Why This Car Is Special

The 1979 Plymouth Volare does not get the respect it deserves. Chrysler's compact workhorse spent its production run from 1976 to 1980 quietly accumulating one of the most loyal owner bases of any domestic economy car of its era — largely because of what was under the hood. This particular example makes the case better than most. It is a genuine two-owner barn find with 22,000 original miles on the odometer, never restored, never repainted, and carrying twelve classic car show trophies to document how well it has been preserved. When you find a 1979 Plymouth Volare in this condition, you stop and pay attention.

The Volare was introduced as the replacement for the long-running Valiant, riding on the same basic Chrysler A-body platform that had been refined over fifteen years. It was named Car of the Year by Motor Trend in 1976 during its debut season — a distinction worth noting, though the model's reputation took some hits in later years due to early rust and carburetion issues. By 1979, Chrysler had worked through most of those growing pains, and cars from the final two model years tend to be better sorted than their early counterparts. This car is a four-door sedan, a body style that outnumbered the coupes in overall production and now represents the more practical — and increasingly harder to find — version of the Volare in original condition.

What sets this car apart from the typical Volare you might encounter is the combination of its powertrain, its originality, and its documented show history. This is not a car that has been prettied up for sale. It is a car that has been winning shows in exactly the condition it left the factory.

Features

- 225ci Slant Six inline-6 engine with Super Six air cleaner - Automatic transmission with column-mounted shift selector - Chrysler Electronic Ignition (factory, original) - Single exhaust - Vinyl roof - Chrome front and rear bumpers - Whitewall tires - Steel wheels - Wood-grain interior trim accents - Matching green vinyl interior - 22,000 original miles - Two-owner history - All-original, unrestored barn find - 12 classic car show trophies

Mechanical

The engine in this 1979 Plymouth Volare is the 225 cubic inch Slant Six, and it wears a factory Super Six air cleaner — a detail that will catch the eye of anyone who knows their Mopar history. The 225 Slant Six is one of the most celebrated inline-six engines ever produced by an American manufacturer. Chrysler engineers tilted the block 30 degrees to the right to allow for a lower hood line and better weight distribution, and in doing so created a geometry that contributed to exceptional rigidity and durability. The engine earned its reputation the hard way — through hundreds of thousands of miles in the hands of everyday drivers who never gave it a second thought because it never gave them a reason to.

Mopar enthusiasts sometimes refer to the 225 Slant Six as "half a Hemi" — a nickname rooted in the fact that the engine shares certain design philosophies with Chrysler's legendary hemispherical combustion chamber V8 family, particularly in its approach to efficient gas flow and long-stroke durability. While the Slant Six obviously operates at a different performance level, the nickname reflects genuine engineering respect for what this motor accomplishes within its displacement class.

By 1979, the Slant Six was backed by Chrysler's Electronic Ignition system, which the company had introduced in 1972 — earlier than most domestic competitors. The system eliminated points-based timing drift and contributed to more consistent combustion and better long-term reliability. On a car with 22,000 original miles, these components have seen almost no wear. The engine bay shows the honest patina of a car that has sat rather than been driven, which is exactly what you want to see on a legitimate low-mileage original. The automatic transmission shifts through the column-mounted selector, keeping the front bench clean and uncluttered in the tradition of American family sedans of the era.

Interior

Step inside this 1979 Plymouth Volare and the mileage claim becomes immediately credible. The green vinyl interior is clean and intact, showing no significant wear on the seat surfaces, door panels, or headliner. The door panels are particularly worth noting — the green vinyl is unwrinkled, the stitching is tight, and the wood-grain trim accent strip on each panel is present and undamaged. That level of preservation in a forty-five-year-old car is directly attributable to low use and proper storage.

The column shift selector is original and functions correctly, positioned on the steering column in the traditional three-speed automatic configuration that Chrysler used throughout this period. The wood-grain trim on the dash and door panels was a mid-grade option in the Volare lineup, positioning this car above the base trim without reaching into full premium territory. It is the kind of interior spec that a careful original buyer chose for comfort and appearance, not one that was spec'd for resale.

The matching green color throughout — exterior, interior, even the engine block carrying its original Chrysler blue over layers of time — gives this car a cohesive, period-correct presence that is difficult to replicate once it has been disturbed by repainting or reupholstering.

Exterior

The 1979 Plymouth Volare wears its original green exterior finish, complemented by a vinyl roof that remains intact without cracking or lifting at the edges — a common failure point on vinyl-topped cars from this era that have been exposed to decades of sun. The chrome front and rear bumpers are present and show the kind of honest surface character you expect on an unrestored car, without the pitting or loss that would indicate neglect. The rear bumper, visible in the undercarriage photo, is notably bright and intact.

The underside of this car tells an important story. It shows the unrestored floor pans, frame rails, and exhaust system of a car that was apparently garaged and kept dry for most of its life. Surface oxidation is visible, as expected on any 45-year-old original, but the structural integrity appears solid — the kind of undercarriage that rewards inspection rather than discouraging it. The original dealer plate frame from Bill Brown — a Spokane, Washington dealer — is still affixed to the rear, confirming the car's Pacific Northwest origins, a region that, depending on where it was stored, can be kind to cars that were kept out of the road salt season.

The steel wheels wear whitewall tires that suit the period character of the car. No wheel covers are present in the photos, which gives the car a clean, honest appearance that works well in a show context — and may explain part of the consistent trophy record.

Conclusion

A 1979 Plymouth Volare with 22,000 original miles, two owners, a fully intact interior, a correct Super Six-badged Slant Six under the hood, and twelve show trophies is not a car you encounter every day. The Volare's reputation has been unfairly shaped by the early production cars that gave critics material to work with. This late-production example represents what the model became when Chrysler had the formula dialed in — a simple, durable, well-appointed compact built around one of the most reliable six-cylinder engines Detroit ever produced. It is completely unrestored, which means the next owner gets to make every decision about what, if anything, to change. Given the condition and the mileage, the strongest argument is to leave it exactly as it is.

To learn more about this 1979 Plymouth Volare or to schedule a time to see it in person, call Skyway Classics at 941-254-6608. We are located in Sarasota, Florida and happy to answer questions from buyers anywhere in the country.

Disclaimer Information found on the website is presented as given to us by the owner of the car, whether on consignment or from the owner we bought it from. Some Photos, materials for videos, descriptions and other information are provided by the consignor/seller and is deemed reliable, but Skyway Classics does not warranty or guarantee this information. Skyway Classics is not responsible for information that may incorrect or a publishing error. The decision to purchase should be based solely on the buyers personal inspection of the vehicle or by a professional inspection service prior to offer or purchase being made.