Very clean and slightly unusual Dodge Diplomat coupe. 41,200 original miles. Smooth 318, factory A/C, beautiful cloth interior. Great color combination with polished aluminum factory wheels really give it a good look. When did you last see one?

We’ll admit that we like this car more than we expected. When someone tells you they have a 1978 Dodge Diplomat, it’s not exactly the most exciting news you’re going to get. But then we saw the car and were very pleasantly surprised by how much we liked it. First, it’s really clean—it probably spent a year or two running through winter weather, but it’s spent a vast majority of its 45 years staying out of the worst of it. As a result, it’s got great bodywork with no signs of rot or other issues that come from spending time out in the elements. Most of the paint is original, with only the left rear quarter panel having been repainted (we don’t know why it was painted, but it was a while ago). Dove Gray is the car’s original color and it has aged better than most of the choices from this era, almost all of which had something to do with “earth tones.” Ew. The light gray looks bright and sophisticated and emphasizes the Diplomat’s angular bodywork. A few well-placed pinstripes help in that regard, and there’s plenty of chrome and stainless trim to make it look upscale. The bumpers are in excellent shape and perhaps more importantly, there are no signs of trouble underneath that padded roof, which adds some contrast and looks sporting, not stodgy. Like I said, we were very pleasantly surprised by how appealing this car really is.

The gray cloth bucket seat interior is just beautifully preserved, lending a lot of credence to the actual mileage claims. Comfortable seats are still supportive enough for long drives and the back seat is big enough for real-sized adults. It’s still a luxury car first and foremost, so there’s a lot of faux wood on the dash and beautiful stainless-faced gauges including a voltmeter and temperature gauge. Options include factory A/C, rear defroster, and a tilt steering column, so it’s easy to live with. Even the original AM/FM radio sounds decent because the interior is so quiet at speed. Door panels and headliner are in fantastic shape and there are two cool little map lights built into the ceiling between the visors. There’s also a giant trunk in back that comes complete with a full-sized spare and jack assembly, plus all the original covers and interior panels. Someone clearly loved this car.

Chrysler’s tried-and-true 318 cubic inch V8 provides motive force and it does a good job of being unobtrusive. There’s smooth torque at any speed and it whispers along at highway speeds without any drama. It fires easily with that distinctive Chrysler starter sound and thanks to the sophisticated (for the time) electronic ignition it idles well even when cold. There are plenty of signs of conscientious maintenance, including recent hoses, belts, and tune-up parts, and the condition of the factory engine enamel should tell you just how clean this car really is. The undercarriage is a little grungy and as I said, it probably endured one or two winters in its early life, but there are no signs of critical rot in the floors, rockers, or other support structures. The 3-speed automatic transmission shifts cleanly and with tall 2.71 gears out back, it’s still a fantastic highway cruiser. The brakes have been serviced recently and the exhaust has a modern catalytic converter and new muffler so it’s appropriately hushed. Polished aluminum wheels are the right choice and really make the car, and they now carry 215/70/15 whitewall radials for the proper 1970s look.

Documentation includes the original owner’s manual and booklets.

Look at the car then look again at the price—there’s a lot here to like. It has that incomparable 70s luxury car ride and it’s unusual enough to attract second glances at almost any car show. The low miles and awesome originality are a nice bonus, making this a car you can enjoy regularly without worries. An awesome entry-level hobby car that doesn’t have to be garden-variety. Call today!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.