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  #61  
Old 03-06-2018, 04:52 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DavGoodlin View Post
+2 on that 2-2, Jon - My '78 Celica GT 5-spd with a 2.2 could not catch the Mopars, which had an edge for some reason My Dad traded a 1975 Rabbit 1.5 L for an '81 Horizon with 1.7L 4cyl with a horrible-shifting 4spd, (VW or Peugot-built IIRC) and what a pooch that was.

That '81 was involved in 4 accidents, last one a sideswipe requiring half a body from a junkyard. Being Orange I guess it was hard to see. They just would not total it, so it was traded for the 2.2L in the '85 Omni, which had an automatic, which he always shut the car off leaving it in "D" with the parking brake on, being used to manuals. Even with a 3-spd auto, the 2.2 could spin the tires on dryypavement, with the expected torque-steer of MoPar's front wheel drive.

For my first ride, and under $1000, all I had to chose from were gas hogs nobody wanted in 1980. I had a choice of a 76 Monaco with a 360- probably a lean-burn 2bbl; A 75 LeSabre with 350 2bbl. Since both were smog-sleds, I opted for the 73 Fury II 400-2bbl - the small-town's unmarked squad car, dark green. I was not sorry.

I know of a few 2.5 Liter 4 cyl Caravans turning out to be reliable beaters. Cheap parts is one reason.
A guy in the building I used to live in had a '79 Celica with a 5-speed. I think he had a second set of keys so he would sometimes leave it running with the windows up and the doors locked. In spite of that it still got pinched one day. He got it back but not quite in the same condition.

I didn't know the Omni/Horizon came with a 1.7L as standard equipment. Now it's easier to understand why they were named 1982's lemon of the year. A quick check on Wikipedia reveals that the 1.7 and the 4-speed were VW-made.

Ouch, hopefully that 1985 Omni was never parked on steep hills. I wouldn't want to risk leaving a slushbox in gear while parked. I never knew torque-steer was a problem with FWD Mopars; I guess I was just extra careful in slippery conditions. As I recall it was even more of a problem with GM's FWD X-body cars.

Oh yeah, RWD Mopar with a cop motor with a 400 cubic inch plant, cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks and made before catalytic converters, the logical choice in my opinion.

Little wonder the Blues Brothers were able to beat the heat to Chicago.
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  #62  
Old 03-06-2018, 08:27 PM
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Originally Posted by DavGoodlin View Post
which he always shut the car off leaving it in "D" with the parking brake on, being used to manuals.
tfw when no ignition-shift interlock.

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Originally Posted by DavGoodlin View Post
I had a choice of a 76 Monaco with a 360- probably a lean-burn 2bbl
You know, I've only ever been under the hood of just ONE lean-burn vehicle (outside of a junkyard, anyway), and I never had a chance to work on the motor, because it ran just fine. It was a 70-something Dodge pickup, with a slant-6. I've read a lot about the Lean Burn™ system, and it's quite fascinating. But I'd really like to work on one to actually get a feel for it. It was basically a computer controlled engine, except carbureted, and no, the carb was not at all controlled by the computer. It handled ignition only. The only problems I can speculate about the system would be A: it's a 'computer' from the '70s, before computers were really a thing, and B: they put the damn computer in the hottest place they could pick - right on top of the engine.

Chrysler has a long proud history of technological achievements, but putting a computer on top of a hot engine was not one of their brightest moments. Though to be perfectly fair, many carmakers today continue that practice. Mostly GM.

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Originally Posted by Jon A. View Post
Oh yeah, RWD Mopar with a cop motor with a 400 cubic inch plant, cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks and made before catalytic converters...
Huehuehuehue.
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  #63  
Old 03-16-2018, 10:46 AM
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The Dodge Omni and their variants were powered by VW parts. And back then
Consumer Reports, if I'm not mistaken released one of their tests to the TV news
media that showed that if you were moving at highway speeds and took the steering
wheel and twisted to to one side and released it, the car would on it's own swing wildly
from right to left until it spun out. Tests on other cars showed that they would have
the steering wheel dampen out the flick and return to a center position, provided
you were still on the pavement. An unrealistic hazard in my opinion. I wonder
why the VW's that shared the drive train did not suffer from that symptom?

Maybe because of Chrysler's fun single finger power power steering, where a good
flick of the wheel with one finger often spun it from center to one of the far locks
quite easily.

The early Lean Burns were spark only, the last runs had feedback carburetors too.
But by the time FBC's came into the mix they had to get away from the name Lean Burn.

Speaking of no shift locks, my '86 Prelude has no shift lock, no signs it was defeated
by the previous owner either....


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  #64  
Old 03-16-2018, 07:25 PM
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Dodge may have used VW engines, but I doubt they would have gone VW on the suspension and steering in a K car.
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  #65  
Old 03-16-2018, 09:34 PM
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Originally Posted by Username1 View Post
The early Lean Burns were spark only, the last runs had feedback carburetors too.
But by the time FBC's came into the mix they had to get away from the name Lean Burn.
Neat.

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Originally Posted by Electronic M View Post
Dodge may have used VW engines, but I doubt they would have gone VW on the suspension and steering in a K car.
No, that was the Omni only. The Omni was pre-k car. I don't think the VW engine was ever offered in a K car. To the best of my knowledge, the K cars were entirely in-house, at least originally. Ah, the good old days.

Last edited by MadMan; 03-16-2018 at 09:45 PM.
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  #66  
Old 03-17-2018, 09:54 AM
dieseljeep dieseljeep is offline
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Neat.



No, that was the Omni only. The Omni was pre-k car. I don't think the VW engine was ever offered in a K car. To the best of my knowledge, the K cars were entirely in-house, at least originally. Ah, the good old days.
There's a lot of information about the evolution of the various Mopar platforms on the website "Allpar". I generally follow it pretty close.
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  #67  
Old 03-19-2018, 11:35 PM
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Originally Posted by dieseljeep View Post
There's a lot of information about the evolution of the various Mopar platforms on the website "Allpar". I generally follow it pretty close.
The LH cars were the last of the 'in house' designs, even though the company was being controlled my Mercedes at the time. My understanding is that, in spite of what people claim, the current LX cars are really the old LH platform modified to accept the improved Mercedes suspension components and are not merely a warmed over Benz chasis. Of course, the dreaded NAG1 tranny is a Benz unit, and we all know how craptastic those things can be.
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  #68  
Old 03-22-2018, 02:01 AM
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Originally Posted by mgross0 View Post
The LH cars were the last of the 'in house' designs, even though the company was being controlled my Mercedes at the time. My understanding is that, in spite of what people claim, the current LX cars are really the old LH platform modified to accept the improved Mercedes suspension components and are not merely a warmed over Benz chasis. Of course, the dreaded NAG1 tranny is a Benz unit, and we all know how craptastic those things can be.
The LH cars were introduced in 93. I had a 94 Concorde, really loved that car. Huge, absolutely huge car for a fwd. I mean, you got in it, you were a mile away from your passenger, and enough headroom for Abe Lincoln with his hat on. Definitely prefer the interior to a Cadillac Deville, also fwd in roughly the same category. Anyhow, Mercedes takeover was from 98 to 08. And there are small but notable similarities between the LH and LX platforms. I'd say it's really an evolution. That having been said, they maintained their own teams of engineers and designers, I don't think it's entirely fair to say 'their last in-house design.' Maybe their last design that didn't involve Mercedes parts in any way, perhaps. Course there was a brief reprise when they were privately held and not associated with any other company. But Fiat had to ruin that.

Mercedes transmissions are actually usually pretty hearty things. But uh... in terms of performance... yeah. Craptastic sounds about right. In the late 80s - 90s, perhaps earlier, idk what possessed them to think that taking off in 2nd gear was a good idea.
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  #69  
Old 04-02-2018, 08:16 PM
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The LH was really an AMC design as much as anything. Their engineering staff came over after Chrysler bought AM & put them in charge. The (Renault) Eagle Premier was the starting point for the LH & they were built in the former AMC Bramalea factory. Fitting that they were use the Concorde name, as a sort of tribute to the old AMC Concord.
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  #70  
Old 04-10-2018, 09:32 PM
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Originally Posted by maxhifi View Post
I think some of the last run K car descendants just before the Neon were available with a small Mitsubishi 6 cyl, which was a little more fun to drive, and fairly reliable.
With all due respect, you don't know what you're talking about.

K cars had a very long and also very successful production run, and as pointed out previously they basically saved Chrysler from the dustbin of history. A little more fun to drive than what? A potato? You've apparently never been in a 2.2 or 2.5 turbo with mild tuning done to it, I promise it shits all over that piss poor excuse for a japanese V6 and its impossible to change timing belt. Transmissions? Yeah the 3-sp torqueflite is sorta gay, but once again with a 2.5 turbo attached it most likely shits all over whatever you're currently in.

If you can't tell, I'm tired of people talking shit about my car. And no, I'm not a K-car fanatic. I'm a turbo fanatic. I also have a factory turbo Corvair, wanna fight about it? I'll put my '89 Spirit up against whatever you got, and while it may or may not not win you'll definitely be surprised...
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  #71  
Old 04-11-2018, 12:34 AM
mgross0 mgross0 is offline
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Speaking as a Mopar or no car sort of guy, cool your jets. Nobody is questioning your masculinity. I agree that the K-cars were the best 'small' cars on the road, with room for six Americans, but there is no need to be so darned hurt. Even the rice burners that were supposed to be the death knell of the U.S. autos are long since shredded and turned into toasters, while Reliants still cruise city streets. By the way, the Diplomat was still the better car. A 318 kicks the hell out of a four banger any day of the week, no matter how torquey it may be.
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  #72  
Old 04-11-2018, 02:03 AM
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I promise it shits all over that piss poor excuse for a japanese V6 and its impossible to change timing belt.
I take offense to that, sir. I have one of those piss poor Mitsu V6's, and I quite enjoy it. Nothing against the 4-bangers, just that the 3.0L is quite a decent engine, especially in its time period. The torque curve is as flat as a table, you have basically 100% of the torque at any rpm you need it at.

And changing the T-belt is only slightly more difficult than any other car - owing the the adapter plate, a whopping 5 extra bolts - but nothing any competent mechanic can't conquer with ease. Come to think of it, its been many years since I last did the job, I should do it again soon.

Also, chill down, nobody's talking shit about your car.
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  #73  
Old 04-11-2018, 04:59 AM
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Originally Posted by MadMan View Post
Also, chill down, nobody's talking shit about your car.
Even so, it wouldn't hurt to be prepared to just brush off snarky comments. Pretty much anyone into anything other than traditional muscle cars is going to hear others roasting their idea of a fly ride. Been there, done that, got the tee shirt.
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  #74  
Old 04-11-2018, 09:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Jon A. View Post
Pretty much anyone into anything other than traditional muscle cars is going to hear others roasting their idea of a fly ride. Been there, done that, got the tee shirt.
What are you talking about? They'll do it anyway! The chevy guys and the ford guys are always going at it. And then there's the mopar guys who kind of get shit on by the other two factions, but mostly because they're secretly jealous of the awesome mopars. :3

lol
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  #75  
Old 04-12-2018, 05:04 AM
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Originally Posted by MadMan View Post
What are you talking about? They'll do it anyway! The chevy guys and the ford guys are always going at it. And then there's the mopar guys who kind of get shit on by the other two factions, but mostly because they're secretly jealous of the awesome mopars. :3

lol
Yeah I realized later on I hadn't really thought that through. The musclecar crowd probably gets the least amount of crap though. On the flip side, I know there are some Lada enthusiasts up here; I can't imagine how many snarky comments they have to deflect.

I certainly agree that Mopars are awesome.
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