Many years ago I actually bought a classic early Jaguar XKE “Field Car” for a couple of thousand.
Unlike the Aspen it started and ran but I quickly realized that the cost to restore would greatly exceed any possible resale value, my budget and the budget of most 3rd world countries.
Even today when similar “Classic” cars are going for hundereds of thousands the cost of bringing them to that point is uneconomical.
Collecting is a hobby, not a rational investment so my advice to anyone seeking a “Classic” today is to research a local Car Club for a sale car where someone is looking to upgrade or a car that the Estate is looking to liquidate.
This Aspen wagon got bid up to $6,000 on Ebay, no sale, much more than that spent on it, I’m sure. It’s back with a buy it now price of $25,000 (!). 1979 Dodge Aspen Wagon | eBay
I shed a tear when my BIL sold his fully and beautifully restored 56 Ford pick up for $25,000. Complete with electronic dash and blue dot tail lights. A steal. Years ago he sold a 60 Thunderbird too for $800 that I would have loved to have. His cars, his money. Still got about 5 left.
Kinda does. I get it, it’s not an awesome car. You’re not getting your money back out of it (which can be said for most any car to be honest). Might be fun to fool around with, though (for some of us). Obviously the OP (who apparently left the conversation some time ago) thought so.
After reading all these posts, if the OP knows what he’s in for: an adventure. Its too bad the car was made so poorly. A true “barn find” can be a great hobbyist’s restoration project. If he doesn’t care about reliability or expense, and just wants to mess with a junker, then why not?
But I still say that the more economical decision is to call one of those “we buy any car” outfits.
Haha love your comment! I’m still here and reading everything, and I have definitely learned a lot! Im much more in favor of the comments letting me know the best way to test if it can run and how to do that excitedly, over the “here’s an idea, scrap that crap” but the constructive feedback about how much money it would cost to make an already not great car run remotely decent was needed to hear. It clearly isn’t a battery, bug bombs, and tires like my van was! I will still see if it is possible to work with, checking under the hood and of course under the car.
I often connect a one-gallon fuel can to the fuel pump inlet, thereby eliminating the fuel tank.
The carburetor and fuel pump need to be in reasonable condition.
A fuel pump is $20, a carburetor rebuild kit is $31. The rest is labor, most people here wouldn’t raise from their recliner for this.
I scanned the replies. So this may have been mentioned. Mustangman did say use a breaker bar to see if the engine is seized. With an engine sitting that long I would recommend pulling the spark plugs then squirting in a couple ounces of Marvel Mystery Oil, ATF, or other light weight oil into each cylinder and let it soak for a couple of days. Then try the breaker bar. If it rotates with the breaker bar then you can try a spinning the engine with a fresh battery. Oil and oil filter changed, if the oil has not turned to tar, fuel line disconnected from the fuel pump and spark plugs out.
If the engine is okay internally it will spin freely and the oil will circulate in it. BTW, the oil you squirt in the spark plug holes will squirt back out, ask me how I know…lol.
Then you can deal with the myriad of other part replacements, rebuilding, etc noted by above replies.
If you still wish to go forward with this project, you might consider looking for carburetors from earlier model 318, rather than using the what I think Chrysler called a lean burn carburetor. I had 60 and 72 Mopar 318s, both with 2 BBL carbs, ran well.
Again, if you go forward with this project, expect many, many hours and many $$$$.
The thing is here you will get the full spectrum of opinions so you just have to choose what fits you. Seeing if it runs or not sure seems like the first thing to do. Gonna have to get it pulled out of the weeds though prolly just to do an oil change or watch where you lay. You know, snakes and rodents and stuff.
