If you’ll excuse my youth, I’d like to speculate – I wasn’t yet alive in 1979, but there’s a few things I picture to be “automotive” cool from then, including T-tops and window louvers. This 1979 Dodge Aspen R/T presents both. This was sent in by a Barn Finds reader who found it here on eBay in Waldoboro, Maine. The current high bid is $10,369 after 21 bids, but the reserve has not been met.
The seller tells us this is just one of 478 Dodge Aspen R/Ts built in 1979 that were equipped with T-tops. I can’t find any evidence to dispute that, so I’ll go with it. I can tell you that total Aspen production in 1979 was north of 143k and almost 43k of those were coupes. Taking the sellers rarity claim into consideration as well as the extensive options list – a more than 81% premium over base – we’re talking a needle in a haystack kind of find here.
The Ensign Blue Metallic paint presents very well and the strobe stripe kit really sets it off. I’m impressed with what the R/T kit does for this F-Body – a good friend’s mom drove an M-Body Dodge Diplomat in a very similar shade of blue and I don’t think there could’ve been a more stark contrast between these two cars. Nice work, Chrysler. The seller says there is no rust and there has been no repair work to the body. The wheels are new and I think they improve the look.
The light blue interior looks like it’s in excellent condition. I see only minor flaws. The bucket seats and center console with automatic shifter evoke that muscle car feel you’d expect from the R/T package. The carpet is faded and a little dirty, as are the seatbelts, but there’s really not much to dislike inside. I’d say it presents very well after 41 years.
A 360 cubic-inch V8 powers this Aspen. Power is sent to the rear wheels by a console-shifted automatic transmission. I’m impressed by the cleanliness under the hood. Power brakes provide an expected modern convenience while power steering eases the turn of the wheel.
I can recall someone in my town having a bright orange Aspen R/T parked under their deck when I was younger. I don’t know what year it was and I don’t believe it had T-tops, but I do remember thinking that car oozed cool. The Aspen R/T presented here has reaffirmed that belief even in a tamer color combination, which I think I now prefer.
This definitely a survivor, and it presents very well! Really looks good, the wheels are a plus..just hope there are no rattles or leaks w/ the T-tops! I’d Love to park this in my garage, and never drive in the rain! GLWTA!! :-)
The t-tops probably rattled and leaked when it was new!
Agree, nice car, but I prefer the factory wheel choices. As far as no AC, big deal, just keep the roof off. I have air in my convert, never use it. Of course, if you took it cross country on a trip, then it might be more wanted. Also, Freon is hard to get, and I have heard the retrofits work so so, is that true?
I could see myself driving that .Cooooooool.
I’d drive that in a heartbeat. Love the wheel/tire combo they installed, and that 360 may not have super-high horsepower numbers but I’d bet it pulls nice and strong.
Great car! :)
I never liked these when they first came out… But would love to have this now.
Aramid belted radial tires from the factory. I wish I could still buy them.
My adopted nephew has one with the factory 4 speed he’s been trying to tear up so he can big block it….
I think I see Chrysler’s infamous “Lean Burn” system box attached to the far side of the air cleaner. That’s all I need to see to stay away from this. They are nice running engines until the Lean Burn acts up, and mark my words, it will act up.
Its over 40 years old, how long will you have to wait ?
Great car. Everything screams perfection, except for the lack of A/C. Buyer will be blessed to get this fine car.
My buddy bought a new 77, black w black interior red stripe, tuff wheel, a/c buckets 360 motor, factory rally wheels, ice looking car for the day, he kept it stock for the 12 mos of warranty, then pulled the 360 in favor of a balanced and blue printed 440, then he did the chassis, became an outright race car
Very cool car! I think the bids are getting a little high for my taste, but it might actually be worth it to the right buyer. I would have to see it in person & fall in love with it before I would pay this much.
Again with the nonsensical AC dredge… sigh.
This car is very cool.
I spent my formidable years as a passenger in a 1977 Aspen wagon in glorious chocolate brown on tan interior and i loved that car. The parents traded for a less awesome 1981 K car, still a wagon but not nearly as kewl.
Great looking Dodge.
A/C a necessity in Georgia, T-tops or no.
Dang
Way cooler then I remember—- I think I like that darn thing a lot !
Nice, clean car. Just not all that desirable to this old Boomer. I’ll leave it for the youngsters that have never had the pleasure of a big-block, rear wheel drive 4-speed. There…i said it. GLWTS!
I’m with most of you, I never really liked these cars, but this one looks good. Between the strobe stripes and the window slats and the grille and the turn signal trim, it has a very horizontal theme going. But it works. The steel blue/ silver/ blue interior works well. Worlds away from my experience with a pale yellow four door 1979 Volare which was part of the (abused) company car pool back in the day.
Nice car with good performance for it’s time but more than a little odd to someone over 60 like me who remembers these as mediocre cars to see an Aspen bid to $13.1k and not meet the reserve. Guessing reserve is perhaps $15k, so maybe the seller works something out with the high bidder.
Low base price for 1979!
http://cdn-0.barnfinds.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/1979-Dodge-Aspen-RT_window-sticker.jpg
But the xtra cost of the larger non hipo 360 motor is crazy!!
Note the tires – ARAMID belted radials – wonder what happened to those, as well as fiberglass belted tires?
IMO it’s the steel that causes belt separation these days.
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/cen-v052n008.p007a?mobileUi=0&#
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1988-09-15-0070050141-story.html
& if tires are so good these days, why no retreads? -> Because the whole tire including sidewalls are all cracked after 7 years! Not so in the 60’s & 70’s!
Funny, but since you brought it up, in 1979 I had Vogue tires on my 79 Grand Prix, and the side wall letters by the size, said Miracle Aramid Radial, so it must’ve been something new then, and went away, cause I have Vogues on my 73 Grand Prix now, and there’s no mention of Aramid, and I’ve owned a # of sets of those tires over the last 40 yrs and only 1 set mentioned Aramid
The engine is the L code (E58) 360. Same as the Police cars and Li’l Red Express trucks. Far more fun than a slant 6 or a 318.
Cool car, how many of these were scrapped thinking nothing would ever come of them? 10+ K now. As much as I like the car, I think the garage it’s in looks even nicer.
Made it up to $13,101 but did not meet reserve.