Today’s Nice Price or No Dice Dodge Spirit is unrelated to the AMC Spirit of a few years earlier, despite parent company Chrysler having bought and disposed of that marque right before the Dodge was released. Regardless of such intrigue, few Spirits are left, which means we should take a look at this one and judge its worth.
I’ve been to lots of classic car shows, cars & coffees, and even single-marque meet-ups over the years. I’ve never, however, been to an exclusive gathering of classic pickups, and I kind of want to. Full-sized pickups represent the top sellers for the big three, offering over the years a wide variety of variations and models that might be interesting to view and add to the ol’ mental catalog. It’s good to know stuff, you know.
If one wanted to actually participate in such an all-pickup event rather than just spectate, then the 1993 Ford F-150 XL we looked at on Tuesday might make for a solid entry. A turn-key truck that the seller described as being in “like-new” condition, the only thing holding it back from being a truck show star was its hefty $12,000 asking price. Too few of you were willing to go that high, even for a “like new” experience, showing the F-150 the door in a 57% ‘No Dice’ loss.
Spirit (not the airline)
The word ‘spirit’ came into the English language as a French loan word from the Old French esperit. That word was lifted from the Latin, spīritus, meaning to breathe, or alternatively, to have courage.
Today, we use the word to describe an individual’s vigor, spectral visions, and the sort of booze often sold only in state stores. The Spirit nameplate was also used by both AMC and Dodge for separate, unrelated car models.
This 1993 Dodge Spirit ES is the latter of those two. The earlier AMC was a Gremlin-based hatchback of the 1980s. Chrysler inherited the nameplate when it bought AMC from Renault, although its true target was the Jeep brand.
Built on a longer, wider, and generally more robust update to the venerable K-Car platform called the AA platform (yes, like the battery), the Spirit joined the cookie-cutter Plymouth Acclaim and Chrysler LeBaron sedan as corporate competitors in the mid-sized category. Exclusively FWD, the Spirit could be optioned with naturally-aspirated or turbocharged four-cylinders, or a Mitsubishi-built V6. Various five-speed manual and three-speed automatic transmissions were available for the model, depending on the buyer’s preference.
Reality check
According to the seller, this remarkably low-mileage (43,001) Spirit was originally intended as the basis for an EV conversion. They eventually realized how daunting such a task would actually be and, having other cars at hand, now see the Spirit as an opportunity for someone else’s vision, whatever that might be.
There’s plenty to do, too. Per the description, this Spirit has led an interesting and eventful life. Paramount among the problems it presently manifests is a cam cover that needs attention. At some point recently, a shop recommended a new head gasket for the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four. That work resulted in a broken cam cover stud and a small exhaust leak. Both should be seen too, and shouldn’t take more than a weekend to fix. The seller says the exhaust leak has resulted in a “small drop in power,” which should ideally be rectified asap, given the car had only 100 horsepower to begin with.
Other issues include the need for two keys, as a break-in required the rekeying of the doors and ignition, leaving the trunk as the sole holder of an original lock. Along with that issue is a slightly saggy headliner, rounding out this Spirit’s foibles.
Vintage fun
It’s not all doom and gloom, however. The ad does note that since taking ownership of the car, the seller has replaced the brakes, the timing belt, the radiator, and had that sketchy head gasket fix completed.
Overall, the car looks to be in perfectly serviceable shape on the outside, with decent paint with only minor marring, along with a good-looking set of factory alloys that all maintain their original center caps. It’s also an interesting design, featuring the boxy, upright three-box shape of the older K-Cars, massaged a bit to be more aerodynamic, but not going full roly-poly like the cars that would succeed it.
There’s a lot more to like in the cabin, as well. Aside from the minor sag in the headliner, everything appears to be in amazing condition. It’s also color-keyed in maroon with wonderful striped mouse-fur upholstery and wildly comfortable-looking seats. This is also a unique year, as it offers a driver’s-side airbag but lacks the passenger-side automatic shoulder belt introduced in the 1994 models. A clean title means the next owner can enjoy that interior with little fuss at the DMV.
The cheap seats?
As we noted, the seller has a number of automotive options, with the Spirit being the lowest priority of those. Despite that, they say the car gets started and driven around the neighborhood on the regular. They would like to see it go to a Mopar enthusiast who would address its minor (and not-so-minor) issues and could enjoy the car for what it is.
That’s a very narrow needle to thread, considering that this Spirit is a model that was probably never intended for long-term appreciation. The fact that it has been underused and possibly over-loved makes it an odd-bodkin of a car. Add to that a $2,500 asking price, and we have much to discuss.
What’s your take on this Spirit at that $2,500 price point? Does that seem like a bargain for a lightly needy and quirky old car? Or, does the cons outweigh the pros, meaning it doesn’t stand a ghost of a chance?
You decide!
Seattle, Washington, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
Help me out with Nice Price or No Dice. Hit me up at [email protected] and send a fixed-price tip. Remember to include your commenter handle.
