This 1985 Chrysler LeBaron convertible has supposedly emerged relatively unscathed despite being piled under years’ worth of junk tossed in the garage. It helps that it has a mere 25,000 miles on the clock, but that’s rarely a guarantee for remaining in mint condition. Despite the judgement typically reserved for any car with fake wood paneling, there’s a small but devout following for this throwback-style LeBarons, helped by some semi-legendary appearances in movies and on TV. The seller has listed the Chrysler here on craigslist with a smooth-running 2.2L turbocharged engine for $8,000.
The seller notes there are no dents or scratches, an impressive feat considering how it was apparently stored. The listing describes it as “executive owned” and equipped with every option available in 1985. The owner apparently put it into storage following his retirement and either found a new ride or relocated entirely. To me, it’s surprising to envision someone of means choosing a LeBaron as their choice in executive transport. But that’s the funny thing: some consumers really were smitten with this unusual fake-wood-covered drop-top due to the perception that it was the ultimate in luxury.
Of course, we know that wasn’t the case. Mercedes handily ate Chrysler’s lunch when they tried to dip a toe in the executive pool, but that didn’t meant they built bad cars. On the contrary, the LeBaron and the platform it rode on were fairly competent machines for what they were, and the turbocharged drivetrains certainly produced respectable horsepower given the standards of the time. I would assume this photo is of the LeBaron post extraction, and about the time the seller realized how low the mileage was. The question is whether its limited use justifies the asking price of $8K.
I will say, it looks far better than I expected when viewing the in-garage photos, and the body may be as clean as the seller describes. Certainly, it’s in outstanding condition when compared to the one John Candy drove in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. So you have that going for you. These cars do have some staying power in the collector car marketplace, even if purely for the novelty factor – and I’m sure there’s more than one Mopar enthusiast checking out this listing. The seller says to make an offer,and be sure to scope it out if you find yourself lost in the Atlanta area if you’re interested. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Ikey H. for the find.
I would be tempted to replace the plastic fake wood moldings with real wood custom made moldings. For the right guy that wouldn’t be that hard to do and would give this car a bit more class. This would be a good entry level car to get into the vintage car hobby, but I think $6k would be more in line with what your getting. JMHO
Didn’t this car used to belong to Jon Voight? At least that’s what George told me.
This never gets old!
Not that Jon Voight, but John Voight
you need to check the dental records
Judging from all the wood piled up around the car, maybe someone was considering what canadainmarkseh suggested! Nice car and decent price.
LeBuried
Looks like Jon Voight’s car.
John Voight-mobile
The first time a box is allowed on top of a “stored” vehicle is the beginning of the end for said vehicle.
Kind of like my pool table in the basement.
Hoovies told me to buy one. And have a lot of fun with it.
you’re going the wrong way!!!!!
It looks to be in good shape, but I’d be cautious of what storage might have done to it. From what I remember of that era’s Chrysler products, it seems like there are far too many zeroes in the listed price. Still, it definitely looks to have come through in good shape.
Planes, Trains and Get These Damn Boxes Offa Me.
Should have kept it hidden.
Came for the Jon Voight comments, left satisfied.
me too
For newer BF’ers, What in the wide world of sports is the Jon Voight story??? Inquiring minds want to know.
Its a reference from a Seinfeld episode. George buys one of these cars mainly because he was told Jon Voight owned it.Later It turns out that the car was owned by a John Voight who was a dentist, and not the actor.
I wonder if the REAL John Voight ever owned a K-car in real life? Has this issue ever been investigated?
My late mother-in-law owned one of these. She absolutely loved it, thought the ‘wood siding’ was especially ‘classy’. But then, she knew less than nothing about cars.
After 2 years and 24,000 miles, the engine blew. I was very curious why an engine (even a mid-80’s Chrysler 2.2) would die after only 24k miles. I asked her how often she had the oil changed. She stammered and blurted out, “No one told me I was supposed to change the oil!”. That poor car still had its original oil fill. It had never been back to the dealer for anything (itself a minor miracle). All she had ever done was put gas in it (her husband was too oblivious or uncaring to look after his wife’s car).
The dealership found what you’d expect. What was left of the oil congealed into a tar or pudding like consistency. I was amazed that the engine lasted that long on the original fill.
She was still somehow mad at and blamed the poor defenseless and abused LeBaron, and bought a Honda Accord to replace it.
My now deceased former stepfather leased a 1987 Plymouth Sundance & did a similar thing. Oil got changed once or twice in a 2 year low mileage lease, not a good lease for him with all the driving he did lol.
The engine started knocking out of pain and agony at about 70,000 miles, as the lease was coming due. Needless to say, he bought it out of the lease, stuck a salvage yard engine in it, and drove it a bit longer.
He c lb aimed he was too busy driving it to change the oil.
I remember seeing those cars when they were brand new, and I laughed then also. Someone should of flushed that turd a long time ago
Do you feel this vehicle is safe for highway travel?
Yes, I do. I know it’s not pretty to look at, but it’ll get you were you wanna go.
What’s up with the 2 lebarrons that were posted today? Are the junk yards filled to capacity? What next, a highly desirable chevy chevette with only 87K miles discovered in Iowa?
Junkyards usually just crush them…there is no market for the parts anymore.
I took my drivers test in one just like this,only it was blue.
I love the Voight story. I didn’t know about it either. Thank you.
The very first thing you need to do is replace either one or both of the computers in the car. And the price is too high. Other than that give it what it needs and enjoy.
I am at a loss to understand why people park a car and then start to pile every piece of junk that they can find on top of and around it.
Almost as pathetic as a fake-wood covered PT Cruiser 😄
How does he know we’re going the wrong way?
Had a dealership in the early 90s and learned from these that the head gaskets had a thing about shucking at around 70k. If you shut them off right away when they “light up” no problem. Looked at a collection of these a couple years ago of 25+.I was impressed as all low mileage, impeccable and really changed my attitude about them. I admire any well kept car…………
I want this! I love the K platform. Cheap, reliable, competent, roomy.
Craptastically dressed Aries-K convertible. The only way to keep the headgaskets from blowing? Take the head off. Have it machined. New headbolts. Very important fact- only uses the Cometic MLS head gasket (sold as “Mopar Performance” as well). Then you are golden. Most dealerships just popped the head up, slid a new standard one in, slammed the head back down, and buttoned them up. Good for about another 50k when they fell out of warranty and the folks would presumably come trade in…reality was? Helped drive customers away to competitors. Typical stupid Chrysler logic
We flew into San Fran in the day and rented a car, got a K-car. Drove it all over
for a couple weeks and then turned it in. Was a great vehicle, great gas milage
and comfortable, but after two weeks and all the hills the brakes needed help
This is a joke right?
I know the “K” saved Chrysler but my God these cars were down right NASTY to look at and I don’t care how lipstick you put on this pig it’s still a PIG!!!
Owned the first edition Caravan, the 2.2 engine, really underpowered, luckily we lived in the flat land, 5 speed on the floor, was a bit better powered than the contemporary VW bus, but not much, other than engine belts going at random times, but a no interference engine, so just a tow home, it was really good up to about 200,000 miles when everything failed. Never used the parking brake since it would rust in place and could not be released. But we lived in the flat land and putting it in reverse never failed to hold it. I think the next edition of this, the bean shaped one, which you could get with the V6 and leather is the one to get. They are, in my opinion, the most undervalued cars on the market!
Nice $2500 car.
I was hoping there wouldn’t be. Lol
First picture in the ad is of a different car
Check the fade on the woodgrain.
I think that they did some clean-up on this car, so this is a before and after type of thing. Is it even real wood?
I also noticed that they removed the front license plate bracket that is present in one photo.
They only make 595 of these? They seemed to be all over the place when new.
I bought one of these about 20 years ago. What a piece of junk. Replaced the turbo charger because of excessive smoke. The rebuilt one wasn’t any better, pulled it went to the rebuilder, got another one, put it on and that solved that problem, but it had many other problems like the convertible top mechanism broke three times and it’s made of pot iron so basically unreliable.
I had many other problems. As soon as you got one thing repaired something else broke. Sure was glad when I was able to peddle that junker.
God bless America
Americans want to know why we drive Toyota’s, the 80s American cars were like a girl going back to the same bar she was assaulted in last night, how many more times could the big 3 screw us, poor everything, under powered junk, not just Chrysler, GM and Ford too, I think the govt mandates on mileage and crash tests choked them into building trash, cause they didn’t know how to build them well and meet the standards, I got stuck owning a V6 Grand Prix, that burnt more gas than my 79 that had a 301 4 barrel in it, 307 Oldsmobile motor in my 83 Riviera smoked like a diesel, pure junk
These fuel pumps fail, allowing gasoline to dilute the engine oil and wear bearings out prematurely.