In the late 1970s, Chrysler did something few manufacturers had ever attempted — they offered a complete, factory-engineered, short-track race car you could buy directly through the parts department. The 1978 Chrysler Kit Car program, built on Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volaré platforms, gave grassroots racers a way to hit the oval with pro-level equipment straight from Detroit.

Originally introduced in 1974, the Kit Car concept was shaped by Chrysler’s success on the Grand National circuit. The goal was simple: make it easier and more affordable for local racers to compete with winning hardware. By 1978, the program had been refined into a menu of packages to suit any budget or skill level.

Four ways to buy:

• Basic Chassis – A bare frame with roll cage, suspension, steering gear, brakes, and shocks. Affordable entry point for those building their own car.

• Rolling Chassis – Adds rear brakes, quick-change axle, and wheels, ready for an engine and body.

• Less Sheet Metal – Includes Chrysler’s 355ci small-block with W-2 heads but leaves body panels to the racer’s choice.

• Complete Kit Car – Fully assembled, race-ready car needing only paint, belts, tires, and fuel.

Engineered for dirt and asphalt ovals, the Kit Car used Chrysler’s proven suspension geometry — torsion bars up front, leaf springs in the rear — and a stout V8 designed to take the rigors of weekly competition. Assembly instructions and parts support meant even smaller teams could field a competitive entry without the time and trial-and-error of starting from scratch.

Chrysler also offered a “Street Kit Car,” a limited-production Aspen or Volaré styled like Richard Petty’s NASCAR machine. With flared fenders, spoilers, and bold “43” graphics, it looked ready for the track but ran a street-spec 360ci V8. Fewer than 400 were built, making them collectible oddities today.

Though the program lasted only a few years, the Chrysler Kit Car remains a fascinating example of factory ingenuity aimed at the grassroots racer. For the price of a new sedan in 1978, you could take delivery of a machine designed to win on Saturday night — and many did.

Today, original Chrysler Kit Car literature offers a vivid look back at how the program was pitched to racers and dealers. The sales materials — like the example shown below — outlined each of the four package options, highlighted performance engineering, and captured Chrysler’s unique blend of precision and passion. These brochures weren’t just selling parts; they were selling a dream, showing exactly how you could go from an order form to victory lane.