LeBaron, Coupe

 
 

LeBaron


For 1973, the LeBaron was in it’s last year of a generation, which was built in Chrysler’s ‘fuselage’ look since ’69. The somewhat unique bumper on the ’73s had the same look as the ’72s. Powering the 1973 LeBaron was a 215hp 440 V8. On a side note, this car was the longest production automobile sold in America for that year, mainly sue to the extra ruber strips on the bumpers. Headlamps were hide-away types hidden behind grill-like doors. 1974 brought a new look to the Imperial LeBaron, as was the case with all big Chryslers that year. Still sporting hideaway lights, but this time behind doors that looked like, well, doors. Body styles offered were a hardtop sedan and a hardtop coupe. Pricing approached $8000 for this year. 1975 was the end of an era for a little while, being the last year for the LeBaron, wearing the Imperial crest that is.

Coupe


By the time 1980 rolled around the think-tank at Chrysler was thinking about yet another run at the Imperial brand. The car finally came to fruition in 1981 with no model name technically, just ‘Imperial’ as a brand, or make. This version was built in a 2-door body style only, but there were a few coach makers that did the stretch and added doors creating limousines. The platform under this generation Imp was based on the F/J/M bodies of the era. The Coupe did make an appearance in NASCAR from 1981-1985, a first for a luxury model. Two engines were offered, but not officially. The ‘factory’ engine was a fuel injected 318 V8, which were quite troublesome with this early electronic system. Chrysler authorized dealers to changing the 318s over to carbureted 360s. A ‘Frank Sinatra Edition’ was offered which included Glacier Blue Crystal paint, a glovebox full of his music, in cassette form, and special ‘fs’ badging.