1980 Dodge Aspen Particular: Favourite Automobile Adverts | The Each day Drive


1980 Dodge Aspen Special
1980 Dodge Aspen Particular

“Generally a ‘cut price’ automobile seems to be lower than a cut price when you’ve got it outfitted the best way you need.” So opens the textual content of {a magazine} advert for the 1980 Dodge Aspen Particular, a automobile so bereft of content material it might not look misplaced on the lot of a Moscow used-car retailer.

For folk not within the know, the Aspen was already one thing of an automotive equipment, that includes pedestrian design, underwhelming efficiency, and, sadly, a status for disappointing reliability. As for the Aspen Particular particularly, learn on…

The compact Aspen, and it’s corporate-clone cousin the Plymouth Volaré had been, by 1980, horribly dated technically, and had been largely bought on value. A big proportion of interval gross sales had been to authorities fleets, this to the dismay of many law enforcement officials and low-level bureaucrats.

And to hit a value level that met the calls for of fleet consumers and the nation’s thriftiest motorists, Dodge supplied the Particular, a kind of base, base trim stage.

1980 Dodge Aspen Special
1980 Dodge Aspen Particular

As seen under, the Aspen Particular was marketed as American’s solely 6-passenger sedan obtainable for lower than $5000. That’s $4994, to be actual. And for the children studying this, many automobiles of the day featured entrance “bench seating,” which accommodated three-abreast front-row passenger placement. So, three in entrance, three in again, that’s six.

Curiously, in the course of the 1980 mannequin 12 months—Aspen’s closing 12 months–Dodge lowered the value of its most soul-crushing mannequin, the Aspen Particular. The Particular, supplied as coupe and sedan (as seen right here) was positioned under the bottom Aspen, and got here commonplace with so few options {that a} small baby might depend them. Seems, there was nothing particular in regards to the Particular.

Firstly of 1980, per the Encyclopedia of American Vehicles, the most affordable Aspen began at $5151. In some unspecified time in the future in the course of the ’80 mannequin 12 months, the value of a Particular was dropped to $4994. Now, the all-new, and decidedly extra fashionable and classy Chevrolet Quotation began at simply $4800, however that value didn’t embody a 6-cylinder engine, or computerized transmission, options commonplace on the Aspen. It did, nonetheless, seat six. However, the Quotation was technically a hatchback, not a sedan, so Dodge’s cheapest-sedan declare was not challenged.

However, to place the Aspen Particular in correct historic perspective, we have to take a look at what precisely did come commonplace—and what didn’t—for $4994. First, the usual stuff:

 1980 Dodge Aspen Particular: Commonplace Gear

1980 Dodge Aspen
1980 Dodge Aspen

“Slant Six” engine

Legendary for its sturdiness, the mighty Slant Six was simply plodding alongside by 1980. Strangled by emissions laws, the large 3.7-liter engine was cranking out simply 90 horsepower within the Aspen Particular, good for a reported 15-second 0-60 mph “dash.”

TorqueFlite computerized transmission with lockup Torque Converter

A regular computerized transmission is good, however the TorqueFlite, although famously dependable, was nonetheless only a 3-speed unit, this at a time when many manufacturers had already moved to 4-speeds. Additionally, we’re unsure why Torque Converter is being dealt with as a correct noun by Dodge.

Energy Steering

Unbelievably, energy steering was not commonplace on most Aspens. So, it is a good add.

Whitewall P-metric radial tires

Yawn. Radial tires had been frequent by 1980, and admittedly white-sidewall tires had turn out to be passé. Amusingly, these are slender white-sidewall tires. Wider stripes price additional. Actually.

Deluxe wheel covers with wheel lip moldings

On this case, deluxe” is subjective, and we’re not sure lower-cost wheel covers would even have made a lot of a distinction. Additionally, Wheel lip moldings, which at all times appear to be Okay-Mart-sourced equipment, tended to be the place rust developed first. Simply saying.

1980 Dodge Aspen Special
1980 Dodge Aspen Coupe

Physique-side accent tape stripes

It’s tape.

Entrance and rear bumper guards

Little, kinda ineffective, bumper guards.

Anti-corrosion safety

Rust proofing was a preferred add-on again within the day. Trying again, it didn’t work very properly. Aspens preferred to rust.

Diagnostic Plug

An fascinating function, although this technique by no means went anyplace. The “plug” was a precursor to the industry-accepted On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) commonplace, which included a port for digital service entry to the automobile’s working system. The Aspen Diagnostic Plug was not almost so subtle, and should by no means have truly been used.

I’d prefer to assume that a minimum of one car-shopper’s spouse was, sooner or later, at some dealership, heard to protest, “Honey, you recognize I received’t drive a automobile with out wheel-lip moldings or a diagnostic plug!”

Now, right here’s some stuff that didn’t come commonplace on the 1980 Dodge Aspen Particular, however may very well be had on different trim ranges:

Not Commonplace Gear

Tinted glass

Should you’re younger, you’ve been spoiled by low-glare, UV-shielding windshields and facet glass your entire life. However, Aspen Particular drivers weren’t. Probably they at all times wore sun shades, and checked recurrently for melanoma.

1980 Dodge Aspen
1980 Dodge Aspen Wagon

Radio

That’s proper, no tunes. To not fear, with out sound insulation (see under), there’s likelihood you wouldn’t hear the music anyway.

Noise Discount Package deal, Particular Sound Insulation, Hood Silencer Pad

These choices may very well be ordered individually, or collectively as a part of the “Deluxe Insulation Package deal.” Appears that saving cash means coping with wind, street, and engine noise.

Coloration-keyed steering wheel

That’s proper, the colour of your steering wheel most likely didn’t match the inside of your automobile. Coloration coordination is for wealthy folks.

Deluxe Steering Wheel

We don’t know what makes a steering wheel “Deluxe,” nevertheless it most likely matches the automobile’s inside.

Coloration keyed seatbelts

Yup. The usual belts don’t essentially match the seats. We’re guessing the usual belts got here in both argent, or ocher.

Cigarette Lighter

That’s what matches are for. In addition to, for those who purchased this automobile, you shouldn’t be losing cash on cigarettes, anyway.

1980 Dodge Aspen
1980 Dodge Aspen

Day/evening inside mirror

Don’t drive at evening. No downside.

Glove-box lock

Don’t hold necessary stuff in your automobile. No Downside.

Glove-box mild

No large challenge for those who don’t hold necessary stuff in your automobile (see above).

Material headliner

It’s vinyl for you, buddy. (This most likely provides to the ambient noise stage within the automobile.)

Carpeting

Simply hold your footwear on, no downside.

Intermittent wipers

These usually weren’t commonplace on a lot, but, truly.

Commonplace-size white sidewall tires

Extra whitewall, more cash.

1980 Dodge Aspen
1980 Dodge Aspen Trim Ranges

500-amp battery

Ouch. 500 amps isn’t a lot for brand spanking new automobile. Stepping up from the usual 325-amp battery was most likely frequent.

Protecting bumper strips

No matter.

Clock (digital)

Yup, no clock.

Heart console

Which is sensible. Add the console and your entrance/heart passenger goes to be fairly uncomfortable.

Rear defogger/defroster

These are literally listed individually. Assuming the defroster is for the windshield? Actually needs to be commonplace.

“Most” cooling system

We assume this included a high-capacity radiator. Most likely standard with the fleet consumers.

Customized Package deal

Lots of the smaller objects listed above as stand-along choices may very well be had is one fell swoop by ordering the Customized Package deal. The Customized Package deal was not supplied on the Particular.

Dodge produced roughly 19,000 Aspen Particular sedans for 1980, making it the second-most-popular automobile within the lineup after the considerably much less miserable base sedan, which got here in at 26,000 models. And whereas drivers of the Aspen Particular probably loved extra sullen and joyless lives than the house owners of different autos, a minimum of they might level to their wheel lip moldings with a nominal diploma of satisfaction, and declare in truth, “These got here commonplace.” Particular, certainly. (To examine an much more miserly automobile, click on right here.)

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1980 Dodge Aspen Photos

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