- Seller: John C
- Location: Brockport, New York
- Mileage: 59,000 Shown
- Chassis #: 1B3BV55E7FG109794
- Title Status: Clean
- Engine: 2.2 Liter Turbocharged Inline-4
- Transmission: Automatic
Classics from the 1980s spent years primarily ignored, but they are finding favor as new enthusiasts view them as an affordable entry point into the ownership experience. That makes this 1985 Dodge 600 ES Turbo Convertible worth a close look. It recently emerged after thirty years in dry storage, and the owner revived it to the point where it yard drives. It needs work to return to a roadworthy state, but that process should be straightforward. It is a solid survivor, and its relative rarity makes it worth a close look. The owner feels it deserves a second chance at life, listing the Dodge exclusively with us at Barn Finds Auctions.
Dodge produced its 600 range between 1983 and 1988, with the Coupe and Convertible variants based on Lee Iacocca’s beloved K-Car platform. It upped the ante in 1984, releasing a high-performance 600 ES Turbo Convertible. Our feature car rolled off the line in 1985 and is one of 5,621 ES Turbos to find homes during that model year. Its first owner ordered it black paint with a grey interior, and it is fair to describe it as a solid survivor. It never saw winter service, remaining snugly tucked away as the adverse weather hit. That means that it avoided all those nasty substances that can cause rust. The floors and underside are immaculate, and the only identified rust is a few small spots of surface corrosion on the driver’s side rear quarter panel. However, these aren’t a result of weather extremes but of paint flaws that this classic had from Day One. The first port of call for the new owner would be to treat the exterior to a wash and some TLC with a high-quality polish. A few hours of physical labor could return it to a presentable state as a genuine survivor without spending a fortune. However, even if a repaint proves essential after a close inspection, it could be tackled in a home workshop. The winning bidder will welcome the additional parts, including a couple of grilles, headlight bezels, taillights, body moldings, and a complete set of rare 4-hole alloy wheels.
Lifting the hood reveals what will make this a fun driver. The company offered buyers a choice of three engines, and the Turbo was undoubtedly the king of the hill. The standard 2.2-liter four delivered 99hp and 121 ft/lbs of torque. The 2.6-liter powerplant raised the stakes to 101hp and 140 ft/lbs. However, this car’s 2.2-liter Turbo leaves both eating its dust, courtesy of its 146hp and 168 ft/lbs. It might not have muscle credentials, but it produced surprising performance from a car of this type and size. Dodge didn’t offer a manual transmission option, with all Turbos receiving a three-speed automatic and power assistance for the steering and brakes. Our feature car spent over three decades hibernating and was recently revived by the current owner. He flushed the fuel lines before replacing the fuel tank, sender unit, electric pump, filters, and injector O-rings. He added a new oil filter before pouring in fresh oil, and this Dodge quickly sprung to life. It runs and yard drives but needs additional work before the buyer considers it roadworthy. An essential task is replacing the original timing belt due to its age. The tires are old, and while the brakes work, the car requires a thorough inspection to confirm there are no hidden problems. The owner includes a pair of tested replacement computers that they carefully repackaged. The buyer also receives a pair of factory Service Manuals, a Haynes Manual, and the original Owner’s Manual.
Dodge brought its A-Game with this classic’s interior. It features almost every bell-and-whistle available in 1985, including power windows, power locks, cruise control, a tilt wheel, and a premium AM/FM radio/cassette player. However, the star of the show was undoubtedly the digital dash display. Return of The Jedi hit cinemas only a couple of years earlier, and this display would have looked at home in Luke’s X-Wing Fighter! The news is generally good because the owner includes a spare gauge cluster. Its condition is unknown, but testing it won’t be difficult. The leather trim shows age, although attacking it with a high-quality conditioner may make a significant difference. There are bleach stains on the front carpet that could be hidden for a few dollars with a set of mats. The interior won’t be showroom fresh once detailed, but the condition will be comfortably acceptable for a genuine survivor.
One of the battles for enthusiasts seeking a classic is finding something suitable if their budget is limited. There are undeniably cheap options out there, but most of these require significant work and a large capital injection before they are fit to return to our roads. This 1985 Dodge 600 ES Turbo Convertible has needs but nothing that will break the bank. Anyone who can tell the difference between a spark plug and a pair of pliers could tackle most of the tasks, which will minimize the costs. If you crave a 1980s classic with a touch of luxury, exclusivity, and a wind-in-the-hair motoring experience, this Dodge is worth serious consideration.
Bid On This Auction
Michael bid $1,300.00 2024-07-25 12:38:50
Skyflyer bid $1,000.00 2024-07-25 09:10:23
Fast1 bid $500.00 2024-07-24 09:15:38
These were really nice cars as Chrysler pulled out all the stops for them. Looks like the Mark Cross leather interior and all the options. Although Chrysler did offer a base leBaron with a 2.2 and a 5-speed I doubt you’ll ever trip over one.
MotorWeek did an interesting video showing these in production. Early ones may have been farmed out to ASC but by ’85 they were done in-house by Chrysler with a complete 2-door bodyshell cut up and reinforced before ever being taken off the jig.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DebmDk-weKs
Even though it had a turbo, it was still a dog. They suffered from turbo- lag and being automatic, only made the problem worse. I think it will still be awhile before a stretched K-Car becomes a real classic.
I am the owner of this vehicle and bought it new.Despite having a life in the rust belt,since day 1 it has been stored indoors for winter while it was in service.In the early 90’s it was parked for the winter,my wife and I had our second child and the car was more and more impractical then,and we never retrieved it come spring.And it has sat since then.I started to accumulate parts via ebay to fix it up again “one day”. I retired last year and bought what was needed to get it running and installed same,it started easily. No knocking nor smoke.Feel free to ask any specific questions.
Reserve is set at $1000. for the vehicle,literature and parts package.
Does everything work on the car as designed? Like the A/C, Radio etc.
Hello Thomas
The drivers’ power window works fine,the others intermittently.I fixed the drivers window with replacement of the plastic drive gear within the motor,I haven’t gotten into the others yet.
The wiper motor needs replacement
The car is not equipped with A/C
Thanks for your interest.
Too bad about the ac, otherwise I would consider this. I dated a girl in the early 90s who had the Le Baron with the turbo. It was a nice car. Not a lot of choices for convertibles at the time, and being in her early 20s, the insurance was cheaper than a muscle car. I liked driving it, had some turbo lag and torque steer, but again, this was 1990. Expectations were a bit lower.
I changed the timing belt on hers. Took about an hour. No biggie, just hold the engine in place with a floor jack and remove the front motor mount.. I think this is a good deal at or near the reserve. Take care of brakes, tires and timing belt, a weekend of elbow grease on the cosmetics, and you could drive it as you work on it.
Looks like a solid piece. I am very familiar with these, the two soft spots being the head gasket and the timing belt. Have these been addressed?
Hello,Bj
The head gasket was replaced years ago,no sign of coolant leaks or other signs of that issue reoccurring.The timing belt in place is the original one,a replacement belt is included with the parts stockpile.
Sorry about the delay in responding but computer or internet was balky.
Turbo power w Hydramatic autoloader 🙌
These were pretty nice vehicles for their time. The convertible aspect (at the time) made it even more so. The “Mark Cross” leather interiors were very, very nice and of very high quality. Just look at Chevy’s flagship at the same time, the C4 Corvette leather was absolute garbage.
The reserve is off so this one is going to sell!