“Wayne’s World” 1976 AMC Pacer heads to auction
A 1976 AMC Pacer used in the 1992 comedy film “Wayne’s World” will cross the block at Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale, Arizona, auction on Jan. 26.
In the movie, the Pacer served as transportation for main characters Wayne Campbell (Mike Meyers) and Garth Algar (Dana Carvey), a pair of rock music fans with a public access television show. The hatchback sports Baby Blue paint with flame decals and mismatched wheels (done on purpose by the studio, per the listing).
Just like in the movie, the interior has licorice and cup dispensers and an upgraded sound system. Some modifications were also made for filming, including quarter-inch steel plates welded to the rocker panels for camera support, according to the listing.
The Pacer was AMC’s attempt to field a modern compact for the 1970s. However, its unusual styling generated more jokes than sales. While the Pacer had some innovative features, such as a wide track meant to maximize interior space while maintaining a compact footprint, it was still based on a rear-wheel drive platform, and would soon be rendered obsolete by more efficiently packaged front-wheel drive compacts.
While AMC did offer a 304-cubic-inch V-8, the “Wayne’s World” Pacer has the base 258-cubic-inch inline-6, with an automatic transmission. The car recently underwent a full restoration back to its movie condition. The only change was a modern sound system, as the car didn’t have a functioning system during filming, according to the listing.
Barrett-Jackson does not publish pre-auction estimates, but what appears to be the same car sold for $37,400 at a 2016 Barrett-Jackson auction in Las Vegas. That may not seem like a lot of money, but it was a lot for a Pacer.
