When I think of “captive imports,” I don’t normally think of staid, sometimes stodgy Plymouth. They usually made cars for practical people who didn’t want to appear too showy or flashy, anything that screams, “Look at me!” It’s hard… more»
Turbo
Mar 2, 2025 • For Sale • 35 Comments
Turbo 4 Cylinder: 1981 Pontiac Trans Am
In all my years as a Trans Am collector, I have never seen anything like this. The car is advertised as a 1981 Pontiac Trans Am but is powered by a Nissan 240 SX turbo inline 4 cylinder engine… more»
Jan 6, 2025 • For Sale • 7 Comments
Buick Turbo V6 Power: 1989 Pontiac Trans Am Pace Car
Today we live in a world where minivans can lay down quarter-mile times that would embarrass some of the sixties’ most highly regarded muscle cars. People forget that the muscle car era went on life support in the early… more»
Dec 7, 2024 • For Sale • 6 Comments
Two Tone 28K Mile: 1980 Pontiac Turbo Trans Am
Two tone paint jobs on cars became the rage in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. I first remember the two tone paint when I went with my parents to the Buick dealership in 1978 so they could buy… more»
Oct 6, 2024 • For Sale • 22 Comments
50K Mile Eighties Icon: 1984 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z
When you go to Taco Bell to enjoy authentic Mexican food, did you ever think that everything there is simply a combination of a limited number of ingredients? While nobody is knocking Taco Bell for this, it is a… more»
Apr 16, 2024 • For Sale • 22 Comments
Rare McLaren Turbo: 1989 Pontiac Grand Prix
The popularity of the Pontiac Grand Prix remained strong in 1988 when the car entered its sixth generation of production, this time as a front-wheel-drive coupe with a completely updated design outside. However, the car’s standard engine didn’t provide… more»
Dec 18, 2023 • For Sale • 23 Comments
Can It Be Saved? 1989 Dodge Daytona Shelby
We’ve seen some head-scratchers in the Can It Be Saved series here on Barn Finds, and this 1989 Dodge Daytona Shelby Z is one of the head-scratchin’est ones so far. A small front-drive car that needs a total restoration… more»
Dec 8, 2023 • For Sale • 23 Comments
Pocket Rocket: 1991 Daihatsu Mira J Turbo
Well here’s something you don’t see every day in the U.S., or ever. Most of us know the name Daihatsu for its trucks or possibly for the short-lived (in the U.S.) Charade or 4×4 Rocky. The company makes fantastic… more»
Sep 22, 2023 • For Sale • 11 Comments
French Mercedes: 1985 Peugeot 505S Turbo Diesel
If you want to buy a new French car in the U.S. today, you have one choice and you had better be a trust fund baby or a YouTube mega-star, as the new Bugattis are sold out, even for… more»
Aug 17, 2023 • For Sale • 18 Comments
Cheap 1988 Pontiac Sunbird GT Turbo Convertible
This 1988 Pontiac Sunbird may not be the most exhilarating ragtop ever made, but for a late-eighties J-platform car this one’s pretty cool and seems like a lot of fun for a driver officially priced at $3,650, but in… more»
Aug 12, 2023 • For Sale • 9 Comments
Satisfyingly Quick: 1984 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z
Compared to the numerous fine offerings the folks at Dodge have provided us with since then, the 1984 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z may not seem like much of a performer by today’s standards, but back in the mid-eighties when… more»
Mar 24, 2023 • For Sale • 7 Comments
17k Miles! 1988 Mazda RX-7 10th Anniversary Edition Turbo
I’m a fairly early bloomer when it comes to being a fan of the Mazda RX-7, as my older sister purchased a new blue one in 1982. She was cool with letting me get behind the wheel, even when… more»
Feb 24, 2023 • For Sale • 11 Comments
Turbo Pace Car: 1980 Pontiac Trans Am
The 400 cubic inch V8 engine was gone from the line up for the Pontiac Trans Am but Pontiac was still trying to put performance in the hands of car enthusiasts. In 1980, Pontiac introduced a turbocharged Trans Am… more»
Jan 27, 2023 • For Sale • 20 Comments
Nicest One Left? 1985 Subaru XT GL-10 Turbo
It’s hard to believe that 1985 was almost four decades ago, it seems like yesterday to me. This 1985 Subaru XT GL-10 Turbo was pretty futuristic for 1985, back when the top-selling car in the U.S. was the boxy… more»
Dec 24, 2022 • For Sale • 23 Comments
Boosted Performance: 1985 Dodge Omni GLH-T
The name Carroll Shelby is legendary in the world of American muscle cars, although as a “gun for hire,” he was willing to weave his brand of magic on almost any vehicle to enhance performance. One of his less… more»
Dec 15, 2022 • For Sale • 22 Comments
EFI Turbo V8! 1981 Mercury Zephyr
Defined as “a gentle, mild breeze,” the word zephyr has adorned trains, V12 luxury sedans, and Mercury’s 1978 through 1983 offering seen here. This 1981 Mercury Zephyr in Colorado Springs, Colorado uses a VS Racing 7875 turbo to blow… more»
