I've never been a fan of the 1980's

[Greg55_99]

I'm not talking about the decade of the 80's, I'm talking about the styling of the 1980 F Body. The squared off headlights (for me) didn't flow well. Understand, I say this with much love for all FMJ's. The squared off look went well with the Mirada and Dippy. Also note that in 1979, I talked my Aunt into buying her first new car, a 1980 Aspen slant six. Very basic but real nice car. I took care of it for her until I went into the Air Force in 1983. I suppose I'm jaded since I owned a 77 and that rounded off look appealed to me more, but the 80's just didn't make it for me. I'm apologizing in advance.


Greg

 

[kkritsilas]

A lot of cars that had the squared off headlights added on to an existing design did not do well. Look at the '78-'79 Cordoba with the stacked square headlights. Very awkward compared to the '77-'75 Cordoba with its simple, elegant single large round headlights. The Magnum, with the squared off headlights designed in from the ground up looks fine/great. Other manufacturers also did not do well with the move to squared off headlights, either (see '73-'75 Monte Carlo vs. the '76-'77 Monte Carlo, or other GM cars that had the same thing done. Exception is the LeMans, which came out better looking in my mind with the square headlights, as well as the Grand Prix, all of them in the 1975-1980 era). I think that the existing body shapes, being desinged with round headlights in mind (fenders, grilles/facias, etc.) don't work well when a square headlight is then grafted on. It is litterally putting a square peg into a round hole.

 

[Jack Meoff]

Don't mind it myself.

 

[Dr Lebaron]

Everyone one went to square headlights back then like ditching the avocado fridge and the wood TV.
Furd LTD's had square headlights early, so if you saw square headlights, it was a cop.

It's the going to FWD movement that killed real cars.
At least Chrysler figured out their mistake of 1989.

 

[slant6billy]

I did not mind the 80's styling compared to the late90s & early 2000s. The fact that a 2 door is not an option on cars is a bummer

 

[Dr Lebaron]

I did not mind the 80's styling compared to the late90s & early 2000s. The fact that a 2 door is not an option on cars is a bummer

ONLY reason I got into more doors was the fact after 83 there were no more Mopar RWD 2dr cars and at least the more doors were RWD,

 

[Aspen500]

I've always wondered why Chrysler went through all the time and money designing a new front end for the F-'s to have for one year. Did they plan on the F's continuing past 1980 maybe?

 

[Jack Meoff]

I've always wondered why Chrysler went through all the time and money designing a new front end for the F-'s to have for one year. Did they plan on the F's continuing past 1980 maybe?

I think so. From what I understand the F's got a bad reputation and that's when they switched to the M body. I think initially they wanted to keep the F but it wasn't selling.

 

[Greg55_99]

My thing is the 1980 models didn't flow the square look in too well for my tastes. I realize Mopar didn't have a lot of money for a styling update, but the square look didn't make it for me. As a counter point, if you've seen pics of the Chrysler Charger VH from Australia, they adopted the square lights and did a better job of it in my opinion.

 

[Jack Meoff]

My thing is the 1980 models didn't flow the square look in too well for my tastes. I realize Mopar didn't have a lot of money for a styling update, but the square look didn't make it for me. As a counter point, if you've seen pics of the Chrysler Charger VH from Australia, they adopted the square lights and did a better job of it in my opinion.

Some of those Aussie Mopars are VERY cool!

 

[Aspen500]

Everyone one went to square headlights back then like ditching the avocado fridge and the wood TV.
Furd LTD's had square headlights early, so if you saw square headlights, it was a cop.

It's the going to FWD movement that killed real cars.
At least Chrysler figured out their mistake of 1989.

LOL, guess what color 'fridge I still have (it came with the house),,,,,avocado green. Doesn't go with the cabinets at all though, they're aqua-marine green and ivory which I really like. Someday,,,,,,,,,,retro design aqua marine green 'fridge (if there is such a thing).

The square front end with rectangle headlamps looks good on an M-body but somehow on an F, it just looks out of place,,,,,like an after though add on. Imagine a Dippy or 5th with round headlights, just wouldn't look right. I will say, the square front looks better on the 4-door Aspen/Volare than the 2-door because the 4-door is sort of a boxy car where the 2-door is more "roundy".
Now, square headlights on a J-body? Looks good because the car was designed for them from the start.

 

[80 Lebaron Coupe]

I've always wondered why Chrysler went through all the time and money designing a new front end for the F-'s to have for one year. Did they plan on the F's continuing past 1980 maybe?

I have wondered about that myself.

The late 88 and 89 M had air bags added and a knee pad under the dash, ect. Then dropped.
I have always said they made a big mistake dropping the M Coupe after 81.
Similar 2 door cars of the same 80s era, Like the Cutlass,Buick Skylark, Pontiac Grand Prix, Buick Grand National, ect.
There sales went through the roof.
They could have done some great performance mods with the M coupe.

I didn't like the 80 F front either, but it has grown on me.
I do like the 80 Aspen grill much better then the 80 Volare grill.
--- Post updated ---

 

[Aspen500]

It was a mistake to quit making the 2 door M-body, but then GM took a page from Mopar and discontinued the RWD Cutlass (and equivalents) in '88 even though they were still selling like hotcakes. So much that they actually extended production past the scheduled end date. Just like Chrysler a couple years earlier, it was the start of a series of very bad business moves and we all know how those turned out.

No offense to '80 Volare owners here but I agree, the Aspen grille looks a ton better than the Volare version. JMO

 

[80 Lebaron Coupe]

No offense to '80 Volare owners here but I agree, the Aspen grille looks a ton better than the Volare version. JMO

No Offense Taken, From Me anyway.
It just looks sportier.

 

[Dr Lebaron]

And at one time they went from big a$$ brass lights to round bulbs.

How about the FBI warning about car hacking?
2014 Jeep can be taken over remotely and a Vette's brakes can be turned on remotely.
Saw it done on TV.

 

[Bruceynz]

Hello,

I own a J and think they did a pretty good job all round, square lights seem to work quite nice and at $20 each dam sight cheaper than replacing a modern headlight if you broke one! I like the back end treatment for the tail lights, they are quite big and flat. Anyway I think my doba is pretty smart all around, may not have the racey looking grille of others but can still run all the go fast parts to make a sleeper.

Thanks
Bruce

 

[droptop]

The restyle in the last year of production of the F body was aimed at keeping the front fenders from rotting away. By this time, Chrysler had already replaced almost every fender on the earlier model years.

 

[Bruceynz]

My j came out of California and its got zero rust in it! Its quite amazing its 30+ years old and is rust free! I am second owner.

 

[droptop]

My j came out of California and its got zero rust in it! Its quite amazing its 30+ years old and is rust free! I am second owner.

The J body's fenders did not rust as bad as the 76-79 F bodies did. The original post was comparing the 80 F bodies to the earlier F models.

 

[Bruceynz]

OK sorry for going off topic. USA has weather extremes car makers have to try and work with. Can't be easy.