The Dodge Aspen/Plymouth Volare combination replaced the Dodge Dart/Plymouth Valiant duo. Launched in 1976, they were gone in 1980 when Chrysler began going the front-wheel-drive route. A rare option on both was the Super Coupe, only offered in 1978, pairing performance with hot looks. This Aspen version is one of only 500 or so produced, but it hasn’t been well preserved over the years. A victim of a fire, the car is now devoid of its engine and transmission – and is now a project/parts car available here on eBay. The asking price in Logan, Utah is $3,950 OBO – if you dare.

Aspen and Volare sales were initially brisk until quality control problems emerged. They ended up becoming some of the most recalled cars in history. As a result, sales were off by 30% in 1978 when the Super Coupe debuted. Between the Aspen and Volare, the Super Coupe hardly moved the sales dial with just over 1,000 copies between the two brands. When you ordered the elusive Super Coupe, you could get it with a 360 cubic inch V8 (4-barrel for more zoom) and the 727 heavy-duty transmission (was this the same that went into Chrysler’s cop cars?). The suspension was beefed up, as were the wheels and tires.

Only one color was available on the Aspen Super Coupe, Sable Tan Sunfire Metallic (which was a deep shiny brown). There were flat black accents everywhere, too, such as on the hood. And the wheel wells were flared to give the car a bad look, reminiscent of Plymouth’s heyday in the performance world a decade earlier. Also, the coupe wore louvers over the side windows. For whatever reason, these cars didn’t sell well, with 494 coming out of the Plymouth camp plus the 531 Dodges.

Just a few months ago, this car was a daily driver. Until the fuse box caught fire and ruined the dash and probably some of the electrical stuff. Rather than try to salvage the mess, the seller pulled the engine and tranny and put them to use in another project. Also, the fiberglass hood must have been toasted in the fire and is gone, too, though a metal one comes with the sale. From the photos provided, rust isn’t an issue with the car (unlike some other Aspens/Volares of the era). The car got caught in a hailstorm a few years ago, so the side louvers were damaged, but the seller has a spare pair.

Extra parts will come with the sale, whether or not you use them on this car. They include a new master cylinder, brake lines, and a kit to rebuild the front end. Oh, and a new gas tank, as well. The seller admits to losing interest in the car, hence the reason for its sale at an indicated 79,000 miles. This Dodge was built at the same time as their Li’l Red Express pickup was on the market, the fastest commercial vehicle at the time due to some loopholes in emissions regulations. Could the Super Coupe have captured some of that magic?