1979 Plymouth Volare Police Pursuit Vehicle Current bid: US $5,000.00
Plymouth Volare, Ex-Police, E58 360-V8, 727 TorqueFlite, Sure Grip, F-Body
VIN (Vehicle Identification Number): HL41L9BXXXXXX Year: 1979
Sub Model: Volare Police Pursuit Vehicle Make: Plymouth
Transmission: 727 Three Speed Heavy Duty Automatic Trim: Police Specification
Body Type: Post Sedan Engine: 360 High Performance Police V8, 4V Carburetor
Warranty: Vehicle does NOT have an existing warranty Drive Type: Rear Wheel Drive
Vehicle Title: Clear Mileage: 135,000
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Plymouth-Ot...63661cbd2&item=301560089554&pt=US_Cars_Trucks
INTRODUCTION AND DESCRIPTION
You are viewing my 1979 Plymouth Volare ex-Suffolk County New York Sheriff Department police car. It still has its original, VIN-matching 360-HP *(HP means "High Performance") V8 engine (RPO code "E58", "L" Code in VIN) with four-barrel carburetor, heavy-duty 727 three-speed automatic transmission (replaced in the past) (code "D36") and 3.21:1 Sure-Grip (code "D91") rear axle.
This vehicle has 135,000 miles (believed to be actual but this cannot be confirmed) and was delivered to Silver Chrysler Plymouth in Port Jefferson NY in July 1979 at a retail delivery price of $8,086.45. The last 25 years of ownership is known: me and person I bought it from who had it since 1990.
“Yes”, there were F-Body Mopar squads, and “Yes” they are rare to see nowadays. I do not know how many police versions were built or how many remain. The Dodge Aspen and the Plymouth Volare models ran from 1977 through 1980 model years, giving way to the M-body Diplomat and Gran Fury. Matter of fact, when the 440 cubic inch "big-block" pursuit rigs (B-body Monaco and Fury) went away after 1978, the F-bodies were actually the quickest (0-60 mph, 0-100 mph) Mopar squads in 1979...even quicker (not faster top-speed though) than the pursuit-class E86 440's from just the year before.
This Volare is fairly well equipped (see factory fender tags..removed so they can be read). First the other relevant police codes are "A38" = Police Package (the big brakes, the anti-sway bars, 120-mph "Certified" Police speedometer, etc.), "K" = Police Grade Interior and Order code prefix, "C83" = Heavy Duty rear seats, "F58" = Reinforced Body Welds, "F66" = A/C Cut-Off switch (unknown condition), "F88" = Engine Oil Cooler, "N41" = Dual Exhaust, "N75" Auxilliary Oil Cooler, and "Y39" = Special Order. Other key options: "H51" = Air Conditioning (intact, does not blow cold), "G01" = Rear Defroster (condition unknown), "G11" = Tinted Glass.
The vehicle runs and drives fine, but it is has a “police car” feel (very stiff suspension) if you've never driven one. You can "feel the road". All routine maintenance (brakes, fluids, belts, etc.) is current. I have rebuilt the original Thermo-Quad twice in past 10 years so if driving around the country is your objective, you might consider a more reliable aftermarket brand.
All electrical systems work fine except the police dome light. There is no police electrical emergency equipment in the vehicle. The "true" dual exhaust configuration is still in place and has been recently replaced. Two tailpipes, exiting on passenger side, were used as the "oversized", original OEM single tailpipe could not be located.
The tires are 225/70-15 radials with excellent tread remaining. The 15x7 police-spec wheels are original and have been refinished (some surfaces, though painted, are rough to the touch). The dog dishes are driver quality.
In 2013, I finally had the vehicle professionally refinished in its original “Spinnaker White” exterior color (it came from the factory with "V02" which means "two-tone" per whatever the Suffolk County specifications). During the refinishing, we noted that there was no evidence any previous, major collision damage. There are properly executed metal repairs in the driver floor pan, but beyond that everything else is solid, original metal. The fender ‘Volare” badges are not mounted but I have them.
The wipers. Along with the cowl fresh air vent grille that covers the wiper valley, I lost them when we refinished the car. The arms are easy to get but I cannot find the plastic grille piece. If you have the grille piece, and you are not buying the car, let me know please. For the purposes of this auction you can assume the wipers will be intact but you will need the plastic vent grille.
The chrome/stainless trim is in good to excellent condition, and overall is consistent with a vehicle of this age. The bumpers are in driver-quality condition and are showing some dulling and other age-related imperfections. The bumper extension on passenger side has a sizeable defect. There is a four-inch crack in the windshield (may require replacement if your state performs safety inspections on vehicles of this age). The driver front door weather seal is missing.
The interior is in very good original condition (including the headliner). Dash is straight with very minor cracks on holes where police microphone mounted. The RPO tag says "Bench Seat", but the buckets was how it was when I bought it. The OEM radio is a standard Chrysler AM/FM model from the era and operates fine. The seats show wear consistent with their age but are otherwise pliable and without rips/tears (brownish colors are from dust). The rubber floor is original as well and in good condition (the driver side floor is just muddy..sorry its that time of year where the ground is soft after all the snow we got here).
This 1979 Plymouth Volare is a genuine Mopar police pursuit-class vehicle. There are some well-done F-body cop "clones" around, and of course some real nice true A38 cars too. But, you know you aren't going to see too many of them left in existence. This rare, rare vintage Mopar F-body squad has been my privilege to take care of and improve upon for while.
Those of us who were old enough to know this Volare police car, either as an officer who drove them or as a civilian seeing them on-duty ion our local streets, when it was new over 35 years ago probably know what I am talking about.,,the world of cars we "knew" is changing fast and the "old iron", let alone the vintage police iron, is also disappearing fast.
So as always I sure hope this Volare police pursuit vehicle finds a good home, is kept intact, and preserved by other caretakers for another 35+ years.
AUCTION SUCCESS CONSIDERATIONS
I have established a reasonable reserve (reserve will not be revealed while the auction is running) for this 1979 Plymouth Volare Pursuit-class Police car. Please consider bidding during the auction to the extent and level you deem appropriate and based on whatever factors are important to you. Note that I reserve the right to end this auction at any time at my sole discretion.
If reserve is not met, I may provide Second Chance Offers (SCO) through the Ebay system, but note that this is only possible with people who actually bid during the auction. If you get a SCO (which is a Buy-It-Now auction that only the seller and the bidder to whom it was sent can access), it will only come through the Ebay system (meaning it will appear in your Ebay mailbox) and it will be for a 24-hour duration.
Depending on where the recorded bidding ends, and if the reserve is not met, I may also write the high bidder(s) through the Ebay system only, one at a time in the order of their final recorded bids, to discuss the item. If I do not hear back from a bidder within 24 hours after writing them, I will assume that person is not interested and I may move on to the next person.
Encountering non-paying or unresponsive bidders is a very disruptive event that makes the auction experience unpleasant for both the seller and any legitimate potential buyer(s). Please BE SURE BEFORE YOU BID that you have done whatever you need to do to STAND BEHIND the actual bid(s) YOU MADE and were recorded during the auction.
BIDDER ELIGIBILITY
Bidders with less than 5 (five) feedback ratings may, at my discretion have their bids canceled (I may or may not try to contact you before canceling your bid) and then blocked from further bidding on this auction unless they contact me in advance of bidding. Bidders who make and then cancel their bid(s) will also be blocked from further bidding on this auction.
Bidders outside the continental United States are welcome to bid but also must please email me before bidding to discuss important payment and shipping procedures.
If you have bid on and won any of my items in the past and then did not honor your bid(s), if you have made and then canceled a bid that met a reserve, or if you have agreed with me on price after the auction ended but then did not complete the transaction, you are not eligible to bid.
PAYMENT AND STORAGE
A $1000 deposit is required from the winning bidder, due electronically via PayPal within 24 hours after the auction ends, to hold the vehicle. I will not be accepting trades. Full payment is due within 3 days of auction end via cash, bank-to-bank or wire transfer, or certified bank check (drawn on a major US bank). Clear State of Michigan (my legal State of residence) title in my name is in hand and vehicle can be scheduled for buyer pickup by appointment at anytime after full payment is received and cleared. I can hold the vehicle in indoor storage for 15 days (or longer, if weather or other uncontrollable factors emerge) at no charge to the winning bidder after the auction (the charge is $15.00 per day after 15 days).
