When Chrysler introduced its first minivan to American consumers way back in the early ‘80s, its family-friendly features, car-like maneuverability, and affordable price earned it thousands of fans and automotive industry imitators. Few of these fans were drawn to the minivan market sector by the promise of any semblance of high performance, however. This particular 1989 Plymouth Voyager SE minivan currently available on Bring A Trailer might change some minds about that. It’s powered by a modified 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-four with a Shelby-branded valve cover attached to an aftermarket five-speed manual transaxle that exhales through a straight-piped exhaust system.
Okay, so this 35-year-old, 196,000-mile minivan isn’t likely to win you many races, but it will certainly turn heads when people hear the aggressive turbo blow-off valve and straight-piped exhaust burbling away. More than anything, this short wheelbase Plymouth Voyager is an incredibly clean example of a family car that usually got beat to hell by family duties; it’s a survivor. This white-on-red custom has a clean title, tidy body panels, minimal rust, an oh-so-’80s monochrome paint scheme, and a pristine red interior. The blow-off valve, exhaust, and manual transmission make it a slightly more entertaining ride that will doubtlessly bring big smiles to anyone and everyone you manage to pass on the road.
And we haven’t even gotten to the best part about this Radwood-era gem; it’s not likely to sell for a lot of money. If you’re a quirky car person who’s looking for a funky, affordable, uncommon alternative to the usual crowd in classic Volvo DL wagons and diesel W123 Mercedes-Benzes, look no further. It even already has an aftermarket bluetooth-compatible stereo so it’s ready for action as a quirky daily driver, or as an autocross head-turner, as long as you don’t live in a CARB-compliant state, that is.
