1977 Plymouth Volare Custom 225 slant six from North America
Summary:
Great car for the right person
Faults:
The car was in storage for a long time before I got it, so the entire cooling system needed to be rebuilt - hoses, radiator, water pump.
Replaced the timing chain and replaced a front crank seal, thinking I had a leak there - turned out to be the PS pump, which I had to replace.
Valve train clattered badly; had to adjust all valves when I got it.
Suspecting lots of varnish in the carb from sitting so long. I had it rebuilt, but now it's hard to tune and I have a persistent leak around the base gasket. Will take the carb back to a rebuilder.
Tranny (904 Torqueflyte) broke its reverse band soon after I bought it, so I had that replaced.
Needed new shocks all around.
Brake fluid had never been flushed since the car was new (looked like coffee), so I did that and replaced all rubber lines and master cylinder.
General Comments:
This car is a very well preserved original, with a near-pristine interior and great original yellow paint with a black vinyl canopy roof. It came with poverty hubcaps and black steel rim wheels, but I upgraded to factory rally rims and BFGoodrich T/A radials.
I've always loved slant six cars, and was transitioning out of a '67 Dart that I loved, so decided to try this car.
The torsion bar suspension makes the car ride very well, and it's a generally comfortable ride. I need to track down some rumbles in the drive train (maybe a bent rim?) and get the carb to smooth out, then it will be a very nice driver.
Unfortunately, it is built for taller people than I (pedals are just a hair too far away for comfort), so it's probably not going to be a keeper.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 29th January, 2013
6th Oct 2006, 10:23
He's probably serious, and justifiably so. The Volare was always a reliable car, and if this one is as nice as he says, there are surely people who would like to have a "like new" '76 Volare station wagon. We had several, and they were great. There also seem to be people that really miss the 1970's station wagons, and don't feel that the mini-van or SUV ever fully filled that niche.