If there's one thing hipsters love, it's looking at unpopular, quirky cars that make little to no sense. So somehow, the Plymouth Prowler falls into the same category as the Trabant or Subaru Baja.
The past makes us go all misty-eyed, especially when you look at a Lamborghini Diablo. We only remember the best bits, like how hot that girl you dated was, forgetting all the trouble she caused.
But the Prowler was a blast from the past even when it was new, a throwback to the golden age of Chrysler automobiles. Nobody makes a hot rod anymore, they thought.
The chassis was aluminum, which was pretty rare in those days. The interior was stark, and you could have it in any color you wanted as long as it's purple, at least for the early model years.
Two decades after the Prowler came out; Doug DeMuro decided to check out a second-hand unit, selling for $32,000 with less than 10,000 miles on the clock.
The first thing this YouTube reviewer makes fun of is how the Prowler is put together using parts from other cars. The 3.5-liter V6 and 4-speed. The steering is from the Grand Cherokee; the air vents are from a minivan, and the door handles are from a Viper. You just can't do that anymore!
DeMuro's videos are famous for showing quirks. The Prowler's include a reversed trunk opening, like a hot rod's, or the hood of a Viper. The other weird thing is that the front fenders turn with the wheels. I think Chip Foose made a number of cars like that. As a result of this, you can see the front wheel move up and down.
You also have to contend with the fact that the battery is at the very tip of the car. The suspension is so rough that the windshield shakes, but there's no body roll. It's not very fast by today's standards either.
But the Prowler was a blast from the past even when it was new, a throwback to the golden age of Chrysler automobiles. Nobody makes a hot rod anymore, they thought.
The chassis was aluminum, which was pretty rare in those days. The interior was stark, and you could have it in any color you wanted as long as it's purple, at least for the early model years.
Two decades after the Prowler came out; Doug DeMuro decided to check out a second-hand unit, selling for $32,000 with less than 10,000 miles on the clock.
The first thing this YouTube reviewer makes fun of is how the Prowler is put together using parts from other cars. The 3.5-liter V6 and 4-speed. The steering is from the Grand Cherokee; the air vents are from a minivan, and the door handles are from a Viper. You just can't do that anymore!
DeMuro's videos are famous for showing quirks. The Prowler's include a reversed trunk opening, like a hot rod's, or the hood of a Viper. The other weird thing is that the front fenders turn with the wheels. I think Chip Foose made a number of cars like that. As a result of this, you can see the front wheel move up and down.
You also have to contend with the fact that the battery is at the very tip of the car. The suspension is so rough that the windshield shakes, but there's no body roll. It's not very fast by today's standards either.