1978 Plymouth Volare Street Kit Car A43 Package
1978 Plymouth Other Street Kit Car Description
Up for auction is an extremely rare Plymouth Volare Street Kit Car. This is 1 of 247 A43 Petty Specials produced by Plymouth in 1978; Dodge had a limited run under the Aspen model as well, but all Plymouth versions were 2-tone blue. Special features for these cars include front and rear spoilers, fender flares, window louvers, hood pins and lanyards, rear window straps and front window retention clips, and the #43 decal kits inspired by NASCAR legend, Richard Petty. Numbers were so low on these cars because 1978 was the year that Richard Petty left Mopar for Oldsmobile. This Volare special edition recorded a 0-60mph in 7.3 seconds in a road test, which was faster than any other USA vehicle (including the Corvette, Z-28, and Trans Am) in 1978; only Dodge's Li'l Red Express pickup was quicker.
This Volare is equipped with the original 360 V-8 with a console shifted 3-speed Torqueflite automatic transmission. It shows 36,095 miles on the odometer; this could be original mileage since the condition of the car is very good, but I am not claiming it as original mileage. The original emissions equipment has been removed (but included with car if sold), and a Weiand dual-plane intake, Street Demon carburetor, Rev-n-ator ignition have been installed. The car also has dual exhaust and stainless steel transmission lines. Factory 15″x8" wheels wear Road Hugger raised white letter tires and are accompanied by brakes with new drilled front rotors and calipers, rear drums, pads and shoes, and stainless steel lines. Suspension modifications includeBilstein RCD shocks, urethane bushing replacements, rear rubber isolator delete, and aluminum body mounts in place of the factory rubber units.
The car shows extremely well but has a few very minor flaws - the front seat has a split down the seam, and there is some minor rust bubbling around the antenna mast and also at the lower fender. It runs and drives great, but there is some clunking from underneath when driving. It sounds like exhaust hitting the body but could be something else. The underside shows some light corrosion, but the floors, trunk, firewall, rockets, etc are in excellent condition. This car is possibly the cleanest A43 car left. It's definitely the cleanest of all the ones I've seen on the internet. The 8-track has been disconnected and a bluetooth unit has been installed in the glove compartment. This car truly is a blast to drive, and it's definitely a conversation piece. A lot of people still do not believe that these were factory produced, but this time capsule, along with the Motor Trend that has this car on the cover, are evidence that these were indeed produced by Mopar in limited production. This could be an awesome acquisition for any museum, Richard Petty/NASCAR fanatic, or anyone passionate about Mopar history.
Thanks for looking and happy bidding. Feel free to contact me for more information or pictures. If car sells, buyer must pay all shipping/transportation costs.
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