Make: | Plymouth |
Model: | Scamp |
Type: | Other |
Doors: | 2 |
Year: | 1972 |
Mileage: | 30,284 |
VIN: | VH23G2R307977 |
Color: | Other |
Engine: | 318 V8 |
Transmission: | Automatic |
Interior color: | Other |
Vehicle Title: | Clear |
Item location: | Local pick-up only |
Despite its high-visibility paint and stripes, the guy who built this 1972 Plymouth Scamp didn't want to tell everyone all his secrets up front, and it is, indeed, more than meets the eye. This is a fun street cruiser with a lot of smart upgrades, all designed to make it both a joy to drive and to show.
Chrysler engineers were clever guys and they knew that to keep performance alive, they had to downsize the cars to match the downsized engines. That's the idea behind this cool little Scamp, because taking weight out is the same as putting horsepower in. The good news is that this car was treated to a restoration that's all out of line with its modest price tag. The bright red paint sure isn't subtle, but it gives the car a tough look that's pure Mopar tradition, right down to the bumblebee stripe around the tail. Fit and finish on the original body panels are pretty darned good and those black stripes were painted on and buried under the clear, so it really has a slick look. Nice chrome and stainless trim accentuates the bright red paint, so it looks like the factory intended, and the black vinyl hardtop gives it an upscale look that belies its price tag. Add in a few whimsical Scamp badges that were all part of Mopar's fun marketing and you get a car that gets just about everything right.
They did a pretty good job of disguising the Scamp's economy car roots inside, where you'll find a bench seat doing a decent impression of buckets, with two high backrests with their own headrests. Remarkably, the vinyl upholstery is almost entirely original except the dash pad, and it's in remarkably good shape considering that it's more than 40 years old. The factory gauges give you a remarkably good look at the engine's vitals and the original woodgrained dash is in good condition with minimal fading. The original AM radio is still in the dash, and it's probably due for an upgrade, and this car carries factory A/C under the dash, which is always a nice find in a modestly priced car like this (the system needs to be serviced). Heavy-duty floor mats protect the carpets, which are probably a bit too nice to be original, and the trunk is outfitted with original mats plus a red and black mat for a little extra detail.
Most Scamps came with a slant-6, but this one sports a 318 cubic inch V8 that's been heavily fortified with the good stuff. At a glance, it might look pretty stock, but under that open-element air cleaner there's a 4-barrel carburetor on an Edelbrock intake manifold, and a mild street cam inside gives it a bit of an intimidating idle. Stock exhaust manifolds feed a great-sounding Flowmaster dual exhaust system, so there's no hiding that this car has got some horsepower. The 3-speed automatic transmission feeds the stock rear end, so it's friendly on the highway and pretty good on fuel, too. The stance is exactly right, too, featuring handsome Rallye wheels carrying 215/60/14 front and 245/60/14 rear BFGoodrich T/A radials.
Affordable performance defined the Scamp then and now, and this one packs one heck of a lot of go for not a lot of dough. Call now!