path for 1972. The three engines used distinct outputs, transmission applications, axle ratios, cooling, exhaust, chassis, and emissions details; current displacement or an engine badge cannot establish original equipment. Transmission, induction, cooling, exhaust, axle, emissions equipment, and dates must match the selected engine path.

Chassis and brakes

The 96-inch-wheelbase Gremlin used twin-ball-joint independent front suspension and a leaf-spring live rear axle. Four 9-inch drums were standard; manual or power-assisted front discs required 14-inch wheels. The 304 included a front anti-roll bar, while handling-package content varied between six-cylinder and V8 applications. Brake, steering, spring, damper, axle, ratio, wheel, and tire equipment varied by configuration and must be reconciled to factory and car-specific records.

Body, trim, and proof

Start with VIN or serial, body tag, title, shell, and ownership history. Then reconcile drivetrain, chassis, protected finish, cabin, trim, dates, and records. Replaceable badges, stripes, wheels, or a swapped engine cannot establish factory configuration.

Exact-year Gremlin X rear-quarter view retained for lift-up glass, hinges, rear panel, lamps, fuel filler, bumper, stripe treatment, and V8 emblem context; emblems and stripes alone do not authenticate the package or drivetrain.Christopher Ziemnowicz via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Specs

Car type: Compact performance
Seats: 4
Body: Two-door, four-passenger subcompact with folding rear seat and lift-up rear window
Engine: 1972 AMC Gremlin engine family
Horsepower: 100 or 110 SAE net hp with an inline-six; 150 SAE net hp with the optional 304 V8
Torque: Configuration-specific factory rating follows engine, induction, emissions equipment, and transmission
Carburetion: One-barrel induction on the 232 and 258; two-barrel induction on the 304 V8

Equipment

96-inch wheelbase and 161.25-inch overall length
Four-passenger folding rear seat and lift-up rear window
First-year optional 304-cubic-inch V8 package
Gremlin X appearance and cabin package
Optional manual or power front disc brakes

Linked Parts

Price history

Values

Nominal dollars from original price sheets, auction archives, and approved value references.

Original Price

A verified original price is not yet available for this car.

Values move with paperwork, originality, options, condition, venue, and body style. High bids and guide values are labeled separately from completed sales.

Reference records

Options, Colors & Components

Source-backed details for trim, chassis, production, and authenticity.

Engine Details

232 inline-six 232 cu in; 8.0:1; one-barrel; 100 SAE net hp at 3,600 rpm and 185 lb-ft at 1,800 rpm · Standard Gremlin engine with manual or Torque-Command automatic · engine assembly / specification
258 inline-six 258 cu in; 8.0:1; one-barrel; 110 SAE net hp at 3,500 rpm and 195 lb-ft at 2,000 rpm · Optional Gremlin engine with floor-shift manual or Torque-Command automatic · engine assembly / specification
304 V8 304 cu in; 8.4:1; two-barrel; 150 SAE net hp at 4,200 rpm and 245 lb-ft at 2,500 rpm · Optional Gremlin V8 package with floor-shift manual or Torque-Command automatic · engine assembly / specification

Transmission

Factory transmission Three-speed manual with column or floor control by 232 application
Factory transmission Fully synchronized three-speed manual with floor control for the 258 and 304 applications
Factory transmission Torque-Command three-speed automatic with column control for the 232, 258, or 304

Options

Engines and Induction summarized from reviewed factory and marque references.Classic Muscle · Reference illustration

258 258-cubic-inch one-barrel inline-six factory · performance · Engine, induction, emissions equipment, transmission, axle, cooling, dates, and records must agree.
304-V8 304-cubic-inch two-barrel V8 package factory · performance · V8, transmission, axle, front anti-roll bar, cooling, exhaust, 14-inch wheels, brakes, dates, and records must reconcile; a swap alone is not a factory V8.
GREMLIN-X Gremlin X package factory · appearance · Custom pleated-vinyl seats, flip-open rear quarter windows, stripe treatment, wheels, tires, trim, and records define the package; replaceable appearance pieces do not.
HANDLING Handling package factory · performance · Heavy-duty springs and dampers plus the application-correct front anti-roll bar must agree with drivetrain and order evidence.
TWIN-GRIP Twin-Grip differential factory · performance · Carrier, ratio, housing, application, lubricant, dates, and records define one installation.
FRONT-DISC Manual or power front disc brakes factory · safety · Disc hardware, hydraulics, assist, 14-inch wheels, drivetrain application, dates, and records must agree.
SUNROOF Sliding vinyl sunroof factory · comfort · Roof opening, panel, drains, structure, weather seals, finish, and records must agree.
CUSTOM-TRIM Custom Trim package factory · comfort · Pleated-vinyl seating, upholstery, appointments, colors, body tag, and records must agree.

Paint

Exact-year side profile retained for the 96-inch-wheelbase body, door, quarter glass, Gremlin X graphics, rocker area, and wheel-and-tire context.Christopher Ziemnowicz via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

A1 Snow White factory · solid
A2 Canary Yellow factory · solid
C2 Stardust Silver Metallic factory · metallic
C3 Skyway Blue factory · solid
C4 Jetset Blue Metallic factory · metallic
C5 Admiral Blue Metallic factory · metallic
C6 Surfside Turquoise factory · solid
C8 Grasshopper Green Metallic factory · metallic
C9 Hunter Green Metallic factory · metallic
D1 Jolly Green factory · solid
D2 Yuca Tan factory · solid
D3 Baja Bronze Metallic factory · metallic
D4 Cordoba Brown Metallic factory · metallic
D5 Butterscotch Gold Metallic factory · metallic
D7 Trans-Am Red factory · solid
D8 Sparkling Burgundy Metallic factory · metallic
D9 Wild Plum Metallic factory · metallic
P1 Classic Black factory · solid
P81 Gray factory · solid

Production

Transmissions summarized from reviewed factory and marque references.Classic Muscle · Reference illustration

1972 AMC Gremlin total · 61,717 · reported
232 inline-six by engine · 33,940 · reported
258 inline-six by engine · 19,266 · reported
304 V8 by engine · 8,511 · reported

Authenticity

Rear Axle and Ratios summarized from reviewed factory and marque references.Classic Muscle · Reference illustration

Serial and body identity 1972 Gremlin model 7246-5 serial, title, four-passenger shell, lift-up rear-glass structure, and ownership history that agree · Serial plate, body structure, rear-glass hinges and latch, title, and ownership records · fraud detection
Engine, transmission, and axle path 232, 258, or 304 engine reconciled to permitted manual or Torque-Command application, axle ratio, chassis equipment, emissions hardware, dates, and records · Serial and build evidence, engine stamps and castings, induction, transmission case and controls, axle housing and ratio, emissions labels, and component dates · numbers matching
Gremlin X package Record-supported pleated-vinyl cabin, flip-open rear quarter windows, stripe treatment, wheels, tires, trim, and application-correct equipment · Factory or sales records, body and trim evidence, quarter-window hardware, protected stripe evidence, wheels, tires, cabin, and dated hardware · trim correctness
Paint, cabin, and options Body-tag- and record-supported exterior finish, stripe, roof, seats, upholstery, controls, brakes, suspension, and accessories · Body tag, protected paint, upholstery, roof and rear-glass structure, brakes, suspension, invoice or window sticker, and build evidence · date correctness

Still Researching

production Reviewed engine rows reconcile to 61,717, but no audited public ledger breaks production down by transmission, axle, Gremlin X, handling package, brakes, paint, trim, plant, date, export, or surviving-car status.
paint colors The brochure says 13 Gremlin colors were offered but does not name them; the exact-year reference lists 19 AMC colors across all models without a Gremlin body, package, stripe, plant, and production-date application matrix.
interior Factory literature establishes four-passenger seating, standard and custom trim, and Gremlin X pleated-vinyl treatment but not the complete upholstery code, color, paint, package, and running-change matrix.
authenticity markers Public model-year references cannot establish one survivor's born-with shell, engine, transmission, axle, chassis equipment, finish, trim, options, or component dates.