Good morning! For this Two-Door Tuesday edition of Shitbox Showdown, we have two seemingly-unrelated cars that have one thing in common: Lido. And I don’t mean Boz Scaggs’s musical protagonist. But we’ll get to those in a minute; first let’s circle back to yesterday’s wagons:
So a busted V8 beats a rattle-canned runner. And thanks to the commenter who told us the Focus used to be a delivery vehicle for a Mexican restaurant, although as others pointed out, the yellow is wrong if that’s the case. Maybe the hardware store was out of white paint, or something.
Now: Former Ford and later Chrysler boss Lido A. “Lee” Iacocca needs no introduction. He was an industry giant, with a keen sense of the market, and his instincts were rarely wrong. He is best remembered, of course, for the Mustang and the minivan, but as any minor-league ball player will tell you, two home runs do not a career make. Today, we’re going to take a look at a couple of good solid base hits, one from his years at Ford, and one from his tenure at Chrysler, and see which one you prefer. Here they are.
1974 Lincoln Continental Mark IV – $1,500
Engine/drivetrain: 460 cubic inch OHV V8, 3 speed automatic, RWD
Location: Atlanta, GA
Odometer reading: 53,000 miles
Runs/drives? Yep… but…
Hot on the heels of the Mustang’s success as a “secretary’s car,” Iacocca directed Ford’s designers to create a car for their bosses. The Continental Mark III was created as a successor to the Mark II from ten years earlier, sold only as a two-door, to compete with Cadillac’s Eldorado. The idea worked well enough that Lincoln continued on with the Mark IV, V, VI, VII, and VIII.
This car, the Mark IV, wasn’t the biggest (that was its successor) or the most powerful (that was its predecessor) of the line, but at nineteen feet long and seven and a half feet wide, it cut quite an imposing figure on the road. Power came from a 460 cubic inch V8 with a four-barrel carburetor. Even though it’s pre-catalytic-convertor, this engine in the Mark IV puts out only 212 horsepower. It’s not a fast car. But in 1974, if you were driving a brand new Lincoln, you were never in a hurry. They were all waiting for you.
Inside, the big Lincoln is soft and inviting; when this car was built, luxury meant comfort and quality, not gadgets and bric-a-brac. (Okay, fine; a little bric-a-brac too.) It’s not in perfect shape, but it does look mighty comfy.
Sadly, there is one area where this car isn’t quite so nice:
I don’t know what it did to piss off a tree, but it lost a fight with a falling branch. That one won’t buff out, and it’s not really a valuable enough car to make it worth fixing. The seller says it runs fine, but it’s being sold as a parts car just because of the body damage. I imagine that if you want, you could employ the BFH method and get it to the point where the trunk lid would at least close properly, and just drive it like that.
1991 Chrysler LeBaron Convertible – $2,500
Engine/drivetrain: 3.0 liter SOHC V6, 4 speed automatic, FWD
Location: Portland, OR
Odometer reading: 76,000 miles
Runs/drives? “Amazing,” according to the ad
After getting fired by Ford, Iacocca landed at Chrysler, where he gutted and rewired the company from the inside out, got a government loan to get Chrysler back on its feet, and introduced a whole new kind of car for Chrysler: the K-car. The strategy worked brilliantly, but Iacocca soon recognized one problem – the K-car was sturdy, no-nonsense, and about as interesting as watching paint dry. To make it more exciting, in 1982, he employed a trick well-known to bar owners and B-movie producers everywhere: he took its top off.
It had been six long years since any American automaker had offered a convertible, and the imports that were available were all pretty old designs, like the Mercedes R107. Buyers gobbled up the new Chrysler LeBaron and Dodge 400 convertibles. Chalk another one up for Lee. A second generation of LeBaron convertible followed, and three generations of Sebring convertibles followed that.
This second-generation LeBaron convertible has a scant 76,000 miles on its odometer. The ad claims it was “granny-owned” and “garage kept,” but from the dust, it looks like Granny didn’t get out much. I have a feeling this car sat for a while. It’s being sold by a dealership, and they claim the photos are pre-detailing; if it were me, I’d have waited to take photos until it was clean, but what do I know?
This LeBaron is powered by a Mitsubishi-built 3 liter V6 and a four-speed “Ultradrive” automatic transmission. The Ultradrive was troublesome in its early days, largely due to improper maintenance, so let’s hope Granny’s mechanic knew what they were doing. With the low mileage, there shouldn’t be too much damage done by deferred maintenance, but a good thorough check is a good idea.
Well, there you have it. Two lesser success stories from an industry titan, one with some damage, and the other in need of getting some cobwebs blown out. Which one is your style?
(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)
I’ll take the 460 and drive line for $1,500
A low mile, running ragtop for F it money? Easy call there.
“Former Ford and later Chrysler boss Lido A. “Lee” Iacocca needs no introduction.”
Maybe he /does/ need an introduction because I had no idea that was his first name.
{TheMoreYouKnow.gif}
That color on the Lincoln is very ugly, but I suppose it’s very period-correct for a ’70s car.
I sometimes wonder why the odometer reading is even included for old cars with 5-digit odometers (I assume that’s the case for the Lincoln; there’s no photo of the dash). It seems like useless information when you can’t tell if (or how many times) it’s rolled over. That said, I am surprised to see that the LeBaron has a 6-digit odometer! That’s… optimistic for what was designed as a somewhat disposable car.
Even though the LeBaron’s rear badging looks j-u-s-t slightly lower than when new, suggesting a possible rear-end incident in its past, I’m saying “Merry Chrysler.”
As much as I hate those lebarons, my wife had one and those are the most comfortable cars seats I’ve ever been in. When shopping for replacement cars we were always amazed at how good the lebaron seats felt when we got back in her POS.
It would be the Lincoln hands down but for the damage. I have seen a LeBaron convertible post accident. It was not a pretty sight, unless you like tacos a lot. There is no way I would drive one after seeing that, so for me these two are a no go.
If the LeBaron was white, I’d change my name from Kitty to Karen and trade in my MG.
So, finally back after family emergency hell… well, sort of back. Expect me to be disjointed for a while still.
Anyway, we already know I’m picking the LeBaron. Not because LeBaron, not because the Mark IV is going to be an absolute nightmare to repair (it is – you’ll have to section everything from door back plus the roof.) It’s because that LeBaron definitely was granny owned. It’s far more common than you think.
Grandma and grandpa want a convertible to enjoy in retirement, and almost always it ends up being a Chrysler. Because they don’t want a Mustang and they can’t afford a Mercedes. LeBaron, Sebring, PT Cruiser convertible, you’ll find them all. Especially around here. Every one with ridiculously low miles, garage kept, and never driven on anything but the nicest days. And if you can score them from the estate, they almost never need more than a cleaning and quick fluid change.
This one has all the signs of it. The 3.0 sucks ass, but Grandma’s nice day car deserves a second life. (Just be prepared to have to do paint; the trunk does look like it’s got delamination.)
And most of them never even see the top down.
Outside of this rarefied group here, these days I see way more convertibles driving around with their tops up, even on the nicest of days.
Hell, it’s getting uncommon to see people even putting their windows down while on the road.
It always makes me happy to see some retiree bopping around with their top down…gives me hope that I too can still enjoy good motoring as it’s supposed to be even in my golden years.
Definitely true. And having serviced a fair number in their prime, I can tell you not only that it is a fact, but why it is a fact. Many of them bought the car, put the top down once or twice, but had too much trouble operating the latches or locks after a few years. (Those latches can actually require quite a lot of force.)
And even when they can, the wind noise and temperatures are too much for most folks to enjoy it. The novelty wears off quick. Sweating and sunburn in 95F or leave the top up, tunes and the AC at 70? No-brainer there.
Yeah, I noticed that too…I love having windows open even in light rain or cold (Just not when freezing- that’s where having a beater w/ a heater comes in- which I’ve had a lot of those!) Also not way too hot (Although it didn’t matter before, current car is 1st one ever w/ A/C that actually works! ????????
[Don’t know why there’s 8 question marks at the end]
????????
“So, finally back after family emergency hell”
I’m sorry to hear that. I hope everything turns out well.
And I agree that the Lebaron is the correct choice. And I drove a Lebaron like this one with the 3L V6. It was relatively fast and not bad for its time.
Good to have you back. Always look forward for your comments. I can read a comment and guess that it’s your experience/wisdom shining through. Scroll back back….yep, it’s Rootwyrm.What I’m saying is…..maybe submit some stories in your style for the Autopian. I know I’d look forward to any and all opinions you have. Question:how do pronounce your handle? Oh, gimme the cowl shake, the wheezy mill and the wind in my hair. I’ll dig up some gold chains and worry about the chest hair entanglement later.
Working car without body damage AND a convertible? I’ll take the Lebron.
The LeBaron is by far the most logical choice.
So Lincoln it is. The Mark IV has always been my favorite Continental and my second favorite Lincoln after the mid-sixties suicide-doored ragtop Continental.
Just grab Gordo’s slide hammer and torch and coerce the trunk into a usable shape.
Question for the knowledgeable: could the Lincoln’s damage be fixed enough/cheaply so the trunk more or less closes and there are no safety issues (these were body-on-frame, right, not unibody)?
It might end up all lumpy and scarred, but if it were drivable, seems like it’d be a fun weekend cruiser for trips around town. “Yeah that’s right…it’s the same size as your Navigator! It’s just laid out all horizontally!”
No expert by any means, but that Lincoln looks like a PAIN to set right. The rear deck is screwed up, as well as the quarter panel and trunk. That is major surgery, even on a body-on-frame affair. Being the curious type, I did look around this morning to see if anybody sells reproduction body panels for these, and didn’t see any. There weren’t many whole cars for sale, salvage or otherwise, either. Even breaking out the persuader to just get the thing to close and halfway seal would be tough. As much as it pains me to say it, the Lincoln is listed appropriately as a parts car, unless money/time is no object..
That’s kinda what I was afraid of. You convinced me, LeBaron it is today.
I just want to be able to cruise around without worrying “Are those rain clouds? Trunk still smells terrible from that last downpour…”
I think you are ignoring the therapeutic value of bashing the hell out of American steel with a big-ass hammer. A lot of us have unresolved issues that such therapy would help. After today’s election results, there will likely be even more.
“Serenity now!!!”
“Serenity now!!!”
“Serenity now!!!”
$1500 is worth it for the 460 and C6, let alone everything else you’d get along with it. And this car looks in (otherwise) good enough shape that it probably would be worth fixing that fender. Plus, I think y’all must not have experienced the true awfulness that was the K car platform firsthand to think the LeBaron would be a nice driver. Granted the V6 convertible LeBaron might be the best possible variant of K car, but that’s an awful low bar. It’s the Lincoln Mark for me, thanks.
I’ve driven some K cars including a Plymouth Reliant with the 2.2L/automatic and a V6 Lebaron… I would rate even the 4 cyl/automatic Reliant as being way better to drive than the crappy carb’d land yachts from the 1970s.
And while K cars fell apart way faster than their Japanese contemporaries, they were no worse on average compared to the domestic stuff from the 1970s… which I also have some direct experience with.
I really hate doing bodywork.
But I love opera windows!
I really hate LeBarons.
But I love convertibles!
I like big blocks, but this is an asthmatic 460 from its worst period. Oh, but it’s now smog exempt! Hmm… now how much do I really hate LeBarons?
Hmm. Okay. I guess I’ll get out my body hammers.
Just based on appearances, that grandma story tracks. That LeBaron looks exactly like something that was sitting in grandma’s garage for the last 15 years pulling shelf duty after a concerned son/daughter finally took away the keys. It even has the scuffs on the bumpers from low-speed “Days of Thunder” style racin’.
If you check out the photos on Craigslist, you’ll find an aftermarket AM-FM-CD head unit that suggests Grandma was a rocker – and I don’t mean the chair. No, this was owned by someone who wanted to hear their tunes, and I don’t that that was Granny.
Neither but I guess the barge. Too many memories of our LeBaron falling apart. Driving down the interstate and having the mounting screws for the sunroof latch fall out was an experience. Had to hold the glass in until we could stop and find the damn things.
I second Mark’s comment on washing the darn thing before listing! It costs VERY little to put your best foot forward with even a half-assed wash/vacuuming.
It’s also wearing GM wheel covers, which is minor-league annoying to me (but does fit with the car’s likely provenance).
Excellent eagle-eye call-out.
Good catch – off of a Pontiac, correct?
Oh I’m sure.
But in my mind for some reason, I’m totally seeing a white early ’90s Cutlass. Or now a mid-’90s Lumina. You know, something classy.
They scream late Corsica to me.
I voted for the Lincoln. Sure it has damage but it was a emotional choice for me. That is fixable and will be a nice cruiser, it is not buy and flip car you just want it.
Lack of a title is not a problem in my state as anything over 10 years old just needs a bill of sale. Or the Vermont loop hole if you are not that lucky.
I have been hankering for one of these land yachts, lately, but cannot vote for this particular Lincoln. There is significant body work to be done, even if you find the parts. If you were really into these, knew a body man, and had some time on your hands, maybe. Not me. I guess I’ll spend my time replacing aged-out items on the LeBaron as needed and getting a tan.
As for the Mark IV, that has to be the lowest-effort dash ever slapped into a luxury car.
I can’t find interior dimensions, but I’ll bet they’re not as far off from the LeBaron as you might think.
it is the better of the optioned lebaron’s with the v6, the top is in surprisingly goo shape as there are no stains from water in a state that literally drops water seemingly daily. I would want that over the luxo barge.
It was the Lincoln for me until I saw that tree damage – it’s either parts or maybe a derby car at this point. I also wouldn’t want to deal with that missing title – even the junkyards around here won’t take a vehicle without one. Meanwhile, I’m sure the old LeBaron will need some bugs worked out, but would likely make a solid drop-top driver overall.
I have absolutely zero interest in owning a Lebaron convertible. Break out the BFH and the rattle-cans, and gimme dat Lincoln. Maybe I’ll make me a Lincoln Ranchero out of it, and haul my scooters around in supreme comfort and style.
after stripping it of parts to sell on EBAY it might make and ok demo derby car, too bad too, it was very clean until the tree hit it.
I like 70’s Ford luxo-barges, but this one isn’t desirable enough to warrant a quarter panel replacement. I don’t really like LeBarons either, my dad had a GTS Turbo hatch back when I was a kid and it was a electronic nightmare.
LeBaron because lesser of two evils.
I usually always vote for the rolling living rooms in these contests, but not when a tree comes crashing on the house. So LeBaron by default though I really dislike those things.
I feel like this is an easy one. I’m not gonna fix that trunk, so it’s gotta be the LeBaron. If the gal in that Cake song will trade her MG for a white Chrysler LeBaron, I can’t turn up my nose at a black one.
Every LeBaron for sale should come with a short skirt and a loooooooong jacket
Great, now I have the theme song to Chuck stuck in my head.