All of us know what a sensation Chrysler convertibles were in the 1980s and much of the 1990s. Even though coupe and convertible versions of the K wisely gave way to the J-body in 1987, they remained popular until the end, but most were used up and discarded long ago. This immaculate brown Dodge 600, from the last year of production, therefore immediately caught my attention. It seems like all of these were red, white or silver cars in LeBaron trim; even when new, a brown 600 convertible like this one was not seen on every corner.
This ad, showing off the 1986-only facelifted nose, says all you really need to understand the K-convertibles’ popularity. Though our brown car is not a turbo, it benefited from the respectability afforded to the entire line by the blown versions. Modestly styled and clattery they might have been, but from a distance you couldn’t automatically assume they were slower than what you were likely to be driving in those days.
It helped that despite being such mundane cars, there was little else on the road like the K-convertible. That it took a while for others to respond to the minivans makes sense, but family friendly convertibles were an American tradition and only Chrysler had them. With most of them ordered fully loaded, it was clear there was money to be made selling mainstream ragtops. People bought these cars because they genuinely wanted them. From the looks of this immaculate car’s interior, it’s getting regular use by a younger person, most likely a college student.
It’s rare for such a modestly conceived car can be so dolled up and still be taken so seriously. The original Ks were somewhat classless and that’s part of what makes them so cool in retrospect. The lack of turbo power keeps this from being the ultimate K, but this car’s new-for-1986 balance shafted 2.5 at least offers 136 lb-ft of easy torque to complement its full 100 horsepower (even in 1986, it could’ve been much worse).
Even if this car has the base 2.2 liter, the wide variety of optional turbo power plants would make a resto-mod quite easy. In fact, this would make an ideal candidate, since some minor repair to the convertible top is all that is needed to keep it in perfect shape.
Whether it will stay in such shape is anyone’s guess. The sight of those Goodyear Invicta GL tires takes me back a good twenty years, meaning this car has been in storage for a long time. Kudos to whomever had the good sense to keep this car sheltered. No doubt this has more cachet for the youngster driving it today than it would have during my late teens and early twenties.
Wonderful car. Nice ride
I had a 1990 LeBaron convertible and a 2006 Sebring Limited convertible. Then Chrysler stumbled with the new Sebring, refined it into the 200, and now has abandoned the market! What a waste.
A fleet spec V6 Mustang ‘vert is a lot more fun than a front drive 200 platform! And probably similar theoretical price points.
I think the latter day 600 convertible may be my favorite of the early K model ragtops. This one is just like they would have looked around 1989 or so, so very nicely preserved.
Very good point about how these (like the early minivans) were appealing to folks all up and down the income ladder.
Isn’t it just beeeeyutiful? I found myself loving this car more and more as I wrote about it.
A friend in college had a 600 Turbo convertible in 1999-2000. It was an ’86 as it had the same rounded-off styling as this one; I hadn’t previously been aware that was a one-year-only deal. Original alloy wheels and a very lovely color that i’d call “blue spruce metallic”, probably not original but it suited the car really well. Silver/Gray leather interior. Even at that time when K convertibles were probably near the nadir of their cool value, I thought it was a really cool car. Never got the chance to drive it but when she really got into the throttle you could feel the boost when the turbo spooled up.
Downsides? Not very rigid structurally, for one. The ride was harsh, but I’d blame that more on worn suspension on a 150K+ mile car than on any fault of the design. And, of course, the reason that she got rid of it, the fact that it was somewhat temperamental. Some mornings it just didn’t feel like starting, and no amount of fiddling would convince it otherwise. It was swapped for a very comparatively boring Saturn SL1, which didn’t end up being any more reliable. The 600 droptop went back to her Dad, from whence it came–he was a mechanically-minded fellow so I presume he got it sorted and sold it on. Still remember that car fondly!
The addition of rear quarter windows really improved the top-up appearance of these. I always thought the early ones looked homemade.
I jumped at that “5.8 seconds” in the ad, then re-read and realized it said “Zero to 50”, not 60 because no good law abiding citizen would have gone over the 55mph speed limit in the 1980s 🙂
Yeah that cracked me up too, remembering how suddenly it was “0-50”..I suspect it wasn’t lawabiding that prompted that, it was subtle propaganda to make the car seem quicker.
Or….60mph was unachievable in a respectable time.
i own an ’86. That last 10 mph takes at least 10 seconds more owing to the 3 speed auto.
LOL I noticed this too. I think it was the 55MPH speed limit with a side benefit that it made the printed spec look faster.
Volkswagen did that “0-50” number in their advertising, too. I think it was for the original VW Rabbit.
Back in ’83, I test drove — and later rented — an ’83 LeBaron convertible. The demo car was a Mark Cross edition. Loved the two tone brown/camel interior along with the “woodie” siding. Really dug it. But, Chrysler was pretty proud of them and they actually had the dreaded “ADP” (added dealer profit”) tacked on. So, I passed. The rental was a regular convertible. It just didn’t have the pizzazz of the Mark Cross.
I think I need a bigger garage…
My mom, who missed her brown 1969 Olds Delta 88 convertible, thought the LeBaron convertible was just the ticket in 1983. Brown, with the really nice Mark Cross leather. Pretty car, but holy crap, what a horrible driving car. I’m pretty sure it had the Mitsubishi engine, and all I remember was this awful lag/hesitation, and the whole car feeling like it was made of rubber when you drove over a bump.
Gone in 3 years, replaced by a nice driving Audi 5000, complete with electrical gremlins.
It is a little boxy for me, and FWD. Nevertheless, it is a 2 door convertible. To me it looks very much like a first generation Cavalier convertible, and the Fox body Mustang convertible. I always liked the Sebring convertible, but it would seem that around here anyway, they have all been trashed. Nothing worth buying. To me the 200 is just another generic sedan.
“YOU’RE GOING THE WRONG WAAAAYYY!!”
“Ah He’s drunk, how’s he know where we’re going”…
“Yeah how’s He know.”
“Thank You” (Beep Beep) “What a moron”
Didn’t Jon Voight drive a car like this?
The dentist?
I love that movie. I was just thinking this car always reminds me of that. Good old John Candy !! Too bad he died.
Perfectly apropos.
I was working for TWA in St. Louis when this film was made. Parked at the airport were three examples of this car. One that looked fine, one with some abuse and the one nearly totaled.
Bill Murray also drives a K car ragtop in St. Vincent.
Classic.
I’ve owned a J-model LeBaron and two Sebring convertibles (including my current 2004). I’d love to own a K-ragtop of this era (I owned a 1986 2-dr coupe at one point). To me, they’re, hands-down, the best-looking.
You’re right about what a sensation these convertibles were when they were new; it’s easy to forget about it now. This picture is of my local Dodge dealership in 1984 — it was probably a scene repeated nationwide at that time.
I’ll take the brown one, second from the left!! Doc Brown, I NEED you & your Flux capicitor!!! 🙂
Yup, they were piled up on the lots because nobody wanted to buy them….
Awesome picture!
Just curious…what was it that made them such a sensation back then?
I had one in the mid-80s, as did many.
The reason they were a sensation was because in the mid/late 70s, we were told that convertibles were going away forever due to more stringent crash regs and the heinous pollution that existed in most urban areas.
There were almost no convertibles for sale in the US for many years, outside of some weird, unreliable imports (Fiats, etc…)
So the K-car convertible was a novel thing when it appeared. And the fact that it could seat 4 comfortably was a huge bonus.
Didn’t matter that it had the rigidity of a wet noodle and that the engines and trannys were garbage. The mere fact that you could cruise with the top down offset all the disadvantages. It was that novel.
ah—-I see…Thanks for clearing that up.
There are so many cars that, while I wouldn’t want to own one, I’d like to rent one for a week. This would be one of those. Just drive it around and enjoy it, and then give it back. A week would be enough to really get the feel for it.
I rented a 2014 Mustang ‘vert on a biz trip in Seattle last week. Though a V6 in fleet spec, it was plenty powerful, and just plain fun. One look at the complete lack of back seat and trunk space however made this family man cry…no way I could justify owning one when I’ve got hockey and softball gear, and players, to haul….tears…..
I’m really glad that Perry is posting articles again. I’ve always enjoyed his perspective.
This site often annoys me for the sole reason that I read about these cars and my mind starts to drift off to that place where I have a 1-bedroom house with a 30 car garage… I just can’t have one car after all.
One bedroom? Fine with me–who wants to stay inside anyway :)?
I came across this light yeller LeBaron convert late last summer, parked next to its third cousin. I don’t think either is roadworthy, but they don’t look too far from it.
Ugh….
I wish New York would go back to the statue of Liberty license plates and dispense with that New York State design.
Who does not automatically think about NYC when the name New York is mentioned?
My dad had an 85 turbo in cream. He found the car while commuting between New Jersey and Louisville, Kentucky for a job transfer. Each time he hit Louisville, he’d take the car for an extended test drive.. The sales staff was so thrilled to see a GE employee with a paycheck that they got in the habit of tossing him the keys when he ‘walked through the door.
Once the move was complete, he decided to buy it, albeit at a hefty discount off MSRP.
“Car’s got 1500 miles on it.”
“But you’re the one who put them on,” the salesman protested.
Whenever I see one of these cars, I think of St. Elmo’s Fire…..
and Seinfeld!
Jon Voight ‘ s car!
That’s it!!!
It looks like I am not alone in thinking that a nice condition survivor 600 or LeBaron convertible has a sort of geeky charm to it, much like a 1960s Dart convertible with a Slant Six. I think that one of these would make a nice sunny day cruiser, and would find it hilarious to occasionally drive George Constanza’s (and Jon Voight’s) car.
Gee, I wonder if the 600 emblem on the decklid led anyone to believe they were following a 600 series Mercedes-Benz SL?
–Sorry, I don’t mean to be a “hater”, but there is just so much wrong with this car! It is a testament to the concept of “brand loyalty” that any of these were purchased…or preserved….
That’s what I always think when I see one of these (as rarely as I do). Were they really trying to ape the number script to make it look Mercedes-esque? Certainly they weren’t trying to channel the Grosser 600, but is an SL any more believable?
I found a navy blue one for sale in Blackpool in 2003.A bike club,the One Offs had a cafe/clothes shop and workshop building custom bikes and trikes.Sometimes they’d take cars in p/ex for bikes,trikes or work done.
Blackpool was well on it’s way to turning into Beirut on Sea then and a convertible was a magnet for lager filled scrotes
If Lager Filled Scrotes isn’t band, it should be.
In 2000 I bought an 86 Marc Cross LeBaron Convertible for $450. I grew to love that car and the Whirrr of the turbo engine. The Power Bucket 2 tone leather seats, The digital Dash, the plastic wood. The silver dash. I really loved it and felt it was the best car bargain I’ve made purchase of to date. I got 2 years out of LeeLidoh LeBaron.
Nice to see one in use and in what appears to be very good condition.
I like this, maybe more for the idea it represented than the reality, affordable and interesting. And I’d be calling it bonze if it were mine. Nice to see both the car and the console shift. So why did column mounted levers persist across the industry long after any pretense of 3 abreast seating had departed?
Edit not working: meant to read “bronze”.
Huh?
The ford taurus had 6 passenger seating through 2007 and the Chevy Impala had it through 2011.
They do have the same appeal now as ’60’s Valiant or Dart convertibles did when they were about thirty years old. K-convertibles still appear in my WNY area when the weather turns mild: nothing to get excited about but a cheap and cheerful little cruiser for those cooler evening drives after hot, muggy days.
This car was made to be in a Simpsons episode.
sorry – but it simply boggles my mind to think about the fact that something like the Dodge 600 convertible was being sold around the same time as the BMW E30 325i convertible.
It’s not that surprising:
-The Chrysler convertible was flimsy, but the 3-series convertible was also (the VW Cabriolet and Saab 900 were exceptions).
-The Chrysler was a lot less expensive than the 3-series.
-The Chrysler fit four people a bit better than the 3-series.
-In the US, a family-friendly convertible used to be a tradition and the Chryslers were the closest one could get.
Gotcha. I used to own a 325i convertible. I wouldnt exactly call it flimsy, but it sure was no Panzerwagen either 😉
What surprises me is the excitment over of a four seater convertible as a family car. Over here you would only see single persons or couples driving around in convertibles, no matter if they provide room for 2 or 4.
Would in the US parents really put their offspring in the drafty backseats of a convertible?
This is what I liked about the 80s. You had choices.
Check the differential between the price of the Dodge 600 convertible versus the BMW E30 325i convertible, that’s your answer. As surprising as it may seem, not everyone feels the need for the “Ultimate Driving Machine”……or can afford one.
Some cars just have not aged well, and the K-cars are definitely among them.
Maybe it’s because so many of them look like they’ve had a rough life, the boxy Tonka-toy styling or the cheap plastichrome brightwork. The convertibles in particular look like they have the structural integrity of jello.
Last of the Mohican-vertibles?!
What a stupid looking car. I mean, seriously, Chrysler really outdid themselves back them to produce the most pathetic, lame-ass, looking cars ever built. I’m disillusioned that the hideous K-car actually “saved” Chrysler in the day. It just goes to show you how desperate auto buyers were in the day! I can remember when Iococca used to boast how “you’ll never go back to a V8” in those TV ads. LOL! Yeah those wonderful 2.2 liter turbos that literally went up in smoke in blue and white plumes out the tailpipe, and had all the refinement of jackhammer with a bent chisel!