While a great majority of this registry is made up of Road Runners, we can't forget about the entry level Plymouth B Body, the often overlooked Satellite! These cars are simply not given the respect they deserve, but that's about to change as we are in for a treat. This month, we highlight one of the most gorgeous original cars you'll see. Let's give it up for our registry members, Russ Jennings and his stunning 1971 Plymouth Satellite. Born in 1960, Russ Jennings was one of the lucky ones, growing up during the hayday of the Muscle Car. At an early age, he had a fascination with automotive styling and while he grew up in a GM family, he was quick to fall in love with the unique styling and performance of Mopars. Owning one was a dream that would eventually come true when he came of driving age. His first car would be the underrated 1974 Satellite Sebring Sundance with a 318 CID engine and a 904 automatic transmission. Russ loved the car and drove it for several years, but he had a deep desire to own a '71 or '72 because of the styling differences. Not only that, but Russ was a NASCAR fan and Richard Petty had made an impact on him in the 1971 and 1972 seasons behind the wheel of a second-gen Road Runner. He would have to patiently wait a couple decades to take ownership of his dream car. Despite building and subsequently selling a sleek '67 Dodge Charger in the late 80s, Russ wouldn't come across the opportunity to acquire the perfect '71 Plymouth until 2000. While skimming through the latest issue of Hemmings Motor News, he saw an ad for a 1971 Satellite. Equipped with a 318 CID engine, this car stood out as it was a solid California car and was being sold by its original owner for a mere $2,500! As Russ recalls, "That was about all the ad said and there were no pictures. The ad had been on for a few weeks, with no takers. I contacted the seller and once hearing his story, I knew the car and its owner were legit." At the time, Russ lived in Mississippi, far away from the car and its original home. To make matters worse, the seller didn't have the ability to send pictures of the car. Russ had to make a tough decision. After some thoughtful deliberation, he decided to trust the owner and purchase the car, sight unseen. "I bought the car for $2,000 and paid 800.00 for the shipping." Russ began his journey to meet the shipper an hour away in New Orleans to take delivery of the Satellite. What arrived completely surprised him. After the short drive from his home, Russ was greeted by a shipper who unloaded the greatly anticipated purchase. The Satellite was truly an unmolested California car with no rust, original paint and vinyl top. The seller included tedious maintenance records, sales documents, window sticker, dealer key tags, factory engine inspection tags and the original California plates. "Once I saw what I had, I decided to go 100 percent stock with a cosmetic restoration. I wanted to preserve history. I wanted the car to look and drive as it did in 1971." What that meant was going through the entire car and getting it back to exactly how it was when it left the dealer. "I didn't want anything there that wasn't time period correct. No club decals, no vanity license plates saying '71 Satellite' or anything that would not have been on the car in 1971." Russ embarked on the tasks at hand and did all the work himself, except the paint. The only alteration from stock was the additions of dual exhaust, Magnum 500 wheels, radial tires and the grille painted black. The car has an interesting history, in that it was built June 30, 1971 at the Los Angeles assembly plant. This makes it one of the very last cars built in that plant, since the plant closed on or about July 1, 1971. It was shipped to Fair Chrysler Plymouth in Sacramento, CA where is sat until December of 1971 when the original owner bought it for his then 24 year old wife. They loved the car, and drove it over 150,000 miles! Since June 2000, the Satellite has been well-cared for by Russ and his wife who proudly share the history of this amazing ride. The car has won many judged events, but the Jennings are most proud of winning "best engine" at an all Mopar event in Louisiana. The Satellite is always driven to local and long distance shows, never trailered; a point of pride for Russ. "My wife and I love to show the car, and when the situation calls for it, we will dress in time period clothing to relive history. I have no plans to ever sell the car, for I couldn't replace it with anything so solid and original."
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AuthorRowland George is a 1971 Plymouth B Body enthusiast and researcher dedicated to acquiring information on behalf of owners and those interested in learning more about these iconic classic cars. Archives
July 2019
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