The AMC Pacer enjoys a certain amount of popularity among collectors today; it’s the kind of interest you get in a vehicle that was unloved in its day. Generally, on the market these days, a Pacer in good condition can sell for $7,000 to $8,000.
But there are exceptions. Someone just paid 10 times that price for a 1976 Pacer. Why? Because it was one of the stars of the 1992 Mike Myers comedy Wayne's World. The price paid might sound pretty nuts for a car like this, no matter how famous, but we’ve seen this kind of insane bidding at Barrett Jackson auctions in the past. So why not a Pacer. But still. A PACER!?
Do the math, and you see that the car’s star turn on the big screen boosted its value roughly ten-fold.
The car makes an appearance at several different points in the film. The most memorable sequence, however, takes place inside the car when main characters Wayne and Garth (Myers and Dana Carvey) and friends sing Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody while head-bopping madly.
The Pacer had been heavily modified for the shoot with tow hooks installed and steel plates welded to the underside of the body to secure the cameras, as well as rear wheel wells cut out to accommodate speakers. Holes were drilled in the roof to add the film's licorice dispenser. Blue paint decorated with flame stickers was applied to a Pacer that was originally yellow.
The auction announcement stated that the relic sat idle for 20 years after filming. It later underwent a full restoration before first appearing at the Barrett-Jackson auction in 2016 (in Las Vegas). At that time, it sold for $37,000. There were those who called that crazy at the time. Six years later, its price nearly doubled at the recent auction in Arizona.
Could it still increase in value? It seems unlikely, but considering the nature of these auctions and the madness that sometimes accompanies the rush to get collectables like this, we wouldn't bet against it. But we’re still a little gobsmacked. An AMC Pacer for almost $100,000 CAD - who would have believed it?
