14 replies to this topic

[bazzwell]

It joins the '94 Lebaron and the '93 Voyager. Seems we're becoming the local EEK rescue squad.









Found it on a local budget used car lot for a reasonable price. Couldn't see it going to the "drive it till it dies" crowd and brought it home. Overall good condition with some neglect issues, needed an oil change, wipers, had a bad tire, but starts good, runs and drives with little complaint. No leaks other than the typical 2.5 valve cover gasket which I'll handle this spring. Rear wiper doesn't work which I'll have to sort out. Belt squeals on cold startup. Tires are one size too small but too good to toss off just yet. Some rust that's mostly minor but there is about a 2x2 inch hole in the right rocker panel and an area near the left rear that needs sanded and painted.

Everything else works, interior's very clean, 116k more or less. Now I can give the '94 a break. We now have close to 40k on it and it needed to come off daily driver status. Darn, these things do become addictive don't they?

[John Wood]

Very nice!!!  Check the timing belt.  Chances are it hasn't been changed at 117,000 miles, especially since you mentioned some other neglect.
It really looks to be in good shape.

[Doug D]

Wow!  Nice!  Except for the interior, it looks exactly like the one I had.  Mine had the grey interior.  Agree on the timing belt.  145K-150K is the extreme limit on those (ask me how I know - LOL!).  I think the timing belt replacement is recommended around 105K.  My GTS had 273K on it when the HG blew.

[chuzz]

Clean ride, man! As far as that belt squeal goes, it could be the alternator bushings. I had that problem on my 94 Spirit and just rotated the bushing 90 degrees. That took care of it. Of course, that was after I'd purchased new belts and driven myself nuts trying to tighten and loosen it multiple times trying to get rid of the squeal. I don't recommend belt dressing as that just covers it up and doesn't take care of curing the problem.

[mgill3]

GTS? Aren't those a bit hard to find? I've never seen one in public around where I live. What did you get with the GTS model that you didn't get otherwise? Looks pretty cool!

[1991spirites]

Nice find!!  Those H-body cars are getting soo hard to find!!

[valiant67]

It really looks nice!

mgill3, on February 2, 2012 at 05:24 pm, said:

GTS? Aren't those a bit hard to find? I've never seen one in public around where I live. What did you get with the GTS model that you didn't get otherwise? Looks pretty cool!

LeBaron GTS was the name for all the LeBarons of that body style, the 4 door hatch.  Not to be confused with the other LeBaron sedans, coupes and convertibles which would have been much squarer in appearance than the GTS.  At this time, Chrysler was naming everything a LeBaron and Oldsmobile was slapping Cutlass nameplates on many of their cars as well.

You're probably thinking of the GTC which was the sport option at the top of the coupe/convertible LeBaron for a couple years until it was watered down.

[mgill3]

Oh.. No, I know what the GTC is.. I just didn't know much about these older LeBarons. I would die to have a nice black GTC Turbo... those are tough to find though, and don't come cheap, either.

[Doug D]

mgill3, on February 2, 2012 at 05:24 pm, said:

GTS? Aren't those a bit hard to find? I've never seen one in public around where I live. What did you get with the GTS model that you didn't get otherwise? Looks pretty cool!

Yes.  I haven't seen one in ages.  Even when I had mine I only spotted a half a dozen or so.  The Lancer was the "sister" to the GTS.  As I recall the GTS came as a Premium or High Line package and was also available with the 2.2L Turbo (manual or A413). I think mine was a "High Line".  It had the 2.5L/A413, PS, PB, AC, full gauge package, sport bucket seats (a bench seat was available but I've never seen one) I think the Premium package had the Sport Handling package while the High Line had the Road Touring suspension.  It handled very good and the seats were very comfortable - it was one of the few vehicles I enjoyed driving.   It was suspose to mimmic some of the "European" sedans at the time.   I kind of miss it.  I had to be careful when getting certain parts (usually suspension parts) as there were three different "Le Barons" for the 1986 model year.

The 2.5L (non-turbo) had very good low end torque and I observed pretty good fuel mileage - usually around 23-24 mpg in daily driving.

Allpar has a good write up on the H bodies (Lancer/LeBaron GTS):

http://www.allpar.co...del/lancer.html

Edited by Doug D, February 2, 2012 at 06:54 pm.

[John Wood]

I remember working on one of those several years ago for a neighborhood lady. It was the first time a ever saw a hatchback LeBaron. Hers had a Turbo in it and that thing could move.  About a year later, someome backed up into her with a big old boat car and really smashed in her front end.  The insurance totaled it but let her keep the car for salvage. She asked tp park it in front of my house while she tried to sell it.  Within 1 hour after the ad came out in the newspaper, a guy came by with $300 cash and took it away.

[1991spirites]

I picked up my GTS a few months ago.  60k original miles zero rust but a very leaky motor.  Every seal is dripping something.  In 89 the Highline and Premium models lost the "GTS" so they were just Lebaron.  The top of the line 89 model was the Lebaron Turbo GTS.  It came with the Turbo II intercooled motor from the Lebaron GTC and Daytona Shelby and with the 5-speed optional Turbo I auto.  It also had fog lights like the Lancer Shelby but only if you didn't have a rear wiper and a small rear spoiler.  I have only seen 2 H-body cars in the last 5 years, ones mine, and the other is my friends Shelby Lancer.  It's great to see another one saved and being driven.

[Doug D]

Speaking of body damage.  My GTS was a tank - one of the best snow cars I ever had.  Would go through anything (well almost!).  Anyhew - later in it's life (over 200K) I had a deer jump out in front of me.  Pushed in the front clip (had to pry open the hood to open it) and the RF quarter panel took a good portion of the damage.  I had dropped full coverage so all I did was pull out the fender (a la NASCAR) since it was pinching on the passenger door.  The lights were not damaged and it wasn't all that bad so I kept on driving it.

bazzwell - keep in mind it wasn't until '89 that Chrysler went to the common block for the 2.2/2.5 engines.

[Russ90Daytona]

Very nice find, and you are right, these cars do become addictive. Chuzz is right on the alternator bushings being the likely cause of the belt squeal on startup. You can swap the bushings, as he suggested, or contact Johnny Spiva at Polybushings.com. He sells an upgraded polyurethane bushing made for these cars, that will hold up MUCH better than the original. They are reasonably priced, and he ships quickly to you.

[bazzwell]

Good advice and kind words, my thanks to all! So far I've only put maybe 100 miles or so on it as I try to sort out just what it needs but so far it's doing quite well for being 26 some years old. Funny thing that only one friend has pointed out that my car "didn't look right" (my normal car, the silver '94).

True also that you don't see these anymore. I've seen one around here and, in retrospect, I think it was this one because I remember the little horse stickers in the rear side windows. None, zero, zilch, have I come across in the junkyards. For that matter though, AA bodies are starting to get tough to come by around here too so this really isn't news I guess.

Anyhow, I'm sure I'll be asking questions as we go along. Again, thanks!

[95 T&C]

Nice score. I like your signature. My fleet seams to be betting older instead of newer as well.