Chrysler shifted the LeBaron brand from Imperial to itself in 1977 and applied it to a new platform (M-body) that it would share with the Dodge Diplomat. If the styling looks familiar, that’s because the body was developed from the Plymouth Volare/Dodge Aspen compact, but some length was added to fit the mid-size category. The seller of this 1979 LeBaron is a dealer, and he/she provides no details on this automobile. So, you take your chances with this Cheap Wheels survivor from Mullins, South Carolina. It’s available here on craigslist for $2,999, and is another tip from Jack M.
There was only one generation of the LeBaron as a rear-wheel-drive Chrysler. The next iteration would shift to front-wheel drive as Chrysler attempted to reinvent itself. The LeBaron would be the smallest car that Chrysler built (until then) and may have been the only one (until then) to have a Slant-Six as standard fare. Buyers could upgrade to either a 318 or 360 cubic inch V8, but the original owner of this LeBaron didn’t go that route.
Chrysler Corp. sold 368,000 LeBarons in five years. The 1979 model year was the second best at 114,000 copies, which consisted of coupes, sedans, and wagons. After the LeBaron/Diplomat consumer run was over, Dodge continued to sell commercial versions to police departments and the like. The seller’s edition seems like an ordinary family sedan with an automatic transmission and vinyl interior.
The blue/green paint (turquoise?) and front upholstery on this Chrysler are faded and likely original materials. The carpeting is either very dirty or needs replacement. The seller doesn’t indicate the running condition of this ride, but at 80,000 miles, the 225 CI Slant-Six should have plenty of life left in it if it has been regularly serviced. If this auto has no pressing mechanical needs, where else are you going to find a daily driver for $3k?
Favorite w the Taxi cab 🚖 fleets as well Dixon. Thanks for the article.
The Plymouth and Dodge sister to this car were popular with fleets and police departments, not so much for the Chryslers mainly do to the price. I had a red Medallion for several years, it was comfortable and reliable. When I was ready to part ways with it I gave it to my niece who the drove it another 100k. When sent to salvage it was well over 300k. The 318 was bulletproof.
It’s been a while since a car like this has been featured on this site with a realistic price. Even at $2,999 it’s still been on the market for 9 days.
Steve R
Been there, had one, didn’t like it
much. Had a ’79 Diplomat with
150K miles on it in the late ’90s.
It was pretty used up when I got it
but it still got me where I needed to go. Most of the problem stemmed from the front end that
needed over $1K in repairs. Bear in mind that this is Florida and repair shops back then were ripping off customers left and right so I kept the car till it got too
unsafe to drive, and then gave it to my neighbor who had an ’80 Volare coupe for parts after I bought an ’85 Cavalier sedan to
replace the Dodge. It still ran well
when I quit using it and the kid next door got a raft of good parts
to keep his car running. The other thing I couldn’t get over was
how cheaply these cars were made. Staples holding the rain gutters in place, glued on side trim, and substandard windshield
glass were just some of the things consumers put up with when they bought one of these. It’s no small wonder that many of them were crushed after just 3 to
5 years of use. If Chrysler ever built a lemon 🍋 this car was it.