V8 Scamp: 1971 Plymouth Valiant

In the late 1960s, Dodge was focused on the youth movement and performance. That resulted in the Dart Swinger in 1969, a sporty 2-door hardtop. Plymouth lobbied for their version of the car and got the Scamp in 1971, based on the Valiant. The seller’s Scamp was previously owned by a little old lady and appears to have been redone from head to toe. Located in Tateville, Kentucky, this decked-out Mopar is available here on eBay where the current bid is $7,600, but the reserve is north of there.

Plymouth’s acquisition of the Scamp may have been part of a trade of sorts. Dodge wanted their own version of the successful Plymouth Duster fastback that came on the scene in 1970. So, also for 1971, the Dodge Demon debuted with Dart roots. The car would be rebranded as the Dart Sport in 1973, as they supposedly caught heat from conservative clergy over the name. Both the Scamp and Demon/Dart Sport would stick around through the retirement of the Valiant and Dart in 1976.

This Scamp appears to have just about every option offered by Plymouth in the 1970s. No attempt was made to turn the Scamp into a performance car, so your only engine choices were a Slant-Six or a 318 cubic inch V8. The seller’s car has the latter, paired with a TorqueFlite automatic transmission, power steering, and cold air factory (converted to modern approved coolant). At 77,500 miles, the Plymouth runs and drives great, thanks to lots of new parts like a Flowmaster exhaust system.

Some of the low-res photos provided show a car that appears to be in the process of receiving new paint. The vinyl top is solid, and the interior is brand new and looks mighty comfortable by 1971 standards. Four new BF Goodrich T/A radial tires have been mounted, and the wheels have been restored. Even the front grille has been replaced with NOS. If you’re looking for one of these third-generation Valiants, they may not come much nicer than this one.