When I spotted this 1978 Dodge Aspen Kit Car, inspired by Richard Petty, I thought, here we go, some goober got an old Dodge and plastered a pair of “43” decals on its doors so he could play Cup Car racer. Wrong! This is an actual Dodge offering from ’78 one of just 145 produced according to Corey Lewis at “The Truth About Cars“. In all the car hunting that I’ve done, I’ve never encountered one of these so let’s check it out. Located in Salem, Oregon, this rarity is available, here on craigslist for $7,950. Thanks go to Pat L for sending in the tip!
All of the Kit Cars came in a single two-tone color combination of Tapestry Red Sunfire Metallic and Crimson. Other features included 8″ steel “road wheels”, rear louvered side windows, wheel opening flairs, front and rear spoilers, hood pins, and “43” decals that either the dealership or the owner could apply to the doors. Also included was a “360 CU IN” hood decal which referenced the only available Kit Car engine. It even came with rear window retention strips!
Our subject car, surprisingly, seems complete. The finish is faded but the body shows as sound – a remarkable feat for an Aspen, a car that could rust on command. It is said that this Dodge has been off the road for a long time but its parking circumstances are not disclosed. I’d say that it likely spent some amount of time both inside and out – the finish is too worn for a full-time garaged vehicle, but the body with its completeness shows like a car that has seen some protection from the elements.
There’s probably not a whole lot of high-bank hot rodding to be gleaned from a 175 net HP 360 CI V8 engine but there should be enough to provide a quotient of some fun. The seller states, “Runs and drives onto a trailer… brakes are touchy“. There is no mileage disclosure so the engine’s future life expectancy can be called into question. A TorqueFlite three-speed automatic transmission was the sole gearbox allotted to King Richard’s Kit Car.
The interior of the Kit Car was spruced up a bit with its vinyl-clad bucket seats, center console, and a “Tuff” steering wheel. Red was the only hue offered and it basically matches the exterior. The seats and console lid of our subject car are going to need some help and maybe the armrests too. The only non-stock item appears to be a steering column-mounted tachometer.
I’ve often said that I learn something every day and today is no exception – I had no idea that Dodge ever offered such a model. In some sense, it’s a remarkable offering considering all of the financial trouble ChryCo was experiencing at this point in its history. It’s not remarkable enough for me to want to own it, but I’m sure it will appeal to a collector or a Richard Petty fan. Speaking of Richard Petty, it’s a bit ironic that Dodge chose this model honoring Petty’s great legacy when 1978 was the year that he gave up on Dodge, specifically the Magnum, and moved on to greener pastures. A show of hands please, who among you is familiar with this rather rare Dodge Aspen?
Jim, there were actually TWO forms of “Petty” Kit Car Dodges: this type, which was a normal production car with decals and wheels and a few add-ons, and a REAL “kit” Aspen with a tube frame, suspension, special altered body panels and the associated bits to build a genuine race car, though I don’t remember where one could actually race them….
I believe you could order individual parts or the complete (though unassembled) package, including powertrain from Dodge. Naturally, this was nowhere near street-legal. And you had to put it together yourself, or pay a shop to do it. The regular street version was much less expensive.
But one of those would sure be a hoot to find!
Actually you could order the Kit Car as partially assembled up to rolling chassis depending on your budget.https://bangshift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/CKC2.jpg
Slantasaurus, nice find! I wonder how many of these they sold.
Yes I think Plymouth had one to. They also sold a Kit Car that was a complete race car that you had to assemble. They were raced in USAC stock cars
Ken, yes, both Divisions sold a Kit Car. Dodge’s was red and Plymouth’s was blue.
This is not a “Kit Car”. This is a Super Coupe.
Not Super Coupe, Kit Car.
https://www.allpar.com/threads/1978-plymouth-street-kit-car.168121/
Love The King and love the Petty Blue!
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/a43-attitude
The Hemmings article above details how these came to be, and spotlights a blue one which is the only color I’ve ever seen before.
Interesting, but probably a case of finding the right buyer since it’s not everyone’s cup of tea…
I’ve only ever seen this vehicle in petty blue also
They were NEVER “Petty Blue”. The Plymouths were two-tone Metallic Blue and the Dodges were two-tone Metallic Res, like this one.
Forgive me for sounding smug, but why would you want a car for the street that is a make believe NASCAR car? Wouldn’t people laugh at you? These were good looking cars by themselves. No need to gussie them up. Never was a fan of add on plastic or tape strips. Give me clean lines and a clean paint job that properly shines and I will smile. This drive train in a standard car would perform just as well without drawing attention (esp the coppers).
Car and Driver asked the same question when they reviewed these. They opined that you should buy one, then immediately drop in some W-2 cylinder heads.
Ratty and all, I would buy this immediately if fit was on the east coast, clean up the interior, but leave the paint as-is.
At the time, these race car drivers were our heroes. NASCAR was the epitome of “good ol’ boys”( or gals) and driving a car that showed your loyalty, was all the rage,,,for some. Mostly, south of the Mason-Dixon line, but still pretty big. The race cars resembled pretty much what you could buy, and the drivers were just “good ol’ boys”, not the corporate schills of today.
Nice I saw this one when it was sent in to the Fast Finds tip line.
You mean somebody supplied a tip that Jim took credit for?
Nice find, Tony.
Thanks for submitting it.
Same thing happens to me, sometimes.
Not mine either PRA4SNW, but there are a few authors that consistently forget to credit the tippers.
And I’m not one of them. I consistently give credit but it’s always possible, in the act of final editing, to simply forget to add the contributor’s name.
JO
I sent in this tip. No big deal about the lack of credit, just like to see the unique vehicles.
I’m sure Jim just forgot to give credit. It wasn’t intentional and I have added it. Thanks guys!
Love this car. I’d take the engine out and refresh it and double the horsepower on it. Simplify the engine bay by getting rid of anything unnecessary. Make the exhaust really loud with wild extractors.
I agree. I actually kinda have a soft spot for these cars. I had one when I was like… 19 (albeit, in no where NEAR as good of condition as this one is… even though this one isn’t that great either). Mine was the “Duster” version though with the same side window louvers. The guy I bought mine from put super wide Mickey Thompson indy street tires on the back and jacked the suspension all the way up… except it was rusty as he’ll and had a broken right side torsion bar and the front spring perch rotted through the floor on the right side. So it had a hella gangster lean. I’d love to get another one of these and make it have the power that the one I had made. But this being a “NASCAR” inspired replica, I’d want to put boom tube exhaust on it with a massive set of headers and a serious power build on the engine. I think these could really be cool and quite quick… but the flip side is that they’re rare as hell. But as it’s been said before, rare doesn’t always mean valuable. So, what do you do? Make it your own? Or, make it original again… and save its history…??? Questions for the ages.
“One day I’ll have a car that’s that bada$$. I’ll be chirping gears and pulling brodies, Rr-Rr-rr. You like them spinning tires?”
Joe Dirt
Is this where you wanna be when Jesus comes back, making fun of poor ol’ Joe Dirt?!?!?…
Joe Dirt.
“Hey how exactly is a rainbow made? How exactly does the sun set? How exactly does the posi-trac rearend in a 67 Plymouth work? ITJUST DOES”!
Joes dad
Poor old Chrysler, emptying the parts bins before they threw in with the K cars. I saw one or two of these things on the street when they were new. I thought they were sort of dumb looking. Then, years later, there were grown men piloting black Chevy Monte QuartLow’s with the number 3 emblazoned on the doors. To each his own.
It amazes me that there were so few of these cars made. I actually remember seeing these things on the car lots brand new. Plymouth also had there version of these cars only they were two tone blue. Must have had weird Dodge and Chrysler/Plymouth dealers in Appleton Wisconsin because I recall seeing just about all the limited edition Dodges, Chrysler and Plymouths on the lots when brand new. I recall both versions of the Super Coupes also. Never saw an Aspen Sport Wagon but the Plymouth Dealer had a couple of the Volare Sport Wagon models at the same time.
I actually like this Aspen Kit car, hokey graphics, window slats, retainers, spoilers and all. Wish I could bid on it. By 1978 much of the problems that the early F-Body Mopars had were corrected, if this car is as solid as it looks, then it should be a good buy. Just keep in mind, there’s not a real lot of restoration parts made for these. If any major body panels need replacing, you may have trouble sourcing them. Some of the A-body floor pans could probably be adjusted to make them fit but everything else is different.
I remember when these came to market. My response was “Why???” Of course, to be fair, I never was a big fan of Chrysler products.
I kinda feel like anything nascar related is completely irrelevant. My apologies to any nascar fans here, it’s just not my thing. I heard about these cars years ago, and I thought even then they were goofy. Arguably, it’s predecessor’s from 8 & 9 years earlier were just as, if not more goofy looking. At the end of it all, it’s an Aspen, and doesn’t carry too much value, except the value that people can’t afford muscle cars from an era past. Jus sayin.
IIRC: It was Plymouth Blue/Dodge Red back in the day! Racing colours?
I recall my uncle telling me this in the early ‘70’s good times good times 😊
This is a keeper! But it. Easy to make fast. Only to go up and value!
There was a blue one in my hometown that I redid the engine on at only 3000 km. Forged pistons .020 over, ported heads, cam, headers, intake, carb, etc. Probably got 350 hp out of it. A friend did a few mods to the trans. All in all it was a surprisingly
Strong runner and fun to drive. He opted out of the number decals, but it didn’t take long for the Petty nickname to get hung on him.
Don’t know what ever became of it but he was from a family that usually never got rid of anything. Maybe its still stashed in shed on the back 40.
I still have the original Dodge Ad’s for this Petty Kit Aspen from 1978….new
Explanation: plymouth blue/dodge red, total of both made less than 400; w/da red twice da blue~
I think these are cool cars, especially with the 360 in there! It has the wide rally rims too!
It reminds me of the modern Challenger widebody cars with those fender flares.
I’m from the northeast so not into NASCAR so much (especially after they were no longer “stock cars”.) but I can see the thrill for a NASCAR fan to drive a car dressed up like a NASCAR car on the street. I was in Arkansas and saw a mid 80s Thunderbird all dressed up like a NASCAR vehicle and it looked cool.
Dunno about any rust but if no rust I would get it up and running mechanically, clean it up and put on a set of wide white lettered tires. Maybe put 1” spacers in the back and even maybe side exit exhaust and just drive it. The 360 should be fairly reliable, hopefully it was maintained. Always cool to see these cars.
This is NOT a “Kit Car”. That was TOTALLY DIFFERENT!!! This is a Super Coupe. Do some research. It’s really not that difficult.
I will repeat: This is a Kit Car. Please see my previous reply for a Plymouth ad showing this same car.
Hard to argue with the manufacturer,
Not hard to do research and get it CORRECT.
Here is a Super Coupe, completely different look.
https://www.hagerty.com/marketplace/0lp6esaq/tvs/464cebf2-38a1-4632-975d-c23e4953db99
Found new owners who drive 1500 miles one way. Steve and his wife had one back in 2007 when it was destroyed in a fire. So with all the documentation and extra parts. He said he had to get it .. Steve mentioned “it was an honest description and was very pleased. Thanks again for the exposure and yes not for everyone but then back in the day. So where the Daytonas and super birds. Until Barrett and Mecum made them hot. It will be a few years but then these will be highly desirable just wait and see