Photos from the Cohort by chrisjcieslak.
Anyone out there in need of a nice serving of K-car nostalgia? If so, how about this one with some Landau action, er… added on top?
Truly, this K-car-based LeBaron landau is quite a time capsule. The exterior has some blemishes seen up close, but the interior, gosh. Looking at it I feel like I’m hanging out at the parking lot of the Puerto Rican courthouse my mother worked at back in the ’80s. For K-cars were the office worker’s quintessential cars, at least in Puerto Rico.
I can’t recall the last time I saw one of those Chrysler translucent hood ornaments.
As told at CC previously, when it came to Chrysler’s 1980s decade; first was the proliferation of the K-car, spun in endless ways. Then it was the multiplication of the Landau and Brougham touches. Or was it the other way around? And then, there was the matter of the LeBaron name being thrown around in quite a few models.
The latter never made much sense to my teenage self, and it was all rather confusing. But I think I got it sorted out, mostly… Just in case, maybe it’s time for me to refresh all that K-car history.
Related CC reading:
Curbside Classic: 1986 Chrysler LeBaron – Have A Cup Of CAFE
In Motion Outtake: 1986 Chrysler LeBaron – I’ll Have The Burgundy
CC Outtake: 1986 Chrysler LeBaron Turbo Convertible – K-Scrumptious
Automotive History: The Curbside Classic Comprehensive Chronology of the Chrysler K-Family Tree
I’m one of those few who like K-Cars .
Nice to see one still out and about .
-Nate
Nate: You are not alone. I would love to find one like this near me (west coast) for sale that didn’t need a complete restore or that wasn’t listed with some crazy stupid price like 13 grand.
I’ve always like these and found the massive number of variants to be amazing. And yes, I like the landau top.
What a great find! This is an ’84 or ’85 (they got those wraparound rear tail lights in ’84). There’s very few differences between those two years, but my guess here would be 1985 because this one appears to have the upholstery pattern used for ’85.
It’s outstanding to see one of these in such good condition.
Anyone want the Dodge version of this car? https://www.carfax.com/vehicle/1B3BV51E9FG269634
I was a bit shocked when these K-LeBarons first came out; talk about lipstick on a pig. At least the Reliant and Aries were honest cars, but then that was never going to be enough with Lido at the helm. Little did we know how many more ways he would fold, spindle and mutilate the K-car platform.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmoDc3RwrMM&ab_channel=Shout%21Studios
A nice reliant automobile.
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But not a real green dress, that’s cruel.
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Haven’t you always wanted a monkey?
Bucket seats and floor shift, thats interesting I guess. Thought you had to buy a Dodge for such sportyness as Chrysler was more the button tufted bench seat “luxury” version.
Also LeBaron has to be the single most bastardized nameplate ever. Top trim level on the Imperial, then a fancy Volare, then this, then a 5 door hatch, then a convertible but also around 1990 a very staid 4 door that looked nothing like the swanky convertible. I probably missed one or two, did they make a LeBaron pickup truck?
Don’t forget the Red LeBaron. He flew a tri-plane in WW1 but his seat didn’t have rich Corinthian leather.