4 speed Volare wagon being parted out

[old yellow 78]

It's an interesting car looking more closely at the pics. It seems to have the window sill chrome trim, and trim around the windows that would have been part of the Custom or Premier package, yet is otherwise a very plain jane. Another example of how these cars seem to have been able to be ordered any which way, particularly beginning with the '78 model year, when I believe ANY options could be ordered separately instead of only in packages of Custom, or SE/Premier that were offered in '76/'77. The book Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volare - An American Car Story by Tony Dzik points this out.
This wagon also has chrome wheel well trim on the right front fender, but not the others from what I can see. It even has the basic manual outside rear view mirror, no remote control. The dash pad and the bumpers seem to be in very nice shape, and someone should grab them for sure. Even the steering wheel looks ok - too bad its not the three spoke Premier wheel, or it would already be in the mail to me.
This wagon looks a lot like OY, but is even more plain:

This is one of the pics of OY when it was listed on EB out in Colorado before I bought it. The color on both wagons is the one year only "Classic Cream" which I really like as it was fairly unusual back then, and very rare to see light yellow on any car today.
I guess the carpet is missing in the parts car because someone might have been checking out how bad the floor rust was before junking it. From the pics, the rust doesn't look that bad, doesn't seem like there is any on the body panels. It's really too bad that this one couldn't have been saved. There are not many 4 speed wagons around anymore.

 

[4speedjim]

Its in Or. and they must use a much shorter yardstick to measure rust with than you or me in Buffalo use. To me it looks great, easy fix comparatively. This is optioned a Premier. That's where the chrome and woody dash came from. It might have RR defrost in the Premier pkg, I didn't check and don't remember.

 

[AJ/FormS]

I agree with you 100% AJ, and your opinions are something Ive always given strong consideration to. Anything with a nice flat torque curve, like a Magnum or turbo anything the OD does work... ok. I am a fan of the OD, for a street car. My though was as I continue o build power, and traction the bushed box should handle the hp. I was accumulating parts to build a 500 B, but Ive been doing a lot of thinking on going SB. Matter of fact, I bought a E58 over the weekend. So I need to decide which way I'm going. This is where your opinion holds much weight. 500 hp SB or 700 hp B. With the B block the OD is out of the equation. The SB saves weight, improved handling, fits well and still allows me an aluminum case.

Thanks for the kind words Jim
I've never had a stroker nor do I feel the need for one.... but if I did have one, it would have an A518 behind it.
The A833 is a 3 speed with a fragile od . If you forget to STOP SHIFTING at direct, it will be instant toast. And who knows if those flying shards don't take out the rest of the box.
I've exploded two od gears and unzipped the input gear teeth on a third, so I'm done with that box.
But consider that box with 3.73s; your final drive ratios would be
11.53-6.23-3.73-2.72, and 65=2200rpm, and splits of .54-.69-.73
That's three gears plus the fragile od
Now consider the available torque of a stroker as you slip out the clutch. Say it makes 250# at 2200. Multiplied by the road gear, this comes to a tire frying potential of 2882ftlbs, about double of what you need for the biggest street tire you can fit into an A.
Now let's look at the A518, and let's put 3.55s behind it. Road-ratios will be
9.73-5.47-3.55-2.45, and 65=2000, and splits of .56-.65-.69
but hang on;
The TC will multiply the hit at about 1.2 decaying to 1.05, and then locks up at cruise. So that looks like
11.68/10.21-5.74-3.73-2.57/2.45.....
That's 5.5 gears.
_______________
Let's stack 'em up
The A833;---- 11.53-6.23-3.73-(2.72)...Hits 60@~4650 rpm in 2nd, 112@5200 in 3rd
A518; 11.68/10.21-5.74-3.73-(2.57/2.45); 60@~4280 in 2nd,and, 112@5200 in 3rd
but hang on
At 500hp, that is enough power to roast the hides to over 80 mph, without a traction aide, and How often will you have opportunity to do that?
But hang on
Look at the rpms these ratios are hitting. From 4280/4650 to 5200. With these ratios the 500hp at 5500 say, is no longer a must-have. If you regear these to get the Rs up, then you end up with horrendous starter gears, and of course the cruise rpm climbs. So now instead, how about down-camming to hit 400/450 at 5200. See this will pump up the midrange power, and maybe you go faster with the automatic.
but hang on, you can make 400/450 with a 360. Allbeit having to give up some of that tire-roasting torque off the line. Say that 360 only makes 180# at 1850stall, that maths out to a tire-frying potential of just 2100 ftlbs still far beyond what you need to break the tires loose.

But if you figure out how to make street tires hook, on the street, well then just hang me,lol, cuz then, then, AJ want stroker.

 

[Oldiron440]

As I look at old yellow I was thinking all it needed was a set of Firestone town and Country studded snow tires.
The I started thinking how cool AWD would have been.
But then I live in North Iowa where it's still winter.

 

[AJ/FormS]

I totally agree, buy the unit and put it on a 4x4 frame!

 

[old yellow 78]

As I look at old yellow I was thinking all it needed was a set of Firestone town and Country studded snow tires.

Until I bought it and drove it back to PA, OY spent it's entire life in the high desert area of Pueblo and Canon City, Colorado and Farmington, New Mexico. So, it probably saw some snow, but never enough to warrant snow tires. It certainly will never leave the garage in rain, much less snow now that I have it. I remember the old Town & Country snow tires though, and it would look very retro with a set on it! I like that idea!

I totally agree, buy the unit and put it on a 4x4 frame!

If the undercarriage was truly rotted out, this Volare would make a very cool 4x4. But, I still prefer it stock. Just a nice sized, good looking cruising wagon.