Surprising how popular these R Body cars are becoming, when they came out they weren’t well received by the car buying public. I still like these cars.
Thanks James. There has been a general increase in interest in American cars of the 80’s. I am sure (per the Crown Vic, Grand Marquis and Town Car examples) an R body would have sold better if it was allowed to live past 1983 per the M body 5th Ave. as fuel prices went down the demand for larger, rear wheel drive US cars went up. Even later spawning aero examples from GM and Ford. Appreciate you comments. Please subscribe for more old car videos 👍
The R body cars, along with the J/Y cars through the 1983 model year are favorites, although I've never owned one. I feel that Mopar did a very good job with their 1st generation of downsized cars. Today, I'm puzzled by the sales collapse of the Chrysler 300 - an excellent car in all respects IMO. I own a black on black, 2020 300S 5.7L bought new, and have been very happy with the car. A 'poor man's Mercedes Benz since the cars's original development took place under Daimler's tutelage.
I remember as a kid in Finland when the R-body New Yorker came out, it was one of the worst days in my life. While I liked the styling the downsizing was a shock, I could not understand it at all. All R-body New Yorkers in Finland had 360:s. A friend of mine has a Nightwatch Blue one, another friend of mine used to work for the company which owned it as new, we used to sit in it at night sometimes as he was a computer programmer working evenings. A fantastic car!
@@Monaghan By 1980 sales had declined but Aspens still sold well. New Yorkers and Royal Monaco's were popular with government institutions and big companies, the downsizing didn't work well there. Miradas used to be everywhere but now you rarely see any. Aspens are starting to disappear as well. Almost bought a low mile SE last summer.
My father had a 1980 New Yorker in burgundy with a leather interior with every option known except a sunroof. He and my mother did a lot of road trips in that car and racked up 250,000 miles until it could not run anymore. Lots of good times and memories in that car see as how I was on some of those road trips in that beauty
I am happy you guys can appreciate our malaise-era cars, especially from chrysler... they really tended to fall apart as quick as an irish-car bomb -without the bomb- of the same era.
Thanks Dale. I agree. A great colour and David is lucky to have such a nice example. Please subscribe for more old car videos and check out the other Mopar videos on the channel.
Thanks William. Please check out the other videos on the channel and you can subscribe to get notified of new ones as they appear. Appreciate your comments 👍
A good friend of mine in 1991 inherited a 1980 Chrysler New Yorker, from his Grandfather who bought it new. It was all white with dark blue dash and carpeting, beautiful white Corinthian leather lots of chrome and fake wood trim everywhere, with the formal Landau roof and lights near the windows. It was also loaded with every option the old man could get, including a 360, with Police Package that included a rear sway bar, that really helped the handling. Especially after my buddy installed expensive KONI shocks. Then he removed the engine and transmission, to swap in a MOPAR Performance 360, with Holley Projection 4 brl throttle body injection, plus long tube headers with huge 2.5” dual exhaust with big quiet mufflers and resonators to add to the “sleeper” mode, the only performance giveaway was the Keystone Classic chrome wheels and B. F. Goodrich T/A radials in size 285/45-16. That really helped hold the road and let the 3:55 posi put the torque down. Total sleeper and highway flyer, I remember there were these R bodies used in The Rhode Island State Police, with the same 360’s, that had certified 140 mph speedometers, a cousin who was a mechanic in the State garage who would maintain them and told me Troopers reported the cars could reach 130 easily, some a bit more when tuned just right.
Thanks Kevin. Terrific story. That would have been a very cool cruiser. The 360 engine makes a big difference. David has a 360 Dodge St Regis, ex CA police car. It goes really well. Thanks for sharing 👍.
I forgot these cars came with two-tone exteriors, like many others of the era, but I'm glad you were able to get an all navy blue version, looks great!
I remember when they came out in 1979. The downsizing was a shock. And the ‘74’s were downsized already so ‘79’s were looking quite small. Went with my dad to a tent sale that year (lots of dealers taking their cars to a sports venue parking lot) and we saw a cream on cream New Yorker with blonde (fake) wood. That was stunning! I tried my best to get my dad to buy it, to no avail. About a year later he bought a used ‘77 New Yorker. (That was a sweet ride, too.)
Great memories Gary. Appreciate your comments and please subscribe for more old car videos. There are plenty of Mopars and other makes on the channel. 👍
I remember when these came out, people thought it was the end of the road for Chrysler. I had a 77 New Yorker Brougham many years ago and it seemed like the last real Chrysler. Amazing how nice this 1980 looks today.
@@66skate Thanks. The 77 were a cool looking car. I love the waterfall grille. Agree the 1980 model looks sharp today, especially compared to all the new SUVs. 👍
Agree. And they were actually CARS not SUVs and they were distinctly American and not some Euro or Japanese knock off. Thanks for watching and please subscribe and check out the other videos on the channel.
I haven't seen an R- body full size Chrysler product in years!!! Let alone one in this good a shape with only Thirty-One thousand miles. Many of these are unfortunately throwaway models but this one is in pristine condition!!. Beautifully well preserve!!! And taken care of.
@@markbehr88 Thanks Mark for the heads up I am a lover of cars all kinds including classic cars and antiques concept muscle cars daily drivers etc and I'll be on the lookout for future videos.
Thanks Groovy. I like it too. And when you consider large car sales took off later (Lincoln Town Car, Mercury Grand Marquis, Crown Vic etc). These cars may well have been better sellers if Chrysler was able to keep them going or re-start the tooling. Please subscribe and check out all the other videos on the channel.
They were SORTA cool! I (owned) a '79 Chrysler Newport in 1991. It was a TOTAL LEMON on the SLIPPERY roads of Northern Minnesota! Great motor, drivetrain, though!
@@markbehr88 I do want to add here; Chrysler cars (of the mid-70s-81 era) ALWAYS had the CLASS motors and transmissions! These were GREAT POWER! However, mounting rear spring shackles to a NEAR "non existent" CHEAP trunk floor was THE RECIPE for DISASTER! I owned six of these cars! The drivetrain was AWESOME; the CHASSIS/BODY "quality" WAS HORRID!
I had a 1980 New Yorker with the 360 V8 throughout the 1990s. Mine was a bit nicer with black paint, tan leather interior, stainless steel roof, and a 'special handling' package. I got it for a song from a coworker's grandfather. It had been parked for over a year. A new battery was all it needed. It was one of my favorite cars ever and I would have kept it forever if it wasn't a rust belt car and starting to fall apart. Very little trouble with it, never failed to start. Cold A/C and more squeak and rattle free than my current cars. Just a great, elegant car and very underrated. It was also a somewhat rare car where I lived and I think I only ever saw one other on the road the whole time I owned it. It had over 200K miles on it when I finally got rid of it and the only mechanical work it ever needed other than wear items was a timing chain on the engine, exhaust system, and alternator. Great car and thanks for sharing.
Beautiful car and I love the color. You mentioned these bodies shared the same platform as the Chrysler LeBaron. I bought a brand-new Chrysler Lebaron Medallion two-coupe in 1980. The Medallion was the higher trim package over the Salon model. I loved the car, and the color was a muted pinkish color called "Light Heather Gray" but the 225 slant-six engine was problematic. Every time it rained after the car was about 5 years old, it would stall out at intersections! Also, the rotors had to be replaced after only 40,000 miles. Maybe the 318 V8 is more reliable, but it wasn't an available option on the LeBaron, I think because it was a lighter car than the New Yorker. In 1986, I traded it in for a brand-new, drop-dead gorgeous Chevy Caprice Classic Landau Coupe, white with burgundy interior.
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed the video. Great story on your car too. The New Yorker, Gran Fury, St Regis were the R body cars while the LeBaron was an M body. Later they used the M body LeBaron to do the Chrysler New Yorker 5th Ave edition. That was after the R body cars ended production. Appreciate your comments and please subscribe to check out more videos on the channel. Cheers Mark
I had a 69 Fury III with a 318 cubic inch engine. That car would immediately start on the North Pole but after a few minutes it would stall out and would not restart. I learned a few months ago that their was an electrical ballast that needed replacement. We tried everything to fix the stalling problem finally adding a manual choke that helped but did not solve the problem. Unfortunately Chrysler products had a well deserved reputation of being rust buckets.
My friends mother went from the last C-Body '78 Brougham for one of these and did 't expect much but it really road great and the 360 was adequate. The 440 lean burn wasn't so hot in the Brougham
@@markbehr88 I would stay with the Brougham for sure but these get zero respect and they weren't that bad. They had more front leg room and were identical to the downsized GM's at the time, actually not as downsized. Also the leather interiors were right up there with all the great New Yorker's!
Thanks Ernie. Agree it is a great example. If you haven’t already, please subscribe and check out plenty more American car videos on the channel. Appreciate the comment. 👍
@@markbehr88 maybe more accurately, the M body was an Aspen wearing a bad hat or even a toupee. Chrysler was working with what it had, and it didn’t have a lot of money, so it was hard to hide the Valiant roots.
Dad was somehow able to order his Demonstrators exactly the way he wanted them... He "knew somebody" at the factory... I remember him having an M Body Fifth Avenue that he ordered triple black with a red pinstripe AND the whole enchilada Police Package! It was a real sleeper with the wire wheel covers and white walls...😄
The car is beautiful. Our neighbors had the Calvin Klein (tu-tone cream) edition with the matching cream interior. The car was breathtaking! As I recall, the "R" bodies came out during an Oil Crisis and didn't sell well for that reason, and Chrysler's management at the time wasn't anything to brag about.
Thanks James. You are correct. Plus there was a recession in the US in the early 80’s that made it hard for all the US manufacturers until 1984 or so. Thanks for watching 👍.
Here is a super low mile 1980 Chrysler New Yorker. Super cool and only 31,000 original miles. I hope you enjoy the video. Please don’t forget to share, Like, Comment and Subscribe. Thanks for watching!
I remember these very well and always thought that they were much nicer than the Cadillacs of the time... Dad was part owner of a Chrysler Plymouth Dodge Imperial dealership in Houston... He'd take one of these as a Demonstrator now and then. I don't remember the build quality being sub-par, as is usually mentioned in reference to the MOPARS of the era.
@@markbehr88 hiya Mark! Sorry it took two effing months for ScrooToob to tell me you replied! Yeah! Dad would bring home a different Demo all the time. He had a Frank Sinatra Imperial once... He drove it for about four days. It was a Frank Sinatra edition. When I asked him if he really liked it because he'd driven it so often, he said NO...he just wanted to work the bugs out of it. It turns out that the body shop did a TOTAL detail on the car and the house pin striper painted a pretty large, gold "F S" on each door. The reason was that it was apparently one of Frank's to begin with! The guy who owned the Sales portion of the dealership was buddies with Mr. Sinatra and was tasked by Chrysler Corporate to specially prepare the car for him... I guess that Chrysler gave him several Imperials for partial compensation for those commercials he was in. I remember that this particular car had a special 360 4 barrel, dual exhaust. It was dad's job to make it run like a scalded dog... Which he DID. Other than the drivetrain, everything about that car was CUSTOM. The body shop made the bodywork perfect, they painted it in that special Ice Blue, but it was done like a mirror with no swirls, etc... The striping was hand painted. The interior was absolutely MAGNIFICENT. I want to say that light blue Nappa leather was used and I remember the carpet was actual sheared lamb in light blue. Mr Sinatra also kept a few of his other cars stored on the dealership property... One was a bright orange BMW M1 that also had a HUGE "FS" painted in gold on each flip up door! Dad was good friends with a gent who worked at Chrysler, he was in charge of Special Handling Vehicles (the custom department) in Detroit. Because of their friendship, dad was able to order ANYTHING he wanted to use as a Demonstrator. One that I remember really well, was an 81 or 82 Cordoba yha he ordered... It of course had the 360 Police Interceptor running gear, BUT Dad wanted a really nice car for Mom. His buddy had the car (a coupe, of course) sent to National (or was it American? I can't remember.) Sunroof and had them turn it into a real convertible. Dad tried selling mom on how "classy" the phony "cabriolet roof" would look on the car, but then dad's friend said..."I know exactly what to do"... But it was REALLY NICE when it was finally delivered - it was painted to mimic one of those 70s Bill Blass Continental MK Vs, white hood and deck with navy blue sides and gold pinstripe. The real convertible top was white and the interior was navy and white leather. Another CRAZY car dad had for a while, was a Mark Cross Town N Country K convertible that was special ordered with the standard Mark Cross interior, but instead of having a white body paint as usual, it was sprayed in an Autumn Maple fireglow, similar to that used on later Cadillac Fleetwood cars. It had actual wire wheels on it... And on top of being equipped with the Hemi 2.6, it was turbo charged with some otherwise unavailable turbo unit... The kicker was that the car had a reverse opening trunk lid that was actually a rumble seat! That was a really neat car! I guess with the right "pull", you could still get Special Order things from the factory, well into the 1980s. I remember one that The City of Houston ordered as a car for the Mayor and Dignitaries to ride around in. It was a K Limousine, but it was TRICKED OUT above what was normally available. It had a hotrodded engine, dual air conditioners, leather in the driver's compartment, really luxurious cloth in the rear. It was midnight blue metallic. It had a cut crystal bar cabinet and all of the woodwork in the rear compartment was burl maple. Really top shelf sh*t! Hey... Thanks for sparking those old memories! I really enjoyed my time working summers at the dealership with my dad. I fondly remember all of those cool cars! One really funny story... The front end sold everything from Omnis and Horizons for next to nothing, up to Custom vans and special order Imperials if the customer wanted. As we all know, MOPAR was going through a spell where their build quality wasn't consistent. I remember seeing one of the salesmen trying to sell a Dodge Omni to an elderly couple. They were apparently worried about the strength of the car, so this salesman opened the passenger front door and rolled down the window and jumped up on the window sill and started jumping up and down so hard, the edge of the door damn near hit the ground... He rocked the car that way about twenty times... The couple was satisfied that it wasn't junk and they bought the car. Well... Another salesman inside must have seen it. A little while later, he was trying to sell a brand new Imperial to a middle aged couple... I remember that car being light green metallic. Anyway, he put the windows down and walked around the car and opened up the passenger door. He lept up onto the door sill and damn if that door didn't just COLLAPSE and fall off of that car! Broke BOTH door hinges clean off🤣 Those people left so fast, I think they laid down fire tracks😂 Cheers!
Thanks Slick. They are fantastic stories. I really mean fantastic. Thanks so much for sharing them. You must have had a ball back in the day. A 360 Imperial would have been cool. That is the engine it really should of had. Thanks again 👍👍👍@@slicksnewonenow
@@markbehr88 hiya Mark- Those Police Package cars really could haul... Dad's usual Demo order was a New Yorker Fifth Avenue with the whole enchilada Police Interceptor equipment and some non-standard color combination. I remember well a triple black Fifth Avenue that he had... With standard steel wheels and those wire wheel covers. It could smoke the tires clear off the rims and would EAT a new at the time Trans Am or Camaro... Those 5.0 Mustangs were also no match🤣 I really do miss the fun from those days!
gorgeous cars inside and out, i dont really get whats worse about them than fords and gms full size offerings of the time. and the r bodys were also used in police, so they must have some qualities.
Nice car, I always liked the dash and instrument cluster it was way nicer than the older models. In Canada people were buying the small Japanese cars and the Mitsubishi Cars with the Dodge and Plymouth name plate were a excellent little car. Around the mid eighties big America muscle cars were dirt cheap and people would smash them up in demolition derbies. One of my first cars was a 1970 New Port 383, 4door, with a little damage on the drivers door, it was a pretty nice car and I paid $150 for it. That's how cheap they were. Around 15 years old is the magic number for a used vehicle because I've bought lots of trucks that sell around $1000 to $2500 and they just need a few repairs and they run good.
Thanks for your comments. I like the instruments too. Re the older American cars. We didn’t know how good a value they were then. Very under valued, which is when I bought most of mine. 👍
Thank you. Yes they are cool looking cars and nice it reminded you of your Dad. I have my Dad’s 72 Ford LTD which is the title image above my videos. Thanks for the comments 👍
Glorius car! I suppose the American cars were a bit outdated by the 80's, but they had LOTS of features which THEY were ahead of it's time lol I do like the "outdated" look though... I guess same as 2CV or Beetle, very outdated but still cool lol
Thanks Ivano. I call it Neo Classic design. There were some more modern 80’s US designs like the 1983 Thunderbird, but this “classic” design as per the New Yorker was very distinctly American and not confused with the cars of any other country or like the boring SUVs we see nowadays.
Was driven in one in the same color in 1981 in Copenhagen. It was a taxi, running on gas (not petrol). The gas tank took up quite some space on the trunk.
@@markbehr88 It is the only New Yorker I have seen in Denmark from that model series at all in Denmark Chrysler Newport, on the other hand, was quite often seen as taxis.
@@KoldingDenmark interesting. I guess there must be a few American cars in Denmark? We are right hand drive (apart from older collectible cars) so American cars were always something special.
He's got a Dodge St Regis detective's car? He's living a dream. Love the opulence of this old girl. It honestly looks later than 80, especially with the digital clock. America was still producing this style of car in 89. I like the guards. Reminds me of the Holden HD.
Chrysler REALLY should have used the exact same chime sound that was used in the 1979-82 Cadillacs for the 1980 New Yorker along with the 1981 Imperial instead of the electronic chime that they used in this car.
I love these R bodies, partially because they weren't made for decades like the B Bodies at GM and Ford, which are a dime a dozen... these seem just a bit bigger, a bit more traditional, and cool details those cars lack... LOVE the frameless glass! I tend to like the "base" models of big American cars, like the "Gran Fury" version of this car from Plymouth, because they have all the size and comfort without a lot of the fussy details. But, ALWAYS a sucker or hidden headlights, those are due for a comeback! HAVE to ask, how much did it cost to have such a huge heavy car shipped to AU? Thanks mate!
Hi Jack. I must confess. I like the GM and Ford models too. They all have their advantages. To ship a car to Australia these days is roughly $6,000 by the time you pay taxes and charges. The dearer the car the more tax you pay. 👍
"It's the fabulous New Yooorrr-KERRR!!!" (Forgive me! I know the jingle on line 79). I'm a Brazilian fan of the "American way of making cars". Especially those from the 70's! Great!Fantastic condition! Great business for everyone and have fun!
@@johnmaki3046I don’t doubt you John although David (who owns this car)has a police spec Dodge St Regis with the 360. Cop tyres and suspension and THAT car is terrific to drive. Nice handling, ride and good power nit’s a shame the New Yorker didn’t have that suspension and engine as the ride was still very comfortable. It transforms the car in my view. Thanks for the comments and please check out the other videos on the channel. 👍
@@markbehr88 The ONLY time that my '79 Chrysler Newport could "cruise" over ANYTHING bigger than an ice cube was when I moved a 27" console t.v., for a buddy, in its trunk!
Beautiful design when American cars had a distinctive look and strong bumpers and the prominent hood concealing the wipers 👍 Dum dums changed this into the ridiculous awkward body in '82 supposedly to save gas, and nothing happened other than a step backwards
Thanks Jeff. I know many people disconnect that Lean Burn system. I’m sure others can comment on that in more detail? The car runs very well. Cheers Mark
Always liked these a lot but the quality was really lousy at the time. I remember my dad taking me to look at one and there were a lot of issues with it sitting on the showroom floor including a broken seat track on the driver side which the dealer should have addressed. Oh well.
A 318 is certainly a reliable workhorse, if not a powerful one (although I am sure you could modify it to be so). I had a 360 in my 1977 Dodge Magnum and it wen5well. It had the 4 barrel carb. I wish I still had my Magnum. Thanks for the comments Mister Whipple!
If those 360s and 400s had the Thermoquad set up right and you got rid of the stock ignition and replaced it with a "Chrome Box" or the"Orange Box", they'd SCREAM!
Unfortunately the interior parts of these cars (and other Chrysler cars of this era) were spectacularly cheap and flimsy. Chrysler was in a major financial bind and was also trying to make their cars lighter. The results of cost and weight reductions were unfortunate indeed.
I think that is particularly true of the bumpers where the chrome plating often peels off. David’s example is all fine in that respect. In terms of the interior though, this example is mint and I didn’t really notice any cheaper materials versus contemporary American cars?
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Surprising how popular these R Body cars are becoming, when they came out they weren’t well received by the car buying public. I still like these cars.
Thanks James. There has been a general increase in interest in American cars of the 80’s. I am sure (per the Crown Vic, Grand Marquis and Town Car examples) an R body would have sold better if it was allowed to live past 1983 per the M body 5th Ave. as fuel prices went down the demand for larger, rear wheel drive US cars went up. Even later spawning aero examples from GM and Ford. Appreciate you comments. Please subscribe for more old car videos 👍
The R body cars, along with the J/Y cars through the 1983 model year are favorites, although I've never owned one. I feel that Mopar did a very good job with their 1st generation of downsized cars. Today, I'm puzzled by the sales collapse of the Chrysler 300 - an excellent car in all respects IMO. I own a black on black, 2020 300S 5.7L bought new, and have been very happy with the car. A 'poor man's Mercedes Benz since the cars's original development took place under Daimler's tutelage.
I remember as a kid in Finland when the R-body New Yorker came out, it was one of the worst days in my life. While I liked the styling the downsizing was a shock, I could not understand it at all. All R-body New Yorkers in Finland had 360:s. A friend of mine has a Nightwatch Blue one, another friend of mine used to work for the company which owned it as new, we used to sit in it at night sometimes as he was a computer programmer working evenings. A fantastic car!
Nice memories. Check out the other videos on the channel and please subscribe for more old car videos. 👍
How common were Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler cars in Finland back then? Many originally imported cars still around?
@@Monaghan By 1980 sales had declined but Aspens still sold well. New Yorkers and Royal Monaco's were popular with government institutions and big companies, the downsizing didn't work well there. Miradas used to be everywhere but now you rarely see any. Aspens are starting to disappear as well. Almost bought a low mile SE last summer.
I still have a pile of brochures I picked up on holiday in Canada in 1979,got one for this and most of the Chrysler range.
That’s cool Jim. I have the brochures too. It would have been great to have seen these new on the showroom floor.
My father had a 1980 New Yorker in burgundy with a leather interior with every option known except a sunroof. He and my mother did a lot of road trips in that car and racked up 250,000 miles until it could not run anymore. Lots of good times and memories in that car see as how I was on some of those road trips in that beauty
Wow! What tremendous memories. Thanks for sharing!
I am happy you guys can appreciate our malaise-era cars, especially from chrysler... they really tended to fall apart as quick as an irish-car bomb -without the bomb- of the same era.
Thanks very much. We do appreciate our American iron off (most) all generations. Appreciate your comments 👍
That Nightwatch Blue was one of Chrysler's best colors back in the 80s. A beautiful rare ride you have there!
Thanks Dale. I agree. A great colour and David is lucky to have such a nice example. Please subscribe for more old car videos and check out the other Mopar videos on the channel.
Thanks for subscribing Dale! 👍
@@markbehr88 I'm glad I did! Keep the classics coming!
Nice Car!
I always liked the Gunmetal blue they had. It's was lighter medium blue...
I didn't care for the R-body cars at first but now I love them.
I know what you mean although I always liked them, especially the Dodge St Regis with the clear flip down headlight covers.
Such unique rear doors! Beautiful upholstery mate.
Thanks Greg. I agree with you. It’s very nicely appointed. Appreciate your comments 👍
Wow beautiful car
Thanks William. Please check out the other videos on the channel and you can subscribe to get notified of new ones as they appear. Appreciate your comments 👍
A good friend of mine in 1991 inherited a 1980 Chrysler New Yorker, from his Grandfather who bought it new. It was all white with dark blue dash and carpeting, beautiful white Corinthian leather lots of chrome and fake wood trim everywhere, with the formal Landau roof and lights near the windows. It was also loaded with every option the old man could get, including a 360, with Police Package that included a rear sway bar, that really helped the handling. Especially after my buddy installed expensive KONI shocks. Then he removed the engine and transmission, to swap in a MOPAR Performance 360, with Holley Projection 4 brl throttle body injection, plus long tube headers with huge 2.5” dual exhaust with big quiet mufflers and resonators to add to the “sleeper” mode, the only performance giveaway was the Keystone Classic chrome wheels and B. F. Goodrich T/A radials in size 285/45-16. That really helped hold the road and let the 3:55 posi put the torque down. Total sleeper and highway flyer, I remember there were these R bodies used in The Rhode Island State Police, with the same 360’s, that had certified 140 mph speedometers, a cousin who was a mechanic in the State garage who would maintain them and told me Troopers reported the cars could reach 130 easily, some a bit more when tuned just right.
Thanks Kevin. Terrific story. That would have been a very cool cruiser. The 360 engine makes a big difference. David has a 360 Dodge St Regis, ex CA police car. It goes really well. Thanks for sharing 👍.
@@markbehr88 Cops loved the Chrysler products, and they still due. Current Ford SUVs not so much.
@@deepthinker999 yes the Charger is excellent.
Beautiful car Mark - it looks fabulous as an original car. Well done to David as well. It's a credit to him. Regards & bests always, Fletch 👍
Thanks very much Fletch. David loves this car.
I forgot these cars came with two-tone exteriors, like many others of the era, but I'm glad you were able to get an all navy blue version, looks great!
Thanks Mark. Agree the Navy looks the best.
I remember when they came out in 1979. The downsizing was a shock. And the ‘74’s were downsized already so ‘79’s were looking quite small. Went with my dad to a tent sale that year (lots of dealers taking their cars to a sports venue parking lot) and we saw a cream on cream New Yorker with blonde (fake) wood. That was stunning! I tried my best to get my dad to buy it, to no avail. About a year later he bought a used ‘77 New Yorker. (That was a sweet ride, too.)
Great memories Gary. Appreciate your comments and please subscribe for more old car videos. There are plenty of Mopars and other makes on the channel. 👍
Cream on cream? May have been a Fifth Avenue.
Yes I remember that colour in the sales brochure.
I remember when these came out, people thought it was the end of the road for Chrysler. I had a 77 New Yorker Brougham many years ago and it seemed like the last real Chrysler. Amazing how nice this 1980 looks today.
@@66skate Thanks. The 77 were a cool looking car. I love the waterfall grille. Agree the 1980 model looks sharp today, especially compared to all the new SUVs. 👍
This was when the Big 4 (GM, Ford, Chrysler, and AMC) still knew how to manufacture cars!
Agree. And they were actually CARS not SUVs and they were distinctly American and not some Euro or Japanese knock off. Thanks for watching and please subscribe and check out the other videos on the channel.
Beautiful car. My highschool had the Dodge St Regis version as student driver education cars.
Very cool.
I haven't seen an R- body full size Chrysler product in years!!! Let alone one in this good a shape with only Thirty-One thousand miles. Many of these are unfortunately throwaway models but this one is in pristine condition!!. Beautifully well preserve!!! And taken care of.
Thanks Rod. Glad you enjoyed it. Please check out all the other Mopar episodes on the channel. 👍
@@markbehr88 Thanks Mark for the heads up I am a lover of cars all kinds including classic cars and antiques concept muscle cars daily drivers etc and I'll be on the lookout for future videos.
@@rodferguson3515 Great. Thanks Rod.
@@markbehr88 Iacocca's sedans seemed to have disappeared off the face of the earth.
@@deepthinker999 yes. True.
I love this style New Yorker, I remember when they came out - very glam.
Thanks Groovy. I like it too. And when you consider large car sales took off later (Lincoln Town Car, Mercury Grand Marquis, Crown Vic etc). These cars may well have been better sellers if Chrysler was able to keep them going or re-start the tooling. Please subscribe and check out all the other videos on the channel.
Nice car thanks for sharing
Thanks Gerard.
They were SORTA cool! I (owned) a '79 Chrysler Newport in 1991. It was a TOTAL LEMON on the SLIPPERY roads of Northern Minnesota! Great motor, drivetrain, though!
Thanks John. Appreciate your comments.
@@markbehr88 I do want to add here; Chrysler cars (of the mid-70s-81 era) ALWAYS had the CLASS motors and transmissions! These were GREAT POWER! However, mounting rear spring shackles to a NEAR "non existent" CHEAP trunk floor was THE RECIPE for DISASTER! I owned six of these cars! The drivetrain was AWESOME; the CHASSIS/BODY "quality" WAS HORRID!
@@johnmaki3046 Fair enough. You have the owner experience there.
Beautiful Chrysler product!
Thanks Thomas. I agree. Check out the other Mopars on the channel and thanks for your comment 👍
I had a 1980 New Yorker with the 360 V8 throughout the 1990s. Mine was a bit nicer with black paint, tan leather interior, stainless steel roof, and a 'special handling' package. I got it for a song from a coworker's grandfather. It had been parked for over a year. A new battery was all it needed. It was one of my favorite cars ever and I would have kept it forever if it wasn't a rust belt car and starting to fall apart. Very little trouble with it, never failed to start. Cold A/C and more squeak and rattle free than my current cars. Just a great, elegant car and very underrated. It was also a somewhat rare car where I lived and I think I only ever saw one other on the road the whole time I owned it. It had over 200K miles on it when I finally got rid of it and the only mechanical work it ever needed other than wear items was a timing chain on the engine, exhaust system, and alternator. Great car and thanks for sharing.
Sounds like it was a terrific car especially in black. Thanks for sharing 👍.
Beautiful car and I love the color. You mentioned these bodies shared the same platform as the Chrysler LeBaron. I bought a brand-new Chrysler Lebaron Medallion two-coupe in 1980. The Medallion was the higher trim package over the Salon model. I loved the car, and the color was a muted pinkish color called "Light Heather Gray" but the 225 slant-six engine was problematic. Every time it rained after the car was about 5 years old, it would stall out at intersections! Also, the rotors had to be replaced after only 40,000 miles. Maybe the 318 V8 is more reliable, but it wasn't an available option on the LeBaron, I think because it was a lighter car than the New Yorker. In 1986, I traded it in for a brand-new, drop-dead gorgeous Chevy Caprice Classic Landau Coupe, white with burgundy interior.
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed the video. Great story on your car too. The New Yorker, Gran Fury, St Regis were the R body cars while the LeBaron was an M body. Later they used the M body LeBaron to do the Chrysler New Yorker 5th Ave edition. That was after the R body cars ended production. Appreciate your comments and please subscribe to check out more videos on the channel. Cheers Mark
I had a 69 Fury III with a 318 cubic inch engine. That car would immediately start on the North Pole but after a few minutes it would stall out and would not restart. I learned a few months ago that their was an electrical ballast that needed replacement. We tried everything to fix the stalling problem finally adding a manual choke that helped but did not solve the problem. Unfortunately Chrysler products had a well deserved reputation of being rust buckets.
R Body FTW!!
Love the discussion/commentary as well. You guys really know your MOPAR facts - appreciated! 👍
Thanks man. That’s really kind of you. Check out the other videos on the channel and please subscribe. 👍
My friends mother went from the last C-Body '78 Brougham for one of these and did 't expect much but it really road great and the 360 was adequate. The 440 lean burn wasn't so hot in the Brougham
Great memories for sure. I think I’d go for the 78 Brougham? Not sure. What do you think?
@@markbehr88 I would stay with the Brougham for sure but these get zero respect and they weren't that bad. They had more front leg room and were identical to the downsized GM's at the time, actually not as downsized. Also the leather interiors were right up there with all the great New Yorker's!
@@4339jk Agree. At the end of the day, I’d like one of each!
@@markbehr88 For what there going for that's not an impossibility...!
Very true and thanks for subscribing by the way. Much appreciated.
That New Yorker was a good find. Wish I had one with a low mileage and in original condition. Always liked the luxury North American cars.
Thanks Ernie. Agree it is a great example. If you haven’t already, please subscribe and check out plenty more American car videos on the channel. Appreciate the comment. 👍
GORGEOUS CAR and Color!!
Thank you please subscribe for more old car videos and check out the others on the channel. 👍
Awesome car. Looks amazing.
Thank you. Please subscribe for more old car videos 👍
Thanks, David and Mark. I liked the R body much more than the M body, which always looked like an Aspen wearing a mask to me.
Ha. Thanks BC. That M body comment made me laugh. It was a pretty good mask when you consider what they started with. Hope to see you on the channel 👍
@@markbehr88 maybe more accurately, the M body was an Aspen wearing a bad hat or even a toupee. Chrysler was working with what it had, and it didn’t have a lot of money, so it was hard to hide the Valiant roots.
Yes. The challenge of insufficient funding.
Dad was somehow able to order his Demonstrators exactly the way he wanted them... He "knew somebody" at the factory...
I remember him having an M Body Fifth Avenue that he ordered triple black with a red pinstripe AND the whole enchilada Police Package!
It was a real sleeper with the wire wheel covers and white walls...😄
Best of era
Thank you Peter 👍
The car is beautiful. Our neighbors had the Calvin Klein (tu-tone cream) edition with the matching cream interior. The car was breathtaking! As I recall, the "R" bodies came out during an Oil Crisis and didn't sell well for that reason, and Chrysler's management at the time wasn't anything to brag about.
Thanks James. You are correct. Plus there was a recession in the US in the early 80’s that made it hard for all the US manufacturers until 1984 or so. Thanks for watching 👍.
And then god sent Lee Iacocca to fix the mess and against heavy odds he succeeded. There has been no one like him since.
Nice! I have an all original 34,000 miler 1981 Mercury Cougar XR7.
Very cool. I have the equivalent Thunderbird. Check it out on my channel. 👍
Here is a super low mile 1980 Chrysler New Yorker. Super cool and only 31,000 original miles. I hope you enjoy the video. Please don’t forget to share, Like, Comment and Subscribe. Thanks for watching!
Very beautiful Chrisley and very rare please keep safe
Thanks Ronald. I am sure David will. Please check put the other Chrysler videos on the channel and please subscribe if you haven’t already 👍
thank you I will
@@ronaldsnyder7217 much appreciated
The velour/leather combo is a nice touch. I really like velour in cars. So comfortable. But the leather trim just elevates it a bit.
Agree. It’s a great combination 👍👍
I remember these very well and always thought that they were much nicer than the Cadillacs of the time...
Dad was part owner of a Chrysler Plymouth Dodge Imperial dealership in Houston... He'd take one of these as a Demonstrator now and then.
I don't remember the build quality being sub-par, as is usually mentioned in reference to the MOPARS of the era.
Nice memories Slick. Did he ever bring home an 81-3 Imperial? I have an 81 model and love the styling.
@@markbehr88 hiya Mark! Sorry it took two effing months for ScrooToob to tell me you replied!
Yeah! Dad would bring home a different Demo all the time.
He had a Frank Sinatra Imperial once... He drove it for about four days. It was a Frank Sinatra edition.
When I asked him if he really liked it because he'd driven it so often, he said NO...he just wanted to work the bugs out of it.
It turns out that the body shop did a TOTAL detail on the car and the house pin striper painted a pretty large, gold "F S" on each door.
The reason was that it was apparently one of Frank's to begin with! The guy who owned the Sales portion of the dealership was buddies with Mr. Sinatra and was tasked by Chrysler Corporate to specially prepare the car for him... I guess that Chrysler gave him several Imperials for partial compensation for those commercials he was in.
I remember that this particular car had a special 360 4 barrel, dual exhaust. It was dad's job to make it run like a scalded dog... Which he DID.
Other than the drivetrain, everything about that car was CUSTOM. The body shop made the bodywork perfect, they painted it in that special Ice Blue, but it was done like a mirror with no swirls, etc... The striping was hand painted.
The interior was absolutely MAGNIFICENT. I want to say that light blue Nappa leather was used and I remember the carpet was actual sheared lamb in light blue.
Mr Sinatra also kept a few of his other cars stored on the dealership property... One was a bright orange BMW M1 that also had a HUGE "FS" painted in gold on each flip up door!
Dad was good friends with a gent who worked at Chrysler, he was in charge of Special Handling Vehicles (the custom department) in Detroit.
Because of their friendship, dad was able to order ANYTHING he wanted to use as a Demonstrator.
One that I remember really well, was an 81 or 82 Cordoba yha he ordered... It of course had the 360 Police Interceptor running gear, BUT Dad wanted a really nice car for Mom.
His buddy had the car (a coupe, of course) sent to National (or was it American? I can't remember.) Sunroof and had them turn it into a real convertible.
Dad tried selling mom on how "classy" the phony "cabriolet roof" would look on the car, but then dad's friend said..."I know exactly what to do"...
But it was REALLY NICE when it was finally delivered - it was painted to mimic one of those 70s Bill Blass Continental MK Vs, white hood and deck with navy blue sides and gold pinstripe.
The real convertible top was white and the interior was navy and white leather.
Another CRAZY car dad had for a while, was a Mark Cross Town N Country K convertible that was special ordered with the standard Mark Cross interior, but instead of having a white body paint as usual, it was sprayed in an Autumn Maple fireglow, similar to that used on later Cadillac Fleetwood cars.
It had actual wire wheels on it... And on top of being equipped with the Hemi 2.6, it was turbo charged with some otherwise unavailable turbo unit... The kicker was that the car had a reverse opening trunk lid that was actually a rumble seat!
That was a really neat car!
I guess with the right "pull", you could still get Special Order things from the factory, well into the 1980s.
I remember one that The City of Houston ordered as a car for the Mayor and Dignitaries to ride around in.
It was a K Limousine, but it was TRICKED OUT above what was normally available.
It had a hotrodded engine, dual air conditioners, leather in the driver's compartment, really luxurious cloth in the rear. It was midnight blue metallic. It had a cut crystal bar cabinet and all of the woodwork in the rear compartment was burl maple. Really top shelf sh*t!
Hey... Thanks for sparking those old memories!
I really enjoyed my time working summers at the dealership with my dad. I fondly remember all of those cool cars!
One really funny story... The front end sold everything from Omnis and Horizons for next to nothing, up to Custom vans and special order Imperials if the customer wanted.
As we all know, MOPAR was going through a spell where their build quality wasn't consistent.
I remember seeing one of the salesmen trying to sell a Dodge Omni to an elderly couple. They were apparently worried about the strength of the car, so this salesman opened the passenger front door and rolled down the window and jumped up on the window sill and started jumping up and down so hard, the edge of the door damn near hit the ground... He rocked the car that way about twenty times... The couple was satisfied that it wasn't junk and they bought the car.
Well... Another salesman inside must have seen it.
A little while later, he was trying to sell a brand new Imperial to a middle aged couple... I remember that car being light green metallic.
Anyway, he put the windows down and walked around the car and opened up the passenger door. He lept up onto the door sill and damn if that door didn't just COLLAPSE and fall off of that car! Broke BOTH door hinges clean off🤣
Those people left so fast, I think they laid down fire tracks😂
Cheers!
Thanks Slick. They are fantastic stories. I really mean fantastic. Thanks so much for sharing them. You must have had a ball back in the day. A 360 Imperial would have been cool. That is the engine it really should of had. Thanks again 👍👍👍@@slicksnewonenow
@@markbehr88 hiya Mark-
Those Police Package cars really could haul...
Dad's usual Demo order was a New Yorker Fifth Avenue with the whole enchilada Police Interceptor equipment and some non-standard color combination.
I remember well a triple black Fifth Avenue that he had... With standard steel wheels and those wire wheel covers.
It could smoke the tires clear off the rims and would EAT a new at the time Trans Am or Camaro... Those 5.0 Mustangs were also no match🤣
I really do miss the fun from those days!
That sounds like a real sleeper. Very cool. @@slicksnewonenow
Beautiful Car!
Thanks Anthony. Please check out the other videos on the channel too.
Never saw anyone use two hands on the steering wheel of one of these early-era Chrysler products!
Safety first George. Thanks for the comments and please subscribe.
Excellent video magnificent car!
Thank you very much. Please check out the other videos and please subscribe for more old xar content. 👍
gorgeous cars inside and out, i dont really get whats worse about them than fords and gms full size offerings of the time. and the r bodys were also used in police, so they must have some qualities.
I agree with you. They are cool machines!
They were FAST !!!
Nice car, I always liked the dash and instrument cluster it was way nicer than the older models. In Canada people were buying the small Japanese cars and the Mitsubishi Cars with the Dodge and Plymouth name plate were a excellent little car. Around the mid eighties big America muscle cars were dirt cheap and people would smash them up in demolition derbies.
One of my first cars was a 1970 New Port 383, 4door, with a little damage on the drivers door, it was a pretty nice car and I paid $150 for it. That's how cheap they were. Around 15 years old is the magic number for a used vehicle because I've bought lots of trucks that sell around $1000 to $2500 and they just need a few repairs and they run good.
Thanks for your comments. I like the instruments too. Re the older American cars. We didn’t know how good a value they were then. Very under valued, which is when I bought most of mine. 👍
My dad rip had a 1988 wine New Yorker he loved it big seats
Thank you. Yes they are cool looking cars and nice it reminded you of your Dad. I have my Dad’s 72 Ford LTD which is the title image above my videos. Thanks for the comments 👍
Such big beautiful car
Thanks Christian. I have to agree. Check out plenty of other cool car videos on the channel. Cheers Mark
Glorius car!
I suppose the American cars were a bit outdated by the 80's, but they had LOTS of features which THEY were ahead of it's time lol
I do like the "outdated" look though... I guess same as 2CV or Beetle, very outdated but still cool lol
Thanks Ivano. I call it Neo Classic design. There were some more modern 80’s US designs like the 1983 Thunderbird, but this “classic” design as per the New Yorker was very distinctly American and not confused with the cars of any other country or like the boring SUVs we see nowadays.
@@markbehr88 So true!
Was driven in one in the same color in 1981 in Copenhagen.
It was a taxi, running on gas (not petrol). The gas tank took up quite some space on the trunk.
Interesting. Was that an unusual car for over there?
@@markbehr88
It is the only New Yorker I have seen in Denmark from that model series at all in Denmark
Chrysler Newport, on the other hand, was quite often seen as taxis.
@@KoldingDenmark interesting. I guess there must be a few American cars in Denmark? We are right hand drive (apart from older collectible cars) so American cars were always something special.
dont see these around anymore
That’s true. Please check out the other videos on the channel.
Big blue beauty.
For sure Aaron. Please check out the other videos and subscribe if you haven’t already. 👍
A fine car.
8 track tapes went obsolete not long after!
Yes, but they’re kind of cool aren’t they?
He's got a Dodge St Regis detective's car? He's living a dream.
Love the opulence of this old girl.
It honestly looks later than 80, especially with the digital clock.
America was still producing this style of car in 89.
I like the guards. Reminds me of the Holden HD.
Yes, it’s a great car. His 360 St Regis goes a lot better. I reckon they should have all had the 360. 👍
@@markbehr88 yes, it may have been downsized but clearly a land yacht by Australian standards. At least as hefty as a Chrysler by Chrysler.
@@jamesfrench7299 Heavier I’d say?
@@markbehr88I believe it is a monocoque but sounds like the 318 isn't up to it, so must be.
It’s the town car New Yorker it’s nice
👍👍
😊 Now THAT'S a Chrysler!
It sure is! 👍
Chrysler REALLY should have used the exact same chime sound that was used in the 1979-82 Cadillacs for the 1980 New Yorker along with the 1981 Imperial instead of the electronic chime that they used in this car.
Plus made the 360 the only engine choice 👍
Grab your spray paint cans boys, get her ready for the banger races!
That’s just mean. Like spray painting the Mona Lisa I say!
way too many rare and great cars where destroyed in the 80s with a carbon credit cash for clunkers destruction of automotive history
@@moparmadman1134 you are 100% correct there my friend.
There are no modern classics boys. Anything after ‘72, crush it.
@orderoftheaardvark6956 I think I’d rather crush the demo derby crowd.
I love these R bodies, partially because they weren't made for decades like the B Bodies at GM and Ford, which are a dime a dozen... these seem just a bit bigger, a bit more traditional, and cool details those cars lack... LOVE the frameless glass!
I tend to like the "base" models of big American cars, like the "Gran Fury" version of this car from Plymouth, because they have all the size and comfort without a lot of the fussy details.
But, ALWAYS a sucker or hidden headlights, those are due for a comeback!
HAVE to ask, how much did it cost to have such a huge heavy car shipped to AU?
Thanks mate!
Hi Jack. I must confess. I like the GM and Ford models too. They all have their advantages. To ship a car to Australia these days is roughly $6,000 by the time you pay taxes and charges. The dearer the car the more tax you pay. 👍
Would have liked to see the shift P R N D 2 1 selector which in the previous year models 1975-1978 were mounted on the steering column
I’ll have to check that out 👍
@@markbehr88 thx
"It's the fabulous New Yooorrr-KERRR!!!" (Forgive me! I know the jingle on line 79).
I'm a Brazilian fan of the "American way of making cars". Especially those from the 70's!
Great!Fantastic condition!
Great business for everyone and have fun!
Thanks Roberto. All good to sing the jingle. Please check out the other videos and subscribe for more. 👍
Beauty
David says Thanks. 👍
Very nice old girl ❤❤❤❤
Thanks Tom 👍
It was a GREAT "trimmed" '79 Newport! These cars would work! They just WOULD NOT on ANY slippery surface, though!
Ha hah. Very funny.
@@markbehr88 They WERE this way! I DROVE THEM!
@@johnmaki3046I don’t doubt you John although David (who owns this car)has a police spec Dodge St Regis with the 360. Cop tyres and suspension and THAT car is terrific to drive. Nice handling, ride and good power nit’s a shame the New Yorker didn’t have that suspension and engine as the ride was still very comfortable. It transforms the car in my view. Thanks for the comments and please check out the other videos on the channel. 👍
@@markbehr88 I am SURE the "police rides" of the St. Regis, Newport/New Yorker were EONS better! ALL "cop cars" were!
@@markbehr88 The ONLY time that my '79 Chrysler Newport could "cruise" over ANYTHING bigger than an ice cube was when I moved a 27" console t.v., for a buddy, in its trunk!
Magnífico auto q bien conservado es un tesoro con su icónica máquina
Thank you.
Hello... can a 6-5 guy fit in the car?
I’m sure you could. You may have to do something re seat adjustment but they are a roomy car with good headroom.
She is gorgeous... enjoy her down under!
Thanks Andrew. Appreciate the comments. Please check out the other videos on the channel and subscribe if you haven’t already 👍
Please pull that tape out of the player when it's not on. It will flat spot the pinch roller. Just halfway is enough.
Thanks JR. I’ll let him know. Please check out the other videos on the channel and subscribe if you haven’t already. 👍
Beautiful design when American cars had a distinctive look and strong bumpers and the prominent hood concealing the wipers 👍
Dum dums changed this into the ridiculous awkward body in '82 supposedly to save gas, and nothing happened other than a step backwards
I agree with you. 👍
You know it's a beautiful car you really don't deserve something like that the way you keep it all dirty it needs a wax what a shame.
I’ll pass on your thoughts to David but he’s looking after it rest assured.
Beautiful car....BUT if it had the lean burn engine it was no good.
Thanks Jeff. I know many people disconnect that Lean Burn system. I’m sure others can comment on that in more detail? The car runs very well. Cheers Mark
Lean burn is great for its era
Always liked these a lot but the quality was really lousy at the time. I remember my dad taking me to look at one and there were a lot of issues with it sitting on the showroom floor including a broken seat track on the driver side which the dealer should have addressed. Oh well.
Yes, you’re right there.
A 318 is worth having. The 360 and 400s were pig engines, total pieces of sh*t. It's worth saving.
A 318 is certainly a reliable workhorse, if not a powerful one (although I am sure you could modify it to be so). I had a 360 in my 1977 Dodge Magnum and it wen5well. It had the 4 barrel carb. I wish I still had my Magnum. Thanks for the comments Mister Whipple!
If those 360s and 400s had the Thermoquad set up right and you got rid of the stock ignition and replaced it with a "Chrome Box" or the"Orange Box", they'd SCREAM!
No Chrysler engine is a pig engine
Unfortunately the interior parts of these cars (and other Chrysler cars of this era) were spectacularly cheap and flimsy. Chrysler was in a major financial bind and was also trying to make their cars lighter. The results of cost and weight reductions were unfortunate indeed.
I think that is particularly true of the bumpers where the chrome plating often peels off. David’s example is all fine in that respect. In terms of the interior though, this example is mint and I didn’t really notice any cheaper materials versus contemporary American cars?
@@markbehr88 It's not so much the look of the interiors of these cars...It's the feel of them. Cheap cheap cheap!
@@MDavidG1 right got you. I think the earlier series cars were much bigger and heavier - which adds to the quality feel for sure.
The bumpers where chromed aluminium
@@moparmadman1134 yes that’s right and they had a bad habit of peeling.
Not exactly bank-vault doors. While I always liked the design, the build quality was subpar at best.
This is a mint example but I get Chrysler had its quality woes around this time. 👍