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. 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. The van's undercarriage is also complete displaying
the dual exhaust, replacement shock
