As faded as a Hollywood star/starlet, this 1972 Plymouth Valiant Scamp 2-Door Hardtop is, in my opinion, one of the best body styles that Plymouth had in this era. The front bumper could have been a bit smaller, but it’s hard to argue with this crisp, classy design. This one is posted here on craigslist in Elk Grove, California, just south of Sacramento, and the seller is asking $3,900. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Zappenduster for the tip!
The faded paint, I believe, may be True Blue, the darkest blue available in 1972 for this car. The door jambs, wheels, and other non-faded areas look like they’re a darker blue. The seller says they’re basically selling this car because of the cost of having a car painted in California. I don’t want to get into the political weeds too much in regard to regulations, but that’s the first time I’ve heard that as the reason for selling a car. Whatever the reason, this looks like a nice starting point to me.
Plymouth made the Third-generation Valiant from 1966 for the 1967 model year until the end of 1973, and the two best features of this car aren’t shown in the somewhat disappointing exterior photos. They don’t show the cool, concave rear window or the very cool loop bumper on the rear. I’m not sure why that is, but I’ve given up trying to figure out online sellers’ photos. Here are both of those features on a brown car with a white vinyl top. It would have been great to see a convertible Scamp, like this one.
The hot California sun has wreaked havoc with some of the interior bits, unfortunately. I don’t know if a junkyard would have a perfect dash, but Classic Industries has one for $400, I think, although it says arriving soon. They have a green one in stock, so maybe it could be dyed. The steering wheel hub is gone, the woodgrain is worn off the dash in spots, and the usual things seem to be going on inside. There are only two interior photos, but it doesn’t look horrible. They don’t mention the floors; are those original? It looks like this car had air-conditioning at some point, by the underdash vents?
Here’s the 225-cu.in. OHV slant-six powering this Scamp. It’s backed by a three-speed TorqueFlite automatic and would have had 110 horsepower and 185 lb-ft of torque when new. The seller doesn’t say much other than “runs and drives”, which isn’t a confidence-inspiring report, but I love the look of this car. How would you redo this Scamp? Would you keep the “patina” and the slant-six, or?…
How would you make this front bumper any smaller? This would be a great car to make into a stop light dragster. Nobody would see that coming.
That’s a good question, Bob. I don’t know if it could be tucked in like Chip Foose, Dave Kindig, or any other number of customizers might do?
(I also lowered this one a bit)
Every time I see one of these it reminds me of the old Spielberg movie, I believe titled Duel. It had a ghostly semi that kept coming up behind the car and he couldn’t get away. It was a really dark, creepy flick.
The car was a Valiant 4door sedan starring Dennis Weaver and the semi eventually drove off a cliff with the car as a hood ornament.
Wasn’t that Spielberg’s first movie? If so, dang, you could tell that he would be a big name in movie-making.
Scotty, yes it was his first, and it was on the ABC Movie of the Week series.
And Spielberg was only 24 when he made Duel. Imagine that, and only 27 when he made a blockbuster – Jaws.
That was quite a movie. Spielberg’s first as I remember.
Awesome movie for the times. Still pretty good now.
Speilberg’s next film was “Sugarland Express”, starring Goldie Hawn (of Laugh-In fame) as a young mother who helps her husband escape from prison, then kidnaps her own kids and leads the Texas State Police on a chase across Texas with her family and a Texas State trooper as a hostage!
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072226/?ref_=tttrv_ov_bk
Yes, it was “Duel”, with Dennis Weaver, of “Gunsmoke” and “McCloud” fame, as the poor nobody being tortured by a psychotic truck driver driving a tanker truck! Here’s a link to IMDB with more info:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067023/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_7_nm_1_in_0_q_Duel
I wish my Scamp looked that good when I got rid of it in 1987.
By 1972, this car was extremely outdated. It would have been embarrassing to drive.
Go got a 71 in 81 as a graduation present. I was far from embarrassed having it.
It beat walking or taking that big, yellow bus to school every day, LOL!
I guess you weren’t around in 72. This was no more outdated than the Nova, Maverick, Mustang or Camaro and they were all popular cars and sold well.
True. I don’t have actual sales figures to back this up, but when I was growing up, the Dodge Dart seemed to outsell the Valiant. In my neighborhood, I saw a lot more Dart Swinger coupes on the road than Plymouth Valiant Scamps, although other than the name and a different grille and rear bumper, with different taillights, they were virtually twins under the skin.
Re-paint to its original color, no vinyl top, drop a 340 4 bbl, 727 trans, a set of rally wheels and this baby will be the talk of the town. Not many of these Scamps. Lots of Darts. Loved the rear bumper!! Mine was that blue with a white vinyl top..
1973 was the first year for the Federally mandated 5 mph bumpers in front, they got them in the rear a year later, in 1974. I wonder if the front bumper from a 1972 would bolt on?
A 72 bumper can bolt on a 73 , but would look odd as the 73 front clip was redesigned to blend with the larger bumper. In 74 the cars had bumper shocks instead of brackets so I don’t they’d work at all
True. I had forgotten that, as the ’73 and ’74 got a new grille to go with the new bumper. The new bumper in the rear in ’74 meant new taillights as well, as the taillights had to be moved up and out of the bumper itself, to meet the new rules.
This one looks presentable, with surface rust but no holes from the “tin worm” yet! No carpets means we get a good look at the floors and they look solid in the pictures. Was ’72 the last year for the convertible? If so, they must have been as rare as hen’s teeth, because I’ve never actually seen one! I’ve seen the 1960’s versions, but nothing in a convertible after 1969!
No ragtop Valiants after 1966
That’s probably true, but then why does Plymouth show one in the sales brochure for 1972 (the link to the brochure is in the article)? Maybe it was cancelled after the brochure was printed?
take to az and get it painted
Seller says floors sre solid. White vinyl top on these is ugly imo, but the car has good lines for sure. My son’s first car was a ’70 Dart Swinger, which I think is the same body.
Dang it, you’re right! I missed that, my apologies.