Ah, the AMC Pacer. At a time when American vehicles had football fields for hoods, the Pacer was a bulbous little runabout with distinct 1970s charm. And now, the most famous Pacer of them all is immortalized and ready to charm a new generation of AMC fans.
Of course, we’re talking about the blue 1976 AMC Pacer from Wayne’s World. The breakout film for Mike Myers starred fellow Saturday Night Live alum Dana Carvey as Wayne’s best bud Garth, owner of said Pacer—AKA the Mirthmobile. Few movie scenes from the last 35 years are as iconic as Wayne, Garth, and their pals rocking out to Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody in the Mirthmobile. It was such an iconic scene that it brought Queen’s bodacious 1970s ballad back to the Billboard charts.
Now, 33 years after the film’s debut, the iconic Pacer is heading to the prestigious Petersen Museum with a full restoration. But it wasn’t an easy road to get there, as Hagerty reports. After filming, the car was used for some movie promo work and was ultimately given to a woman in Oregon as part of a prize package through MTV.
From there, the car went to a local museum, where it didn’t receive the best treatment. It sat outside, got a bit crusty, and basically faded out of the public’s eye until it ended up on the History Channel show, Pawn Stars.
At that point, the car was fully restored, but according to Hagerty, some “shortcuts” were taken in the process. It wasn’t quite as original as it was in the movie, so when the car was purchased by Kevin and Brandon Mindel, they set about making it right. Known for their passion regarding iconic Hollywood cars, they spiffed up Garth’s ride just as it was in the film—licorice dispenser and all.
The Pacer is currently on display as part of the Petersen’s Hollywood Customs gallery. Excellent!
Source:
The Petersen Museum via Hagerty