A 1980s car isn’t exactly what most people would consider a classic or maybe even worth looking at, but for those of us who had a 1980s car that we really liked, it’s worth it for us. This 1985 Chrysler LeBaron Turbo Mark Cross Edition can be found here on eBay in Concord, North Carolina. The seller has a $6,789 buy-it-now price listed or you can make an offer.
A “K-car with chrome”, as I called the LeBaron Mark Cross convertible that I had in the 1980s, isn’t exactly what custom coachbuilder LeBaron Incorporated had in mind when it designed the jaw-dropping LeBaron Newport dual-cowl Phaeton in 1941, but I like them. I really do, and I’m not embarrassed or apologetic about that one bit.
The second-generation LeBaron was quite a departure for Chrysler, being based on their K-platform and having front-wheel-drive. The previous generation LeBaron was a more traditional rear-drive car and the LeBaron name was used as the top trim level for the Imperial line. I’m a huge fan of the 1980s two-tone paint treatments such as this car has. This LeBaron looks great, but they have included a detail photo showing some bubbling on the bottom of the passenger door. In the spirit of full disclosure, this car was repainted in 2012.
The interior appears to be in great condition and the seller has “upgraded” the dash with a New Yorker center stack. The Mark Cross leather package was an option and it was pretty nice for the mid-1980s. I had that on my LeBaron but I had a single, fat center armrest instead of two separate armrests. I like this version much better. I didn’t carry too many passengers in the backseat of my LeBaron convertible as it wasn’t as wide as the two-door version. This backseat looks perfect in most of the photos but the seller kicked it up a notch from most other sellers and added a photo showing a small split in the seam on the upper edge of the backseat.
This engine is Chrysler’s 2.2L inline-four turbo which would have had around 145 hp. The seller says that it received a new head gasket in 2016 and it has had a lot of other maintenance work done. Have any of you owned a LeBaron of this era?
A somewhat fascinating car, sort of what you might get if the designers of Barbie’s Dream House had been hired by Chrysler. From the firewall forward, I like it, but from the windshield back all I see is Plymouth Reliant. Well, a Reliant in a Junior Prom tuxedo.
The price is ambitious considering the small buyer pool, but not too out of line considering the mileage and condition.
Hmm is it the other rate infamous John V hardtop weekend cruiser car😏😜🤔
This car is a potential rare holy grail cornucopia national treasure 😉😜
https://youtu.be/bhJoYN-s1Y4
Okay its nice not on my list.. but definitely think its in good shape…so good luck with sale 👍👀
Me and my buddy Del Griffith drove one of these when we had to find a way back home for the holidays. It was a convertible though and caught fire one night, but we were still able to get back home.
Cool. My cousin John Voight had a convertible version one of these as the corporate car for his periodontist business. Sold it in the mid 1990s.
This is as much of a LeBaron as a Cimmaron is a Cadillac. You have much thicker skin than me Scotty to be caught driving around in one of these.
Nice and clean. Obviously very well cared for. Maybe he’s a little obsessive, but he still owns cassettes. That’s pretty cool. One question, he states the paint was slightly different that the original so the vinyl top was painted to match??
Sooo, painted vinyl? Gotta be wrong…
It’s really a question of how much do you want to commit to destroying the next Radwood?
https://www.amazon.com/Uideazone-Coveralls-One-Piece-Jumpsuit-Overalls/dp/B079HTVTVV
ALMOST bought an ’85 LeBaron until I saw an ’85 Plymouth Caravelle which was a very plush 4 door sedan with the 4 cylinder fuel injected turbo. It would usually leave the Camaros and Mustangs sitting when traffic lights changed and the drivers wondering “WHAT was THAT.
“Mark Cross” “Chrysler Lebaron” “Turbo”
The words that signified a near-death experience for the American automobile industry.
No, that’s not really what those words represent at all. The K-cars actually spear headed Chrysler’s recovery from the brink back in 1979/1980 (federal loan guarantees averted bankruptcy). Before the K’s 1981 introduction small cars with small engines and front wheel drive were embraced by consumers; the American industry had to adapt to survive. Turbo 4 cylinders offered lots of performance at a time before Chrysler built a it’s own V6 (the 3.3 in 1990 – their first V6 not based on a V8). The K-cars were indeed a marketing success; they restored both financial liquidity and market share to Chrysler.
I’m also a fan of these 80’s K derivatives. I found an E Class outfitted nearly identical to the one my folks special ordered new in 1984. This car is missing the voice alert option, which if memory serves me right was a 66 dollar option. Also needed, and I have plans to do so is the dark brown two tone paint scheme that goes on the hood and around the side windows.
I know these weren’t the best cars ever made, but they’re still special to me.
Yup. I owned one. It was an 89 Convert.
After 10 years of resto work I got 295 bucks from the wrecking yard
The passage of time has been very kind to the K-car and all the derivatives. These things were universally loathed in their day and generally the worst of the admittedly bad domestic choices. A Taurus/Sable or even a GM A body was a far better driving product. I worked for a daily rental company in the 80s and everyone despised the 4 cylinder Ks. The subsequent V6 Dynasty and New Yorker were smoother with the V6 but plagued by the Ultradrive 4 speed automatic. It wasn’t until the introduction of the “cab-forward” LH cars that Chrysler got their mojo back and had a class competitive and in some cases leading product.
Most K cars were throw aways back in the day…I’m allowed to say that because I’m nearly 52 years old now so, I remember them as new cars back then. They weren’t all that bad for their time, no better or worse than anything else, domestic or foreign. I remember Lee Iacocca doing Chrysler commercials saying “If you can find a better car, buy it” back then. Chrysler sold a lot of K cars or K based cars (mini vans included) for years so, obviously, a lot of people couldn’t find a better car! I actually bought a 1989(?) 2 door LeBaron for my wife in 1992 or so. She drove and loved that car for 5-6 years. It didn’t have the turbocharged engine but it was a good looking, reliable car. Then the kids got too big for it to be practical. We traded it for a new Cherokee that also served us well. To this day, my wife and I always smile when we see a nice looking K car on the road and we’re actually GM folks!