The 1983 Chrysler LeBaron Town & Country Mark Cross Edition: A Car of Contrasts

I'll never forget the day I bought my 1983 Chrysler LeBaron Town & Country Mark Cross Edition. It was a moment of impulse, a thrill of excitement mixed with a hint of trepidation. The seller had listed it on Craigslist, and I couldn't resist the allure of this car's unique history. A man who owned 22 of these cars, each one lovingly cared for, but now looking for someone to pass them on to, was eager to let go of his beloved collection. Little did I know, I was about to embark on a journey with a car that would challenge my perceptions and test my patience.

As I pulled up to the seller's location, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement mixed with apprehension. The car's exterior was...unconventional, to say the least. A hodgepodge of designs, it seemed like a Frankenstein's monster of automotive engineering. And yet, despite its awkwardness, there was something undeniably alluring about this car. I called the seller from Kansas, and he told me that his other car had been passed down to him after being purchased by someone who had "let them down." The owner, a man from Virginia, seemed genuinely apologetic for the condition of his car, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie with this stranger.

The car's interior was equally fascinating. With its Mark Cross edition trim, it boasted a unique blend of style and functionality. Corinthian leather adorned the seats, providing a touch of elegance that belied the car's rugged exterior. The dashboard was equipped with all manner of modern conveniences, including a quartz stereo system and an in-car computer that displayed 12 different messages to remind me to turn off my headlights or check my oil pressure.

But as I delved deeper into the car's history, I began to appreciate its more practical features. It was powered by a Mitsubishi four-cylinder engine, producing around 90 horsepower, making it surprisingly quick despite its diminutive size. And yet, for all its modern conveniences, this car felt like something from another era – an era of post-war optimism and technological innovation. Lee Iacocca, the former Chrysler CEO who conceptualized the Kei car platform, had single-handedly saved the company from financial ruin with these fuel-efficient vehicles.

Of course, not everything about the car was rosy. A cursory inspection revealed a considerable amount of rust on various body panels, and underneath the car's surface was equally unappealing. The seller had warned me that it needed a new carburetor, which alone would cost another thousand dollars. But despite these issues, I couldn't help but be drawn to this car – a true oddity in an automotive landscape dominated by sleek, aerodynamic designs.

One of the most striking features of my LeBaron was its computerized systems. It used a system that I only knew from science fiction movies – a device called the "DAS" which displayed messages and reminders on the dashboard. The car would politely thank me for not being an idiot when I stopped driving recklessly or reminded me to turn off the headlights, providing a sense of reassurance in a world where safety was paramount.

This little computer system drove home the point that even cars from another era could be made with a modern touch and still work. Despite its lack of smoothness, its power was genuinely impressive considering it had to carry all these features in an interior which would have looked like something from space if not for the leather seats.

With its advanced electronics and fuel efficiency, this LeBaron Town & Country Mark Cross Edition has proven to be a car that could save Chrysler from extinction during the early 80s recession and fuel crisis. It had some rough handling at first but it drove smooth down the highway, making the ride very comfortable for long drives.

This remarkable little gem needs a lot of work including fixing the carburetor as I recently discovered. But when you think about all that was on offer in this car – its unique looks, advanced features, and its role in history – it's no wonder that I couldn't possibly consider letting it go after what I've learned.

In short, my 1983 Chrysler LeBaron Town & Country Mark Cross Edition is more than just a hodgepodge of design. It's an homage to the automotive engineers who dared to dream up innovative solutions in their time. With its advanced electronics and fuel efficiency, this car may be quirky on the outside but offers you with a smooth ride and fantastic performance.

After all as the saying goes "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade." I could have easily chosen not to buy this little weirdo of a car had it been a little bit more presentable.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enmy LeBaron convertible makes driving fun again it completes the 1983 Chrysler LeBaron series the barrel combines room front-wheel drive high mileage and more luxury than last year computerized robots perform over 800 Wells for a strong secure car and LeBaron has qualities so exceptional it is back with a 5-year 50,000 mile protection plan all our surprising tracks LeBaron they are like no other cars in America Europe or Japan I'm no stranger to hoopty by you know the rules and so do I I committed to buying this Hoopoe sight unseen and what was I thinking of but I really couldn't have got this thing from any other guy but let me tell you how I'm really feeling about this thing it's the 1983 Chrysler LeBaron Town & Country mark cross edition and it's probably the ugliest car ever made it was given up by somebody after did it probably let them down and then turned around and deserted to a guy that was obsessed with these he had 22 of them 22 this guy put out a Craigslist ad that would make you cry that said he was willing to say goodbye to a few of them no lie I called him and it really hurt myself buying one now it's here and I haven't known it for long but I'm not too shy to say this thing is amazing I mean just take a look at what's going on clearly mine is not in the best condition I told the guy that had 22 of these that I wanted one with no rust he said this one didn't when he got my check in the mail he told me that he looked over the car again and noticed it had a little rust a little not only is the rust clearly visible on various body panels of the car but underneath is pretty ugly to take a look at this he did tell me he was reluctant to sell one of his cars without me looking it over in person and I can't get too mad for him since it was really cheap but paying almost a thousand dollars to ship it here and more money to sort this thing out from sitting for years is going to be a total waste it really needs a new carburetor in that part alone is a thousand dollars but you can't win them all and the car is very interesting this very early car has the Mitsubishi four-cylinder carbureted engine with around 90 horsepower giving it a 0 to 60 time of 15 seconds despite being dingy sized it handles and feels like a big land yacht so when I call this guy I told him I was from Kansas he was from Virginia and told him I wanted a car with no rust in this other really cool feature that I can't remember right now talking car feature why I haven't started the engine yet I just turn on the computer that's why it's saying the oil pressure is low but it's like a computer like KITT from Knight Rider it's programmed with 12 different messages warning you of issues or remind you to do simple things like turn off your headlights or your doors open and politely thanks you when you stop being an idiot which is something I really need oh yeah this is one of the infamous Kei cars the brainchild of former Chrysler CEO Lee Iacocca who decided to make Chrysler Dodge and Plymouth all share a common platform with their midsize cars this made things much cheaper to build and these fuel-efficient cars sold like crazy during the recession and fuel crisis of the early 80s this car is considered by many to have saved Chrysler from extinction this car was a tribute to the town of country cars made during the 1940s but putting fake marine grape Teagan olive Erin just looks ridiculous it also has the special mark cross edition interior with some fine Corinthian leather and I must say it feels very very nice the seller did feel bad about the rust so we threw in this lovely continental kit for the spare tire it's also useful for road trips because if you're having a bad reaction to gas station food just pop off the spare tire and it'll make our fantastic toilet despite its rough condition the car is still functional including the quartz stereo in-car computer and of course that dude that tops it also drives really smooth down the highway and is super comfortable so what do you do with a hilariously hideous talking car that's totally worthless that you already sunk thousands of dollars into that you'll never get back and need to spend another few grand to make it safe and reliable show tunes apparently if you're blue and you don't know where to go - why don't you go where fashion sits your headlights are on trying your best to look like Gary Cooper super duper come let's mix for Rockefellers walk with sticks all on the rellis in their midst don't forget your keys your engine oil pressure is low prompt service is required no Sherlock there we go monitors listen to the smart polishing somehow I doubt thatmy LeBaron convertible makes driving fun again it completes the 1983 Chrysler LeBaron series the barrel combines room front-wheel drive high mileage and more luxury than last year computerized robots perform over 800 Wells for a strong secure car and LeBaron has qualities so exceptional it is back with a 5-year 50,000 mile protection plan all our surprising tracks LeBaron they are like no other cars in America Europe or Japan I'm no stranger to hoopty by you know the rules and so do I I committed to buying this Hoopoe sight unseen and what was I thinking of but I really couldn't have got this thing from any other guy but let me tell you how I'm really feeling about this thing it's the 1983 Chrysler LeBaron Town & Country mark cross edition and it's probably the ugliest car ever made it was given up by somebody after did it probably let them down and then turned around and deserted to a guy that was obsessed with these he had 22 of them 22 this guy put out a Craigslist ad that would make you cry that said he was willing to say goodbye to a few of them no lie I called him and it really hurt myself buying one now it's here and I haven't known it for long but I'm not too shy to say this thing is amazing I mean just take a look at what's going on clearly mine is not in the best condition I told the guy that had 22 of these that I wanted one with no rust he said this one didn't when he got my check in the mail he told me that he looked over the car again and noticed it had a little rust a little not only is the rust clearly visible on various body panels of the car but underneath is pretty ugly to take a look at this he did tell me he was reluctant to sell one of his cars without me looking it over in person and I can't get too mad for him since it was really cheap but paying almost a thousand dollars to ship it here and more money to sort this thing out from sitting for years is going to be a total waste it really needs a new carburetor in that part alone is a thousand dollars but you can't win them all and the car is very interesting this very early car has the Mitsubishi four-cylinder carbureted engine with around 90 horsepower giving it a 0 to 60 time of 15 seconds despite being dingy sized it handles and feels like a big land yacht so when I call this guy I told him I was from Kansas he was from Virginia and told him I wanted a car with no rust in this other really cool feature that I can't remember right now talking car feature why I haven't started the engine yet I just turn on the computer that's why it's saying the oil pressure is low but it's like a computer like KITT from Knight Rider it's programmed with 12 different messages warning you of issues or remind you to do simple things like turn off your headlights or your doors open and politely thanks you when you stop being an idiot which is something I really need oh yeah this is one of the infamous Kei cars the brainchild of former Chrysler CEO Lee Iacocca who decided to make Chrysler Dodge and Plymouth all share a common platform with their midsize cars this made things much cheaper to build and these fuel-efficient cars sold like crazy during the recession and fuel crisis of the early 80s this car is considered by many to have saved Chrysler from extinction this car was a tribute to the town of country cars made during the 1940s but putting fake marine grape Teagan olive Erin just looks ridiculous it also has the special mark cross edition interior with some fine Corinthian leather and I must say it feels very very nice the seller did feel bad about the rust so we threw in this lovely continental kit for the spare tire it's also useful for road trips because if you're having a bad reaction to gas station food just pop off the spare tire and it'll make our fantastic toilet despite its rough condition the car is still functional including the quartz stereo in-car computer and of course that dude that tops it also drives really smooth down the highway and is super comfortable so what do you do with a hilariously hideous talking car that's totally worthless that you already sunk thousands of dollars into that you'll never get back and need to spend another few grand to make it safe and reliable show tunes apparently if you're blue and you don't know where to go - why don't you go where fashion sits your headlights are on trying your best to look like Gary Cooper super duper come let's mix for Rockefellers walk with sticks all on the rellis in their midst don't forget your keys your engine oil pressure is low prompt service is required no Sherlock there we go monitors listen to the smart polishing somehow I doubt that\n"