Someone who works at or near a Walmart in Troy, Michigan daily drives the rustiest, crustiest automobile I’ve ever seen on public roads. It’s been dubbed the Detroit Diplomat, and a recent letter from our on-the-ground reconnaissance agent indicates that the machine is still alive and well. Our agent even snapped a few images with his telephoto lens; have a look.
Back in May of 2023, I wrote an article titled “Introducing The ‘Detroit Diplomat’: The Rustiest Daily-Driver In America.” In that piece, I proudly introduced for the first time a car that I had seen for years while I was living in Detroit: This 1980s Dodge Diplomat:
It’s a car whose owner I respect for his determination. Keeping a car like this on the road this long in the rust belt is an incredible feat, though I was curious how much longer the car would last. Well, it’s been over a year, and now we have an update from beloved Autopian reader Nick Hernandez, who sent in these photos along with the caption “It’s gotten worse:”
Nick was hosting a Detroit reader meetup when he spotted the car. “Detroit Diplomat owner spotted!” Nick told me. “He’s probably been driving it since new… I only saw him as he rode away on the Walmart scooter, and I figured he’s doing his job.”
That is a humongous hole!
How many years does this old Dodge Diplomat still have in it? Place your bets in the comments below.
I, for one, am cheering for it, as long as the suspension/steering/brake bits are reasonably safe.
I think it’s time for some sort of contest between the Detroit Diplomat and the Chicago Cutlass.
I could not fathom living in an area where the winter consistently does this to cars. Yowsa.
“Someone who works at or near a Walmart in Troy, Michigan daily drives the rustiest, crustiest automobile I’ve ever seen on public roads.”
You obviously have never visited a developing country, where cars in worse shape than this are common.
This Diplomat will outlive me.
I’m more concerned about what ever happened to the Indiana Dragon Vette. Somebody in that are must know.
I have been watching House of the Dragon lately. This reminds me of Viserys Targaryen’s deterioration.
Cut holes around the rust and weld some steel plate to the doors and body. Armor it up into a Mad Max vehicle with scrap metal.
Might get another decade out of it, with some other major repairs needed along the way, which might then justify a 2-decade old 5.7L Hemi swap and Tremec when either the engine and/or transmission goes out.
This car deserves it.
Steel plate? You must mean sheet metal harvested from a broken washing machine. I bet you’ve got to pull up on those doors to close them, no way the hinges handle steel plate.
That’s not a pic of the driver’s door. That’s a pic of where the driver’s door used to be.
Duct tape. Couldn’t hurt, might help.
I’ve seen it driving once or twice, it is impressively rusty that’s for sure.
“I’m not dead yet! I dont want to go on the cart!”
“She turned me into rust! … Well I got better.”
“You have to know these things when you are a car king”
The “Detroit Diplomat” sounds like a sex act or a cocktail. Either way it’s … unappealing.
Bootleg Canadian whiskey on ice with a sprinkling of rust.
These two could have a competition for rustiest yet still able to drive.
https://www.theautopian.com/new-owner-of-the-legendary-chicago-cutlass-rustbucket-describes-whats-broken-and-its-a-lot/
“Drive” of course being a malleable definition for these two.
The Chicago Cutlass is way worse! I’ve seen it in person, and it is stunningly bad!
Last update though it still wasn’t on the road, so the qualifier of “driveable” may be in the Diplomat’s favor for now. New Cutlas owner was aiming to get it on the road though, so a true fight may be seen yet!
Fair. But it was being daily driven until last year, in way worse shape than this Diplomat is in.
Would you rather have a 44 year old rusting Diplomat, or a 4 year old corroding Wrangler or Pacifica?
No.
Well the Whitewall tires are still bright white! 😉
That’s probably shoe polish.
While there’s a non-zero chance the owner would be completely disinterested in our silly obsession, I would love a “reader’s rides” on it, just so we can hear their thoughts. Bonus if they’re asked if they know about/hate the Chicago Cutlass.
This. Someone needs to follow up in person, even if it’s a one line answer. We need MOAR.
I’ll speculate that his yearly mileage accumulation is in the 4 digit range (ie under 10,000 miles, perhaps well under). This party could go on for a long time. Could be an advert for the Wal-Mart auto service department someday.
Uh, shouldn’t there be at least some semblance of floorboard and a couple of pedals visible through that lower door window of a rust hole?!? Am I seeing a shadow of the passenger side of the car on the asphalt through that hole?
Am I the only one who get a Final Destination vibe from this? I mean, I can visualize the floorboard giving way completely while driving and the driver being turned into hamburger while being dragged beneath the rear axle.
It’s too bad Tracy bailed on Motown. I could see him volunteer to weld some angle iron (salvaged from old bed frames?) under the seating area to bolster the structure. Perhaps a kindly Autopian can help this guy out and generate a feel good story.
Hey, let the record state that I was there for 10 years! That’s at least 12 percent of my life (if I’m being charitable)!
Unless you look good for 83-84 years old I’m not sure the math checks out
Maybe that’s how long he expects to live? I’d still have gone with the current number though because then that’s a larger number.
Maybe this is why he doesn’t engineer anymore?
Yes, instead of staying in Detroit with his rotting fleet of Jeeps battling the town code enforcement officer, he is now in California with a girlfriend. Right choice? You decide.
You’re seeing the inner door structure through the hole
You’re right, but damn, that light gray metal work sure looks like asphalt to me.
This car is the epitome of “the reports of my demise are greatly exaggerated”
So, we finally have what David will be replacing his Aztek with huh? We’ll start a “gofundme” to get this guy a new car and then we’ll let David have a rusty adventure.
This is all fun to look at, but I’m gonna be that guy who points out how stupidly dangerous it is to keep a car on the road. In many states it’s a serious offense to drive a truck with an unsecured load. This piece of shit is as bad as a flatbed loaded with loose scrap metal.
Belongs in the Museum of Tetanus or a barrier reef.
I see what you are saying, but I would disagree. The chunks of metal or rust coming off this are nothing like an unsecured truck load.
Not to mention: the rocker looks newly replaced – I don’t recall that there previously.
Given how quickly it fired up and settled into a smooth idle, I would not be surprised if the actual mechanicals are quite sound.
Doing exactly what they need to keep it drivable and not an ounce more. Doors? We don’t need no stinkin doors!
If this thing dropped a muffler at 75mph on the freeway, the drivers behind would most certainly experience an unsecured load.
muffler…cute.
The best part? We watched the owner get in (presumably on a break) and waited for the car to start up.
Would it crank, crank and eventually sputter to life? Would it take a few tries?
Nope – literal instantaneous combustion the second that key was turned, settling into an idle as smooth as could be.
WOWWWW!
Sleeper. No one’s going to jack that ride.
It’s a Chameleon XLE!
http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/chameleon-xle/2859849
The car is actually a custom built deal with a new full tubular frame, and an LS engine underneath the hood. The owner works in the film industry specializing in aging vehicles for movies and TV. His latest work can be seen in the Fallout Tv series. He just happens to do his grocery shopping at that Walmart.
Probably…
The way it started and idled leads me to believe that underhood would very likely be a shining example of proper vehicular maintenance.
Owners last car was stolen after being targeted for being the nicest on the block. Nothing to see here, just a rusty POS Diplomat.
It was extremely quiet too. If I didn’t see the owner get into it and wasn’t able to smell the exhaust, I wouldn’t have even known that it was running.
Yep, I have video of it running that I can send in. I just feel bad now that I’ve seen the owner though. He could barely get from the mobility scooter into the car… yet he’s still working. It’s good to remember that this person is likely driving this because it’s all they have. I hope he’s working at Wal-Mart for something to do, but there’s a good chance it’s because they have to. Remember to put lots away for retirement folks!
Video of it running has been posted in the member area of the Discord.
Too late.
And it’s still sporting all four hubcaps! Amazing that it moves without breaking in two, or more, pieces.
And he shelled out for the whitewalls. This is a driver with class! I predict it has/had power velour seats.
2019 date code on the tires