89 Lebaron Convertible Revival

[turbokid]

This car is my first td. We bought it out of a fellow salvage yard for 150 bucks along with an 86 laser xt t-top car. The car was super nice, had new tires, new top, nice paint, and very little rust. My mom drove the car a little and didn't really take care of it then when I was 15 I recieved the car. I drove it for 2 years till the motor blew up (locked up thermostat and 1 am in the morning not fun at all...)and it was sent to the salvage yard to sit and wait for a motor. Figuring it would have never sat 2 years it now needs a lot of work. It needed a little work before I stopped driving it but now it needs a top, tires, windsheild, a super cleaning, rear brakes (needed those before),a right side mirror and a lot of other little stuff. Since the motor overheated and died on the highway I have a 20k rebuilt motor with new head, mopar headgasket, mopar head bolts, new gaskets, new seals etc. Unfortunately since my Shelby's tranny ate a cinder block I needed the car quicker then expected so I have not yet cleaned up the engine, engine bay, or other parts like I should have. I started removing the motor on Tuesday and had the other engine with all the other accessories in the car on Wednesay. I love this car dearly and it will be VERY nice again. I am including a couple before photos. Also engine out and in photos aswell.
Enjoy the pics.
When we had just finished getting the car going

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The last couple pics are of the motor thats going in and the trans. The trans that was in it was from an 85 k car and it was geared AWESOME for the 2.5. Torquey from the start and cruised lower rpm's on the highway. Unfortunately that tranny's pretty old so it needs a rebuild. I am putting an 89 a413 out of a caravan in it.

[turbokid]

Now the next day I switched over the intake, turbo, exhaust manifold, turbo lines, wiring, brackets, etc. I also had to break apart the old engine and trans as the the 2.5 came out of a 5 speed car and had a large spline clutch and a Dual diaphram pressure plate attached. So the auto flex plate bell housing bolts, starter, and all that fun stuff had to be transfered to the new motor. Pics of the REinstallation. Sorry if the pics are slightly confusing. The pics of the motor with out the head is the old motor and trans. The head had a 5k rebuild and ran aweomse and had NO cracks. Headgasket wasn't blown on the motor either... so I am not really sure what happened to the motor. The motor also turned over GREAT, and had no apparant cylinder wall damage, ring issue, or any other apparent problems. I am gonna keep the short block for a rebuild for something later. The motor is in and on its own mounts now. All I have to do is complete assembly and hope the car will fire up. Will keep this thread upto date with pics and progress. After the motor its getting a top swap, a mirror, 4 good treaded tires, rear brakes, and a severe clean up so stay tuned.
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[turbokid]

Well got to start the car today for the first time in over 1 1/2years. I still have quite a bit to do to make it driveable but this first step was great and made me feel like I am making real progress. Sorry no photos this time my gf took the camera.

[turbokid]

After a full day of work the car is back home.
I was up at 6 as usual to head out to the yard and I had 3 goals in mind.
1) make the car driveable
2)make it reliable enough to make it home
3)make it presentable
I made it through #1 LMAO and the rest... well I tried.
I got the car running decently in the shop but the piece of steel that goes between the motor and trans had a bent ear on the back so when I put the lower bracket on it, it would push that ear into the torque converter bolts making an aweful racket. I spent 30 minutes on my back trying to keep that from happening and eventually just broke it off.
So once I got the back, the dust cover, and the 2 lower bellhousing bolts installed (for the like the 5th time) I got it so it wouldn't make noise.
I need to get a timing light on it as I set the ignition timing by ear and I think its a little too far off.
Put new (well used but new to the car) tires on it all the way round with 80 percent tread life left. We have a tire machine and balancer at the yard so thats convenient.
I also put a new mirror on the car.
Now we left the yard at 5 oclock and its an hour drive to home from the yard. Well about to Lees summit the car dies randomly. Looses power and wont restart. I banged on the tank and the car would finally sputter and run the car real rough for a few seconds. So off to get a tow rope from tractor supply company. I go ahead and throw a spare HEP in and it starts up and runs. So back on the road till I hit about 435 and holmes road and it randomly dies again. Let it sit for about 15-20 minutes and back on the road again>
The car is now safelyy at my house and it iwll be getting a thorough cleaning. Pics will come tmrw
Q

[minigts]

Well I gotta say you got a lot of work done in a descent amount of time, regardless if it took you over a year to get to it! :) Congrats on the progress and keep up the good work!

[turbokid]

LOL I am making up the lack of progess for the past year.
I will post pictures today of current progess. It still needs lots of work unfortunately...

[turbokid]

Didn't make a whole lot of progess today. I took the top down, popped the windows down, removed the seats, vacuumed the carpet, spot cleaned the carpet, and cleaned up all the interior trim. I also got the fuel pump in today so I can put that in tomorrow. Also tomorrow I am going to steam clean the spots that didn't come out today and give the entire car a bath once it is running correctly. Stay tuned for more photos of other progress.

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[JohnnyIroc]

ur almost there just finish taking that carpet out, you wont regret it....
even a garden hose with some pressure if you don't have a pressure washer, or take it up to the car wash in the back of a pick up

[1966 dart wagon]

how about a couple pics of the red 69 plymouth road runner:eyebrows:

[2.216VTurbo]

You're making good progress, you must be putting in some 10 hour days on that thing:thumb: My projects move slow because i'm lucky to get in an hour here or there:o There's a red Lebaron in the driveway with a hardtop? What's that about?:D

[turbokid]

LOL red lebaron with a hardtop huh? From your sig I think you know what it is. I am putting about 3-4 hours a day in it. Not too bad. Today I am doing the fuel pump WOOHOO.
I have got a portable steam cleaner so I am gonna do the carpets with that and see if that gets everything out. If it still looks pretty nasty then I will pull the carpets, shampoo them thoroughly and take it to the car wash for some spray action.
Hopefully I will actually get to drive the car today

[turbokid]

Well I didn't get as far as I wanted. I put the car up on ramps, unhooked all the lines, and put some penetrating oil on the nuts and let it sit for about an hour. But of course I break off both the studs off... So I take the old pump out and assemble the new pump into the tank and get it all ready for reinstallation. Well I went to go take care of some college stuff before I was going to drill the studs out. I got a hole through the first stud before the drill quit so I quit doing it for the day. I am gonna finish it up tomorrow.
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[turbokid]

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Finished up the Lebaron. It's running pretty well except it wants to idle at 700 rpm and wants to die at stoplights. It has done this multiple times now. I took it to an all mopar cruise tonight and parked it next to my buddies restored 83 1/2 shelby charger.
Also talked to the guy who is selling me an a568 for the Shelby. All in all a decent night.

[audiomaninc]

Great job getting it running! Check the AIS motor for gunk and grime. That'll cause the dying at stoplights problem. Good luck!

[turbokid]

Thanks man. I am really happy its running.
Q

[BoostedDrummer]

Wow great job man!!

[turbokid]

Thanks dude. Wheres the progress on your car??? I missed seeing updates. Got me bored so I had to go work on mine =P
Next after I work the kinks out of this car, I am going to get the laser running. Shouldn't be too bad I figure. Then another trans goes back into the Shelby.... *SIGH*
But hey more progress to come on this car in the next couple days. I am gonna pull the seats back out and steam clean the carpets, gonna attack the engine bay with a power washer and some engine degreaser and I am gonna touch up the paint on the body the best I can and see if I can get rid of some of the rust around the door.

[BoostedDrummer]

Thanks dude. Wheres the progress on your car??? I missed seeing updates. Got me bored so I had to go work on mine =P
Next after I work the kinks out of this car, I am going to get the laser running. Shouldn't be too bad I figure. Then another trans goes back into the Shelby.... *SIGH*
But hey more progress to come on this car in the next couple days. I am gonna pull the seats back out and steam clean the carpets, gonna attack the engine bay with a power washer and some engine degreaser and I am gonna touch up the paint on the body the best I can and see if I can get rid of some of the rust around the door.

Lol yeah Ive neglected on updating the thread for awhile haven't I:o. Well the only thing ive done was pushed it around to the front of the house yesterday. All it needs is the AIS and TPS wires run to the LM and its got some wiring problem where if we plug a battery to it the starter makes a buzzing noise. Other than that, its almost ready to hit the streets:D

You need to stop making me look bad, throwing 2 cars together before i can get my 2nd going hahaha

[turbokid]

LOL throwing 3 cars =P
I have neglected to mention the maserati. Then the laser will be done REALLY soon and then the shelby needing a trans. gotta get the cash for the trans and that will be back running

[BoostedDrummer]

LOL throwing 3 cars =P
I have neglected to mention the maserati. Then the laser will be done REALLY soon and then the shelby needing a trans. gotta get the cash for the trans and that will be back running

...I quit...

JK! Thats badass man! When did you get a Masi?

[turbokid]

About a year ago. It sits in the driveway way till I can afford parts for it. With headlights being ridiculously expensive as well as pretty much all the parts it needs its kinda hard to justify putting it together right now

[turbokid]

Well I got all the stuff to reregister and license the car for road use tomorrow so I can drive it. I am toying with the idea of throwing my intercooler rad set up and putting an aftermarket tranny cooler on it. I am still working out small bugs on the car so I dont know yet.
Then I am gonna start detailing the motor little by little.
Pics to come of course

[turbokid]

Well the lebaron decided to blow an oil seal somewhere. It's leaking ATLEAST a quart of oil everytime it sits. Its coming from the pass of the motor it looks like as the timing belt is wet and the a- arm is also drenched in oil. Gonna get it up on some ramps and check it out. I haven't driven it since this massive bp oil disaster started a couple days ago so we will see