Rob Sharp – 1978 Chrysler 180

These large saloons were launched in 1970, and very few are left today. In fact, there could be just four on UK roads which makes this survivor something of a treat for enthusiasts of the marque.

Rob bought this one back in 2008 after joking about getting one on an internet forum. “A friend told me about it being for sale, so I had no choice but to put my money where my mouth was!”

It had cost just £300, and after having some work done and passing an MOT test it was pressed into use. However, the owner says that he was never quite happy with it so it never undertook long journeys, and by the end of the same year it was taken off the road.

Stored inside for a while it then had to spend a few years in the open air, which the owner says has led to quite a lot of corrosion. Some of it has spread deeper into the car’s structure, so plenty of fabrication is going to be needed to make the body solid again.

As for the mechanicals, they are also going to require some attention. A replacement fuel pump has been fitted but the engine still doesn’t run, and although the brakes benefitted from a new servo it doesn’t seem to have cured a problem.

This won’t necessarily be a straightforward project, but this rare saloon certainly deserves to be saved. Rob would love to see it back on the road, but adds that he would consider parting with it should a new owner want to take on the restoration.