@@williammickelson403 yeah and i bought that dark brown piece of crap from mike farris used cars in albuquerque n,m, have been running that engine in my n,y,5,a, for the last ten years, turns out the car belonged to my dads former boss, john hale of pavemeny maintenance and my friend dave had re built the motor when he worked there, breaking bad was not the reason i bought mine , i wanted a project, i pain $300 for mine and it was a wreck, funny you mentioned that
Only in the 80s and it was standard. Equipment....in the mid 80s you also got a hot plate baking soda and small baby food jar with the cocaine option...btw it was optional in the mid 80s because lee Iacocoa was visiting the production lines every day doing the lines everyday lol
Its always been my dream to drive a chrysler fifth avenue down 5th avenue in nyc while eating a fifth avenue chocolate bar on my way to saks fifth avenue
These cars were quiet, very sturdy and reliable, soft riding, and the pillow top seats were the most comfortable I ever had . I sold mine many years ago with 215,000 miles. It still looked good and ran fine. I have questioned that decision several times since.
Hello Road / Ethan Tufts: Those seats, done in fancy, button-tufted leather or velour cloth, always looked as luxurious as any car seats I've ever seen, to be sure!
My great grandfather gifted me his with 20k miles same color same gold interior, the fabric carpet was so soft, floated through the city it's whole life until it was stolen
We rented 3 of these from Budget rental. They were black with bright red crushed velour interior. We were college students from Florida State University and were heading to New Orleans for a week of party and fun. We thought we were riding in style. They were nice cars in the day...
They were better than Alot of cars in the day. I guess that's why they sold 100,000 of them a year back then. Yea, by the way Alot of the cars back then we're hitting 0-60 18 seconds. That said, it was pretty funny.
Cool - I really wanted to do the same thing in college - road trip from DC to NYC in order to pick up a case of wine that got impounded when my gf returned from her semester in France. For whatever reason we didn't get the 5th Avenue and got stuck with a Cutlass Supreme. Bah.
My father in law bought an '85 the exact color as yours, he loved that car. Me and my wife took vacations with them in that car for years all over the Southeast. I can still remember him with a cigarette in one hand, a cup of coffee in the other and driving with his knees. The power steering was that good.
I like this car. To be honest, I’d rather have the 5th Avenue than a Lamborghini, crazy as it may sound to some people. Thank you for another great video. Maybe you can purchase a Checker Marathon, whether it be a taxi cab or a civilian model. I always had a heart for those kind of cars, especially for the station wagon variant, which is pretty rare.
Nowadays a Fifth Ave is certainly more unique! I will keep an eye out for a Checker. Haven't seen one in a long time. Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed it! :) :)
I've had this car for years. Its the greatest car ever made. This is American Luxury at it's finest. Engine, transmission, and body/frame/chassis are all built like an anvil. Traditional rear wheel drive is the only way to go. The fleets such as the taxis and police used these and preferred them because the new front wheel drive bullshit was constantly failing. Tried and true is the way to go. This cars technology has been around since the 60s and the Chrysler Fifth Avenue is the embodiment Traditional american rear wheel drive V8 technology perfected. This car has 0 design flaws. Its extremely resistant to rust because all the dips and coatings applied to it at the factory. This is a mans car. Driving this car makes u feel in command of the road. Parts are extremely cheap and everywhere whether new or salvage as half a million of these cars were made between 1984 and 1989. Plus the 1983 which is the exact same car but instead of Fifth Avenue it was called the New Yorker Fifth Avenue edition. Also the diplomats and gran furys which are the exact same car without the luxury trim and a different grill (i prefer the Fifth Avenue grill as it is more menacing). It looks like a 70s car because it is a 70s car. The design started with the Dodge Diplomat in the late 70s. The design was based on the Aspen and Volares (many body parts are interchangeable). I got a cheap door window out of an Aspen at a junk yard for my Fifth Avenue. The seats are extremely comfortable and i can ride all day long in it without any back or ass pain. The suspension makes it feel like ur driving a cloud and the seats make u feel like ur sitting on one. I have seen people TRY to blow the engine and transmission and couldn't even do it. The 318 is tough as hell and so is the torqueflite. They kept trying to blow the engine holding the accelerator to the floor in park (Keep in mind the car doesn't have a computer that will stop the RPMS before they go 2 high) and they failed, the 318 wouldn't die so they took it out on the road that later that day and was dropping the transmission in reverse at speed and it wouldn't die either so they eventually gave up LOL. You can't find a more reliable car. U can beat the hell out of it and it just keeps going. Old cars>new cars. Anyone who believes different is living in fantasy land and doesn't know shit about cars. They just believe whatever the companies tell them. "hey were making this part of the engine plastic and this part of the car carbon fiber because plastic reduces weight and carbon doesn't rust and blah blah blah. When in reality there is really only one reason they do it and thats $. Its cheaper to manufacture that crap than it is to make good old fashioned, tried and true no bullshit METAL. Plastic radiator? have fun paying for another one when that one fails BECAUSE IT WILL FAIL while u could drive one made of metal ur whole life from age 18 to age 80 something when ur grandkids are adults and still have the same radiator because guess what? metal is stronger than plastic. This car wasn't for old people it was for people with a brain that actually knew about cars not people who have had the government and society hold their hand every moment of their life and didn't know the difference between a radiator cap and a gas cap. You used to actually have to diagnose a cars problem with ur brain. Now u hook up a computer and it tells u what to do. I broke down not 2 long ago in another classic vehicle of mine and had my vehicle towed to a repair shop and u know what they told me? They told me they didn't know how to work on it, they were completely baffled by it like it was a fuckin alien spacecraft or something LOL. What it boiled down to was all they knew how to do was plug in their computer to the cars computer and let their computer tell them what to do. They said it would take them hours to check the electronics with a manual multi meter and likely cost me over $1000. So i just had it towed to a storage place and worked on it myself (i only took it to the shop for convenience) and i probed with my multi meter, diagnosed and fixed the problem in 10 minutes lol hahahahahaha. They told me the car probably had breaker point ignition and they didn't know anything about breaker point ignition. Its 2 points that open and close via the distributor shaft LOL are fuckin kiddin me??? It seems to me the more technology advances the more ignorant people become as to how the technology actually works. They can plug something in and press the power button but open a computer up and hand them a soldering iron, solder and tell them to fix it manually and they have no idea what to do.
There’s one old man that has a 1985 Chrysler 5th Avenue, and all I ever had to do to it was replace the lean burn computer on it. The starter did go out on it also. The drive train is all original on it. Even the power windows still work. Those old 318s have been around for almost 50 years, and there’s definitely a reason. They have the old 904 transmission on them, and I have never seen one fail under 200k miles. There are taxis used every day in New York that have 300k on the odometer and still going, and all they ever see is stop and go traffic. We probably won’t see a luxury car quite as dependable as the 5th Avenue for a long time.
It's my mechanics guilty pleasure. He's a GM guy despises ChryCO and I have to abosrb his cries to sell if for a Caddy etc. But the when the hood is popped I've never seen him spend so much time on a car; constantly listening, adjusting, tightening and loosening. The satisfaction he gets from tune the car to his own personal interpretation is something I rarely see in the trades these days .
Keep in mind that this platform (Original Aspen/Volare) was considered (actually was) junk when unbelieved in 1976, they had the worst of 70's bankrupt Chrysler, terrible production quality, a record of recalls in '76 and pretty much cemented a bad reputation for Chrysler that would end up killing them in 1980. It wasn't until they bough AMC and started building this in Kenosha WI in '86 that quality got better AMC despite having less resources that MOPAR managed to keep a standard on their cars, such a shame that always bankrupt Chrylser decided to kill them anyway. Fuck them.
I worked a summer construction job. My coworker and I carpooled in his dad's New Yorker. After a day labouring in the summer heat, the soft ride home on the plush seats and air conditioned interior was so incredibly relaxing. There's a place for cars like this, and it's a a shame there's nothing quite like them anymore.
THOSE OPERA LIGHTS WERE THE " TITS BOMB" ....HOW ARROGANT AND USELESS THEY WERE AND THEY LOOKED FANTASTIC WHILE DOING SO...!!! I HAD A SILVER W/ SILVER LANDAU VINYL REAR TOP ON MY 1985 MODEL....THAT LANDAU TOP WAS ALSO THE " TITS BOMB" ; WHEN I DETAILED THE EXTERIOR & LANDAU TOP , THIS WHOLE 5TH AVE WAS THE 'CATS MEOW '. MINE HAD, AS IM SURE 90% OF THEM HAD THE 5.2 LTR (318 2BBL) ENGINE WITH, I THINK , THE 727 TRANNY..?? THE TRANNY WAS GREAT UNTIL IT WENT THRU THE FRONT SEAL WHICH ; IN TURN DUMPED TRANNY FLUID ALL OVER THE STARTER AND STARTER WIRING......I ENDED UP SELLING FOR PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR AS I COULDN'T AFFORD TO CONTINUE "BUYING STOCK " IN QUAKER-STATES TRANS FLUID DEPT....AND ITS A SHAME , TOO BECAUSE I'VE NEVER HAD A ' POST-70's ' VEHICLE WITH SUCH A QUIET & COMFORTABLE RIDE ; EVEN MY OLD 1971 OLDSMOBILE 98 WOULD BE HARD-PRESSED TO BEAT THIS CHRYSLER'S " MAGIC CARPET RIDE".......
I have one of these. It was my first car. A couple of winters and a fire have it a bit rougher on the outside then yours, but the interior is still very nearly immaculate. And both of the original electroluminescence light still work. And it has the velvet interior. I fell in love with it an I am never going to get rid of it. And honestly the fuel efficiency isn't that bad even compared to modern full size sedans. I also own a Dodge Diplomat that used to be a cop car and, for two cars that share identical bodies and engines, the cop car has noticeably more power.
Those electroluminescent opera lights ARE really cool! If Ethan here says that his don't work anymore, is it that hard to fix or replace them, possibly with white LED lights?
Cellulanus: To be sure, the Diplomat cop car would tend to have quite a lot more power. Does it have the larger 360 cubic-inch (5.9 liter) Police Interceptor V-8?
The 5.2L V8 engines in those 5th Avenues, Diplomats, and Gran Furys were beastly motors. I love those Chrysler "LA Engines" that were available during the 80's . My 1986 Dodge Ram 250 conversion van had the 318 V8 motor in there and put 400,000 miles on it and lasted over 30 years. I missed that van. It also had the legendary 727 transmission in it too.
They were fantastic for what they were. Ice cold airco, never broke down , and totally reliable. I gave mine away to one of our lot boys in 2010. I still love them.
@@happyfree5845 You wrote that just to get a response. You know that is a completely inaccurate statement. Chrysler and AMC merged in 1987. At this time Chrysler was unstoppable. The Dodge Viper was a hit and caused rethinking at Chevy about the vette and where it strayed. Minivan sales were through the roof. The tri vans from GM where no match against the tri from Chrysler. The K cars and derivatives were steady sales and the convertibles were outpacing the competition including foreign units. Dodge truck sales were setting records. And Jeep was better than ever. In 1997 Chrysler had over 6 Billion dollars in cash reserves. Then in walks Diamler with the statement "The merger of equals". It works, the Cash reserve is gone propping up Mercedes, Plymouth falls victim to the Diamler disaster and when it is discovered that there is more profit being made transferring monies from Euros to Dollars then back again, than actually selling cars, Chrysler is put on the block. Remember for Chryler to merge with Diamler, they had to sell off the highly profitable Chrysler Defense Division in M1 Tank engineering and assembly. This was the end of Chrysler. No cash reserve, The Chrysler Crossfire and Pacifica were not sale winners. Even the Diamler R class was a flop. Uncertain future, the bank bailout, the Bush disaster. Believe me, it was not the AMC merger.
@@matadorman78 yeah yeah yeah, Chrysler purchased AMC, gave AMC engineers all the tools while getting rid of Chrysler's traditional engineers yeah yeah yeah and AMC engineered LH (Renault/AMC premier based) cars and neons and Cirrus yeah yeah yeah, those swoopy new AMC cars was trash compared to the old k cars on reliability and the older M body cars. You obviously don't know why Chrysler ended up with Daimler and is currently in the state it is in now as a BRAND.
Beautiful car! Real car!! Love it..When the auto industry went to front wheel drive quality was put in the back seat as making cheaper cars was touted as progress.Grand paw has wisdom and common sense..I was only 24 years old and loved this real car.
If cars today had an interior like that, they'd sell better. I had two Chrysler New Yorkers with that color coded, tufted interior (one was leather, the other had cloth) and they were SO comfortable and matched the exterior color of the car. Love your car! That must be the only 80s Chrysler on earth without a sagging headliner.
I still remember my good friend in 93 picking me up in his grandmother's 5th Ave to go cruise around one day when my Trans Am was getting the starter replaced. He tried to show off with a burnout and instead did a 360 while leaving a side street. Great episode and brings back the memories!
My dad bought 2 of this same color. One in 85 and the other in 87. The 87 had a moon roof. I didn't understand why back then. But I get it now. He loved that car. Good call dad, wish I had it now. RIP DAD
I so miss those old American luxury barges. The seats in those old Chryslers, caddilacs and Lincoln's were like couches. Remember the plush padded seats and carpet. Remember the Olds tornado, Caddilac Eldorado or Ford thunderbird. Those soft spacious interiors.
My parents bought an '85 model in 1986. As big as it was, it was quite downsized from the 1975 Cadillac Sedan de Ville they had owned before. Fuel economy also improved over the Caddy, but that wasn't difficult considering the 500 cubic-inch engine got 13 mpg in the city and 15 mpg on the highway. The Ave, as we called it, performed reliably for many years and didn't give us any trouble. I've always wished I could find another one.
I bought an 87 identical to this one in 1991 from my next door neighbor for 2500$ and it was spotless, kepy it for about five years, started using a lot of oil, traded it in, not realizing it just needed new valve covers, nice car , that triple gold really popped, interior rivaled several Fleetwood Broughams I've had, and really more comfortable than my Caddy DTS today 😎
I have an 83 5th Avenue and you know we like to keep things all original and maintained. I hate the way New cars drive and wouldn't trade mine for anything. Cheers
I bought my Red 1987 Chrysler Fifth Avenue in 1987, have about 66,000 miles now, and we have both aged together. Although it is aesthetically falling apart, I still LOVE my "Red Baron". Hope to continue to drive this baby until I drop dead...
The Big Three each had their rear drive platforms hanging around for year because of the fleet trade. The Dodge Diplomats and Plymouth Furies were the cars that carried this platform on for years. Many police departments and cab companies used these and the Ford Crown Vic and Chevy Caprice as their car of choice. The luxury versions, Chrysler New Yorker, Cadillac Fleetwood, and Lincoln Town Cars, were just cash generators. Now its all SUVs.
Funny how the Big 3 did that back then, and moved on with the same concept using the Ford Expedition, Chevy Tahoe/Suburban, and Dodge Durango (to a much lesser degree) SUV's, then transforming them into equivalent "luxury brand" cash-cows... Although modern Escalade's/Navigator's/JGC's aren't nearly as transparently rebadged as their forebears.
Also I just bought a 1987 Plymouth Gran Fury with only 52k miles on it. Bought it just for nostalgia because I drove one just like it in high school. same color and everything. Worth every penny.
Them cars are great. My best friend’s parents owned a white one with a blue interior. They invited me to go with them to Las Vegas and we rode in it from Los Angeles. Very very nice! It brings back memories.
Problem with the Fifth Avenue by 1987 was that the Diplomat platform was a tired design...it was under powered, had poor handling/breaking abilities by 1987 standards, and it still had a carburetor when most Luxury cars were Fuel Injected. Also, the interior gauge package was unchanged since the late 70's introduction of the Diplomat platform. All the cosmetic dressing was pretty, but it didn't help the performance of the car which when compared to a Lincoln or Cadillac of the time, was seriously lacking. I still love the Ox Blood Red Fifth Avenue, however!
@Donald Trump is Ghetto Trash They never had fuel injection. They had a carb with Chrysler's "lean burn" solid state ignition system which also was unchanged since the 70s. Which meant even these were brand new in 1989, they were susceptible to running rough and difficult starting when it was hot and muggy out. These engines were awful if you lived in Florida in the summer months.
@Donald Trump is Ghetto Trash It's all about nostalgia today. ...but when they were NEW, the generation that loved em' were the WWII and Korean War veterans in most cases (old folks...no pun intended here). They were quite a bit cheaper than a Cadillac D'Ville or the Lincoln Town Car so they were popular cars as they were attainable by a wider audience in the lower to mid middle-class ranks...but that attainability was the result of a dated car, that while pretty with all of it's bolt on cosmetics, was very out-dated when it came to technology. The New Yorker K car was more advanced (performance and technology wise) and had the same amount of interior leg room as the Fifth Avenue...it too was drenched in French opulence as was popular among luxury car buyers of the 1980's, but it cost more and looked smaller next to the Fifth Avenue Diplomat. Again, popular with the WWII and Korean War era folks. I call this the Sinatra era or cars...the 70's and 80's (when I was growing up). Opulence over functionality or performance. The era of waterbeds on wheels...
@Donald Trump is Ghetto Trash ...but $30k doesn't buy you much of a luxury car today and when you consider a NEW Caddie at the same time period would be equivalent to about $50k in today's money, it kinda makes since, the Fifth Avenue WAS the budget leader in a Luxury car at that time...and you got what you paid for. That figure of $17k was at the end of production and for the very, very BEST model. I know that my Grandparents bought a New Yorker in '83 for $14k and the Fifth Avenue would have been $12k and some change so...
@Donald Trump is Ghetto Trash Good point, but now your talking like an informed buyer looking back 30 years into the past! Those cars you mention were great cars for younger buyers, but back in the 1980's had been seriously downsized from their 70's counter parts (like the New Yorker)...and sales figures showed that the older buyers (Grandparents in their 60's & 70's) didn't want downsized luxury, they wanted those big, rear wheel drive luxury cars which represented success and accomplishment back in their time (40's & 50's). The Fifth Avenue was a BIG car, and to those old dogs, Big, full-size rear wheel drive was better. Buick, Olds, and some of the Cadillac line had already started down-sizing in the mid 1980's so the Fifth Avenue was one of the last FILL SIZE cars with rear wheel drive in the luxury category. Too that, the lower price of the Fifth Avenue over those Downsized cars and the full-sized Town Car and Fleetwood, made it ever so attractive to the Middle-Class luxury buyers. To put it into retrospect, why would you buy a Corola if you could get an Avalon fully loaded for the same price? I know that seems crazy, but that was the way the Fifth Avenue held on...Full Size when everything was going downsized and the few full-size cars left were gawd awful expensive!
@@joe6096 you are full of shit. The ELB went digital in 1980, and added EFC in 1981. These were just shy of TBI - there really wasn't much difference - and actually were far more reliable than nearly all EFI systems of the day. The idea that ELB was no good is a tired old self-perpetuating myth. You had to diagnose the system, which meant knowing about air, fuel, and spark, which meant you had to get off your lazy ass and run a few tests. 99% of the time, the trouble was a vacuum leak, carb issue, bad plug, wire, rotor, or cap - basically tune-up items. Today it's more likely to be vacuum leaks or broken wires/connectors. Still, 10 or 15 minutes of diagnosis solved the problem. Often less - if the timing advanced properly and the mixture solenoid worked, it was not the computer. Today, morons who know nothing about these cars throw $500+ at new carbs, intskes, and ignition to go around the $130 replacement computer (which is, as discussed, not usually the problem).
From 1982 - 1989, the M body Chrysler 5th Ave, Dodge Diplomat, and Plymouth Gran Fury shared the exact same platform with identical powertrain and drivetrain. The Chrysler had its own header panel, interior, and padded quarter roof, but used Plymouth taillamps. The Dodge and Plymouth Salons and Pursuits were absolutely identical but for different color grill and taillamp trim. The Diplomat SE shared its header panel with the Chrysler, but had its own interior.
James Rodriquez : Hello Road / Ethan Tufts : I had a 1972 Chrysler Newport Royal, four door sedan. I called "Mabel" my two bedroom sedan. I'm short. I just am five feet tall with my shoes on. I could lay on the back seat of Mabel and close both doors. Mabel had a 400 cid V-8. That 400 is a bored out 383. Almost all the parts of a 383 are interchangeable with a 400 except the pistons. The Chrysler 400 is a bigger bore than a 440. Anyway, Mabel rode so high off the road, I could slide all the way across the car, underneath. Mabel was so tall, I had to use a step ladder to wash the hood, the windshield, the rear window, the trunk lid and the roof. Mabel had a twenty-two gallon gas tank. It averaged around 27 miles to a gallon of gas. It also hauled ass. In spite of the fact that Mabel was rated at only 190, or 195 horsepower, it could still haul ass. I never had to worry about running out of time and space when I wanted to pass someone. I drove Mabel till she fell apart and I didn't have the money to fix her up, so I had to junk her. Them old Chryslers and Plymouths, and Dodges were good cars. I had an aunt and uncle who had a 1968 Dodge Monaco Brougham, four door sedan. It had a 440 four barrel. My aunt and uncle didn't keep it very long. They said it went too fast; but it did get real good gas mileage. Lots of those old Chryslers with big engines got real good gas mileage. I love those little rear wheel drive Fifth Avenues. They were based on the Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volare from 1976. Ethan Tufts, thank you for uploading this video.
I gotta call bullshit on the 27 MPG with a 400 in it. The Royal was the base full sized Chryslers and weighed over 2 tons. Even subcompacts were struggling to get 27 MPG in '72.
@@knowbodiesfull5768 : Believe it or not, a lot of big block Chryslers back then, got good to excellent gas mileage. My mother had a 1967 Dodge Coronet 440, four door sedan. Now that 440 was the "model" You had the Coronet deluxe, Coronet 440, Coronet R/T, Coronet 500. My mother's car had a 383 2 barrel carburetor, automatic transmission. I don't remember what size gas tank it had, but she drove it back and forth to work every day, 60 miles round trip; 300 miles a week. She could gas up the car on Sunday afternoon, just drive back and forth to work every day, and not have to gas up again until after she got home from work on Wednesday afternoon, of the next week. This aunt and uncle of mine had a 1968 Dodge Monaco Brougham, 4 door sedan. It had a 440...4 barrel carburetor. They didn't keep it long. They both said it just went way too fast...but it got tremendous gas mileage. When I was in the Navy and stationed at N.A.S. Memphis, this lady who lived next door to my wife and I, had a 1971 Oldsmobile Delta 88 four door sedan. Hers had a 455 V-8. She always said it got tremendous gas mileage. That Newport I had, if you stayed between 60 and 70, it got around 27 miles to a gallon of gas. It got better gas mileage at 60 than at 55. A lot of old cars back then got better gas mileage at 60 to 70 MPH, than at 55. I don't know why; but they just did. I also had a 1971 4 door Thunderbird. It had a 429 4 barrel carburetor. It got real good gas mileage on the highway, but it drank up the gas in town. And incidentally, I have a heavy right foot. That's why I use cruise control all the time. My 2011 Crown Victoria averages around 25 to 27 miles per gallon on the highway.
Just found your channel, and what I see looks very promising. I love that you focus on the more forgotten vehicles of the malaise era, and your video style and camera work are all very well done. Keep up the good work and those subs should rise much quicker soon, you definitely got mine!
My Grandfather sold (or possibly gave?) one of these to my Mom after her car got totaled. I was around 5 or 6, and it seemed like the biggest car in the world to me. I honestly didn't mind long car rides because of how comfy the seats were. Thanks for the trip down Memory Lane!
Ok let me start by saying that it's nice to see an honest review of such a wonderful car. Being a guru of these M bodies, I'd like to share some particular information about yours in particular. First the color and optional alloyed wheels is quite rare on fifth avenues of this generation. Very few were ordered with the alloyed wheels which gives the car a more classic look. I love the wire wheel covers but I love the alloys more for their distinctive look and rarity. Also that color was NOT a popular color, so if you're like me who appreciates rarity, this color is for you. Most were produced in black, white, light blue, dark blue and Burgandy. I have seen this color before but my estimate, probably only 7 to 8 % were manufactured in this color at maximum. Now there are things that were added to the car by the previous owner which did not come on this car stock from The factory. The two emblems, one on the lower front fender that states "Landau" & the "Mark cross" emblem on the rear door below the opera lights. All Fifth avenues had the landau top so Chrysler did not make nor attach that emblem to the car. That is an aftermarket emblem. The Fifth Avenues did have the optional leather seating areas available but if you did order it, it didn't add that emblem to the car. That emblem is from the front drive 1988-1993 Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue models. Once again, the previous owner took liberty to add that emblem since it was never produced on these cars. Any other questions, just ask!
You're right that this was not a popular color for the 5th Ave. The white ones were the nicest looking ones, in my opinion. The white, with the pin striping that matched the interior color (mostly blue or red) and the spoked hub caps were really nice. They came with just the right amount of chrome to really set the car off nicely. You could get chrome curb feelers at the auto parts stores that also added to the luxury look of the car. This was one car that I think Chrysler got right.
I remember when these came out, they were all the rage in the upper middle class neighborhoods of Maryland and Virginia. For many who loved the 1979 Cadillac Seville but lamented its passing, this was a cheaper, quasi-look-a-like with the same size and vertical rear window, only done up with a LOT more vinyl add ons and chrome. It was the Reagan era, the Iacocca era and the parachute pants era. My neighbors bought a dark metallic gray Fifth Ave with a black vinyl top, gray leather interior and all the bells and whistles. The thing we loved best about it? The factory clarion radio with AMP button. For the time, it sounded better than any factory radio from Ford or GM.
I used to see these all the time too-usually older gentlemen in tweed suits driving them. Would've loved to hear that factory stereo-the one in my Fifth Avenue is busted! 😣
@@HelloRoad You can find them in junkyards, but many suffered the same fate. The nice thing is that same stereo was used in the K cars for years, only many have a black face, not the chrome. Check ebay. I have a 1979 Old 98 I'm restoring, when its done it will look mint. Sadly, its one year shy of Radwood entry. Maybe I'll get a bustle back Seville to bring next year :)
My grandfather bought an '86 in that dark mink brown with the same color leather and carpets as this one, with the wire wheel covers. I have many memories with that car. As a little kid, I felt so safe and comfy and quiet riding in it. It was in our family for 15 years, and my dear old grandpa gave me many driving lessons in it. When I started driving it in high school, my friends called it The Pimp Boat. A dear old friend of his who ran a service station in our town bought one of the K-Car versions, and I remember what a ratty pile of junk it was after a few years, while my grandpa's old M-Body still looked great and kept on ticking. One day if I ever have the money and space, I'd love to find another one just like my grandpa's, because of the memories, and how much I loved the man.
Back in the 80's we swapped the lean burn carburetor, module, and distributor with junkyard components from non-lean burn trucks and vans. It did wake the car up considerably. Very cheap bolt on power that only took a Saturday morning to install.
There is absolutely NOTHING to be gained by trashing the lean burn. In fact, the factory electronics allowed far more timing than the ignition kits did. So not only do you not gain any power, you lose mpg. How nice. And you totally fuck up the resale value, because now you've hacked up the car and nobody else but the derby boys will want it. Morons
I have an 85 fifth ave in the old Chrysler brick red color with the matching blood red "corinthian" leather seats. Have to say, your review of these cars is dead on! A bit clunky of a ride, I'd even say somewhat touchy steering. Mine actually doesn't get that bad of gas mileage for a now 34 year old car. The 318 is a nearly indestructible engine! The thing still purrs like a kitten. And it's still a very fun car to take out on the weekend and usually gets looks as I pass by.
I found a huge crack rock in an 87 Mazda RX7 when I pulled the interior out to pressure wash it. It was under the driver side carpet. The entire drivers half of the car, (blue interior) was black, like someone lived in the car for years. The pressure wash cleaned the seats, carpet, console and the rest to make a nice car. This was back in 92 and I think my boss took the crack home and “tried” it out!
Omg, my grandmother had an ‘84 fifth avenue for years!! She drove that car until it fell apart. It had well over 200k miles on it. I have fond memories riding in that car....same color as yours, etc. The only difference was hers had the wire wheel covers and her landau roof was dark brown 😎😂🙌🏻
I just bought an ‘85 Seville in Cotillian white with a red Corinthian leather interior, 47k miles and one prior owner who always kept it in the garage. It gets more attention than pretty much every modern car…
This is the kind of fly luxury ride where you spare no expense...👌🏼💯✔ This is the kinda ride where you can pull up and floss on'em at the gas station, and then strut inside and pick yo self up some of that delectable gas station chicken...🍗 Now that's some fine dining cuisine...😎
First car I ever owned when I was only 17. Love that car to this day! Would love to drive her again. Mine was dark navy blue and we called her "Granddaddy"..was quiet comfortable and blew away all my friends little 4 cylinder cars in style.
These cars were everywhere in the 80s. You couldn't drive down the street without seeing one. I knew several people who had them and they drove them for years. Very good cars!
My Grandma had one in 87-88, it was white with red leather interior. It was nice but slow af. I was thirteen yelling floor it granny, she was like 'I am!"
My parents had an 86 Fifth Avenue. It was cream white, alloy wheels, dark blue top, dark blue leather interior. It was a nice car, but man was it slow!
In 1987 I worked for one of the most elite consulting firms in the country. I was sent to Kansas City on a project, and the firm payed my rental on one of these. I felt mighty badass driving on the boulevards in Kansas City in this thing. It's easy to make fun of a thirty year old jalopy, but back then It was a nice ride when you got it for free. Thanks for the memory.
My father had one a 87 the NYC police also had them. He sold it in 2000 for Regal LS now I have it after much polishing and wrenching its back to show condition . Pride and joy comes with something others can not simply buy or work on. Cool vid P.S. many hot dates in those big back seats the perks of the 80's....
National speed limit was 55, so 85 was more than acceptable for a passenger sedan. With some simple mods, you could make the car break 100 without much effort.
This was my first car - same color - a 1986 model. Loved it. Slow off the line but passing power was good. 3 in the front and 3 in the back made for good times.
I owned my 1985 from new, kept it until 1995 and still miss the ride, luxury and classic looks. Mine also had the lace aluminum wheels (I believe those were borrowed from the Imperial) which are just about the prettiest wheels I've ever seen. Midway though her life with I towed a 16 foot travel trailer from our home to Walt Disney World, nearly 5,000 miles there and back. She didn't complain and kept running smoothly until it was time to part years later. I'd love to own another.
I used to have a 1987 Fifth Avenue as well...bought for $1500 when it was about 14 or 15 years old with low mileage. Those leather 6-way power seats were indeed the most comfortable I have ever had. When I sold it most calls I got about it were from others who used to own one and were fond of them. I recall cruising the highway around 75 MPH you just kinda floated.
My dad gave me one silver and I drove it from Atlantic City to New York everyday for 8 years! Was good on gas road like you are floating on a cloud and actually quite fast!
My Grandmother left me her 1989 Chrysler Fifth Avenue in Mink Brown Pearl, with a Beige Cloth interior. She bought the 89' off the showroom floor, she had an 83' model with Leather but had a delete option of the Leather on the 89'. The only reason she traded the 83' with 10,000 miles on the odometer was because of the leather, hot in the summer, and cold in the winter. The dealer put Vogue tires with Real Wire Wheels on the car as an add-on which set the car off like a million bucks, as well as installing cornering lights which were not an option. I think the design of the corning lights was that of an 80-83' Cordoba, but the dealer's body shop did a fantastic job of mounting them. Powell Chrysler/Plymouth of Escondido, CA. The car was gorgeous inside and out but was lost to the Fallbrook, California fire in 2022. The car was flawless and had an original 23,000 miles on the odometer.
Awesome car. Mine was silver with Deep red leather. my 1st car bought off my 85 year old next door neighbor for $800. it had 22,300 miles. one owner. Collector offered to buy it off me by pulling up next to me an waving me down. It was just about to turn 30,000. Sold it for $1500. I see it at local car shows . same owner who bought it off me!! Wins Awards!!!!! Great cars
Only a young person would think that the hood on a 5th ave. is " insanely long, " lol. The hood on my 78 new yorker brougham would dwarf that one. Nice car you have there :)
Haha I'm not that young! 😀You're absolutely right, I also had a '74 LeSabre and that hood was long! Though the Fifth Ave hood was pretty long for '87 as the trend moved towards downsizing.
Thank you for the flashback to 1989 for me. My Father, Stepmother and myself made a trip from Albany, NY to Lake Forest CA in a 1985 version of this land yacht. We used the time to see the sights along the way, and every morning would pack the three of us, two old cats in a cat carrier and two small dogs (Cockapoos), luggage and a cooler for the day. We didn't have corinthian leather, we had velvet. The car was blue on blue on blue, and there was an occasion in a stop over in Cody Wyoming that I was given the chance to roam the streets with the car and drag raced a few other cars off the line. My father was upset at me that I slept the majority of the way across America, but how could I not with that interior?? When we reached our destination, I drove it during the day as he had a company car when he got there (1986 Buick Regal), and I once drove into a Hyundai dealership to test drive the "new" manufacturer in town. The salesman stated that he wished he had couches in his apartment like the ones in the back seat of the car.
Oh. and my Dad was only 35 when he purchased it, must be an old soul. After that he purchased a 1990(s) Caddilac Eldorado, then a BMW 750iL (used), Mercedes C class (2), and finally moved onto Mercedes SLs (3 to date).
These were GREAT cars! The BEST of the Iacocca Era at the company's helm...Of course, they were throwbacks to the GREAT (pre-'75!) MoPars! The OLD MoPars were the BEST CARS EVER!
What a pleasant video. Not only did you do a great job covering the car, but that was some very interesting arcitecture I'd never seen before. I'm really starting to appreciate these 5th Avenues after years of just writing them off when compared to what GM and even Ford were offering at the time, as far as big V8 RWD cars.
Mike from Breaking Bad would be proud.
honestly. the only reason I want this car
@@williammickelson403 yeah and i bought that dark brown piece of crap from mike farris used cars in albuquerque n,m, have been running that engine in my n,y,5,a, for the last ten years, turns out the car belonged to my dads former boss, john hale of pavemeny maintenance and my friend dave had re built the motor when he worked there, breaking bad was not the reason i bought mine , i wanted a project, i pain $300 for mine and it was a wreck, funny you mentioned that
Sweet from Grand theft auto San Andreas would be proud too
@@ruanmachado6922reason im here m8
Fun fact: all Chrysler fifth avenues had a baggie of coke in the ash tray from the factory
Fact check: True
I think Deloreans were the 1980's cars that came standard with cocaine from the factory. LOL.
Wonder was it new coke or classic coke...?
@@rcrxjlb lol
Only in the 80s and it was standard. Equipment....in the mid 80s you also got a hot plate baking soda and small baby food jar with the cocaine option...btw it was optional in the mid 80s because lee Iacocoa was visiting the production lines every day doing the lines everyday lol
Its always been my dream to drive a chrysler fifth avenue down 5th avenue in nyc while eating a fifth avenue chocolate bar on my way to saks fifth avenue
Yes! I need to do this...
@@HelloRoad Yes! Do it!!
@@HelloRoad such a predictable comment from a putz like yourself.
@@johnnymichael1804 Hi! Feel free to go away!
@@HelloRoad nah. I'm good. Thanks tho. 😎👍
These cars were quiet, very sturdy and reliable, soft riding, and the pillow top seats were the most comfortable I ever had . I sold mine many years ago with 215,000 miles. It still looked good and ran fine. I have questioned that decision several times since.
Yes! These seats are incredible! I hear you-I've had several cars that I maybe should have kept...
Hello Road / Ethan Tufts: Those seats, done in fancy, button-tufted leather or velour cloth, always looked as luxurious as any car seats I've ever seen, to be sure!
Just found one owned by an older couple... 1k cash... garaged the last 5 years.. gonna clean the carb and siphon the fuel lol... good times
They were the biggest pieces of shit in the junkyard. I own a boat that handles better.
My great grandfather gifted me his with 20k miles same color same gold interior, the fabric carpet was so soft, floated through the city it's whole life until it was stolen
Who remembers this from GTA San Andreas.. It was CJ's brother car😂
Hi
@@Victor-fw5md no light blue
was on vice city before that
The Greenwood!
And the licence plate was GROVE4L
"I can't believe it you bought the same bucket-ass car man"
- Carl "CJ" Johnson 1992
lol
I miss the luxury boats...New Yorker, Roadmaster, Continental/Town Car, Brougham....
We rented 3 of these from Budget rental. They were black with bright red crushed velour interior. We were college students from Florida State University and were heading to New Orleans for a week of party and fun. We thought we were riding in style. They were nice cars in the day...
That's pretty sweet!
They were better than Alot of cars in the day. I guess that's why they sold 100,000 of them a year back then.
Yea, by the way Alot of the cars back then we're hitting 0-60 18 seconds.
That said, it was pretty funny.
Yiu were in style silly
Cool - I really wanted to do the same thing in college - road trip from DC to NYC in order to pick up a case of wine that got impounded when my gf returned from her semester in France. For whatever reason we didn't get the 5th Avenue and got stuck with a Cutlass Supreme. Bah.
I can see a movie off that no lie
My father in law bought an '85 the exact color as yours, he loved that car. Me and my wife took vacations with them in that car for years all over the Southeast. I can still remember him with a cigarette in one hand, a cup of coffee in the other and driving with his knees. The power steering was that good.
I like this car. To be honest, I’d rather have the 5th Avenue than a Lamborghini, crazy as it may sound to some people. Thank you for another great video. Maybe you can purchase a Checker Marathon, whether it be a taxi cab or a civilian model. I always had a heart for those kind of cars, especially for the station wagon variant, which is pretty rare.
Nowadays a Fifth Ave is certainly more unique! I will keep an eye out for a Checker. Haven't seen one in a long time. Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed it! :) :)
my Yugo has a faster time than that!
I met a guy in Austin that has a 72 checker station wagon limousine! That thing is a tank!
@@HelloRoad check on Cargurus.
At the very least the fifth ave will start up and take you to work every day for 40+ years. A lambo likely wont start and falls apart in the driveway
I've had this car for years. Its the greatest car ever made. This is American Luxury at it's finest. Engine, transmission, and body/frame/chassis are all built like an anvil. Traditional rear wheel drive is the only way to go. The fleets such as the taxis and police used these and preferred them because the new front wheel drive bullshit was constantly failing. Tried and true is the way to go. This cars technology has been around since the 60s and the Chrysler Fifth Avenue is the embodiment Traditional american rear wheel drive V8 technology perfected. This car has 0 design flaws. Its extremely resistant to rust because all the dips and coatings applied to it at the factory. This is a mans car. Driving this car makes u feel in command of the road. Parts are extremely cheap and everywhere whether new or salvage as half a million of these cars were made between 1984 and 1989. Plus the 1983 which is the exact same car but instead of Fifth Avenue it was called the New Yorker Fifth Avenue edition. Also the diplomats and gran furys which are the exact same car without the luxury trim and a different grill (i prefer the Fifth Avenue grill as it is more menacing). It looks like a 70s car because it is a 70s car. The design started with the Dodge Diplomat in the late 70s. The design was based on the Aspen and Volares (many body parts are interchangeable). I got a cheap door window out of an Aspen at a junk yard for my Fifth Avenue. The seats are extremely comfortable and i can ride all day long in it without any back or ass pain. The suspension makes it feel like ur driving a cloud and the seats make u feel like ur sitting on one. I have seen people TRY to blow the engine and transmission and couldn't even do it. The 318 is tough as hell and so is the torqueflite. They kept trying to blow the engine holding the accelerator to the floor in park (Keep in mind the car doesn't have a computer that will stop the RPMS before they go 2 high) and they failed, the 318 wouldn't die so they took it out on the road that later that day and was dropping the transmission in reverse at speed and it wouldn't die either so they eventually gave up LOL. You can't find a more reliable car. U can beat the hell out of it and it just keeps going. Old cars>new cars. Anyone who believes different is living in fantasy land and doesn't know shit about cars. They just believe whatever the companies tell them. "hey were making this part of the engine plastic and this part of the car carbon fiber because plastic reduces weight and carbon doesn't rust and blah blah blah. When in reality there is really only one reason they do it and thats $. Its cheaper to manufacture that crap than it is to make good old fashioned, tried and true no bullshit METAL. Plastic radiator? have fun paying for another one when that one fails BECAUSE IT WILL FAIL while u could drive one made of metal ur whole life from age 18 to age 80 something when ur grandkids are adults and still have the same radiator because guess what? metal is stronger than plastic. This car wasn't for old people it was for people with a brain that actually knew about cars not people who have had the government and society hold their hand every moment of their life and didn't know the difference between a radiator cap and a gas cap. You used to actually have to diagnose a cars problem with ur brain. Now u hook up a computer and it tells u what to do. I broke down not 2 long ago in another classic vehicle of mine and had my vehicle towed to a repair shop and u know what they told me? They told me they didn't know how to work on it, they were completely baffled by it like it was a fuckin alien spacecraft or something LOL. What it boiled down to was all they knew how to do was plug in their computer to the cars computer and let their computer tell them what to do. They said it would take them hours to check the electronics with a manual multi meter and likely cost me over $1000. So i just had it towed to a storage place and worked on it myself (i only took it to the shop for convenience) and i probed with my multi meter, diagnosed and fixed the problem in 10 minutes lol hahahahahaha. They told me the car probably had breaker point ignition and they didn't know anything about breaker point ignition. Its 2 points that open and close via the distributor shaft LOL are fuckin kiddin me??? It seems to me the more technology advances the more ignorant people become as to how the technology actually works. They can plug something in and press the power button but open a computer up and hand them a soldering iron, solder and tell them to fix it manually and they have no idea what to do.
I agree. Today it is nearly impossible to find a mechanic that is able to understand or work on my 87 Fifth Avenue.
There’s one old man that has a 1985 Chrysler 5th Avenue, and all I ever had to do to it was replace the lean burn computer on it. The starter did go out on it also. The drive train is all original on it. Even the power windows still work. Those old 318s have been around for almost 50 years, and there’s definitely a reason. They have the old 904 transmission on them, and I have never seen one fail under 200k miles. There are taxis used every day in New York that have 300k on the odometer and still going, and all they ever see is stop and go traffic. We probably won’t see a luxury car quite as dependable as the 5th Avenue for a long time.
It's my mechanics guilty pleasure. He's a GM guy despises ChryCO and I have to abosrb his cries to sell if for a Caddy etc. But the when the hood is popped I've never seen him spend so much time on a car; constantly listening, adjusting, tightening and loosening. The satisfaction he gets from tune the car to his own personal interpretation is something I rarely see in the trades these days .
Keep in mind that this platform (Original Aspen/Volare) was considered (actually was) junk when unbelieved in 1976, they had the worst of 70's bankrupt Chrysler, terrible production quality, a record of recalls in '76 and pretty much cemented a bad reputation for Chrysler that would end up killing them in 1980. It wasn't until they bough AMC and started building this in Kenosha WI in '86 that quality got better
AMC despite having less resources that MOPAR managed to keep a standard on their cars, such a shame that always bankrupt Chrylser decided to kill them anyway. Fuck them.
The Wandering Being your dreaming that thing is junk
I worked a summer construction job. My coworker and I carpooled in his dad's New Yorker. After a day labouring in the summer heat, the soft ride home on the plush seats and air conditioned interior was so incredibly relaxing. There's a place for cars like this, and it's a a shame there's nothing quite like them anymore.
My Opera lights still work on my 86 :)
How is this even possible!! 😀😀😀
It's what Lee Iacocca demanded from electrical engineers back in the day; LongFUCKINGevity
Mine don't on my 85 Riviera but I have a new set to install.
one and a half work on my '83
THOSE OPERA LIGHTS WERE THE " TITS BOMB" ....HOW ARROGANT AND USELESS THEY WERE AND THEY LOOKED FANTASTIC WHILE DOING SO...!!! I HAD A SILVER W/ SILVER LANDAU VINYL REAR TOP ON MY 1985 MODEL....THAT LANDAU TOP WAS ALSO THE " TITS BOMB" ; WHEN I DETAILED THE EXTERIOR & LANDAU TOP , THIS WHOLE 5TH AVE WAS THE 'CATS MEOW '. MINE HAD, AS IM SURE 90% OF THEM HAD THE 5.2 LTR (318 2BBL) ENGINE WITH, I THINK , THE 727 TRANNY..?? THE TRANNY WAS GREAT UNTIL IT WENT THRU THE FRONT SEAL WHICH ; IN TURN DUMPED TRANNY FLUID ALL OVER THE STARTER AND STARTER WIRING......I ENDED UP SELLING FOR PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR AS I COULDN'T AFFORD TO CONTINUE "BUYING STOCK " IN QUAKER-STATES TRANS FLUID DEPT....AND ITS A SHAME , TOO BECAUSE I'VE NEVER HAD A ' POST-70's ' VEHICLE WITH SUCH A QUIET & COMFORTABLE RIDE ; EVEN MY OLD 1971 OLDSMOBILE 98 WOULD BE HARD-PRESSED TO BEAT THIS CHRYSLER'S " MAGIC CARPET RIDE".......
These Firth Avenues were quiet! Even with an exhaust leak, yours is whisper-quiet in the video.
Yes! It is sooo quiet!
Delete the muffler, and you can just barely hear the engine from inside. Sounds mellow on the outside. 3 cats will do that..
I have one of these. It was my first car. A couple of winters and a fire have it a bit rougher on the outside then yours, but the interior is still very nearly immaculate. And both of the original electroluminescence light still work. And it has the velvet interior. I fell in love with it an I am never going to get rid of it.
And honestly the fuel efficiency isn't that bad even compared to modern full size sedans.
I also own a Dodge Diplomat that used to be a cop car and, for two cars that share identical bodies and engines, the cop car has noticeably more power.
I love those EL opera lamps on those cars!
Those electroluminescent opera lights ARE really cool! If Ethan here says that his don't work anymore, is it that hard to fix or replace them, possibly with white LED lights?
Cellulanus: To be sure, the Diplomat cop car would tend to have quite a lot more power. Does it have the larger 360 cubic-inch (5.9 liter) Police Interceptor V-8?
Despite all its short comings i still love this car. Pure nostalgia when i see a fifth avenue
In its day the 5th Avenue and New Yorker where dream cars.
The 5.2L V8 engines in those 5th Avenues, Diplomats, and Gran Furys were beastly motors. I love those Chrysler "LA Engines" that were available during the 80's . My 1986 Dodge Ram 250 conversion van had the 318 V8 motor in there and put 400,000 miles on it and lasted over 30 years. I missed that van. It also had the legendary 727 transmission in it too.
They were fantastic for what they were. Ice cold airco, never broke down , and totally reliable. I gave mine away to one of our lot boys in 2010. I still love them.
You forgot to mention that this Chrysler Fifth Ave was built in Kenosha Wisconsin at the AMC main factory.
Yeah! They were built there from late '86-89. And earlier models were either Ontario or St Louis I believe.
'77 -'79, Fenton
'80 - '83 Windsor
'84 - 86 Fenton
'87 - '89 KAP
Chrysler's purchase of AMC was the end of Chrysler
@@happyfree5845 You wrote that just to get a response. You know that is a completely inaccurate statement. Chrysler and AMC merged in 1987. At this time Chrysler was unstoppable. The Dodge Viper was a hit and caused rethinking at Chevy about the vette and where it strayed. Minivan sales were through the roof. The tri vans from GM where no match against the tri from Chrysler. The K cars and derivatives were steady sales and the convertibles were outpacing the competition including foreign units. Dodge truck sales were setting records. And Jeep was better than ever. In 1997 Chrysler had over 6 Billion dollars in cash reserves. Then in walks Diamler with the statement "The merger of equals". It works, the Cash reserve is gone propping up Mercedes, Plymouth falls victim to the Diamler disaster and when it is discovered that there is more profit being made transferring monies from Euros to Dollars then back again, than actually selling cars, Chrysler is put on the block. Remember for Chryler to merge with Diamler, they had to sell off the highly profitable Chrysler Defense Division in M1 Tank engineering and assembly. This was the end of Chrysler. No cash reserve, The Chrysler Crossfire and Pacifica were not sale winners. Even the Diamler R class was a flop. Uncertain future, the bank bailout, the Bush disaster. Believe me, it was not the AMC merger.
@@matadorman78 yeah yeah yeah, Chrysler purchased AMC, gave AMC engineers all the tools while getting rid of Chrysler's traditional engineers yeah yeah yeah and AMC engineered LH (Renault/AMC premier based) cars and neons and Cirrus yeah yeah yeah, those swoopy new AMC cars was trash compared to the old k cars on reliability and the older M body cars. You obviously don't know why Chrysler ended up with Daimler and is currently in the state it is in now as a BRAND.
THE ONE WITH VELOUR SEATS BLEW ME AWAY BACK IN 1987. I WAS BLOWN AWAY.
The velour seats are spectacular, aren't they???
You were “blown” away. It was your Junior year and life was good.
Beautiful car! Real car!! Love it..When the auto industry went to front wheel drive quality was put in the back seat as making cheaper cars was touted as progress.Grand paw has wisdom and common sense..I was only 24 years old and loved this real car.
If cars today had an interior like that, they'd sell better. I had two Chrysler New Yorkers with that color coded, tufted interior (one was leather, the other had cloth) and they were SO comfortable and matched the exterior color of the car. Love your car! That must be the only 80s Chrysler on earth without a sagging headliner.
Land yachts are really growing on me!
You should probably go to a doctor and have that looked at
@David Topchiev It's still fairly big for what it is.
I still remember my good friend in 93 picking me up in his grandmother's 5th Ave to go cruise around one day when my Trans Am was getting the starter replaced. He tried to show off with a burnout and instead did a 360 while leaving a side street.
Great episode and brings back the memories!
Haha! That's a great memory. Glad you enjoyed the vid!! :) :)
My buddy had a 77 Lebaron that was built similar to this. It was a smooth riding car.
My great aunt drove one of these. I remember thinking how comfortable the cloth seats were when I was a kid in the 90s.
My dad bought 2 of this same color. One in 85 and the other in 87. The 87 had a moon roof. I didn't understand why back then. But I get it now. He loved that car. Good call dad, wish I had it now. RIP DAD
I so miss those old American luxury barges. The seats in those old Chryslers, caddilacs and Lincoln's were like couches. Remember the plush padded seats and carpet. Remember the Olds tornado, Caddilac Eldorado or Ford thunderbird. Those soft spacious interiors.
My parents bought an '85 model in 1986. As big as it was, it was quite downsized from the 1975 Cadillac Sedan de Ville they had owned before. Fuel economy also improved over the Caddy, but that wasn't difficult considering the 500 cubic-inch engine got 13 mpg in the city and 15 mpg on the highway.
The Ave, as we called it, performed reliably for many years and didn't give us any trouble. I've always wished I could find another one.
I bought an 87 identical to this one in 1991 from my next door neighbor for 2500$ and it was spotless, kepy it for about five years, started using a lot of oil, traded it in, not realizing it just needed new valve covers, nice car , that triple gold really popped, interior rivaled several Fleetwood Broughams I've had, and really more comfortable than my Caddy DTS today 😎
I grew up in the back seat of my grandmother’s fifth avenue, thank you for the walk down memory lane.
I have an 83 5th Avenue and you know we like to keep things all original and maintained. I hate the way New cars drive and wouldn't trade mine for anything. Cheers
I feel you I have a 89 lincon towncar and man that big car can burn rubber while still being comfortable as all hell
As a kid my parents had a brown 82’ with a sunroof. Was awesome. Lots of road trips in that car.
I bought my Red 1987 Chrysler Fifth Avenue in 1987, have about 66,000 miles now, and we have both aged together. Although it is aesthetically falling apart, I still LOVE my "Red Baron". Hope to continue to drive this baby until I drop dead...
I was a teenager in the 1980's and the Chrysler luxury cars, including this one, were my favorites. I eventually got a 1993 Chrysler Imperial.
The Big Three each had their rear drive platforms hanging around for year because of the fleet trade. The Dodge Diplomats and Plymouth Furies were the cars that carried this platform on for years. Many police departments and cab companies used these and the Ford Crown Vic and Chevy Caprice as their car of choice. The luxury versions, Chrysler New Yorker, Cadillac Fleetwood, and Lincoln Town Cars, were just cash generators. Now its all SUVs.
Funny how the Big 3 did that back then, and moved on with the same concept using the Ford Expedition, Chevy Tahoe/Suburban, and Dodge Durango (to a much lesser degree) SUV's, then transforming them into equivalent "luxury brand" cash-cows... Although modern Escalade's/Navigator's/JGC's aren't nearly as transparently rebadged as their forebears.
Sweet looking car. I remember when cars like this were used. I've always loved the Dodge Diplomat and the Plymouth Gran Fury.
Did you just says
"Sweet"?????
@@djforceonmyradioooooohhh Yes, I did. :)
Gta sa reference lol
Also I just bought a 1987 Plymouth Gran Fury with only 52k miles on it. Bought it just for nostalgia because I drove one just like it in high school. same color and everything. Worth every penny.
Them cars are great. My best friend’s parents owned a white one with a blue interior. They invited me to go with them to Las Vegas and we rode in it from Los Angeles. Very very nice! It brings back memories.
Problem with the Fifth Avenue by 1987 was that the Diplomat platform was a tired design...it was under powered, had poor handling/breaking abilities by 1987 standards, and it still had a carburetor when most Luxury cars were Fuel Injected. Also, the interior gauge package was unchanged since the late 70's introduction of the Diplomat platform. All the cosmetic dressing was pretty, but it didn't help the performance of the car which when compared to a Lincoln or Cadillac of the time, was seriously lacking. I still love the Ox Blood Red Fifth Avenue, however!
@Donald Trump is Ghetto Trash They never had fuel injection. They had a carb with Chrysler's "lean burn" solid state ignition system which also was unchanged since the 70s. Which meant even these were brand new in 1989, they were susceptible to running rough and difficult starting when it was hot and muggy out. These engines were awful if you lived in Florida in the summer months.
@Donald Trump is Ghetto Trash It's all about nostalgia today. ...but when they were NEW, the generation that loved em' were the WWII and Korean War veterans in most cases (old folks...no pun intended here). They were quite a bit cheaper than a Cadillac D'Ville or the Lincoln Town Car so they were popular cars as they were attainable by a wider audience in the lower to mid middle-class ranks...but that attainability was the result of a dated car, that while pretty with all of it's bolt on cosmetics, was very out-dated when it came to technology. The New Yorker K car was more advanced (performance and technology wise) and had the same amount of interior leg room as the Fifth Avenue...it too was drenched in French opulence as was popular among luxury car buyers of the 1980's, but it cost more and looked smaller next to the Fifth Avenue Diplomat. Again, popular with the WWII and Korean War era folks. I call this the Sinatra era or cars...the 70's and 80's (when I was growing up). Opulence over functionality or performance. The era of waterbeds on wheels...
@Donald Trump is Ghetto Trash ...but $30k doesn't buy you much of a luxury car today and when you consider a NEW Caddie at the same time period would be equivalent to about $50k in today's money, it kinda makes since, the Fifth Avenue WAS the budget leader in a Luxury car at that time...and you got what you paid for. That figure of $17k was at the end of production and for the very, very BEST model. I know that my Grandparents bought a New Yorker in '83 for $14k and the Fifth Avenue would have been $12k and some change so...
@Donald Trump is Ghetto Trash Good point, but now your talking like an informed buyer looking back 30 years into the past! Those cars you mention were great cars for younger buyers, but back in the 1980's had been seriously downsized from their 70's counter parts (like the New Yorker)...and sales figures showed that the older buyers (Grandparents in their 60's & 70's) didn't want downsized luxury, they wanted those big, rear wheel drive luxury cars which represented success and accomplishment back in their time (40's & 50's). The Fifth Avenue was a BIG car, and to those old dogs, Big, full-size rear wheel drive was better. Buick, Olds, and some of the Cadillac line had already started down-sizing in the mid 1980's so the Fifth Avenue was one of the last FILL SIZE cars with rear wheel drive in the luxury category. Too that, the lower price of the Fifth Avenue over those Downsized cars and the full-sized Town Car and Fleetwood, made it ever so attractive to the Middle-Class luxury buyers. To put it into retrospect, why would you buy a Corola if you could get an Avalon fully loaded for the same price? I know that seems crazy, but that was the way the Fifth Avenue held on...Full Size when everything was going downsized and the few full-size cars left were gawd awful expensive!
@@joe6096 you are full of shit. The ELB went digital in 1980, and added EFC in 1981. These were just shy of TBI - there really wasn't much difference - and actually were far more reliable than nearly all EFI systems of the day.
The idea that ELB was no good is a tired old self-perpetuating myth. You had to diagnose the system, which meant knowing about air, fuel, and spark, which meant you had to get off your lazy ass and run a few tests. 99% of the time, the trouble was a vacuum leak, carb issue, bad plug, wire, rotor, or cap - basically tune-up items. Today it's more likely to be vacuum leaks or broken wires/connectors. Still, 10 or 15 minutes of diagnosis solved the problem. Often less - if the timing advanced properly and the mixture solenoid worked, it was not the computer.
Today, morons who know nothing about these cars throw $500+ at new carbs, intskes, and ignition to go around the $130 replacement computer (which is, as discussed, not usually the problem).
It was Essentially the Plymouth Gran Fury 3 which was a popular patrol car for most large police departments since it was introduced
Or Dodge Diplomat.
It's not the same thing. It's a chrysler not a dodge or plymouth.
From 1982 - 1989, the M body Chrysler 5th Ave, Dodge Diplomat, and Plymouth Gran Fury shared the exact same platform with identical powertrain and drivetrain. The Chrysler had its own header panel, interior, and padded quarter roof, but used Plymouth taillamps. The Dodge and Plymouth Salons and Pursuits were absolutely identical but for different color grill and taillamp trim. The Diplomat SE shared its header panel with the Chrysler, but had its own interior.
Who could hate a car like that?! It’s stunning
The seats we're so comfortable! The sound of the starter was like no other! I put 300,000 miles on it. Drove like a dream! Lee Iacocca car
James Rodriquez : Hello Road / Ethan Tufts : I had a 1972 Chrysler Newport Royal, four door sedan. I called "Mabel" my two bedroom sedan. I'm short. I just am five feet tall with my shoes on. I could lay on the back seat of Mabel and close both doors. Mabel had a 400 cid V-8. That 400 is a bored out 383. Almost all the parts of a 383 are interchangeable with a 400 except the pistons. The Chrysler 400 is a bigger bore than a 440. Anyway, Mabel rode so high off the road, I could slide all the way across the car, underneath.
Mabel was so tall, I had to use a step ladder to wash the hood, the windshield, the rear window, the trunk lid and the roof. Mabel had a twenty-two gallon gas tank. It averaged around 27 miles to a gallon of gas. It also hauled ass. In spite of the fact that Mabel was rated at only 190, or 195 horsepower, it could still haul ass. I never had to worry about running out of time and space when I wanted to pass someone.
I drove Mabel till she fell apart and I didn't have the money to fix her up, so I had to junk her. Them old Chryslers and Plymouths, and Dodges were good cars. I had an aunt and uncle who had a 1968 Dodge Monaco Brougham, four door sedan. It had a 440 four barrel. My aunt and uncle didn't keep it very long. They said it went too fast; but it did get real good gas mileage. Lots of those old Chryslers with big engines got real good gas mileage.
I love those little rear wheel drive Fifth Avenues. They were based on the Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volare from 1976. Ethan Tufts, thank you for uploading this video.
I gotta call bullshit on the 27 MPG with a 400 in it. The Royal was the base full sized Chryslers and weighed over 2 tons. Even subcompacts were struggling to get 27 MPG in '72.
How did you get 27 mpg with a '72 Chrysler?! You must have put a 2-by-4 under the accelerator pedal, or you must have a feather foot.
@@knowbodiesfull5768 : Believe it or not, a lot of big block Chryslers back then, got good to excellent gas mileage. My mother had a 1967 Dodge Coronet 440, four door sedan. Now that 440 was the "model" You had the Coronet deluxe, Coronet 440, Coronet R/T, Coronet 500. My mother's car had a 383 2 barrel carburetor, automatic transmission. I don't remember what size gas tank it had, but she drove it back and forth to work every day, 60 miles round trip; 300 miles a week. She could gas up the car on Sunday afternoon, just drive back and forth to work every day, and not have to gas up again until after she got home from work on Wednesday afternoon, of the next week.
This aunt and uncle of mine had a 1968 Dodge Monaco Brougham, 4 door sedan. It had a 440...4 barrel carburetor. They didn't keep it long. They both said it just went way too fast...but it got tremendous gas mileage. When I was in the Navy and stationed at N.A.S. Memphis, this lady who lived next door to my wife and I, had a 1971 Oldsmobile Delta 88 four door sedan. Hers had a 455 V-8. She always said it got tremendous gas mileage.
That Newport I had, if you stayed between 60 and 70, it got around 27 miles to a gallon of gas. It got better gas mileage at 60 than at 55. A lot of old cars back then got better gas mileage at 60 to 70 MPH, than at 55. I don't know why; but they just did. I also had a 1971 4 door Thunderbird. It had a 429 4 barrel carburetor. It got real good gas mileage on the highway, but it drank up the gas in town. And incidentally, I have a heavy right foot. That's why I use cruise control all the time. My 2011 Crown Victoria averages around 25 to 27 miles per gallon on the highway.
Just found your channel, and what I see looks very promising. I love that you focus on the more forgotten vehicles of the malaise era, and your video style and camera work are all very well done. Keep up the good work and those subs should rise much quicker soon, you definitely got mine!
Thanks so much for watching! Glad you're enjoying the vids!! :) :)
my cape breton family LOVED Fifth Avenue trims. right into the 90s.
My Grandfather sold (or possibly gave?) one of these to my Mom after her car got totaled. I was around 5 or 6, and it seemed like the biggest car in the world to me. I honestly didn't mind long car rides because of how comfy the seats were. Thanks for the trip down Memory Lane!
Thanks so much for watching, glad you enjoyed the vid! Yes, the seats are amazing in this thing!!
Ok let me start by saying that it's nice to see an honest review of such a wonderful car. Being a guru of these M bodies, I'd like to share some particular information about yours in particular. First the color and optional alloyed wheels is quite rare on fifth avenues of this generation. Very few were ordered with the alloyed wheels which gives the car a more classic look. I love the wire wheel covers but I love the alloys more for their distinctive look and rarity. Also that color was NOT a popular color, so if you're like me who appreciates rarity, this color is for you. Most were produced in black, white, light blue, dark blue and Burgandy. I have seen this color before but my estimate, probably only 7 to 8 % were manufactured in this color at maximum. Now there are things that were added to the car by the previous owner which did not come on this car stock from The factory. The two emblems, one on the lower front fender that states "Landau" & the "Mark cross" emblem on the rear door below the opera lights. All Fifth avenues had the landau top so Chrysler did not make nor attach that emblem to the car. That is an aftermarket emblem. The Fifth Avenues did have the optional leather seating areas available but if you did order it, it didn't add that emblem to the car. That emblem is from the front drive 1988-1993 Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue models. Once again, the previous owner took liberty to add that emblem since it was never produced on these cars. Any other questions, just ask!
Thanks so much for the info! Very informative! Very strange about the Landau emblem. Didn't know that. :) :) :)
Hello Road I know my Chrysler M bodies! I love them.
I absolutely love the color of this car. It is gorgeous and gangster as hell.
I share your fondness of the B bodies. Glad to see you are keeping the 5th Ave faith
You're right that this was not a popular color for the 5th Ave. The white ones were the nicest looking ones, in my opinion. The white, with the pin striping that matched the interior color (mostly blue or red) and the spoked hub caps were really nice. They came with just the right amount of chrome to really set the car off nicely. You could get chrome curb feelers at the auto parts stores that also added to the luxury look of the car. This was one car that I think Chrysler got right.
I’D BUY THAT FOR A DOLLAR!
Hahahahah lmfao! Hey say hi to robo cop 👮
I remember when these came out, they were all the rage in the upper middle class neighborhoods of Maryland and Virginia. For many who loved the 1979 Cadillac Seville but lamented its passing, this was a cheaper, quasi-look-a-like with the same size and vertical rear window, only done up with a LOT more vinyl add ons and chrome. It was the Reagan era, the Iacocca era and the parachute pants era. My neighbors bought a dark metallic gray Fifth Ave with a black vinyl top, gray leather interior and all the bells and whistles. The thing we loved best about it? The factory clarion radio with AMP button. For the time, it sounded better than any factory radio from Ford or GM.
I used to see these all the time too-usually older gentlemen in tweed suits driving them. Would've loved to hear that factory stereo-the one in my Fifth Avenue is busted! 😣
@@HelloRoad You can find them in junkyards, but many suffered the same fate. The nice thing is that same stereo was used in the K cars for years, only many have a black face, not the chrome. Check ebay. I have a 1979 Old 98 I'm restoring, when its done it will look mint. Sadly, its one year shy of Radwood entry. Maybe I'll get a bustle back Seville to bring next year :)
@@HelloRoad www.ebay.com/itm/Chrysler-Quartz-Lock-Precision-Series-AM-FM-Cassette-Radio/323559298001?epid=17006345480&hash=item4b55a313d1:g:feEAAOSwPDBZ~~qE:rk:44:pf:0
My grandfather bought an '86 in that dark mink brown with the same color leather and carpets as this one, with the wire wheel covers. I have many memories with that car. As a little kid, I felt so safe and comfy and quiet riding in it. It was in our family for 15 years, and my dear old grandpa gave me many driving lessons in it. When I started driving it in high school, my friends called it The Pimp Boat.
A dear old friend of his who ran a service station in our town bought one of the K-Car versions, and I remember what a ratty pile of junk it was after a few years, while my grandpa's old M-Body still looked great and kept on ticking. One day if I ever have the money and space, I'd love to find another one just like my grandpa's, because of the memories, and how much I loved the man.
Thanks so much for sharing your story!
A lesbian acquaintance drive hers for 30 years, she loved it.
With the 4 barrel that can definitely be quicker. Take out the lean burn system and this will wake up.
Bless your heart that you think that is all that it would take to make it quicker...
Back in the 80's we swapped the lean burn carburetor, module, and distributor with junkyard components from non-lean burn trucks and vans. It did wake the car up considerably. Very cheap bolt on power that only took a Saturday morning to install.
There is absolutely NOTHING to be gained by trashing the lean burn. In fact, the factory electronics allowed far more timing than the ignition kits did. So not only do you not gain any power, you lose mpg. How nice. And you totally fuck up the resale value, because now you've hacked up the car and nobody else but the derby boys will want it.
Morons
My dad had an 1986 light blue 5th ave. Loved that ride. I'd consider buying one today.
It must have been my brother's car! Nice man.....love it.! Love the chrome they had on cars back then.
BOAT/BARGE????? That was a compact car in the 70's
You're right, it was actually smaller than some K-cars. But I was mainly referring to where the car industry was headed, downsizing.
u disposed of it. sure bud lol
Terrence Gold
I myself have disposed of quite a lot of that over the years.
I doubt even a cocaine enthusiast would consume a found bag like that...?
meteor545 hold my beer
Gotta love ‘80s luxury malaise!
Mike Ehrmantraut approved.👌
I have an 85 fifth ave in the old Chrysler brick red color with the matching blood red "corinthian" leather seats. Have to say, your review of these cars is dead on! A bit clunky of a ride, I'd even say somewhat touchy steering. Mine actually doesn't get that bad of gas mileage for a now 34 year old car. The 318 is a nearly indestructible engine! The thing still purrs like a kitten. And it's still a very fun car to take out on the weekend and usually gets looks as I pass by.
i think a drug dealer had that 5 Avenue before you.
There is a good possibility of this!
Now I am going to have to check my ashtray and have a dog sniff out my entire car to make sure it is drug free.
I found a huge crack rock in an 87 Mazda RX7 when I pulled the interior out to pressure wash it. It was under the driver side carpet. The entire drivers half of the car, (blue interior) was black, like someone lived in the car for years. The pressure wash cleaned the seats, carpet, console and the rest to make a nice car. This was back in 92 and I think my boss took the crack home and “tried” it out!
Omg, my grandmother had an ‘84 fifth avenue for years!! She drove that car until it fell apart. It had well over 200k miles on it. I have fond memories riding in that car....same color as yours, etc. The only difference was hers had the wire wheel covers and her landau roof was dark brown 😎😂🙌🏻
The gas gauge comment was epic! 😂
Drug dealers didn't buy this, senior citizens bought them.
I just bought an ‘85 Seville in Cotillian white with a red Corinthian leather interior, 47k miles and one prior owner who always kept it in the garage. It gets more attention than pretty much every modern car…
This is the kind of fly luxury ride where you spare no expense...👌🏼💯✔ This is the kinda ride where you can pull up and floss on'em at the gas station, and then strut inside and pick yo self up some of that delectable gas station chicken...🍗 Now that's some fine dining cuisine...😎
First car I ever owned when I was only 17. Love that car to this day! Would love to drive her again. Mine was dark navy blue and we called her "Granddaddy"..was quiet comfortable and blew away all my friends little 4 cylinder cars in style.
My father in law had one of these. It was very smooth comfy vehicle. Rode like it was on rails..
I can still smell the Stetson cologne 😎
These cars were everywhere in the 80s. You couldn't drive down the street without seeing one. I knew several people who had them and they drove them for years. Very good cars!
Had a 86, one of the best cars i owned in 2010. Wish i still had it.
What a cool video and car thanks for posting
Thank you for watching! :) :)
My Grandma had one in 87-88, it was white with red leather interior. It was nice but slow af. I was thirteen yelling floor it granny, she was like 'I am!"
My parents had an 86 Fifth Avenue. It was cream white, alloy wheels, dark blue top, dark blue leather interior. It was a nice car, but man was it slow!
Rode in a New Yorker back in the 80s from Detroit to Toronto and back. It was a nice and comfortable drive. Rodeo Drive is tired. Nice video, thanks.
You actually look cool driving that classic.
In 1987 I worked for one of the most elite consulting firms in the country. I was sent to Kansas City on a project, and the firm payed my rental on one of these. I felt mighty badass driving on the boulevards in Kansas City in this thing. It's easy to make fun of a thirty year old jalopy, but back then It was a nice ride when you got it for free. Thanks for the memory.
Thank you for the video. I appreciate it. I am from Europe and this is my favorite American car, it's just so beautiful. I hope I will get it one day.
That is a GORGEOUS car!
My father had one a 87 the NYC police also had them. He sold it in 2000 for Regal LS now I have it after much polishing and wrenching its back to show condition . Pride and joy comes with something others can not simply buy or work on. Cool vid P.S. many hot dates in those big back seats the perks of the 80's....
Top speed 85? Now cars go 220 makes you wonder why there is a speed and wreckless driving concern in America.
National speed limit was 55, so 85 was more than acceptable for a passenger sedan. With some simple mods, you could make the car break 100 without much effort.
That thing has a 318?hell yea!
It’s the transmission and rear end that’s making it slow,not the engine.
This was my first car - same color - a 1986 model. Loved it. Slow off the line but passing power was good. 3 in the front and 3 in the back made for good times.
I owned my 1985 from new, kept it until 1995 and still miss the ride, luxury and classic looks. Mine also had the lace aluminum wheels (I believe those were borrowed from the Imperial) which are just about the prettiest wheels I've ever seen. Midway though her life with I towed a 16 foot travel trailer from our home to Walt Disney World, nearly 5,000 miles there and back. She didn't complain and kept running smoothly until it was time to part years later. I'd love to own another.
I have an 85 5th Avenue. She's a tank but I love it. People come to me to look at it wherever I go.
Love the look of these cars.
30 years old and thankful for my 37,000 mile baby
Love this car
My grandfather had one in pearl white this is a beautiful car
Last car sold in USA with rear leaf springs. I adore it.
I used to have a 1987 Fifth Avenue as well...bought for $1500 when it was about 14 or 15 years old with low mileage. Those leather 6-way power seats were indeed the most comfortable I have ever had. When I sold it most calls I got about it were from others who used to own one and were fond of them. I recall cruising the highway around 75 MPH you just kinda floated.
Best seats in any car I've ever owned!
My dad gave me one silver and I drove it from Atlantic City to New York everyday for 8 years! Was good on gas road like you are floating on a cloud and actually quite fast!
My Grandmother left me her 1989 Chrysler Fifth Avenue in Mink Brown Pearl, with a Beige Cloth interior. She bought the 89' off the showroom floor, she had an 83' model with Leather but had a delete option of the Leather on the 89'. The only reason she traded the 83' with 10,000 miles on the odometer was because of the leather, hot in the summer, and cold in the winter. The dealer put Vogue tires with Real Wire Wheels on the car as an add-on which set the car off like a million bucks, as well as installing cornering lights which were not an option. I think the design of the corning lights was that of an 80-83' Cordoba, but the dealer's body shop did a fantastic job of mounting them. Powell Chrysler/Plymouth of Escondido, CA. The car was gorgeous inside and out but was lost to the Fallbrook, California fire in 2022. The car was flawless and had an original 23,000 miles on the odometer.
Awesome car. Mine was silver with Deep red leather. my 1st car bought off my 85 year old next door neighbor for $800. it had 22,300 miles. one owner. Collector offered to buy it off me by pulling up next to me an waving me down. It was just about to turn 30,000. Sold it for $1500. I see it at local car shows . same owner who bought it off me!! Wins Awards!!!!! Great cars
When i think of cutting edge American automotive engineering, this is exactly what i imagine.
@keith cunningham relax love, i said cutting edge not reliable...
I just bought a 1986 Gran Fury. It is pretty fun to drive!
Nice!!!
Time for Dent Wizard to do their magic on that back door. ;-)
Only a young person would think that the hood on a 5th ave. is " insanely long, " lol. The hood on my 78 new yorker brougham would dwarf that one. Nice car you have there :)
Haha I'm not that young! 😀You're absolutely right, I also had a '74 LeSabre and that hood was long! Though the Fifth Ave hood was pretty long for '87 as the trend moved towards downsizing.
Thank you for the flashback to 1989 for me. My Father, Stepmother and myself made a trip from Albany, NY to Lake Forest CA in a 1985 version of this land yacht. We used the time to see the sights along the way, and every morning would pack the three of us, two old cats in a cat carrier and two small dogs (Cockapoos), luggage and a cooler for the day. We didn't have corinthian leather, we had velvet. The car was blue on blue on blue, and there was an occasion in a stop over in Cody Wyoming that I was given the chance to roam the streets with the car and drag raced a few other cars off the line. My father was upset at me that I slept the majority of the way across America, but how could I not with that interior?? When we reached our destination, I drove it during the day as he had a company car when he got there (1986 Buick Regal), and I once drove into a Hyundai dealership to test drive the "new" manufacturer in town. The salesman stated that he wished he had couches in his apartment like the ones in the back seat of the car.
Oh. and my Dad was only 35 when he purchased it, must be an old soul. After that he purchased a 1990(s) Caddilac Eldorado, then a BMW 750iL (used), Mercedes C class (2), and finally moved onto Mercedes SLs (3 to date).
Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed the vid! And thanks for the story, glad to hear about your travels in that car! :)
These were GREAT cars! The BEST of the Iacocca Era at the company's helm...Of course, they were throwbacks to the GREAT (pre-'75!) MoPars! The OLD MoPars were the BEST CARS EVER!
What a pleasant video. Not only did you do a great job covering the car, but that was some very interesting arcitecture I'd never seen before. I'm really starting to appreciate these 5th Avenues after years of just writing them off when compared to what GM and even Ford were offering at the time, as far as big V8 RWD cars.
Thanks so much for watching! Glad you enjoyed the vid :) :)