Less than 32K Original Miles 1972 Plymouth Valiant Scamp & Ride on My Car Story with Lou Costabile
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On "My Car Story" we're in the Suburbs of Louisville KY on 7-18-21.
We're looking at a 1972 Plymouth Valiant Scamp in Blue Paint. The car comes with the factory 225 CI “slant” inline 6 cylinder engine.
The car's Owner is Jason Paynter. Jason’s has this car since 2014. He shares he saw this car on eBay and with the low miles thought it was worth bidding on. Turns out he won the car and the car was part of an estate sale, and the car had 26,000 original miles when he purchased it.
ENJOY!
My wife and I had a car just like that when we first got married back in the middle 70s. I got it from my grandfather when he passed away it was gold and yellow
Hi Moe Horowitz World, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your wifes car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
Lou, another 70's gem. Who woulda thought that these dime-a-dozen cars would be a point of interest 50 years later? Fundamental solid inexpensive transportation. And that slant 6 was absolutely bullit-proof! Not everyone was driving muscle cars in the day...good choice!
Hi Audie, You're right, the "dime-a-dozen" car is interesting to see now :-) Lou
Looking back, I wonder if it was worth the hundreds of millions Chrysler spent creating the VERY similar Plymouth Volare/Dodge Aspen.
The Volare/Aspen had many quality control and recall issues for several years. And tarnished Chrysler's reputation further.
The money may have been better spent upgrading, and fully modernizing the Dart/Valiant.
@@nathandwyer7273 I agree that the Dart/Valiant should have been refreshed one more time.
Impressive that Jason left the car more or less intact, showing the wear on the engine and the like. As you noted, these Valients were once all over the road, but had rust problems, so few have survived. If I recall, Plymouth use that same slant six in most of its lineup during the 1970's. The Duster was another than ran on it. Thanks for great memories Lou.
Hi Kevin, Happy to read this car brings back memories :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
I have a '71 Swinger that is rust free. Slant six.
Very cool “Scamp” and reliable as you could hope for with that Slant 6… an engine that could be ignored or abused for decades and still run. Wow, what a time capsule ! 👍🏼
Hi Richard, Happy to read you enjoy this "time capsule" :-) Lou
Great little Scamp ! I had a 1967 Dart 2 door and I loved it ! Great survivor ! So Cool ! Thanks Lou !
Really?! My first high school auto mechanics teacher had a '67 Dodge Dart two door sedan(post)..Indestructible powertrain...but a rust magnet! And that was in 1967! Thanks for posting
Hi Uncle Rudy, High praise :-) Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Dart. Thank you for viewing, sharing, and you're welcome, Lou
What a great little ride!
Hi benzlick, Happy to read you enjoy this car :-) Lou
Boy, what a time machine. it feels like it is the mid-70s immediately. And since these were almost disposable cars, very, very few remain.
What a great find. I'm sure Jason will be a great caretaker.
Thanks Jason and Lou!
Hi Jeff, Happy to take you back to 1972 in this "time machine" :-) Glad to read you enjoy this one, and you're welcome, Lou
There are actually many Dusters still around, the Scamp wasn't as popular as the Swinger.
Wow I'd love to add that to my fleet. This is the way I like to see them ORIGINAL . They are more valuable this way and besides it's great to see them the way they were new.
Hi Chris, Happy to read you enjoy this car in this condition :-) Lou
Lou,
Thanks for the memory.
My dad had a 1971 Dodge Dart Swinger. She was olive green w/ the black vinyl top. Ours had a/c which I believe was the 1st car my family hadw/ a/c. Yes it too was a slant six.
Hi C Moore, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Dads car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
OMG Lou!! It still has the original wheel covers!! This is a history lesson! My buddy had this car in brown - that slant six just went FOREVER!! I never drove it but spent lots of time in it!! Top speed was 106 MPH!!!!
Hi Kelly, Happy to share this history lesson with you :-) Glad to read a Buddy of yours had one too, Lou
With all the stylish and powerful AMC's on your show, this Chrysler product with the 225 Slant Six was a bit of a contrast. But these Valiant Scamps, even though they are simple, are very reliable workhorses.
And the Scamp lettering is nice.
This low-mileage model is a real star.
Hi Alan, Happy to read you enjoy this "reliable workhorse" :-) Lou
The leaning tower of power! And with a classic mopar gear reduction starter.
HI 325xitgrocgetter, "The leaning tower of power!" NICE! Lou
ONE OF THE LAST FUEL-EFFICIENT CLASSICS, THANX LOU!!
Hi T. C. You're right, this one sips the gas. You're welcome, Lou
This Scamp is fantastic! Those hubcaps and all the vinyl look flawless to me. Jason has a real jem in his collection that many might overlook, but definitely not you, Lou. Thanks!
Hi TheGunfighter45acp, Happy to read you enjoy this "real gem" :-) You're welcome, Lou
My '74 Duster had the same wheel covers, which never got dented.
You’re right Lou! These where everywhere. School kids had these used for first cars. My BFF in High School had this car he had to hold his drivers door closed as he drove around. Needless to say I only rode once with him. My Aunt and Uncle had the Dart version Red with Black top. These cars you could not kill. The slant six was bullet proof. SImple.
Hi gene978Happy to read this car brings back memories of your BFF in High Schools car & your Aunt and Uncle too :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
We had a Dart Swinger with the slant six. My dad drove it till the wheels fell off. Great car.
Hi Christopher, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Dads car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
You said it best Lou, Car's have a tendency to look better with age.. It's funny how we appreciate them 50 years later, but had no clue when we were piling our friends into them back in the day. Great post!
Hi Keith, Seeing what was once common, and now rare, is fun to share :-) Lou
It's fantastic to find these old gems still intact and unrestored in this condition.
If I owned this car It'd be exactly the same.....Untouched!
GREAT VIDEO LOU.
HI TCT9MM, Happy to read you enjoy this "old gem" :-) Lou
It was a real treat to see an old Scamp. When I was a kid we’d see the 4-door versions all over the place…try to find one now. Another interesting fact that you mentioned, those slant 6 engines could take a pounding and just kept running. To bad Plymouth made the bodies out of recycled camble soup cans (joke for these cars back in the day). Lou was right on the mark when he mentioned in their day they were not appreciated for their styling but now they grow on you. That car needs to be preserved for the ages…there may not be another one out there as original. Great Car Lou!
Hi Dave, Happy to read you enjoy seeing this car :-) Hard to find any Scamp now, 2 door or 4 door. Lou
Hi, Lou! I think Jason was a very smart bidder with this one! With so much of the attention on muscle cars, it's refreshing to see something like this Scamp that was more within mainstream of that time, and you can't go wrong with that Slant Six!
Interesting story of how the Scamp came to be. When the Plymouth Duster was introduced for 1970, it sold like the proverbial hotcakes. Dodge dealers didn't have an equivalent that year and they wanted in on the action, so Plymouth management made a deal. In exchange for the Dodge Boys getting their own version of the Duster for 1971 (the Demon), the Dodge Boys would give the Chrysler-Plymouth dealers a version of the Dart Swinger hardtop to sell, and that was the Scamp.
I'm glad to see this Scamp has found a nice old Kentucky home and Jason will be a great caretaker for it. Thanks for the ride, guys!
Hi iswc27, Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Glad you enjoy the Care Taker for this car. You're welcome, Lou
Very smooth Plymouth. It's great to see so original and factory equipped car like this. The 225 c.i. "Slant Six" sounds pretty good. It's just a legendary and indestructible powerplant... Nice and interesting My Car Story as always, Lou. I can't wait to watch another "Plymouth episode";-)
Hi Plymouth Die-Cast Replicas, Happy to read you enjoy this car :-) Stay tuned, there will be more, Lou
Great car Lou, my neighbor had the Plymouth Valient "Signet" in red and white and drove it forever!! Was a great little car, thanks for sharing and as always "Howdy from Texas "!!
Hi Greg, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your neighbors car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
Good morning! A good morning to start with another memory. In the mid 80’s I needed a car that would safely carry my young family in a move from coast to coast in Canada. I had $1000! I bought a 4 door 72 valiant from a minister and his wife. We made it. It was a slant six. Un-killable. Run em with barely any oil in it!
Peace
Hi Cherry Picker Guitars, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
Another wonderful car, Lou. Good pick! My high school driver training car was a 1972 Plymouth Valiant 4-door sedan, and I recall how comfortable the seats were, and it had plenty of interior room, front and back. The slant-six was a true workhorse. Access to anything under the hood was easy, as were repairs pre-smog and emissions controls. My father had a 1963 Dodge with the slant six, and that car was passed down to us kids. It was incredible and required little more than gas and oil changes! Thanks Lou! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Hi Mike, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your High School Driver Training car and Dads 1963 Dodge slant six too :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
You made a valiant choice out of Jason's 12 cars. Great original car with a durable engine. Thanks Lou!
Hi Brian SD, "a valiant choice" NICE! You're welcome, Lou
Such a well preserved survivor!!! I would bet that nobody back in the day would think these cars would be classics one day, and yet here they are!!! This one has some really nice features such as those headrests on the front seat and the color along with the vinyl top is really special, and the way the back glass curves inward is a very unique feature as well. This one is a real "champ" of a Scamp!!! Lol!!! Nice one Lou!!!
HI Hobiemarty, Happy to read you enjoy the condition of this Survivor :-) High praise for the Champ Scamp, Lou
Boy oh boy does this car bring back memories! My Aunt Ginny (Mom's older sister) bought a Scamp from Wainwright Chrysler Plymouth in Rockaway, NJ brand new in 1972! She traded in her 1968 Valiant Signet. I see Jason's Scamp has the optional "Light Package" which gave you trunk light (ergo the switch mounted on the opening lip), glovebox light, and lighting in each of the front footwells, in addition to the standard dome light. The Scamp model was a specialized variant of the Valiant line, only available in a two door hardtop, with it's own roofline (vinyl top standard) rear window, and rear end styling (71-73). The Scamp was essentially the "top of the line" Valiant, replacing the previous Valiant Signet. Aunt Ginny's car likewise had the slant six engine, but hers had power brakes, which were VERY TOUCHY! I spent many a day riding in the backseat of her Scamp, with those high back seats, which was like walking behind two Nuns! Thanks Lou and Jason for taking me for a ride down memory lane today! :)
Hi Jeffrey, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Aunt Ginny's car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing, and you're welcome, Lou
Very interesting info, thank you!
I admire these cars, 15 years ago I cam every close to buying a gold 72 Dart Swinger with 318 and a 4speed pistol grip transplanted from a written off ‘cuda. It was still in used car territory then, few people got the appeal.
Hi bdb studio, Happy to read you admire this car :-) Lou
Nice survivor car, my family had one close to that year!
Hi Gary, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Family car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
A Plymouth Scamp? Now that's something many of us forgot about. It was a twin to Dodge's Dart Swinger. The Scamp was introduced in 1971, and it was the first hardtop in the Valiant line since the 1966 Signet. (Dodge kept the two-door hardtop all the way through to the end in 1976, and Chrysler's Australian branch offered numerous Valiant hardtops in the early 1970s as well.)
The 225-cid slant six was truly bulletproof; it was very hard to kill. It could take a beating, no matter what you did (as long as you kept it oiled, of course!). This Scamp is no quarter-mile screamer, and I'm happy the owner has decided to keep it that way. It was a shame, however, that these cars were rust-prone; at least the engines held up better than the cars themselves did. It's so nice to see an original '72 Scamp. So many others have been modified with 340s and Plum Crazy paint jobs (nothing wrong with that, but why?). That 225 was one of the longest-running engines ever in American automotive history; it was introduced in 1960 (replacing a flathead six that dated back to 1934!) and was offered until 1983 in cars (the M-bodies were the last Chrysler automobiles with them), and until 1987 in full-size pickup trucks. Thanks once again, Lou! (8/20/2021)
Hi Geminisixtyfour, Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Unlike the vast majority of Lou's driving videos in which he is forced to use everything in his power to keep the owner from exceeding the speed limit, on this one he lowered his shades, kicked back in the Scamp's seat and channeled his inner Alfred E. Neumann "What, me worry?"
Hi Anthony C, This ride was nice and easy :-) Lou
I love the Valiant! There’s been one in the extended family for over 50 years.
Hi DAN, High praise :-) Happy to read your extended family has one, Lou
Yeah!!! When I was in high school, my friend drove a 62 Valiant, he did so all the way through college, then returned the car to his parents once he had a job and could afford a car of his own. Last time I checked, that car had over 350K mis on it, not like you can tell as it's so well maintained with a repaint and interior about 20 years ago. His older brother has it and they won't part with it.
it's so counter intuitive of "what was cool" back then but, the ugly Exner design with it's underpowered glory, is a big part of why it lasted: nobody would buy it and his parents wouldn't take "that kind of a loss." LOL!!! You guessed it. His Dad was an accountant! And, yes, they had quietly collected more money than they had purpose. So, the car became an experiment of longevity. LOL!!!
My point is, even though the cars were "rust buckets," if maintained, Chrysler 6 cylinders and drivetrains last for ever, back in the day.
BTW, I went through college and apprenticeship in a 77 Volare, 225 6 cylinder. It was the lowest cost per mile car I've ever owned. The only thing that failed was a reverse transmission band that cost me $250 in the early 90's. It just ran and ran and ran.
Keep that car around. It's a piece of so many peoples lives. I truly miss all of those bread and butter, transportation, cars we all took for granted, back in the day: Dusters, Pintos, Vegas, Falcons, VW Bugs, and so many I could type all day. We all sent them to the crushers to be reincarnated as Subaru and Maytag dryers.... I miss them.
This one. Just a gem. Forget the growl and snort of the MOPAR bb,
The slant 6 engines are worthy. Nuke proof engines! I LOVE seeing these sweetheart cars!
Growing up with wall to wall Chrysler... and owning a few throughout the years.. warms my heart. Nothing like the high zOOt styling of Chrysler in those days..I remember it well.
Hi MooDog's Frugal Adventures!, High praise :-) Lou
Canadians have traditionally supported the smaller car market to a greater degree, per capita, than Americans - the source country for this one - and I remember these in droves all around Southern Ontario back in the day and I always really liked the 2 door coupes in particular followed by wagons. You're right, Lou, they had some rust issues but were affordable and ready for bolt on performance additions. Or simply the drive the slant six forever. Congrats to owner on a gem of a Plymouth! Thanks for nice video and memories guys.
Hi Bruce H., Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Glad to read this one brings back memories :-) Lou
Have never been a big Chrysler fan BUT, credit where credit is due...the slant six is an engineering
masterpiece. Reliable as the sunrise, with just a little TLC, they will run FOREVER! Forget about the
426 Hemis and the 440 Magnums...the little "slant six" will still be running when the aforementioned
engines are but a memory!
Hi Strange Daze, High praise for the "slant six" :-) Lou
Thanks, Lou! My Uncle had a 1975 Dodge Dart which was similar to this one. Yes, it had four doors!
Hi Jed, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Uncles car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing, and you're welcome, Lou
Lou, my first car was a ‘71 Scamp. It was blue with a black vinyl top and a slant six. It had AC and I remember the windshield washer worked with a foot pump. This example is in nice shape!
Hi Agostino, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I remember the big bulb on the floor that you pushed with your foot to wash the windows. Very antiquated design, even for the 70s, but no one seemed to mind.
My grandfather had a 1971 Plymouth Scamp. His was light green with a black vinyl top and green vinyl interior. I actually recall this as being a somewhat upscale small car for its time. It was a little bit larger than most of its competitors. And, the interior was a little bit nicer than the typical base compact car interior.
Hi Michael, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Grandfathers car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
This brings back memories of my first car. My 1975 Plymouth Valiant Custom. Equipped the same as this car with the same hubcaps(which are easy to put on if you use the palm of your hand and hit them dead center. Trust me, I know!).
Hi Foxonian, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your 1st car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Lou you are a blessing to this cat guy! I am from Louisville KY lived here my entire life! I wish I could have met you brother! My wife loves you and makes the best cookies and baked goods that she gives to family and friends! You missed it brother. Lol
Hi Bob Bob, I MISSED YOUR WIFES COOKIES!!!! Uggghhhhh, Lou P.S. Chocolate Chips would be nice........
Lou is spot-on with his take on the Scamp's styling. If it was considered "meh" in the early 70s, it has certainly aged in spectacular fashion! Yet, with that said, I absolutely loved the looks of the 340-equipped Dodge Dart GT from the same era.
Hi Dan O, Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
As a kid, I scoffed and laughed at these cars....As an older kid, I can admit that the combination of the slant 6 and torque flite transmission was super rugged and reliable...
Hi Don K, Happy to read you admire this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I owned a 74 Valiant sedan. Was white with same blue interior. Was immaculate on the inside. Had A/C that could freeze the you know whats off of you. Had the rust issue mentioned, but not too badly considering it spent its whole 16 years in the Boston area. Probably because it was washed regularly by the original owner and I until I drove it into the back of a semi that was parked illegally. Managed to walk away without a scratch on me though. Was funny how the tow truck driver reacted when he showed up, saw the car and said "oh, sugar honey iced tea, who died in this" and I said, "I did" lol
Hi Sabba_Dabba, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Oh heck yeah, love those old leaning tower of power engines, they were like a Timex watch, take a licking and keep on ticking! lol! Just like the old Chevrolet straight 6’s, all of them, and the Ford straight 6’s as well! Fantastic Lou!
Hi Doug, Happy to read you enjoy this one :-) Lou
@@loucostabile - yes indeedy Lou, nice one buddy! Thank ya!
even the lower end mopar models are wonderfull.Love the sound of a mopar starter.
Is jasons collection have anymore mopar?If so I hope we get to see them.
Hi keeff, Happy to read you love the sounds from this car :-) Lou
My aunt and uncle in Ocean Springs, Mississippi had a 73 Plymouth Gold Duster with slant six and TourqFlite. I remember the sound of that engine well.
Hi Michael, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Aunt & Uncles car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
@@loucostabile Hi, Lou! They had that car forever! They gave it to their oldest, he pulled the engine, and had the car crushed! Over 120K, and the engine was still in good shape.
Holy Smokes and Heaven's to MergaTroid!! That sucker is one CLEEEN survivor!
High praise for this Survivor :-)
I really like the simplicity of this cars design and options. Very clean. The leaning tower of power. ;) Interesting how long Chrysler used this body style. A high school friend had a 75 Dart Swinger that was pretty much the same car. Thanks for sharing Lou. Take care.
Hi Russell, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your High School Friends car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing, and you're welcome, Lou
Simple Car slant 6 enough power love that car perfect size not too bad on gas I learned how to drive on a 1973 Dart Slant six Excellent Car
Hi Andrew, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car you learned to drive on :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
That car is absolutely beautiful I can remember when I was a kid we used to call those false teeth cars back in the Dodge Dart because because all of the seniors strove them and they were always in the left lane holding up traffic lol.
They were such good reliable cars.
Hi Robert, High praise for the looks of this car :-) Glad this one brings back memories, Lou
Those were excellent cars with bulletproof power trains.
Hi Craig, Thank you for sharing, Lou
Always liked this bodystyle. Especially if it had the 318 or 340.
Happy to read you enjoy the design of this car :-)
This one brings back memories of a 74 Dodge Dart I once had. I think the engines WERE bulletproof, as someone said, but they were very
sloooowww. Couldn't get out of their own way. But they were designed to be econoboxes, so most people were happy with them. One of Chrysler Corp's most successful lines. Kept them going when their other car lines struggled.
Hi John, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Nice car and... shirt. Scamp! Nice change in featured attraction. Thanks. Old School
Hi Finn Green, Happy to read you enjoy the car and matching shirt too :-) You're welcome, Lou
Amazing work Lou. A gem of a featured automotive history.
Incredible find and an awesome time machine.
Only lacking trunk and treat feature.
Original cars are far more interesting than any restomod.
Functional AM radio for talk show listeners.
Hi Bill, Happy to read you enjoy this "gem" :-) Lou
Very cool ride that reminds me of my blue 1967 Plymouth Valiant not much difference thanks for showing bring back memories
Hi Jimmy, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your 1967 car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
I got to drive my step dads 76 valiant and loved it. Quick and handled well.
Hi Paul, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Step Dads car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hey big brother Lou!! As a somewhat scampy little perpetual JV baseball guy (and I do love some good shrimp scampi-thanks Mom!) I really enjoyed this blast back in time. What a great little powder blue time machine, man. I am quite sure my floppy DC's would be kicked off and my stocking feet would be kicking-then just twitching-out of the passenger side window as I am in the backseat with a sweet chick lol ;) (there goes that hyper nature again, big bro lol). And look at that rear glass-the style and shape of that. Even the "economy" cars of those days seemed to have the influence of the bigger cruisers, as you said. I hope you had some real yummy fried chicken and Southern fare while in Kentucky, Lou! :) JV Johnny
Hey Brother JV Johnny, Happy to take you back to 1972 in this car :-) Had yummy time in KY for sure, Lou
Wow lou I had a 72 Dodge dart with the same engine it was dark green paint with a black vynl interior ps and ac I purchased the car from my father's boss for 75 $ dollars when I first got my driver's license i drove through high school and college it was bulletproof with the slat six I never had a problem with it
Hi David R, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
My paternal grandmother's last car was a '72 Plymouth Scamp, a beige one. Haven't seen one in years. They really weren't that common on the roads - Valiants were but not so much Scamps. Plymouth Valiants/Scamps, and their Dodge Dart/Swinger sisters, were considered among the most reliable compacts of the time, rated very highly by the likes of Consumer Guide. And yes, in 1972, this large-ish car was classified as a compact by US standards of the time, a competitor with the Chevrolet Nova, Ford Maverick, and AMC Hornet. You mentioned the Honda Civic; it was introduced into the US market in 1973 to compete with the newly popular brace of US subcompacts like the Chevy Vega, Ford Pinto, and AMC Gremlin, though it was quite a bit smaller, and tiny compared to today's Civics. Its predecessor, the Honda 600, had been available in the US since 1970 and it was almost as small as today's Smart Cars.
Hi colibri1, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Grandmothers car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
Oh I so remember these cars along with the Dodge Dart. Back then they were on every corner here. That engine 225 slant six was a outstanding engine. Our family had loads of those engines and they were indestructible. Those mechanical lifters after a while had to be gaped like a spark plugs as the lifter tapping got a bit noisy never hurt anything but just a noisy tapping. The was a great old ride. As my dad used to say when he punched the acceleration that it is no ball of fire but after it gets going it will really roll along. My guess a one barrel carb on this one. A bare bones unit but loved the little signs of wear makes it more original in my opinion. A great owner and a fun ride along Lou! Thanks for sharing Lou!
Hi Steve, Happy to read this car brings back memories :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing, and you're welcome, Lou
Wow, I just learned today that slant 6 has solid lifters, thanks! I had a 383 small block stroker motor with solid lifter cam and roller rockers that I had to manually adjust every 3k miles. Solid cam's make instant REVS! I never had any idea that my friends 62 Lancer or dad's old Volare wagon had solid lifter cams till I read ur comment and even googled it some more too, haha, cool info, thumbs for you
I enjoyed that Lou. It's a car you don't often see. A very clean original car. I'd like to see the rest of his collection.
Hi Rex, Happy to read you enjoy this one. Regarding the rest of the collection, based on travel and time, we'll see, so stay tuned, Lou
i owned a 1972 plymouth valiant 4 door, with all drum brakes, when brakes were wet, the brakes wouldn't stop for all the beans in boston!
Hi Paul, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
@@loucostabile thank you, i will!
A lot of these survived in the dry West, with cracked dashboards and shredded seats, but they kept on keeping on. The slant 6 is very smooth which makes for relaxed road tripping and fairly economical at about 22 mpg on the highway.
Hi haqitman, Thank you for viewing & sharing, Lou
In 2018 I got a '76 Valiant sedan for the out-of-pocket cost of about $150- tax, title, tag. The older woman never sold it because she didn't want it flipped or cut-up for parts, so she gave it to me. It had been parked for years with a dead heater core, was dirty- put a heater core, had the radiator gone through. Discovered it is an A51 car, the 7-blade thermal clutch fan/shroud/ and big radiator are for a HD cooling package (it is also a V8), 8.25" SG rear axle. Thought the VIN was a little odd (ends in 00002), guy got all excited because it was actually built towards the very end of production and has a "Special handling" plate in the engine bay. Bonus? It is rot free, the plastic is in nice shape, and has 88K miles. I liked the car so much I brought it from the PNW to the SE and it gets more people coming down the access alley to my rear garage to look at it- and I have a GT350 sitting a few feet away, gets no attention (which I like that fact)
Hi olikat8, Thank you for viewing and sharing details on your cars. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I absolutely love it!! My first car was a 74 scamp and I would love to find another one some day!
Hi Kurt, Happy to read "I absolutely love it!!" :-) Glad to read this brings back memories of your 1st car, Lou
If memory serves, those wheel covers were considered "deluxe", and the body color is called powder blue.
I had a '76 360 Duster new in '76.
Hi Danger O'reilly, Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
A couple of comments: once gas prices went up in late '73, a GOOD used Valiant or Dart was never a dime a dozen. I know because I went looking for them. I bought a few of them, but in 1975 I bought a similarly equipped '72 Dart (with factory air and about 7,000 miles) in an estate sale for approx. $2,600. My family had it for years, into the mid to late '80s, maybe even into the 90s. At this point it's more a collector's item than a daily driver, I guess, but if I had $26K to burn I'd buy a brand new Civic or a Mazda 3. PS: props to the display case fully of 1/25 scale model cars on that podcast set. I've got a bunch of them in boxes. I loved my Darts and Valiants, and I love my model cars, still, at my advanced age. Will have to check out that podcast.
Hi dmiller1000, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your cars :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
I love the wheelcovers on this Scamp - I think they were called "pie plates", but correct me if I'm wrong. What a nice shade of blue, perfect for this car. My dad had a '81 LeBaron station wagon w/the 225 "Leaning Tower of Power"...I hoped that he would sell it to me when he was done with it, but it was sadly not to be.
Hi chemxfan, Happy to read you enjoy the "pie plates" :-) Glad to read this car brings back memories of your Dads car. Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
What a great car Lou, those were the best 6 cylinders ever made lol!!!
Hi Paul, Dependable for sure :-) Lou
Nice review, nice Scamp. I had a 72 Dart with the bulletproof 225 /6 . It was slow, but still a pleasure to drive.
Hi mammyrammer, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I had same car with power steering. It was 10 years old when I bought it. Loved that car it just ran and ran and ran. Died from rust at 180,000 miles
Hi John, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
The leaning tower of power! My GTX had the under hood acoustic padding.
Hi Earl, Thank you for viewing & sharing, Lou
ah, 72. One of the best years of my life (15).
Car is sweet.
Hi Glen, Good times, good times :-) Glad you think this car is "sweet", Lou
Hi Lou, thank you for a great video! Jason loves cars, he loves his 12 cars, this for sure! :) And cars love him! :) Interesting how many more cars would he have if had like 50 acres of land? :)
Hi Aelita, Happy to read you enjoy the passion Jason has for his cars :-) You're welcome, Lou
Super kool little car! Steve Strope at Pure Vision is building one that started out similar to thia one.
Hi Calvin, Happy to read you enjoy this "Super kool little car!" :-) Lou
My aunt had one a green on green on green one. But she had a 318 cid in it. It had very little rust after 14 Mn. winters.
Hi Kevin, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Aunts car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
I had the Dodge version the Dart Sport . I traded it for a an Olds convertible. Years later that Dodge was still on road with almost 300,000 miles on it the only thing that killed it was rot on the rear frame.
Hi Bill, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
PScamp is one of favorite automobiles..thanks Lou!
Hi gnewb e, Happy to read this one is a favorite for you :-) You're welcome, Lou
Like, totally nifty! The private driving school I attended in the early 70's used similar Valiants (4-door) that had passenger-side gas and brake pedals fitted to it for the instructor. I imagine they had those removed upon selling, but how nifty would it be to find that apparatus somewhere?
Hi 413x398, Happy to read this one brings back memories of driving school cars :-) Thank you for sharing, Lou
Neat car!!! God when I was a kid these were all over the roads!!!
Hi Carlton, Plentiful ....and now RARELY see. Lou
Mint condition! The only dissapointment was the starter isn't old and sounding like a porpoise 🐬 Lol 😆
Hi David, High praise on the condition of this car :-) Starter sound :-( Lou
That car is just now broke in. Loved those old Chrysler products. They rode great too.
Hi Cool Old Dad, Happy to read "Loved those old Chrysler products" :-) Lou
I miss the days of basic no frills cars and trucks with vent windows. It's amazing this car survived and is in such nice condition. I also can't believe it hasn't been V8 swapped. It would be a sin to swap out that leaning tower of power. All it needs is air conditioning.
Hi GLHS592, Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this car :-) Lou
Another great video Lou love this car. Of course I'm sure you know by looking at my TH-cam name I'm a Plymouth guy. Was cool to see that this one had the same interior colors as my Duster does. I wish mine had the fold down center armrest but it's just a plain bench seat. Those 225 slant six motor are the toughest motors I have ever seen. I have one in my Duster.
Hi PlymouthDuster225, I knew this was a video for you :-) Happy to read you enjoy this video, Lou
...actually, Lou, this was NOT the bare-boned Valiant (100 and 200) , because it has an automatic ( 3speed column mount was standard), but ut has a radio, plastic panelling on the dash, vinyl roof, and this ine even sports the optional fog lamps...
...this car was designed to compete with the Ford Maverick and the Chevy Nova, which also featured some "dress up" appearance/trim/option packages to appeal to a younger, sportier buyer than the old librarians, school teachers and accountants who wore Sanforized short- sleeved shirts with plastic pocket protectors and ugly, black horn-rimmed glasses...nerds...
...oh, no, good sir this car appealed to that pretty, young and single school teacher who wanted to show the world her fashion flair...and that she wasn't a nerd...
...and while you could opt for up to a 440 cid in their performance versions...this savvy gentleman knows that the "slant 6 cyl. inline is the engine revered by true Mopar fans...they are bulletproof and with minimal maintenance can easily go 400-500k miles before a rebuild...
...you've been driving the Viper too long...
P.S....any Midwesterner worth his salt got the cars Ziebart-ed to allow the sheet metal to survive...
Ahhhh the 3 speed on the column, you're right. P.S. I hope I get to drive my Viper more :-)
This was well written, clever, funny and informative. Thumbs up for you... /w\/w\
6:18 Let the owner know he needs to take care of that freeze plug as it is leaking. My dad has a 1975 Dodge Dart Sport with the 225 slant 6, crank open sunroof, fold down back seat into the trunk. Good thing these had electronic ignition, because the distributor is not fun to get to. Stock quarter mile et about 19 seconds at 68 mph, 0 to 60 mph probably 15 seconds.
Low speed drivability is what these are about, low rpm torque curve of an inline 6. The American Motors 6 was quite agile in their small cars, more in the 0 to 60 mph in the 10 second range. Anyone who has never driven an older inline 6 is missing an experience. It is not always about raw power that brings a smile.
Hi zulumax1, Thanks for the tip on the freeze plug. Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Dads car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
Amazingly well preserved too!
You're right, difficult to find one in this condition.
I own a 75 scamp and love it .great video
Hi ROCKY Ridge, Happy to read you're enjoying your car :-) Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I had a 71 Scamp 318 2 BBL Torquflite. It got 12 MPG at 30MPH or 75 Mph.
Hi Glenn, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
My sister and her first husband had a 1972 Dodge Dart, which is pretty much the same car. Hers however had a 318cid V8 in it. It woukd lay rubber with ease.
Hi Jim, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Sisters car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I have a few questions / comments. What are the extra lights inboard of the turn signal / parking lights? The car would not have originally come with those. You may want to adjust the valves in the engine, as that will quiet the engine down quite a bit. They sound quite loose to me. 0.010" intake, 0.020" exhaust - but you have to adjust them wit the engine good and HOT, with the engine running at its slowest possible idle. The power steering pump sounds like it is low on fluid. I really like these cars. I was once the owner of a 73 Scamp. There are quite a number of differences between the 72s and 73s, the most noticeable of which is that you have vent windows while starting in 73 they did not have them. I also had the 225 slant 6 engine. These were good cars. As mentioned they were mechanically simple so there was not much that went wrong with them.
Hi Sa Sz, Looks like after market road or fog lights. Happy to read you had a Scamp too. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
great cars!! i saw one chopped and lowered it looked awesome!
Hi Happy Hands, Happy to read you enjoy this one :-) Lou
Brother had
a light green think a old bell vehicle in the 70s .Don't rember the exact yr but the body of his to was pretty solid. You were right mid 70s were rusty yrs! Them slant 6 s were bullet proof!
Hi Tim C, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Brothers car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
@@loucostabile I have subscribed ,alot of nice old cars.Great content, watching from Stratford Ontario.
I had one back in highschool.
Hi deepwood4, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your High School car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Cool you could find one of these... Bet there aren't too many that survived....
Hi Thomas, What was common in 1970's seems rare today, Lou
i like that generation plymouth valiant scamp.
Happy to read you like this one :-)
My mother had a Dodge Dart Swinger this color with a white vinyl top. The second owner had it until the antenna fell through the fender, and the quarter panels rusted, and that was in the early 1980's.
Hi Daniel, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Mothers car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
The first time I rode in one of these, I was 10. and so excited!!! LOL! My parents were Buick people and I had no clue why they snobbed all over Mopar products. It was all about the curved rear window for me....
But, guys would buy these cars on the cheap, pull the 225 or low compression 318, drop a 340 under the hood, jack up the rear end, put a set of beefy wide tires on the back and straight pipe the exhaust. My ten year old brain thought that was the meanest thing on the road, and I knew enough of how cheap that could be done. But, my parents would here none of it..... Parents just don't get it.
Hi Chuck, Happy to read your Parents were responsible people :-) Lou
I love these survivor. Great car
Hi Comet Fan, Happy to read you love these cars :-) Lou