Chrysler seemed to have hit a home run for the company in 1976 when they introduced the Dodge Aspen and its corporate cousin, the Plymouth Volare. Hopes were high, with the pair collectively receiving the coveted Motor Trend Car Of The Year award, but it didn’t take long before consumers grew wary. Frequent recalls and quality issues seemed to plague these vehicles, with a tendency for early rust development also becoming a sales deterrent. However, this 1978 Dodge Aspen here on eBay appears to remain solid, so if you’ve been in the market for an old-school station wagon, this one’s probably worth a look. Located in sunny Fort Pierce, Florida, the owner is hoping to gain $6,500 from the sale, although he’s also providing an opportunity for potential buyers to submit an offer.
Other than the wheels, this one remains mostly original on the outside and is still wearing its factory paint, though it’s showing some fading in quite a few areas. This might have been frowned upon at one time, but nowadays, it scores pretty high for the generation of fans who appreciate patina. The best news here is that the panels not only don’t appear to be showing any below-the-surface corrosion, but they also seem to be fairly straight. I did spot a small indented scratch on the passenger-side fender, but in the grand scheme, it’s not much of an issue.
If you’re hoping to find one of the V8 engines Dodge offered in ’78 under the hood, that’s not going to happen, as the original buyer didn’t opt for a 360 or even the 318. Instead, there’s a 225 cubic-inch slant six here, which in basic form made only 100 horsepower. However, this one’s got the Super Six, which added a 2-barrel on top and increased HP up to a still-not-very-impressive 110. The seller claims the motor runs well, and also mentions it’s had a recent tune-up, a carb rebuild, a new fuel pump, and fresh heater hoses.
Checking out the trim, this one appears entry-level inside, with no visible power accessories and vinyl-covered seating. It’s possible the wagon has been in a warm climate for years, as the dash is showing numerous cracks, but I’ll take that any day over sheet metal rust from harsh weather. There’s not really anything I have against this Aspen, plus the stance is cool with the wheel and tire combo, but $6,500 seems a bit optimistic in my opinion, especially with the 6-banger. What are your thoughts?
The Super Sixes ran much better than the standard sixes in those years. Idle, passing performance, you name it. I wish a 2bbl six would have been an option back in the early 70s, that would have been an amazing engine.
My mom had an Aspen in the late 70’s. I remember when she mentioned buying it, my brother in law, who was a dealership body shop manager told her to get the V8 considering she would probably be using the A/C year round as we lived in Miami. If this had a V8 I might seriously consider going to look at this as I’m just south of Ft. Pierce (don’t tell my wife).
Imagine this with an LS in it :)
Why?
People and they’re LS swaps. It’s getting old.
LS ! 🤪🤡 it would be perfect with a 5.2 or 5.8 magnum V8 or better yet one of the newer hemis .😁
An LS? This is a MOPAR. I think you’d be more comfortable in back GM town where life is more simple.
“Welcome to Fantasy Island” Oh Wait a minute! Mr. Roarke had a topless special designed Aspen/Volare
Paint is faded in some areas where there still is some.
I’ll take it for 2500 , this hobby has become ridiculous for us.
And the thing is, given the quality of fit and finish Chrysler was giving us when this car was built, I’d guess it has probably looked like this since, oh, about 1980-81…
It runs and drives should make someone a good going to town rig
Not surprised its as solid as it is ; the 78-80 Volare/Aspens did not have the rust issues the 76 and 77s did. The surprising thing is that it survived ; like most compacts , these were still looked on as disposable cars and were well used up and then junked, and very few were saved
You must be right that they corrected the rust issues by ’78. If not, and if this car indeed live for a long time on the Atlantic Coast, it would / should be a rot bucket.
O boy !!… I immediately got images of a modern Hemi & or a stroked small block being stuffed in this sleeper… 👿
Zoom – Zoom !!!…
Steering, Brakes, A/C.
I say this is loaded for a base interior 6 cylinder wagon.
I like it!!!
Just not $6500 worth of like it.
Looking at the interior pics brought back memories for me, as I had a 76 Aspen wagon like this. Mine was white with this same blue interior, and my rear end sat on that seat for a little more than 200K miles. Mine had the basic single barrel carb but did have a four speed with factory Hurst shifter on the floor. That shifter got a lot of comments from people who didn’t think it was factory. I wish I had kept complete records on it like I do with my vehicles now so I could show that I spent virtually nothing ever for repairs on it. I only remember one recall for a plastic shield under the battery, and it had no rust ever. It got driven most every day, rain or shine, but seldom in snow here in the Atlanta, Ga area and never when there was salt on the road. It wasn’t an exciting vehicle but it was a dependable old friend.
My dad bought a ’77 Aspen SE new, with the 225. Had problems with the Lean Burn system. Fit & finish were terrible.
Even so, it was reliable, and he logged 150K on it before he sold it. The fact that this one is still kicking means it was a Wednesday car & likely reliable.
This one has an aftermarket A/C compressor on it.
Dad offered me his car in 1984 for $1000. I turned it down then & would turn it down now.
The 6 cylinders did not have lean burn. He probably had trouble with the carb pump cup which was corrected with a recall.
I had one just like this only all green and a 318 auto. Mint condition. Put some factory looking wheels on it only they were 10″ deep set. 50’S and 60’S with air ride in the back so I could keep it from being air shock stiff. Put an Edelbrock intake with a Carter 4 BBL. carb and an aluminum Edelbrock air cleaner cover. Edelbrock aluminum valve covers, dual exhaust and lots of music. (this was when I was 20 years younger and that was important) That was a cool car. A guy driving by my house seen it in my driveway, stopped and said he just had to have it for his wife. Said it was the coolest wagon he had seen and gave me $2,500.00 for it which back then was quite a chunk of change. If only we knew what was coming right?
Ah, the Aspen! My mother bought one new in 76. Beautiful car out of the box, but major problems developed in short order, most of which were highlighted here. Too bad because it was a wonderful driving wagon with the 318!
The Leanin’ Towa’ of Powa’! Ever notice how a shiny set of wheels make even the most mundane vehicles look appealing?
This appears to have the 8″ wide Kit Car wheels. Those are worth about half the ask.
Nice to see this Aspen. I own a ’78 base Aspen with the factory A833 four speed “overdrive” trans. All ’78 Aspens and Volare wagons came with the “Super Six” and power front disc brakes as standard equipment. It is true that by 1978 most of the problems had been addressed by Mopar and they were great little cars. I found mine in Colorado, rust free with only 27,000 miles on it.
This car is quite basic. The carpet on the floor looks much better than the rest of the car, so I’m thinking it’s a replacement. It’s adequately equipped with power steering, power front disc/rear drum brakes, torqueflite and a/c. But that’s it. It has no upgraded trim and doesn’t even have the rear storage compartments that were an option. The roof rack is an option, but there’s no rear air deflector. 14″ wheels/tires were standard. 15″ are an easy upgrade since the bolt pattern is already 4.5″. Maybe somebody will like the patina look, but I prefer my cars to have decent paint. $3500-4000 tops.
I think if it were in California, it would make a perfect surfer car, roof rack and the tail gate opens upwards in one piece, so it’s easy to sit down for changing and you can hang wetsuit on tailgate to dry, not to mention a folding chair placed well you have shade from the sun, if the back seat folds down you got a place to sleep if it’s a weekend surf spot away from home.
Volare, oh oh
Cantare, oh oh oh oh
Dominico Modugno has entered the chat…
I am currently trying to sell a very nice 76 aspen coupe with a 318 and i cant seem to give it away!
How much you want for yours? Is it as solid as this one? Can you send some pics to me in Messenger or my gmail and we’ll go from there.
Nice to see this Aspen. I own a ’78 base Aspen with the factory A833 four speed “overdrive” trans. All ’78 Aspens and Volare wagons came with the “Super Six” and power front disc brakes as standard equipment. It is true that by 1978 most of the problems had been addressed by Mopar and they were great little cars. I found mine in Colorado, rust free with only 27,000 miles on it.
This Aspen brings back many memories. My Dad purchased his 78 off the showroom floor. Our’s was an SE wagon with the appearance package consisting of chrome window trim and wheel opening moldings and Mopar stock ralley wheels. Add on deluxe bumper rub strips and bumper guards front and rear. It was also delivered with two tone light/medium blue paint. It was, believe it or not an attrative family hauler that got many compliments!
As with many Aspens, it was not decked out with many options. It was powered with the Super Six, power steering and brakes was about it! No air and only an AM radio and crank windows.
Our great friend was a mechanic at the location where my Dad purchsed it and worked through the many recalls that plaqued it right off the lot.
It was a great family hauler that carried myself and siblings along with friends to many family vacations along the Maine coast.
Home being Vermont, it did see many winters, but was used sparingly and the body certainly benefitted from limited exposure to the elements.
It still looked and ran great when my Dad retired to the desert southwest in 92 and reluctantly sold it before moving. Just 94,000 on the clock.
Would love to find one in slightly better condition to add to my garage.
Wish I could locate a photo for you all to appreciate!
Hey,my snowbird neighbors are from Maine,They drive a older Chevy Conversion van with Maine plates out here to Arizona. When here for the winter they a BMW X1.
Nice if you appreciate older, not very exciting, station wagons!
Have my Dad’s 1978 Plymouth Volare Premier edition and it’s still not too Premier!
318 ci, A/C, automatic, baby poop brown exterior and interior. All original, never repainted, lean burn!
Love it and others do too judging by the thumbs up it receives.
Someone recently pilfered a hubcap and the Volare front fender badge! Here in New York, anything is possible!
Funny how more pedestrian cars get so many posts. I guess people would rather discuss something they actually have memories of rather than something the town rich kid got for his 16th birthday.
As a station wagon it does not look half bad.
But I always felt the Aspen two door coupe was kind of ugly, compared to its predecessor the Dodge Demon.
There’s a reason the coupe looks so much different than the sedan and wagon. They were designed in two different studios. The Plymouth studio won the internal competition at Chrysler to design a new coupe for the “Fbody” platform, but the Dodge studio was given a coupe front fender with the assignment being “draw a sedan and wagon to go with the fender”
I wonder how much work it would be to put a 360 crate engine in it! I believe I’d take a shot at doing it if the price was more in the realistic range of around $3500 ish! I wonder if a Big Block would fit in it without chopping everything up to run the exhaust, has anyone ever done that?
Mopar doesn’t offer a crate 5.9L engine, so you’d be looking a buying a junkyard engine of unknown quality or a remanufactured engine which will set you back $3500 with taxes just to get started. You’ll need an intake manifold, carburetor and exhaust manifolds/headers after that. THen you’ll need a V8 Kframe, a transmission to mount to the engine, a new driveshaft and a new exhaust system. So your budget of $3500 isn’t even half if what it’s going to take to do what you’ve just asked about. That’s for parts. Can you provide your own labor?
I drove a 78 Aspen as a company car. What a piece of junk! The transmission blew with 19K miles and was not abused. The passenger window exploded for no apparent reason one day. It’s not something I would consider for any amount of money. Good luck for the person who takes it!
My ’79 Aspen wagon has 154000 miles on it and runs like a Swiss watch. I did replace the tranmission in the car only to get a later torqueflite that had a lockup torque converter which improves gas mileage 8%. I’ve upgraded the brakes and enjoy the hell out of it. Yes it sure sounds like your car was a lemon, but I’ll bet you can find a story similar to yours from any brand of car.
We had 3 of these when I was I high school, all firmer taxi cabs with well over 100k, 2 with the slant 6 and 1 318. There was always a fight over which one to drive between my 1 older brothers and myself, as we all wanted the V8 (even though the frame was cracked). But those 225s were virtually indestructible and very easy to work on (I got a starter swap down to about 15 minutes).
My Dad bought a ’78 Volare Premier wagon, his had the faux wood grain , it was a light green inside & out and fully loaded, 225 Super Six & a Torqueflite even tho it was ordered with a 4 speed O/D, He had it for 10 years and the only trouble he had with it was a burned out ballast resistor . When he gave the car to my kid sister to use it still had the spare ballast resistor in the glove box. While in her possession she claimed the car was stolen. My Dad loved that car & it became his spare car when he bought an ’88 Chrysler 5th Avenue. He was quite perturbed at the stolen car story.
In1989 I bought a ’78 Chrysler LeBaron wagon for $1800. I always presumed this was the same platform, right? Mine had about 88K miles on it when I bought it. Eleven years old but one-owner. I always figured that nobody keeps a car for eleven years unless: a) they like it, and b) they take care of it. It’s become my formula for buying used cars. During the 70s and 80s I bought numerous used (cheap) examples of what were supposed to be Detroit’s worst years. They were all fantastic. I traded them when I felt like something different, not when they presented problems. That Chrysler 318-auto was one of the best cars I’ve ever owned. We drove it all over the US for several years. ‘Loved that car! Years later I had an ’85 Plymouth Fury 318 auto. ‘Loved that one too! These were well-built sturdy cars with a bullet-proof drive-train, and a rugged, attractive interoir. What’s not to like?
Don’t get me going on Mopar stories – the result will be a book!