Vehicle Description
1979 Dodge B200 Maxi Wagon Sportsman SE (Please note: If you happen
to be viewing this 1979 Dodge B200 Maxi Wagon Sportsman SE on a
site other than GarageKeptMotors.com, it's possible that you've
only seen some of our many photographs of this vehicle due to
website limitations. To be sure you access all our more than 150
photographs, as well as a short walk-around-and-startup video,
please go to our main website: GarageKeptMotors.) If vintage vans
are going to be the next big thing-and I'm proclaiming here and now
that they are-this is the one to get if you want to be in on the
ground floor. Barnfinds.com This iconic Dodge Sportsman SE van is a
true survivor; its original purchaser owned it until just this
year. Knowing how this owner special-ordered and maintained the van
speaks volumes. Now 82 years old, he chose the top-of-the-line
vehicle from the Montague, Michigan Dodge dealer's order book,
checking nearly every available option. When it arrived, he had the
van professionally rust-proofed, and repeated that service every
five years thereafter (the Ziebart application sites can be seen on
the front-fender tops in the door-jamb areas). He called it the
family fun bus and used its commodious space almost exclusively for
family trips. Just after taking delivery, he also had dual exhausts
mounted (the original single-exhaust system, from header to
tailpipe, is included in this sale). Over its life, this Sportsman
SE was literally garage-kept, and never driven during the winter.
The 70,000 miles shown on the working odometer-a mere 1,700 miles
per year over its life-is an extremely low number by any standard.
Finally, keeping a vehicle's original factory window sticker
(included) for 41 years is yet another piece of evidence this van
has been loved through the years. Outside, the van's sharp two-tone
Canyon Red Sunfire Metallic-and-Wedgewood Gray Metallic exterior
paint is in excellent condition overall. Exceptions include one
small wear-mark on the rear door, two small dents on the same door,
a minor dent on the driver-side rear fender, and a minor ding on
the passenger side. Chrome bright work, full wheel covers, lenses,
factory emblems, windshield and other glass all display virtually
no wear or sign of even slight damage. New whitewall tires have
recently replaced the original optional whitewalls. Inside, the
condition of the family fun bus suggests dad enforced some pretty
strict rules over kids' behavior in the vehicle. All the lovely red
fabric upholstery is clean, fresh-looking, and without rips or
tears. The carpeting literally looks new with one exception: in the
cargo area, there's a stain from the owner's wife once spilling
bleach (imagine how that played with dad!) There are red privacy
curtains included for all the windows. The woodgrain trim on the
dash and door panels is in excellent condition showing only a
couple of wear marks (most noticeable on the passenger-side dash).
The van's very rare Travel Seat option (allowing the rear two rows
of seats to be front-facing for riding, or facing each other with a
table for dining, or folded flat for a double-bed) is in place and
functional. An aftermarket pop-up roof vent located over the rear
cargo area was added by the owner. Dashboard controls are all
present and, with the exception of the horn and the
air-conditioning system which will also require servicing,
operational. An aftermarket windshield-wiper interval control, an
analog dash-mounted compass, an indoor-outdoor digital thermometer,
and a secondary backup ignition are in place. The optional factory
steering wheel shows patina consistent with its age, and the upper
dash surfaces display some sun-fading and minor discoloration.
Under the short hood, the engine compartment (fully serviceable
from inside the van after the engine cover is removed) is complete
and tidy. The original 360-cubic inch V8 engine is in place, linked
to the automatic transmission and 3.2-ratio rear differential.
