TIL: The Dodge Mirada

"bwp240" (bwp240) 07/12/2017 at 18:15 • Filed to: Malaise Era Muscle, Found on Craigslist

4

12

While searching Craigslist for cars I didn’t need, I came upon this unheard of to me Malaise era vehicle, the Dodge Mirada. It is a 2 door “muscle” car and this particular example has the 5.9L V8 engine.

That is a funny looking Conquest?

Looking at it from the outside it is peak Malaise era. Boxy, boxy, boxy, with little triangles for the windshield and rear window. Although similar in styling, it just doesn’t have the same visual appeal as the Thunderbirds and Monte Carlos of the aero wars to follow.

The Mirada was built on the Chrysler J-Platform, which hosted such “lovely looking” cars as the Chrysler Imperial and the Dodge Cordoba.

Ugh...

EEEEEEWWWWWWW!!!!

The Mirada was powered by a 3.7L I6, 5.2L V8, or the more desired 5.9L V8. This particular example seems to have the 5.9, but I could not tell if it is original or not. It looks like there are plenty of newer modifications ot he engine. Power output wasn’t spectacular with the 5.9 was 185 screaming horses mated to a odd number 3 speed transmission (start, move, move faster).

The Dodge Mirada was not really successful. Only 53,000 cars sold during the entire production from 1980 to 1983. They were heavily outsold by the GM G-bodies meaning that there are few survivors today, making these actually quite rare. They were also far outclassed by the G-body as the Mirada was the last car Dodge ran in NASCAR before their return in 2001. The Mirada just couldn’t keep up with the competition and NASCAR teams decided to go with the GM and Ford counterparts (kinda similar to 2012?).

The 1980s, pioneering red on red interior technology

This particular listing is asking $5250 for this passed over piece of Malaise era muscle. With 49,000 miles and a crisp red interior, it is a peak example of 80s design and “sportiness.”

The profile actually makes it look pretty cool

This one is not so flattering

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Original Listing preserved below

Very limited CMX edition

less 1000 built

360 with 340 xxx heads

new flowmaster exhaust

very low miles at 49000 actual

only 2 owners of this car b/4 me

last owner,a friend,had it 17 years

he has cancer issues and had to sell it to help with bills

this car is rust free with original paint

a gallon of the correct paint is included...base coat

this car is a survivor and will be valued much higher than today

it is a sleeper muscle car

the car was designed for nascar and tested

it has a sure grip rear end and 727 trans w/ mild stall

call for details

RT > bwp240 07/12/2017 at 18:23

0

Yep, accurate description of the car right there.

I still don’t like calling this the ‘maliase era’ though. Only American cars were noticeably affected by it (and even then, this song https://open.spotify.com/track/4iozhXt27eMl39W5z7R8H6 was written during this era).

It’s just the result of the 1970s oil crises, government regs, bad management (and if you’re Chrysler, escaping bankruptcy) that led to cars like these.

fintail > bwp240 07/12/2017 at 18:29

1

I greatly prefer this style to an 80-82 T-Bird. CMX was top of the line, and this still has its original wheels. The coolest ones have T-tops:

When I was a kid, a relative had a Mirada in that same burgundy color, but a white faux cabrio top. Not the best look (nor visibility). I think it was a 318. Very plush interior.

Steve in Manhattan > bwp240 07/12/2017 at 18:47

1

See, also, Magnum.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > bwp240 07/12/2017 at 19:09

0

If these are supposed to be “lovely looking”, then I think they’re ugliest “lovely looking” cars I know of.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > bwp240 07/12/2017 at 20:46

0

If you black if out and build it up it gets a very GNX-y sort of coolness about it.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Steve in Manhattan 07/12/2017 at 20:51

0

Those don’t actually have a bad overall shape, they just suffer from a funny looking front end.

Steve in Manhattan > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 07/12/2017 at 21:03

0

And a weight problem ...

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > bwp240 07/12/2017 at 21:04

0

IfI had to pick a malaise Chrysler car I’d go with a 1979 Aspen Super Coupe. Same 5.9 as the Mirada but with more traditional muscle car looks. For its first few years it was as fast as a 350 Corvette!

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Steve in Manhattan 07/12/2017 at 21:07

0

Also that.

It looks weird because the headlights look about ten years newer than the rest of the car.

AfromanGTO > bwp240 07/12/2017 at 21:28

0

Bangshift loves mentioning these.

ranwhenparked > RT 07/12/2017 at 22:51

1

You could say the British auto industry suffered through a malaise period at the same time, for some of the same reasons.

RT > ranwhenparked 07/13/2017 at 05:23

0

You would be absolutely right too, those were the things that drove British Leyland to the grave - especially in terms of ‘bad management’. Even then there were some very good British car designs in this era, but they weren’t exactly put together well (again linking back to the bad management).

So, this was definitely a turning point for the car industry - but it’s mainly the Brits and Americans who took a while to survive the change. Of course expensive cars were cancelled or neutered with bumper and headlight regs, but that was more on the part of the government than the automakers themselves. After all, even if most automakers were in a bad way, this was still the era that gave birth to cars like the Countach.