I’m assuming that everyone here has heard of Richard Petty? Ok, dumb question. I’m even guessing that most of you have seen a 1978 Plymouth Volare Street Kit Car, also commonly referred to as a Petty Special. This example of what is a pretty rare car can be found on Craigslist, or here on the CL archive, in Auxvasse, Missouri. The seller is asking $14,000 for this car.
Some cars have more names and/or nicknames than a reality tv host has tattoos. Customers could check a box for the A43 “Street Kit Car” package on the Volare and it has the be one of the most unique cars to come out of ChryCo in the late-70s. It’s a love-it-or-hate-it car, there is no question about it. The A43 package added a few goodies onto the Super Coupe package which was rare enough, but the A43 Street Kit Car production was a mere 247 cars. I think it would be super cool to own one. The $14,000 asking price here seems to be in line what a lot of them sell for, if they sell. Maybe a bit on the high side.
The A43 package included Petty’s number 43 decals on the roof and each door, fender flares, suspension upgrades, a rear spoiler, and two-tone blue paint and a few other features. The Dodge Aspen version came in two-tone red. What the heck, let’s just get one of each! Our own Garr Larson showed us a nice example back in November of 2017 but I’m not sure how that much that one sold for, or if it sold.
There are no engine photos but it should have a 360 4-barrel that looks like this. Or hopefully it does. I’m surprised that there isn’t an engine photo in this listing, frankly. The interior looks immaculate from what is visible. The seats look like new and with only 42,629 miles it should look pretty good. You can see that the seller is a Mopar fan(atic?) which is a very good sign for the condition of this car I would think. They say that it could use new tires, which may have already been purchased, and they have the original wheels, too. Have any of you seen one of these in person?
Is it me or is the right rear suspension collapsed?
And where is the manual transmission?
It looks like the rear tires may be a bit flat.
It looks to me like the top of the fender well is touching the top of the right tire, but it is not on the left side.
I also don’t see a flat tire.
The right front tire is almost flat but it didn’t affect the space between the tire and the fender.
There still looks to be a problem with the rear suspension to me.
Anybody else hear some Dukes of Hazzard getaway music playing?
Look at the left rear tire fellas! It looks like 12-14 lbs. pump the tire up to 34-37 lbs and watch your gaps. If there were actual issues the body lines and door, fender, hood gaps would be bad.
I actually said suspension issues, not body issues.
it looks like the right rear suspension has collapsed.
Love the blue shag carpet in the back window. So 70’s
The shag carpet on the package tray does it for me!
I’ve seen pictures of these cars before but never one in person.
For me it would have to due away with the big racy graphics. I really don’t think the King ever raced a Volare in the first place, right?
On short tracks he did…
Too much money for a Volare with a #43 sticker on the door, idc what ANYBODY says.
Give me my ’79 Dodge Magnum G.T.
I bought one from original owner years ago. When he took delivery, the “43’s” and 360 cubic inch fallouts were shipped loose in the trunk- along with the front spoiler.
He gave the 43’s to the service manager and kept the 360 hood call outs. He didn’t want them on the car.
After I owned it for a few years I sold it to someone who did a nice resto on it. It handled very good at speed as well as in the twisties . As a Petty and NASCAR fan, it was one of my favorite cars.
A fine car, I’d love to own another one day.
Whoever buys this, needs to find a Dale Earnhardt edition Monte Carlo SS and a Bill Elliot edition Tbird… that would complete their life size Hot Wheels set.
I’m a FoMoCo/AMC guy, but I’d love to pair one of these in blue with a Lil Red Express Truck in my 40 car lottery garage…
When I was in college, driving around in our 1973 Plymouth Satellite Regent station wagon, one appeared at a little used car lot near where I worked. I was cutting through the shopping center on the way home from work and it was sitting facing me. I pulled into the lot and gave it the best 1am inspection I could. When I got out of class the next day I went looking for it, but there was another car in its place. Almost made me think I dreamt it, but I knew better. Oddly enough, I had a similar thing happen around that time while dropping my sister off at dance class. I had stopped in front of the studio to let her out, and in the rear view mirror I saw the instantly recognizable doghouse of a 1972-74 Dodge Charger in the unmistakable Petty livery. It was in a tiny used car lot behind the library, and I drove over to take a look at it. Poor thing was rough, but I was in love. Unfortunately (i.e. fortunately,) no one was around, and when I went back the next day, it was gone.
Check out this video. This car looks good in red.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygitIzteKS4
Great find.