Hemmings Classic Car – October 2019

HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR OCTOBER 2019 I Hemmings.com

CHRYSLER CLASSICS

60

Cultured Chrysler

LeBaron coupes of 1977-’79 tastefully unifi ed luxury appointments

with a trimmer package

BY THOMAS A. DeMAURO • PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF FCA HISTORICAL SERVICES

declared Chrysler.

The “new-size” personal luxury car

took its name from the revered LeBaron-

bodied Imperials of the 1930s and the

high-end Imperials of the 1950s to 1970s.

1977

Arriving in the Spring of 1977 with its

sibling, the Dodge Diplomat, the Chrysler

was offered in the LeBaron and Medal-

lion series, both comprised of two-door

coupes (featured in this article) and four-

door sedans.

The body styling of the 204-inch-long

and 73.5-inch wide LeBaron two-door

differed somewhat from the four-door

models even beyond the obvious required

roofl ine variations. Whereas the four-

doors featured a modern boxy design, the

coupes blended many of those elements

with a few well-placed classic curves and

angles on the bodysides and its decklid

suggested a boattail motif.

Its front view was dominated by the

L

eBaron is a highly

styled auto mobile,

which offers comfort

and road-ability

usually associated with

larger, more expensive

cars, but in a smaller, more

fuel-effi cient package,

24 rectangles that made up the grille,

quad headlamps, and parking, side mark-

er, and cornering lamp lenses. All were

brightly trimmed and rode above a 5-mph

bumper with dual rub strips. The glass

area, slope of the roof, broad taillamps

with LeBaron eagles, and the rear bumper

with rub strip were also contemporary

in design. Bright exterior moldings were

used liberally, a chromed eagle hood

ornament was added, and opera lamps

adorned the fi xed B-pillars.

The LeBaron featured unit-body

construction and was basically an F-body

(Aspen/Volare) twin underneath, albeit

on the F’s longer 112.7-inch four-door

wheelbase. Its transverse torsion-bar

front suspension with a 1-inch-diameter

anti-roll bar was paired with a multi-leaf

rear spring layout and shocks all around.

The suspension and the K-member that