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Rare 1972 Plymouth Cricket Emerges As a British Surprise, Needs Urgent TLC

1972 Plymouth Cricket 9 photos
Photo: eBay seller 2011camaro-2011
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Few people heard of the Plymouth Cricket, and even fewer remember how it came to be. As a rebadged version of the Hilman Avenger, the Cricket landed in North America in 1971, as Chrysler was looking for an easy way to expand its small car offering.
However, importing cars from the United Kingdom wasn't as convenient as initially thought. The car debuted with baby steps on the American market, with Chrysler only bringing 280 units for the first model year.

The Cricket was eventually abandoned in 1973 due to obvious reasons. The car couldn't deal with the fierce competition, which included very popular models like the Chevrolet Vega (also abandoned later in the same decade due to reliability problems) and the Ford Pinto. Only 27,682 Crickets rolled off the assembly lines by the time Chrysler pulled the plug on the model.

eBay seller 2011camaro-2011 recently posted a rare Cricket, describing it as a "true collector's item." Unfortunately, while I do believe that a Plymouth Cricket deserves everybody's attention and could become a collectible, not necessarily because it's rare but thanks to the fact that it was one of the few models imported to the US from the United Kingdom, the lack of information could make many people wall away.

The seller didn't share specifics on the car's condition, and it's impossible to tell who owned the car and how many years it spent on the road before ending in what looks to be a project car condition.

If I were to guess, I'd say this Cricket has been sitting for a while, and the occasional rust spots could support this assumption. It can't tell if the engine is in working condition, but any potential buyer should see the car in person or order a third-party inspection before committing to a purchase. This inspection should also decrypt more engine information, so you'll get a clearer photo of the Cricket's shape and its chances of returning to the road.

The cabin looks good, and everything seems to be in place. I can't tell if the floors are rusty because the carpets are still there, but your inspection should also include an underside checkup. Put the car on a lift, and you'll be able to tell if undercarriage work is required.

Finding a Plymouth Cricket is rare, but the car isn't by any means as desirable as a genuine American icon. It'd be a great addition to someone's collection, but I doubt many people would be able to spend a small fortune to get it. Fortunately, the owner only wants $3,000 for this imported Plymouth, and the Make Offer button is also live for buyers with another offer in mind.

The car is located in Jacksonville, Florida, and will require a trailer to leave for a new home.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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