Aspen/Volare

[Drache]

Well I got the ok to go buy the volare once its been personally inspected by me. Course that means a 6 hour road trip to Kamloops to look at it! 

One thing that has me stumped and a little worried is that in the ad, the guy lists the car as a '76 Dodge Aspen. Upon closer inspection though, it appears to have Plymouth Volare taillights, headlights, grille, and both bumpers. I posted about this on a aspen/volare forum and they confirmed it.

So... does anyone know the starting VIN sequence of a Aspen compared to a Volare so I know what it is exactly?

[bull]

  Better go back to the aspen/volare forum for that.

[Drache]

Better go back to the aspen/volare forum for that.

I have it posted there but it seems there are only 10 members sometimes! 

[ramit]

An Aspen VIN should start with an N and a Volare VIN should start with an H.  I don't know how you tell the bumpers and headlight apart from each other but I thought the tailights were easily interchanged. In my opinion the Volare tailights look nicer anyways.   I also noticed that from the picture that the hood looks like it has been replaced with a Volare hood and in that case I think you have to put a Volare grille in the car.  I hope that helps.

[bordin34]

Do you have any pictures of the car. I really like the Super Coupes and Aspen R/Ts.

[Drache]

Do you have any pictures of the car. I really like the Super Coupes and Aspen R/Ts.

I had made a post asking for a Kamloops member to go look at it for me but I posted pictures as well:

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,42224.0.html


Now I have learned a few things since posting the car on the aspen/volare forum:

The car has volare tail lights and headlights, and the grille IS from a volare but from a much sought after 78/79 grille! Infact Ive already had offers to sell the grille. The hood as well is from a Volare. (If you use a volare hood you need a volare grille)

SO the car MIGHT be a aspen with volare parts or a volare with a few newer parts. Either way a nice little rat rod!

[ramit]

What is the difference in the headlights?

[Drache]

What is the difference in the headlights?

no clue, Im just going by what I was told at the aspen/volare forums....

[TruckDriver]

What is the difference in the headlights?

no clue, Im just going by what I was told at the aspen/volare forums....

Nothing til 1980. In 1980, they had rectangluar headlights. The front turn signals were different though. '76 were in the front bumper. '77-'80 they were next to the headlights in the grille. But depending wheater it was a Roadrunner, or a Aspen R/T, the turn signal lenses were either a open clear square if it was a Plymouth, or it had slot type lenses if it was a Dodge.

The pics below are...

1976 R/T
1977 Roadrunner
1978 R/T
1979 R/T

[TruckDriver]

This is a 1980 Volare Roadrunner that has beed modified a little. Those are '76/'77 louvers, the '80 models did not have the front spoiler and wheel well flare option. And someone did a good job on making the hood like a '69.

[Drache]

beautiful cars indeed! Sadly the guy has stopped all communication with me now it seems 

I have someone who can look at the car sunday and I can be there tuesday to pick it up, sooner even....

UPDATE: No sooner had I posted than the guy email me! 

The car has slight rust issues on the very bottom of the quarter panels but no biggie, hell this is canada! The only way a car doesn't have rust here is if its made out of fiberglass! The car is also currently insured and driving!

[Chatt69chgr]

That 76 R/T is a really nice looking car.

[Drache]

well unless the car sells before sunday I'll be picking the car up! 

[Khyron]

That 76 R/T is a really nice looking car.

76 Aspens where always my favorate. 

[Drache]

ITS MINE! $1200 CDN! I pick it up tomorrow, 6 hours down, 6 hours back! 

[89MOPAR]

 
  Congratulations - nice score !!

But of course i'm biased 

[ramit]

Congrats!!! Post some pics when you get it.  I am looking for a 77-79 volare roadrunner or Aspen R/T.  I hope I can snag one before the prices go up on those too.

[Drache]

Ok got the car home yesterday, pretty much. It needs some work but what do you get for $1200 CDN nowadays. Driving the car home was a blast although not so nice to my wallet! 

The Good:
Bodywork done 7 years ago
No rust to be seen (no bubbling either)
Brand new Edelbrock 4bbl Performance series carb
Almost everything lol

The Bad:
Car needs front shocks badly
ATF is leaking
needs new dash
bad on gas lol
no fender tag
cracked grille
floats when going over 90kmh lol
brakes are soft
needs tailpipes badly lol
linkage?
Needs dash
too powerful? 
speedo doesn't work properly (most likely do to 3:55 rear end and 14" wheels?)

The reason the car is at my uncles and not my driveway is thus; I pulled the car into his driveway to show him, put the car in park and turned off the key. Realized the car was rolling backways a little. Somehow it seems the linkage or SOMETHING went haywire. The car won't start because you can't shift it into park NOR neutral. I tried holding the key on while moving the shifter all the back to 1st and back up to park and the car didn't make a noise. Get to deal with this first of all.

Sounds like the linkage came undone. This is my first thing to be fixed, then the front end, speedo, tailpipes, etc.

[Drache]

Well here are the few pics I took:

[TruckDriver]

From what I see in the pics....

'76 Aspen with a '77 & up front bumper
'78 Volare grille
'78 & up side window lovers.
Missing the fan shroud
Interour stuff is typical. Especially the consol door.

From what you said....

The "floating" is normal for them at high speeds. Never bothered me though
The "speedo" being off was a problem on all my F bodys. Mine were always off by 1 to 6 mph. The V8s were the worst.

Good parts cars are are "M" bodys. The M body platform was used for several models, the Dodge Diplomat, the 1982 - '89, Chrysler New Yorker and Fifth Avenue, the 1977 - '81 Chrysler LeBaron, and the 1982 & up Plymouth Gran Fury. The under hood and under bodys are the same. The police 9-1/4 sure-grip rear ends bolt right in, heavy duty springs and all. I did a swap myself in 2 hours with no help. If you find any Cordoba's that have the digital clocks in them, they work in the F bodys too.Although, '76 & '77 had a dial clock. But they both fit in the same holes. Also, if you have or find a Tuff wheel adapter, you can install one too. If you get lucky enough to find a old Aspen or Volare cop car for parts, the speedos are a higher reading. Like, in the U.S. the Aspens were only 100mph from the factory. But the police got 120mph. "F" bodys are extremely easy to work on. Just keep a eye on your front fenders as they are rust prone. In '77, they even recalled them because they rusted out so fast. If your ambitious, take the fenders off, and rust proof them before it's to late. Man, I wish I kept my '78 Aspen R/T

[Magnumcharger]

Funny how this thread is happening right now.
My buddy Dave up here in Edmonton just purchased this really neat F-Body.
One of 42 with a T-top, apparently.

[TruckDriver]

 

That's a rare car. They only produced only 494 Volare Super Coupes, and only 531 Aspen Super Coupes.

[daytonalo]

HEY , MY GRANDMOM  DROVE ONE ! IS IT FOR SALE I WANT TO BUY HER A GIFT !!

[NMike]

this one is for sale in the lowermainland.. factory E58 cop car.

[Magnumcharger]

HEY , MY DROVE ONE ! IS IT FOR SALE I WANT TO BUY HER A GIFT !!

Huh?