Meet The Gorgeous Plymouth Scamp, A Mopar Muscle That Revamped the Market

When it comes to the top-of-the-chain muscle cars, along with Ford, Pontiac, Chevy, and Buick, the name Plymouth also emerges, responsible for the birth of a number of muscle cars that paved the way for the current heartthrobs. Based on the platform of the Plymouth Valiant, the Scamp was a two-door hardtop that not only burns the tracks down with exhilarating performance but also provides the utmost comfort to the occupants. The Scamp was more like the sober kid in the class who was the most insane too.

Introduced in 1971, the Plymouth Scamp is an entry-level muscle car that you can buy today. Since the 60s, America is experiencing a hell of a lot of changes in the automotive industry, and the era of muscle cars is one of them. In 1963, Pontiac launched the GTO, marketed as the first muscle car, and then in the next year, Ford launched its bread and butter, the Mustang. Another machine came to play during the period, known as the Chrysler Plymouth Valiant, which was in production from 1960 to 1976. This Plymouth was adored by the people so much that Chrysler ended up launching multiple avatars of the Valiant. The elephant in the room, the Plymouth Scamp, is one such avatar that made people crazy at that time, and now too.

Origin

Launched in the 60s, the Valiant had already built the market for Plymouth and is considered the foundation stone of the Plymouth muscle cars. The reason behind the craze is assumed to be the economical character of Valiant that was blended with the presence of the bold presence. The same year, Dodge launched the Dart, a compact sedan, which was an instant hit like its cousin. In 1969, the biggest revolution came in the history of Dodge, with the launch of the Dart Swinger, the sporty edition of the Dart, and similar to big brother, it was also a hit. Observing the key success, the Plymouth management introduced the Scamp under the name of Valiant Scamp, an edition that blended performance and luxury underneath. Since its inception, this Mopar muscle was an instant hit. Whether the Dart Swinger or the Scamp, both compete against the Chevy Nova SS, a similar category car, that forced Dodge to build the Swinger.

That Bold Aura

Although an economical sedan, the Valiant was quite a bold presence on the road. That sharp distinctive grille, long hood, sloping roof, and fat tires, all together built a manly aura around the Valiant. The Scamp, being built on the same platform, could not escape the elements and thus embraced fate. In fact, contrary to the Valiant, the Scamp was more manly, as admitted by most enthusiasts.

The front facia features a metal bumper and a slightly bumped grille mounting the headlights, making the appearance quite aggressive. That elongated hood, coupled with the straight lining till the end, and the thick C and D pillars with the sloping roof, altogether changes the appearance of the Scamp bolder, a combination that sprays the fragrance of masculinity. With that comes the painted steel wheels, which steal the show even before the whole car even appears in the scene. On the fenders, the V8 badging along with the indicators has been pasted, to announce its power. Not all, but there were some Scamps featuring hood scoops too.

What’s Under the Hood?

The 1969 Dodge Dart Swinger came with 340 horsepower making low-end Slant 6. Not as same as the Dodge, but the ‘71 Plymouth Scamp featured the highly reliable Chrysler 225 Slant-6, as well as the 318 ci V8 TorqueFlite, a beast that juices out 230 horsepower and 320 ft-lb, to power the rear wheels, allowing it to reach a top speed of 117 mph to hit 60 in just 8.2 seconds. The 1973 Scamp packed a 383 big-block 360 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 380 lb-ft of torque. The same year, the oil crisis hit the USA, and in the following years, the engine was resized to 225-318 ci V8, making 90-150 hp, to make the Scamp a bit more efficient.

Due to the lightweight A-body, big racing tires, well-implemented driving dynamics, steady handling, and accurate steering, it was bliss to drive the Scamp. However, the better it drives, the lesser miles it covers, due to the always-hungry powerplants. Thus people along with enthusiasts who do care about the performance would end up getting the Scamps on their driveway, and due to being hit by the ‘73 oil crisis, by 1976, the Scamp went out of production.

The Scamp was Quite Comfortable

Scamp was a performance-focused muscle car that was built to vroom, to smoke whatever there are around the machine. And along with that, it was quite a fuel guzzler too. However, in terms of comfort, there was no shortage. The seats were comfortable, at both front and back, and the amenities given just made the lives more convenient. However, unlike most cars, the Plymouth Scamp featured a front bench seat capable of seating up to 3 people, while at the rear, 2 bucket seats were installed. However, if the owner would want, then front bucket seats could also be installed. Being a compact muscle car, the configuration that Plymouth adopted, made the Scamp quite spacious.

The Plymouth Scamp featured a big, easy-to-read gauge cluster, climate controls, optional audio systems, including AM/FM radios and cassette players, and practical storage compartments throughout the cabin, which were the prime reasons behind its hit.

Time to Bid Good Bye

The Plymouth Scamp was a fun-to-drive muscle car that was built to own by the petrolheads, not those people who calculate budget at every step. Similar to today’s society, the number of gearheads was less than the economical ones at that period too, and thus the production came to a stoppage in 1976. Although factually, the Scamp was just another trim of Valiant, emotionally, it built its own base, particularly for the thrill-seekers. But the fierce competition, rising inflation, and the less competitive upgrades forced Plymouth to scrap the assembly line of the Scamp along with Valiant.

Today, Scamp is available as a modern classic car, asking for a huge price. Once affordable for all, today is out of reach for many. However, if you ever get a chance to permanently embrace her, don’t miss it.