The personal luxury coupe was a hot item in the late-1970s and 1980s. That wasn’t the only era that they were available but everything came together to bring them to the market at that time. This 37k-mile 1983 Dodge Mirada can be found posted here on craigslist in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and the seller is asking $4,750. Here is the original listing and thanks to Pat L. for sending in this tip!
The seller shows us five left-front 3/4 photos and four right-rear 3/4 photos but none from the passenger side front. They also show what appears to be eroded / damaged / missing rear bumper filler material which is unfortunate. Replacement material appears to be available for around $140 per side which is nice, but there appears to be some rust lurking around the right rear wheel well so there’s work to do here.
You can see the other side of the rear bumper here and if you zoom in or click on the photo above, you can just make out what appears to be some rust at the top of the rear wheel well. Overall, though, this looks like a nice car and the black paint should be easy to match once the bodywork is done. Dodge made the Mirada for four model years, 1980 through 1983, and even though they evolved from the Dodge Aspen/Plymouth Volare, they were closely related to the Chrysler Cordoba and Imperial. All three models only came in a two-door body style.
The interior of this Mirada, as you can see, has some splitting on the front seats but otherwise, things appear to be in good condition. The door speakers could use a little help as uncovered speakers aren’t as elegant of a look as Dodge designers would have liked to see there. According to Allpar, the Mirada was one of the first Chrysler products to have a scissor jack rather than the old-style stick jack, being a safer way to change a tire.
The engine is a V8 and two V8s were available in the Mirada, a 318 and 360 depending on the trim level. One of you will know which version this is as they don’t list which one it is and there is no VIN in the ad. The bad part of this one is that it isn’t currently in driving condition. The seller has owned it for two decades and two years after buying it, it developed a lifter noise and has been parked for the last eighteen of those twenty years. Can this one be brought back to life without breaking the bank?
The 360 was only available in the Mirada for 1980, so this one should have a 318.
The 37K mile claim is comedy worthy of The Improv. There is waaaaay too much wear and discoloration inside for 37K miles and way too many modifications and poorly executed repairs under the hood. 37K is also a little early for a 318 to develop a lifter noise (properly maintained, of course).
Looking at the engine.. they installed headers and I see a fuel gauge. The seller notes it was Chrysler exec. Going with a 360 also it has dual exhaust. This would make it very quick. When I was younger I happen to drive this type of Dodge with a 360 and it was fast. It a great price for someone to have fun. Good luck to the next owner.🐻🇺🇸
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I had always wondered when they changed the jack style. Now I’ll have to find something else to wonder about. Thanks. Nice write-up.
If you look at this car looks like a stretched mustang , from that rhs angle. but what do I know
I don’t know, with that trailer hitch I would be hesitant to touch this one. Sharp design but, there could be plenty wrong with this one!
For less than 5 K and a can of BG MOA added to the oil, I would drive the wheels off of it. No one else has one.
i owned almost this exact car, dont remember exactly what year but same colors, column shift, 318 lean burn
A person I worked with had one of these Miradas, great lines, aggressive stance.Bought it new, drove it for 8-9 years, gave it to his son for college…. Don’t know what happen to the car after that…
One of the most beautiful cars to come out of the 80s. Rare too. Not sure why values have not taken off on them.
I wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole. Looked at one of these back when they were new. Sat in one on the dealers lot, checking it out, the door panels had cracks in them, and the inlay in the center console was lifting up, a brand new car, what a joke, never looked at a Chrysler product again.
Yeah ,right..Where was the dealership -Death Valley ?
I sat in a new K-car on a Plymouth dealer’s showroom floor – paint was flaking off the glove compartment door onto the carpet below! Also maybe 8 yrs ago, i sat in a nice used modern Dodge Challenger also on a Dodge dealer’s showroom floor & the console was all scratched up – i guess they are ez to scratch, like door panels on ’70-71 challengers?
fords – same era ‘cop car’ or the earlier “box top” (‘futura’ even had same side window in back): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NzP0tbZJA4
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2021/03/rare-rides-the-1984-ford-ltd-lx-a-mustang-sedan/
Garage it for another 18+ years and now we’re talking a little cash.
Looks like this could have morphed from the Dodge Magnum.
Which Dirty Harry owned !
Great looking cars. Why are they not more valued?
These should be worth more then they do. Why is that? Maybe the prettiest car Chrysler ever put out. Plus any small block is gong to fit. If i had the time this would be mine. These are crazy rare. You should grab them now when you can.
Agree Gary. Prices should be at least where the Fox bodies are now. Why are some Mopars crazy priced and some in the gutter? At least low prices mean some person of modest means can get into the hobby, and good for them. I when fixing the rear end on this one would yank that stupid spoiler off. Never saw those when any Mopars were new.
I had a 1980 Mirada with a 318 which I bought used in 1982 with 12000 miles on it and drove it until 1990 and traded it in with 197,000 miles on it. It needed a new trans and it leaked transmission fluid to the tune of 4 quarts to the mile unless you got stuck at a traffic light. Best vehicle I ever owned. Stylish, comfortable and a cruiser. The only things repaired on it aside from normal maintenance was a catalytic converter (I gutted it and it still passed emissions), a radiator ( I moved to AZ and the factory radiator was not up to the job) and a fan switch, otherwise it was as original as the day I rolled it off the dealer lot. I’m currently searching for one now but I think I’m going to pass on this one.
I also have kind of been in the market for one, but you are right, hard to find in good shape, or any shape for that matter. When they do come up for sale they often have that stupid fake convertible top on them. A deal killer for me. I have a 52 MG. Imagine how odd one of these would look next to that in my shed? My wife Cindy told me to look for and buy one years ago when I brought it up, but she is smarter than me because she knows the chances of me finding one are pretty bad. Oh well, got my MG, my Cessna, and my John Deere B. Life is good.