1967 Imperial LeBaron by Chrysler

You're looking at the most expensive American car you could buy in 1967. Chrysler's flagship Imperial listed at $6,661 in 1967. That $53K today; a heckuva lot less that you can pay for a car in 2021. Note this is a 4-door hardtop. Power down all the windows for a very breezy experience.

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1984 Chrysler LeBaron convertible

In 1981, you couldn't buy an American convertible. Chrysler brought back the ragtop in 1982, and GM and Ford quickly followed. These cars were unfortunately not designed and built as convertibles. They were instead finished coupes that were then sent to third-party companies who cut the tops off and added a few pieces of metal to strengthen the frames. So cars like the LeBaron pictured here as well as the Ford Mustang and Buick Rivera convertibles were quite expensive and not very durable. To Chrysler's credit, the next generation LeBaron introduced in 1987 was factory-built as a convertible. 

I've certainly never before seen one of these with an aftermarket "continental kit" on the tail.

 

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1986 Chrysler LeBaron

In 1974, Chrysler made an Imperial LeBaron that weighed two and half tons and returned single-digit gas mileage. Times change. The K-car, introduced in 1982, is said to have saved Chrysler. There was a lot right about those cars, and a lot wrong too.

This LeBaron weighs half as much as a '74 Imperial. I guess the adorable thing about it is the way Chrysler tried to retain the styling cues of a big luxury car on a tiny compact. The upright grill with hood ornament. The padded half-roof. Rest in peace, Lee Iacocca.

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1977 Chrysler LeBaron - Corinthian leather!

The evolution of the Chrysler LeBaron is a reflection of the changes that were going on in the American car market in the 1970s and 80s. In 1975, the Chrysler Imperial LeBaron was a behemoth that looked more like a yacht than a car. The next generation was slimmed-down substantially, and by the 80s the LeBaron was a front-wheel drive car little different from the rest of Chrysler's economy K-car line.

Note the sumptuous interior. Yes, that's "Corinthian leather," famously introduced in TV ads by Ricardo Mantolban. "Corinthian" doesn't mean anything.

Observations:
* These cars were mostly sold with "landau" half-vinyl roofs, which this LeBaron lacks.
* This same car was featured on seattlesparkedcars.blogspot.com in 2012.

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