JANUARY 2025: THIS HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE A BIG FAN OF 1970 PLYMOUTH SPORT SATELLITES

0
357

Dale Flatla loves 1970 Plymouth Sport Satellites in every form, including the station wagon version.

The 1970 Plymouth B-body models bridged the gap between A-body Valiants and C-body Furys, but they also bridged the gap between the 1960s and 1970s in terms of overall design. The 1970 Sport Satellite’s style caught the eye of a young Dale Flatla at the time, enough to convince Dale that he needed to own different variations of the ’70 Sport Satellite at a future point in his life.

Dale told MyStarCollectorCar he bought his stylish wagon about 20 years ago from its former owner in California. He wanted a car with few modifications because originality was an important part of the equation for Dale.

Consequently, his station wagon retains its reliable factory 318 LA engine coupled to its original 3-speed Torqueflite automatic transmission. The powertrain will never be yanked and replaced by a monster engine because Dale has never felt the need to drastically alter his wagon’s factory history.

MyStarCollectorCar spotted the Plymouth wagon in a parking lot adjacent to a 2023 car show and were blown away by its condition and originality. Unfortunately, we were unable to connect with its owner (Dale) at the show but hoped we would cross paths with the wagon and its owner at some future date.

Fortunately, our luck changed for the better in 2024 when we discovered the ’70 Plymouth Sports Satellite station wagon and Dale at a car show in another community. The main reason for MyStarCollectorCar’s continued search for the wagon and its owner is simple: a 1970 Plymouth Sport Satellite station wagon in original condition is a very rare vehicle in today’s world, particularly when its owner is not afraid to drive it on modern roads.

A 1970 Plymouth Sport Satellite is not exactly a Model T in today’s traffic because it has more than enough factory power to run down modern highways at modern speeds. Dale told MyStarCollectorCar his wagon is comfortable at 70 mph (roughly 110 km/h for the metric crowd) and can maintain that speed all day.

Dale noted that his Sports Satellite has highway gears that help keeps its RPMs down on a faster road trip, so it is ready for the challenge. He calls his wagon a “good driver” based upon his road experiences with it.

As mentioned earlier, Sport Satellites were the top-of-the-line Plymouth B body models during their heyday, so Dale’s wagon has many factory options, including air conditioning, power steering and power brakes to make driving time more comfortable for him.

MyStarCollectorCar also mentioned Dale is a strong believer in basic originality, but he did add front disc brakes, along with an electronic ignition upgrade to his Plymouth wagon. Both are minor changes, but the improvements are a big boost for the car’s driving experience, according to Dale.

BY: Jim Sutherland

Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section. 

SPONSORS