If you were around in 1976, you probably remember the commercials. Sergio Franchi singing about the Plymouth Volaré. The polished ads for the Dodge Aspen. They were supposed to be the cars that saved Chrysler. Instead, they almost sank the whole ship.
Honestly, it’s one of the weirdest stories in Detroit history. These cars won the Motor Trend Car of the Year award right out of the gate. Critics loved them. Buyers lined up. And then, the fenders started falling off.
Why the Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volare Still Matter
Most people today look at an Aspen or a Volaré and see a boxy, beige relic of the late seventies. But these twins represented a massive shift. They were the "F-body" cars, meant to replace the legendary but aging Dodge Dart and Plymouth Valiant.
The Dart and Valiant were like the cockroaches of the automotive world—they simply wouldn't die. They had the bulletproof 225 Slant Six engine. They were simple. They worked. Chrysler needed to modernize, so they spent big on the F-body, using computer-aided design and wind tunnels to create a "big car ride" in a compact package.
They succeeded, sort of.
The ride was actually great. The new transverse torsion bar front suspension made these cars feel way more expensive than they were. But Chrysler rushed the launch. They skipped the final months of real-world testing because they were desperate for cash.
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That haste became a nightmare.
The Recall King: Rust, Stalls, and Disasters
You’ve heard of "lemon" cars, but the 1976 and 1977 Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volaré took it to a professional level. Within a year, the reports started flooding in.
Front fenders were rusting through in months. Not years. Months. Chrysler hadn't bothered to put inner fender liners in the early models, so salt and mud just sat against the raw steel. It was a disaster. At one point, Lee Iacocca—who took over Chrysler later in 1978—famously said these cars should never have been built.
Recalls became a weekly event.
- The stalling: The "Lean Burn" system meant to help emissions often caused the engine to die at traffic lights or, worse, while merging onto the highway.
- The brakes: Issues with brake lines led to even more visits to the dealer.
- The seatbelts: They wouldn't retract.
- The suspension: Even that fancy new "big car ride" had components that liked to fail early.
By the time 1978 rolled around, the Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volaré were the most recalled cars in U.S. history up to that point. It destroyed Chrysler’s reputation. People who had been loyal Mopar fans for decades walked across the street to buy a Ford Fairmont or a Chevy Nova.
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The Rare Gems: R/T, Road Runner, and Kit Cars
Despite the rust and the drama, there were some genuinely cool versions. If you can find one today that hasn't dissolved into a pile of iron oxide, you've got a conversation starter.
The Dodge Aspen R/T and Plymouth Volaré Road Runner were the "muscle" versions. Now, I use that term loosely. This was the smog era. A 360 cubic-inch V8 was only putting out maybe 170 horsepower. But they looked the part with louvers, spoilers, and wild stripe packages.
Then there were the "Kit Cars." These are the holy grail for F-body collectors. In 1978, to capitalize on the NASCAR craze, Chrysler released the Dodge Aspen A43 and the Volaré Super Coupe. They had huge wheel flares, hood pins, and even numbers on the doors to make them look like Richard Petty’s race car.
They only built about 500 of the Aspen Kit Cars. Finding one now is like finding a needle in a haystack.
Can You Actually Own One Today?
Believe it or not, these cars have a cult following. The later models (1979 and 1980) had most of the bugs worked out. If you buy a late-model Volaré wagon, you’re getting a surprisingly comfortable cruiser.
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The average price for a Dodge Aspen these days hovers around $13,500, though you can find projects for five grand or pristine R/Ts that go for north of $35,000. People love them because they are different. At a car show filled with Mustangs and Camaros, a bright orange Volaré Road Runner stands out.
Plus, the Slant Six is still one of the best engines ever made. Even if the body is falling apart around it, that engine will probably start on the first turn of the key.
What We Can Learn From the F-Body Fail
The Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volaré are a cautionary tale about corporate impatience. Chrysler had a winner on paper, but they traded quality for a quick launch.
If you're looking to buy one now, check the cowl. Check the floorboards. Check behind the front wheels. If you see a lot of "bondo" or fresh paint on the fenders, run away. But if you find a clean, garage-kept survivor, you’re owning a piece of the era that forced the American auto industry to finally take quality control seriously.
It took the 1981 K-Cars (the Aries and Reliant) to actually save Chrysler, but the Aspen and Volaré provided the painful lessons that made the comeback possible.
Actionable Next Steps for Enthusiasts
If you’re serious about hunting down a Dodge Aspen or Plymouth Volaré, don't just browse Craigslist.
- Join the specialized forums: Sites like For FBodies Only are the gold standard for technical advice and finding cars that haven't been listed publicly yet.
- Verify the Year: Target 1978–1980 models. Avoid the 1976 and early 1977 cars unless they have documented proof of the factory-authorized fender replacements and rust-proofing upgrades.
- Check the "Lean Burn" Computer: Most survivors have had the problematic Lean Burn system bypassed for a standard electronic ignition. If the car you're looking at still has the original computer on the air cleaner, prepare to spend some time and money on a conversion kit for reliability.
- Inspect the Torsion Bar Crossmember: This is the heart of the F-body's ride quality. If the rubber mounts are rotted, the car will handle like a shopping cart. Fortunately, polyurethane replacements are now available from aftermarket suspension specialists.
Owning one of these isn't about having the fastest car on the block. It's about preserving a weird, messy, and ultimately human chapter of Detroit's history.