1976 Dodge Aspen R/T

Compact performance powered by 1976 Aspen R/T 318/360 LA V8 range.

1976 Dodge Aspen R/T showing its black grille, K6-style striping, Rallye wheels, and R/T identification

Package A57 R/T package on the Aspen two-door coupe

Engines 318 two-barrel V8 standard; 360 V8 optional

Transmissions Three-speed manual, 318-only overdrive four-speed, or TorqueFlite

Production 6,253 R/T packages reported for 1976

Chassis Heavy-duty suspension, front discs, and optional Sure-Grip

Story

1976 Dodge Aspen R/T

The Aspen R/T brought Dodge's familiar performance badge into the new F-body era. It was an A57 package on the two-door Aspen coupe, not a separate engine-specific model. The 318 V8 was standard, while the 360 V8 was the stronger factory option. Those engine and transmission paths belong together on this page.

The package was easy to recognize: a blacked-out grille, bright moldings, full-length two-tone body and deck stripes, R/T decals and medallions, E70x14 raised-white-letter tires, Rallye wheels, and heavy-duty suspension. The exact Aspen brochure also records the underlying transverse-torsion-bar front suspension, isolated front structure, asymmetric rear leaf springs, front disc brakes, rear drums, optional Sure-Grip, and axle ratios tied to each powertrain.

Appearance alone cannot authenticate an R/T. For an individual car, start with the VIN and body-code plate, then reconcile the A57 package, engine and transmission codes, scheduled build and order information, original paint and trim, component identifiers, and ownership records. Stripes, Rallye wheels, a black grille, R/T emblems, or a replacement 360 are useful clues but are all reproducible.

**Front three-quarter view of the same surviving 1976 Dodge Aspen R/T**Greg Gjerdingen via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Specs

Car type: Compact performance
Body: two-door coupe, body style 29
Engine: Chrysler LA 318 two-barrel or optional 360 V8
Horsepower: 318: 150 SAE net hp; 360 four-barrel: 170 SAE net hp in factory technical data
Torque: 318: 255 lb-ft; 360 four-barrel: 280 lb-ft in factory technical data
Carburetion: Two-barrel 318; exact 360 carburetion and emissions package must follow the engine code and build record

Equipment

A57 R/T package
blacked-out grille and brightwork moldings
two-tone K6 body-side and deck-lid striping
R/T decals and medallions
E70x14 raised-white-letter tires on Rallye wheels
heavy-duty suspension

Linked Parts

Price history

Values

Nominal dollars from original price sheets, auction archives, and approved value references.

Original Price

A verified original price is not yet available for this car.

Market Observations

High bid $20,000

Jun 20, 2026 · Throttle Car Club via CLASSIC.COM
Modified 1976 Aspen at a $20,000 no-sale high bid; the public summary does not establish an original A57 package. · modified · unknown Broad modified-coupe context only, not an exact documented R/T comparable or completed sale.
1976 Dodge Aspen market
Auction sale $7,150

May 16, 2017 · Mecum Indianapolis via Hagerty
Completed sale of a #3-condition 1976 Aspen coupe; R/T package is not established by the archive. · unknown · good Useful body-style context only, not an exact R/T comparable.
1976 Dodge Aspen coupe sold May 2017

Values move with paperwork, originality, options, condition, venue, and body style. High bids and guide values are labeled separately from completed sales.

Reference records

Options, Colors & Components

Source-backed details for trim, chassis, production, and authenticity.

Engine Details

G-code 318 two-barrel LA V8 150 SAE net hp at 4,000 rpm and 255 lb-ft at 1,600 rpm · Standard R/T engine; manual, overdrive four-speed, and automatic paths depend on the car record · engine assembly / specification
J/L-code 360 LA V8 family Optional R/T engine; factory table includes a 170-hp four-barrel specification · Optional R/T power with TorqueFlite; engine code and emissions equipment control exact specification · engine assembly / specification
Factory carburetion 318 two-barrel; 360 configuration varies by engine code and emissions package · Do not infer the born-with engine or carburetor from current underhood appearance · carburetor / specification
Carter BBD 318 applications 8069S non-California automatic; 8070S early California automatic; 8071S non-California manual; 8099S automatic excluding wagons; 8109S late California automatic · 1976 Aspen N-series 318 among the listed applications; verify transmission, body, jurisdiction, emissions equipment, running date, and installed unit · carburetor / carburetor list

Transmission

Factory transmission Three-speed manual for the 318 path, with column or optional floor shift
Factory transmission A833 overdrive four-speed available with the 318 only
Factory transmission TorqueFlite three-speed automatic, including the 360 R/T path

Options

POWERTRAIN reference for the 1976 Dodge Aspen R/TClassic Muscle · Reference illustration

A57 R/T package required · performance · Defines the R/T coupe through E70x14 raised-white-letter tires, heavy-duty suspension, Rallye wheels, blackout grille, K6 stripes, and R/T identification.
R/T Decor Group R/T Decor Group optional · appearance · Remote-control dual sport mirrors, Rallye-wheel trim rings, and wheel-lip moldings.
D6 All-vinyl bucket seats optional · interior · Color-and-trim selector restricts this bucket-seat path to the Aspen coupe with A57.

Paint

LA2 Silver Cloud Metallic factory · metallic
MB5 Big Sky Blue factory · solid
MB4 Jamaican Blue Metallic factory · metallic
MV1 Spitfire Orange factory · solid
MR6 Claret Red factory · solid
MF2 Jade Green Metallic factory · metallic
MJ5 Tropic Green Metallic factory · metallic
KG8 Deep Sherwood Metallic factory · metallic
LT4 Parchment factory · solid
MU2 Saddle Tan factory · solid
MU3 Caramel Tan Metallic factory · metallic
MY3 Cinnamon Metallic factory · metallic
HL4 Harvest Gold factory · solid
LY9 Spanish Gold Metallic factory · metallic
EW1 Eggshell White factory · solid
TX9 Black factory · solid

Appearance

Blacked-out grille required · other
K6 R/T two-tone body and deck stripes required · stripe
Rallye wheels and E70x14 raised-white-letter tires required · wheel
R/T decals and medallions required · badge

Interior

Vinyl bench seat standard · seat
D6 all-vinyl bucket seats optional · seat
Floor console with automatic optional · console

Chassis

Isolated transverse-torsion-bar front suspension Suspension · required
Asymmetric rear leaf springs Suspension · required
Front discs and rear drums Brakes · standard
Factory conventional rear axle Rear axle · 2.45, 2.76, 2.94, or 3.21 depending on engine and transmission · factory
Sure-Grip differential Rear axle · Available with listed axle ratios where ordered · limited-slip · optional

Production

TRANSMISSIONS reference for the 1976 Dodge Aspen R/TClassic Muscle · Reference illustration

1976 Aspen R/T package total · 6,253 · reported
all 1976 Dodge Aspen models total · 189,900 · reported
base Aspen two-door coupe, body 29 by body · 22,249 · reported

Authenticity

REAR AXLE reference for the 1976 Dodge Aspen R/TClassic Muscle · Reference illustration

A57 R/T package identity A 1976 Aspen body-29 coupe documented with the A57 R/T package. · VIN, body code plate, sales order or broadcast/build record, original paperwork, and ownership history. · fraud detection
Engine and transmission path G-code 318 with its documented manual/overdrive/automatic path or optional 360 with TorqueFlite, supported by the complete car record. · VIN engine character, body plate E/D codes, build record, engine and transmission identifiers and dates, and service history. · numbers matching
Axle, brakes, and suspension Ratio, Sure-Grip status, front discs, rear drums, and heavy-duty suspension agree with the order record and date-compatible assemblies. · Body plate/build record, axle tag and housing, brake hardware, spring and bar details, and restoration records. · numbers matching
Paint, stripe, and interior Body-plate paint and trim codes agree with the factory selector, a compatible K6 stripe color, and bench or A57-only D6 bucket seating. · Body code plate, protected original paint, stripe remnants, upholstery construction, trim codes, and period photographs. · trim correctness

Still Researching

engine Factory records establish the 318 and optional 360 paths, but a complete dated R/T-specific casting, carburetor, emissions, and ancillary-component matrix was not recovered.
production The 6,253 R/T total comes from a secondary compilation, while broader Aspen totals conflict across compilations and no factory A57 package report was recovered.

Codes & names