If you’re a fan of the Cordoba, and we hope that most car guys and car gals are, then you have to like the first-year models such as this 1975 Chrysler Cordoba. The seller has this one – certainly one of the nicest that I have seen in a long time – listed here on eBay in Sarasota, Florida and the bidders agree with me. The current bid price is $7,000!
I hate to break the news to you so soon, but this one does in fact not have “Rich Corinthian leather”, “Fine Corinthian leather”, “Soft Corinthian leather”, or any Corinthian leather. Chrysler Cordoba spokesman and a very fine actor, Ricardo Montalban, said it more than one way depending on which commercial or magazine ad you saw back in that era. The Cordoba was made for the model years 1975 through 1983.
What an elegant car. For a lot of us who grew up in this era, these were really nice cars in the classic style of the time with the landau top and opera lights. This was the white shoes and white belt era which was really no different than nose rings and arms full of tattoos are now, albeit a less-permanent fad. It’ll be just as fun to look back on today’s “style” fads as it is now for those folks to make fun of our fads. And, if you don’t think that having a hoop through your nose and solid ink on your arms will eventually look incredibly dated, more power to ya.
The first thing I notice is that there are no power windows on what was considered a personal luxury car. You can see the rich, non-Corinthian velour which looks brand new both front and rear.
The engine compartment looks as amazing as the rest of the car does and you can see the 360 label on the air cleaner. This was the middle engine between a 318 and 400. The seller doesn’t tell us how it runs but they say that pretty much everything on this car is in excellent condition and from the photos, I would have to agree. Have any of you owned a first-generation Cordoba?
I like the first three years, before the stacked headlights. The 1980 to 83s? UGH!
Chrysler made such a powerful statement using Ricardo Montalban in their commercials “fine Corinthian leather” is the first thing I think of when I hear the word Cordoba. It’s like a Pavlovian response so if I were to own this good looking Cordoba it would have to have leather or no deal!
What’s humorous is there was no such thing as ‘Corinthean leather’.
C. L. must be in a group along with “Muffler Bearings.”
I don’t thing I’ve EVER sat in any Chrysler, especially a Cordoba.
Had a 79 Chrysler 300 new for the wife. 360 and Chrysler claimed 133 mph tops. 3.23 gear.
Drove 17,000 miles. Alternator bracket broke under warranty.
Wife had too many cars. 92 Stealth, 75 Mercedes, 78 Lotus Esprit and 80 New Yorker Fifth Ave Limited Edition and the 79 300.
What? Lost you there after alternator bracket.
Freddy, the wifes cars were always new. Mine, I love and drive, regularly, were used cars. I was interrupted while writing and had to end.
I am in the middle of haulin my second 1969 Daytona with 424,000 miles, unrestored, to Florida.
Tradin for a race ready, Dodge Challenger raced in Nationwide, and Xfinity series by Carl Long, Timmy Hill, Chad Finchum, and others.
Last team to run Dodge, in 2018. Last run by Chad, number 40. They prepped the car as if I was runnin it at Daytona next month. No decals on it.
Takin Daytona to its last show this mornin.
Palm Desert, no rain, or snow. Car never ever had rust.
The Nascar truck is meeting me at daughters in Destin.
Joe, 424K miles on a 69 Daytona, really? Whats in your water down there in FLA? Sounds like good drinking but not a good idea in the long run.
H-ll yeah I’m a fan of the Cordoba! Who isn’t? If I had another garage space (a long garage space), I’d be considering this at sub-8k.
Stunning vehicle, would take this over a high horsepower rust bucket from the late sixties, early seventies.
Why the author is continously surprised by the lack of creature comforts like power windows totally misunderstands the decade. Cars like the Cordoba, Monte Carlo, certain Cougars were basically upscale midsized cars. There were not meant to compete with the Eldorados, Riveras, Toronodos, T-birds of that time period. That’s why it’s common to see a decanted one.
And now you can’t buy a car (or truck!!) without stupid power windows.
Long story short, a relative wanted a cheap, light and cheap car to tow behind an RV. Wanted as few options available. Had to do research, but finally found a Nissan Versa with a stick shift, roll up windows and two options: radio and AC.
It’s all about market demand and cost. A car with crank windows would appeal to very few today, and the manufacturer would have to engineer it, set up a supply chain and assembly process, and possibly do separate side impact crash testing for an option that would sell in the double digits annually, on a popular model.
The manual transmission has all but disappeared in everything but the sportiest models for this same reason. The production numbers don’t justify the separate development, processes, and testing.
Super,
Thanks for pointing this commonly mis-understood fact of maximization of production costs.
This ONE thing is why Henry Ford destroyed his completion.
A 28-31 model A frame fits and derivative body.
Same goes for engines, trannies, etc AND power windows!
Competition, sorry auto spell check.
It may be generational, including with what your parents drove. I’m 52 and when growing up (70s/80s)we never had a car with crank windows. We assumed that people who did were on a limited budget or otherwise not into cars.
Power windows aren’t saying a lot to me anyway. I’d rather have a old fashioned window. And I can roll up a non powered window much faster if I had to. 😉
my bother had a 75 or 76 cordoba back in 1980, the tail light lenses were glued in from what i remember
An uncle of mine had a ’79 model that
really looked sharp painted dark red with the white half roof and the coach
lights on it. I almost had him talked into
selling it to me when my BIL blew the
engine. No worries I thought, just find a
decent 440 and drop it in right? That was my plan ’til my wife said no.
I liked Scotty’s commentary on fads…. and I like the car too. Very nice example, it would make a fine cruiser. Just be sure you won’t get tired of the Ricardo Montalban references.
Nice one, Scotty. Buddy in high school’s folks had one of these (well a “Charger” actually) after selling an Electra 225 that was truly an epic HS car. The Charger had the 360 and was gutless compared to the Buick, but the interior was nice, even if it did not deplete Corinth of any hides.
but where is the fine corinthian leather?!!!
Right car. Right colors. Right motor. Right condition. This should pull more $$.
The single defining and remarkable thing about the Cordoba is it’s fine Corinthian leather. Buying one without it is silly. At that point you can buy a Monte Carlo, GP, TBird etc and not be constantly reminded that you are missing the most important part of the Cordoba experience.
My first car was a 1975 with the 400. Black with burgundy , you got to have, Corinthian leather. Center counsel, power seat, power windows. Loved that car. I’d love to find one.
I had a friend who had a 77 with leather. One day he left his Doberman in the car in winter while he went to visit someone… and the dog ate the drivers seat! Lol, wasn’t so fine anymore!
The Cordoba was one of the prettiest cars ever. This is a beautiful example.
Yes, in 1989 got my brother’s ’76, 400, white/white vinyl half-roof, maroon “aztec” seats. Had it for a couple of years, driven seldom, but what a ride and even to this day, handsome understated elegance (except for those seats!).
The original Cordoba might be the best design Chrysler ever came up with, IMHO. (Too bad most of them rusted away and self-destructed!)
I had one of the first year production Cordoba’s with the fine Corinthian leather . blue bucket seats with console , silver metallic paint with matching silver vinyl top 360 2BBL carburetor, heavy duty suspension Power steering , brakes, and windows. Rear window defogger. Full wheel covers.
I had gone over to the Windsor plant and met with the Production Planning Supervisor who had my body plates in his hand. We out to the Body Shop and met with the Body Shop manager. Tony told the Body Shop manager that the body plates in his hand belonged to my ordered car. Tony told him to make sure I got o good body. Boy they did not disappoint me. I was able to pick my car up from the dealer on a Friday in May of 1975. It was a real nice car and I sold it to a guy from work in May of 1978. Ralph got a lot of good years use out of the car and he was well satisfied with his purchase.
Thanks for the story. Must have been a special day for you to see your car go to production.
Also recalling the ’75 Chargers were close copies of the Cordoba.
Coworker bought a 1977 Cordoba demo, fully loaded, with the infamous 400 ‘Lean Burn’ motor. I don’t recall him complaining about the car at all, to the contrary actually.
My sister and brother in law owned a ’78 Volare wagon with the 225 2bbl, believing it had the Lean Burn computer too. They bought it used during the early ’80s. No mechanical complaints as I recall and I enjoyed driving it. Rust was a problem though.
Dark years for Chrysler Corporation unfortunately.
Here is a Charger from the Owl’s Head auction a couple of years ago.
I really liked the look of it and it was in fantastic shape.
I was curious, so I checked.
It sold for 11K.
http://owlshead.org/auctions/detail/1977-dodge-charger-se
Wow George, I didn’t know you were so important that early in your career. You were able to go to the plant on the build date. Pretty cool.
Hoping the Chrysler people here will help jog my memory.
Recalling when the new B body cars came out in 1975, there were some unpublished engine options that were available, depending on the state the car was purchased in, your friendship with the dealer and approval from Chrysler management.
The first was the E58 360 4bbl, dual exhaust (no cats) rated at 220 bhp. The second was a 400 with a similar setup rated at 235 bhp. The final was the 440, same setup, rated at 255 bhp. The latter two were available through the 1978 model year while the E58 went on through to the early 80s Cordoba and Mirada as I recall, with less bhp.
Read where few of these cars went out the door – have no idea of the actual production figures, although I do recall reading the above info in a number of publications over the years.
Local dealer had a ’75 Road Runner, completely loaded, with the 400 4 bbl – single exhaust, rated at 190 bhp. Red on Red, every option – still love Chrysler Corp cars from that era.
The car depicted in the OP has my attention!
A fan of the Cordoba? Har de har har!
Had 3 of them – two 75’s and a ‘76. When I first saw one I couldn’t believe it was a Chrysler because it looked so good. Had to have one and I helped Chrysler sell 3 or 4 of them after test driving mine. All good cars. Classic looks.
My bro n law bought a new 77 with the 400 lean burn. That S.O.B sputtered and backfired. If you put your foot on the go pedal before you cranked it, it was flooded and you’d never get it to start without a brand new set of plugs. If you kept trying to crank it when flooded it would kick back and break the nose right out of the starter. No one could make it run right, not even the dealer. In the spring of 78 looking at the used car ads you saw 4 times as many ads for Cordoba, take over payments as for all the other cars put together. Sister sold it when it was 10 years old with 32k miles for 700 bux. It was still beautiful, dark green with deep green velour interior. I have always suspected that our Michigan weather with the extreme cold had something to do with the electronics messing up. And the guy that bought it cursed that car til he was able to peddle it to someone
The reason it sputtered,flooded,etc was because the intake manifold was cracked under the carb making it too lean when cold. Then you richened the mixture. When the car warmed up, the crack would close and now you were running too rich. That would foul the plugs. This condition existed on 2 and 4 bbl carbs, small and big blocks. I fixed hundreds of these in New England in 78-79 as a service district manager for Chrysler. The techs at a dealer in Springfield, Vt. figured it out.
You had to pull the carb with engine cold, use magnifying glass and look for the hairline crack. Sometimes the crack ran down to the floor of the intake. Unfortunately there was never a service bulletin for this condition.
My father’s 77 Chrysler Newport 400 had the lean burn on it. Would act up sometimes. Best way to deal with it was to disconnect it. I believe I remember something about a new carb and distributor.
Sometimes the spark control computer would retard the timing instead of advancing the timing. However the lean burn tester would say the computer was good because the tester looked for absolute value not positive or negative. A new spark control computer usually corrected the issue. They were covered by the 5/50 emission warranty at the time.
To Mopar Joe:
It is not that I was that important, I was working at Group Production Control a job that I started on Nov.22,1972 and we dealt with the flow of parts from the suppliers to the assembly plants. I had a pretty good reputation among the Production Control Operations at each one of the Assembly Plants, Jefferson, Hamtramck which had 2 separate Assembly lines in one plant, Lynch Road, Newark, Delaware, Belvidere ,Il St. louis, Mo, Toluca, Mx and Windsor 9103 Windsor,Ont Ca ,I made a lot of friends along the way. That is how I was able to meet Tony to get to Windsor and see my body plates before they went on the car.
Awesome
They’re nice cars,my dad had one and my brother had a 78 magnum axe 360 44-barrel with duals,that was pretty quick, and nice,best part of the 75 is no lean burn b.s.box,which could be problematic.
An old girlfriend of mine owned one and the air circulation in her car was horrible!!!!!!!
My First “brand new” car was a 76 Cordoba. Black with burgandy interior.
Ordered it with the 400 cid engine with the Police engine option which gave it factory dual exhaust and 3:23 posi rear end.
Made for a decent runner considering its size, but the smaller gas tank which allowed for the dual exhaust and my heavy foot made for frequent stops at the gas station.
Loved that car!!
I rode in a new ’75 Charger, and the car actually felt pretty quick, all things considered. I said “Is this a 360?” Nope, a 318.
To:PhlatHead Phil: You have missed one of life’s true experiences!!!! Also , have you found the Ken-newt tin valve that they put in these cars? The taillight lenses were sonic welded at the supplier before being shipped to the assembly plant. Some tail lights like the ones used on 1977 Dodge Diplomat and Chrysler LeBaron did use a two sided tape made by 3M Company to mate hosing with lense.
Glad to read so many happy memories, Iv owned 14 over the past 32 years, currently a 79 with T tops! Great Cars!!
Auction update: this Cordoba sold for $7,900.
Thanks, Scotty. Someone got what appears to be a great car at a really good price. Congrats to them!
I had a 1975 Cordoba. I ordered it From Northland Chrysler Plymouth Oak Park, Mi. I got my sales order number, pushed it thru Sales Distribution, Contacted my Production Control Buddies at the Windsor Assembly Plant in Windsor. Ont Ca, Went to the plant on a Saturday in May 1975 and met with the Planning Supervisor , he had my Body plates in his hand, we went to the Body Shop and met with the Body Shop Manager for the second shift. Tony handed him my body plates and asked him to give me a “Good Body”. I had a great car it was Silver meatic paint silver Vinyl Top with blue leather bucket seats , floor console, AC, power Windows, heavy duty suspension,