This Chrysler LeBaron cousin can be found here on eBay with a current bid price of over $3,400 but the reserve isn’t met. It’s located in Frederick, Maryland. This car has an interesting feature, according to the seller, it’s 1 of 5 to have Hurst t-tops installed by Hurst.
The Dodge Diplomat is related to the Chrysler LeBaron and to the later Plymouth Gran Fury. I’m a big fan of the LeBaron grille from this era with the headlights placed below the turn signals and marker lamps. The Diplomat came in this fantastic, unique and just plain cool two-door sedan body style and also in a four-door sedan and wagon. This car has a unique and what would be a very rare feature if it checked out, which sounds like a real possibility given the seller’s documentation.
The seller says that this car is one of five that were taken to Hurst Corporation to be fitted with a Hurst T-Top. When I saw the Hurst listing I was hoping for a Hurst manual transmission but no, it’s a t-top. Still, we have to take our battle wins where and when we can get them. Any car is cool with a Hurst badge on it even if it’s just for having Hurst t-tops. Unfortunately, with that aftermarket, or custom, t-top comes a questionable area under the uber-shiny paint. The seller mentions that this car has been repainted somewhere along the line and they’re selling this Diplomat for their dad. I’m assuming that the dad hasn’t owned it since it was new or there may be more info on when the paint was done or if any bodywork was done on it at that time. What’s under the paint in the sunroof area has me worried.
“… Smooth/soft/rich Corinthian Leather”.. We all know by now that Corinthian Leather is nothing special other than being really nice. Other non-exotic-sounding leather seats are also really nice, it was really just a marketing campaign. The interior looks almost perfect in this Diplomat. It’s always strange to not see power windows on a car like this, at least it is for me.
This clean, lean burn engine is Chrysler’s 318 cubic-inch V8 which would have had 145 hp in 1977. The seller says that the AC needs a charge but otherwise this “engine and transmission work well and the car rides very nice.” Have any of you owned a Dodge Diplomat? What do you think of the Hurst connection?
If all the AC needs is a charge, why not charge it up? Then you can boast about having ice cold AC coming into the summer months. My guess is the AC needs more than just a charge.
Probably because it hasn’t been converted to R-134a. My bet is that it needs R-12, which is difficult to find and very expensive if you do find it.
The seller could have taken more photos of these authentic Hurst T-tops. It would be helpful to see them off/on, the car, and pictures of them in full view.
If the seller has certified documentation on the installation of the T tops from Chrysler and Hurst, I’d believe him. Otherwise, I’m skeptical.
The documentation is from Hurst, they purchased the car to test their Hurst Hatch T-Tops. Chrysler wasn’t involved, the article is a little misleading in that respect.
The “documentation” that is on the ebay listing says NOTHING about t-tops. Just that Hurst was going to use it for testing etc. I want to see a fender tag.
Nice car
HURST T Tops…
More proof required
Owned a 1980 Dodge Diplomat. Let’s just say it was the worst car that I have ever owned.
Owned a 1979 diplomat for 15 years no problems
Owner my parents used ’79 with the 225 slant six..constant idle problems & cold weather starting..common ballast resistor replacement..replaced every part except engine, transmission..ended with burned exhaust valve, leaky a/c and falling interior headliner cloth..also a dog in acceleration..
Had 78 Lebaron w same tops…they leaked like crazy…lean burn sucked…still i loved that car
Chrysler factory T-Tops were Cars & Concepts, not Hurst. Unless yours were installed aftermarket, of course.
At the age of 26, looking for a replacement for my 70 Charger which had been totaled, a salesman tried to talk me into this “old man’s car”! LOL! I would have pulled the trigger on the triple bronze metallic Aspen on the brochure, but, alas, one could not be found…(may have dodged a bullet on that one!) :-)
T tops were a factory option on these cars from the beginning, starting with the Volare – Aspen twins when they came out.
Volaré and Aspen came out in ’76 but weren’t available with T-Tops until ’77.
I’d suggest that the T-Tops are the reason for the rust bubbles in the roof. Caveat emptor.
Pontiac began offering the Hurst T Tops on the 1976 Trans Am. They were used until 1978, when Pontiac switched to Fisher T Tops due to complaints of leaks with the Hurst units.
Sensational vehicle for a new owner
A similar car was many firsts for me first drive of a v8, first (and so far only drive of a left hand drive car) first American car 🚗
Upon casual observation of the front grille, one can see the headlamps placed above the markers and directionals.
Yes, and a more than passing resemblance to a mid-80’s Crown Vic.
The write up mentioned the Chrysler LeBaron which had the turn signals above the headlights.
This car is a Dodge Diplomat which is the opposite.
First thing I’d do is take the lettering off the back window.
Do you think anyone behind you in traffic really cares?
Looks like an invitation…
Had T-Tops on a ’76 Cutlass. Actually, they were a pain in the ass.
Wow, it’s just like a Barrett-Jackson auction. Not! Good thing the seller set a reserve on this cuz I could see his baby easily bidding under $4,000, which might also buy you a 2005 Nissan Sentra with a shaky Carfax.
So I guess that tells us that the market for slow, heavy, stall-prone late 1970s American cars with leaky T-tops isn’t quite there yet. Maybe someday.
Is a similar example placed at the 0:30 mark of this vintage ad?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS3TFCY0BBI
No, that’s a closeup of the same Aspen that appears a little earlier in the ad.
ah, too bad.
Drove a few of these in the day. Could steer them with your little finger!
I’d delete the window text. Guess the owner has something unique…but who the hell cares?
I had a 78 LeBaron in the same color combination, the LeBaron seats were a little fancier, but very similar. I put over 150k on that car with no problems. When I was done with itI gave it to my niece who then put another 90k on it before it was scrapped. Neither of us ever had a problem with the leanburn system. Loved the car. I’m in the middle of 2 projects now, if not I’d be tempted to check this one out.
I’d like to be positive about this but I just have a real problem with American iron in the Seventies. If you were a somewhat sporty elderly dry cleaning plant owner, this would be just the ticket. Short of that I cannot fathom why anyone would want it. Unless it was free.
Sold for $5000.
Healthier than i thought. Congrats to buyer and seller.
Don’t get me wrong, I do actually like this car. But it’s hilarious how people are getting all bent about seeing documentation for the Hurst T-Tops. Come on guys, they add what, $300 to the value of this car, maybe? Cool if they are Hurst T-Tops but if they’re not, only you and about 10 other people are even going to care.
This was not the golden age of American cars. I had one of these, not the T top model of course. I would kindly call these cars legendary junkers. Sometimes rust is good for weeding them out.
An a/c on a car does not simply need a charge. They are sealed systems. If its low on refrigerant then it has a leak somewhere that needs to be addressed. Or the components were replaced/repaired. And it wasn’t charged at that time. Which makes no sense whatsoever. I hate when people say “it just needs charging”.
I have a 1978 diplomat with T tops still leaks, from day one I’m told. I’m interested in this hurst install I was told it was a factory install. Great car.
Corinthian Leather was never a name used by Dodge or Plymouth on it’s cars. And who cares what the name means, it’s a name….why is that such a big deal….the car wasn’t made in Cordoba either but it’s the name……anyways, I digress………..it’s not Corinthian leather on a Dodge, it’s just leather….