“It starts with great looks and goes on to make great sense”, so says a period brochure for the newish, small, front-drive LeBaron. Based on Chrysler’s K-Car chassis, they were nice cars for the time, given what was available and the era that they were produced. The seller has this nice-looking 1983 Chrysler LeBaron convertible with Mark Cross leather posted here on craigslist in Ankeny, Iowa, and they’re asking $4,500 or best offer. Here is the original listing.
I’ve mentioned in the past that I had a silver LeBaron convertible over gray Mark Cross leather in the mid-1980s and it was a great car. 100% trouble-free and pretty luxurious for the era, at least for a poor kid who had only had rusty beaters before getting that car. This gold LeBaron convertible has nicer wheels than mine did and looks just as nice almost four decades later.
The second-generation LeBaron was made for model years 1982 through 1988 and they came in two-door sedan, four-door sedan, two-door convertible, and four-door station wagon body styles. The most famous/infamous model is, of course, the wood-paneled Town and Country convertible. This example looks almost new inside and out, I don’t really see a glaring flaw anywhere. The seller says that this is a one-owner car with 95,350 miles.
The Mark Cross leather package included fairly thick leather and a thick, solid armrest, which I always thought should have been hollow with a padded top as most of them are now, rather than a big wasted chunk of a potential storage area in an era when even cup holders weren’t a thing. Isn’t it funny how times have changed? We now need all kinds of things stashed away in every compartment in our vehicles, but in this era when there was only a glove compartment, we just took fewer things with us.
Ahhhh, the classic Mitsubishi-sourced 2.6-liter inline-four, which would have had 93 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque when new. This one has a new carb, fuel pump, and tires and it sure looks nice. Any thoughts on the second-generation front-wheel-drive LeBarons? Any former or current owners?
Had a similar K car, Dodge 600, 2 door. It was reliable, comfortable and slow.
Beautiful seats, nice alloys, convertible, looks great, good on gas, register as an antique. Better if it was a turbo. But cool car to get around with for 4000.00
I drove one of these K cars a lot, because it was a Company car and it was free transportation. Also the Company I worked for was a big city Fire Department and this car was for sub divisions not emergency response. However, it had all the bells and whistles, which included a dept radio. This was a real plus when it broke down, I just radioed dispatch and they came and picked me up.
Hey Scotty, I was at a Mopar dealership two weeks ago and they had this 1983 Mark Cross ragtop in the showroom. Beautiful! The salesman told me they took it in on a trade in ten years ago and stored it until recently. I wish I had the room! Take care. https://www.brydenmotors.net/inventory/used-1983-chrysler-lebaron-mark-cross-convertible-1c3bc55gxdg180186/
This checks off all the boxes. Fun, cheap, different, and everyone will smile…
There is plenty of hand-wringing about prices in the old car hobby. But if you set your mind to it, and can get past certain mindsets (i.e. all cars must be fast, even if you only use them for cruising; anything from the malaise area is an affront to the hobby), one can find interesting and fun cars. Like this LeBaron.
I just purchased a 1984 Lebanon convertible for 1800$. Runs great 2.2 liter no rust. Love this car it’s the 4th one I’ve owned.
I have a 84 with 25K miles same color .
In 84 they added the rear quarter windows.
1982 and 1983 not as nice as newer K-Car convertibles – these first two years did not have rear passenger widows and as such, huge (and less attractive) convertible tops (probably hard to see out of too). Otherwise, these are reliable, cheap and friendly convertibles,
At this point you probably won’t be dailying it anyway and the only time it’d be driven with the top up is if you get caught by a sudden rain.
I go to a local weekly car show and you would be surprised at all the positive comments I get on the car.
Hahaha.
In the early 90s my girlfriend bought an 84 Mark Cross in black with a grey interior. Say what you want but it was a nice, relatively inexpensive convertible. Turbo lag and a bit of torque steer, but lots of fun. I did the timing belt at 60k miles, and the engine weighed almost nothing. It was totaled on the street in front of her house.
In the mid 2000s, these were all over Florida in great, garage kept condition with low miles for $2500. I should have picked one up. I think the price is right.
My best friend “Fuddy” had a 85 the same color! He loved that car and always had the top down! I miss him,he passed in 97! I couldn’t believe it! What ever girl he picked up,I got her girl friend! RIP buddy!!!!
Hard to believe, this was Chrysler’s luxury ride in these years. what a pile!
Do your homework this was not Chryslers luxury ride, the 5th ave was.
it is clearly the last one in iowa. this space millenial has refused to donate to the club or let the club buy his car. he will be incommunicado by the president and will probably crush his car because we have all the know-how and parts connections.
I am trying to figure out your reply ?
The seller has lowered the asking price to $4,000!
Be sure to keep the fuel pump diaphragm updated, because if the diaphragm disintegrates it’ll dilute the oil with gasoline, thinning it out without warning until the engine destroys itself.
I love these cars! I have a 1983 Chrysler LeBaron, Woody convertible. Unfortunately, my disability has made it hard for me to drive anymore. So I’m going to have to sell it. Luckily, my mother and I both kept it off salted roads and stored during the winter. So the leather and everything in the car is in great condition. I just need to put a new carburetor in it.
To anybody who has a LeBaron with the Mitsubishi engine: if the fuel-pump diaphragm fails, it will pump raw gasoline into the crankcase and dilute the oil. To avoid this, have your fuel pump rebuilt regularly.