that.....is..... AWESOME!!!!!! Best use of a Volare since the movie Cobra.
2009 BABE MFP car. It started life as a 1978 Plymouth Volare purchased by a middle aged man in South Houston. Reportedly, he once did a roadtrip to Little Rock, Arkansas and back, but then never drove it outside the confines of Houston for the next 30 years. Then he died, leaving his belongings to his son-in-law, who then proceeded to have an estate sale, which I happened upon on craigslist. Seeing a 225 slant 6, 4spd manual Volare for sale for $500, I couldn’t resist. I skipped out on a morning of work and drove my miata down to South Houston to check out this fine specimen of Chrysler workmanship. I took one look at the car and knew it was mine. I told the son-in-law I’d take it and he pointed out that the clutch was frozen and therefore could not power itself anywhere. No matter, AAA can tow my new possession to my storage unit to await a new clutch. Then…disaster…I find out that I’m moving to New Mexico in the fall and need to get the car mobile before I leave so the car hauler people (company paid for) can pick up my car and deliver it to me at my new residence. So after a frantic couple of weekends the new clutch is installed and the Volare is once again mobile. Fast forward past winter in New Mexico when the car basically sat outside bored and depressed and to the spring when my plan to convert this humble Volare into a Mad Max pusuit vehicle begins. Firstly, 4 trashbags of crap must come out of the car. Combs, change rusted to the carpet, rags, shirts, paper and various other trinkets are found and quickly disposed of. Rather than clean the very old and very gnarly looking vinyl, I decide to give the car a touch of class by taking an old Velux blanket (anyone whose been in a motel in the past two decades knows what I’m talking about) and glue it over the vinyl. Viola, faux velour seats, booyaa. Next comes the exterior accessories. A local junkyard supplies a foxbody spoiler and F150 lower valence for the roof scoop and chin spoiler affect for the car. The spoiler proves to be too wide initially, but a hacksaw fixes that issue. Great Stuff and Bondo fill up the gaps left by the spoiler and its all sanded down. Also, an issue with a frozen brake line is fixed with a replacement rubber segment to the caliper, thus allowing me to now brake in a straight line. Now, onto the important stuff, paint. I develop a general plan of attack, going after the center striping first and then the general yellow. Granted, the result still looks like the maniacal splashings of a blind, parkinson’s patient, but I’m not going for best in show…or even a qualifying lap (to mix metaphors). Next, decals. Nothing covers up a bad paint job like lots of stickers. Finally, I plan to work the interior in the upcoming month to hook up a cb radio, car top loudspeaker, flashing yellow lights and some more electronic doodads. Once I have all this complete, the MFP will be ready to roll for the BABE rally. Am I stoked to take this rusty, wheezing geriatric of a car across the country and then down the coast. Heck yes!!! Do I know what the future holds for the Volare post rally, not yet…stay tuned…
Well in my effort to consolidate vehicles and other stuff, the Volare has now moved …
11 days of driving, 4600 miles later, the Volare’s journey is over and to celebrate …
that.....is..... AWESOME!!!!!! Best use of a Volare since the movie Cobra.
I dig it!! I didn't see the BABE coming at all, as I read your diary, but it seems like an outstanding way to send her off(Who Knows, you'll just have to Beeeee there. . . )
So wrong dude, but funky cool anyway.
Nice Main Force Patrol colors! Very cool car.
Wicked. My mom rocked a green Volare wagon with a 360-4bbl. I always wanted to find one and give it the Super Coupe treatment but your idea is better!
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