My first car was a 1979 Dodge Aspen 2 door with a super six in it I beat the heck out of that thing LOL!! and my good friend has a 1979 Aspen R/T with a 360 Interceptor the same 360's that came in the Lil Red Express trucks anyway they are good cars
@valiant1968 WOW you're not kidding. My dad's '79 Dodge Landmark custom van. Put over 300k miles on it including many trip from Jersey to Florida as a kid. Man time flies...
As a K car original survivor owner, I also love seeing a survivor Aspen/Volare (they are so rare now), so I hope you keep it as an original survivor. But whatever happens, enjoy it!
The reason why they r rare is if u lived in the rust belt part of the country the tops of the fenders rusted bad as well as the whole car!! It just was a junk car when new. Lean burn system offered on these mopars was another nitemare to deal with when it failed to work. A friend of mine owned a cordoba that electronic brain gave him fits being a mechanic he tossed the whole system!
That's not a reman tag on the carb. That's the original carb with the chrysler PART NUMBER sticker. Holley 2280. The extra port on the fuel filter is a vapor return. It has a metered orifice in it.
these were the cars of my day when cars had character and each had it's own look. The 318 was a great engine and would run a long time . Restoration would be nice.
I agree with Onteo`s oppinion and drive it after cleaning as Original 80 car. No tuning. Original is always the best case. Nice greetings to you from Berlin / Germany.
GilmoreLion: Your probably looking at the last one in his state! Aspens & Volarie's had major issues, even when new. There's a very good reason they are "rare" by today's standards! And like he said, "Rare does not mean Valuable"
in the early 80s I bought a 77 Volare, ( used, of course) it had a 3 on the floor , it@@rogergoodman8665 it ended up being a sad state of affairs, didn't have a fantastic income, so I just kept sinking $$$ into it I live in the Northeast, and the transmission crossmember finally broke and I was sick of putting money into it got a deal on a new veh and drove it to a junk yard .. really wasn't that much left to it , the interior held up well, though!
Old mopar 318 is a bullet proof engine, I ran one out of oil as a teenager (forgot to put in the drain plug after an oil change) motor got hot I shut it off put in a drain plug filled it up and drove it like a dipshit teenager for more years!
@@brutalbasspro Same thing happened to my poor old 91 Caddy. The oil cooler line fell off, went about 10 miles with zero oil in the engine. Car stops going uphill on the way home. Wait a few minutes and of course it fires right up and makes it all the way home. Still runs, but needs some new bearings.
@@brutalbasspro Then my car has to be haunted. I'm on my 5th block and internals. Keeps killing bearings and rods. One even snapped the #5 rod in half, regular driving. Just suddenly started vibrating like crazy.
When he offered the spider a screwdriver ride, I got a good chuckle. I’m definitely a fan of these guys making nice clean videos and keeping it entertaining!
Dude, that bone stock low compression 318 is the PERFECT candidate for the Hughes Whiplash cam. It was specifically ground to be used in these engines. Would make a freakin awesome daily.
Add conventional distributor, and/ or add HEI ignition, Holley 4- barrel, dual exhaust, pick up 50+ HP over stock easily. 318' s are pretty tough, strong v_8's
I know this is an older video but I really appreciate seeing this old Aspen. I live in PA and haven't seen these cars for many many years. Brings back a lot of memories for me. I was born in 83 but I remember the late 80's and early 90's when my mom had this generation Aspen but it was a red wagon with wood paneling. My parents didn't have alot of money so they drove older cars. My dad had a Dodge Diplomat. I used to ride in the way back of the wagon and play with my toys. Was hit in the ass end and totaled while parked on the side of the street by a drunk driver. I can almost remember hearing the impact outside. My mother still tried to drive it afterwards, didn't work out so well. Most of it was held together by duct tape. From what I remember she didn't want to give it up because it still ran like a tank. Thanks for the flashback to my childhood! Seeing the dash and interior just brings it all back.
Not joking- I believe this was once my mother's car. Best I can remember she drove it until early to mid 90s. Would love to be able to confirm that this is it. I've never seen another one just like it and we both live in Alabama. Could just be a coincidence...🤷♀️
Most of my family ran the Aspen/Volare cars and wagons. We had an '80 (square headlights) that was off white with a tan vinyl roof. I wish we would have had the V8! We apparently had the only bad slant six that Chrysler ever made. I think ours was probably the first car I ever drove. I can't wait to see this clean and driving!
Had an 84 Ramchager with Leanburn. SCC was fried, so I pulled it out, replaced distributor with one that had vacuum advance, swapped the carb over to one with ported vacuum and a GM HEI ignition system. Ran like a top after that.
The car show scene has been there and done that with corvettes so much. I ended up winning 5 quarts of oil at a car show in 2014 when I entered my 1990 Grand Marquis Wagon...
got to fix the engine BUT, i have a 225 that is basically a sleeper motor, was only made with that much power for 4 years, and in proper running condition can lift the front wheels of my 77 wagon off the road from a dead stop and then again at 70 mph. but, with close to 900,000 miles, the engine needs some work to get it back to having that kind of power.
See what emissions bypass on the carb. We put a 650 twin pump on our police car. We had a Chilton book on this car. The minor mods to use on your car will make a huge difference in how it runs and not waste the fuel the original carb has. That's a solid car. Don't go back to original. After market parts are a lot better. Good luck.
Clean, fix, drive! I have a soft spot for these as I spend many a summer hour in my best friend’s parents Aspen wagon. Wood grain sides and acres of red vinyl! Good times!
They're rare now, but, back in the day, they were everywhere! I knew it would fire...as long as the engine wasn't seized and the wiring wasn't all chewed up. I actually expected to see a slant 6 in there, but, the 318 makes my plan even easier! Clean it up, get it roadworthy, dump a mild 360 in it, then, go hunting for Hondas (or whatever) with their fart can mufflers! I'm not even a Mopar guy, but, I have many memories of cruising back in the 80's with a good friend. He "inherited" his sisters 2 door Aspen as his first car. It had a slanty, 3 speed manual and power nothing except steering and brakes. We'd ride in that on Friday night, checking out the "competition", then, on Saturday night, my 72 Malibu came out for some real action! The Malibu had a full house 406 small block Chevy from my uncles dirt late model. You wouldn't believe how many people were fooled by the 307 fender badges and air cleaner decals! Good times back then!
We had a Volare when I was a kid. It was my Granddaddy's last car and then my Granny drove it after he passed away. She gave it to my Mom. It was a weird old car but it was familiar. Can't explain it. Anywho...nice vid man!!
My first car was a black 79 Aspen 2 door with a 225 slant 6 and red vinyl interior and sport mags. Sportier than the 2 door, but the 225 was pretty gutless (good thing for an aggressive teen driver, lol). That 225 was bulletproof, another good thing for a teen driver not paying attention to things like oil changes.
What a cool car! A friend of mine has 3 Plymouth Volares: A brown 1976 Four door, A Blue 1978 Four Door, & a silver 1980 2-door fastback. Al of them have the 225 Slant Six. The brown 1976 is used as a daily driver & runs good. As for suggestions, power wash this car, clean the interior, keep the original gear reduction starter in it, fix any mechanical issues, install a dual exhaust in it, put a working stereo in it, make sure the ac works, 7 drive & enjoy it.
Fix the trim, wash it, redo the interior. Don't drop it, leave it stock. It's an Aspen, it isn't a race car, it isn't even the 2 door R/T package or anything, it's a nice 4 door car with a solid mopar small block. Speaking of the small block, IMO you should find a 90's 360 Magnum (or 318)out of a truck. You are planning on doing away with the leanburn anyway, just find a junkyard Magnum and nab the harness and computer with it. That car doesn't need to be wild, but it would be nice if it could get out of it's own way and merge onto a highway without fear. I picture some bucket seats out of something newer. New carpet is a must. I think the rest will clean up. If the back seat is too gross, remove it, make a panel to block off the trunk, and put more buckets in the rear. I think you should keep the outside modest and stock, including those nice factory hubcaps, but the interior no one is going to care if you remove the blah benches and put some snazzy black leather buckets in there, especially if you do all four! Your buds won't mind riding in the back if they get their own bucket seats. That car is pretty cool. Leave the exterior, it will turn heads cause it is rare. Do the inside up sweet so you can ride in style.
We have 7 of these. 4drs 2drs s wagons. 6 are worth rebuilding. These are nice cars. We like the 4drs. S. Wagons are cool to. 2 of ours have slant 6. One of the 2 4drs has a 340. One is a police car 360. The rest have the 318. All run. Good luck.
Just cruising through and saw this. When my kids were still in car seats, I had a 77 Dodge Aspen Wagon SE. You know, that one with the paper faux wood grain sides. At the time, it was a mint car, with a beautiful interior and no dents or rust. This was about 1985, so it wasn't new - just really nice. It was very cheap because these had long since fallen out of favor. I remember when Chrysler came out with the Diplomat and Aspen series cars. They were everywhere. very popular. Lots of police versions in both models. The beat cops got the Diplomats and the detectives got the Aspens. I have to say this: It was the most comfortable, smooth riding, and had the best ergonomics of any car I have ever owned. The AC was great and always worked. The wipers never failed. Somewhat underpowered with the 225 slant 6, but extremely reliable. Also, it was just about the right size for a small family. The downsides were that Chrysler failed in the details. Bad door locks and electric window controls, etc. That sort of thing was rampant in the 70's with lots of cars, though. All in all, I have always remembered that car as one of the best I have ever driven.
When I took Driver's Training in the spring and summer of 1976, we had a 2-door '76 Volare and a 4-door, '76 Aspen! Both had the 225 slant six, brand new cars, ran great and drove well! I collect and rebuild old electronics, TVs, radios, stereos, lamps, etc., and we strive to restore to full functionality, keeping as original as possible. I love classic cars, and believe in keeping them as original as possible too! Just my 2-cents worth!😁😊 I enjoy seeing your videos, thanks, and keep up the good work! What part of the great state of Alabama are you in?
You almost have to "teach" people how to start an old Dodge, so they wont chip the flywheel teeth. I bought my son an old Dodge truck, and I had to to train him that this is NOT a Chevy, the starter has to wind back down completely for a second attempt at cranking.
My cousin bought a 1978 Dodge Aspen, he got my dad to co-sign the loan. The car was around 6 years old and he stopped making payments on it. My dad paid off the loan and we acquired this car in 1985. I drove it once and thought it was a big piece of junk. I bought a 1978 Chevy Monte Carlo with my own money, and I liked that car much better. I have never owned a Dodge or Chrysler product and the Dodge Aspen is one reason for that. The car had major rust issues and it wasn't even 10 years old.
Great video!! Power wash and detail exterior, deep clean interior, belts hoses and fluids, and road trip it! Gotta love 4-door F-bodies!! Thanks for all of the awesome content!
Great start and great video. Please pressure wash it BUT blow everything off with compressed air first including engine bay and trunk. at some point early on change ALL fluids including differential. Will be following this project
This has helped inspire me to quit modding my Veloster and get my 78 Lil Red Express up and running. It hasn’t ran in about 8 years. Plan on dropping the fuel tank and getting that cleaned out and go from there.
Give her a good wash, preserve the real patina (maybe clear coat it), fix the interior, fix the gauges and the carb and you're all good to go. The way she started right up the very first time, its obvious that she's a keeper. Initially it might cost you a couple of grands extra, but it'll be worth in the long run.
I rescued My dads citroen Cx that was sitting under a tree for 2 years in his backyard, and a sewer would have smell nicer, I cant imagine what 17 years smells like.
I gues its were it sits i got a 240d that sat for 4 years and had two holes that mice could get in but they didnt and it just smelled like an old Mercedes
When I was in college, I drove a '78 Aspen Fastback. It had the louvered side rear windows and was really sporty looking. Under the hood was that bulletproof 318, and it had a three speed manual transmission. Straight as a pin, but it needed paint. I never had any problems with it. Good, dependable car and it looked pretty good.
Hi Dylan. I was just this weekend on a holyday trip and a found a Dodge Aspen 1986 4 door that had been in a barn for 22 years. We took it out and changed the wheels and checked it over. Of we went to get it inspected and it went through with flying colours. The milage of the car is 6586!! The interior looked like new.
Great car 😊. I have a 1983 5th Avenue. Basically the same base car. I am a lean burn fan. However in your case it probably would be a better idea to put a regular old vacuum advance distributor 70s carb and plain old Mopar electronic ignition on there. I'm definitely interested to see how this project works out. Once you get it to run and drive and cleaned up it will be an awesome car. Cheers.
Of course it runs. It's a 318. I once had 2 of them when I was young. I had a 77 slant 6 fully loaded with a damaged control arm and a 76 with a 318 and a failing transmission, both 4 doors. Drove both for quite awhile.
My buddy had a '78 Volare in college. The ac vents had fallen out, but the ac would blast so cold that you could see the condensation. One year the transmission failed when he got into the school parking lot. He left it for the entire semester, before taking it in after exams. Turns out it was a $40 clogged filter.
My seat in my pickup had mouse nests in it.. I threw the seat in the dumpster, no way to get rid of that smell.. really cool car Dylan ! 318 is a good engine !
Mopar or NO CAR !! Great work Dylan. Got a 1980 Volare Coupe dark blue, same light blue interior like this one with slant six, bucket seats and console shifter. All original. Getting ready to drop in a 60 over 360 with some thump. Drop in a 318 in that beauty.
I put a points distributor in my 82 gran fury after I went through a couple lean burn systems. The car had a 360 I put in it to replace the blown up 318 I don’t know what I did as far as gearing and such but the 360 would from a dead stop no power braking smoke the tires through all of the gears. I had non believers so I took them out and showed them. The 360 was from a 1978 dodge. Oh yes this motor was run out of oil a couple times and overheated a couple of times as well. The only problem with the model car you have there is the leaf springs would blow through into the trunk, dusters do it as well. Good luck reviving this beast
One word - Autocross I took my bone stock '73 Satellite Custom Sedan to an SCCA event up here in Alaska earlier this summer. It was a blast. The guys with $300k cars did not know how to react. It was honestly competitive. We need to see more classic beaters being slung around the tracks.
My dad worked at a Dodge dealership in the late 1970's. He recalls the glued-in taillights popping out of the new cars on the line, every morning they had to walk the lot picking them up to put back in.
My grandmother drove a dark metallic blue 77 4 door with a light blue bench seat vinyl interior and a slant six 225. Her mother bought it new and gave it to her in 83 when my great grandfather purchased a new 83 buick skylark. She drove it up until 99 when she traded it in with 78k miles for a used 98 taurus wagon
I gave up on Mopar F/M/Js after my 3rd one rusted out at the subframe below the firewall. The subframe rails are U shaped with a cap but there's a gap where junk collects and it rots out from the inside. First thing that goes is the parking brake since the anchor points are there, then you'll have weird issues with the door gaps closing on top and opening on the bottom, as well as spot welds shearing between the subframe and the metal wheel tubs. The only prevention is drill access holes to clean it out once in a while, fluid film the crap out of them, and don't daily drive it during New York winters.
Dylan... The Mopar Magic Man! I do your magic with a pressure washer and clean the old girl up for a daily driver. Looks like there's a charger sitting next to it. I also notice weird beard is following you, he has done some great stuff also. Good luck with this project. Can't wait to see what you have up your sleeve for it!
My first car, back in 1987, was a '76 Plymouth Volare with an inline 6. It was a terrible car that couldn't get out of it's own way, and couldn't even idle with to the air conditioning on. Seeing this brings back some great memories, though!
Definitely wanna see more of the car! Pressure wash, tune up, maybe a few mechanical updates....get rid of the emissions crap! Keep most of it sleeper though. I love these underdog cars, and this one is well preserved.
That car brings back memories. We had its brother the Volare in all red. I remember thinking it was ugly back then. My folks loved that car. Good luck to you.
Great show man. But I gotta tell ya you crazy. lol I started my adult life in a Chrysler Plymouth dealership wrenching on Volare's and Horizons. Them things were garbage. rofl I'm glad you have fun with them simply because they survived. And yes Lean Burn sucked. I was there when it first came out. omg a box swap nightmare for parts to keep up. Drove the tune-up guys nuts. The lock up converter came out while I was there. Also a nightmare for parts to keep up we went through so many 904s.
Reply below and let me know what you would do with the car!
Put a LS in it.
Get it running, clean it up, sell it and use the profit for your Trail Duster.
I kinda like the concept you had with the Cordova
Just make it a simple daily I guess
My first car was a 1979 Dodge Aspen 2 door with a super six in it I beat the heck out of that thing LOL!! and my good friend has a 1979 Aspen R/T with a 360 Interceptor the same 360's that came in the Lil Red Express trucks anyway they are good cars
Wash ONLY the windows and leave the mold everywhere else, then drive it on power tour 2020🤘
Your obsessed w/ Power Tour every video . . . . :)
@@SteveJ2824 - Hot Rod Magazine would be much better with less Power Tour stuff.
Haha clear coat it
Nothing like health issues over a worthless 4 door
yeah kevin
The sound of an old Mopar struggling to start, takes me back to my childhood, and brings a smile to my face! Love those old gear-reduction starters!
Lol I remember as a kid , walking across parking lot into the store with mom or something and hearing that sound quite often.
@valiant1968 WOW you're not kidding. My dad's '79 Dodge Landmark custom van. Put over 300k miles on it including many trip from Jersey to Florida as a kid. Man time flies...
Chrysler starters definitely have a classic and unique sound, I love it.
@@obesefeline
Kinda takes you back when you hear an old sound.....pause and remember the old days and sigh
I agree!
As a K car original survivor owner, I also love seeing a survivor Aspen/Volare (they are so rare now), so I hope you keep it as an original survivor. But whatever happens, enjoy it!
These cars are cool, it's such a shame that a lot of these cars disappeared
The reason why they r rare is if u lived in the rust belt part of the country the tops of the fenders rusted bad as well as the whole car!! It just was a junk car when new. Lean burn system offered on these mopars was another nitemare to deal with when it failed to work. A friend of mine owned a cordoba that electronic brain gave him fits being a mechanic he tossed the whole system!
If you drove a K car, YOU'RE the survivor.
@Dan The Man a 'Shuv It'?
I agree, they rusted apart from bottom to top, and the engine set up was garbage
I would clean it up as best as possible while keeping it original. It is a cool survivor and should stay as such. It is only original once!
Yup
I feel you but I'd keep it original but remove the smell of death an mold
@@dexterpoole1625 Totally agree. Lucky for us, I don't think that the current smell is OEM so it can be washed away without hurting the originality.
@@dueljet "OEM" Lol!
Nathaniel S. RN I agree
That's not a reman tag on the carb. That's the original carb with the chrysler PART NUMBER sticker. Holley 2280. The extra port on the fuel filter is a vapor return. It has a metered orifice in it.
Tyler's Neighborhood Garage Tyler knows his Mopars!
these were the cars of my day when cars had character and each had it's own look. The 318 was a great engine and would run a long time . Restoration would be nice.
My jeep Grand Cherokee had the 318. You're correct, beast of an engine even if u didn't take care it. But if u did it started every time. Cold or hot
Clean her up and drive it, as is. Original is always best
@@alexcintas8792 you and every one else on xbox
I agree with Onteo`s oppinion and drive it after cleaning as Original 80 car. No tuning. Original is always the best case. Nice greetings to you from Berlin / Germany.
@@thomaskautzner4172 is a 1970's car, late 79 early 80 had square headlights, models sold 1976-1979 had round headlights.
@@skeletor49 👏😂
I reported the dip shit at the top. Immature fucks like you should have access to the internet.
Get it cleaned up, get everything working, and preserve it. How many Dodge Aspen 4-doors are there left? It would definitely get attention at a show!
GilmoreLion: Your probably looking at the last one in his state! Aspens & Volarie's had major issues, even when new. There's a very good reason they are "rare" by today's standards! And like he said, "Rare does not mean Valuable"
in the early 80s I bought a 77 Volare, ( used, of course) it had a 3 on the floor , it@@rogergoodman8665 it ended up being a sad state of affairs, didn't have a fantastic income, so I just kept sinking $$$ into it I live in the Northeast, and the transmission crossmember finally broke and I was sick of putting money into it got a deal on a new veh and drove it to a junk yard .. really wasn't that much left to it , the interior held up well, though!
@@rogergoodman8665i just got one. 318 car and there's a couple of them near me in AL
New Dodge Truck with 6.7L Cummins: *[Struggles to start]*
Late 1970s Dodge Car: *[Fires right up after 17 years]*
My 1979 dodge van started right up after 20 years. Something to be said about these old Mopars.
Old mopar 318 is a bullet proof engine, I ran one out of oil as a teenager (forgot to put in the drain plug after an oil change) motor got hot I shut it off put in a drain plug filled it up and drove it like a dipshit teenager for more years!
@@brutalbasspro Same thing happened to my poor old 91 Caddy. The oil cooler line fell off, went about 10 miles with zero oil in the engine. Car stops going uphill on the way home. Wait a few minutes and of course it fires right up and makes it all the way home. Still runs, but needs some new bearings.
@@brutalbasspro Then my car has to be haunted. I'm on my 5th block and internals. Keeps killing bearings and rods. One even snapped the #5 rod in half, regular driving. Just suddenly started vibrating like crazy.
Same:/
408 Stroker with a built 727. A decent 8 3/4, and a set of Slapper Bars. Set it on Keystone mags...Street Machine.
I had a 1980 Plymouth Volare with a 225 and I miss it dearly.
When he offered the spider a screwdriver ride, I got a good chuckle. I’m definitely a fan of these guys making nice clean videos and keeping it entertaining!
dude clean that up and keep it mostly original....and make it a reliable dd.....i love it! i love a boxy 4 door mopar!
Dude, that bone stock low compression 318 is the PERFECT candidate for the Hughes Whiplash cam. It was specifically ground to be used in these engines. Would make a freakin awesome daily.
Turbo the 318 !
www.hughesengines.com/TechArticles/10whiplashcams.php
Add conventional distributor, and/ or add HEI ignition, Holley 4- barrel, dual exhaust, pick up 50+ HP over stock easily. 318' s are pretty tough, strong v_8's
I bought a brand new 1974 Duster with a 225 slant six when I was in the Army. I got 25 miles to the gallon with it.
I know this is an older video but I really appreciate seeing this old Aspen. I live in PA and haven't seen these cars for many many years. Brings back a lot of memories for me. I was born in 83 but I remember the late 80's and early 90's when my mom had this generation Aspen but it was a red wagon with wood paneling. My parents didn't have alot of money so they drove older cars. My dad had a Dodge Diplomat. I used to ride in the way back of the wagon and play with my toys. Was hit in the ass end and totaled while parked on the side of the street by a drunk driver. I can almost remember hearing the impact outside. My mother still tried to drive it afterwards, didn't work out so well. Most of it was held together by duct tape. From what I remember she didn't want to give it up because it still ran like a tank. Thanks for the flashback to my childhood! Seeing the dash and interior just brings it all back.
Cool, I alway's liked these 😀 Power wash it, install stereo, and enjoy driving it , Nice blue color
This is a fun video to watch. It brings back memories of the awe for looking at my Plymouth and seeing how original it was with 22,000 miles.
Just think bout when this car was new
Who drove it
What were their lives like
What car did they get next
Also what did they sell to get this?
@@CubCadetMan71 probably a pinto
@@harleyrobertson73 very true.
Not joking- I believe this was once my mother's car. Best I can remember she drove it until early to mid 90s. Would love to be able to confirm that this is it. I've never seen another one just like it and we both live in Alabama. Could just be a coincidence...🤷♀️
@@hussdaddy61 That would be cool if it was. See if you can find photos or maybe sales receipts. That might help figure it out.
Most of my family ran the Aspen/Volare cars and wagons. We had an '80 (square headlights) that was off white with a tan vinyl roof. I wish we would have had the V8! We apparently had the only bad slant six that Chrysler ever made. I think ours was probably the first car I ever drove. I can't wait to see this clean and driving!
I'd polish it up and drive it as is for just a town cruiser.
Had an 84 Ramchager with Leanburn. SCC was fried, so I pulled it out, replaced distributor with one that had vacuum advance, swapped the carb over to one with ported vacuum and a GM HEI ignition system. Ran like a top after that.
It's crazy a restored car like that will get more looks than a brand new Corvette. I have some unusual cars myself.
Me too.
The car show scene has been there and done that with corvettes so much. I ended up winning 5 quarts of oil at a car show in 2014 when I entered my 1990 Grand Marquis Wagon...
"Take two Aspins and call me in the morning." Doctor Mech
My Dodge is 17 years old. That dodge sat it's whole life.
I had a 77 Plymouth Volare it had 225 super six in it. I really miss it. Keep it and build the 318 make a sleeper out of it. 👍
got to fix the engine BUT, i have a 225 that is basically a sleeper motor, was only made with that much power for 4 years, and in proper running condition can lift the front wheels of my 77 wagon off the road from a dead stop and then again at 70 mph. but, with close to 900,000 miles, the engine needs some work to get it back to having that kind of power.
See what emissions bypass on the carb. We put a 650 twin pump on our police car. We had a Chilton book on this car. The minor mods to use on your car will make a huge difference in how it runs and not waste the fuel the original carb has. That's a solid car. Don't go back to original. After market parts are a lot better. Good luck.
No you should just restore the way it came out of the factory And keep it original
Clean, fix, drive! I have a soft spot for these as I spend many a summer hour in my best friend’s parents Aspen wagon. Wood grain sides and acres of red vinyl! Good times!
Clean it up and drive it. It's a pretty cool old car.
They're rare now, but, back in the day, they were everywhere! I knew it would fire...as long as the engine wasn't seized and the wiring wasn't all chewed up. I actually expected to see a slant 6 in there, but, the 318 makes my plan even easier! Clean it up, get it roadworthy, dump a mild 360 in it, then, go hunting for Hondas (or whatever) with their fart can mufflers! I'm not even a Mopar guy, but, I have many memories of cruising back in the 80's with a good friend. He "inherited" his sisters 2 door Aspen as his first car. It had a slanty, 3 speed manual and power nothing except steering and brakes. We'd ride in that on Friday night, checking out the "competition", then, on Saturday night, my 72 Malibu came out for some real action! The Malibu had a full house 406 small block Chevy from my uncles dirt late model. You wouldn't believe how many people were fooled by the 307 fender badges and air cleaner decals! Good times back then!
That's pretty cool, I'd leave it kinda ratty, but make rock solid on the mechanical.
We had a Volare when I was a kid. It was my Granddaddy's last car and then my Granny drove it after he passed away. She gave it to my Mom. It was a weird old car but it was familiar. Can't explain it. Anywho...nice vid man!!
Sleeper, All so what is the deal with the challenger beside it?
My first car was a black 79 Aspen 2 door with a 225 slant 6 and red vinyl interior and sport mags. Sportier than the 2 door, but the 225 was pretty gutless (good thing for an aggressive teen driver, lol). That 225 was bulletproof, another good thing for a teen driver not paying attention to things like oil changes.
Smells like.........DEATH
Well the wife’s Not gonna like it. Dang it.
My first car was an 80 Aspen . I have a soft spot for Aspen's. Lots of memories with it! Love the video
The pond in the left passenger footwell hasn't rusted the floor out yet, so that's a plus.
What a cool car! A friend of mine has 3 Plymouth Volares: A brown 1976 Four door, A Blue 1978 Four Door, & a silver 1980 2-door fastback. Al of them have the 225 Slant Six. The brown 1976 is used as a daily driver & runs good. As for suggestions, power wash this car, clean the interior, keep the original gear reduction starter in it, fix any mechanical issues, install a dual exhaust in it, put a working stereo in it, make sure the ac works, 7 drive & enjoy it.
It's a Dodge, of course it's going to run.
Yeah seems a theme with old dodges. Look good? not really, Structural integrity? eeehh not so much, Will it run? Hell yes!
@@Ray-dx2pf Hey it does look good.
Mr.Mister uhhh no. It’s ugly......but it’s still cool
@@semiauto3148 Your opinion. I think it looks good.
20alphabet ok Al Bundy lol
Fix the trim, wash it, redo the interior. Don't drop it, leave it stock. It's an Aspen, it isn't a race car, it isn't even the 2 door R/T package or anything, it's a nice 4 door car with a solid mopar small block.
Speaking of the small block, IMO you should find a 90's 360 Magnum (or 318)out of a truck. You are planning on doing away with the leanburn anyway, just find a junkyard Magnum and nab the harness and computer with it. That car doesn't need to be wild, but it would be nice if it could get out of it's own way and merge onto a highway without fear.
I picture some bucket seats out of something newer. New carpet is a must. I think the rest will clean up. If the back seat is too gross, remove it, make a panel to block off the trunk, and put more buckets in the rear. I think you should keep the outside modest and stock, including those nice factory hubcaps, but the interior no one is going to care if you remove the blah benches and put some snazzy black leather buckets in there, especially if you do all four! Your buds won't mind riding in the back if they get their own bucket seats.
That car is pretty cool. Leave the exterior, it will turn heads cause it is rare. Do the inside up sweet so you can ride in style.
I got my 1971 Polara running and driving after 25 years. Under $1000
We have 7 of these. 4drs 2drs s wagons. 6 are worth rebuilding. These are nice cars. We like the 4drs. S. Wagons are cool to. 2 of ours have slant 6. One of the 2 4drs has a 340. One is a police car 360. The rest have the 318. All run. Good luck.
Your funniest yet! What exactly were you hoping to accomplish jumping in the hood? 😳🤣🤗🙄
Well, for one thing it didn't cave in like any of today's cars would. :)
Just cruising through and saw this. When my kids were still in car seats, I had a 77 Dodge Aspen Wagon SE. You know, that one with the paper faux wood grain sides. At the time, it was a mint car, with a beautiful interior and no dents or rust. This was about 1985, so it wasn't new - just really nice. It was very cheap because these had long since fallen out of favor. I remember when Chrysler came out with the Diplomat and Aspen series cars. They were everywhere. very popular. Lots of police versions in both models. The beat cops got the Diplomats and the detectives got the Aspens.
I have to say this: It was the most comfortable, smooth riding, and had the best ergonomics of any car I have ever owned. The AC was great and always worked. The wipers never failed. Somewhat underpowered with the 225 slant 6, but extremely reliable. Also, it was just about the right size for a small family. The downsides were that Chrysler failed in the details. Bad door locks and electric window controls, etc. That sort of thing was rampant in the 70's with lots of cars, though.
All in all, I have always remembered that car as one of the best I have ever driven.
That thing is dirty, nasty, grimey, moldy, smelly, crusty and rusty... it’s perfect! 😎👍
When I took Driver's Training in the spring and summer of 1976, we had a 2-door '76 Volare and a 4-door, '76 Aspen! Both had the 225 slant six, brand new cars, ran great and drove well! I collect and rebuild old electronics, TVs, radios, stereos, lamps, etc., and we strive to restore to full functionality, keeping as original as possible. I love classic cars, and believe in keeping them as original as possible too! Just my 2-cents worth!😁😊 I enjoy seeing your videos, thanks, and keep up the good work! What part of the great state of Alabama are you in?
You almost have to "teach" people how to start an old Dodge, so they wont chip the flywheel teeth. I bought my son an old Dodge truck, and I had to to train him that this is NOT a Chevy, the starter has to wind back down completely for a second attempt at cranking.
My cousin bought a 1978 Dodge Aspen, he got my dad to co-sign the loan. The car was around 6 years old and he stopped making payments on it. My dad paid off the loan and we acquired this car in 1985. I drove it once and thought it was a big piece of junk. I bought a 1978 Chevy Monte Carlo with my own money, and I liked that car much better. I have never owned a Dodge or Chrysler product and the Dodge Aspen is one reason for that. The car had major rust issues and it wasn't even 10 years old.
The Aspen was built from 1975-1980. And it sold VERY WELL all 5 years. Who told you it didnt sell well?
total shit
Great video!! Power wash and detail exterior, deep clean interior, belts hoses and fluids, and road trip it! Gotta love 4-door F-bodies!! Thanks for all of the awesome content!
Great start and great video. Please pressure wash it BUT blow everything off with compressed air first including engine bay and trunk. at some point early on change ALL fluids including differential. Will be following this project
This has helped inspire me to quit modding my Veloster and get my 78 Lil Red Express up and running. It hasn’t ran in about 8 years. Plan on dropping the fuel tank and getting that cleaned out and go from there.
Black wagon wheels. Put the nascar stance on it.
Give her a good wash, preserve the real patina (maybe clear coat it), fix the interior, fix the gauges and the carb and you're all good to go. The way she started right up the very first time, its obvious that she's a keeper. Initially it might cost you a couple of grands extra, but it'll be worth in the long run.
Fix it and drive it. Still a cool car!
I would drive it.
very cool thanks.A Dodge Asprin. I was an auto repair tech for 40 yrs.Worked on a boat load of these back in the day.
I rescued My dads citroen Cx that was sitting under a tree for 2 years in his backyard, and a sewer would have smell nicer, I cant imagine what 17 years smells like.
I gues its were it sits i got a 240d that sat for 4 years and had two holes that mice could get in but they didnt and it just smelled like an old Mercedes
@@lotusjaggarage2989 also the interior, mine is completly made ot of cloth, so it absorbs humidity a lot.
Smells like open ass.
When I was in college, I drove a '78 Aspen Fastback. It had the louvered side rear windows and was really sporty looking. Under the hood was that bulletproof 318, and it had a three speed manual transmission. Straight as a pin, but it needed paint. I never had any problems with it. Good, dependable car and it looked pretty good.
Please don't lower it make it into a nice weekend cruiser
79 Dodge Aspen station wagon was my first car. Pretty bullet proof car. Shame you dont see any on the road these days.
Wash it, new paint same color new carpet have seats redone new shocks, brakes, exhaust and it would be a great daily driver
this guy shows some kind of contempt for this old dodge, a real restorer love, and respect his work
welp, just because you put that horn on the roof, you gotta call it "dunce" now.
Hi Dylan. I was just this weekend on a holyday trip and a found a Dodge Aspen 1986 4 door that had been in a barn for 22 years. We took it out and changed the wheels and checked it over. Of we went to get it inspected and it went through with flying colours. The milage of the car is 6586!! The interior looked like new.
Looks like a shoe box with wheels. But i like it.
Great car 😊. I have a 1983 5th Avenue. Basically the same base car. I am a lean burn fan. However in your case it probably would be a better idea to put a regular old vacuum advance distributor 70s carb and plain old Mopar electronic ignition on there. I'm definitely interested to see how this project works out. Once you get it to run and drive and cleaned up it will be an awesome car. Cheers.
Originify it! Rediscovered pearl of pale blue metallic value! Enjoyed the video.
My older sister had a puke green 79 Aspen four door in the late 80s. That thing was indestructible!
Looks very good! Call me crazy, but I REALLY want to wash that car... LOL
There’s something really full filling bringing back the paint on old cars with a good wash and buff
@@shartingfish5761 indeed!!!
Of course it runs. It's a 318. I once had 2 of them when I was young. I had a 77 slant 6 fully loaded with a damaged control arm and a 76 with a 318 and a failing transmission, both 4 doors. Drove both for quite awhile.
CAUTION, CAUTION,,, remove the trailer hitch..... Some one you know will be saved a lot of pain..
Freakin whack the crap out of your shin or knee , and youre layin on the floor crying.
Did it a few weeks back, not the first time.
I had a 78 wagon same color. Miss it.
Restore it back to it's original luster.
My buddy had a '78 Volare in college. The ac vents had fallen out, but the ac would blast so cold that you could see the condensation. One year the transmission failed when he got into the school parking lot. He left it for the entire semester, before taking it in after exams. Turns out it was a $40 clogged filter.
Road trip it to hangout with junkyard digs and race him
Tires stayed up.Impressive.They look stout.Idea tire size to rim match for heavy action.Noticed the trailer hitch.
Leave it looking exactly how it looks, Throw in a 408 stroker and make a sleeper.
My seat in my pickup had mouse nests in it.. I threw the seat in the dumpster, no way to get rid of that smell.. really cool car Dylan ! 318 is a good engine !
New police package project.
Mopar or NO CAR !! Great work Dylan. Got a 1980 Volare Coupe dark blue, same light blue interior like this one with slant six, bucket seats and console shifter. All original. Getting ready to drop in a 60 over 360 with some thump. Drop in a 318 in that beauty.
It was a bad car even before it left the factory.
Yup, they used to refer to them as "The rolling TSB"
I put a points distributor in my 82 gran fury after I went through a couple lean burn systems. The car had a 360 I put in it to replace the blown up 318 I don’t know what I did as far as gearing and such but the 360 would from a dead stop no power braking smoke the tires through all of the gears. I had non believers so I took them out and showed them. The 360 was from a 1978 dodge. Oh yes this motor was run out of oil a couple times and overheated a couple of times as well. The only problem with the model car you have there is the leaf springs would blow through into the trunk, dusters do it as well. Good luck reviving this beast
One word - Autocross
I took my bone stock '73 Satellite Custom Sedan to an SCCA event up here in Alaska earlier this summer. It was a blast. The guys with $300k cars did not know how to react. It was honestly competitive. We need to see more classic beaters being slung around the tracks.
Bought a brand new 1980 Aspen coupe, Candy Apple Red. $7300 on the road. I hope you're able to bring this old girl back to life.
My dad worked at a Dodge dealership in the late 1970's. He recalls the glued-in taillights popping out of the new cars on the line, every morning they had to walk the lot picking them up to put back in.
My grandmother drove a dark metallic blue 77 4 door with a light blue bench seat vinyl interior and a slant six 225. Her mother bought it new and gave it to her in 83 when my great grandfather purchased a new 83 buick skylark. She drove it up until 99 when she traded it in with 78k miles for a used 98 taurus wagon
I loved heraring this kick over and run. MOPAR starter ! Not bad looking, all things considered.
that intro with all the classics is sick!!
My mom had an Aspen just like that! And a Plymouth volare wagon with slant 6s those were the first cars I drove.
I gave up on Mopar F/M/Js after my 3rd one rusted out at the subframe below the firewall. The subframe rails are U shaped with a cap but there's a gap where junk collects and it rots out from the inside. First thing that goes is the parking brake since the anchor points are there, then you'll have weird issues with the door gaps closing on top and opening on the bottom, as well as spot welds shearing between the subframe and the metal wheel tubs. The only prevention is drill access holes to clean it out once in a while, fluid film the crap out of them, and don't daily drive it during New York winters.
Dylan... The Mopar Magic Man! I do your magic with a pressure washer and clean the old girl up for a daily driver. Looks like there's a charger sitting next to it. I also notice weird beard is following you, he has done some great stuff also. Good luck with this project. Can't wait to see what you have up your sleeve for it!
Love you Will It Run series.
Very entertaining, keep posting your great adventures.
Takes Me Back To When I Was 10, Driving My Dad's Cream Colored 77' Dodge Aspen Station Wagon With The Slant 6, On The Big Road!!
My first car, back in 1987, was a '76 Plymouth Volare with an inline 6. It was a terrible car that couldn't get out of it's own way, and couldn't even idle with to the air conditioning on. Seeing this brings back some great memories, though!
Definitely wanna see more of the car! Pressure wash, tune up, maybe a few mechanical updates....get rid of the emissions crap! Keep most of it sleeper though. I love these underdog cars, and this one is well preserved.
That car brings back memories. We had its brother the Volare in all red. I remember thinking it was ugly back then. My folks loved that car. Good luck to you.
Great show man. But I gotta tell ya you crazy. lol I started my adult life in a Chrysler Plymouth dealership wrenching on Volare's and Horizons. Them things were garbage. rofl I'm glad you have fun with them simply because they survived. And yes Lean Burn sucked. I was there when it first came out. omg a box swap nightmare for parts to keep up. Drove the tune-up guys nuts. The lock up converter came out while I was there. Also a nightmare for parts to keep up we went through so many 904s.
Nice practical family car, a change from the usual stuff one sees. Worth fixing and keeping in my opinion.