Junkyard Gem: 1986 AMC Eagle Sedan

If you desired to stay in four-wheel-drive setting at all times, no problem. Attempt driving a 1986 4WD-equipped Subaru or Toyota Tercel 4WD Wagon for cross countries on dry sidewalk in four-wheel-drive setting and you ‘d destroy the tires or worse (Subaru and Toyota introduced their brand-new AWD systems to the North American market for the 1987 and 1988 version years, respectively).

AMC and GM 2.5-liter four-cylinder engines were offered in earlier Eagles, yet the 258-cubic-inch (4.2-liter) AMC straight-six was the only Eagle powerplant choice for the 1985 with 1988 version years.

Only 1,274 Eagle sedans were developed for the 1986 version year, with car sales dropping below 500 for 1987. Chrysler maintained building Eagle wagons after purchasing American Motors in 1987, producing a brand-new division utilizing the Eagle name for 1988. That implied that final-year Eagle wagons were Eagle Eagles, lawfully speaking (though they maintained all their AMC badging for that year).

Naturally, Audi would offer you a 4000CS Quattro car with no-driver-brains-required AWD that year for $17,800 ($51,008 in 2024 dollars), and Volkswagen added the Syncro-equipped Quantum for the following year. The 1986 Eagle sedan had an MSRP of simply $10,719, or $30,716 after rising cost of living.

There’s a facility thick combining in between the front and back axles and no truck-style low-range gear selector. Beginning with the 1981 Eagles, the chauffeur could use a straightforward electrical switch to choose rear-wheel-drive and save gas.