Faults:

Rear main seal.

Radiator.

Battery.

Starter.

Tie rods.

All just after purchase. Well worth it, though. No problems four months later.

General Comments:

This beauty belonged to an elderly gent (no, really) who used it as his summer cabin car. Though I had no documents to verify it, one look at the underbody and the interior told me I had a genuine 16k mile car that was 37 years old! Of course, the dried out gaskets and seals told me the same thing. It had sat too long, and I had to pour in some bucks for new hoses, belts and seals. New radiator and starter, too.

But next to the S-Class Mercedes I recently owned, the costs of these parts was dirt cheap. And -- no kidding here -- this vintage beauty was just as nice to drive as the swanky '91 560 SEL it replaced. In fact, I like the Mopar engine's growl better. The rich, red leather is plump and comfy. The darn thing runs and runs and runs. Two weeks ago, when the outdoor temps plunged to 11 below zero Fahrenheit, my wife's 2011 Fiesta took multiple tries to crank. The LeBaron roared to life right away.

The '77-79 M-body coupes enjoy lots of club support (Google "for F-M-J bodies Only") and are surprising performers considered their vintage. Of course I removed the problematic lean burn system.

I could not praise Mopar M-bodies too much. I regard it as a sounder, more enjoyable car than the S-class Mercs with their nightmarish maintenance costs and poor mileage.