By Jeff Glucker
Wagons remain the chosen vehicle type of those who know what’s best. You may disagree with that statement, but you’re wrong. To help educate you on the lovely allure of the longroof, I found this particularly amazing example of a second-gen Plymouth Valiant. It’s for sale on Craigslist, and it may be the cleanest example I’ve seen in quite some time.
According to the seller, it’s been completely restored. The pictures certainly satisfy those claims. This 1964 Valiant wagon looks basically perfect. The paint shines, that interior appears brand-new, and the engine bay is spotless. This seller states that they have a spreadsheet with every part, repair, and cost involved in the restoration, and I’d believe them.
Since returning to better than factory fresh, the car has turned 2,000 miles on its crisp clean slant-6 engine. And now it’s being offered for sale with an asking price of $29,999.
That’s no small sum, certainly. But for a car this clean and this freshly restored, it’s a far more interesting purchase than buying a new Ford Maverick or Toyota Corolla. Granted, those other cars would be potentially more comfortable when you’re stuck in traffic on the 405 freeway (the car is located in Southern California). Still, I know which car I’d rather be sitting in during a situation like that…
Give me the longroof. Crack the windows. Crack the throttle. Crack a big old smile.
The full listing can be found here: https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/d/huntington-beach-restored-1964-plymouth/7861784338.html
Obscure old car with way too much money mistakenly spent on it. A case of lust, not love. This is why a lovingly restored car is a better buy than an old money pit. This is still too much for an old compact station wagon. Sorry.
Beautiful car, but I’d need significant sentimental attachment (or a lottery win) to be willing to spend so much on it. For the right buyer, I don’t think you’ll find a better example of that model. But I’d rather get one with a faded l/rusted patina and in need of some attention for a fraction of the cost.
For sure, I too would love a patina-clad version as well. I was just impressed with the quality of this resto – and these days anything that nice for under 30k seems like a bargain in this broken world.
Very nice classic car.