Author: JJM3

1984 Buick Riviera T TYPE coupe

This entry was one of my first posts on this blog. I’ve updated it to reflect both changes in my posting style and substantial improvements in available data. In hindsight, it turns out that it was also my initial inspiration for the Riviera Project I am currently working on.

“… the thrill of turbocharged performance and responsive handling.”

For 1984, the T TYPE (their spelling) version of Buick’s Riviera gained sequential fuel injection, yielding a respectable 200 bhp from the evergreen LM9 3.8 liter/231 ci turbo V6. Performance figures for the later Riviera T TYPEs are hard to come by, but I’m betting that 0-60 mph came in between 9 and 10 seconds.

Fuel mileage for the big coupe was decent by the day’s standards: 14 city/21 highway (13/20 by today’s measures). With the 21.2-gallon gas tank, range was about 310 to 335 miles with a 10% fuel reserve. A T TYPE continued to be the only way to get your Riviera coupe turbocharged, though you could get a “civilian” Riviera convertible with the turbocharger.

Riviera pages from the 1984 Buick brochure
Riviera pages from the 1984 Buick brochure

The $17,050 T TYPE (about $54,500 in 2025 dollars) came with a blacked-out grille, amber parking light and turn signal lenses, black mirrors, and P205/75R15 tires (a size still readily available) on 15-inch styled aluminum wheels. Additional instrumentation for the T TYPE included a turbo boost gauge and an LED tachometer. The 1984 T TYPE also included the Gran Touring Package, which featured stiffer springs, recalibrated shock absorbers, and larger diameter anti-sway bars front and rear.

Standard exterior and mechanical features on all 1984 Rivieras included a four-speed automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, and power antenna. Inside, every Riviera had air conditioning, power door locks, and power windows.

Options & Production Numbers

An extensive list of options included electronic climate control ($150), rear window defogger ($140), and Twilight Sentinel ($60). Options available for every Riviera except the convertible included the Delco/Bose Music System ($895) and the Astroroof ($1,195).

Sales weren’t great—with only 1,153 made, T TYPEs accounted for only about 2% of the robust overall Riviera sales. T TYPE sales would continue to dip in the last year for the “big” sixth-generation Riviera—there were only 1,069 made in 1985. My theory is that there weren’t a ton of folks searching for a big (206 inches long and 3,660 pounds) performance-oriented (but not really high performance) coupe in the mid-1980s, and there was competition from vehicles like the brand-new Lincoln Mark VII LSC.

The View From 2025

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Folks are saving the sixth-generation Rivieras—there’s robust discussion and support on the AACA’s Buick Riviera page. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a 1984 Riviera T TYPE in #1/Concours condition is $37,400, with a far more normal #3/Good condition going for $11,400. T TYPEs also come up for sale occasionally in the Hemming’s Motor News classifieds or on eBay Motors. Bring a Trailer has yet to sell a sixth-generation T TYPE.

Make mine the extra-cost ($210) Medium Sand Gray Firemist, please. I love those Buick color names and believe everyone should have at least one Firemist.

Other Buick coupes I have written about include the 1980 Rivera S TYPE, the 1983 Skylark T TYPE, the 1984 Regal Grand National, the 1985 Somerset Regal, the 1987 GNX, the 1987 LeSabre T Type, and the 1988 Reatta.

Last updated August 2025.

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1980 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 coupe

I saw a white 1980 or 1981 Z28 with blue graphics (I believe the only way you can tell them apart is to get close enough to see the VIN’s length) out driving in June 2014, not once but twice. It wasn’t quite in show condition, but it still looked pretty sharp, and you so rarely see these cars on the road these days. We’ll go with the 1980 version for this post because it had slightly more horsepower.

“The Maximum Camaro.”

For 1980, the aging second-generation Chevrolet Camaro (the title of Car and Driver‘s road test for the 1980 Z28 was a cruel “A medieval warrior on the path to a rocking chair“) received some updates, including exterior styling changes and a more powerful engine for the Z28. Not much could be done about the general lack of space efficiency (the EPA rated all Camaros as subcompact cars), the relatively high weight, and the fairly primitive technology.

The standard Z28 powertrain for states other than California was the LM1 5.7 liter/350 ci V8 with a four-barrel Rochester carburetor and 8.2:1 compression matched with a four-speed manual transmission (a three-speed automatic was available for $63). At 190 bhp, this engine had the most horsepower seen in any Camaro since 1974 (sigh). For 1980, Chevrolet engineers added a solenoid-driven air intake to the back of the redesigned hood scoop.

Car and Driver managed to get the 3,660-pound Z28 with the four-speed from 0-60 in 8.5 seconds with a 120 mph top speed. Fuel mileage was predictably bad—14 city/21 highway by the day’s standards. With a 20.9-gallon gas tank, a Z28 owner could expect a range of 270 to 295 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

Z28 pages from the 1980 Chevrolet Camaro brochure
Z28 pages from the 1980 Chevrolet Camaro brochure

The Z28‘s base price was $7,121—about $30,600 in today’s dollars. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included heavy-duty shocks and springs, body color Sport mirrors, a front air dam, a rear spoiler, and P225/70R15 white-lettered radial tires (a size still readily available) on body-colored 15-inch wheels. Inside, power steering, full gages, center console, cut-pile carpeting, and vinyl bucket seats were standard. No radio of any sort was included, with Chevrolet’s assumption likely being that the average Z28 buyer would look for assistance from Crutchfield and others for their sound.

Options & Production Numbers

External options included 15 x 7-inch cast aluminum wheels ($184), tinted glass ($68), and removable glass roof panels ($695). Inside, you could add air conditioning ($566), an intermittent windshield wiper system ($41), an electric rear window defogger ($107), automatic speed control ($112), power door locks ($93), power windows ($143), a Comfortilt steering wheel ($81), and nine different radios including an AM/FM stereo radio with a stereo cassette player ($272).

Although Z28 sales were good in 1980, they did not match 1979’s numbers. Chevrolet sold 45,137 Z28s in the 1980 model year, making them almost 30% of total Camaro production.

The View From 2025

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Long neglected by the collector market and with most now used up, late second-generation Z28s in good or great shape now get interesting numbers at online and in-person auctions. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, all the money for a 1980 Z28 with the LM1 motor, the four-speed manual, and T-tops in #1/Concours condition is $60,100. A more normal #3/Good condition version is valued at $23,400. Second-generation Camaros have good club support and are often available in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer.

Make mine Red, I think. Surprisingly—at least to me—the most popular Camaro color in 1980 was Dark Blue.

Other Camaros I have covered include the 1980 Rally Sport coupe, the 1982 Z28 Indy 500 Commemorative Edition hatchback coupe, the 1984 Sport Coupe, the 1985 IROC-Z hatchback coupe, and the 1986 Berlinetta hatchback coupe.

Last updated August 2025.

Eighties Cars At The 2014 Mecum Spring Classic

Mecum’s May auction in Indianapolis provided some interesting fodder for commentary. I’ll concentrate on the 1980s cars and trucks that actually sold (remember that this is not a no reserve auction) and add some of my opinions.

Tuesday:

  • 1980 white Chevrolet Corvette coupe—$8,750 hammer price.
  • 1989 red Pontiac Firebird Trans Am coupe—$6,250
  • 1981 red Chevrolet Corvette coupe—$6,750
  • 1983 blue Cadillac Eldorado coupe—an ouch! at $3,250.
  • 1986 white Chevrolet Corvette convertible with 45,000 miles—$8,750
  • 1983 silver Jaguar XJS coupe—$6,500
  • 1984 black Zimmer Golden Spirit coupe—this Mercury Cougar-based neo-classic fetched $18,500.
  • 1986 silver Chevrolet Corvette coupe—$5,750

Wednesday:

  • 1988 silver Toyota Land Cruiser SUV—$9,250
  • 1981 blue Cadillac Eldorado Pierre Cardin Evolution I coupe. This strange looking Eldorado with a notably extended nose sold for $8,000.
  • 1982 beige Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler pickup truck—at $28,000 the first vehicle in this auction to meet my criteria for serious 1980s collectability of original cars or trucks: selling for equal to or above its original base list price. I’ll mark these vehicles in bold green.
  • 1984 red Chevrolet Corvette coupe with 7,500 miles—$9,750
  • 1985 white Chevrolet Corvette coupe with 5,600 miles—$10,500
  • 1981 white Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler pickup truck with 9,000 miles—$21,000
  • 1982 Silver Beige Chevrolet Corvette Collector Edition coupe with 25,000 miles—$15,500
  • 1987 black Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible—$8,000

Thursday:

  • 1987 black Buick Grand National coupe with 19,500 miles—$20,000
  • 1988 white Tiffany Classic coupe with 17,000 miles—$16,000. Another neo-classic, this one also Mercury Cougar-based.
  • 1983 red Ferrari 308 GTS Targa with 22,500 miles—$44,000
  • 1986 black Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 coupe with 43,200 miles—$14,000
  • 1980 white Porsche 911 coupe—$20,000
  • 1982 yellow/white Pontiac Firebird Trans Am funny car driven by Don Prudhomme—the first funny car to hit 250 mph in the quarter mile. Estimated at $200,000 to $250,000, but “only” sold for $105,000—race cars of all types and all ages seem to be a challenge at auction.
  • 1981 black Pontiac Firebird Trans Am coupe—$13,000
  • 1980 black Pontiac Firebird Trans Am coupe—$15,000

Friday:

  • 1982 Silver Beige Chevrolet Corvette Collector Edition coupe—$13,000. Is it possible that there are actually more seats than butts for what is unquestionably the nicest and most livable of the late sharks?
  • 1985 beige two-tone Chevrolet Short Bed mild custom pickup truck—$7,500
  • 1987 black Buick Grand National coupe—$8,000
  • 1981 black Pontiac Firebird Trans Am coupe—real money at $32,500

Saturday:

  • 1986 AM General 6×6 truck—$15,500
  • 1989 red Porsche 928 S4 coupe with 16,500 miles—$50,000

What do you think of this auction’s results?

Eighties Cars At The 2014 Mecum Kansas City

Mecum’s April auction at Kansas City provided some interesting fodder for commentary. I’ll concentrate on the 1980s cars and trucks that actually sold (remember that this is not a no reserve auction) and add some of my opinions.

Thursday:

  • 1985 beige Cadillac Eldorado coupe—$6,000 hammer price.
  • 1984 Silver Metallic Chevrolet Corvette coupe—$3,000
  • 1985 Cream Beige Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme coupe—$4,500. These cars sold in immense numbers (134,000 coupes in 1985 alone); does this mean there will be some collector interest?
  • 1982 white Mercedes-Benz 240D sedan—$4,100
  • 1981 orange Jeep CJ-7 SUV—$11,500
  • 1982 Silver Beige Chevrolet Corvette Collector Edition coupe missing all of the exterior striping—$11,000
  • 1983 red Phillips Berlina coupe. Yet another Corvette-based “neo-classic”—this C3-derived one sold for $14,500.
  • 1985 black Chevrolet pickup truck—$11,500
  • 1987 white Ford Mustang LX convertible – $4,000
  • 1989 black Pontiac Firebird Formula coupe—$5,500
  • 1985 black Chevrolet Cheyenne mild custom pickup truck—$4,250

Friday:

  • 1986 gray Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible—$8,000
  • 1980 Dark Blue Chevrolet Camaro coupe—$7,500
  • 1985 medium blue/light blue two-tone Chevrolet K5 Blazer SUV—$10,000
  • 1988 Medium Blue Metallic Chevrolet Corvette convertible with 63,000 miles—a nice car for $9,750.
  • 1985 Dark Red Metallic Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz coupe—$5,500. Why did this sell for less than the beige 1985 on Thursday?
  • 1986 red Pontiac Firebird Trans Am coupe with 56,000 miles—$8,000
  • 1981 black Chevrolet Corvette coupe with 68,000 miles—$12,500

Saturday:

  • 1984 Red Chevrolet Corvette coupe with 12,000 miles—$12,000. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, all the money for an 1984 Corvette in #1 condition is $15,300.
  • 1980 white Chevrolet Corvette coupe—$11,250
  • 1985 red Chevrolet C10 mild custom pickup—$18,000. It took until Saturday for the only vehicle in this auction that met my criteria for serious 1980s collectability of original cars or trucks: selling for equal to or above its original base list price.
  • 1983 Ice Blue Lotus Esprit (non-turbo) coupe with 5,700 miles—$30,000. Probably the most interesting eighties car in this auction, though I don’t quite understand paying $49,809 (about $118,200 in today’s dollars) for this 140 bhp car in 1983.
  • 1980 Russet Brown MGB convertible—$4,500. How much did the color drive the price down?

What do you think of this auction’s results?

1983 Honda Civic S hatchback coupe

Finding detailed information about the 1983 Honda Civic S turned out to be surprisingly hard, so this was initially my first “Short Take”—a post that I didn’t consider long enough to be a complete discussion. Time and better sources have changed that.

“We Make It Simple”

Honda continued to hit on all (four) cylinders in 1983 with the introduction of the Civic S.

The engine in the S was not specific to it, but was the optional EM 1.5 liter/91 ci inline four with a three-barrel carburetor, making 63 bhp. Car and Driver recorded a 0-60 time of 12.1 seconds and a top speed of 94 mph in the last of the second-generation Civics—only six years earlier, the Civic’s 0-60 time had been about 15 seconds. Mileage with the standard five-speed manual transmission was 35 city/46 highway by the day’s standards. With a 10.8-gallon gas tank, a Civic S driver could expect a range of 320 to 350 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

1983 Honda Civic brochure cover

At $6,399 (about $21,100 in 2025 dollars and about 32% less than a 2025 Honda Civic hatchback costs), the 1500 S was the top of the two-door hatchback line and over 30% more than the base 1300 model. A handsome little car, the Civic S was fitted with firmer suspension (with rear stabilizer bar) and 165/70R13 Michelin tires (a size still available thanks to Vredestein) on 13-inch wheels. A red accent stripe encircled the S—this, a black grille, and blackout paint around the window frames set it apart from other Civics. Standard equipment on the S included a front spoiler, a tachometer, and a quartz digital clock.

Standard equipment on all 1983 Civics included front wheel drive, rack and pinion steering, power-assisted front disc/rear drum brakes, and MacPherson struts on all four corners. Inside, full carpeting, reclining front bucket seats with adjustable headrests, and a fold-down rear seat were included. Dealer-installed options included air conditioning and a radio.

The View From 2025

Second-generation Civics rarely show up for sale in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds but have more of a presence on eBay Motors—though most are either highly modified or with substantial miles. Bring a Trailer has auctioned nine examples from this Civic generation, including one black Civic S.

There were only two color choices for a 1983 Civic S. Make mine Black, please.

Other Hondas I have written about include the 1983 Accord sedan, the 1984 Civic DX hatchback coupe, the 1984 Civic CRX hatchback coupe, the 1985 CRX Si hatchback coupe, the 1986 Accord sedan, the 1986 Prelude Si coupe, and the 1988 Civic sedan.

Last updated August 2025.

1983 Chevrolet S-10 Blazer SUV

“Tough Chevy trucks are taking charge”

1983 was the first year for Chevrolet’s S-10 Blazer SUV (along with its sister, the GMC S-15 Jimmy). Intended as a smaller complement to the full-sized K5 Blazer that had been in production since 1969, the S-10 Blazer found a ready market. Styling was good—derivative of the K5, but clean and appropriate for the size.

For 1983, the S-10 Blazer’s standard power was provided by the LQ2 83 bhp 2.0 liter/122 ci inline four with a two-barrel carburetor. Optional power was quite a step up: the $243 LR2 110 bhp 2.8 liter/173 ci V6 with a two-barrel carburetor was available (and very popular) and required power steering (an additional $247). Mileage with the V6 and the four-speed automatic transmission was 17 city/23 highway by the day’s standards (15/22 by today’s measures). With a 20.1-gallon fuel tank, a Blazer owner could expect a range of between 335 and 360 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

The S-10 Blazer buyer had a choice of two or four-wheel-drive, with four-wheel-drive costing an additional $1,194. The four-wheel-drive versions came with the all-new “Insta-Trac,” meaning the driver could shift into (or out of) four-wheel-drive High at any speed. Selecting four-wheel-drive Low (for very slippery, rough, or steep terrain) required stopping the Blazer.

Cover of the 1983 Chevrolet S-10 Blazer brochure
Cover of the 1983 Chevrolet S-10 Blazer brochure

Three trim levels were offered: base, Tahoe, and Sport. Standard equipment on base version ($9,423 with four-wheel-drive or approximately $30,900 in 2025 dollars) included P195/75R15 tires on 15-inch wheels, a heater, high back vinyl bucket seats, and color-keyed rubber floor mats. For $576, moving up to the Tahoe trim upgraded the truck with chrome trim, wheel trim rings, carpeting, and a gauge package.

At $944, the top-of-the-line Sport trim included features such as wheel trim rings, two-tone paint, color-keyed bumpers, reclining front seat backs, a console, a Sport steering wheel, a gauge package, and additional sound insulation.

Options & Production Numbers

Optional equipment included air conditioning ($690), cruise control ($185), a tilt steering wheel ($105), the Operating Convenience Package ($300 for power windows and power door locks), and an AM/FM stereo cassette ($555). Mechanically, you could get the Off-Road Package ($571 with the Tahoe or Sport trim), the Heavy-Duty Trailering Package ($193), and the Cold-Climate Package ($69 with the upper-level trims and air conditioning).

All of these options meant you could make an S-10 Blazer rather pricey—I fairly easily configured a four-wheel-drive Sport with the V6 and the four-speed automatic transmission to $15,039 or about $49,000 in today’s dollars.

First-year S-10 Blazer sales were quite strong, with over 106,000 sold of an all-new model that dropped over 1,500 pounds in curb weight compared to its big brother.

The View From 2025

You rarely see S-10 Blazers for sale in the Hemming’s Motor News classifieds. They are more prevalent on eBay Motors, but seeing one that has not been significantly modified is unusual. The advent of Bring a Trailer has brought more stock S-10 Blazers to the fore.

Make mine the Cinnamon Red/Sable Black two-tone—just like the one on the brochure cover.

Other 1983 Chevrolets I’ve written about include the Caprice Classic sedan, the Cavalier CS sedan, the Malibu sedan, and the Monte Carlo SS Sport Coupe.

Last updated April 2025.

Eighties Vehicles at the 2014 Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach

This year’s Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach auction included some interesting vehicles. As usual, I’ll concentrate on the 1980s cars (and some trucks) that sold and add some of my opinions.

Friday:

  • 1982 gray Buick Electra Limited sedan—$11,000 hammer price. For 1980s cars, this auction definitely kicked off with a What? First, who saved this car for all these years? Second, who paid $11,000 for it in 2014?
  • 1982 Silver Beige Chevrolet Corvette Collector Edition coupe—$12,000
  • 1984 Apple Red/Frost White two-tone Chevrolet K5 Blazer SUV—at $13,000 the first vehicle in this auction to meet my criteria for serious 1980s collectability of original cars or trucks: selling for equal to or above its original base list price. I’ll mark these vehicles in bold green.
  • 1988 Pearl White Lotus Esprit Turbo Commemorative Limited Edition coupe—$19,000. An interesting car in a good color, but what is the future for Esprit values?
  • 1988 black Bentley Continental convertible—$35,000
  • 1989 white Bentley Turbo R sedan—$21,000
  • 1987 Raven Black Buick Grand National coupe—$20,000
  • 1989 gray Jeep Grand Wagoneer SUV with 55,000 miles—$30,000. Eighties Grand Wagoneers have a strong following and it shows at auction.
  • 1983 green Jeep CJ-7 SUV—$12,000
  • 1987 white Toyota Land Cruiser SUV—$12,500
  • 1985 red Chevrolet Silverado mild custom pickup truck—$11,500
  • 1985 Schwarz Black Mercedes-Benz 380SL convertible—$12,250
  • 1983 blue two-tone Volkswagon Vanagen van—$9,500
  • 1981 Gold Metallic Pontiac Firebird Trans Am coupe—$12,000
  • 1984 silver BMW 633 CSi coupe—$5,000
  • 1986 black Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible—$7,500
  • 1987 Raven Black Buick Grand National coupe with 1,786 miles—$38,500

Saturday:

  • 1982 blue Mercedes-Benz 380SL convertible—$4,000. Some SLs were getting killed at this auction—perhaps due to their reputation for being quite expensive to bring back if they’ve gone to seed?
  • 1986 black Mercedes-Benz 560SL convertible with 72,000 miles—$8,000
  • 1987 Raven Black Buick Grand National coupe with 981 miles—$23,000
  • 1987 Raven Black Buick GNX coupe with 290 miles (the top 1980s sale in yet another auction)—$90,000
  • 1988 yellow Pegasus coupe—$30,000 for this rare (only 25 built) Trans Am-based car.
  • 1987 green Dodge Ram custom pickup truck—$19,000

Sunday:

  • 1981 silver Jaguar XJ 6 sedan—$8,000
  • 1988 white Pontiac Grand Prix Daytona 500 Pace Car experimental coupe (no complete VIN so not drivable on public roads)—$4,000. Stock looking, but not stock at all—what does the new owner intend to do with it?
  • 1981 white Chevrolet Corvette mild custom coupe—$8,500
  • 1980 black Chevrolet El Camino very custom pickup truck—$32,000
  • 1981 red Jeep Scrambler custom pickup truck—$13,000
  • 1989 blue/silver two-tone Ford Ranger mild custom pickup truck—$5,800

Looks like a lot of Mercedes-Benz SLs, turbo Buicks, SUVs, and trucks. What do you think of this year’s results?

Eighties Vehicles at the 2014 Mecum Houston

Mecum’s April auction at Houston provided some interesting fodder for commentary. I’ll concentrate on the 1980s cars and trucks that actually sold (remember that this is not a no reserve auction) and add some of my opinions.

Thursday:

  • 1987 beige/brown two-tone Dodge Ramcharger SUV—$7,500 hammer price. There were a lot of trucks at Houston, so kicking off with one for the 1980s vehicles fits.
  • 1983 black Mercedes-Benz 380SL convertible—$6,500 means that 380SLs don’t seem to do nearly as well as the later 560SLs.
  • 1983 John Deere Green Toyota FJ-40 SUV—FJ-40s are really strong right now and at $20,000 this one was the first vehicle in this auction to meet my criteria for serious 1980s collectability of original cars or trucks: selling for equal to or above its original base list price. I’ll mark these vehicles in bold green.
  • 1985 Silver/Gray two-tone Chevrolet Corvette mild custom coupe—$8,500
  • 1981 Dark Blue Chevrolet Camaro Z28 coupe with 55,000 miles—$20,000. These late second-generation Camaros continue to sell for good numbers. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, all the money for an 1981 Z28 in #1 condition is $25,400.
  • 1988 Apple Red Chevrolet K5 Blazer SUV—$13,000
  • 1986 Nero (black) Ferrari Mondial convertible—at $17,000 (about a quarter of the original base price), the Mondial remains the eighties Ferrari stepchild (along with the 400, of course).
  • 1982 Silver Beige Chevrolet Corvette Collector Edition coupe—$13,500
  • 1985 white Chevrolet K5 Blazer SUV with 25,000 miles—$19,000
  • 1988 gray/blue two-tone Chevrolet K5 Blazer SUV with 92,000 miles—$13,000

Friday:

  • 1981 silver (Of course! All but two …) DeLorean DMC-12 coupe with less than 5,000 miles—$26,000
  • 1980 White Chevrolet Corvette coupe with four speed manual transmission—$9,500
  • 1982 red Jaguar XJ-S Koenig Special coupe—at $7,000, ouch! The bodywork of this “factory special” is definitely an acquired taste, but the parts alone have got to be worth more than $7,000.
  • 1985 white Chevrolet K10 pickup truck—$16,000
  • 1981 Charcoal Gray Chevrolet Camaro Z28 coupe with 15,000 miles—$16,000
  • 1985 Black Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z coupe with 7 miles—$34,000 is evidently the price for a brand new 1985 IROC-Z, plastic still covering the interior, front spoiler never installed.
  • 1982 Silver Beige Chevrolet Corvette Collector Edition coupe with 2,000 miles—$21,500
  • 1981 Autumn Red/Dark Claret two-tone Chevrolet Corvette coupe—$13,500
  • 1981 blue Chevrolet Camaro Z28 very custom coupe—$32,500
  • 1985 black Porsche 930 Turbo coupe—at $40,500, the highest priced stock eighties car in this auction, but not quite getting back to its original $48,000 base price.
  • 1986 yellow Pontiac Fiero GT “resto-mod” coupe with supercharged V6—$8,000

Saturday:

  • 1985 white BMW 635 CSi coupe—$18,000

What do you think of this auction’s results?

1983 Pontiac 6000 STE sedan

“Enter the realm of the senses”

The 6000 STE was Pontiac’s 1980s attempt to make a car that could effectively compete with the BMWs and Audis of the age. Of course, Pontiac had been trying to do this for at least a decade, including two different generations of the Grand Am (1973-1975 and 1978-1980). Though hampered by the fundamental constraints of the front-wheel-drive A-platform, the 6000 STE was a committed attempt.

For 1983, the 6000 STE‘s power was provided by GM’s Chevrolet-built corporate “High Output” LH7 2.8 liter/173 ci V6 with a Rochester E2SE two-barrel carburetor, rated at a respectable for the era 135 bhp, but the only transmission available was (oog) a three-speed automatic. 0-60 came in about 9 seconds in the 3,000-pound car. Mileage was 19 city/24 highway by the day’s standards (17/22 by today’s measures). With a 15.6-gallon gas tank, range was an unimpressive 275 to 300 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

Improvements over the standard Pontiac 6000 (and the other A-platform cars—the Buick Century, the Chevrolet Celebrity, and the Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera) included a special steering rack and suspension tuning with a self-leveling rear air suspension. Four tungsten halogen headlamps paired with two inboard driving lamps gave the 6000 STE a distinctive and relatively unique face.

Pages from the 1983 Pontiac 6000 STE brochure
Pages from the 1983 Pontiac 6000 STE brochure

The 6000 STE came comfortably equipped for a sedan in 1983. Dual rectangular halogen headlamps, Soft-Ray tinted glass, power rack and pinion steering, power front disc/rear drum brakes, and 195/70R14 Goodyear Eagle GT tires (a size still readily available) on 14-inch aluminum wheels were standard. Standard interior features included 45/45 reclining front seats with a six-way manual adjustment and lumbar support, air conditioning, a rear window defroster, power door locks, power windows, power mirrors, cruise control, a tilt steering wheel, rally gauges with trip odometer, and a Delco-GM ETR AM/FM stereo radio with a cassette player and four speakers.

Options, Pricing, & Production Numbers

The only significant options available were a $295 vista vent roof and leather seating surfaces.

In 1983, 6,719 buyers paid around $13,572 (about $45,000 in 2025 dollars) for a 6000 STE, and it managed to make Car and Driver‘s 10Best Cars that year and the two following. The STE gained multi-port fuel injection in 1985 and various interior upgrades just about every year through 1989.

The View From 2026

Over time, the initial positive opinion there was of the 6000 STE seems to have faded—the most disparaging comment I’ve ever received on this site is about this car.

6000 STE‘s only occasionally show up in either the Hemmings Motor News classifieds or eBay Motors, and when they do, they are often not in the greatest of shape. Bring a Trailer has yet to feature a 6000 STE.

Please make mine the same Light Brown Metallic/Dark Brown Metallic two-tone as there is in the brochure picture above.

Other A-platform cars I have written about included the 1985 Chevrolet Celebrity Eurosport coupe, the 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera sedan, the 1986 Buick Century sedan, and the 1989 Chevrolet Celebrity sedan.

Last updated February 2026.

1986 Chrysler Town & Country convertible

“Why sit around waiting for a summer breeze to come up when you can create quite a stir yourself?”

1986 was the last model year for Chrysler’s Town & Country convertible. Basically a special version of the LeBaron convertible, the Town & Country was first available in 1983 and was intended to remind potential buyers of the classic (and valuable) Town & Country convertibles in production from 1946 through 1950. The newer Town & Country was not especially successful, selling only 3,721 units in four years, with only 501 sold in 1986.

Like all LeBarons, the Town & Country‘s front and rear fascias, headlights, grilles, and taillights were all updated with a more rounded and aerodynamic look in 1986. The center-mounted brake light mandated for all 1986 vehicles by U.S. federal law was mounted atop the trunk lid. Inside, the standard digital instrument cluster was redesigned for better legibility.

Also for 1986, a throttle-body fuel injected K 2.5 liter/152 ci inline four producing 100 bhp replaced the carburetted 2.6 inline liter four built by Mitsubishi as the base engine. The optional fuel-injected Turbo I 146 bhp 2.2 liter/135 ci turbocharged inline four remained for an additional $628. Both engines were paired with a TorqueFlite three-speed automatic. Mileage with the base engine was 23 city/25 highway by the day’s standards (20/23 by 2025 measures). The Turbo I was rated at 20 city/24 highway—not a big price to pay for a significant percentage of extra horsepower.

1986 Chrysler Town & Country convertible brochure picture
1986 Chrysler Town & Country convertible pages from the LeBaron brochure

The base price for 1986 Town & Country was a non-trivial $17,595 (about $52,600 in today’s dollars). For that money, you got halogen headlights, dual horns, power brakes, wire wheel covers with locks, and the Town & Country’s distinctive white ash moldings and teak appliques on the body sides. Inside, you got a very attractive Mark Cross leather interior along with air conditioning, power mirrors, a power driver’s seat, and the Ultimate Sound System AM/FM stereo cassette with a graphic equalizer and six speakers.

Packages included the $302 Deluxe Convenience Package (cruise control and tilt wheel) and the Power Convenience Discount Package (power windows and power locks).

The View From 2025

A small set of enthusiasts is collecting these eighties Town & Country convertibles, and I have seen nice examples at several AACA-judged shows. You see them for sale in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer. As I update this blog entry in October 2025, there’s a White 1986 LeBaron Town & Country with almond seats and 178,000 miles for sale on Hemmings, asking $14,000.

Of course, these Super K convertibles also started Chrysler’s long tradition of making convertibles that might occasionally be sporty but were not sports cars—a market niche they finally exited with the demise of the Chrysler 200 convertible at the end of the 2014 model year.

I still like what Chrysler was trying to do, and I appreciate how these cars look. Make mine White, please, with that killer Almond/Cream leather interior.

I have also written about the debut 1982 Chrysler LeBaron convertible.

Last updated October 2025.