New Ride, 1992 2.5t 5 speed lebaron Convertible

[66chargerkid]

Spent part of my spring break Last week getting a Lebaron Convertible. 1992 was the last year for the Lebaron with the flip up headlights and consequently also the last year to be optioned with the chrysler turbo motor. This car is 1-235 Lebaron turbo 5 speed convertibles made that year. It was old woman owned for a majority of it's life before some crackhead got ahold of it and the top got all ripped up on it and the wheel bearing was about to fall off when my buddy bought it 3 years ago. He owns many MANY turbododge's including many of the t3 derivative of the turbo chryslers inwhich he is an expert on and transformed a very problem prone motor with minor fixes and made them very reliable power houses, but I digress. So he picked up the car in 08' and put 11 inch vented disks all the way around, NOS top, A/C Delete, factory radiator intercooler set up out of an iroc R/T, NOS top, eibach springs, kyb front struts, new headgaket, custom short shifter, booger bushing for the shifter, 160 iroc r/t speedo, and many other little maintenance items to make the car run like a top. I worked a deal where I would come get the car with a 3 inch straight pipe turbo back exhaust. While in Wisconsin we did some work to the car, changed out the old sagging springs in the rear for a nice 1 inch drop all the way around, deleted the balance shafts from the 2.5 motor, new 1 piece oil pan gasket, cleaned it up and drove it home and have had no running issues. Already driven the car 1000 miles between driving home from Wisconsin, around while I was home, and out to K-state where I go to college. Gotta say the car is pretty darn peppy, runs flawlessly, and drives like it has 20k on it, not 120k. The body is a good 8-10 with some paint chips and some flaking paint off the side molding. The car has had a pretty decent repaint in the past and both the motor and trans were rebuilt at some point in it's life with a newer clutch. Plans are to drive the wheels off this car during the summer, clean up the engine bay, take it to some shows and eventually find a winter resting home for it because it is too nice and too rare a car to drive in the winter.

[66chargerkid]

Since my dad has the birdible, this is project boostible. Some more pictures of the car with the full 3 inch.

[66chargerkid]

My buddy Jackson's t3 16v 91 shelby Daytona. Full on restoration, every nut and bolt, rotisserie restored, and ofcourse pretty darn costumized. They never made a 91 shelby with a t3 motor in it but this car looks like it shoulda been there all along.

[71ChallengeHer]

Cool ride.    I always liked the Lebaron's  . Have fun with it.

[resq302]

My dad had a turquoise blue with white top and white leather interior that was a 1992 vert with the V6.  Car hauled ass and handled great.  One of the most fun cars Ive ever driven plus it as extremely comfortable.  I miss that car!

[ITSA426]

Q my brother is restoring a red 95 LeBaron convertible.  I have no idea why.  The top leaks badly, but any water that comes in seems to run out the floor.  He stored it outside this past winter without a cover and it almost looks like he'll start over.

[greenpigs]

Guy at work has a red & a white one, he drives the red one everyday but it is beat to hell. Now his are not turbo versions just the standard chick ride from back then.

[PA Dodger]

Looks like a real nice ride. The LeBarons always look better with a 1" drop IMHO. My wife's toy is a '95 Lebaron vert with 58,000 miles. No mods though 'cause then I'll have to hear about something that "sounds different" or doesn't quite "feel right". .

[69rtse4spd]

88 vert with the stump pulling 4-banger in it. . Burgundy body & interior with black top, just a fun little car in the summer & 29-32 mpg is not shabby. Put a new top on last year, 1200.00, but only paid 1450.00 & am third  owner. Picked up some spare parts for it also, hood, fenders, grill, tail lights, & trunk. Fun car runs & handles great.

[TruckDriver]

I always wanted a LeBarron Hardtop. But you cant even find them anymore 

[66chargerkid]

Ya driving back from Wisconsin I got a good 32 MPG and I was crusing around 75. Cars still running like a top. Almost 1,500 miles on it since I have had it with no issues. This car is 99 percent rust free with a little bit of rust JUST starting on the drivers side rocker and surface stuff around the body plugs.
I have some powdercoated brackets, intake, valvecover and other little nice odd's and ends for the car to clean up the engine bay.
This car is a VERY VERY nice candidate for a restoration down the road but for now the car is so nice I am going to drive it over the summmer and formulate plans for it for the winter. I am probably going to yank the drive train, clean up the entire engine bay, detail the crap out of the motor and trans, powdercoat the k-frame and A- arms. Then from there I can kinda gauge what I want to do. This car is probably going to be on the recieving end of a bigger turbo. The small turbo spools quick but runs out of air at 5,200 and tends to *heat* boost because it is very undersized for the car. A garret t2 turbo of a later Shelby Daytona or a s60 60 trim turbo with a .63 cold side housing will eventually make its way to the car. But for now the car runs so well there is no point to pulling it apart yet.

[66chargerkid]

Track Day for the Lebaron. Racer appreciation day at Kansas City International Speedway. Ran 3 15.1 sec quarter miles with 2.5 60' foot times spinning through the first and second but with very promising mph's of 94-96 MPH. The street tires suck. 15.1 all day long spinning  Last run was a 14.88 WOOHOO!
Here are some pictures of my car with a 12 sec 07' charger with nothing done long block wise, just bolt ons with one hell of a tune.

[66chargerkid]

A couple more photo's. Gonna do the valve cover gasket, water pump gasket, alternator belt and flush the coolant this week. Just some basic maintenance. Eventually I have a valve cover to powdercoat, a/c delete bracket, and a few other niceties to clean the car up even more

[66chargerkid]

Bought myself a new little part today. A/C delete bracket should help clean up the engine bay