Junkyard Gem: 1983 Plymouth Scamp

Ford, GM, and Chrysler each did perfectly during the nineteen seventies and early nineteen eighties by importing Japanese-built smaller pickups from Mazda, Isuzu and Mitsubishi (respectively), even though Volkswagen of America managed to sell much more Rabbit Pickups listed here than any one envisioned. The front-wheel-push structure of the Rabbit Pickup (you European sorts understood this vehicle as the Mk. I Caddy) didn’t appear to hurt revenue a great deal, and so Chrysler set a pickup bed on the Simca-derived Dodge Omni system to create the Dodge Rampage for the 1982-1984 design several years. A Plymouth version, the Scamp, adopted for 1983 by itself, and which is what we have got for present day tremendous-scarce Junkyard Gem.

The Plymouth Division experienced utilised the Scamp title on Valiant two-door hardtops from 1971 by means of 1976, and it ought to have appeared like a fantastic title to use on the replacement for the discontinued-in-1982 Plymouth Arrow pickup. The Scamp got the front finish of the Turismo, itself a sporty Horizon, and the relaxation of the vehicle was just about identical to its Rampage sibling.

Rampage revenue didn’t volume to a great deal, and the Scamp fared even worse in the showrooms. Full revenue of the 1983 Scamp came to a mere three,564. That would make this an really scarce Junkyard Gem, although not really as tricky to come across as a legitimate Ultimate five hundred Oldsmobile. I have uncovered a pair of discarded Rampages in the previous, this typical ’83 and this ’83 Prospector, but this is the initial Scamp.

Rampages and Scamps got Chrysler’s 2.2-liter four-cylinder, outfitted with a carburetor and rated at eighty four horsepower. Yes, eighty four horsepower! Modern trucks have spoiled us.

Not that this Scamp lacked all luxurious attributes. The primary buyer paid further for air conditioning, a real rarity amid members of the Omni-rizon spouse and children.

Most Rampage/Scamp prospective buyers picked the four- or five-pace manual transmission, although a a few-pace automatic was accessible. This 1 has a manual.

I have tried out to distribute the phrase in the Rampage/Scamp group about this 1, and a different in a Denver property, so that some of the tremendous-scarce bits may be rescued before they get crushed.

That is two of three,564 Scamps accounted for, although they’re not extended for this globe. A further races in the 24 Hrs of Lemons series and has acquitted itself pretty perfectly on road classes in California and Washington. The team title is Haulin’ Ass, get it?