175k Miles and Counting: 1977 Plymouth Volare
In 1976, the Volare became the successor to the venerable Plymouth Valiant, which had been in production since 1962. Over at Dodge, it was called the Aspen which took over the reins from the Dart compact. With similar engineering, the Valiant/Aspen sold well enough but only lasted five years as Chrysler shifted to the front-wheel-drive K-Cars after that. The same 225 cubic inch “Slant-Six” and 318 V8 powered the Volare, like this station wagon from 1977 (the Valiant didn’t offer a wagon in its final years). Located in Vancouver, Washington, this survivor is available here on craigslist for $6,250.
The Volare saw more than a million copies built from 1976 to 1980, which certainly should be considered a success. Yet, it and the Aspen were plagued by recalls almost from the beginning. Instead of waiting to release the cars to the market in 1977, Chrysler accelerated their launch even though the Valiant and Dart were still in production. This rush contributed to quality and rust issues that gave the nameplates a black eye. Things must have been sorted out in the later years as my mother owned a 1980 Volare and it was a solid, though not spectacular automobile.
At 46 years of age and 175,000 miles, this Volare wagon is still in regular use (the seller drives it at least twice a week). It’s said to be a good runner with some new parts, which include the timing chain, water pump, starter, alternator, distributor, and tires. So, we assume there’s no reason you couldn’t expect to get some more miles out of the vehicle. It’s not perfect but is a well-used car that has escaped the Grim Reaper thus far.
This Volare uses the 318 V8 and it sports an Edelbrock intake manifold and carburetor, added by a previous owner. The transmission is the 904 automatics, and we assume it shifts just fine. Most of the photos were taken as the Sun was setting, so the pictures are sometimes dark and it’s hard to pick out any flaws in the body. The paint and wood trim look okay, and the leather (or we think) interior has a settled-in look that may still be comfortable to occupy. If you prefer a station wagon over an SUV, would you buy this as a second (or third) vehicle?
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Comments
Lousy photos. When I saw the 175,000 miles, I knew it was a Slant 6. Probably one of the most simple and reliable Chrysler engines ever. Today, all they build is Fiat and Alfa Romeo junk.
Except it’s not. The article states it’s a 318 with an Edelbrock manifold and carb.
A intake manifold and carburetor isn’t any work to the engine…It still runs perfect at 175,000 miles..Nothing internally was done basically its like changing a spark plug,you do not change or touch the engine..
Chrysler V8’s 273,318,340,360,361,383,400,413,426 wedge and 440’s all ran 200,000 miles plus easily unless abused aka revved and drag raced everyday..
Chrysler V8’s 273,318,340,360,361,383,400,413,426 wedge and 440’s all ran 200,000 miles plus easily unless abused aka revved and drag raced everyday..
My Uncle owned a major plumbing business until the early 2000’s and had a fleet of Dodge vans 50 on the road all the time…They were reliable and lasted..
As for Chrysler today,they do not only use Fiat engines! There is so much misinformation about them today,unreal…
The only Fiat vehicles are the Jeep Renegade and its been cancelled..The Dodge Dart was a Alpha again cancelled but it used a 2.4 Chrysler engine the smaller turbo engine was a Alpha..
Today the only Fiat-Alpha based Dodge/Chrysler/RAM/Jeep are the Ram Promaster Vans but they use Chrysler electronics and Chrysler 3.6 Pentastar V6..and the Dodge Hornet,I believe the 2.0 Turbo is a Chrysler engine..So,they use the body of a Alpha..
I am a former Toyota Tech retired at 38 years old…They had a sister dealer a CDJR beside and I knew the tech their and was there a lot as it was right beside us,feet away..So talked and knew their vehicles as we golfed and hung out with each other..
GM used Opel for all their cars the 90’s Malibu..the Cruze and many more old Vega,Chevette were also Imports modified and build and sold in America but were Opel and Vauxhalls..Camaro and most Cadillac’s were based on imports too..
It’s amazing it’s not rusted to oblivion being from Vancouver and being a Volare, as these rusted prolifically. I presume the price is in Canadian dollars? Could be a nice deal if there’s no hidden rot.
Vancouver Washington. Probably U.S. dollars…
Yes, most of these rotted away. No engine pictures, no mention if it has A/C or not. Still, a high mileage, low desirability car, I don’t think they’ll be banging down his front door to buy it at that price.
It’s an A/C car. Clearly in the pics of you know what to look for
Take pics in the sunlight if you want this kind of $.Sheesh.See quarter rot.and looks like maybe a soft rocker but hard to tell with these pics.2500 car imo.Wonder what it looks like un derneath. My neighbor when I was a kid bought a new 76 just like this with a slant 6 and a 4 speed.
Why do I like this car?! God help me.
Millions of Volares and Aspens were sold, but you rarely see them anymore.
Yet, when thinking back on the vehicles that got all the bad raps in that era (Chevy Vega, Ford Pinto, GM X-Cars, Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volare), which one is most often seen still running with its original powertrain intact?
I had a 1976 volare 4 door sedan with a vinyl top with vinyl interior. It was dark blue and the top was royal blue it was a beautiful car. It had the 318 which I rebuild with all hi po parts and 4bbl carb headers and purple horniest aka glass pack mufflers with turn downs behind the mufflers. It was fast and sounded like the second world war he he. I loved it and drove it all the time. I had a 73 Plymouth road runner at the same time but drove the volare more go figure. As has been said by others here mine sucomed to rust . I did drive it till the rust got so bad I then sold it to a guy that wanted the motor for his hot rod. I still miss it today. I would love to have this wagon but alas age and health issues leave me unable to maintain it. GLWTS
McDonald’s sells millions of burgers everyday but none worth a 2nd thought! Now if some gear head just dropped a 340 in it & was a 4 or 5 spd well I might knock on this guy’s door!
Definitely a VINYL interior. Leather did not come till this body was a LeBaron, Diplomat, New Yorker and Fifth Ave. In 3ssence, these were made through the latest ’80’s.
Neat one here and at one time worthless. These rusted badly and even had a recall for rusty fenders. The rears were soft and often launched the spider gears. The rear would worry me the most and rust were the front subframe mounts. This would be a cool replacement for my 75 Coronet that is nearing retirement from daily beating to once in a while. I don’t think the price is realistic as these are not high on the OMG! I have to have it scale but who knows nowadays. I put hundreds through the press by the late 80s. I gave a basic green, no frills, slant super six 4 speed one to a guy that worked at the yard and needed a car. It was a wagon, ran nice. I paid 40.00 for it at the sale. Few if any wanted these cars. good or bad , which is why few exist today. These, LeBarons, Coronets, or any late 70s through early 80s Chryslers were shotty and considered garbage at one time. In many ways they were.
We had a ’79 Aspen wagon. Great family car. The rust problems had been worked out. Carter Carb on a 318 leaked and flooded often Replaced with a Holley after a minor fire. Otherwise, a solid and reliable car.
Had to replace the rear side window in my rust free wagon. Went to the junkyard and they had an east coast car there. I literally just pulled it out as the sheet metal crumbled away! Ive never seen a worse rust bucket!
I took my driver’s license test in one just like this
I bought a used 76 Volare wagon with the 225 slant six and 4-speed OD tranny when our second child came along and our Civic became too small. Yes, the Volare had rusty fenders and lousy carb, but it was fun to drive, rode pretty well, and had lots of room; it occasionally got as much as 30 mpg! I sold it when some shoddy maintenance caused a rear-end meltdown, and we couldn’t find a decent replacement; it needed a 3.2 rear end, and the closest we could find was a 2.9, which robbed it of some much-needed torque. I sold it to a fellow whose BIL had a glass shop, and he ran it for years picking up windshields from the big city, which was 90 miles away. Fond memories!
Okay … define “fun to drive” please. I’ll wait over here.
Neil, I learned to drive in the family Chevy wagon which had a 3-on-the-tree, so I’ve always had a soft spot for standard tranny’s. I thought that the Volare was fun because of the tranny, and the OD made it even more attractive. One man’s fun might be another’s chore…
I agree, Vinyl seats and every seam is split.
I think there is rust lurking under the paint behind the front wheel well and more rust evident behind the rear wheel well.
The sunset is hiding a lot I think.
$2,250 would be more realistic.
Timing case standard fault for 318s corroded out and let water into crankcase, looked like you had blown head gasket, unless you had seen this fault before it was a trick for young players
Picked the torsion bar front ends out of these in the bone yards to put under F100 pickups.
The moody twilight photography lets this F-body look as good as the Chrysler designers had dared hope, straight, clean and shiny. Letting the factory lighting to illuminate the rugs and seats looks like photos from the new car brochures. Conversely the low level ambient light could be hiding a multitude of sins and certainly is not going to highlight cosmetic flaws. BTW the asking price is $5750. not outrageous by comparison to the price of everything else these days. The Aspen Volare twins had to follow the very successful Dart/Valiant duo which had a good reputation and expectations were high. The quality control problems, the many recalls bled Chrysler white. The smog era “Lean Burn” ignition made cold and damp weather starts an adventure. The incessant whine of the reduction gear starters of stalled Mopars blocking intersections across America on damp mornings in the mid 1970s was known as the “Hamtramck Hummingbird”. Despite all that this one seems sorted out mechanically and barring extensive hidden rust it’s an interesting relic of the good old, bad old days that you can enjoy right away even with it’s notorious numb power steering.
I suppose that because I learned to drive on a manual transmission wagon, rowing through the gears on my Volare was an enjoyable reminder of my formative years. Another aspect of the experience was driving a vehicle that size with an unusual transmission; even then, mid-sized cars were mostly equipped with automatic transmissions, so explainig to others that I drove a wagon with a 4 on the floor was a fun revelation. It ran much better after I replaced the carb, so that really helped with the driving experience. I wonder if any of the sedans came with that drivetrain…
Some 318’s came with a 4 barrel…But ditch the lean burn and carburetor swap these woke up and moved real good!
The 2barrel never revved the engine fully,the car always was half throttle vs a older Chrysler 2barrel that you could swap on and the car was powerful..30 hp gain form a older type 2barrel they had from the smog version!
In 1974 Chrysler in their tech books had the same 318 with one carb vs the other 2 barrel and it was a 30 hp gain in power,just the carb for the 318’s..
Even 360’s later on if a 2 barrel swap a 1974 and older 2 barrel (or a 2 barrel off a 383 but wont work on a 318)..Not a 30 hp gain probably 10-15 you do feel it..I put a 1974 2 barrel off a 360 on my 78 Magnum 360 2bbl and you felt it was quicker..
I swapped many back in the day..The 4 barrel is a no brainer for power gain!!
I took one last trip to Victory auto wreckers a few days before they closed the doors on 11-18-23 for the heck of it and pick a tee shirt up. There was one of these there it was a 77.Someone actually painted the woodgrain with a roller. It had a tilt though and was actually about as clean as this one but the interior was mint..318 2bbl.She gone now and is probably getting made into a Samsung appliance or Kia after shredding. There was a 70 ihc Scout there too.Victory was open since 1945 and bought by the last owners in 1967 from 2 ww2 vets who named it victory.went there for over 45 years. Saw many a big block, small block chevelle ss , impala ss, 69-70 mustang gt’s,plymouth gtx’s , cuda’s,camaro ss etc crushed there.Used to sit on a stack of car’s piled 4 high and watch.Fluids and freon wasn’t emptied back then and the cars with r12 charges in them would explode and fluids everywhere.