Last summer, I had a mild stroke during an operation. This left my left side very weak. It's coming back - slowly - but for right now,if I want to drive a car, it has to have power steering & an automatic. I have a 1998 Camry for this purpose. I recently came across a 1978 Dodge Aspen 4door with a slant six and an automatic, for just $300. So my crazy thought would be to sell the Camry for +/- $3000 & drive the old Dodge. Just how crazy/stupid is this idea?
Its a slant 6 and a torqueflight of some sort, good luck killing it.
The leaning tower of power can't be stopped. $2700 leaves a lot of room for brakes, suspension, and BOOSTS!!!
I really liked the 98 Camry I had for daily duties. Super comfy until the rear shocks and mounts went. If it wasn't a rust bucket, I would have probably kept it. It was pretty unstoppable too. It lasted through 3 teenagers learning to drive and my mom who was probably worse than all of us. I can't imagine how many curbs it hit in its life, but showed no signs of it.
I drove a '79 Volare (same car) daily for a while with the same drivetrain. You might want to leave some $$$ in the budget for a transmission R&R, and general engine tune-up/new fluid type stuff. The transmission in mine would occasionally do some WEIRD stuff, and even in fine working order I was driving the living piss out of it to keep up with traffic on the freeway.
As long as you're not trying to get anywhere in a hurry, it'll probably be just fine. Oh, and if you like music, the horrid single-speaker stereo will drive you nuts.
Let me get this straight - you found an Aspen (or any 70's Chrysler product, really) in Massachusetts that hasn't totally returned to its elemental state of oxidation?
One feature would guide my whole decision. If the Volare does not have intermittent wipers, I would pass on it.
Furthermore, if the wiper controls are on the dashboard (a long reach) I would pass also.
1its a Chrysler product 2 you have a sweet Camry.
I'd buy it and flip it quick and fix up the Camry. You need the reliability until your %100
Having two(+) cars is a wonderful thing. Keep the Camry for when you need it. Drive the Aspen because you want to.
+1 on the stopping, cornering and power mods.
What wheels for one of these?
Bumboclot wrote: What wheels for one of these?
I think 15x8 Super Volare rallyes are the norm.
Also, give up on the idea of real power gains without a massive $$$ investment into the slant six. They are not race motors, that's for sure. Revving one too hard is a surefire way to kill them.
When in doubt, go for the less common option
(says the guy who went Miata a few months ago)
I'll bet the Aspen would have lower steering effort!
Nothing against a Camry but if I had the option (I will soon) I'd choose the car with a bit of character, the one that makes you arrive at your destination with a grin.
Bumboclot wrote: What wheels for one of these?
SN95 Bullitt Mustang wheels fit. Same 4.5" bolt pattern, and the Volare/Aspen has very generous wheel wells.
Upgrading the brakes to 11.75" rotors is easy with factory parts.
Upgrading the front suspension is a bit more difficult.
And Jed is right, the Aspen's power steering will be pretty much effortless. Not much feel though.
In reply to jstein77:
Yes, that's true, but it needs an expensive windshield.
The effortless power steering is actually what's drawing me to the car at the moment. My only other automatic car is my dad's 1978 Lincoln Continental Mark V that I inherited a few years ago. In my current situation, that car is an absolute joy to drive. I can't afford the gas & the car is way too original & nice to let it get salty.
My neighbor has an Aspen with a vinyl top driven regularly and in pretty good shape toward the end of the range of years built. Its parked in the driveway often with no stains left behind Not exactly a thing of beauty, but I say go for it.
Brian,
If you do go look at it, check the frame rails for rust. The dog leg in the driver's front tended to rot on the earlier Aspen/Volares (F-body). Upper fenders rotted out on them too, but that would be obvious enough.
The F-bodies introduced the transverse torsion bars to the Chrysler product line. The geometry isn't as good as the traditional torsion bar setup, but for a street car its fine. They crisscross the K-member, and the K is isolated from the unibody with big rubber biscuits like a body-on-frame car. As those rubber mounts dryrot the front end can wander a bit.
The front ends on them can be a bear to work on, and younger alignment guys raised on Mac struts might have their heads explode when looking at an Aspen front end. All the info to work on them is out there, and the same front end was used in the Dippy/Gran Fury/5th Ave though '89.
Camry. Get the Dodge if you want to play, but keep the Camry for an appliance.
jstein77 wrote: Let me get this straight - you found an Aspen (or any 70's Chrysler product, really) in Massachusetts that hasn't totally returned to its elemental state of oxidation?
Every week, I still see at least one Leaning Tower of Power-equipped mid-70's A-body creeping around on my daily commute here in MA. They are all usually 4-doors and while the paint usually looks haggard, the body is fine. I don't get it.
I remember a guy I used to work with in high school getting his daughter a 1980 Aspen 4-door with the Slant 6 for like $100. That was 13 years ago. She is still driving it. 
In reply to JohnRW1621:
Great thinking! That and the gas mileage have convinced me to stick with the Camry. Nobody believes me, but I routinely top 35 MPG in my little greige appliance.
FranktheTank wrote: I'd buy it and flip the Aspen quick and fix up the Camry. You need the reliability until your %100
this /\
This thread says appliance in the title. Camry is the answer. Its better in every way than the Aspen other than character.
Related: I recently clocked 36mpg in mixed driving in my mom's 02 Camry through NOVA roads/traffic. I was blown away. I have seen averages of 38mpg in that car before, but that was on long road trips. The mixed mileage caught me completely off guard. She was selling the car and I was having serious thoughts about selling my Saturn and moving up to the Camry.
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