39k Original Miles: 1972 Plymouth Satellite Sebring
Most enthusiasts dream about the day they open a barn or garage door to find a low-mileage classic lurking in the gloom. That is the story behind this 1972 Plymouth Satellite Sebring that recently emerged after twenty years in storage. It presents as impressively as you might expect from a vehicle with a mere 39,000 original miles on the clock and is set to be driven off into the sunset by a new owner. This gem is listed here on Facebook in Levittown, New York. The seller set a price of $23,000, and I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder dennis h for spotting this fantastic survivor.
The seller is this Plymouth’s second owner, purchasing it approximately three years ago. It had spent around two decades in storage, limiting its exposure to weather extremes and harmful UV rays. The storage environment must have been almost ideal because the Gold paint shines beautifully, with no evidence of patchiness. It coats laser straight panels, but the lack of corrosion across every aspect of the classic suggests it is a rust-free survivor. There are no visible issues in the supplied shots, and the seller doesn’t mention problems in the listing. The chrome shines as impressively as the paint, and the tinted glass is flawless. The car rolls on its original steelies, and the damage-prone hubcaps are as spotless as the rest of the vehicle, while the narrow whitewalls add the perfect finishing touch to the exterior.
It is worth noting the apparent defects inside this Plymouth before tackling its overall condition. The factory air conditioning doesn’t blow cold; if it has sat for decades, it is likely that many of the seals have dried out. That allows gas to escape, meaning the buyer may need to budget for a rebuild to return the system to a working state. Some of the faux chrome trim around the gauge fascia and other dash trim is worn, but restoration kits are readily available for under $50. Otherwise, this interior appears to need nothing. The vinyl upholstered surfaces are excellent, with no wear or damage. Harsh UV rays haven’t impacted the plastic or dash pad, and the carpet looks excellent. Aftermarket additions include a wheel wrap and a temperature gauge mounted below the dash. That suggests the original gauge doesn’t function, which the new owner will probably investigate if they seek a factory appearance. It isn’t loaded with optional extras, with the original owner only ticking the boxes beside A/C and an AM radio.
The originality of this Satellite extends to its mechanical package, although the seller supplies no engine photos. The engine bay houses the numbers-matching 318ci V8 that sends 150hp to the rear wheels via a three-speed TorqueFlite transmission. Its ¼-mile ET of 17.9 seconds was probably considered acceptable by most buyers, although it isn’t startling by modern standards. After twenty years of hibernating, the seller worked through returning this classic to a roadworthy state. The process included replacing the fuel tank, battery, tires, and master cylinder. It has a genuine 39,518 miles on the clock, but no supporting evidence is mentioned. However, the overall condition is in keeping with the odometer reading. They don’t say how it runs or drives, but the indications are it is a turnkey proposition.
Recent sales results suggest the seller’s price for this 1972 Plymouth Satellite Sebring is at the top end of an appreciating market, posing the question of whether the figure is justified. Its originality, condition, ownership history, and odometer reading suggest so at face value. However, the fact the buyer faces air conditioning repairs could undermine that claim slightly. The key phrase, in this case, is “appreciating market” because it is possible that the new owner could recoup the cost of the A/C repairs quickly if values continue climbing. It is a decision many enthusiasts face, and if you have a passion for Mopar products, would you roll the dice on this classic?
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Comments
It’s a perfect automobile for a daily driver and or showing it if at local cat shows.
Don’t know about the 🐱 show but at over $20,000 I would expect the air to work:-)
Working a/c would be mandatory before I took my long hair cat out to a show in it.
In honor of Toonces, the most popular cat who could drive a car.
You cats are funny!
Ticks every box for me, just lovely.
My mom had a 1972 Satellite 4-door in B5 blue with a B5 blue vinyl interior and rubber floors. It did have an AM radio and a 318 with auto trans and dog dish hubcaps. She added an aftermarket AC from Sears (and it blew COLD). It would get around 21-22 mpg on the highway (new cars today barely get that). We always called it her cop car because of the TV show “The Rookies” (anyone remember that show with Kate Jackson before her days on Charlie’s Angels?). It was her first new and I believe she paid like $2000 for it.
No, SUVs and huge pick up trucks get that mileage. My turbo Civic gets in the low 40s and even higher on a road trip with perfect conditions and the cruise set. That said, nice car, but an unfortunate color choice. Plus the vinyl top is never idea, and sure not in that color. Too bad it didn’t have the cloth interior, those vinyl seats are killer on a hot day. Air? Too bad Freon isn’t 89 cents a can anymore, but they could convert it.
You stated nice car, but picked it apart from front to back, top to bottom. Keep driving your one of 50 million rice burners and leave the classic cars to those who appreciate them for what they are, especially 51 year old iron in this good of condition. Guarantee you your Civic will not be around that long, much less survive the element of time such as this one has. If it did, someone would probably not like the color choice you chose either.
Nice original survivor Plymouth Satellite! Don’t let Richard Rawlings get ahold of this car, he would probably paint it bass boat green metallic, add flames, a crate motor, and some stupid looking 22 inch wheels.
Great find on this nice Mopar. Since the AC not working… I would try a offer $19,500. It could be a switch issue. As long the compressor spins there is hope to fix it. And since it’s a survivor which is rare in this model. How many has been transformed into a roadrunner or a GTX. With either 340 or 440 engine. I would just get a rear package tray for the speakers. Do a major detail on this vehicle and have a good time at the local shows. As long as the 318 was taken care of it is a very dependable motor just like the slight six. Also the 904 trans was maintain. Good luck to the next owner. 🐻🇺🇸
Big Bear, I agree on that offer amount. It’s been posted for a week, and Facebook Marketplace is really only a local sales tool. I’ve found that if something has been advertised for a week on either Facebook or Craigslist, it isn’t going to sell unless the price is reduced, or the seller gets lucky and a site like Barn Finds picks it up.
I must own this!
Great cars! I have owned 4 these bodystyle Plymouths, 2 Roadrunners and 2 Satellites. The had fixed a lot of the body drainage issues from the 70-down B body cars by then and they are usually solid cars unless they were just neglected and even the best of them won’t survive that treatment. This one is a beauty and as stated earlier by someone else, great to see it wasn’t cloned into a RR or GTX!
Very nice. Most of these rotted away the first time they got wet, so there’s so few left, and this one in apparently very nice, original condition. Fix the A/C, and enjoy it.
omg talk about flashbacks. grampa used to take me in his for rides on sunday to get ice cream. same interior just had the darker bronze paint. always said i’d get it from him when he was ready for a new one. sadly that never happened. always liked this nose better than the next one with the big bite out of the hood.
sorry not the hood but the header and bumper the 74’s
Yep I would pull that 318 to preserve it for future generations on a engine stand & find a built 440 six pack motor to slide in & think how much better that A/C compressor would spin with that 440 spinning it!
aww ba, much as i like dem big blocks i think i would stealth a 340 in.
plus i know a guy who just happens to have a hoard just dying to get outa the shed
Last time I took my cat for a drive he rode on top of my head with his claws embedded in my scalp. Can’t recommend it. But seriously gorgous plymouth. One of my favorite Mopars
My folks had one of these when I was young. Same package as this one, except it did have an AM/FM radio. The one they had was a bright red with a black vinyl top and interior. The 318 was never exactly fast, but I don’t recall them having major issues. Dad even installed an add-on 8-track player. We were fancy, lol!
For being an almost strippo’ model it looks like it had the relatively rare rear window defroster. Unfortunately, since it looks through the grill like there are two speakers in the package shelf, I suspect it is gone.
I made that same mistake with my ’73 Barracuda. I put in 2 speakers and tossed the rear window defogger, not realizing how rare it was.
Same thing, my car was a relatively stripped one, but had the defogger, fender mounted turn signal indicators, and map light. Maybe that was a package of some sort?
love the mopars
My sister was looking for a car in 1975 so I found one of these with 14,000 miles. It was loaded up including a gorgeous red leather interior. It had a 360 4bbl which guzzled gas like a private jet. If the AC was blowing cold I’d consider this purchase for $10,000.