A Natural Suede Tan sedan with a tin tip and black wall tires automatically looks like a law enforcement vehicle to me. The full wheel covers are a bit fancy for that, though, and this 1980 Dodge Aspen, as far as we know, was just a normal car for normal people. The seller has it posted here on craigslist in Chisago City, Minnesota, and they’re asking $3,500. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Tony P. for the tip!
I don’t know if a tan, four-door Aspen sedan was ever a dream car for anyone. If the original buyer stayed up at night thinking and dreaming about this car before they picked it up, or maybe they just needed a basic car ASAP, and this was on the local dealer’s lot, so they grabbed it? I’m guessing the latter, but we don’t know. One thing I do know, it’s amazing that it’s lasted for 45 years if this is a Minnesota car.
We all know the scourge of salty snowy roads in the Midwest and Northeast, and this car looks incredibly solid. The seller has provided many good photos and even underside photos, to kudos to them for that. They show a lot of the edges, rocker panels, door gaps, and areas that usually show rust, but this one looks solid with just some surface rust on those lower areas.
The interior looks almost like new, other than a dirty steering wheel. The seats are fantastic in this cloth and vinyl fabric mix, which I believe would have been the standard-issue seat fabric on the Aspen coupes and sedans. Here’s a 1980 Dodge Aspen brochure to see if you can decipher whether these are original or not. In any case, they look like new both front and back, and that’s all that matters.
Made for only five years, which is hard to believe – 1976 through 1980 – the Aspen and Volare started off a little rough with some quality issues, but by the time 1980 rolled around, they were pretty good cars. This one has an incredibly clean 225-cu.in. slant-six, which had 90 horsepower and 160 lb-ft of torque when new. It looks like it has power steering, unless I’m seeing things, but no power brakes? It’s backed by a three-speed TorqueFlite, and the seller says it’s a good daily driver, and I believe it. They also have a list of new and rebuilt parts, including a sweet, rebuilt entire rear differential for $1,500 extra, should a person have a need for that. Please check out the listing to see the photos of that and their description. Any thoughts on this super cheap Aspen?
Bruce Wayne from Batman ’89 spec
Totally the first thing that jumped into my head. His was dark blue, though, right?
Dark blue and a ’78 Plymouth Volare
Bruce Wayne from Batman ’89 spec
This was definitely a car that regular people on a budget would have bought. Funny I remember these being quite plentiful, even this color. A kid I went to high school with his step mom had one identical to this. It looked mint up top, thr body was terrific however, unfortunately the frame litterally rusted in two. Which was a huge surprise, especially considering how good it looked. There aren’t a whole lot of these Aspens and Volares left.
That must have been awkward. How old was his Father?
Jack M. Took me a minute that was funny!
That was hillarious Jack. I was tired and just reread that. A well placed comma or two may have helped there. So…. to fix my blunder, a kid I went to school with. Had a step mother ) much older than us, in fact…… She was old enough to be our mother) had one of these. His Dad was a Dodge mechanic as a matter of fact and had a beautiful Ramcharger. It was a surprise to his Dad too with the rotted frame. So to be clear, his step Mom and Dad did not at any time go to school with us.
I’m still laughing at what you said.
Nothing new/affordable in the last 15 yrs for regular people on a budget .
These cars didn’t have frames, they were unibody, so…anyway, just sayin’.
I owned an Aspen station wagon. I drove an Aspen that looked very similar it had lights on the top and stickers on the side. They wouldn’t die. Except the tin worm got them. They would run well right to the junk yard when the rust got them. In creidibly slow. I saw this and thought it would be fun for a hour . That’s all.
Your thoughts of fun lasted an entire 59 minutes and 57 seconds longer than mine.
Full wheel covers were very common on the 👮♂️ 🚨 ghost 👻 cars up here. 😲
My sister in law had one and for some reason I was at my house with it and my young son. He was stung by a yellow jacket and having a bad allergic reaction. I’m trying to rush to the ER with this painfully slow car. Foot on the floor and not doing much over 70. You couldn’t kill those motors but they were so slow
This one has a Super Six, which came with a 2bbl carburetor. Imagine how pitiful it would’ve been with a one barrel, which most of them came with. Surprised it doesn’t have power brakes, I thought everything except maybe a Chevette came with power brakes by 1980. Not a bad price, but it is a very boring car. Left outside, it’ll rot away in no time. These were not well made.
I used to work with a man who used to work for the New York City Transportation department. He worked at a yard in Queens or Brooklyn that was shared with other city departments. Meter Maids got new Aspens just like this in 1980 or 81. A city bean counter bought bulk oil and it was used in these slant sixes at their first oil changes. Shortly after that, those slant sixes began knocking badly. After a few went back to Chrysler for warranty rebuild, Chrysler had the oil analyzed. They discovered NYC’s bean counter had ordered oil for ELECTRIC motors, not MOTOR OIL for cars. The city wound up paying for new engines for however many blew up after that discovery.
Hi Zen. Yes, the Super Six would have had a whopping 110 horsepower. It was probably a 1979 leftover, because I couldn’t find it available that year.
Body and interior look decent, underside photos of rear of car look concerning
Really can’t lose for that kind of money. A cheap way to get your foot in the door of the classic car hobby.
The chassis looks very solid, it’s the surface rust at the rockers and bottom of doors you might want to address. Reminds me of a TV detective’s car.
Just a good spray of Waxoyl on the underside would be a good move as far as holding further corrosion in check.
A car for an old lady or the FBI
My Hot Aunt (anyone else have a Hot Aunt growing up that was only a few years older than you?) had one of these in the late 70’s, used to pick me up from Baseball practice in it.
The seats bring out the ‘Aspen’ vibe!
I’m embarrassed to say I had that car as a 1980 Volare. Same color, same fabric/vinyl interior (it is original pattern), wheel covers and slant six. Mine had an/fm, crank windows, power steering, power brakes, NO AC. I had to add a rear window defogger from the auto parts store. The upside was it got good gas mileage and looked like Indiana State Police unmarked cars at the time. I splurged on whitewall tires from Sears Auto Center.
Local cops bought a fleet of these that the Air Force had rejected-same engine-as a way to save the county on gas prices.
They’d turn off the lights and sirens going up any hill for any distance to pick up 2 or 3 MPH.
Nice looking car. IMHO, it’s the best looking Dodge Aspen since the 1976-77 models.
I was a police officer at a prominent southern university from 81 – 84. We had perhaps five police vehicles that were generally run three shifts a day. Two were Chevy Malibus with 350 4bbls that would fly. The rest were…. these. There was always a race to get out of shift briefing to grab the keys to the Malibus, as they would fly compared to the Aspens. They were all purchased on the state contract, and whomever did the buying at the university obviously did not see the need for cars that could get out of their own way. They might have had 318s in them, but they were geared poorly. In 82, two of them were swapped out for Gran Furies, which were a lot more comfortable, even had radios inside, but also had the 318s with the same rear ends as the Aspens. When you put your foot in the carburetor, they sounded marvelous. But fast? Not hardly. I went back there a year or two ago and saw they were all driving Explorers now.
The Mopars should have had 360s. I like the 440 BIG Polara with no lights chasin the Charger in u know what movie.
A friend and I both have 1980 Volare GSA Police package cars with 4 barrel heavy duty 318 engines. His is this same color inside and out. Mine is a different paint color but has the same color interior seen here. Chrysler calls it Cashmere. There are numerous differences between civilian and Police versions of these cars (all for the better), too many to list here. Ours have many more regular options than the car shown here. A/C, twin outside remote control mirrors, inside trunk release, heated rear window, oil pressure gauge, certified speedometer, Sure-Grip differential, 60/40 front seats, etc. Great cars.
That engine has fresh paint :)
Well, that might mean something or not -he’s a neat- nick for sure- look at the rear end he’s selling.
I had a 1980 Dodge Aspen Custom same as here but dark green. I just loved driving that car. 2 barrel Super 6 and the only thing wrong was I eventually sold it instead of keeping it. I wish I could get that car back.
k close at the photos and one can see that rust has established a grip on some of the lower body. If the next owner doesn’t get on top of it now; it’ll be soon beheading for rust bucket city. Since it’s kind of a blah vehicle it might not get the help it needs. GLWTS.
Exactly my driver’s ed car, circa 1978.
I wonder if the seller intended to make a drag racer out of this with all the rear end extras? Would be a shame. This car is a tribute to all thrifty elderly folk from the 1980s. You bought this, or a Ford Fairmont or a Chevy Malibu. Wonder if there is a Car n Driver comparison test out there named “I’ll Just Have Vanilla”