It seems like the F-body Mopar has been the forgotten platform in the past, with most people using Volares and Aspens as parts cars for A-bodies and B-bodies. Volare/Aspen disc brakes are popular upgrades for older platforms. I’ve always sort of liked them, and as a two-door, rear wheel drive Mopar product, what’s not to like? This 1977 Aspen is a largely original car that has been repainted and cloned to look like an R/T. The seller states that it sat from 1996 until recently when it was “brought back to life” with some minor repairs. With only 48,000 actual miles, it is no surprise that this car is in such nice condition. Find it here on eBay in South Carolina with an asking price of $6,500 and the option to make an offer.
Although this car has been repainted, it hasn’t been restored. The interior is in perfect driver condition, by which I mean it is nice enough to enjoy without having to worry about using it. For an economy car of the late 1970s, the interior styling is quite pleasant. It isn’t too utilitarian but there’s nothing there that you don’t need. For the asking price, as a turn key cruiser you can’t expect much better!
As usual for old cars, the back seat is nicer than the front. It almost looks new, and if it weren’t for the fading carpet I would be tempted to assume the interior had been refinished at some point in the past. An otherwise boring seat insert pattern, the gray accents the exterior silver quite well. This car not only seems like weekend cruiser material; I would daily drive this! Though the 360 V8 was an option (and what I would prefer in this car), the seller says that this Aspen has the”high performance ‘Super Six’ engine,” so perhaps this car is faster than one may think.
The Aspen (and the Volare) is one of those cars that the longer you look at it, the more you like it. The R/T stripe kit no doubt does a lot for this car in terms of curb appeal, as well as accenting the body lines. This is a nice, mostly original car. Though there is much dislike for clones as a whole, the R/T stripes give this Aspen a sporty look and it is probably just as much fun as the real thing!
I always thought that early Aspen taillights were such an odd shape. Like the designers didn’t care as long as it was different
Another Glen on the scene!
A friend of mine had an Aspen. I always wanted it, but she eventually sold it when I wasn’t looking. I still call her friend, I don’t know why!
Even the 360 V-8 was rated at a measly 170 horse power. If you are not impressed with this, then you won’t be happy with what came next. Sure, you remember the replacement don’t you? The “K” car. Listing says sold, no surprise considering it was in such great condition.
This is what it has come to, cloning an Aspen R/T?
The only interesting part of this car is the backseat.
We had a Volare and it was awful.
Slow on the interstate, bad in the snow. Spent a lot of time fixing mechanical and electric gremlins.
You can find something better than this.
I had one of these in the real package the RT black, 360 v8,fun car for what it was, rusted severely wound up hauling it to the scrap yard
Buddy in the neighborhood had an Aspen RT with a 318 4 speed. After 38,000 miles the engine went south….the Lean burn got really lean and burnt 2 pistons. He had a 340 Duster that had been wrecked (rolled over and into a tree), so….
Out comes the 318 4 speed and in goes the 340 4 speed as well as the 3.55 Sure-grip 8 3/4. That car was a terror and surprised many, many stop light contestants. Alas; it suffered the same demise as the Duster (Boy didn’t understand the function of brakes in high performance driving).
I would love to recreate that car at some point.
Your insurance rates will go sky high if they find out that you have the high performance Super Six in this car. Same thing that happened to all the Hemis and big blocks, said with tongue firmly in cheek!
Super Six = 2v carb instead of single-barrel.
There are a lot of ridiculous cars just like this one all over Mexico.
They dress up the outside to make it look like it goes fast with hood scoops and the like, but they leave the anemic 6 cylinder under the hood.
It is a waste of effort.
$6500.00 for a 6 cylinder car? No thanks.
asspain horror story!
I remember seeing a picture of one of these many years ago that someone turned into a street freak. No hood, tunnel ram sticking way up there, big back tires skinnies up front, jacked up and painted all crazy, I have to admit at the time it looked pretty good. In retrospect, it was just something different than the usual mopars that were built up.
1976 Volare was among the most recalled cars ever. Eight recalls for different problems in the 1st year. Fenders rusted from the inside within a year. Nail the throttle to get on the freeway and it would stall. That was one recall that could never be fixed. I learned to drive in one of these turds.
Back in 77 I was looking at the new cars at massy Yardley dodge in ft. Lauderdale they had a aspen in the showroom, one side had a aspen emblem and the other had a volare emblem. I pointed it out to a salesman and he quickly pulled off the volare emblem. Must have been a joker on the line.
An old girlfriend of mines father had a 1979 Aspen with the super six. It moved along fairly well, but the rear end was geared too high. You could feel the strain in 3rd gear at low speeds.
It’s gone, someone thought it was worth $6500.
Had a New 1976 Dodge Aspen Slant Six Engine. It literally spent more time at the dealership than on the road. I had three Carbs installed at the dealership. It was ready for a fourth Carburetor after two and half of ownership and 25,000 miles.
It qualified as a lemon car and was returned to Chrysler Corporation.
Dealership admitted to me finally that most 1976-1979 Dodge Aspens and Plymouth Volares came with bad Carter Carbs from the factory.
Rebuilding them was a waste of time.
Most likely the Advertised Car also suffered from bad Carter Carbs and was parked in disgust with only 48,000 miles in 1996.
That’s why Chrysler was going broke and needed a Government Bailout.
People were leery of Chrysler Corporation Cars.
The K car and the bailout also helped bring Chrysler Corporation back.
This would make a good pro-touring candidate, especially if it was fitted with a custom chassis and a Hellcat engine.