17th Jul 2006, 12:25
I'm 15 years old and I just got a 1978 Sapporo. It seems to be a great little car and it's 5-speed manual transmission shifts super smooth. The only problem I've had with it is something shorted out and it wouldn't start (I still started it by pushing it and jumping the clutch). But I got it fixed no problem for around 80 bucks at the local mechanic. I'd recommend it to anyone because it's just a fun car to drive.
7th May 2007, 14:32
I just bought a 1981 Sapporo. I have owned many cars in my life, including a 1979 Opel Manta. This is one of the best cars I have driven. Mine came super, super, super clean as it had been mechanically and visually restored. I just need to find a good carburetor. Any suggestions?
11th Jun 2007, 11:48
Sapporo...would be a really great name on an exotic car! Or a true high performance Chrysler.
25th Jun 2007, 06:12
I own a near-mint 1980 Dodge Challenger with 74,000 original miles. The car is equipped with the 2.6 litre "G54B" engine, 5-speed transmission and factory air conditioning. The car is gold over metallic brown with a buckskin tan vinyl and red plaid cloth interior. It is 100% stock and original.
While somewhat odd looking, (one either loves them or hates them), it is a wonderful car and is an absolute joy to drive.
10th Jul 2007, 23:02
I am the original owner of a 1981 Dodge Challenger which now has 170,000 miles on it. Red and silver. No air conditioning. Manual transmission. 2.6L. The car has been faithful. Bad gas (?) prevented it from holding idle once. The gear shift knob mechanism was replaced after shifting became very difficult. That was 10 years ago, and it looks like the same thing is happening again. One wheel bolt on the right rear wheel has broken. The car has never needed anything major. The water pump is a replacement, as is the alternator. The muffler became a Midas after a broken clutch cable necessitated a tow---which broke the tailpipe. In driving, I have experienced a couple of fishtails. One time during a rainstorm on a rushed left turn. The other time was also a left turn done right after a roofing truck dropped some oil on the road. I wonder if this car is sought after by anybody near Los Angeles. I am thinking of giving it up to the state buyback.
5th Nov 2007, 18:09
Don't you dare give it to the state buyback program. These Plymouth Sapporos are almost extinct, especially here in So. Cal. The California legislature is trying to take our automotive hobby away slowly, but surely with their oppressive emissions laws. I only know of one Sapporo. It is a beautiful red 1978 model near my office in Tarzana, Ca.
26th Dec 2007, 17:44
I am trying to sell my 1983 Plymouth Sapporo. I know there has to be a collector out there that would want it. Does anyone have any suggestions on where I can find that person?
HabenM@aol.com.
17th Feb 2010, 01:49
I have a 3 speed 2 litre Sapporo here in the UK, only 45,000 miles. Drives like a modern car. What I want to do is upgrade the engine, as it has never ticked over happily. Wondered if anyone had put in a replacement engine?
28th Feb 2010, 22:03
I know a lot of cars, but this one I'd never seen before! Today it caught my eye in the handicapped spot in the parking lot of a grocery store here in Bellevue, Washington (suburb of Seattle) an upscale community. Some elderly person must own it. At first I thought it was a Monza or Vega, but the big PLYMOUTH across the back gave it away. It was dark red and gray with a peeling darker-red vinyl roof. I thought, what a neat looking car! I enjoy the stories about this model and I hope to see it again, and maybe strike up a conversation with the owner.
10th Oct 2011, 09:59
Back in 1989 we owned a 1982 Sapporo. This car was the greatest car I gave ever owned in my entire life! It was a 5 speed, gray inside and out. There is nothing, and I mean nothing that I disliked about this car. When it would rain really hard, it would go through deep puddles; when most cars would die going through the water, our little Sapporo would fly through it like it was a fish!
I wish we would have never sold it. Worst mistake we ever made! If I can ever find another one, you bet I will buy it, no questions asked!
21st Nov 2011, 18:03
I agree with all of the comments that are being left. I owned a 5 speed '82 Challenger that was black with the gold stripe. My challenger had A/C and cruise control, not to mention the rims and the raised white letter BF Goodrich tires. This vehicle was the best car that I have ever driven. Not the Mopar of the 70's, but this car oozed attitude all on its own. I sure wish that I could find one for myself.
20th Sep 2013, 09:28
Way back in 1985 I bought a 1982 Dodge Challenger. Black, 5-speed, A/C. Traded in a 1977 Toyota Celica GT Liftback. Both were great cars for the day, as the Japanese 4 cylinder engines were way ahead of their time. Wish I still had them, along with my 1973 Triumph TR-6 and 1966 Mustang Coupe with a genuine 289 HiPo. What a screamer that was. LOL.
10th Jun 2023, 22:24
My brother in law has a Plymouth Sapporo '82 model. Yellow. Yes it looks better than a Mustang. His just had a 2.6 litre 4 cylinder, but man that baby would MOVE. And handled like it was on rails. He said it was natural aspiration, but I figured it had to be turboed. But no turbo... I would put it up against probably any 4 or 6 cylinder out there. And a lot of 8 cylinders. It was definitely ahead of its time in '82... buttons and whistles...
30th Dec 2005, 13:58
You rarely see any of the Dodge Challenger/Plymouth Sapporo's on the road these days, I've only seen probably one or two during the past 5 years and I think that they're one of the most underrated cars in automotive history, they were definitely better looking than the Mustang of those years too, anyways good luck with what you decide to do on your Sapporo.