The 1976 Cadillac Eldorado was the last convertible made by the “Big Three” U.S. automakers. That is until the genre begin to make a comeback a few years later and the Chrysler LeBaron Town & Country led the way. Based on the K-Car compact, the Town & Country was a different kind of drop-top because it had simulated woodgrain side paneling which harked back to the days of the 1940s “Woodies”. Not quite a true survivor, this 1984 T & C convertible has been well-preserved across as few as two owners. Located in Redwood City, California, the Chrysler is available here on eBay where the bidding has reached $3,600 – with no reserve!

Built between 1983-86, the LeBaron Town & Country convertible saw low production, just 3,721 copies over four years. But they didn’t roll off Chrysler assembly lines the way you see them. They started as closed K-Cars which were converted to drop-tops by Cars & Concepts, a Brighton, Michigan company that Chrysler hired to execute the transformations. The cost of the work added about $3,000 to a base car that sold for $12,600 (which would be north of $45,000 in 2022 dollars). Based on a front-wheel-drive platform, for their money buyers got fiberglass “simulated white ash body-side moldings” surrounding “simulated marine teak woodgrain appearance panels” of vinyl appliqué on the outside. On the inside, they got Mark Cross leather-trimmed upholstery.

The seller’s T & C is a 1984 edition of which 1,105 are estimated to have been built and sold, so it’s a rare auto today. These vehicles are like the one driven by Steve Martin and John Candy in the movie, “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” from 1987. When that show was over, the car no longer looked much like the one you see here. The seller’s edition was first sold in California, and it’s apparently stayed there its entire life. He acquired it from an elderly gentleman who had always kept it in an insulated garage and drove it sparingly.

It’s hard to find anything wrong with the body, paint, woodgrain appliques, or the interior from the photos provided. No dents or rust and the paint is original, though we’re told the clear coat is a bit dull. The top is original including the boot and it presents no leaks. The upholstery and other pieces in the interior look to be in good condition, especially considering the car has traveled 147,000 miles during its 38 years on Planet Earth.

The inline 4-cylinder engine was treated to a valve job at 75,000 miles and more recently the tie rod ends have been replaced. We’re told it runs and drives great and is ready for any sort of trip you might want to take it on. An interesting feature of this Chrysler that was uncommon then but not so today is that it has an electronic voice alert system (EVA). And the car’s electronic travel computer displays an approximation of how long you can drive without running out of gas, average driving speed, and average gas mileage. George Jetson would have been proud!