The Dodge Mirada and Imperial J-Bodies
The Dodge Mirada was a rear wheel drive car very similar to the Dodge Magnum and Chrysler Cordoba.
Dodge Mirada family
The Dodge Mirada grew out of the F-body Volare/Aspen, which were in turn a next-generation A-body (Valiant, Duster, and Dart). Chrysler stopped using its practical A,B,C,D,E body naming system when it chose to rename the Valiant for 1976, to emphasize the more upscale and modern aspects of the new generation, a decision that would prove to be troublesome; and until the K-car came out, the body designations seemed to fly out of control, with essentially the same carline being called F, J, and M bodies. The M body was the Diplomat/LeBaron, introduced in mid-1977 (and later joined by the Plymouth Gran Fury), using the same 112.7 inch wheelbase as the four-door Volare/Aspen, even on the two-door models. In 1980, the two-door Mirada and Cordoba started using the 112.7 inch wheelbase, and the two-door Diplomat and Gran Fury, which were not to last particularly long, went to the shorter 108.7 inch wheelbase also used by the two-door Volare/Aspen. Again, the F, M, and J bodies were all nearly identical under the “top hat” and could have just as easily all been called A-bodies.
The Mirada was fairly doomed from the start in the marketplace. Rear wheel drive was definitely out of fashion, and even the true Plymouths (that is, excluding Crickets and such) of the 1970s were considered to be “boats” and were unfashionable; the B and C cars would bring unhampered heckling, and big-block Road Runners were selling for very little indeed. What’s more, buyers who did want an old-fashioned, automatic-transmission, low-mileage, rear-wheel-drive vehicle, and were willing to buy from Chrysler despite the horrific 1976 Volare-Aspen quality debacle, had a choice of several quite similar vehicles: the Volare, Aspen, Diplomat, LeBaron, Mirada, and Cordoba. Of these, the LeBaron and Cordoba - the Chrysler nameplates - were quite popular. Chrysler had not long before been an upscale brand, and was now acquiring sales in the same way many luxury or near-luxury automakers did: by selling cheaper cars, ignoring the long-term effects on the brand’s value, which were to be devastating. On the other hand, Chrysler was fighting for its very survival, and giving up long term brand equity must have seemed attractive when the other option was simply passing out of existence.
NASCAR Miradas
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While Miradas ran at NASCAR, they did not have much success. The main Mirada driver was Buddy Arrington (number 67), who wound up carrying the flag for Chrysler in NASCAR after Petty Enterprises went to GM. Arrington mainly used the Mirada as a short-track car, while using a 1981-83 Imperial on superspeedways (the Darth Vader nose of the Imperial had better aerodynamics). At one point Arrington ran the Mirada with a 1980s Cordoba nose piece! J. D. Stacy, Phil Good and Maurice Randall drove Miradas in NASCAR as well.
As for why the name change from Magnum to Mirada, in street tune the Magnum name suggested a level of performance that the car was not able to back up at the lights. It is also possible that Chrysler wanted to use the Mirada name on something, since it had already chosen the name — the original planned names for what became the Horizon TC3 and Omni 024 were Plymouth Mirada and Dodge Solo, according to a contemporary account.
What's a Mirada? (Stuart D. Somers)
I was at the Dodge dealer, handing over the keys to the service writer, when he asked, "What's a Mirada?"
I suppose I shouldn't be too suprised. Ford sold 110,000 Edsels and AMC sold 300,000 Gremlins. Dodge sold 52,947* Miradas.
A Mirada is a mid-sized two door hardtop. It is a J body. The body is shared with two other Chrysler Corp. models -- Chrysler Cordoba and the striking but troublesome Imperial. They were produced from 1980 to 1983.
The engines used for these cars were the 85 hp Slant Six, 130 hp 318 V-8, and 150 hp 360 V-8. The Imperial used a fuel injected 318 V-8 that had problems with the injection, and Chrysler replaced a lot of these with 360s with a carburetor.
My Mirada is a 1983 model. I chose the Slant Six as an alternative to the Diesel fad that was in full swing then. While its acceleration is underwhelming, it makes up for it by being extremely smooth and durable.You cannot feel it idle. I must have tried to start the car dozens of times when it was already running. Ouch!
I have driven this car the distance from the earth to the moon {238,000 miles} with no major repairs. I still marvel at the way the torsion-bar suspension gives the car an excellent ride without being bouncy.
My only regret is: I should have bought two!
* Actual sales figures are, according to the Standard Catalog of Chrylser as acquired by Chris Rocen:
1980 Mirada - 27,165, 1980 Mirada "S" - 1,468, (5,384 Miradas in 1980 had the CMX package).
1981 - 11,899 (1,683 with CMX option).
1982 - 6,818 (1,474 with the CMX Package).
1983 - 5,597 (1,841 had the CMX package).
Total Mirada production from 1980-1983 is 52,947 cars.
The J/Y Body Imperial (by Stuart D. Somers)
Editor's note: there has been some controversy over whether the Imperial is a J or Y body. Evidence seems to support calling it a Y body.
The J/Y body Imperial is very closely related to the Chrysler Corboba and Dodge Mirada. Its transverse torsion bar suspension and body structure come from the Volare and Aspen. The engine was a fuel injected 318 V-8 which made 140 horsepower. The only option available on these cars was the sunroof. Buyers got a choice of wheels, radios or upholstery at no extra charge. The car cost just under $20,000 [quite a bit in those days]. 7225 sold in 1981 with totall sales of under 12,000 units through the full run.
Most people don't remember this, but Chrysler sold this car as Imperial, not Chrysler. Adding another division seems like they were trying to spend money, rather than save money. This is why GM is dropping Oldsmobile and Chrysler is dropping Plymouth.
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The throttle body fuel injection gave a lot of trouble. Chrysler soon discovered that someone who could afford a $20,000 car could also afford an attorney! Instead of repairing the fuel injection, Chrysler replaced them with a carburetor.The kit to replace the injection included a new gas tank, complete exhaust system, and a new digital dashboard-and of course the intake manifold and carburetor. It must have cost a fortune!
My Imperial has only 8900 miles on it. It was last registered in 1983. The car runs fine unless you try to go over 25 mph. Then it stalls. I suspect the origional owner gave up trying. It must have been really heartbreaking to let a beautiful car ---just sit. Chrysler would have replaced the injection for the origional owner if the car had less than 50,000 miles.
Paul wrote that this is a common problem with an easy fix - "under the car, under the passenger's seat, is an assembly of fuel filters. It's just two regular filters connected in parallel with a metal Y at each end... the fuel system pumps a lot of fuel to cool the pump in the air-cleaner. Also, the engine computer is very picky about any air leaks."
I took it to a former Imperial dealer. They still had the scan tool for it. I was told that the hydraulic support plate assembly is bad. There are no parts for this car. I'll probally convert it using a Cordoba or Mirada for parts, which I hate to do, but I would really like to be able to drive the Imperial.
Note: Paul (who provided the fuel-filter fix) wrote, "I had an 1981 Imperial. My copy of the shop manual is well worn since the Imperial dealer in Austin had no clue about the car. Mark Cross interior, no sun roof. Augbergine was the color. Loved that car. Even with all the quirks of the 'hydraulic support plate' (ya know, that throttle-body fuel injection creature living under the air cleaner) it was, and still is a head turner. Bummer that I can't get the fuel pump that goes inside the gas tank. But that's ok. I gave the car to a friend who has 3 other 1981-83 Imperials...."
