My parents and I were loyal AMC customers and even we did not consider a Pacer. I did think the Gremlin was cute but at 6’2”, it was a bit cramped.
We were an AMC family too. I learned stick on my Dad’s “three on the tree” ‘68 Rambler Roug . Talked them into the all-wheel drive Eagle and toured Florida and Canada in an ‘81 Spirit. That 232cu in straight 6 was da’ bomb.