WTB: Cordoba LS or LeBaron LS or Diplomat Coupe

[Cordoba1]

Greetings! I'm in the market for a really nice Cordoba LS, LeBaron LS, or Diplomat Coupe, years 1980 to 82. Last year, I sold my LS (http://www.functionbox.org/81Doba.htm) --- It was very nice, but had the slant six. It ran perfect, had working R-12 Air conditioning, and was all around very nice, but it would run out of breath at 70 and was simply no fun to drive on the big roads, couldn't get out of its own way. At the time, I figured it would be just too big a project to convert to V8. Well, I now have a little more money and am looking for an early 80's Mopar Coupe to fix up -- but I really don't want to start with a basket case. That is, I don't want to have to do a bunch of rust repair, or go to the junk yard to look for new body parts.

The perfect car would be in excellent condition, have a v8, floor shift, and bucket seats. Prefer the Cordoba, but would pay top dollar for LeBaron LS or LS Limited.

Whatch ya got?

I've had a similar ad over at the Cordoba Club website for over a year with no good hits. I'll keep bumping this ad until I find the right one.

Thanks for any leads!

--- Adam ---

[furyfrank]

How much do you want to pay for a nice one ?

[CMX360]

I remember that car. Very nice paint choice. I thought it was a 318 all this time. Would have been a great car for a V8 swap. You must be kicking yourself.

[80aspen]

Someone got a sweet car,nice and clean,good luck finding another one that nice.

[efriedrich]

I would have swapped a 318 or 360 into that doba so fast it would make your head spin.

[Cordoba1]

How much do you want to pay for a nice one ?

THAT is an exceedingly difficult question. I'd prefer to see what I'm trying to price -- but if there was an example in better-than-factory condition, I might flirt with 12K. An excellent, excellent driver, maybe 6.5K. An all-around-decent car, AC works, no rust, 2K range. At the moment, I'm not interested in something that'll require a major restoration.

A better answer: It depends?

[Cordoba1]

I remember that car. Very nice paint choice. I thought it was a 318 all this time. Would have been a great car for a V8 swap. You must be kicking yourself.

Now get this..... That car started out as white. I'm not particularly concerned with originality, so when I had it painted, I picked that blue. Believe it or not, that was a Maaco paint job. That being said, I worked with the shop to get a "real" paint job, not a $250 special. They removed the side moldings (the plastic bumper thing), repaired the rear vallance with fiber glass, and put about "a gallon" of clear-coat on it. The only thing that was kind of annoying was there was quite a bit of overspray to clean up, but for $1,400 and change, I was pleased. (Incidentally, I had the fiberglass replacements for the rear vallance, and it was the Maaco guy that said fixing the rubber ones with fiberglass would yeild a better result.)

[Cordoba1]

I remember that car. Very nice paint choice. I thought it was a 318 all this time. Would have been a great car for a V8 swap. You must be kicking yourself.

I am kicking myself.... Even the R-12 AC still worked!

[furyfrank]

what about this.

[furyfrank]

or this

[efriedrich]

Whats the deal with that LeBaron, is it for sale.

[furyfrank]

Whats the deal with that LeBaron, is it for sale.

For the right price. Make me a offer I can't refuse.

[furyfrank]

or this one

[efriedrich]

For the right price. Make me a offer I can't refuse.

What motor is in it, any interior pics, how many miles, any rust or repairs needed, car history, ect.

[furyfrank]

What motor is in it, any interior pics, how many miles, any rust or repairs needed, car history, ect.

To answer some of your questions. First the car is a Az car so no rust. Second it has 118000 miles. As far as history the best I can determine is I am the third owner . How the car is equiped It has the slant six PS,PB, AC and criuse control and power door locks, windows are manual. If you are still interested I will tell you more. To be honest I have a firm price of $1800.00 on it. The car needs either a speedometer cable or maybe the unit itself as far as everything else I see works. The reason I stated the price is so we know where I stand. If I don't sell it I will keep it and drive it.

[jasperjacko]

You need to raise your price. We've been told for so long, by so many people, that our cars are worthless, that we have started believing it. Look around the country at what 1800 dollars will buy. JUNK! Because these cars have been under appreciated for so long, they have went to the crusher in large numbers. Now they are even more scarce. With the prices of an older mopar bringing huge money even when a total basket case, our cars seem even more attractive. RAISE YOUR HEADS...STAND TALL FMJ OWNERS....YOU DON'T HAVE TO RIDE IN THE BACK OF THE MOPAR BUS ANY LONGER!!!!!!!!!! LOL....AMEN

[jasperjacko]

WOW ! I just had a Mel Gibson Brave Heart moment

[jasperjacko]

or maybe an a MLK moment! lol

[Cordoba1]

Everybody -- Thank you very much for the leads. I found an 80 LS -- actually here on this site, that I have purchased and will begin a major resto-mod. I've taken the first step and bought those brand new Kelsey-Hayes 10 Spoke road wheels from ebay. (Need center domes and caps, any leads will be appreciated.) I will setup a site showing the project start to finish and share..... (Car is an "LS", blue in color -- I intend to "resto mod" it into an LS Limted (Custome two-tone paint similar to original.) More to come!

[jasperjacko]

Congrats on finding one! We look forward to seeing pics and progress. Keep us posted.

[Cordoba1]

Congrats on finding one! We look forward to seeing pics and progress. Keep us posted.

Here's a quicky website I worked up to document the journey from start to finish: http://www.functionbox.org/80LeBaron/. The first pictures are from the seller. I have purchased the car, but I have not yet figured out exactly how to manage a restoration from across the country. I've already begun to collect parts (wheels, trim, etc), and interviewing restoration shops. Stay tuned!

[jasperjacko]

Cool, I would use those 5 on 5 wheels though !

[efriedrich]

Nice lebaron, I think the two door 80-81 M's look tough as hell. I'm looking forward to the build.

[Cordoba1]

Good Morning –

Well, it’s not such a good morning for me. The LeBaron was just unloaded from the carrier and I am beyond disappointed. This car is a parts car, at best. The fenders are rotted, the wipers are completely dead, the engine compartment is full of cut wires, the brakes are bad, the transmission is slipping, the interior is a grimy mess. The driver of the car-carrier complained that two chunks or rust came off the car chipping his windshield. Sure enough, the frame is swiss cheese. I’m considering this car a total loss.

If anyone is in the (California) Bay Area and would like a FREE car, you’ve got about 24 hours to get back to me. Otherwise, I’m sending it to the cursher.

(About the only thing I’m keeping from the car are the center caps from the wheels. Even the trim inside the car is too far gone.)

Severely disappointed,
Adam

[Cordoba1]

Greetings -- The car that I spent real money on turned out to be an epic rust-bucket. More work to restore than I cared to get into. I offered it for free on a couple of sites, no takers, so, it went off to the crusher. So -- I'm still in the market for an 80 to 82 Cordoba LS, or an 80 or 81 LeBaron or Diplomat Coupe. Looking for nicer than agerage units.