I recently relocated to our L.A. offices, which has opened up new highways and new finds from all over Southern California. Today I spotted this Plymouth Arrow Sport.
I didn't know Plymouth made a pickup, but after researching its history, there's no way I'd remember when they came out 1979. I was still a sparkle in my parent's eyes.
The Plymouth Arrow was built for only four years until it was replaced in 1983 by the SCAMP pickup. It was manufactured by Mitsubishi Motor Corp. in Japan. Standard features for the 1979 Arrow included AM radio, a four-speed transmission, power front disc brakes, vinyl folding bench seat, dual sunvisors, two-speed windshield wipers (wow), domelight, and a slew of little things that are standard on vehicles today.
The 1979 Arrow Sport pickup was a flashier version of the basic Arrow pickup. It featured a four-cylinder, 105-horsepower engine that was 15 horses faster than the base model Arrow. The Sport was offered with a five-speed manual or a three-speed automatic transmission.
The Arrow Sport came in three exclusive colors: black, Spitfire orange, or a two-tone low-luster black with yellow. The one I found is the Spitfire orange. Other upgrades from the base model included bodyside tape stripes, vinyl highback bucket seats, console, loop-pile carpet, a tachometer, oil-pressure gauge and ammeter, a three-spoke sport-steering wheel, white-spoke sport wheels, and AM/FM stereo radio. This one features the optional rear rollbar and the low black racing-type side mirrors.
The Arrow styling didn't change much for 1980: It retained its boxy styling and square headlights. It still offered a 1557-pound payload -- the largest in the mini-pickup class at the time. The Sport did gain a few new styling options that included a new side tape design, black front bumpers, bucket seats in black or gray cashmere, and a new five-speed manual transmission with overdrive.
There were no big changes to the Arrow in 1981, either. This was the first year air-conditioning, a sliding rear window, and power steering became available for the line. A third trim level was added called the Arrow Custom Pickup. The Custom featured all the same standard features as the Arrow and was powered by the same four-cylinder engine as the Sport. It was offered in three exterior colors: Medium blue metallic, Warm white, and black, all of which featured blue interiors.
The Sport was offered in two new colors, red and Ballast sand metallic, and featured a gold front grille and gold-painted wide spoke wheels to make it more flamboyant in standing out as the top trim level of the Arrow model.
Chrysler was so sure buyers would love the Arrow that it offered a 30-day or 1000-mile money-back guaranty if customers weren't fully satisfied.
In 1982, the Arrow Custom replaced the base Arrow. The chrome front grille and headlight trims where blacked out as the only major styling changes for the Arrow. It was offered in three basic colors, tan, white and red. In 1982, an emergency flasher and an inside hood-release became standard items. It's interesting to see how basic things we take for granted on today's vehicles were slowly introduced to the market and how the needs and demands of early standard features started taking shape in the auto industry.
The 1982 Arrow Sport remained the flashiest trim model, but a new third model was added: The Arrow Royal offered a larger payload than the Custom, steal-belted whitewall tires, and a choice of white, dark blue, or light blue metallic paint with blue tweed cloth-and-vinyl interior. It also shared the same 105-horse engine as the Sport and was available with a five-speed manual or a three-speed automatic transmission. The Arrow Custom lost the 105-horse engine over the 90 offered in the basic Arrow in 1979. Finally, the tonneau cover, bedliners, and runningboards were added to option list.
The Arrow was either renamed or replaced by the SCAMP pickup in 1983. I couldn't find much about the Arrow beyond 1982. I just hope the Arrow I spotted today won't end up at the wrecking yard any time soon. I'll bet the owner doesn't even know how valuable that vehicle just might become in the future as fewer mini-trucks are on the road today.