We purchased new a 1981 Reliant dark blue wagon December of 1981. It was a left-over, the 82’s had been on the lot for a good three months by than. It was equipped with 2.6, automatic, Am & FM, PB, Cruse control, roof rack, and vinyl bench.
That car did not hold up well, it developed a cracked “K” member, blew a head gasket at 40,000 mi. At which point we traded it for a 2.2 turbo, five speed black new 1986Dodge Lancer. My wife did not like that hot rod, after ice derailed the timing chain, and the head gasket blew that car also got traded with about 50,000 miles for a bullet proof 88 Crown Vic.
Back to 1981. After reading an article in perhaps Motor Trend that Chrysler was test marketing a LeBaron Convertible, and if enough advance orders were taken they would build 2600 fully loaded two seat examples. Orders with $1,000 deposit had to be in by January 31, 1982.
I plunked down my dough the last week of January 1982, ordered a Chestnut brown center fold look alike rather than white with wire wheel covers, and AM-Fm Cassette radio the only three no cost option choices available. The deal with the wife was that I had to sell my treasured 1959 Austin Healey Bug Eye Sprite in order to get the LeBaron. I still miss the Bug Eye.
The car was delivered third week of May with a very small rear bench seat that my kids fit perfectly. Now one of those kids is 6’ 2”, and his foot wouldn’t fit behind the front seats… LOL
To make a long story short, I still have the car, its unmolested, unrestored, except for a new top. During its twenty fifth year I changed the belts & coolant hoses before something let go, and it still has the factory plug wires. I have had to replace the strut mounts four time over the years, rear springs, exhaust system twice. I still have all the paperwork from the purchase, and the spiffs that Chrysler sent to string us along while the car was being built.
The car looks close to new, has rolled 71,000 miles, and goes to several car shows a summer. Last September I got a second place for K Car category at an all Mopar judged show. A young lady that had recently inherited her aunt’s 1983 Dodge 400 convertible with 31,000 miles on it took first place in K Car. The damn thing looked brand new.
By the way, that 2.6 will still pin the needle on the 85 mph speedo.