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Diplomat Registry Archive |
The Diplomat Registry formerly served as a place for owners of any Mopar M Body to submit their car's information for the record. The Registry has been replaced with the Showroom subsection of the discussion Forum.
View the registration archives to see what other owners
have shared and get ideas on what to tell us when you fill out your own
entry in the Forum Showroom:
View
the Diplomat Registry Archive 2003-2007
For an even earlier archive, check out the archived registrations from Eric Plosky's old Diplomat Page.
Diplomat Registry
(419) "Donuts" 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
1B3BG2648HX715638
Tan/Gold Police Pkg Salon, 90,000 mi.
Second Owner
Former unmarked Nassau County, NY unit, auctioned
off by county in 2002. Great runner - drove from New York to Houston, TX without a problem.
Like = Great running
Dislike = That "tinny" sounding MOPAR starter!
Joseph Grunow
- 10/16/2002
Houston, TX
Update of previous
registration
(278) "Diplomatic Immunity" 1988 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
1B3BG56P6JW117118
Burgundy/Black 4 Door SE, 165,000 mi.
Third Owner
Special Equipment - This
car has seen 5 stereos, one the original AM/FM Chrysler radio deck, and 4 CD players...a cheap off brand to start that
busted, a Road Gear that skipped each time I jumped the railroad tracks, a Sony I didn't even take beyond the parking
lot of Wal Mart where I bought it cause it skipped just as bad, and finally a JVC that won't skip no matter how hard the
transmission used to slip.
Where to start...
The Beginning: I bought the car from a family that owned it for all but one year of it's life in August of
2001...great running condition...a little rust...no big deal...500 dollars and it had brand new tires...So I took it.
Got my permit a few months after I bought the car, my mom was using it cause her Plymouth Voyager bit the dust
and needed a new tranny {just like most 80's and 90's Chrysler vans...}. The AC busted and has been broken since, but
the 4x4 air conditioning {the windows} still work.
Several Repair Bills later: A new radiator, new brakes {all around,
rotors, pads, shoes, fluid and all}, new window motors {old ones burnt out}, new alternator, new
belts, new spark plugs, new tires, the thing was ready for winter and survived quite well despite being a rear wheel
drive.
Recently: My friend Chris and I have done so much Afro Engineering techniques to that thing it's
unbelievable. I live next to a car graveyard and the guy that owns it has abandoned all the cars there. We found this 1987
Plymouth Voyager {NOT MY MOTHER'S} and got the horns, servo unit, bulbs, rear view mirror, steering wheel cover, as well as
other components such as a gas tank lid {my grandmother left it at the gas station when she
borrowed it} and the
works...the Plymouth is a skeleton, and there are Plymouth Voyager parts in my car. We took out the
Plymouth Voyager horns however, cause we kifed a set out of a 1965 Buick LeSabre...which were TITANIC! Now my Diplomat has total personality!
It's got parts from cars of every make and model practically, and runs great. I live on a
back road and hit 80 mph all the time. My friend almost rolled over his jeep trying to be
cool and almost flipped the thing on a bend at 70 mph...that thing's got speed, my Diplomat sits 3
inches off the ground and has beaten 'Vettes and Camaros...that 318 kicks some serious a**!
Like = It's PERSONALITY!
Dislike = No cup holder...
Ryo -
10/6/2002
Evans City, PA
Eternity Systems
(418) "Dippy" 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Grey/Grey 4 Door SE, 90,600 mi.
Second Owner
Special Equipment - Loaded-Power windows, locks, cruise,
delay wipers, am/fm cassette, power seats, velour interior
Just bought this car on 9/27/02 as a 31'st
birthday gift for myself for $900.00 plus taxes. This car was driven by an old man, so the carb is black with
carbon. Put in 8 new splitfire plugs, 8 new plug wires, a dist. cap/rotor, and a PCV valve. Also have a newly rebuilt carb from Auto
Zone to install, so the 318 should be a "powerful force" again! Interior and body are great; has SE package with velour
seats. Oddly enough, this one doesn't have a vinyl top, which is rare for an SE. I've never seen another SE without a
vinyl top, so I think my "Dippy" is rather distinctive.
Like = Comfort/Handling. The seats are soft and cushy
yet firm. The car is very quiet inside, and handles beautifully. I can drive with one finger, something I couldn't
dream of doing with my '76 Royal Monaco.
Dislike = That it is carbureted. The 318 is strong, but the Dippy would be a screamer if it had had the fuel
injection Chrysler later added to the trucks.
Joseph Carl Stavely
- 10/5/2002
Erie, PA, USA
(???) "Caramelo" 1978 Dodge Coronet 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
GP813039
Crema/Cafe 4 Door Baseline, 90,000 mi.
Fifth Owner
Like = Our elegancy
Dislike = Our size
Adriana Arevalo
Jamaica - 9/21/2002
Cundinamarca, Bogota, Columbia
(420) "Brujah" 1980 Dodge Diplomat 225 Slant 6 1bbl Automatic
Red/White 2 Door Hardtop, 200,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Piece of wood holding up driver side
headlight, duct tape holding the hose to the heater core/radiator since mah heater core blew like a mofo, annnnnnnd
two hubcaps =o)
I rescued Brujah from her previous owner who was
going to turn her into a derby car ...... or blow her up. We replaced several components to the car. IE, head gasket,
brake line, distributor cap, rotor, spark plug wires and spark plugs themselves. Still needs a heater core,
alignment, driver side fender, grill, and head lamp mounting. That and a stereo system. But we will have the car in prime
condition runnin 9's for it's over with. heh heh heh
Like = I could flip it and NOT die
Dislike = NO A/C!!!!! *faints*
Tiffany Proper
- 8/11/2002
Shelby, NC
(419) "Old Cruizer" 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Tan/White Police Pkg Salon, 164,448 mi.
Fourth Owner
Special Equipment - none stock police car front buckets
and rear bench certified speed-o 125mph
Well I got the car from my ex-wife and she bought
it from the security company that we both had worked for it was my prior patrol car it was used at a
site in northern California since I have had the car it has taken me everywhere
I have wanted to go I have it had out drag racing and it has beat everything I have put it up against and it is
just an old stock 318 police car but I love my dip I have always wanted to own one since I was a kid and first moved to
northern Cali in 87 and I said then I will own a 87 dip one day and now this dream has come true so anyway I
don't have many stories yet but as they come I will share because me and me baby are always out doing something new every day so
anyway I am going to go now then as stuff becomes new I will share OK I am out.
Like = its a dodge well I like the seating and how
comfortable it is to drive just a good car over all
Dislike = the trunk space it is very small once you put in the spare back there
Jonathan Holdaway
- 8/10/2002
Redding, CA (Shasta County)
(418) 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Blue/Blue 4 Door Salon, 135,000 mi.
Third Owner
I just recently bought this car for $300.
Was a former detectives car in NJ. when I was driving it home I hit a pothole and trashed the oil pan and
pump up until that point she drove fantastic!!!!!!!!! Can't wait to fix it and start playing!
Like = The old school styling
Dislike = Low gears
Phil -
8/5/2002
Smithfield, RI USA
(417) "Satain's Joyride" 1985 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Neongreenyellowblue/Blue 4 Door Salon,
155,555 mi.
Third Owner
Special Equipment - Crash bumper with wirefed inscribed
"Imports suck!" fog lights. Brush guard, p/a system. Stock 1987 Lincoln Town Car
tires. Glass pack. black lights.
I was watching the movie, "Grease", And
I saw that one car that shot fire out the back. so i tried it one day.
Theory.
You floor your car, while running, and shut it off, and keep it
floored. Flick the switch and turn ignition on. This way Exhaust gasses build up and when you flick the
switch it flows fire.
This is my story.
Mistake 1.
I installed a Glass pack and didn't seal the exhaust leak.
Mistake 2.
I got a whistle that goes in your tailpipe that makes it sound supercharged.
Mistake 3.
I figures when I drilled the spark plug into the tail pipe it would thread.
Mistake 4.
I used a switch to a guitar pedal which was like self grounding.
Mistake 5.
I ran it to my #1 spark plug, and not a second coil.
This is what happened...
I floored it, shut it off, turned the car back on and hit the switch. The switch is metal so it was like
I was holding onto my spark plug. After I got my finger off...Kaboom! it ignited, and blew a 6 inch crater in our
driveway. The spark plug shot out and flew 50 feet away only to be chopped up by our mower later. My exhaust hangs low and
after a thorough 30 sec. investigation I figured out what went wrong. The whistle
blocked a fair amount of the exhaust, but I knew it would go through the exhaust leaks around the
Glass pack. So when the spark plug did ignite the flame came from under my car, and since there was so
much it exploded under the car. now I use the switch for my fog lights.
Like = it represents what an american car should be, a
road hog that looks like it could kill a train. and i can hide bodies in the trunk.
Dislike = A V-8 with only 135 hp. no bucket seats. not a 4 speed manual. not a chick mobile. It cant go through
boarder patrol without being searched.
Bobby Fletcher
- 7/29/2002
Arlington/Washington, United States
Update of previous
registration
(88) "WhiteStreak" 1986 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Jumped the gun on my last update. Was worried I
had blown the engine. Just blew the oil preassure switch. Replaced it and back running as good as ever. Will be going
for an other 100,000.
Parker Ganow
- 7/24/2002
Bethel Springs, TN, U.S. of A.
Update of previous
registration
(89) "Equalizer" 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Tan/White Police Pkg Baseline, 148,000
mi.
Third Owner
Special Equipment - Lean burn conversion, Ignition
upgrade. Edelbrock carb.
Fixed this car up and it was a real stormer. Then
my son needed a car and wrecked it. Destroyed the front suspension hitting a ditch. Just a memory now. Saved a few
parts for my '86. This was a Tennessee Highway Patrol car then a county Sheriff's car before I got it at auction. Mileage
is questionable.
Like = A real stormer
Dislike = Low ratio rear end, poor gas mileage.
Parker Ganow
- 7/24/2002
Bethel Springs, TN, U.S. of A.
Update of previous
registration
(88) "WhiteStreak" 1986 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Tan/White 4 Door Baseline, 208,600 mi.
Second Owner
Special Equipment - Lean Burn Conversion, High performance
Ignition System, 5 leaf rear springs. 600 Holley.
This is an update. Today blew oil out of engine in
about a quarter of a mile. Haven't figured it out yet. Crank case ventilation system is in good shape.
This car has made several trips to Emporia, Ks., and several trips to Upstate NY. with
mileage as high as 21mpg. Never uses more than a quart of oil in 500 mi. of high
speed driving. Local driving a quart between oil changes. A great car.
Like = Size, performance, gas mileage,
handling.
Dislike = Fleet, vinyl seats
Parker Ganow
- 7/24/2002
Bethel Springs, TN, U.S. of A.
(416) "Thud" 1984 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Tan/Tan 4 Door, 99,953 mi.
Third Owner
It's a beast... All of my youth group kids at
church want to trick it out so I can ride with them in their little Honda's, etc. "Ain't no replacement for displacement"
If I can keep it going for 200,000, that will be a blessing... :-)
Like = 318 Horsies
Dislike = The electronic ignition!!!
Ian Beam
- 7/9/2002
Baltimore, MD
(415) "The Luv Tub" 1986 Chrysler Fifth Avenue 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Blue/Cream 4 Door, 24,350 mi.
Second Owner
I got this sweet ride from an old man that never
drove it. I got it with 23,050 miles on it. She's a beauty, cream paint, perfect dark blue leather interior, and chrome
galore. It runs good but I think it needs a little work on the carb or something. It cruises right along at 80 mph so
smooth. This is the nicest car I could have hoped for (my parents bought it for me) as my first car and I'll never get
rid of it. It's my daily driver so I don't want to screw it up with some crazy mods now, but as soon as it's not my
daily driver I plan to convert it to a 4bbl carb, add a floor shifter, edelbrock intake, edelbrock camshaft, dual exhaust
and anything else I can think of to kick the crap out of stupid little Honda Civics on the drag strip :) But that will
all come in the future.
Like = It is the most comfortable car ever !!!
Dislike = Lack of acceleration :(
Judson Malone
- 7/7/2002
New Hampshire, USA
Jud's Page
(414) "The Revenuer" 1984 Plymouth Gran Fury 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
1P3BB26P4EX598790
Tan/Mocha 4 Door Salon, 170,000 mi
Third Owner
Special Equipment - Details
Here
I bought it for $382.00 in 1996. It was owned by
an older man who bought it when it was two years old. He kept pretty good care of it, but the paint was
gone and the engine was getting weak. Still I thought it a shame to let such a straight example go to the grave, so I
brought it home and began reviving it!
I take the car everywhere. I have driven it on trips across country. I have driven it off road to the tops
of many of the mountains around here. I have used it on many of my photography excursions in the hills since people
sort of leave me alone in it with it looking like a government car and all.
Like = Everything
Dislike = 2.26 differential ratio. Soon to be replaced though...
Kurt Bradley - AKA: Pigue
- 6/22/2002
Knoxville, TN USA
My Fury
(413) "Dipsydoodle" 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Red/Maroon 4 Door SE, 116,770 mi.
Special Equipment - All original except for tune-up
parts, all power options work.
Found her on www.sunspot.net
up in Jarrettsville, MD and all looked great when I first saw her....of course, I
was so blinded by how good the interior and body looked, that I didn't notice other things that should have tipped me
off, that the owner made sure to get the vehicle 'prepped' for my arrival (making sure it was warmed up so reverse would
work, etc). He even had the distributor cap on backwards and used a lot of wire drying spray to ensure a proper seal
(admittedly this wasn't obvious until I had the breather off and was changing out the cap), and intentionally
misrepresented the other mechanical needs (leaky fuel pump and leaky PS pump) and was a drunk so the wheel covers are nice and
trashed, and there's some damage to the chrome trim pieces on the wheel wells. Also the engine is full of CRUD (dipstick
looks nasty) but the engine runs so well (and even better with a tune up) that I figured it just needed routine
maintenance. Good thing that the suspension and steering and brakes and exhaust are in good shape, but the
car is poised to nickel and dime me for a while. I bought it to replace my Grand Caravan and have cheaper
transportation, but its proving to be anything but that, so far....
Like = Nice exterior and interior and engine, despite
previous owners attempts to kill
Dislike = No reverse when cold, poor previous owner maintenance
Michael Smith
- 6/20/2002
Columbia, MD USA
(412) "Bluesmobile" 1989 Dodge Diplomat
Grey/Black 4 Door, 223,225 mi.
Third Owner
Special Equipment - Ex-WI State Patrol cop car,
turned it into the Bluesmobile. My feeling is Elwood Blues would have
stayed with a Dodge for Blues Brothers 2000. And this is what it would
have looked like!
223,000
miles and still beats Trans Am's! Has been in a lot of car shows and
parades. "Cop motor, cop tranny, cop tires, cop shocks......."
Like = Fast!
Dislike = It's the only Dip I own!
Mark Allen
- 6/18/2002
Milwaukee, WI
Mark's Toy Box
(411) "The Dodge" 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Blue/Black & White Police Pkg Salon,
230,4857 mi.
Original Owner
Gone to Canada and western states with it
taking it to the PCOOA car show in Rippon, CA.
Like = the ride, room ,power and ease to repair
Dislike = nothing, it's perfect
Brian H Hansen
- 6/16/2002
Vallejo, CA
(410) "Ku2" 1988 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Blue/Blue 4 Door, 21,838 mi
Third Owner
Special Equipment - Police Package
Like = FAST, Durable, and great handling
Dislike = GAS HOG!!!!!!!!!!!
Matt Pumphrey
- 6/3/2002
Sterling/VA/Loudoun
(409) "NANCE R" 1987 Chrysler Fifth Avenue 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Maroon/Silver 4 Door Medallion, 515,000
km.
Original Owner
My parents bought this car in '88 as a
demonstrator and parked it in January of 2001 because it had water in the oil and wouldn't idle in cold weather. They bought a
2000 Blazer and I took the car. My mechanic changed the PCV valve, put the "stove pipe" back on, replaced the choke
control & breather temp. sensor. $200 CDN & she was back in business. My parents couldn't believe it.
Since then I have put another $1800 CDN in it by replacing the rad, rad hoses, ball joints, fuel lines, cut
out some rust & replaced with steel patches, sandblasted & painted the door bottoms, replaced the valve cover gaskets &
cleaned the oil soaked engine. I also had to replace the driver's side upper control arm after it let go at 50
mph....WOW what a ride. I told the tow truck driver, "You can't miss it. It's the only silver car on the sidewalk with the
front tire that's fallen off." This car loves the open road and will run all day at 75+ mph and get 24 miles per
imperial gallon in the process. The interior is mint except for the headliner
which is beginning to sag. The original paint is showing its age, as is the vinyl top but hey, whaddya want for half a
million Kms and $2,000 CDN?
Like = I like the fact that it's indestructible
Dislike = it's gutless from a standing stop.
Jeff Rankin
- 5/30/2002
London, Ontario, Canada
(408) "Doris" 1978 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Grey/Grey 2 Door Baseline 47,555 mi
Fourth Owner
Like = I've only seen one 2-door since I've owned it.
Dislike = It coughs like hell when it rains
beaver -
5/27/2002
Cedar Grove NJ
(407) 1985 Chrysler Fifth Avenue 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Burgundy/White 4 Door
Third Owner
David Beckham
- 5/25/2002
Philadelphia
(406) "5 Litre Eater" 1984 Chrysler Fifth Avenue 360 V8 4bbl Heavy Duty Automatic
1C3BF66PXEX528260
Blue/Blue 4 Door Baseline, 300,000 km.
Unknown number of previous owners
Special Equipment - 360 with 9.75 comp. 69 340 heads and
purple shaft cam, Edelbrock Performer manifold and carb, Mopar Performance electronic ignition, Thorley headers, '95
Dodge Ram overdrive trans., Diplomat police car suspension and diff with 3.55 ratio. '85 Dodge truck radiator.
Beats the hell out of pretty much any 5 litre
Mustang or Camaro, haven't tried 5.7 litre yet.
Like = Performance and comfort.
Dislike = Terrible dash, not readily able to accept
aftermarket gauges.
E. Neil Glover
- 5/18/2002
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
(405) 1987 Plymouth Gran Fury 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Blue/White 4 Door Salon, 136,500 mi.
Third Owner
Just adopted this junkyard refugee in need of new
freeze plugs, engine mounts, u-joints, and a whole new front-end.
Like = V8 and rear wheel drive
Dislike = rectangular headlights (would prefer 4 round headlights)
Olivier
Dompeyre - 5/15/2002
Staten Island, NY
(404) "DIPLOMONSTER" 1985 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Manual
1B3BG26P3FX553943
Tan/Gold 4 Door Baseline
Higher than Fifth Owner
Special Equipment - New plugs and wires, flowmaster
muffler, k&n air filter. But much more to come!!!
Everything you can imagine has happened to this
car while in my possession, but I would never part with it, as I'm sure many diplomat owners
agree. I have a friend with a 15 acre lot that is strikingly similar to a motocross
track, hills jumps, everything. For fun one day we took the monster off road, aside from bottoming out, and caking the
entire bottom of the motor with mud, grass, gravel and prairie dog, she never missed a beat. NEVER. kept on going an
going. This car is run hard, throttled all the time, raced, donuts, power braking, everything that "law abiding" road goers
frown upon. I still have it, and probably always will!
Like = Everything, it's great, been to hell and it's
still runnin.
Dislike = Suspension, and I know I'm not the only one with beef.
Dylan Rodriguez
- 4/11/2002
Denison, TX
Update of previous
registration
(355) "The diPPLOmat" 1979 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Tan/Brown 2 Door Baseline, 45,000 mi.
Third Owner
Special Equipment - A/C delete, Power steering, power
brakes, manual windows, manual locks, bench seat, Kenwood cassette player, Vacuum Gauge, Aftermarket Tach, Air horns,
new tires, shocks, rebuilt 1977 a9O4 non-lockup tranny, 125 mph cop car speedometer, fog lights, electric fan
conversion, true dual exhaust, 3.23 geared 8 1/4 inch suregrip rear end, 4bbl intake and carb, bosch plugs
and wires
I bought my car for $150 from a lady who bought it
from an elderly lady 2 years prior. the odometer registered just over 37,000 original miles. It has somewhere around
45000 miles now give or take. (Speedo is not calibrated)
Like = Power, Posi, Performance, Perfect Interior
Dislike = Paint
Zack Sandberg - 5/7/2002
Waupun, Wi, USA
(403) "THE BEAST" 1985 Chrysler Fifth Avenue 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
1C3BF66P9FX653879
Gray/Gray 4 Door Baseline, 138,432 mi.
Unknown number of previous owners
Special Equipment - custom wheels spoiler to be added
soon
She loves to go fast she only drives well at 65
and 75 mph paid 350 have 700 in now wouldn't trade for anew car she's the only woman in my life now that my wife left she
broke down the beast that is wife left because she didn't have a car to drive thank you beast
Like = she's a luxury car that goes fast
Dislike = NOTHING
Joseph
Stevens Sr - 5/4/2002
Scottsburg
(402) 1986 Dodge Diplomat 360 V8 4bbl Heavy Duty Automatic
Red/Silver 4 Door SE, 140,000 mi
Second Owner
Special Equipment - '84 360(Q-Jet)/A904 Combo installed
Feb, '02
Car is stock in appearance, but new 360 is a nasty
surprise for kiddies in Camaros and Mustangs ...
Like = This former Granny Dip SE is now quite evil ...
Dislike = 360 QJet combo gets similar fuel economy that the stock 318 2 bbl got!
Pete Kranz
- 5/4/2002
Portage, WI
(401) 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Tan/Brown 4 Door Salon, 114,000 mi.
Third Owner
Special Equipment - Air cleaner lid flipped upside down
for more sound
Found the car in the back yard of my
neighbor's house. I asked the guy if he wanted to sell it and he said it didn't run and
didn't know what was wrong with it. I found out out quickly it was the distributor pickup and replaced
it. Also tuned it up and it has been running strong since.
Like = The 318 under the hood
Dislike = the weak rear suspension
Chad
- 5/3/2002
Calumet
(400) 1983 Plymouth Gran Fury 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
White/Gray 4 Door Salon, 186,000 mi.
Second Owner
Special Equipment - High Quality Rustoleum Paint. Rolled
it on myself.
Haven't Had an adventure yet. There's still time
though.
Like = It looks cool.
Dislike = 186k miles on it.
Sean
- 4/30/2002
Palmer
(399) "Old Blue" 1988 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Blue/Blue 4 Door Salon, 111,500 mi.
Third Owner
It was owned by an older couple who kept it
garaged most of it's life. They really took good care of it. The interior isn't torn whatsoever. The seats
and dash are in good shape. Once the couple passed on they left it to one of
their sons, who let their son drive it through High School. After High School the dad took the car and drove it for a
while and decided to sell it. I got it for $900 about 3 weeks ago and feel it's
worth every penny. It runs extremely well, and doesn't use any oil.
Like = The reliability and how cheap it is to maintain
it.
Dislike = The looks.
Jim -
4/22/2002
(398) 1989 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
1B3XM26S9KW316831
Beige/Brown Police Pkg SE, 87,356 mi.
Third Owner
Special Equipment - tach. (so far)
Like = it has an old style look to it.
Dislike = it's sluggish, but not for long >:)
Ben Siacotos
- 4/21/2002
Hayward,CA
(397) "The Red Car" 1985 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
1B3BG26S7FX684104
Tan/Red Police Pkg Salon, 99,020 mi.
Second Owner
Special Equipment - Local Fire Chief car with red &
white paint, dual spotlights
I was at the local city/county surplus auction
with my dad and no one would bid on this car at $500, so I did. I got it. My wife was shocked and she hates it ("it's
ugly").
Like = Looks GREAT! (beautiful red & white paint, exc
chrome, no rust/dents)
Dislike = not as fast as it should be
Jim
- 4/20/2002
Ukiah, CA
(396) 1979 Dodge Diplomat 360 V8 4bbl Heavy Duty Automatic
2 Door SE
Unknown number of previous owners
Special Equipment - 360 motor from a police diplomat.
904 tranny with shift kit out of a police Diplomat. Also an 8 3/4 rear end out of a 1969 charger.
One of my friends and I were out and this little
junk Civic pulled next to me and revved his little 4 banger up so I started to smoke the tires and when the light turned
green I dusted him. I don't know why them little guys think they can beat an old DODGE!
Like = It's pretty fast and looks good.
Dislike = Doesn't have power windows or locks.
Jon -
4/12/2002
Grove City
(395) "LeBaron Sport Coupe" 1979 Chrysler LeBaron 360 V8 4bbl Heavy Duty Automatic
44280
2 Door Sport, 2280 mi.
Original Owner
Special Equipment - Nungun equip especial le he
puesto. (No special equipment has been installed)
En la transmicion como si estuviera
haciendo corto un ruido como chicharra. (What it has is a transmission "noise" like a short circuit noise, like a "cricket" noise making bug.)
[email protected] - 4/6/2002
Translation thanks to Manuel Santos!
(394) "Gold Brick" 1987 Plymouth Gran Fury 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Tan/Gold Police Pkg Salon, 82,000 mi.
Fourth Owner
Special Equipment - spot, full wheel covers, halogen
backups
I've had my eye on this low mileage car for two
years and finally bought it a couple of days ago for $1000. It started duty as an Ogden, UT cruiser, and it now has
82,000 miles on it. Plans are to restore it even nicer than it already is, maybe put fuel injection on it (Projection or
something like it) Any experience with that? Maybe a 360 swap?
Like = It's brutish looks and stance; excellent
handling
Dislike = It's not a Diplomat with the dark grill; not fast enough
Norm Ross
- 4/2/2002
(393) "The Other Dip" 1979 Dodge Diplomat 225 Slant 6 1bbl Automatic
Tan/Blue 2 Door Baseline, 141,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Rebuilt 225 Slant Six 1bbl New Brake Calipers, Drums, Wheel Cylinders, Pads, and Shoes.
New Universal Joints. Kenwood Head Unit Certified 125mph Police Speedometer New Shocks (All 4)
Unfortunately I have to sell this car so that I can rebuild the 318 in my 1988 Police Dip.
The Car is really clean and has no rust. I am only asking $2,500. I am located in Central New Jersey. If anyone is
interested you can contact me at [email protected]
Mike Cornely - 3/25/2002
(392) "Christine" 1988 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Lt Blue/White Police Pkg Salon, 103,000 mi.
Third Owner
Special Equipment - rebuilt 727 w/h.d. components, msd, edelbrock 650 carb, edlbrock performer intake, 360 magnum heads, tti headers, custom
exhaust, 3.55:1 sure grip
I found the car last year (2001) when my boss at a cab company told me about 7
Diplomats he had sitting in a shed somewhere. I asked why he had them and he said that he intended on making them into cabs, but the owner wanted to start switching the fleet to
Crown Vic's. So he had these 7 cars all with roughly 101-110k miles and invited me to pick one out if
I was interested. so I went out there and found the cleanest one (they where all a little rusty, and decrepit from sitting for 6 years.) mine needed a battery, tires and and oil pan to be
drivable, so after that I started to realize that to be reliable everything affected from sitting must need to be replaced, and while replacing, why not upgrade?
So its still a work in progress, but its getting to the point I want it.
Like = the mean stance and body lines
Dislike = the absence of rack & pinion steering and
longitudinal torsion bars
Joe Thornton - 3/24/2002
(391) 1981 Dodge Diplomat 225 Slant 6 1bbl Automatic
Maroon/White 2 Door Hardtop, 60,000 mi.
Unknown number of previous owners
Special Equipment - well.... it's kinda crispy. I love her to death, and for 100 dollars I can deal with the age showing through. It has a shattered right rear window, and the whole outside is just ugly, but you have to look past that to the inner beauty (it's not in the engine compartment, either), but it's there.
Well... I gave the guy a down payment for it and took it to my shop outside to give it a better
look over. It has no reverse, so that gave me a surprise when I went into a parking lot (to get tranny fluid, of all things). I took it home and it has been here since. It's my faithful second car, and it will be until it dies, and then I'll let me old mum plant flowers in it.
Like = Big, ugly, and even with only the 6 it'll chirp the tires when you nail it.
Dislike = No reverse, randomly dies on the highway, and the ashtray is in a horrible place.
Hippie - 3/18/2002
Update of previous
registration
(284) "Homer" 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Blue/Black-White Police Pkg Salon, 315,000 mi.
Fourth Owner
Special Equipment - UPDATED!! Since my last update, I have completely rebuilt the braking system. Coil over shocks in the rear, and tightened torsion bars in the front. Running 235/60R15 Cooper Cobra tires on the stock police wheels. 2 Meter radio has been added in addition to the CB Radio already installed. Engine now sports 360 heads, 360 2bbl intake & 2bbl non-feedback carb. Distributor, ignition box, and wiring harness all from a junkyard (wiring custom made, looks damn near factory.)
There is something to be said about a car's personality. My Dippy has been running like crap
lately, but on the afternoon of Jan 4th, I actually think the car thought it was a police cruiser again, on a call. My wife went into labor, and the hospital is 25 miles away. Normally it takes a couple of tries to start the car when it is "cold". Fired on the first try, and ran damn good (how's 115 MPH sound?) going up I-95 here in Daytona Beach. I had the wig-wag headlights going and the hazards going. Passed a FHP sitting on the side of the road, and he didn't even bat an eye. A few hours later, my son was born.. Michael
[email protected] on 4 Jan, 2002. 8lbs, 13 oz.
Like = Strong, massive, safe
Dislike = As said in a song.. "It's my four door nightmare, trunk lock stuck, big dice on the mirror and a grill like a truck. Lifter's tickin, accelerator's stickin.. something on my left front wheel keeps
clickin.."
NeonHomer
- 3/12/2002
Update of previous
registration
(88) "White Streak" 1986 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
1B3BG26P2GX568581
Beige/White 4 Door Baseline, 205,000 mi.
Second Owner
Parker Ganow - 12/26/2001
(390) 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
1B3BG26S1HW106105
Blue/White 4 Door Hardtop, 111,000 mi.
Third Owner
Special Equipment - Have full police pkg. except power wind/door locks,
m.s.d.6a ignition ,beefed up a904 trans with 2100 stall converter/fifth ave leather int ,j.v.c.12 disc cd changer w /alpine
stereo, 100wattamp, also planning on some eng. mods. and a rear gear swap to 3:55 gears,
will keep you touch with changes.
Like = rare breed
Dislike = needs more power/torque
Clay Howard
- 3/3/2002
(389) "Mya" 1980 Dodge Diplomat 225 Slant 6 2bbl Automatic
Taupe/Yellowish 2 Door Baseline
Unknown number of previous owners
Like = It's MINE :D (first car)
Dislike = Visual Appearance
Summer S. Wilson - 3/3/2002
An Eclectic World
(388) "Immortal White Beast" 1985 Plymouth Gran Fury 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Leather/White 4 Door Salon, 175,000 mi.
Fourth Owner
Special Equipment - Neon Lights, New Stereo System, Leather interior,
Well I would like to update from a story I put in here about 2 years ago titled "White Beast" Well shortly after that story the transmission went and in the process of restoring the engine the engine block cracked and now it sits in storage waiting to be revived. Shortly after that I found another
Gran Fury an 88 that was for sale on the side of the road for $200 dollars. The original intention was to take the engine out and use it in the first car. Well it ran well and so I kept it on the road, When i had bought the car it had already had the front replaced from a front end accident. Well a week ago I was driving during a ice storm and hit black ice and slid sideways into a telephone pole, missing my door by a foot and indenting the back door in about a foot and a half. Well I drove that car 10 miles back to my house with only a
little vibration from the driveshaft. Which just goes to show you can't kill these cars. It now sits waiting to be stripped for parts and
I have now purchased a 87 fifth avenue. As you can see I wont go away from these line of automobiles as long as they are around. To me they are toughest most well built autos that I have driven and unless u really beat on them and light them on fire they probably wont die. If anyone would like to see pictures of any of the cars listed email me.
Like = Dependability, Strength, Safety
Dislike = Gas Mileage,
Paul Virtue - 2/25/2002
Virtue Specialties
(387) 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Gray/Gray 4 Door SE, 62,000 mi.
Unknown number of previous owners
Special Equipment - It's a loaded car with just about every option, even
moon roof.
Like = It's big, ugly, and reliable.
Dislike = It's big, ugly, and slow.
Lee Herman - 2/23/2002
Lee Herman's MOPAR Page
(386) "White Lightning" 1989 Dodge Diplomat
Blue/White Police Pkg
Second Owner
Special Equipment - Has 2bbl instead of 4bbl, Light bars taken off,
Sheriff's shield still visible on passenger door.
I had just graduated high school and had to find a new car since I had hit a deer with my 1988 Diplomat salon and cracked the engine head. So my dad and
I decided to go to a county auction to get another car( we also bought the first car there) I started looking over the car and I noticed the speedometer went to 120 and there was an extra dash piece. I told dad that I thought it was a police package because of the different changes as well as the switched carburetor. The bidding started and we got the car for $350 when we should of had it for $150. I took of to college and on the way home for thanksgiving got a ticket for speeding because my passenger didn't believe my diplomat was better than theirs. Unfortunately the summer after college I slid through a stoplight and wrecked it.
It's been sitting at home and I don't have the time to work on it so I am willing to sell it.
Like = It had great gas mileage and power. Everyone thought it was a cool car.
Dislike = I wrecked it and can no longer drive it
Wes Griffin - 2/20/2002
(385) 1979 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Blue/Blue 2 Door Baseline, 43,546 mi.
Fourth Owner
Ran into back of a
Sunfire messed it up pretty bad (the Sunfire) P.S. I need a header panel from that one thanks to my dad.
E-mail if you know locations for body parts.
Like = the body style/ handling
Dislike = 318/ that lean burner sucks (lol)
Jimi -
2/19/2002
(384) "The Dodge" 1985 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
1B3BG26P5FX512973
Gray/Gray 4 Door Salon, 72,369 mi.
Third Owner
Special Equipment - Performance Exhaust, Msd Ignition
Just got my driver's license and needed a car for school. My Dad's friend had an 85' Diplomat for sale and we picked it up. My dad has a
Diplomat (police pkg) from the same year and my sister has an 89' Fifth Avenue, so we knew the engine and car very well. So far I
haven't had any major repairs done to it, just a fuel and water pump. I did have an encounter with a dog the size of a small horse but not a scratch on the car. The thing is built like a tank and with that 318 I beat all of my friends off the line.
Like = Fast and is a great American car.
Dan Bruinsma Jr. - 2/18/2002
(383) "The Blues Cruiser" 1985 Plymouth Gran Fury
Gray/Black 4 Door Salon, 86,000 mi.
Unknown number of previous owners
Special Equipment - 73 360 ci. V8, Mopar Performance Heads, MP Cam, RPM Air Gap Intake, Holley Carb, 75 hp shot of Nitrous, MP valve covers and air cleaner. All Sport Comp gauges. 8 3/4 Rear end from a dart with 3.55's. Tinted windows. All other exterior is stock. A/C still works.
Just bought the car from my friend. We built it together. Plenty of adventures from before. None of my own yet.
Like = It's a Mopar sleeper.
Dislike = The price of a new alternator
Jim Goble - 2/17/2002
(382) 1978 Chrysler LeBaron 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
FP22G8G212567
Red/Red 2 Door Medallion 93,450 km.
Second Owner
Don McArthur - 2/16/2002
(381) "Old Mange" 1987 Chrysler Fifth Avenue 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Tan/Mink Brown 4 Door, 27,000 mi.
Second Owner
Special Equipment - This car was originally ordered for the state of Missouri. The kid who gets them ready for the lot scraped the side of the front fender on the garage door and ripped the chrome off of it. After that the state did not want it. It is equipped with the engine
code "S" V-8. It don't have the VIN in front of me to include it above but will update it when I get it.
Like I said this car was built and ordered by the state of Missouri, but got damaged. The state
didn't want it after that. My grandparents went there on Oct 17, 1987 to look at Fifth Avenues. They had that brown wrecked new one and a 88 Ice Blue Fifth avenue. They knocked a bunch of money off of the 87 brown one and told them they would put a new fender on it and repaint the whole car. Two weeks later they went to pick it up and you could never tell nothing was scraped up on it. But this car is one of the few that has the four
barrel Rochester Quadrajet Feedback Carburetor. I runs very strong and does not have that many miles on it. They
didn't get to drive it much. Both my grandparents passed away in 2000, and left me the Fifth Avenue. The clearcoat is peeling and it needs repainted but the engine is perfect and so is the interior.
Like = the 4-bbl
Dislike = mangy paint
Blaze Magyar - 2/13/2002
Yahoo
(380) "Rodknock" 1988 Chrysler Fifth Avenue 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
1C3BF66P1JW130645
Medium Red/Black Cherry 4 Door, 15,575 mi.
Second Owner
Special Equipment - Its loaded except for the
moon roof and leather. It still has the original film on the wood grain in back, that says remove at delivery.
I bought it from a elderly couple that never drove it and really
didn't want to sell it, but they did and gave it a good home.
Like = The styling, comfort
Dislike = needs fuel injection
Blaze Magyar - 2/13/2002
Yahoo
(379) "White Lightning" 1988 Plymouth Gran Fury 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Red/White 4 Door Salon, 40,600 mi.
Second Owner
Soon to be upgraded (this summer) to a 4-bbl edelbrock carb and performer manifold, electronic ignition, wide rear tires on centerline aluminum rims, chrome valve covers, and black hood with cobra jet style scoop.
Like = the power and reliability
Dislike = nothing...yet
Ryan Grant - 2/12/2002
(378) "Blondie" 1980 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
GH41HAG151497
Cashmere/Cashmere 4 Door Salon, 80,063 mi.
Unknown number of previous owners
Special Equipment - a/c, cruise, digital clock,
rear window defroster, dual horns, illuminated left and right visor vanity mirrors, left and right remote outside
mirrors, body-side molding, conventional spare tire, padded landau vinyl roof, deep-dish luxury steering wheel. Pioneer CD stereo replaces the stock a.m. radio.
Rented a brand new Diplomat in Boston in 1979 and always wanted one. Found "Blondie" ("cashmere" color is a beige/blonde color) in good
drive train shape with 74k miles. Body, paint and vinyl roof all excellent, she must have been covered most of her life. Interior very nice except her headliner was shot. So I proceeded to bring her back to life: had headliner redone, trunk carpeted, new muffler and exhaust pipe, new a/c parts, new shocks, new tires, new belts and hoses, C/D player, radiator flushed, freeze plugs replaced, transmission flushed and a broken trans mount fixed, major tune-up, new fuel and charge
gauges, synthetic oil, and on and on! She's not perfect, but I'm out of cash! She looks just like the beauty on page 5 of the 1980 dodge diplomat factory brochure...at least from a distance! I love to cruise-control w/
Blondie down the California freeways at the 1980 55 mph pace, with her cold a/c keeping me cool on the 100 degree days, and 1980's bands rockin!' on the CD player. I may be 53, but I'm out with a real beauty...and she's only 22!
Like = this car proudly shouts "the eighties are here!"- a great decade for me
Dislike = very thirsty California smog edition and parts are getting scarce
Bruce Adams
- 2/6/2002
(377) "Dick" 1985 Plymouth Gran Fury 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
1P3BB2643FX561513
Tan/Lt Blue 4 Door Salon 60,549 mi.
Third Owner
I just got her. But if she could talk
she'd have had plenty of adventures I'll bet.
Like = Basically a bullet proof car!.
Dislike = No transmission performance upgrades./junky rear ends.. mine's clunking .
Leo Shaffer - 2/2/2002
(376) 1984 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
1B3BG2648EX619259
Blue/Cream Police Pkg Salon, 166,500 mi.
Fourth Owner
Special Equipment - This car has the "4" code engine- HD 318/carter 2bbl+ it was a police car, so maybe it has posi?
It was given to me by a friend. It has sat for three years, so it needs a lot of work- brake lines, hoses, belts, bodywork-(a fender, some bondo, locks fixed and ANOTHER coat of paint!!!)
I'm getting it fixed, though, and it does run good...
Like = 318 v8, police interior
Dislike = Bad gas mileage!!!! Automatic transmission
Eddie J. Simpson - 1/27/2002
(375) "Glory" 1977 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Butterscotch/Brown 4 Door Medallion, 75,000 mi.
Second Owner
My car was given to me by the original owner's widow when she entered a nursing home. It had 50,000 original miles in 2000. I've added another 25,000 since then. The only thing I've ever had to do for my car is replace the thermostat ($2.99) and regular maintenance. I also had to re-glue the headliner as the original glue had dry-rotted from age. I'd like to get her re-painted, but retro-fitting the AC may come first.
Like = Comfort, no "new car" car payments
Dislike = Gas mileage, and people who can't understand why I drive a 23 year old car.
D. Quesenberry - 1/21/2002
(374) "Slug Brophy" 1986 Chrysler Fifth Avenue
Third Owner
Special Equipment - Big block bored out 500 hemi 4 speed with twin turbos and nitrous.
My car has been Dubbed the name the name "Slug Brophy" because it has out accelerated and outran hands down an 86 350 Monte Carlo
[carslow] and has never been outran or out driven while it has been in my possession.
See you in St. Martins New Brunswick Canada.
Like = Torque and power
Dislike = Body style
Emery Brown - 1/18/2002
(373) 1981 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
NL45G9F210623
Red/White Wagon Salon, 170,000 km.
Unknown number of previous owners
Special Equipment - Original Dodge Aspen 79 mod.
Like = The comfort!
Vidar-Alexander Risvold
- 1/17/2002
(372) "Beater" 1987 Chrysler Fifth Avenue 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Grey/Grey 4 Door Baseline, 190,000 mi.
Third Owner
I was desperate for a winter beater and I bought this from a friend very cheap.
It barely ran, brakes were chattering, it smoked and the lifters were noisy.
I found two vacuum leaks and tuned it up and it runs great. Replace the front rotors and pads and added a bottle of "no smoke".
The car runs great now but I fear the trans may be going. It slips when it is cold. I may just have to have the filter cleaned.
It snowed about a half inch one night and the car was not controllable. I did a complete circle in a busy intersection.
Luckily there were no other cars around. Next day I bought new rear tires.
The radio is great with a 5 band EQ and reverb and the heat will burn you out of the car.
It looks good, if you like boxy cars. The interior is very nice. All I ask is that it make the winter.
Patrick - 1/16/2002
(371) "Moya" 1985 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
1B3BG26P8FX633397
Gray/Maroon 4 Door Salon, 100,350 mi.
Unknown number of previous owners
Special Equipment - Heavy-duty suspension, kilometer speedo replaced with 125MPH police speedo, police-style hubcaps, all smog equipment and spark control computer removed. Will soon be replacing the troublesome Holley 2280 with a NON-EMISSIONS Carter BBD. Future plans include installing a CD player,
acquiring a set of 15x7 police wheels, and having the car repainted the same color.
Not much to say here yet, as I've only owned it about two or three months.
Like = Big, safe, and powerful! Lotsa M-bodies still on the road up here!
Dislike = Too New! I'd MUCH rather be driving a Forward-Look era Mopar! Unfortunately the Lotto is not cooperating with me right now. :( That plus I live in the salt belt so driving one of those beauties year-round is out.
Don Kasbohm (michigandon) - 1/4/2002
(370) 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Gold/White 4 Door SE, 44,575 mi.
Second Owner
I Bought the car with 42,000 miles on it. Just
drove it from Collegedale Tenn. to Upper Mich. Runs like new. Car was sold new in Hollywood Fla. I bought it
from the original owners Son to settle the estate. Car has always been garage kept. I now have it stored at our
heated garage in Northern Michigan. Spare tire and jack have never been used, and car is completely rust
free.
Ron Leeseberg - 1/1/2002
(369) "Grandpa's Toy" 1985 Dodge Diplomat
Gold/Gold 4 Door SE
Second Owner
Special Equipment -= See web page
Like = eating up Mustangs and
Camaros
Dislike = nothing
Clay Stinn
- 12/30/2001
Grandpa's Toy
(368) "The Fury" 1984 Plymouth Gran Fury 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Grey/Silver 4 Door Salon
Higher than Fifth Owner
Kevin M.
Slate - 12/28/2001
(367) 1985 Plymouth Gran Fury 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
1P3BB26S3FK581243
Blue/Blue Police Pkg Salon, 145,000 mi.
Unknown number of previous owners
It was purchased from Russ Darrow
Wauckesha Inc. by the Wisconsin Dept of Transportation 02/08/1985 I assume it was the 51st car
purchased from this dealer. I assume this because of some notes written on the warranty
papers. the car still has the arbitration papers, operating instructions, change
of owner/address card, certified speedometer calibration card and warranty book.
The spot light still works, I know it was used as a Wis. state trooper car because
you can still read it on the fenders, paid $250 at a auto dealer auction early 2001 when I was working at a used car
lot. The car had about 125K miles on it when I bought it I had the transmission rebuilt shortly. I plan to keep it
looking stock on the outside but the motor is going to have some mods.
Like = I love that it is different and that it's an ex
police car
Dislike = I hate that the police wheels are missing
Joshua Laczkowski
- 12/28/2001
(366) "Caramelo" 1978 Dodge Coronet 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
4 Door S-Type, 86,000 km.
Fifth Owner
Octavio Parra
Jimenez - 12/27/2001
Update of previous
registration
(88) "White Streak" 1986 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
1B3BG26P2GX568581
Beige/White 4 Door Baseline, 202,500 mi.
Second Owner
Special Equipment - Lean burn trashed, 650 Holley, 5
leaf rear springs, High performance Ignition system. K&N Air Filter.
Driven it all over the country. See up to 20
mpg Any Where Any Time Interstate cruising, 65 to 85 mph all day long. Was a sheriff's car but not a true police
version. I don't think. Was going to change the engine to a 360, but didn't get around to it yet. Over 200,000 and still running
good and only burns 1 qt. of oil if I run all day at Interstate speeds other wise a quart between changes.
Tuff Car. Should change it's name.
Like = Size and performance
Dislike = Heater/AC controls and access
Parker Ganow - 12/26/2001
(365) "Little Beast" 1979 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Manual
Tan/Tan 2 Door SE, 153,540 mi.
Third Owner
Special Equipment - 8 3/4 rear end a 904 out of a police
cruiser a holly four barrel.
Well me and a buddy was out one day and he has
never seen me smoke my tires in it so we stopped in the middle of the
road and just started to smoke 'em, we did for a good 20 second then I let of the brake and kept on the gas well I
don't know how long the two marks were but he was surprised in the performance of the little 318.
Like = Its Solid!
Dislike = Don't like the color of it.
Jon Ferguson
- 12/19/2001
(364) 1988 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
1B3BG56P9JW125164
Silver/Silver 4 Door SE, 170,000 mi.
Unknown number of previous owners
Just bought it.
Paid $75.00 for it. It need trans work.
[email protected]
- 12/16/2001
(363) "The Diplomat" 1988 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8
4bbl Automatic
Burgundy/Brown 4 Door SE, 33,000 mi.
Second Owner
The Diplomat hasn't seen much highway.....yet.
But it will be going from Portland, Oregon to Los Angeles in 2 days.
Like = It's a pimp ride.
Dislike = I can't seem to fix one particular problem with it, somewhere in the fuel line presumably.
Jake McHale
- 12/8/2001
http://photos.yahoo.com/jakemc20
(362) "Sleepie" 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Gray/Silver 4 Door Salon, 170,000 mi.
Third Owner
Special Equipment - p215/60/r15 tires and chrome rims
that's all she needed the body's mint
Well I was with out a car and my brother had a
1987 dodge diplomat and wasn't driving it so I told him that I would put a trans in it and drive it
until I got a better car so it came time to give it back I said no ill take this one and now
I love her thanks Dodge.
Like = Because I can ride down the road and not be
scared or ashamed I'm a proud diplomat owner
Will Perault - 11/15/2001
(361) "Officer Bob" 1989 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Blue/White Police Pkg Salon, 121,386 mi.
Third Owner
Like = Looks slow, but goes Fast
Dislike = ESA system sucks
Doug Hartford
- 11/18/2001
(360) 1980 Plymouth Caravelle 360 V8 4bbl Heavy Duty Automatic
Wine/Black 2 Door S-Type, 400,000 km.
Second Owner
Special Equipment - polyurethane bush anti sway bars, 8
3/4
Bought it from the
original owner 1990. He bought it because in 1980 dodge wasn't doing so good and he helped
the best way he could
Like = never seen another one
Rich Matida - 11/15/2001
(359) "The Mighty Dip" 1986 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Red/Maroon 4 Door SE, 151,459 mi.
Unknown number of previous owners
Special Equipment - aftermarket AM/FM cassette player,
Monroe top-line gas shocks
The car was spotted at a local gas station and
purchased for 200 dollars cash, Driven away and worked on until it was Inspectable.
Like = The ride and the noise isolation and the
anonymity
Dislike = Man, it's UGLY, and why should a car this small weigh so much?
Rob Benson
- 11/3/2001
(358) "The Dodge" 1978 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Tan//Metallic Brown 4 Door Medallion, 79,001 mi.
Third Owner
Special Equipment - New Spark Control Unit, New Fuel
filter.
Like = Dependable Performance
Dislike = There is no built in Tachometer.
Jed Hudson
- 10/31/2001
(357) 1985 Dodge Diplomat 360 V8 4bbl Heavy Duty Automatic
1B3BG26S5FX642529
Tan/Black 4 Door Salon, 130,000 mi.
Third Owner
Special Equipment - Posi, tach
I got this car about 3 weeks ago and since then
I've been to drag strip twice, went two rounds each day.
Like = I love the way this car handles and goes
Dislike = It gets terrible gas mileage, the lock up converter is disconnected
10/28
Steve Weeks - 10/18/2001
(356) 1989 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
1B3XM26S5KW310685
Tan/Gold Police Pkg Salon, 213430 mi.
Unknown number of previous owners
Like = handling
Dislike = fuel economy
Bob Schuyler
- 10/17/2001
(355) "Dippy" 1979 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Tan/Brown 2 Door Baseline, 43,000 mi.
Third Owner
Special Equipment - A/C delete (thanks for the tips
everyone :) Power steering, power brakes, manual windows, manual locks, bench seat,
Kenwood cassette player, Vacuum Gauge, Aftermarket Tach, Air horns, new tires, shocks, rebuilt
1977 a9O4 non-lockup tranny, 125 mph cop car speedometer, fog lights, red painted air cleaner cover, and black painted
rims.
I bought my car for $150 from a lady who bought
it from an elderly lady 2 years prior. the odometer registered just over 37,000 original miles. I drove around the
car for a couple months before I let it sit while I drove my other cars. I also ran Dippy around a friend's dirt track
a few times and got it nice and muddy. This was a mistake though, and I regret doing this to such a nice car, but
then I cleaned it up real nice, and put a lot of new parts and things on it. It looks like a million bucks after being
detailed inside and out. I also recently powerwashed and detailed the engine compartment. In the future I would like
to remove the little rust behind the rear wheels and then have the car repainted
possibly hemi orange. Anyway this is the story of my diplomat.
Like = Style, Interior (mint)
Dislike = Color
Zack Sandberg - 10/17/2001
(354) "Race Cop" 1988 Dodge Diplomat
Blue/White Police Pkg Hardtop, 56,024 mi.
Third Owner
Special Equipment - .060 over 383 automatic
Like = handling and speed
Dislike = headliner keeps coming down
John
Pilagonia - 10/14/2001
(353) "Bullah" 1979 Chrysler LeBaron
FH45K9G173678
Beige/Cashmere Wagon, 294,300 km.
Second Owner
Special Equipment - I have removed the wood grain trim,
painted the wheels body color and installed police hubcaps. The engine is now started with a Mopar Performance
electronic conversion kit when the lean burn computer pooped out 2 years ago. Oh I almost forgot, the car has the original
360 2bbl V8, with A999 automatic and lockup torque converter.
Last year the performance computer went on the
fritz while driving, the car quit twice and caught itself while driving, but the second time
it made the muffler about three times its original size. Needless to say it took the
next six months to diagnose the problem as everyone thought it was the ballast resistor, which did solve the
quitting problem, but eventually the car would not start anywhere you went. It would flood itself because the computer
wouldn't send the spark signal. One day it just finally wouldn't start. I had the former service manager/ owner of our local
Chrysler dealer working on the problem, he finally solved it. Touch wood the car has been fine since, but
my nerves about driving it still are not back to normal.
Like = The room, the style, the power
Dislike = Worried that it is going to let me down again
Trevor Barrons - 10/13/2001
(352) "Beast" 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Blue/White Police Pkg Sport, 149,872 mi.
Unknown number of previous owners
Special Equipment - I put a high flow water pump and a
radio system in it. Along with pin striping and rims.
It has never given me any troubles and it is
the best sleeper. I race mustangs and when I win I surprise them!!!
Like = Its a Dodge!
Dislike = Gas gusler(352)Troy Allen
[email protected]
- 9/18/2001
(351) 1981 Chrysler LeBaron 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Grey/Burgundy 2 Door Salon, 123,000 mi.
Unknown number of previous owners
Purchased at auction for $450 in good running
condition. Both interior and exterior in good condition.
Like = style
Dislike = tempting to hotrod when I know I shouldn't
Dan Gasper
- 9/18/2001
(350) "Blue Behemoth" 1984 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
1N3BG26S6EX588799
Blue/Blue 2 Door Salon, 140,000 mi.
Third Owner
Special Equipment - AHB suspension, S 318 HD motor, twin spotlights
Like the Blues Brothers said, it's got cop
tires, cop shocks, and a cop motor. Way cool car. Wanted one for years
Like = rides smooth
Dislike = lean burn ignition
Colin - 8/23/2001
(349) "Inez" 1985 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
1B3BG56P4FX624830
Gray/Silver 4 Door Baseline, 72,324 mi.
Unknown number of previous owners
I bought "Inez" more than three years as a
"transportation" car. She had about 52K miles on her (really) when I got her. I have fallen in love with her and am
planning on bringing her up to real good condition in the coming year. The engine (what an
engine!) is o.k. and my mechanic is super knowledgeable about Chrysler. She needs
upholstery work and a head liner, some body work and a new paint job. I am going to keep her as long as she'll last. I've
always taken good mechanical care of my cars now I want her to be spiffy too. By the way, it was this web site that
made me want to do this. I was thinking of buying a VW Beetle next year but now I'll upgrade
Inez as best I can.
Like = She drives really well and corners
surprisingly well.
Dislike = There is nothing I dislike about her.
David Descault
- 8/5/2001
(348) "Goldie" 1985 Chrysler Fifth Avenue 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
1C3BF66P1FX606XXX
Beige/Gold 4 Door Baseline, 177,000 mi.
Third Owner
I bought my 1985 Fifth Avenue at a local auto
auction for $225. It is pretty much a standard 5th Ave. with leather, power everything, and 177K miles. This is a
nice runner and a smooth ride to be sure. It seems to be all original including the paint &
engine. I did a Carfax on this car and found no problems or record of accidents/salvage/theft etc.
Like = Smooth ride & power.
Dislike = It needs several minor repairs.
Stephen McMillan
- 7/29/2001
(347) 1985 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Grey/Silver 4 Door SE, 118,000 mi.
Third Owner
Special Equipment - I had the rag top stripped in favor
of a hardtop, I thought it looked better that way...the SE trim has been repainted on. I am
about to put in a good stereo because the original radio has kicked the bucket. The
side and rear windows are also tinted.
Well, It was totaled back in April 01'..finally got 3 of the fenders, the trunk, hood, and grill
replaced. It looked pretty scary for awhile but is back in pretty good shape aside from a Diplomat decal and 2 hubcaps I am in
the process of getting.
Like = Looks cool, is fast, and handles well
Dislike = no power windows seats or locks
Byron Brake
- 7/27/2001
(346) "Sergeant" 1985 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Navy/Silver Police Pkg Baseline,
165,000 mi.
Unknown number of previous owners
Special Equipment - Edelbrock 1400, MP Electronic
Ignition Upgrade kit, MSD Blaster 2 coil, Pioneer CD player.
No adventures yet, but I'm sure it will have
many. It is getting a MadMax outfitting. Roof rack, 2nd battery, brushguard/pushbar, tow hooks,
fog lights, fire extinguisher etc. Woohoo! it's gonna be a fun car!
Like = Fun to drive, people get out of my way in
traffic : )
Dislike = old car-stuff breaks!
Duncan Wright aka Clead
- 7/20/2001
(345) "The Fury" 1986 Plymouth Gran Fury 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
1P3BB26P9GX600715
Silver/Nightwatch 4 Door Salon, 81,500 mi.
Second Owner
Special Equipment - Put on dual exhaust, added driver
spot, and police wheels and caps. Tinted windows.
It has been through it all. It was owned by my
grandmother. She drove it until it had 43,000 miles at which time she parked it for 3 years. I
rescued it and have been driving it as a daily commuter. Car has been wrecked from all sides when my grandmother owned it. It has been
repaired each time. The last accident totaled the car but it was repaired anyway. It drives down the road slightly
cockeyed. Runs Great and hard. I love it. Also have an 84 Fury, ex Nevada Highway Patrol with 112,000 which I am almost
finished restoring.
Like = Dependability and looks.
Dislike = Its bent unibody.
Steven Long
- 7/16/2001
(344) "The Boat" 1988 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
IB3BG56PIJW134277
Gray/White 4 Door SE, 111,140 mi.
Second Owner
Special Equipment - Fully loaded, power windows, locks,
brakes, steering, blah, blah, blah
Been to NYC, camping a million times, I've
blown up in the back seat a bunch, tripped shrooms in it, had sex in it, smoked blunts in it, snorted crank in it, hit a
few animals with it, all in all a pretty fun car, oh yeah lived in it for a week too...
Like = Comfy and clean
Dislike = Timing, I floor it and it is still a turtle
Elizabeth Jernigan
- 7/9/2001
Chubby Bunny
(343) 1985 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Manual
Police Pkg Baseline, 310,112 mi.
Third Owner
Special Equipment - Alcohol injector on dash
Like = Power with a capital P
Dislike = Not a 426
Joseph Ronaldson - 7/9/2001
(342) "Blue" 1986 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
1B3BG56P7GX590903
Blue/Blue 4 Door SE, 69,740 mi.
Second Owner
Special Equipment - Cruise, am/fm-cassette stereo
1986 Diplomat SE original miles mint condition garage kept
Like = Condition and mileage and comfort
roominess
Dislike = Light scratches from car washes
Jeff Helton - 7/3/2001
(341) "Copper" 1988 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
1B3BG16P7JW107397
Blue/White 4 Door Salon, 115,095 mi.
Third Owner
Special Equipment - New Computer, tires and Radio
My car also refuses to Die!! I bought this car for $175 in Littlebo for the car that comes factory on the newer Chryslers and Dodges.
Raymond C. Mikesell - 7/6/2000
~ The Beacons! ~
(253) "Buffy" 1978 Dodge Diplomat 360 V8 4bbl Heavy Duty Automatic
Brown/Brown 4 Door Hardtop, 130,000 mi.
Special Equipment - sunroof, elec. windows/locks/seats
Buddy Long - 7/4/2000
Egg Harbor 6 months ago this is the most
dependable car I own it starts every morning, due to the new computer the car performs better than some of the Monte
Carlo SS's in my school, I gotten my car up to 115 m.p.h. on the parkway and have driven on dirt roads and not felt a
bump. This is a great car and Dodge should look into building more of them!!!!!
Like = The engine performance
Dislike = Paint Job
Mike Sicola
- 7/1/2001
(340) "William" 1982 Dodge Diplomat 225 Slant 6 2bbl Automatic
Blue/Silver 4 Door, 170,000 km.
Second Owner
Special Equipment - Lincoln continental velvet seats
Like = It's comfortable and easy to drive on the
highway
Dislike = The wheel is to easy to turn and I like when it's a little bit hard
Mandy - 6/27/2001
(339) "The Clicking Lifter Chrysler" 1984 Chrysler Fifth Avenue 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Gray/Black 4 Door SE, 150,000 mi.
Third Owner
Special Equipment - This car is bone stock
The car was bought new by some old people in
Ohio and was bought by a dealership in Canton, SD then I bought her as a driver for 800 bucks. It has had a few problems
such as it uses a tad bit of oil, the battery went bad in it, and once in a while the lifters will start clattering
then they will stop and it will run just fine. The car starts excellent, and don't drive to bad. It also has lean burn
and gets GREAT gas mileage.
Like = What I love about it most is that its great for
going uptown to get a pizza.
Dislike = what I don't like very well is that the headliner material likes to fall down on my head while
I'm driving.
Kirk Martinsen
- 6/27/2001
(338) "Roy" 1982 Dodge Diplomat 360 V8 4bbl Heavy Duty Automatic
2B3BG26N9CR211860
Blue/BlueWhiteTop Police Pkg Salon, 347,000 mi.
Fourth Owner
Special Equipment - It Is an original South Dakota
Highway Patrol car. It is all stock except for a shift kit (727 Automatic) and a
Mopar purple shaft RV cam. It also Has dual exhaust with glass-packs. It still has all 5 of the orig
cop wheels and dog pans.
The car first started life as a Diplomat with police package sold to 500 E. Capitol,
which is the capitol building of South Dakota. The dealership was Holsymoyon's, code 08561. It started service 3-22-83 as a
South Dakota highway patrol car. The front right tip of the car was wrecked at one time which leaves me to
believe it once did the pit maneuver. It was retired in 1994 and sold at auction to
Kristin A. Smith of Sioux Falls, SD. They then sold it to Jason Allen Charlein of Beresford, SD. I then bought it from him
for 300 dollars and have been working on it since getting it ready to drive to school.
Like = The best thing about my car is that "she has
some get up and go"
Dislike = One thing I don't like about it is that it has a little problem with running right.
Matt Martinsen
- 6/27/2001
(337) "Pimpmobile" 1980 Plymouth Gran Fury 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
JH42GAA123384
Red/Maroon 4 Door Salon, 225,000 mi.
Third Owner
Special Equipment - Car was pretty void of many options.
From junkyard I've added pedal dress-up, trunk dress-up, Chronometer digital clock, 125 mph certified speedometer, oil
pressure gauge, electric trunk lid release, trunk light, map light, am-fm cassette radio.
Rear-ended by a Saturn 12/93. Saturn smashed, Gran Fury tailpipe knocked loose. Smacked into the rear of
circa 1979 Caprice. Thought my front-end was destroyed. Nope, put small scratches on front bumper. Rear-ended by Olds
Achieva. Result: Achieva had major front-end damage and my Plymouth needed a new taillight. Moral of the story: Don't
mess with the R-body Plymouth. It's the toughest vehicle I've ever owned.
Like = Size and rarity (only 2,024 Gran Fury Salons
made for 1980).
Dislike = Gas guzzling 2 bbl, constant maintenance required.
Larry D. Greer
- 6/24/2001
(336) 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
1B3BG56P1HW114203
Burgundy/White 4 Door SE, 134,000 mi.
Unknown number of previous owners
Never fails to bring a smile when the pedal is
pushed down - strong and dependable!
Like = Smooth quiet drivetrain
Dislike = Mercedes bought Mopar!
Tim Bullough
- 6/19/2001
(335) "Squad Rod" 1988 Plymouth Gran Fury 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Red/Maroon Police Pkg Salon
74plumcrazy - 6/17/2001
(334) 1988 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Blue/Navy Blue Police Pkg Salon, 107,000 mi.
Special Equipment - wig-wag headlight flashers, push bumpers, dual spotlights.
This car was an undercover unit for the Oakland police department.
Nick Gutierrez - 6/6/2001
(333) 1984 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Tan/White 4 Door Baseline
Bought it a couple of days ago. is in fair shape. needs a little engine work. only paid $650 for it.
I like it so far.
Gary Nuckos - 6/5/2001
Update of previous
registration
(89) "Old Reliable" 1986 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Tan/Winsor White 4 Door SE, 195,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Lean Burn conversion, Jacob Ignition, Holly 650, oversize tires.
Bought it Police auction 1992 Put it in top shape and have driven it 115000 mi. one of the best cars I've
ever owned. I've had several new ones. including a 1977 Dodge Royale
Monaco Brougham. Love this car. Getting ready for a 2000 mi trip and won't worry about a thing. I own 5 Vehicles, but depend on Old Reliable
diplomat. It will perform with the best of them.
R.P.Ganow - 5/31/2001
(332) "The Blue Barge" 1985 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Blue/Blue 4 Door Salon, 118,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Clean ex-police unit. Painted in Cop Blue Metallic, with thermoplastic (slick) blue interior.
Electric engine fan to replace the viscous clutch unit in the original. Standard SB Mopar performance buildup coming.
Randy Hagan - 5/29/2001
(331) "Dipster" 1985 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Light grey/Gun metal blue 4 Door Salon, 90,300 mi.
My Father bought this car new in May of '85. It was his replacement for the '74 Dart Swinger he gave me.
We took it on vacation upstate NY in August '85 and I decided to go out for a cruise. I got it out on the Northway and
decided to see what it could do. She seemed to be cruising along just fine as the speedometer pinned way beyond that
85 reading. I had the radio cranking, the windows down & was loving it. The car just felt great & I knew then I
wanted to own it one day.
One time I had it out in the snow & as I stopped at a light some kids pelted it with snowballs. As they
did one yelled out "Stop , that's a cop car!!" . I got a kick out of that. Quite often I'd be on the road with
Dipster & people would slow down in front of me thinking It was an unmarked cop car.
The car had been repainted in '98 and had a new top put on it. Then 2 years ago my parents moved to
Florida & drove it loaded to the hilt down to their new house. I got a call about 3 months ago from my father saying he
was going to sell it to buy a new truck. I told him to wait till I got there & I would buy it & drive it home.
Well, she still looks great & runs like a champ. Made it back to NYC with no problem other than loosing
a hub cap somewhere on I-95 in Georgia. I'm happy to have her as my own now. The only thing that isn't working is
the AC. I'll have to get that fixed someday as I intent to have the car for a long time.
Ed Newlands - 5/25/2001
www.muzicradio.com
(330) "My Silver Dippy" 1989 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Grey/Silver 4 Door SE, 85,225 mi.
Special Equipment - low rider rims, 18'' super woofers and a cassette CD player
Angel Lopez - 5/16/2001
(329) 1980 Chrysler LeBaron 225 Slant 6 1bbl Automatic
Dark Blue/Dark Blue 2 Door Baseline, 80,000 mi.
Special Equipment - PW, A/C, AM/FM
Recently (April 10,01) purchased car in Providence, RI. I currently drive the car in the NY City area from
Wilmington, DE. to Providence, RI on business trips. Approximately July 01 I will drive the LeBaron to my home in
Treasure Island, FL. where I plan to swap the 225 Slant 6 drive train out for a V8. Anyone with info on what would be the
easiest swap please let me know by e-mail.
A. Carson Munsey - 5/14/2001
Update of previous
registration
(154) "The Tank" 1985 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Red/Red 4 Door Salon, 204,000 km.
Two years of faithful service, two accidents. In the first, on a slushy day, The Tank decided it wanted to
meet Mr. Ditch at an intersection. All I had to do was back out of the guy's front yard around the trees, and I went
back to work.
In the second, backing out of my church parking lot, I cut the wheel too early, and did a nice number on an
'85 Buick. $800.00 damage to the Buick, but not a dent on the Dip.
It appears, sadly, that The Tank is on its way to retirement. Safety inspection is up this month, and it
probably needs a ball bearing or two and a fix for the leaky fuel line. And there's water in the oil, so its either got
a cracked head or a lousy head gasket... and I don't have the experience or the money to tear down the engine and find
out which. Or to fix it when I find out which.
When the time comes, its organs will find a good home. A new owner for the tranny has already been lined
up. I'd fix it if I could, but....
Brandon Uhlman - 5/12/2001
(328) Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Light grey/Light grey 4 Door SE, 150,000 mi.
Sam Cederas -
5/8/2001
(327) "Unmarked Cruiser" 1988 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Blue/Silver Police Pkg Baseline, 85,997 mi.
Purchased by local police dept. used by the Chief for investigations and a little
patrolling. The car is complete and I have all paper work including service records,
and wiring dia. I have plans on restoring it, even though it is in very good condition. I was kind of surprised to
find out this car came stock with 225/70R 15, tires instead of the std. 215/ 70R 15. My plan is to use the car to hunt down
Corvettes, Mustangs and all other high dollar prey! Win or lose I'll not feel bad. OH! by the way I paid 100 US dollars for
it.
Dean Hitchcock -
5/5/2001
(326) "Betsy" 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Manual
Light gray/Blue 4 Door SE, 136,000 mi.
I purchased my dip from a woman I know for $500.00 whose father very recently died of brain
cancer, this dip known as old Betsy was owned by her dad and originally purchased in
North Carolina and apparently has been on many road trips and was very well maintained
I need to replace the rear brakes and the passenger side power window motor is out but otherwise this car
is tip top.
James Sommerfeld -
4/30/2001
(325) 1988 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Blue buckets/Charcoal grey 4 Door Salon, 134,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Police Pkg//ex-undercover unit.
Just purchased my second Diplomat on 4-21-01. Ex-undercover unit from Oakland PD. Interior looks like
new, speedo shows 34K but I peeled back the "next service due" stickers inside the glovebox and found a 70K service
sticker. Tranny's tight, engine's strong, a/c not wrkg. Looking forward to do complete restoration. Just purchased two
spotlights, rear deck lights(3), electronic siren & push bumpers. I'm a very happy police Mopar collector.
Jerry Crawford -
4/24/2001
(324) 1985 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Tan/White 4 Door Salon, 103,000 mi.
My neighbor sold it to me. It was his mom's car, and when she died he sold it as part of her estate
(kind'a gruesome, I guess). I got if for practically nothing and thought it might make a good
"project car". I believe my neighbor said it was originally used by the Louisiana
State Police.
Kirk B. Ward - 4/20/2001
(323) "Pauline" 1978 Dodge Diplomat
Golden Beige/Rootbeer Brown 2 Door, 63,000 mi.
I am only the second owner of the car. Being 21 years
old, Pauline is my first car, but she has had a very long life so far. I acquired her back in 1995 when my great
aunt was found lifeless lying on the bench seat. We drove her all the way from Montana to southern California in the
middle of summer, with no air conditioning and only an AM radio. Whenever somebody tells me that my car is a hooptie, I
just think about how much I love her and that she will always be my car, my first and only car. I wouldn't sell her
for anything in the world.
Beth Kearns - 4/16/2001
(322) 1977 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
White/White 2 Door Hardtop, 327,000 mi.
Mona Trepte - 4/11/2001
(321) "Baby" 1985 Chrysler Fifth Avenue 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Red Leather/Cream 4 Door Salon, 55,000 mi.
Well I picked up this car for $3000 2 years ago when it had 37,000 miles on it. EVERYTHING was stock on
the car. Found this out when I went to have it examined before I bought. It was absolutely pristine and garage-kept.
We have owned a few M-Bodies (1978 Sport Fury -- for sale! -- and a 1984 Gran Fury that was purchased w/
14,000 miles on it). Their reputation is what keeps them dear to my heart. I just wish I could
add more power without worrying about emissions.
George Fassnacht - 4/6/2001
(320) "Dippy" 1979 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Tan/Brown 2 Door Baseline, 39,000 mi.
Well I got it Cheap and I love it. The 318 V8 really goes good. I take real good care of it even though
some people think that its dumb to like a car this old.
Zack Sandberg -
4/6/2001
(319) 1986 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Red/Silver 4 Door SE, 105,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Will be converting base suspension to AHB version, 360 HP will replace 318, GT + 4 Whitewalls
will repace 205/75/15's, appearance of the car will not change, but should provide plenty of nasty surprises to young
punks in Chevy and Ford cars and trucks.
I just bought this beautiful '86 Diplomat SE from an elderly woman. I usually drove a
Plymouth Fury M body.
Pete Kranz - 4/5/2001
(318) 1988 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Velvet Red/Pearl Blue 4 Door Salon, 90,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Chrysler New Yorker Front end (I like Chrome) Maaco paint Job
Factory Stereo from a 2001 Jeep Cherokee New speakers
Jensen 3 1/2's, Planet Audio 6x9's, 1" Bostwick dome tweeters and 2 Bostwick SPL Plus 12's pushed
by 1 Depth Charger 200W amp. Red Velvet seats (out of the same Chrysler New Yorker 5th Avenue)
smaller tires (205/60/15) Will have pics in like 2 days to
post if any one wants to see this totally remodified Diplomat still under reconstruction.
This car was owned by my great uncle (God rest soul)...I was in a bind and needed a car after my 1998
Dodge Dakota was repossessed and after talking to a few friends and family
members....Finally my grandfather told me about a 1988 Dodge that had been sitting for over a year and
being a Dodge man I had to have it so without even seeing it I paid $500 dollars and went 300 miles to pick it
up.... I fell in love at first sight. I could see what it could be even with the oxidation and missing front end
and squirrel nests in the engine compartment and now almost 4 months later
She is looking beautiful as she did in the showroom.
Scott Blalock - 4/1/2001
(317) "Racercop" 1988 Dodge Diplomat
Blue/White Police Pkg S-Type, 48,366 mi.
Special Equipment - 1971 440 magnum
John Pilagonia - 3/31/2001
(316) "Tan Car" 1988 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Tan vinyl/Tan 4 Door Salon, 111,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Heavy duty suspension. Fog lights. Needs work.
My $125. acquired car from the last auction. Old Police car, have yet to research it. Needs engine work,
and a good interior cleaning, but nice body. Should be up and running in a few months. This makes # 3........
Thomas P. - 3/29/2001
(315) "Miss Piggy" 1988 Plymouth Gran Fury
Blue/Variegated...<G> Police Pkg Medallion, 130,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Interceptor V8 with Rochester feedback Quadra-Jet, and A/C that still works!
Miss Piggy is so called because she was once a police cruiser for the City of Tulsa, OK. She also has a
small green (VERY GREEN) mechanical toy pig who hangs out on the dashboard. She was saved from a moron who had NO idea
the potential that she possesses! She was weighed down with numerous "jury rigs" (the starter button under the dash was
the first to go), and has saggy springs and torsion bars. And, to top it off, the vacuum line to the brain was
disconnected...can you say NO POWER??? She's still in the process of being restored.
She really needs a front end (ie upper control arm bushings, etc.) but runs me around the city of Dallas in
wondrous Mopar style.. albeit with a tendency to wander a bit. So that's her story. She and her big sister the
Sin Wagon (83 dodge Ram 3/4 ton van) keep me moving around the Lone Star State!
Bob Raitz - 3/20/2001
(314) 1977 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Burnt Orange/Brown 4 Door, 67000 mi.
I was given this car 5 months ago. I have to admit being skeptical because it was so old (and free), but
I've come to love it. It has 67,000 original miles and was garage kept by it's only previous owner. She only got rid of
it because she couldn't drive anymore. I drove it from WV to FL the week I got it with no problems except after
driving 4 cylinder cars I did tend to speed. The car is very deceptive. It looks
old and pokey but it will really fly. I'm looking for ways to spruce her up. So
far the only thing I've done is change the oil and bought new tires. I also added a leopard skin steering wheel cover that matched the ugly
burnt orange interior.
D. Carpenter - 3/18/2001
(313) 1989 Plymouth Gran Fury 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
KXL7 Beige/PW7 Bright White Police Pkg Salon, 37,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Aside from all of the standard equipment, my car includes the following options;
AHB police package CGRN01 label push bumper installation DGA Torqueflight transmission-3
speed DSA Sure Grip ELE engine-318 c.i.d.-8 cyl.-4 bbl. HD ELEN01 relocated spark control
computer GFA defroster-rear window GTJ mirror-dual power remote GXA universal single key pkg.
HAB a/c-auto. temp control JCC speedometer-calibrated JFBN06 oil pressure gauge JPB power door locks
JPE electric decklid release LBC lamp-glove box LDA lamp-underhood LDC trunk comp. light
LDF additional dome light LHC deactivate door switch LND spotlight-6 inch-left PEEPW7 wheels painted special
RA8 delete standard radio REB radio supression pkg. REC police bonding strap pkg.
TMH tires-215/70R15-bsw-steel belt rad. XHE roof wiring hole & seal-center.
The total sticker price on my vehicle was $15,504.00 including destination.
Currently the only modification to my vehicle is the addition of 225/70/15 Good Year Eagle GT+4
tires in place of the factory 215/70/15 Good Year Eagle GT+4's.
My car was used as a D.A.R.E. unit by the Columbus, Ohio Police Dept. until November of 1999. I purchased
the vehicle at auction with only 36,500 miles on it, and yes, the mileage is documented. It was the last of several
that were used by CPD but the only with this low of miles. I am currently preparing the car for paint as much of it was
damaged by the City of Columbus when removing the graphics. All in all the car is in mint condition and still smells
new! It was driven by one lady D.A.R.E. officer (Rita Green) and was never smoked in. It spent most of its life in the
elementary school parking lots. I have owned many M-bodies, some were beautiful but not this original or low of miles.
The car will make its debut on the show circuit this spring, 2001.
Mike Berkemeier - 3/12/2001
(312) 1989 Plymouth Gran Fury 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Blue/White over Black Police Pkg Salon, 164,586 mi.
Special Equipment - All the good cop stuff, plus the uplevel Salon interior that nets the extremely cushy velour
seats front & rear
Picked this one up January 27th, 2001 for $600 and my '88 Chevy Celebrity. So far I've spent $418 to get
the wiper system working again (new motor & wiring package). Also added new wiper blades heck figured I might as well
:> Other than that the only thing I've done is add gas, and
change the oil. This car moves, and is extremely responsive in the passing lane. It seem to go 75 no matter how
little I hold down the pedal. Needs some exhaust work, and a paint job. Originally in service with the Ohio State
Highway Patrol, then with the Tuscarawas County (OH) Sheriff's Dept. A gentlemen picked it up for a couple hundred at
auction last May, drove it 1k miles, then parked it till I got hold of it.
James Duff - 3/12/2001
(311) 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Blue/White Police Pkg Salon, 91,000 mi.
Just took delivery of this unit from the State of Virginia. Ex-county car used in public works but never
in police work. No holes and still has original plastic protectors on undercarraige. a/c blow ice cold. In the process
of complete restoration, interior/exterior, although still in very good cond. Could use Dip emblems for fender &
trunk, maybe even rear tailamp assy. Could use advice on some engine mod if anyone could assist.
Jerry C. - 3/9/2001
(310) "The Chrysler" 1986 Chrysler Fifth Avenue 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Blue/Grey 4 Door Baseline, 130,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Lean burn is in bucket in garage. Orange box Chrysler
distributor and ignition module only way to fly.
It just won't go away. Can't find any car as comfortable or as dependable for under $20,000 so
I just keep driving it.
Tom Line - 3/8/2001
http://www.bobtuley.com
Update of previous
registration
(195) "Scully" 1989 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Red/Cherry Maroon 4 Door Salon
Special Equipment - CB radio, police shocks, heavy duty leaf springs 11 inch rear brake drums
Well I have been to hell and back the last 2 years with this car. When I first laid eyes on Scully on
that hot August day I was in love! It was in the used corner section of reliable
motors the same place where it was bought in Dec 1988. I was totally in awe of it, didn't look like a K-car to me. I
was amazed and the room inside of it and all the options that it had. My Mother and myself took her for a drive around
the block and I knew then that I found the right car. Earlier that day we were looking a 1992 mercury grand-marquis,
I hated it no chrome all plastic bumpers and that 4.6l "V8". So as soon as we got back to the dealership I
bought the Diplomat. My father went nuts over me owning a "big gas guzzler". Well I took a few trips in it over to the mainland, got laid in it and had a few other illegal experiences
in it. I have so far replaced the rad, front drivers fender and the front
clip after I totally creamed a Toyota. I have also won a few street races in it,
Mustangs, Camaros are all prey for Scully, the weird thing is that all she has under the hood is the 5.2l 2bb
carbureted LA V8.She needs a paint job and some carb work and door lock fixed and that is it.
I hope to keep her for another few decades and to be buried in it! Some girls really like that car more than me.
Johnathan Holmes - 3/8/2001
(309) 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
White/Blue Police Pkg Salon, 91,000 mi.
I just recently purchased this unit from Virginia.
I reside in So. Calif. It's a former county car only used in public works. I'm in the process of doing a complete
restoration. Engine was just recently tuned, trans svcd, new brakes & tires. It has bullet holed hubs with blk wheels
which I want to change back to white. I just bought the last Diplomat front grill from a local Dodge dealer. I need
new or clean tail lamps. Units runs strong. No holes anywhere except for 2 small ones on carpet over the hump for two-way
radio. I will be looking for more. I'm an avid Mopar lover. I also need Diplomat emblems for rear and side body.
Jerry Crawford -
3/7/2001
(308) "Blue Demon" 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Navy Blue & White/Navy Blue 4 Door Salon, 22,422 mi.
My Dodge Diplomat was ready for the car cemetery when I purchased it. I bought this car because I heard it
has a good solid engine. It also has a great heating system, it only takes about
15 mins. of driving time for the heat to warm up this vehicle. That's very important when one
lives in Michigan. I just purchased this vehicle late last year and don't have much to tell about him yet. But what I can
say is, that bad boy starts right up every morning.
Theresa Gutierrez - 3/6/2001
(307) "The Grandpa Mobile" 1985 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Gold/Gold 4 Door Salon, 133,000 mi.
Special Equipment - after market radio
When I first turned 16 I got a 1988 Diplomat squad car. About 8 months of owning the vehicle it was
demolished by stupid Ford product. The car (in my opinion) saved my life, so I bought another one.
Steve Pens - 2/28/2001
(306) "Chloe the Bluesmobile" 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Blue/White, Blue Stripes Police Pkg Salon, 147,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Factory Police, Red interior lights, Drivers side spotlight, Blue Parking Lights, Front Window
Says "Blues Brothers", Back says "On a Mission From God"
My car was a local police cruiser. I bought it to serve as the
Bluesmobile for an act that my partner Jake and I do. I had to have the transmission rebuilt before I
ever got to test drive it, but after talking to the police that actually drove it, I decided to go on blind faith. I'm
glad I did. It's like having a performance car, straight from the factory. I go to a private school and it smokes
every expensive doctor's son's, car there. I took the golf team for a ride after dinner the other night. After a few
fishtails and 180's on DRY PAVEMENT, they were ready to get out. The car also has a green dash-laser 55 watt rotator in the front and
a cheap siren. I use it for our homecoming parades. We're the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and are colors are green and
yellow. It doubles as the "Irish Security" vehicle. (whose sole purpose is to protect the
Irishman). I just ordered Push Bars for it the other day. I love my Diplomat and hope it
lasts another 147,000.
Joey Bellotte a.k.a. Elwood Blues - 2/14/2001
(305) 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
White/White Police Pkg Hardtop
Just received as a gift needs a lot of mechanical work done on it. If anybody knows where I can find a
good service manual for a good price please let me know. Thanks
Cameron Stewart - 2/13/2001
(304) "Bluesmobile" 1980 Dodge Diplomat 225 Slant 6 1bbl Automatic
Lt. dirty Green/Badly Faded Green 4 Door Baseline, 183,000 + mi.
I thought muscle car people were intense, you land cruiser folks are right there too!! I race two
F-bodies and surfed into Farley's page about two months ago looking for some way to legally beef up a Aspen NHRA stock
eliminator car with heavy duty (read that cop car stuff..) parts from the M-body. What a street sleeper a M-body would make,
I thought! Nah .... But then a tired 1980 Diplomat crossed my path (won't pass inspection without about $1200 worth of
repairs..) Three hundred bucks American later I trailered it to my shop fixed the turn signals (broken
bellcrank) fixed the horn with the one from my Aspen bracket car ( NEVER THROW ANYTHING AWAY !!
) replaced some bulbs, cleaned and adjusted the carb, reattached the rearview mirror ( Loctite
312 ) filled the tank with super and a can of Berrymans, and two new belts. Total so far: $328 Went through the sniffer
so clean the inspector ran it twice! And did better the second time through!!!! It starts, runs and
drives good. The body is very straight but the paint and interior shows the effects of twenty some Texas summers. My
plan is to drive it until something major gives up, and then build a drag car made up to look like a generic police car.
A friend and I have always wondered just how "bad" you could build up the overlooked 318. We'll keep ya posted. P.S. I
wrote to the "Beat the Heat" group with the offer to let any law enforcement group have free use of the car if they
broke theirs or want to see what kind of response/reaction they got before they got their own. Cripes-A-Mighty!!! I got
threats about copyright infringement, unlicensed use of the name, even fraud. I didn't asked for anything in the first place, and they can take a leap. I'll use a "Stay in
School/Don't do Drugs/Anti-gang theme for mine, and if any group wants to see the car let them ask.
Rick Mariano - 2/11/2001
(303) "Big D" 1985 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Red/Red 4 Door Salon, 104,012 mi.
Pulled an S-10 out of a snow bank-tires were almost bald when completing that. And another story is it
shakes uncontrollably at 110 miles per hour-clocked by my friend's VW Bug racing with me. My speedometer only goes up to
85 so I was riding blind. Anyway, the Diplomats ROCK!!!
John R. Gantert - 2/8/2001
(302) "N.S.P.#3109" 1983 Dodge Diplomat
318 V8 4bbl Heavy Duty Automatic
Chocolate Brown/Tan/Cop White with butterscotch painted top Police Pkg Salon, 154,600 mi.
Special Equipment - 318H.D. Police Pkg
The former owner said he got stopped by the Nebraska State
Patrol after he bought the car. The trooper asked to see the inside of the drivers door
jamb (where the NSP magic markered the car # on). The officer said that it looked like his car and
that's why he stopped him. The officer also said that he hated his Mustang and wished he could
just have his Diplomat back. I bought it after seeing a ad in the paper for $500.
$375 later it was mine. Then came a new windshield, ignition, intake man, carb,
brakes and kyb shocks (which rule by the way). I commute on the interstate daily and
would not drive anything else.
Dave Earl - 2/3/2001
(301) "Twisted" 1978 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Light Gray (leather)/Dark Gray (soon to be jet black) 2 Door Hardtop, "a
ton of" mi.
Special Equipment - Custom stereo, 10 speakers all Pioneer, Pioneer
CD player/graphic equalizer. Front and rear air shocks so I can adjust my ride height.
Louvered hood, custom 5 spoke rims, removal of the ugly door guards, smoothed down body lines, replaced original on-column
shifter to a racing ratchet shifter in between customized front bucket seats, supercharger that gives it an extra 200hp, custom
gauges and clock, ground effects made from scratch, completely blacked out windows, and
custom made 3 and a half inch quad exhaust, thanks to my good old auto and metal shop
classes, License plates say "TWSTD".
My Brother was the first owner of twisted and he treated him like crap. When he put it up for sale I
immediately dished out the 1000 he was asking and took good old twisted for a spin. Well when
I got home she was smokin' so I tore into it and rebuilt the whole thing. My friends all
drive little Hondas and Acuras with little 4 banger engines that are all decked out. They laughed at me when I got
Twisted but since I can out run any car in my town and have my car into 5th by the time i get off of the on ramp they
stopped laughing.
Asa Williams - 1/28/2001
(300) "Gran Fury" 1984 Plymouth Gran Fury 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Light Gray/Brown 4 Door Hardtop, 85,000 mi.
It's from FL now it's in Ohio It's has no rust at all.
O'Leary T - 1/19/2001
(299) "Dippy", or
"Diplodocus" 1981 Dodge Diplomat 225 Slant 6 1bbl Automatic
Red/White & Red 2 Door Hardtop, 99,000 mi.
I saw this car when I was a freshman in high school... I fell in love with it immediately. When
I was a junior I was lucky enough to buy it for $250. That was the best $250 I've ever spent. Not only did this
car run excellent, it saved my life and a friend's life in an accident. The car needs some pretty serious
repairs, and I am open to any suggestions and/or parts for my dippy. Also looking for another slant 6 to add
to the collection!
Adam - 1/12/2001
(298) "Shaft" 1980 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Red/Black 4 Door Medallion, 39,850 mi.
Special Equipment - power windows - electric door locks - rear widow defroster
tilt wheel & cruise control
I bought Shaft after my much beloved & highly optioned '72 Coronet Custom
was ruthlessly t-boned by an uninsured motorist. After waiting 3 months for the ins. co. to do right by me (if you want to
call the measly amount they said it was worth doing me right) I saw an ad
in the paper that just read "for sale-1980 Dodge Diplomat $1000" and thought I'd take a look at it.
Expecting a beater, I was quite surprised to find this one-owner gem and didn't have the heart to try and
talk her down on the price. It was not garage kept so the paint & chrome on the bumpers are
pretty thin & the rear seat is badly sun damaged, but to get me to work and back what more could you ask
for? I've had it a year-It's a great driver & hasn't let me down yet. It had just over 31k when I bought it.
Charles C. Parr - 1/7/2001
(297) "Surfwagon" 1980 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Tan/Blue & wood grain Wagon Baseline, 256,000 km.
Special Equipment - Changed to propane.
When I bought the Dip it was an unsafe vehicle and may well be one of those with bad karma. It was a mess
with tires of different sizes, bypassed ignition, a dangerous quirk which made it skitter across the road without
reason. I have virtually rebuilt the front end. Next I need to replace the motor.
Norman Reader - 1/6/2001
Update of previous
registration
(284) "Homer" 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Dark Blue/White/Black 4 Door Salon, 295,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Removed an unused pump (air), K/N air filter, Open Exhaust, replaced stock vinyl cop seats with
cloth bench seats out of a 85 GF. Also grabbed all the interior parts out of the GF too. CB Radio, AM/FM/Cass/CD
Changer.
In my updated missions, I drive this beast to work everyday, and even back & forth to Orlando & Tampa.
Updated missions will follow!
NeonHomer - 1/6/2001
NeonHomer's Domain
(296) "Remy's Fury" 1979 Chrysler LeBaron
Tan/Yellow 2 Door Medallion, 32,000 mi.
Special Equipment - 440 4-bbl, modified A518, police pkg suspension
The car was bought from Carlin Dodge in Colorado Springs (it still has the dealer sticker on the trunk!)
I found It in October 2000 and traded an '87 Monte Carlo SS for it.
It is the original yellow, with a brown vinyl top and the original tan cloth interior. Not bad
for a 17-
year old, huh?
Bryan McTaggart - 1/2/2001
(295) "White Beast" 1985 Plymouth Gran Fury 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Tan/White 4 Door Salon, 175,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Leather interior, tinted windows, neon lights, aluminum rims, dual exhaust, New Stereo system,
(Previous State Car).
I have had the car about two years now. I would not buy a new car after having a
Gran Fury, Its the safest car I have ever driven, once I was driving over a dirt road
in the mountains of NY and had come around a corner not realizing it was so sharp, my first instinct like most people
was to slam on the breaks, that car of mine stopped within about a foot of going into a pond on the opposite side of
the road, I once read that Gran Furys have awesome stopping abilities and now after being in a situation
I don't doubt it at all, although at first a Gran Fury may look like a family car with the right bit of work and modification it will
turn into a cruising car and a lot of people do look as you go flying by, oh one last story,
I did have the great opportunity to be stopped beside a 97 mustang at a stop light,
let's just say he was struggling to keep up.
Paul Virtue - 12/24/2000
Virtue Specialties
(294) "Ava" 1984 Chrysler Fifth Avenue 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Light Tan Leather/Met Gold/tan 4 Door Baseline, 90,500 mi.
Too new to me as yet. Car seems like it has been garage kept (normally 16 years of outside use in this
neck of the woods does a car in (salt. snow, ice and deer), upper paint somewhat faded, vinyl roof perfect, interior and
chrome excellent except for some shopping cart whacks in doors. Since purchase I notice them all over the place
especially black ones. I have only seen a few Diplomats in area. I did witness a "criminal" act (If you are a M car
believer) being perpetrated by someone. He was cutting large pieces of tree trunk and loading them in trunk of 5th
Ave! The suspension seemed "bottomed out" I hope he didn't break it. This was either a testament to the cars ruggedness or an
unthinking act. Signing off from NW NJ. (I don't commute any more so that helps car).
Richard S. - 12/23/2000
(293) "Chippy" 1988 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Blue/Black & White 4 Door Salon, 150,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Is currently a police car restoration project, car is a police car package, is now white over
black, front doors to be painted white, emergency lights mounted on rear deck, driver and passenger spots, 102" low
frequency spring based antennae at right rear quarter panel, push bumpers at front, other police equipment to be added.
Served with the California Highway Patrol, then the Talent, Oregon Police Department, then purchased by me
in 1998 from a small used car lot in Talent, just happening to have been owned by the previous Mayor of Talent. Buddy
and I are collecting police package Diplomats, (he has 12, I have just the one, currently) for fun and investment as
the police car restoration hobby grows. The Dodge Diplomat, I believe, is accurately characterized as "the police car
of the 80's"
Mike Lyons - 12/13/2000
(292) "Dipper" 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
White/Metallic Silver 4 Door Baseline, 99,000 km.
Special Equipment - Re-cored rad, right rear brake line, right leaf spring hanger.
I bought this car from an estate sale in Feb. '99. At the time, the original owner, an elderly lady, had
racked up 84, 000 km's on it. It has always been garage stored and the body is in near perfect condition, considering
the harsh Canadian environment it has faced. A couple of
weeks after buying it, the carbon started to get cleaned out and the power and fuel economy increased dramatically. It
gets 20 plus MPG and starts on the first crank every morning in -10, -20 temps. The white interior is
immaculate. The repairs to it are under $200 Canadian which is good considering I'm a poor student. It has made the trek from Atlantic
Canada to Ontario a couple of times, both in the dead heat of summer and the cold winter with absolutely no problems. My
buddies appreciate the rear seat leg room, being used to Tempos, Civics and the like.
Tyler Griffin -
12/6/2000
(291) "Petunia" (or, "The Black Bomb") 1982 Dodge Diplomat 225 Slant 6 1bbl Automatic
Maroon/Black 4 Door Salon, 131,900 mi.
Special Equipment - Uhh, no radio, but it does have a heater. AKA plain jane :)
The Black Bomb was purchased 4 years ago for $200 American from a fellow that used it on the mail route.
The transmission was burnt but we had another 904 in the barn so we bought it. It has the usual mail box scratches
but the interior is in good shape and it isn't rusty. Pretty soon we want to paint it and put in at least a 318.
Marsha Bryant - 11/22/2000
(290) "The Dodge" 1988 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Tan/Met. brown 4 Door Salon, 125,000 mi.
Special Equipment - No visible antenna other than the radio/police radio was spliced into it
Not too sure on its past. the only thing I really know is that is was registered as
"FED. LAW ENFORCMENT VEHICLE."
Philip Bonilla - 11/16/2000
(289) "Abby Normal" 1983 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Tan/White 4 Door Baseline, 128,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Cop baseline air 727 posi. new trans with high stall converter. $225 at police auction, next bid
was 175. I bid what I thought it was worth to me.
This car was purchased for one thing, parts. But with the high stall converter it is fun to blast off the
line. you have to let off the gas slightly to keep from losing traction. I think next spring I will
dismantle this and put the engine/trans in my magnum. save the rest of the
drive train for the energizer bunny.
Carmen - 11/12/2000
Update of previous
registration
(287) "Old Blue" 1987 Plymouth Gran Fury 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Blue/Blue 4 Door Salon, 200,498 mi.
Old blue is now dead, 1-3-1987 to 11-8-2000.
I totaled the car on that date and it's now in car heaven.
Eric Wardlaw - 11/9/2000
(288) "Beast" 1985 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Blue/Blue 4 Door Baseline, 130,000 mi.
OK, this has nothing to do with a stunt, but ever since I
raced that Monte Carlo (see Diplomat Stunts) I did some research on that accursed spark control computer,
and figured I'd share just in case. the trick is simple, and I don't know why I
didn't see it before. remove the distributor, and replace it with a distributor from 1974!
Since dodge started the SCC in 75, the 74 distributor uses vacuum advance instead of a computer.
Then, simply go get a higher performance intake and carb (probably not over 600cfm) and
VOILA! Instant horsepower.
Jeff "Jester" Payton
- 10/25/2000
(287) "Old Blue" 1987 Plymouth Gran Fury 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Blue/Blue 4 Door Salon, 200,000 mi.
Two teenagers and 13 years in the same family. There are lots of crazy, wild, and funny stories for this
car.
Eric Wardlaw -
10/24/2000
(286) "Jr" 1981 Dodge Diplomat 360 V8 4bbl Heavy Duty Automatic
(photo)
Green/Green 4 Door Hardtop
Special Equipment - Had 318 but I put a 360 I've drove it all the way to Iowa and didn't
think it would make it back but it did and it saved me more gas money then I thought it would and I will always keep my
baby and never let her go.
Roman Dominguez Jr -
10/24/2000
(285) "The Energizer Bunny" 1980 Chrysler LeBaron 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Blue/Blue 2 Door Baseline, 139,401 mi.
Special Equipment - entire drive train including suspension from '84 cop car that died in the line of duty.
Mods are high flow exhaust manifolds, no cats, flowmaster, msd, k&n, recurved
vacuum dist, poly bushings everywhere possible, welded braces on front subframe.
After it shed its first skin gray on gray, she's now blue on blue. she has winter tires with chains
permanently mounted and was spotted out with the 4x4's in 36 inches of snow. I received a notice in the mail later that a snow
emergency means only emergency traffic, but I was out pulling other people out.
Man I cannot wait for another day like that. She also can't resist power slides.
284) "Homer" 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Dark Blue/White/Black 4 Door Salon, 290,000 mi.
I just purchased this car for $300 in mid-October. Her engine is good, strong, and quiet. Interior is in
good shape, and she has a bit of rust here and there (da** lightbars). Was used as a Volusia County Sheriff's patrol
car, then was used as a security car. Now she's mine, and I'm gonna make her shine!
Kevin B - 10/22/2000
NeonHomer's Domain
(283) "The Falcon" 1984 Chrysler Fifth Avenue 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Blue/Dark Blue 4 Door
Special Equipment - all options except leather int. and moon roof
This is my second 5th Ave. I also have an 87 (RIP) that blew its engine
last week. PARTS!!!
Bill Doig - 10/21/2000
Update of previous
registration
(195) "Scully" 1989 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Red/Cherry Maroon 4 Door Salon 135,211 km.
Special Equipment = Skull knob locks, dog dish hubcaps, K&N air
filter, chrome tail pipe.
This was my first car and I have had a lot of great experiences in her. I bought her for $1000 dollars, but the car had no rust through, it had
the front end rebuilt, and she had that deep throated V8 hum. It has been a
labor of love to get her restored, I have done almost all the work to her. I have gone on
a lot of trips with her. Everyone in my school seems to want to buy my car, today everyone has almost
forgotten about the big Chrysler cars. Dodge made such great powerful cars that they
owned 80% of the police car marketplace from the 60's until 89. In closing I love
SCULLY, I will never own one of those plastic 1.8L gasoline hybrids i.e. Toyota,
Nissan, Honda. I own one of the best cars ever. 3800 lbs of North American Pride.
Johnathan Holmes - 10/21/2000
(282) "The Destroyer" 1988 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Blue/Cream/White Police Pkg, 168,865 mi.
Special Equipment - Sony 45-W CD player, fabricated center console, 4, extra speakers, full size spare, "ejection
seat" sign, spotlight....4bbl coming soon
Bought from a Munster, Indiana police auction in '90. it was the
Sarge's car so it doesn't have much performance-wise (yet). We're in the rust belt here, but
I plan on repainting it. My dad gave it to me last winter to drive to school, and it's like a part of me.
My friends and I love it, we've had so many adventures, like turning doughnuts on snow days, and the time
a blazer backed up into us, and it got dented, but my car didn't. One of my friends has a story about how the car was
actually built by NASA as some sort of special project, but then it got cancelled and a police department inherited it,
and that's why nothing can hurt it.
Adam Kerr -
10/19/2000
(281) "Diply" 1979 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Green/White/Cream 2 Door Baseline, 117800 mi.
Well I got this car from my uncle and no one including me have never heard of it before.
It's all original it has a good amount of rust not severe but a good amount. Behind the rear wheels both of them, and right behind the
gas tank. All chrome trim has been broken off or is hanging off. The 318 is strong but I got a little heavy on it and
since I don't have a sway bar and the car likes to do nice big old fishtails in the rain and now
there's a noise coming from the engine like a heavy breathing almost and I know a
good amount about cars and engines and it didn't sound like it was coming from anywhere on the motor except for the
carburetor now if anyone knows anything about please contact me at [email protected]
and also if anyone is interested in the car itself then E-mail me too. Its all original
everything is in good order rear defroster doesn't seem to be working and right exterior mirror is broken its still there
and in good condition its just that the little adjusting thing doesn't work but it still has the original
jack and working 8-track player and even original speakers. If anyone is interested please pretty please contact me. I
just installed a new alternator, battery, rear cylinders on brakes, full tune-up, and used the new max life oil which
I recommend strongly and a can of that restore stuff, I also added a fuel additive to clean the valves and carb.
Shane di Francesco -
10/18/2000
(280) 1978 Plymouth Caravelle 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Caramel/Sable Tan Sunfire Metallic 4 Door Baseline, 90,248 km.
Special Equipment - Mopar performance ignition kit, Accel wires and coil, Quadrajet carb.
I just purchased this car from an 83 year old man who owned it since new. Although it is not a Mustang or
Camaro, this is one of the cleanest cars I've ever seen so I had to buy it. When i got the car everything but the
tires, battery and fuel pump was original. The interior smells like new, the back seat has never been sat in, and the
paint has only some minor scratches. I was told that a 318 4 barrel lean burn motor on a
Canadian car is rare? And another thing everyone says is that the vinyl top was a bit rare
also? Is this b.s. or are these some odd options? The underbody is also in mint condition and has almost 1/4 inch of
undercoating oil on the floor pans. Even the suspension and steering is rust
free. I've only put on 2500km since I bought it and would like to sell this car but have no idea what
it's worth. I only paid $750 Canadian for it. I've been told it should be worth over $3000.
Chuck Metcalfe -
10/18/2000
(279) "Mr NOS" 1989 Dodge Diplomat 340 V8 4bbl
Automatic
Gray/Black/Black/White Police Pkg Salon, 125,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Race 340W2 4barrel,727 trans w/ transbrake,8 1/4 4.56 suregrip rear,250hp powershot(Nitrous)3
1/2 Dual exhuast with 2 chamber 40 series flowmasters, special made frame ties.
I bought this car from a friend of mine 2 years ago, I really liked the body style also have
always been a fan of police cars. It had a 318 4 barrel/904 and a suregrip 293
rear. I really liked the performance of the car but started having trouble with the
lean burn system (never a really good system in my opinion). Also the mini cats
on Y pipe clogged up and dealer told me there are 5 y pipes left in the US at 751.00.this started to bother me
I had grown real fond of this car and didn't want to part with it not just yet.
On my way home a teenager in a mustang pulled up to me at the light and you know how this
goes, well I lost from light to light but if would have been a longer run I know
I could have won. Well i was talking to a buddy of mine about this and that and he made the comment
I should be that old 340 in the dodge then go race that mustang again, Well
that's how much the story goes. There is nothing stock about it anymore. But to look at
it, you would say just a stock Dodge! I have put all the goodies back into it,
like bar lights, siren etc.. Except how many police cars do you know off that do 10.90's in the 1/4 mile and still be street
legal???? I will have pictures and spec's soon on my web site.
278) "Diplomatic Immunity" 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Blue/Blue (orig. White) Police Pkg Salon
I just purchased this one for $200.00 in driving condition. It needs a lot of work, but I am planning
on "restoring it" to original (service) condition. It is about the 40th Chrysler product I've owned, but the first
police-car. I need a little help locating a set of push-bars for the front. Please e-mail me if you know where I can find
some. Also, can anyone tell me the original size tires that the police cars came with?
Allan G. Von Leue - 10/11/2000
(277) "The Beater" 1985 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Gray/Dark Gray 4 Door SE, 130,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Power windows, locks, drivers seat.
I found the car in the local newspaper, and bought it for $200.00. So far it is doing fine. It needs some
work, but runs fine. Hopefully I will have it for awhile.James Ellison
James Ellison - 10/11/2000
(276) 1985 Chrysler Fifth Avenue 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Beige Leather/Gold 4 Door, 92,350 mi.
Special Equipment - It's pretty much the top of the line. It
has beige leather interior, power windows, locks, cruise control, AM/FM
cassette, A/C, it also has side lights on the C-pillar where the silver trim
covers the vinyl roof.
My father just bought this car this past Friday, it was in
need of a wash, but as soon as it came out on the other side of the car wash, it
looked like it came out of the showroom. I love this car, I like more than
my father and he owns it. I just love the dash design, and the seast are
so comfortable. I'm trying to get my dad to giver her to me, and maybe get
rid of my 1978 Oldsmobile 98. If you want to see more of my car check out
my page.
Chris - 10/10/2000
THE BOAT
(275) "Puke and Gag" 1980 Chrysler LeBaron 225
Slant Six Automatic
Special Equipment - P+G was a v8. 2 months and $2000 later one nice ride.
(Companion registration with entry below)
Kevnski Zprime - 10/9/2000
(274) "Blue Berry" 1981 Chrysler LeBaron 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Dark Blue/Night Watch Blue 2 Door Medallion, 94,000 mi.
Special Equipment - BB was a s6.
Blue Berry is an 81 Chry Lebaron, I bought the BB from a friend
after many years of trying to buy it off his dad. So I had to wait for the grim reaper.
After many years of service and fixing up, she needed a bigger power plant with a few more
horses, the s6 225 just wasn't enough. on July 4th '99 I got real lucky, I found the
'Puker' at a local junk yard (fresh fish). Puke had some serious front end damage, but
she was almost identical to the Blue Berry. And every part I needed and the 318 with the 'k' frame still intact. after 2
months and $2000 the Blue is one nice ride. The Puker had her one last winter here now she sits waiting to be a donor
or donated. The s6 is in the Puke and is runable w/tlc.
Kevnski Zprime - 10/9/2000
(273) 1988 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Blue/Blue Police Pkg Salon, 72,626 mi.
My Dip was a Detective's car from Oakland CA. I use it as a daily driver but can put a light on the cash
and hook up the sires and I'm ready for a car show or event.
Lyon McKeil - 10/8/2000
(272) 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Blue/Blue 4 Door Salon, 152,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Police pursuit equipped
Tony V - 10/4/2000
(271) 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Dark Blue/Dark Blue 4 Door SE, 64,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Recent work and modifications include rebuilding the transmission and imstalling a new JVC
stereo system (and new speakers).
I recently bought the Diplomat from my friend who bought a new car. Sold it to me for $1050. The car is in
great shape, and runs extremely well.
Kevin McKernan -
10/1/2000
http://scream.cosmega.com
(270) "Doug" 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Blue/Silver 4 Door Salon, 95,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Rare rust free Wisconsin car
Saw "Doug" on a used car lot and me and my wife both loved it. It was traded in by a older couple that are
a neighbor of my sister in-law. The car was spotless and we got it for $1100 off the sticker price,
it had been on the lot for a long time and when the salesman said $1400 I said
sold. Had it for about two weeks when I got hit in the front end but was able to find parts from a
5th Ave. that would fit. I believe I have the only Dodge Diplomat around with fender louvers. Drive seventy miles to and from work each day
and never get less than 20 M.P.G.
Kevin J Kent - 10/1/2000
(269) "The Dipo" 1983 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Brown/Brown/Tan soft top 4 Door Medallion
Special Equipment - Gutted Cat and straight pipe, Thermoquad, Grand Am speed rated tires, spoke hubcaps.
Well, lets see. the Dipo has been through a lot. it was my grandpas
until he died. then I got it. I didn't like it at first. but I made a few mods and now it is the
quickest car at my school. It out accelerated a 93 Plymouth Lazer Turbo (that has a top speed of 144, we did it).
I beat it until around 60mph. my Dipo has been through a cornfield at 65mph.
It's been put in a ditch but no dents just the bumper pushed in. it will do a mean power stance.
Caleb Wohlers - 9/26/2000
(268) "Furor" 1987 Plymouth Gran Fury 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Red/Black 4 Door Baseline, 63063 mi.
Found the car in police yard in Ottsville, PA. No rust, the body is straight, only has 63k on it, just had it
painted. I'm putting this car in place of the 87 Dip I've been driving to work for 4 years that also
is an old squad.
James Jardot - 9/26/2000
(267) "The Fury" 1984 Plymouth Gran Fury 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Gray/Silver 4 Door Salon
Kevin M. Slate - 9/24/2000
(266) "the DIP" 1978 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Manual
Red Velour/Black 2 Door Medallion, 31,000 mi.
Special Equipment - 4-speed overdrive manual stick-shift.
My father-in-law bought the car new in 1978 and still owns it. It is in perfect condition, and still has
the original paint on it. It gets a lot of attention and many people ask what ta heck is that?! They always think of
Diplomats as 4-door cop cars. I called Chrysler and they told me it was 1 of 7 Diplomats made that way in 1978. Does
anyone out there have a Dip like this one? If so please let me know. Thanks!!
Larry Baker - 9/16/2000
(265) 1988 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Tan/Pewter(light tan) 4 Door Salon, 98,650 mi.
I have replaced every part on this car except the engine, just had the tranny rebuilt right after it
received it's third fuel pump. Last year the torque converter caused much trouble,
symptoms were frequent engine stalling and front end vibrations like a shuddering feeling, almost
like a rumbling sound and feel, I had five mechanics check it out, one thought I needed new brakes, but I had new
brakes put in the month before, another guy said it was the brain, so I got a new computer for the car but that wasn't it,
another mechanic said it was the carburetor, another guy just scratched his head and said he had no idea. Finally,
after stalling out many times in traffic, especially after stepping on the gas pedal when red lights turned green, and a
bit of smoke would escape from under the hood, one mechanic in a tranny shop finally figured it was the torque
converter, which he disconnected and after that the car ran just fine, except I got into a head-on
collision four months later and sustained $1,200.00 worth of front end damage which I had fixed and then the car looked almost new
again but six months later the fuel pump went (that was the 2nd one) and then the tranny just stuck in the drive
position but the car was acting like it was in neutral, all this happened when I started it up one day, drove two blocks and
while driving, the car stalled in the middle of the street. I could only get it to go in reverse.
Rebuilt.
Johnny Watts - 9/8/2000
(264) "The Dustmobile" 1983 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
White/Gray over Black 4 Door Hardtop, 83,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Civilian model. Vinyl roof. Excellent condition
You'll love this story! My first Diplomat, the Beast, was a police car, that I now use for civilian
duty, such as riding to work, and back, as duty as a Police officer. This car is a civilian Diplomat I bought at a city auction for
$51, and that I use at work, for police work. To make the story even more interesting, this
Diplomat was once owned by a "alleged" thief. Besides having the trunk broken open when a search and seizure
warrant was done last month, and a few dents in the doors, this car is sweet. Only 88,000 miles on it and it rides real nice, nicer than
the Beast, who currently has 141,000 miles on it. I had a chance to also bid on a 1983
Gran Fury at the same auction, and that car went for $100 to a parts dealer, but that car
leaned to the left, and didn't look that healthy. The Dustmobile will be my car to use at the impound yard to print
all the stolen cars. Oh she rides nice and is an EXCELLENT buy at $51. Sooner or later, I'll get the small dents out of
her doors, I'll replace her trunk next week and take her home for years of service. Who
says there are no Diplomats used for Police service anymore?
263) "Black Beauty" 1987 Dodge Diplomat 360 V8 4bbl Heavy Duty Automatic
Tan (Almond)/Black 4 Door Police Package Salon, 136,885 mi.
Special Equipment - '71 360 4-bbl, I rebuilt the engine with F-77
trimetal bearings, ARP rod bolts, and nuts. High perf. cam., variable duration lifters, double row timing
chain and gears, windage tray, mild porting.727 HD, trans with shift kit, stock
ex. manifolds, with 1/2 exhaust, with Dynomax super turbos.
My Diplomat started out on the Tennessee Highway Patrol. After it was retired from the THP, it was sold to
Charleston SC and was painted white. After Charleston retired it, it came back to Tennessee as a private car, where it
was driven around my home by one of the previous owners until he hit a tree that was knocked over in the road by a storm,
on a curve. He didn't have time to stop and hit the tree taking out the passenger side of the front corner, smashing
the headlights and fender all the way to the grille! It also smashed the windshield, and bent the "A" pillar on the
passenger side, and banged and crumpled the top in different areas. The guy then
sold the car to my Nephew, who took the 318 police engine out for his car, and the wheels. So, I got
the Diplomat from him, and saw a lot of potential in the car, since it was still solid with NO rust anywhere! even the
floor pans looked like new! So, I started fixing it, replacing the fender and
front end fiberglass, as well as the "A" pillar and roof skin, then I did the bodywork and repainted it black, (I was told I could not repaint
it the original THP colors, in the same pattern), So I decided on black, instead of black and tan. And installed the
360 and trans in the process. I also found another set of police wheels, so I repainted them and put a set of police
radials, (Goodyear Eagles GT's) that my Cousin got from the Dayton Ohio Police, and finally got the
original Hubcaps back from my Nephew. I also "customized" the taillights, by removing the rest of the "chrome" paint and recoloring them
black, since the "chrome" paint was wearing off, and I think it looks better with the housings blacked out, kind of like
the "Euro" look, any opinions? So It is coming back together slowly, I still have some painting to do on the Pass.
side doors, and some interior work. A friend of mine said it looks like a FBI car with the spotlight and antennas on the
back! He even said I should make it into a MIB (men in black) car, since they didn't use the right kind
of car in the movie! I have the lightbar like was originally on the car when in service with the THP, I am hoping to
get the Siren, and most of the rest of the police equipment as funds permit. But with the
lightbar on it it really gets stares from a lot of people including the Police! But since
it isn't on the road when the lights are on it I am safe! I have not had the Diplomat on the road for long, but, What I
have had it drives great, and handles like it is on rails! And has plenty of power, I am hoping to show a lot of Brand
G, and brand F, as well and a lot of rice burners those custom tail lights!
Danny Moore - 9/6/2000
Update of previous
registration
(230) "The Blackjack" 1987 Chrysler
Fifth Avenue 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Blue/Now Black 4 Door Baseline, 170,000 km.
Special Equipment - Just painted it black, it looks great.
With this car I raced and beat the following vehicles : Olds Cutlass
Coupe, Several Mustangs, Chev Cavalier, Z-28, Chev pick-up, Plymouth Caravelle
Salon and many Hondas and other rice-mobiles.....not bad for a 318 2bbl!!
Will Doig - 9/1/2000
(262) 1979 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Tan/Dodge Viper Blue with Black vinyl Wagon Sport, 54,243 mi.
Special Equipment - Email me if you want to know special modifications.
My car has never left Lafayette Indiana. And the fastest car in Lafayette.
Sean Leger - 8/29/2000
(261) 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Tan/White Police Pkg Salon, 80418.6 mi.
Tom Jackson - 8/27/2000
(260) "The Dodge" 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Gray/Charcoal Gray 4 Door SE, 150,000 mi.
Well this car was wrecked, and doesn't shine like she used to but
I still love her.
Tara Thompson - 8/22/2000
(Photos)
http://www.angelfire.com/sd/tarabear
(259) "Esmeralda" 1988 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Light Blue/Light Blue 4 Door Salon, 86,542 mi.
Scott Fehlner - 8/21/2000
(258) 1988 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Blue/Blue 4 Door Salon, 182,000 km.
I was given this car by my parents 3 years ago and am still using it.
Will O'Connor - 8/15/2000
Update of previous
registration
(249) "The Beast" 1983 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Grey/White Police Pkg Salon, 140,000 mi.
Special Equipment - new paint job ( once greyish )
I found my Dippy on your site, and in June 2000, took the train from Maryland to New York and bought the
car and drove it back here. It ran great the entire trip down the New Jersey Turnpike
without a problem. The "Beast" badly needed paint, and some minor work, but is now
prowling the streets of Maryland. Folks don't know what to make of my Dippy, but since I'm a city cop who
often goes to work in uniform, few are brave enough to pass the "Beast" as she makes her way along. I am continuing to add detail pieces
from junkyards, as I replace the worn chrome on the "Beast" and she is beginning to look like a new car, or as new as a
1983 Dodge can look. The car was painted white, and looks very "copcarish", but the choice to paint her white had more
to do with the paint shop than me. They told me white would last longer and would hide those slight imperfections she
has in her metal. They were right, and the car looks sharp. Actually, I wanted dark gray or black,
but I've been told that paint doesn't last as long.
Thomas Paul - 8/3/2000
(257) "The Cop Car" 1987 Plymouth Gran Fury 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Blue/White Police Pkg Salon, 214,000 mi.
Special Equipment - MSD ignition, Rebuilt tranny with shift kit, new rear with better ratio for improved
acceleration. Soon to take the 2 bbl off and install Edelbrock aluminum 4 bbl intake &
carb. Beefier cam, Headers and dual exhaust.
Jerry Classing - 7/26/2000
(256) "Old Blue" 1985 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Blue, buckets/R.C.M.P. Blue 4 Door Salon, 500,000+/- km.
Special Equipment - runs on propane , has factory Delco (yes Chevy)
HEI ignition and most period correct police equip.
I chased after this particular car for almost two years, the previous owner was not very motivated to sell, I was relentless though and finally ended up with the car (be careful what you wish
for......). Countless hours, one divorce and about nine large spent on the parts scrounging
and presto, she is pretty much complete. I show "Old Blue" whenever I get a chance and she's done very well against
some worthy competitors, but the TRUE enjoyment comes from driving her, the expressions on other
people's faces are priceless. Out of active service for 13 years but still able to
strut her stuff. I would guess (by people's actions and reactions) that a high percentage of motorists still believe
she's in service. As a daily driver, I do not leave any police markings or exterior lighting installed (to do so
would be a major no no) but the divider, radio, misc. electronics switches,
grill and deck lights stay . The w/w, flashers etc. all work, but have a master disconnect
switch that (when off) cannot be accessed while driving .
Stephen Chislett -
7/18/2000
(255) 1985 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Tan/Gold 4 Door Salon, 98,000+ mi.
Just got it 2 weeks ago, no adventures as of yet.
Willie Ellenberg - 7/10/2000
(254) "Blue" 1985 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Blue/Blue 2-Tone 4 Door Salon, 160,000 mi.
Purchased the vehicle from my uncle, recently I put new tires all around and am having the front end
reworked and aligned. Its a great cruiser and it marvelous for long trips. I have to replace the radio and speakers as the
wires need to be replaced (*someone apparently stole the radio out of it early and my uncle tried to replace it with
a Chrysler AM/FM radio, but the wires were cut and none the speakers are working*) So I am in search of a factory
AM/FM, Cassette, CD, com(252) "Dippy" 1979 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Light Grey/Really Dark Grey 2 Door Medallion, 95,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Rebuilt 318, six packs, dual straight 3 inch exhaust pipes,
aftermarket Dodge rally rims. Just got a Bose Stereo for Dippy and two 15 square Kicker
Subwoofers for the trunk
My brother owned the Dippy first and he loved her, until that winter when she would not start up in the
morning. Well I found a plug hanging from under the hood so we started plugging her in at night and every morning she
would fire right on up. Well eventually my brother just gave up on her and bought a little piece of junk
Ford. He was going to sell the car for 800 dollars to a guy who wanted to derby her!
So I begged and pleaded with my dad for him to let me spend 1000 of my hard
earned dollars to save her and he did. So now Dippy shall always be my first love.
Austin Wilson - 6/28/2000
(251) "Plymouth" 1981 Plymouth Caravelle 225 Slant 6 2bbl Automatic
D-blue/D-blue 4 Door Baseline
Special Equipment - Base as base can be. Had to install a trunk light and glove compartment light it was so
cheap. Surprised it came with an AM radio.
I saw this car in the back of a Plymouth dealership a mile away from my place. It looked like an old
cop car but wasn't. I bought it because, of the colour and it appeared to be a cheap fix. I've been working
on it since Sept. 98 and still going. If all goes well I'll have the driver's side done by the end of the
year. I replaced all 4 doors and fenders but, I could use better fenders. I paid $150.00 for it and so
far put about $400.00 into it. To me, these cars look so ugly they actually look good and I had to have one.
I'm not too sure if I like the super 6 motor or if I'd rather have a 318. With the cost of gas up and
still going, I'll probably settle with the 6.
Rob Hildebrandt - 6/27/2000
(250) 1986 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Tan/ Gold 4 Door SE, 130,000 mi.
Last winter when the first snow hit I decided to have some fun and go driving in it! Well needless to say
I entered a parking lot to turn around and it was so slippery I smashed the front pass. wheel into a curb. It was so
bad out of alignment that it wore the new tire on that side to the cords in about 4 days! So the next week
I took it to the garage to get it aligned and the guy there who had been doing alignments for like 30 years said it was the worst
one he'd ever seen! It took over 3 hours to get it right. But no other damage was sustained.
249) "The Titanic" 1983 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Grey/Grey Police Pkg Salon, 139,000 mi.
Found the car on your Forum. Runs Great. Needs a paint job though. Goes for one this week ( 6-23-00 )
Should look like new in time for the 4th of July.
Thomas Paul - 6/25/2000
(248) 1986 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Tan/Gold 4 Door SE, 130,000 mi.
I consider this car to be one of the best deals I ever had.... I paid less than $700 for it in 1998. The
interior is almost mint and the body has very minor surface rust by the gas door. It's been really
reliable and I'd buy another one if I had the chance.
Will DeClark - 6/24/2000
(247) "Stiletto" 1979 Dodge Diplomat 225 Slant 6 2bbl Manual
Red cloth/Black w/ Black top 2 Door, 76,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Four speed, with no air and had a radio delete (former owner butchered panel though!). I added
the Firestones and the cop car hubcaps. Still more to do!
I bought this car just a short time ago from a car hustler friend of mine. When I first saw it it had
chrome "69"'s on the quarter windows, that low-rider Panama Jack on the rear window and a set of ridiculous chrome Big
Lots looking five star hubcaps. The car was pretty sad, the former owner did much defacing during his short period of
ownership. This odd-ball Dodge deserved better and I was looking for a fairly plain car anyways. The four speed and the lack of unnecessary options is what sold it though. An
optimistic period ad gave an E.P.A. estimate of 18/28mpg city/hwy for this powertrain combination, I only got 17mpg on a
200+mile trip. If the six ever takes a s*** I'll probably replace it with a 318 or 360.
Justin Hall - 6/21/2000
http://www.geocities.com/stilleto71/Miscellaneous-Junque.html
(246) 1981 Dodge Diplomat 225 Slant Six Custom
4bbl Automatic
Cop Tan/Cashmere Police Pkg Baseline, 150,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Modified Offenhauser intake, rotated carb 90 degrees on pad for better distribution. Custom
milled 4-hole phenolic adapter/spacer. Carter 550 cfm AFB. Doug Dutra twin custom cast exhaust manifolds, 6-2-1 exhaust
system with 2.5" final pipe. 1.7 aluminum roller rockers. Wide-ratio 904, 3.55
Sure Grip. Polyurethane sway bar mounts and bushings.
Basket case when we first bought it at a cop auction for $650. Popped the hood (wasn't allowed to inspect
before purchase) and searched frantically for the other 318 valve cover. Oops! All barrel 225. Doh! Low/reverse band
was broken, had no reverse on way home. Special "police sock" in lieu of gas tank cap (plugged vapor line caused a
nasty vacuum on tank when cap on tight). 9mm shell casings in car, cig hole burns in cloth seats. Floor rusted
through, full of pine needles (nice way to park under the tree with the windows down, guys.) More miles of vacuum hose under
the hood than your local Pep Boys has in stock. Ruined brake steel lines, ruined solid fuel return, fuel feed, and
vent lines. Brakes heat cracked, headliner destroyed, A/C not functional.
A few years and thousands of dollars later, it's almost in decent used shaped. Anemic slant six kept
getting upgraded as I lost stoplight races (hey, its cool to race to the speed limit
when you clock your time with an egg timer)! Went from 1 bbl to 2 bbl to finally a 6 month project
involving the 4 bbl. Hit my website and the link for pics of that. Runs >GOOD<. It would get sideways on a slick
road on 1-2 upshift (WOT) with 2.94 open rear. Chucked that for a 3.55 Sure
Grip piece we built (twice, don't ask!). Realized the exhaust manifold boils the intake, so we put on
Dutra manifolds (not shown in pics) and use a max wedge cross-ram type heating system. Car has the stiff 360 torsion
bars, big bore nitro shocks, overload gas shocks in back. Sway bars front, back, extra body wells. Body is Stiff as
anything - she rids on 225/75s (Ugh! mistake) but handles extremely well anyway. One reason I kept the slant six.
Extra mods include a blacked out front end (not in pic), column mounted tach, brand new AC system from
compressor to inside coil, but no headliner yet. Bah, who needs it. Redid the floor, dash, suspension. The list is
endless. Wouldn't trade this car for all the tea in china. Anyway, Thanks for reading this book!
Steve C - 6/12/2000
http://members.aol.com/plymouthfury440/rick.html
(245) 1982 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Tan/Red Police Pkg Baseline
Special Equipment - winterized, spotlight, a/c, rear defrost, oil
pressure gauge.
Just bought it for the wife. It was shipped to Alaska from a police dept. to be a
cab, but just when it was painted blue the cab co. went bust. It never served as one.
But the Fairbanks fire department bought it and gave it a REALLY bad red paint
job. There is paint on the windows and its still blue when you open the doors. I'm going to replace
the flywheel and flex-plate this Friday. Then in three weeks I'm going to drive to Anchorage about 800mi. to pick up the
wife. (Any advice on replacement would be helpful.:) ) Thanks, Carl.
Carl Ray Beckwith - 6/6/2000
(244) "The Dippy" 1982 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Tan/Spice Tan (K8) 4 Door Hardtop, 148,0037 mi.
Special Equipment - Started off life as a slant six, but now has a rebuilt 318-4bbl out of an 84 cop car, along with
727 and Sure Grip rear. Mods also include cop oil and trans coolers.
This is Number one out of four M-bodies (three Dippys; one cop, and a Fury cop) my family has. It's been
going strong with us for the last seven years. We recently sold it to a family who
totaled their own Diplomat (an '89). The woman had some problems with it (she flooded it out
trying to crank and set it on fire. Let's face it: she didn't know what to do with that big Thermoquad.) and gave it to
my long time girlfriend, so now it's back in the family. This car is possessed. If you treat her like a car she hates
your guts. (And the last woman treated her like s***.) If you treat her like family she runs circles for you.
Robert Carr - 6/4/2000
(243) 1979 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Blue/Blue 2 Door, 120,000 mi.
Joseph Amy - 6/3/2000
(242) "Brownie" 1983 Chrysler Fifth Avenue 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Tan/Brown 4 Door, 171,000 mi.
She's had a hard life, but my brother in law and I managed to save a good car from the scrapper. She was
given to me by some friends that couldn't afford the upkeep and didn't want her anymore. Her 318 was rebuilt sometime
before they got her and she has very little rust. She looks a lot like my '88 Fifth Avenue, but
after the brakes are fixed she'll run a lot better. At least she has a home where someone will appreciate her fine style
and ride.
Patrick Kozicki - 6/2/2000
(241) "The Dip" 1987 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Tan/Tan Vinyl/Brown 4 Door SE, 109,260 mi.
Special Equipment - No modifications, Stock AM/FM Stereo
Car was purchased from a foreign (French) student that had just graduated from college, and had to get rid
of it before going home! He asked for $1200 and settled for $300!! Best buy of century!
John R. (Jack) Nelson - 5/30/2000
(240) 1985 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Red/Red 4 Door Salon
Special Equipment - Putting Shift kit in A-904 transmission myself. In the process of putting a four
barrel on it (All I need to do is rebuild the carb.).
I am building one car out of two it is quite a project. Lots of work but very little money.
Geoff Wenham - 5/30/2000
(239) "Dippy" 1983 Dodge Diplomat 225 Slant 6 2bbl Automatic
Deep Blue/Glacier Blue 4 Door SE, 150,000+ mi.
Special Equipment - Added AM/FM Radio w/cassette tape deck
My mother bought me the car. She got it from a health organization called Mental Health Mental Retardation
For The Concho Valley in San Angelo, Texas. It was fairly well taken care of--except I had to start with a new
battery and fluid replacement. Since I'm a student in the university, it now needs body parts--like new seat belt
receptacles and a new interior door handle. It was reupholstered with deep blue
corduroy. The steering wheel is cracked and faded so I've bought a steering wheel cover for it. When I
looked in the car, I found old love letters between some of the "clients" there along with an old coffee mug and some
paperwork from the caseworkers who used to drive it. I was so glad to get the car--my very first car--that I slept in
it for three days. I LOVE it.!
John Tufts
- 5/25/2000
(238) "The B****" 1979 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
White/Black 4 Door, 85,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Hooker headers, dual 2 1/2 inch exhaust, Dynomax mufflers
I got it two years ago from my 85 year old great aunt it was in mint condition and had 47,000 miles
on it it spent all it's time in the garage and she never drove it. I got it for $750.
Adam Kehl
- 5/24/2000
(237) 1985 Dodge Diplomat 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Blue/White Police Pkg Salon, 131400 mi.
This is current M-body #4, #6 total for our family. Just bought it at the State of Illinois Surplus
Vehicle Auction on April 29, 2000. It was originally a Secretary of State Police car and was later used by the Secretary
of State "Field Audit Team." It's a full police package; even has an oil cooler. It needs a little fixing up and the paint is
kind of bad, but it runs really good. To find out more about the car, visit my website.
Kevin Taylor - 5/5/2000
Adam's Dodge Diplomat Page
(236) "Egg" 1978 Dodge
Diplomat 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Dark Red/Eggshell 2 Door Baseline, 77234
mi.
Bone stock.
Photo)
(235) 1978 Chrysler LeBaron 318 V8 2bbl Automatic
Red Velour/Black 2 Door Medallion
Special Equipment - rust, rust, rust
My father bought it brand new in May 1978 and kept it until 1984 to buy an 84 Aries
wagon for my mother. it was sold to my grand-parents until 1986 and then they sold it to my
uncle, he kept it until about 1990 and didn't do nothing to it until I bought it back about that
time.....well it needed a lot of work....well I caught a lot of s**t from my father for buying it back....well
I did a little bit of messing with it until I had to sell it because of my father
didn't want it at his house......I sold it to some one in Delaware...haven't see it
since... :( It could be anywhere.....
Thomas Mize - 4/25/2000
(234) 1985 Plymouth Gran Fury 318 V8 4bbl Automatic
Dark Blue/Dark Blue 4 Door Salon, 38,500 mi.
Special Equipment - Medium weight armor (1cm steel panels in the doors, bullet resistant polycarbonate shield
mounted behind all windows) Still haven't tested it, but is looks like it's working fine ;)
Well, I don't know much about this car, I bought her just three days ago from the United States embassy in
Rome. It looks much like an unmarked Police car, what I know for sure is that it has been loaded with some extra
weight and that the suspension is almost surely reinforced in some way. I drove her home (about 15 miles) and she runs
pretty fine, I managed to run at about 80mph with my hands off the wheel, and when it came to brake, she stopped smoothly
and safely. It will be quite difficult to bring her back to her original splendor, especially here in Italy, but I'm
going to do my best, hope the info from other owners all around the net will help ;)
Alberto D'Urso - 4/24/2000
(233) "Big Blue 1988 Dodge Diplomat
4 Door Salon, 120,000 mi.
Kevin Schaefer - 4/16/2000
(232) "Ole Blue" 1987 Dodge Diplomat
4 Door SE, 75,990 mi.
Special Equipment - Power windows, power cruise, power seats, nice interior
a nice light blue shade. Kelly made tires, a black vinyl top.
Oh boy, oh boy where to begin. I bought this most wonderful car I ever owned 4 years ago at a used car
dealership when it had only 49,000 miles on it and never been sorry since day one. So far since
I bought it I put 27,000 miles on it with only a few minor setbacks. This car has
been a dream I won't even mention them. I never owned a car this reliable. It starts on cold mornings only leaving it
running 5 min. The only thing I would like to have done on it is to get a good paint job which will cost me 500.00 but
soon will be well worth the money to get a clear coat job. The car is in immaculate
shape except for a few flawless dings and dents. Except for the sun faded oxidation it has been
one hell of a car one I hope to have for a long time. That's right I can't leave out any
awesome adventures I had with ole blue, she looks hot going down the road.
Michael Kurkowski -
4/12/2000
(231) 1988 Chrysler Fifth Avenue - 485,000 km.
Special Equipment - 360 V8, different rear, tinted windows
White with gold pinstripe and grey interior. Picked it up for $700 (~$450) with a bad
engine. Dropped the 360 in and other than a few unexpected repairs it has been a pretty good car.
This one's the winter car, while my '84 is for the 'good' seasons although because this one has
working a/c and the other doesn't it'll probably get use in the summer as well. No adventures to
speak of yet, it's smoked out a done-up truck, and the odd Mustang and Firebird/TransAm.
Mike Taylor - 3/24/2000
Chrysler Fifth Avenue Homepage
(230) "H.M.S. Titanic" 1987 Chrysler New Yorker 4 Door
- 125,000 km.
Will Doig - 3/21/2000
(229) "Brownhammer" 1985 Dodge Diplomat 4 Door Salon
- 103,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Pretty much stock. Had been sitting for at least 2 years, started up on the
2nd try today!
Got it stuck on the way home almost. Man, Michigan roads are soft!! dept.
BULLDOG - 3/19/2000
Bulldog's CB Radio Page
(228) "Firefighter" 1988 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg Salon
- 35,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Police rotating beacon and siren.
I still use the car for the fire dept.
Justin Brown - 3/19/2000
(227) 1987 Dodge Diplomat 4 Door SE - 118,000 mi.
Special Equipment - 318 4bbl, ram air, dual exhaust w/charge mufflers, 245
SureGrip, Mopar high performance ignition, 340 magnum exhaust manifolds, Bhp
[email protected] rpm, [email protected] NO EMISSIONS - eliminated all emissions off engine except the pcv valve, charcoal canister, and cats on the
exhaust.
I have had many a good time having several Fords and Chevies read my rear license
plate QUAD 318. I will pull up next to these bozo's and they look over at the
Dip and figure I am driving some grandmas grocery getter. All they can possibly see is the dual tips under the bumper or
hear the rumble of the duals. I also put the V8 Magnum emblems on the side of the front end from
the Ram Pickups, anyhow those are the only two things that could give it away, otherwise it is a
sleeper. The light turns green the pedal gets mashed to the floor and before I know it I'm at 50 and
they are eating my dust. If they do catch up to me at the next light they look over and
don't try it again. It is fun getting a 3900-some pound car moving so quick against cars half its weight with
supposedly SO MUCH POWER. I refer to these vehicles as ALL SHOW NO GO!
Scott Eriksen - 3/15/2000
(226) 1986 Dodge Diplomat 4 Door SE
- 97000 mi.
Jeff Howland - 3/14/2000
(225) "The Butterscotch Bomb" 1980 Dodge Diplomat 4 Door Baseline
- 68,892 mi.
This car has gotten me out of so many jams I couldn't possibly share the lot of them.
Lets just say, I have outrun a 99 Mustang, an old Cougar, and a Pinto (I'm not all too proud of the
Pinto). I wouldn't give up my Diplomat for anything. My Sweet Sweet Grandma gave me that car and
it has been the light of my life ever since.
Chris Gorman - 3/12/2000
The Official Boomerang Homepage
(224) "Dippy" 1981 Dodge Diplomat 2 Door Salon
- 195,600 km.
We got it last month for $600....private sale. I think it had been sitting under a pine tree for a YEAR! There are pine needles
EVERYWHERE, even now when we turn on the interior fan/vent, pine
needles come out. Anyway, our Dippy is wonderful! It had some things missing, but we're working on restoring her. We've added replacement
"DODGE", "Diplomat" and "Salon" brand-tags to the interior & exterior, replaced the driver's side parking/signal light, and we replaced an
interior door handle. We got a hell of a deal for $600 Canadian! Took it to a mechanic....he said it was "mechanically
flawless". If she's cold in the morning, she'll start on the first try if you press the gas
in once, quickly. I love the Diplomat... -Cody
Cody Linneberg - 3/3/2000
(223) "Brown Bomb" 1988 Chrysler Fifth Avenue 4 Door
- 123,000 mi.
It still runs. It was given to me by my father, who didn't need a third car. My wife doesn't like the
car at all and has told me so daily until last November. I got a call that her
1998 van wouldn't start. Being out of warranty, it cost several hundred dollars to get it fixed. I have only oil and filter
changes in my car, and she hasn't said a word since.
Patrick Kozicki - 3/1/2000
(222) "Blue 1" 1988 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg Salon
- 152,000 mi.
I got it with 92,000 miles and a fried transmission for $160 US. I put in the trans from a 1977 Plymouth Volare (? miles) and it has
been running trouble-free (except for water-pump and P/S pump) ever since... not even a tune up yet... Now it has over 150000 miles...
*****Save money on tires by ensuring that your idler arm is tight********
Dominic Bender - 2/27/2000
(221) "Peggy Sue" 1983 Dodge
Diplomat 4 Door Baseline - 163,000 mi.
I broke a tie rod bolt lost control, hit a tree yesterday
and totaled it.
Larry Lawrence - 2/24/2000
Larrys Lounge
(220) "Mick-mobile" 1979
Dodge Diplomat 2 Door - 36,512 mi.
Special Equipment - Metallic Brown, All Original,
No Rust, 360 V8, Tan Leather, No Dents, PERFECT CAR, 8 Track Player
Bought in February 2000, sitting in a doctor's garage for
20+ years, purchased for 2,500 American dollars. Not too much to say it's just a
Perfect Car!!
Tim O'Hara - 2/21/2000
(219) "Christine" 1980 Dodge
Diplomat 2 Door S-Type - 106,980 mi.
Special Equipment - Came with factory T-tops, console, bucket seats. Just
added a 360, soon a 727 trans and either an 8 1/4 or 8 3/4 rear end.
Well, this is Dippy #5, M-body #6 for me. I saw her on the transactions page.
Wasn't looking to buy another car, but after careful consideration and travel
availability, I decided to give her a home. The trip started out with a trip to
the bank to get the money. Took Friday Jan. 28th off to get ready for the trip.
I took my friends jeep to get a hitch put on it to tow the trailer used to pick
up his Kit Plane he bought in NY. We headed out that evening. Got to NY at the
allotted time, loaded the plane, then headed out for PA to get the car. After a
couple of phone calls to the owner, a place was agreed upon. At 12AM Sat. night,
I was taking her for a test drive. At 1AM Sun. morning, was on way back. Trip
back was uneventful. Two weeks later, the 360 went in. Now I'm just waiting for
the tax refund and a 727 and new rear end will be in, and ready for summer. I
must say, this is about the nicest car I've owned in some respects. I'm not
really a 2-dr car person. But this one is just too cool to not like.
Tom Adams -
2/21/2000
(218) "Old 143" 1982 Dodge
Diplomat 4 Door Salon - 270,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Headlight wig-wags. Red and
Amber SHO-ME Grille Lights. Red and Amber Rear Deck Lights. Dual Unity
Spotlights. Federal Twinsonic Light Bar.
I bought the car 9 years ago from a small car dealership
in a Washington D.C. suburb. The name "Old 143" comes from the fact
that the car was the oldest, still in use, police vehicle in the fleet for the
Prince William County Virginia Police Department. I paid approximately $1500 for
the car in 1991 and since then have had to do very little work to it. I must be
the only person on the planet with an M-Body that's never had a problem with the
Electronic Spark Control box! Since buying the car I've added some newer
emergency equipment to help get me through traffic while responding to a fire
call. I'm religious about changing the oil and routine maintenance which are
both musts for any vehicle with this many miles. "Old 143" starts
every time and has never let me down. I've gotten compliments from some of the
local deputies (who used Diplomats and Grand Furys almost exclusively) saying
how much they wished their newer Crown Vics and Police Interceptors ran as well
as my car! Recently "Old 143" received new linen white paint and new vinyl
seats from a wrecked 1989 Diplomat. I bought the car with 102,000 miles on it
and as you can see, REALLY enjoy driving it! All of my cars previous to this one
were former police cars and I have to say this is the best one I've ever owned.
At present I own 2 other Diplomats (a 1988 and a 1989) and am a member of the
Police Car Owners Of America and the Emergency Vehicle Owners and Operators
Association, where I am the West Virginia State Representative.
Marshall Costello - 2/15/2000
(217) 1983 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg Salon
- 224,140? mi.
The advertisement listed it as a Chrysler Diplomat. I bought it for $200, 1-30-00. The guy I bought it from
owned it for about a year, but the previous owner drove it nearly 50,000 miles in the two years before that. Regular, periodic, oil changes were
done I am told. Originally, it was part of some police force being driven and registered in Idaho
from 1983 until 1990. Since I bought the car, the main work needed has been front end arms (one idler
and one pitman), front end sway and upper control arm bushings, timing cover, timing chain (as the
chain was slipping), brakes, tires, power steering pump, belts, and a carb adjustment. I replaced the air filter, and will
replace PCV valve and crankcase inlet filter. Its a dingy, dark blue accentuated by some dents on the passenger side doors, but the windows,
and door locks work, as do most of the door release handles.
Steve Petlak
- 2/11/2000
(216) "Blue Dumpster" 1983
Dodge Diplomat 4 Door Baseline - 81,087 mi.
Special Equipment - No mods yet, Dodge don't need
no mods.
Well, this car was owned by an older man who used it
during the summer, and put it away in the winter. I bought it in 1999 and it had
79K on it. it has a 318 motor, and a missing hubcap. I call it the blue dumpster
because it is blue and, people tend to give me all their computer junk. Solid as
a rock tho.
Paul Brion
- 2/5/2000
(215) "Old Faithful" 1985 Dodge
Diplomat 4 Door SE - 480,000 km.
I bought it from a friend for $1,000 7 years ago and it refuses to let me down.
She starts up every morning with no trouble at all.
Graham - 2/5/2000
(214) 1986 Chrysler Fifth Avenue 4 Door - 97,537 mi.
Since purchasing it in May '99 I've enjoyed the FM radio, it's mostly trouble
free driving, and I've learned a lot about it from maintaining it. Replaced the
spark control computer when it broke down and rear axle when the pinion gears
got messed up perhaps from my pushing it kinda hard on the freeway up and back
from work.
Steve Petlak
- 2/4/2000
(213) "Hoopty" 1981 Dodge Diplomat 4 Door
Baseline - 54,XXX mi.
Special Equipment
- A/C power seats rear defrost
Blaine Halmick
- 1/19/2000
(212) "Jezzebell" 1988 Dodge Diplomat 4 Door SE
- 77,897 mi. (image)
Special Equipment - I tinted the rear windows. I bought it with a power
sunroof!
I bought Jezzi the summer of 98. I had an 86 Mustang that
was on it's last leg. So far Jezzi has had her ups and downs but overall she's a
good car.
Sarah -
1/19/2000
(211) "Fuzz-Mobile" / "Ol' 196"
/ "The Squad" 1986 Plymouth Gran Fury Police Pkg Baseline -
182,000+ mi.
Special Equipment - C.B. Radio & Antenna,
Trailer Hitch
Ex-Grapevine, Texas police car,# 196, (Grapevine is
between Dallas and Fort Worth) Solid White in color, Bought by Father, who used
it as a second car for a couple of years, until Mother stopped driving. Sold it
to me Cheap. Markings still visible if you look at angle under right lighting.
Very tough car, too. A good friend of mine works for the city of Grapevine, and
was rolling on the floor laughing about how I took a picture of this car in
front of a donut shop once. It's subtle, but funny! (And no, She's not a Cop!!)
Darryl Wright
1/16/2000
(210) "Dippy" 1979 Dodge Diplomat - over
300,000 mi.
Special Equipment - 14 lights on the front, and a bunch of misc. bolt on
performance products. Re-bar welded into the front quarters.
This is not the wildest story I have concerning my beloved Diplomat, but it was
a major experience in my life. Back in July of 1998, I was on a routine drive
back from university of Utah campus to my apartment. I was in the far right lane
(of 3) going southbound on foothill blvd in salt lake city. I took off at a
normal pace from a traffic light as was going the speed limit with three cars
ahead of me. The front car all of a sudden came to a fast stop and turned right
with little warning. The cars in front of me slammed on their brakes, and I did
the same. I stopped within a few feet of the suburban in front of me, when a
split second later, there was a very loud bang. I looked behind me only to see a
bunch of smoke and steam. After I got out, I looked at me Diplomat first, the
back bumper and fender were dented in by about a foot. Then I looked at what hit
me, it was a newer looking Subaru Outback, with the front end completely
demolished. To make a long story shorter, the other car sustained significant
damage, while the only thing that kept my car from being drivable was that the
distributor cap was broken because it slammed into the firewall. I left the
Diplomat parked on the street and went with a friend to go fetch the $5 part,
when I came back the car was gone. the Salt Lake Police had the car towed. After
paying $400 to get my car back, I actually drove it around until I got pulled
over for having no rear lights on one side. I drove it some more, and went and
bought a '74 Dodge Dart with some of the insurance money I got. On the way home,
right as I pulled into the parking lot at my apartment the transmission on my
dippy gave out. seemed that my Diplomat wanted to give all it had until I got
another car. My Diplomat just sat for about 8 months, I wanted to fix it, but
$1500 is a lot of money for a college student. I pushed it with my Dart over to
my new apartment, where it sat some more. Until my idiot landlord had the car
towed away due to the fact that they didn't like it. I didn't want to spend the
money for the towing, and I have now! here to keep it now. I have no idea where
my dippy is, but I can assume that it's not mine anymore. Even though my Dart is
faster and in better condition, I still miss driving my Diplomat. May it rest in
peace.
Dan Flickinger - 1/15/2000
dan's page of excessive weirdness
(209) 1988 Plymouth Gran Fury Police Pkg Salon
- 174000 mi.
Special Equipment - 318 4bl
Purchased as a winter car and possible donor car for misc
parts for '66 barracuda. 3rd owner since retirement from the North Dakota Hwy
Dept. after hitting a deer. With a new front end and a clean black paint job she
still makes everyone step on their brakes when we pull up on them from behind on
the hwy.
N. Caauwe
- 1/13/2000
(208) "Fury" 1985 Plymouth Gran Fury 4 Door Salon
- 131,385 mi.
Special Equipment - Am upgrading gradually to AHB standard.
Bought my car on November 20, 1999 from Werner Dodge in Belford, NJ for $702
total. I have got to get the car painted in its original crystal ice blue, have
done other modifications (new radio, new headliner, extensively cleaned the car,
changed tranny fluid/filter, etc..). When I bought the car, it had a 5A header
panel on it, just put on a new header panel with Diplomat grille. As of now, I
am looking for the Gran Fury Grille to supplant the one on the car now. I am
also looking for AHB wheels and rear end to install. More to come as I fix her
up!! (Really love the car, came to love the M-Body when my dad owned an AHB package
Dippy that he bought at the NJ police auctions back in the 80's. Glad to have my
own now!)
John Tokash - 1/12/2000
(207) "Botvid" 1980 Dodge Diplomat 4 Door
Medallion - 89,184 mi.
Special Equipment - MP Ignition, True dual exhaust with H-Pipe and
headers.
I'm the proud second owner of this car which is the only Dip. of that year in
Sweden. It has the 4bbl 318 since it was sold in California but I've ripped off
the computer carburetor and ignition and replaced it with a standard Carter TQ
and MP electronic Ignition.
LarsEric S��f - 1/10/2000
(206) "Pezonmovil" 1981 Dodge Dart 2 Door S-Type
- 550,000 km.
Special Equipment - A lot of new things , in fact next week I'm going to
buy him a new carburetor.
A lot of stories. I've been living ALL my life with that WONDERFUL CAR, I am 20
years all & now that car is mine, he carries me every morning to the
university, and to any part that I want. He has been with me in the good and the
bad . He has an important part of my memories... I promise you that soon I am
going to send some pictures of him.
Arturo Hernandez Rendon
- 1/9/2000
(205) "The Old Girl" 1983 Dodge Diplomat Police
Pkg Salon - 237,000+ mi.
Special Equipment - mostly stock... True duals,
Carter AFB, more to come.
Broke both upper control arms while driving... Thankfully
not at the same time. First one WAS on Easter Sunday,1998, tho.
Phil Johnson
- 1/5/2000
(204) "Billy" 1979 Dodge Diplomat Sedan Salon -
140,000 km.
I live in Peru, I went to Peruvian jungle (400 kilometers to Lima) on April 9th
1999, the second travel was on June 15th (Lima-Cuzco-Puno-Arequipa) 3200
kilometer more or less. Is a very good car, my car have 20 years!!!!!
William Begg Liebminger -
1/4/2000
(203) "Silver Bullet" 1988 Plymouth Gran Fury
Police Pkg Salon - 117,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Spot Light, Police Wheels, Etc.
Just bought the car a couple of months ago for 600
dollars. It is in pretty good condition and so far has been damn reliable!
Jon F - 1/2/2000
(202) "Fireball" 1988 Plymouth Gran Fury
Police Pkg Salon - 78,000 mi.
Former Evansville, Indiana Fire Department car and was then used by the Mesker
Park Zoo. Is fire engine red with a red cloth interior. Has power mirrors and
power trunk release, but not much else in the options department. Has almost no
rust at all. Did have a spotlight, but doesn't now. You can still see where it
had the fire dept. unit number and the old zoo markings.
Kevin Taylor - 12/29/1999
Adam's Dodge Diplomat
Page
(201) "Ninehundredeleven" 1988 Dodge Diplomat
Police Pkg Salon - 240,000 mi.
I got the vehicle from a good friend and promised never to sell it it came from Polk
county in Florida and went out of service in 1995. I have all the service
records from when the car was new and know for a fact the engine has never been
into, it still holds 60psi oil pressure and burns no oil whatsoever.
Howard McTeer - 12/29
(200) "El Diplo" 1984 Dodge Diplomat
Police Pkg Salon - 111,564 mi.
Special Equipment - dual spotlights, lightbar, 2
inside headlights are red & wig-wag.
I broke the rear axle, it was a posi. It's my daily
driver and my baby. It's currently in primer, but I'm painting it white.
I added a PA system and a Galaxy CB. Besides the rear axle, haven't broken
anything on it yet. The right rear quarter panel is all screwed up because
of the guy I bought it from. He thought it would be fun to do fishtails
down an icy road, and wound up smashing the right rear door all to hell along
with the right rear quarter panel when he took out a mailbox & post.
All it needs now is a radiator, it's leaking a little. If I ever total it
I'll use it for parts!! What a great car!!
Mike Omell - 12/22
(199) "The Nice 1" 1987 Dodge Diplomat
Police Pkg Salon - 234,541 mi.
I took this car home with no interior, motor, trans, or interior. It took
me 3 trips with a long box Dodge Ram to bring home all the pieces. I'm currently
looking for a 340 block for it.
Mike Omell - 12/19
(198) "True Blue" 1984 Dodge Diplomat
Sedan Salon - 185,787 mi.
Special Equipment - HD Police Interceptor Package, prisoner
cage still in car.
Well, this is Diplomat #4 in my "collection" (+1
Plymouth Gran Fury ex-police car). I wasn't looking to buy another car, but when
I saw this one posted on copcar.com's
discussion board, I had to check it out. It is an ex-Delaware State Police car.
I picked it up from a fellow P.C.O.O.A. member in PA on the 3rd. I flew out to
Philadelphia on a 7pm flight and started back at 10:30pm. It took 9hrs and 45min
and I was back in Detroit with it at 8:15am. I put high grade gas in it for the
first leg of the trip, and got 21mpg!! After that I ran the cheap stuff and
mileage fell off to 15-16mpg. Not bad for a 16 year old V8 with 185,787 miles on
her (and a 4bbl). I only paid $650.00 for it and it runs like a champ, I'd
almost say even better than my 88 GF Police car with only 72,000 miles on it. It
is light blue with dark blue interior, rubber flooring and vinyl bench front and
back seats. The paint is almost perfect, only a couple of door dings and one
small bubble in the paint behind drivers rear wheel, the underside of the car is
mostly body color still! Some of the plastic in the interior needs to be
replaced, dry rot. The only non-working items are the gas gauge and the wipers.
The front suspension needs rebuilding, no problem, did that on my other 84 3yrs
ago. It is also missing a couple of pieces of chrome. It has 3 of the slotted
wheels and one matching cap. I'll be looking for a wheel, have 3 more caps in
the garage that came with the 87 parts car. I will be restoring it to either its
original markings and similar equipment. If money permits and the MSP used
Diplomats in 1984 (not sure if they only used GF's), I may change the exterior
to MSP blue and make a MSP version of that year. Next year will tell. For now
True Blue sits in the driveway looking good. I will probably use for
transportation over the Christmas break while hopefully installing the 360 in
the 86. As soon as I get the pics taken and developed, I will send them to Frank
and have them posted.
Tom Adams - 12/16
(197) "Living Dead Girl" 1983 Plymouth
Gran Fury Sedan Salon - 147,548 mi.
Well, this is sort of bizarre....I am writing to you regarding your web-page. I
have a Plymouth Gran Fury and I am just fascinated with it. I am 22 years old,
and received this car from my mother as my 17th birthday present. It cost $600
and looked like a huge pile of scrap metal to me. This was definitely not the
car I was hoping for and I wanted nothing to do with it. I didn't have my
license yet and my family moved to a different house. The car sat for 2 years at
my uncle's house. No one started it, no one did anything to it...it just sat in
the back yard going to the dogs. A few people would stop from time to time
offering a few hundred dollars to buy it, but I always refused to sell, even
though I didn't know why. At this time I drove my mothers car which was a 94
Pontiac Sunbird. I loved the little sporty car and was what I was used to
driving. My mother passed away when I was 19 and her car was repossessed. I
needed transportation and had no choice but to use the Fury. My uncle helped me
pay for the repairs and the car was towed to a garage where $670 was put into
fixing this car up. I was driven to the garage on the day that it was finished
and I was actually afraid to drive it! I was accustomed to 4 cylinder,
feather-weight car and now I was expected to drive this V-8 Monster!!!! I was
terrified, and to make matters worse two hours after the car left the shop it
caught on fire from a faulty brake caliper. It took me weeks to feel comfortable
driving this beast.
Looking back on the whole experience it seems kind of foolish that I love this
car. I was never into cars and certainly not ones that looked like this, but
there is something about it that is irresistible to me now. I have been through
hell with this car. In the last year it has required a rebuilt transmission, new
radiator, new alternator, and numerous hoses. But what amazes me is that this
car is 16 years old and every part that was replaced with the exception of a few
hoses, was an original factory part! My car has 147,548 miles on it right now.
This car is standing the test of time and doing it well to boot. She is not very
pretty to look at and it doesn't really matter to me. She is rusty and her paint
is faded. Due to an accident with a drunk driver a few months back it has a
creased bumper but nothing serious. His Nissan Pathfinder looked like it was
smacked with a big-rig in the front but my car barely looks touched
: ) Of course the hitch on my bumper helped with that. If
cars were built this well today there wouldn't be so many fatal accidents but
that is a whole other story. When I turn 25 I will be receiving my trust fund
that my mother set up for me and when the time comes and I have the means to do
so I intend to completely restore this car. She is very much a part of my life
now and even my fianc�e thinks she is cool. I have just recently found out that
this vehicle used to be a police car too which adds to my interest in her. Now
that I am older I can appreciate this car. At 17 I just thought it was an ugly
out-dated piece of scrap but now I can see the quality, safety, and power that
it has : ) Thanks for the web-page and I hope your
"boat" is still running.
Melissa Egolf - 12/14/1999
(196) "Dippy" 1988 Dodge Diplomat Police
Pkg Salon - 65,940 mi.
Special Equipment - ABH Package, 2bbl HD 318, Oil Cooler, Trans cooler,
Tilt Wheel, Electric Trunk, AC, First Gear Lockout, Extra Dome Light, Full Size
Spare, New Dark Blue Metallic paint job.
I bought the car in June of 98 for $600 from a little used
car lot. The car caught my dad's eye on the way home from work one day and he
brought me up to look at it. The paint was peeling and it needed a head gasket
but there was only 65,000 miles on it. I fell in love with the car as soon as I
saw it. I had already bought a 72 Plymouth Valiant but it needed more money then
I had so I bought the Dip and sold the Valiant. I did a little research on the
car and found out that it had the AHB package and was used in some kind of
public service. I just recently stripped the car down to the shell and sanded it
down to the metal and had it painted. I also shaved the hood ornament and trunk
key hole which came out really awesome looking. Its the original Dark Metallic
Blue with the light blue interior. I get my license the end of January and I
can't wait to start driving it. I plan to change the gears in the rear end (now
2.26) to 3.55 and put heads, exhaust manifold and aluminum intake with a
thermoquad and 12" push bars next summer. I am going to tint the windows
and put a new Kenwood stereo in to finish it off. If anybody has Dual Exhaust or
Headers on there car e-mail me cause I need some help. Thanks
195) "Scully" 1989 Dodge Diplomat Sedan
Salon - 29607 km.
Record lost, if this was you, please re-register....
Update of previous
registration
(131) 1986 Chrysler Fifth Avenue Sedan - 70,426 mi.
Special Equipment - Loaded- Black w/white stripe --Gray Leather Interior
One Owner-Looks and runs Great-I think it looks as good as it did when it was
new. I'm very proud of it.
Nicholas Formica - 11/14/1999
(194) 1983 Dodge Diplomat Sedan - 60,000 mi.
I just bought it a couple weeks ago, and I'm working the
bugs out of it. I'm planning 18 or 20 inch wheels with low profile tires,
Metallic red paint, 2 inch drop, and maybe a 383, come spring. I'll keep ya
updated.
Larry Lawrence II - 11/12/1999
(193) "Unmarked" 1982 Dodge Diplomat
Police Pkg Salon - 155,000 mi.
I bought it from a lady who never washed it in five years, never changed oil in
it, never vacuumed, it was a mess, but only paid $150.00 for it. There was
about 1/2 inch of old oil all over the engine, but Pam oven cleaner cleaned it
all up. Interior is ugly tan, I'm going to change it to dark blue.
Anyone have any parts, please email me. I also need some help on the
dashboard, how many screws are there?? because I'm going to change it to dark
blue. The good thing about the car is that it was an unmarked car so it
never had any cherries on it but does have the spot light. By the way, if
any police package owners want a hard-to-find Police Interceptor emblem, email
me, I have a couple of them left.
Nich - 11/9/1999
(192) "Caroline" 1978 Dodge Diplomat
Coupe - 115,000 mi.
Special Equipment - 318, A/T, A/C,
and mice
Well, its my parents old car, and has
been sitting a few years. It is in good shape considering, and I hope to get it
back on the road this spring. It's in Mt. Shasta CA, and we get lots of snow.
Anyway, it seems to have some mice, since its been sitting. I'll need a pellet
gun! It's registered as a '79, but the grille and VIN number say its a
'78! I really don't get it.
A. Maxwell - 11/3/1999
(191) "Butros Butros" 1983 Dodge Diplomat
Sedan Salon - 90,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Bone stock
Bought it from my history teacher for 100
dollars It runs great, but looks like crap, for 100 bucks... who cares.
Dan
- 10/30/1999
(190) "Betsy" 1980 Dodge Diplomat Coupe
S-Type - 80,000 mi.
Just bought it for $850 dollars. Neat
car, I have never seen another one like it. Nightwatch blue with blue interior,
bucket seats, no console, are these cars rare to come by.
Ronny Tolson
- 10/27/1999
(189) "Tal's Diplomat" 1986 Dodge
Diplomat Sedan SE - 122,618 mi.
Special Equipment - Jimi Hendrix
flag on ceiling, pewter viking women on door locks, dashboard signed by all
passengers, CD player, sunroof.
Well, the transmission is all screwed up,
so it won't reverse when it's cold, and its been through all hell basically. It's
a party wagon now, and up to 10 high school kids can fit in it. It has too many
odd stories that go along with it to tell them all.
Talman Charters Jr. - 10/21/1999
(188) "Smurf" 1985 Plymouth Caravelle
Police Pkg Hardtop - 270 000 km.
Special Equipment - tilt steering,
electric trunk and now an electric gas pump (see forum in October for gas pump)
This car is a 318 V8 heavy duty police
package. I bought this car for 500.00 Canadian dollars in July 1999. The
only problem on the car was that the rear shock were no good (still original
1985 shock on it wow) .I love this car so much , even my wife who didn't
like the car because when I bought it , it was very dirty and sky blue.
The color is more like the Smurf cartoon then sky blue, but when she started
driving the car, she started to fall in love with the car. I had a funny problem
on the 1st of October the gas pump stopped working. After changing the
pump 3 times, and changing the gas line, we finally found the problem. It
was the cam shaft lever that push on the gas pump lever that is worn. so we bought
an electrical gas pump with a gas regulator incorporated in the gas pump. Now
the funny thing is that I don't have to press on the gas pedal anymore to start
the car .
Andr� Bissonnette
- 10/19/1999
(187) "Pig" 1986 Dodge Diplomat Sedan Salon -
95,000 mi.
The name is Pig because it's in the vin
#, just got 10/1999, little old lady owned it (no lie).
Steve Brown - 10/17/1999
Update of previous
registration
(63) "The Diplomat" 1988
Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg Salon - 90,000+ mi.
Special Equipment - Heavy-duty
4bbl, police suspension, spotlight, driver-side airbag, 2 10" subwoofers
and amplifier, crystal pentastar hood ornament from a 5th Ave.
This is the first car I've ever had that
has lasted long enough for me to actually renew the registration. Since I know
now that it will last, I'm gonna put in the money to make it look good. I'm
gonna get a sunroof installed, and I'm gonna get it painted. I want a really
dark silver. A silver so dark, it's almost black, like hematite or something. If
that color is unavailable or too expensive, I'll go with regular silver. And I
need to get all of the nameplates, because they're all missing for some reason.
Anyway, I've been pulled over twice. Once was because my car matched a suspect
vehicle description. That was not fun. The second time I only got a warning from
a Wyoming Highway Patrol officer for allegedly going 83 in a 65 zone (I deny all
wrongdoing... besides, I was passing). That was on my 3,000 mile vacation this
summer. My dad and I drove from the LA area up to Yellowstone, Crater Lake, and
San Francisco. The only problem we had with the car was parking it in San
Francisco. Driving through Nevada, my dad took the car up to about 105mph, and
the car was so smooth, I didn't even notice It's almost the perfect car for me
because it's really easy to be mellow, but it's got the power when I need to
maneuver. The only real problem with it is that it has a blind spot big enough
to hide a Caprice (I know this because it actually happened... thankfully, the
driver of the Caprice was paying attention). Putting the crystal pentastar hood
ornament on it was my mother's idea. I kinda wonder just how close it is to
putting a Type-R or VTEC sticker on a basic Honda. Speaking of Honda's, my
Diplomat is excellent for putting them in their place. If I had a dollar for
every time some punk in a Honda Civic with a small wing mounted on the trunk
pulls up next to me thinking he's gonna get past me when the light turns green
and ends up eating my dust... Not that creaming a rice rocket is any kind of
accomplishment, it's still fun to catch a glimpse of the shocked facial
expressions as they fade into the distance.
Damian M. Hopper
- 10/6/1999
(186) "Black Beauty" 1983 Dodge Diplomat Sedan
Salon - 203,000 mi.
Special Equipment - tinted windows, black metallic
paint, white pinstriping, black and chrome mags with blackwall tires, 225 slant
six engine
About a year ago I was driving north on I-95 in Florida at
about 70 miles per hour when I was clipped in the left rear panel by a fool trying
to pull in behind me. The car went into a spin and fortunately hit the
grass on the side of the interstate, the car slid backwards for what seemed
forever finally landing with the rear up a bank and the front end submerged in a
drainage ditch of water. After the car was pulled from the ditch, to my surprise
it started right up, unfortunately both front wheels were pointed out and the
tie rods were broken. I had it fixed an am driving it today.
Alan Buckner
- 10/5/1999
(185) "The Diplo" 1984 Dodge Diplomat Sedan SE - 71,000 mi.
(184) "Dolly" 1987 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg
Salon - 115,000 mi.
Special Equipment - power windows, seats and locks.
This is my wife's Dippy. We named her Dolly because the
poor car has spent so much time on the tow dolly. Right now her tranny is toast,
but I'm fixing it soon. In the meantime, the interior is being totally
ripped-out, cleaned and re-installed. The interior colour is tan, and really
only needed minor work like a headliner driver's door panel, and a new dash top.
I'm also putting in a new radio/tape player. She has spotlight holes, but no
spotlights. If anyone has a pair of spotlights w/brackets, let me know! I was
told the car once belonged to the Ariz. highway patrol. Well, no stories about
Dolly, yet. We'll keep you up-dated as the restoration progresses. See ya!
Art Strader - 9/28/1999
(183) "Beast" 1981 Dodge Diplomat Sedan SE -
100,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Engine is outta Atlanta Race
engines shop 2 years old.. hardly broke in..
Just bought the Beast for $300.00.. First 318 I ever had.
Might need lots of help with restoring this one.. decent body.. very little
rust. but the paint job stinks.. updates to follow.
Dennis Devereaux - 9/27/1999
(182) "Bertha" 1983 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg
Salon
Special Equipment - will tint her windows, and
repaint body. Beautiful car!
The story is too mystical to share right now.
Marne Lamb - 9/21/1999
(181) "The Gold Nugget" 1986 Dodge Diplomat Sedan
Salon - 110,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Dog Dish Hubcaps, Fog Lights,
Push-Bar.
I now own two identical 1986 Diplomats. They are the same
color, same trim level, same interior. The VIN's only differ by the last two
numbers. The two cars rolled off the assembly line on the same day... I love my
Diplomats and will continue driving them until the rot off their wheels...
James Mason - 9/20/1999
(180) "Battle Cruiser" 1985 Dodge Diplomat Sedan
Salon - 105,700 mi.
Special Equipment - A crazy 15 year old driver.
Well, I just bought my Diplomat for US $800. The 318 V8,
even with the 2 barrel still beats everything off the line. City driving sorta
sucks tho... I can't really open up throttle and make the car perform. I am
thinking about modifying it with huge push bars and a spotlight, and a 4 barrel
carb. I need to do some work to it, but soon it'll be ready to drive to school
and show it off... it is also gold colored. my trunk is rusting too any
solutions? e-mail me.
Merritt Burrus
- 9/14/1999
(179) "Shaggin Wagon" 1980 Dodge Diplomat Sedan
Sport - 57000 mi.
Denley Schlegel
- 9/13/1999
(178) "Flying Brick" 1988 Dodge Diplomat Police
Pkg Salon - 139,852 mi.
Special Equipment - Holley 650 cfm 4 barrel
My Diplomat is a Mustang munching Camaro pounding box on wheels.
Raymond Peda - 9/8/1999
(177) 1984 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg Salon - 154,000
mi.
The car was light tan, a standard police package Diplomat. The car had served
the New Jersey State Police. It was my father's car, he bought it from the NJ
state auction for $1500. Unfortunately, in 1994 the tranny called it quits (the
only gear that worked right was reverse), and he sold it for $75 to an auto
salvage operation.
John Tokash - 9/7/1999
(176) "DeeDee" 1985 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg
Salon - 180,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Complete C.H.P. equipment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have had my X-C.H.P. Diplomat for 6 years. Slowly I have fixed it up. Last
year I took second place at the annual Ripon police car show. I was entered in
the daily driver category. I also just recently purchased a X-C.H.P. and most
recently X-Wheatland P.D. Ca 1988 Diplomat. Wheatland P.D. bought the car from
the C.H.P. Now I have a Blue and White Diplomat with C.H.P. goodies all over it.
I like my two Diplomats. What's also interesting, my 85 Diplomat has blue
interior. Which is really rare, especially for a X-C.H.P. car. Thanks Farley for
providing a site for us Diplomat fanatics!!!!!!!!!!
Baron L.Crenshaw - 9/7/1999
(175) 1989 Dodge Diplomat Sedan SE - 93,124 mi.
D R Sullivan - 9/3/1999
(174) "White Car" 1988 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg
Hardtop - 236000 mi.
Bought from a friend who went to Japan for $500 dollars. AC works, have
all the service records on car when it was in service, does not burn a drop of
oil, runs great. Going to be painting it soon.
Howard McTeer - 9/2/1999
(173) 1979 Dodge Diplomat Sedan Sport - 88,000 km.
Billy Begg Liebminger - 8/31/1999
(172) "The Dodge" 1989 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg
- 166,000 mi.
Special Equipment - hidden trunk latch button.
Ryan Niemann - 8/30/1999
(171) "Mara" 1985 Plymouth Gran Fury Police Pkg
Salon - 200,000 mi.
"Mara" is short for the Klingon name, K'T'Mara
Special Equipment - K&N air filter, up-graded to stainless steel
exhaust, oil cooler from a junk yard Dippy soon to up-grade to the St. Regis
brake rotors. All correct equipment from the NHP.
I've owned my Gran Fury since 1990. I bought her for $2,500 at a small San Diego car dealer
whom had several of them that he bought from the NHP. She needed a good tune up,
and a new set of tires, the paint was faded, and the seats had some holes in
them. It was love at first site, though. I used her for many years
on my job as a guard. She served as my office shelter, and late-night
coffee-break desk. While on duty one night, myself and two other guards arrested
these two bad guys, and Mara once again was used as a jail 'till the sheriff's
arrived. While I was a guard, I also drove lots of other m-bodies. One company,
now defunct, owned three, I think, and I drove all of them. They were all black
with gold markings and Aerodynic lightbars. The boss drove them into the ground
till they died, then junked them. I got my revenge though. One night, he was
doing a ride along with me, and was being obnoxious, so while we were driving
out to a site to check it out, I on purpose "missed" my street. He
said, "hey, weren't you gonna turn back there?" So I stomped on the
brake, cranked the wheel, and pushed that old slant six dippy into an over steer
slide, then gave her the gas! the tires were spinning, then we took off up the street.
All the while, the boss was white as a ghost and didn't want to let go of the
dash no matter what! After that, he never bothered me at work again! Mara is now
retired to family duty. She took me and my Wife up to Vegas for our wedding day
( 95 MPH the whole way, and no problems ). Mara also took us to the hospital the
day our Daughter was born. To this day, my Daughter still
rides in my car, and loves every minute of it! I've had a lot of other experiences with M-bodies,
like the time I was a guard at the local swap-meet, and that company's boss
drove up to the main entrance to check up on everything. He was driving our Company's
best Diplomat, and when I saw it drive in, I ran up, gave the car a hug and
said, "Oh, you brought my baby!" I'm working on getting Mara restored.
She needs paint (which I have) and some front end work. I
tell you though, I'll never give up my car, my Daughter will probably get it
when she's old enough. My wife loves the car VERY much. I recently acquired an
87 diplomat police car for her to drive, which she loves. These cars go
forever, and are very forgiving and really do take on a personality! Well,
thanks for the cool site. I'll be back! People, don't ever give up your
M-bodies, they're truly the best cars ever built! Well I gotta run, If you want to here more stories about
Mara, give me an E-mail! Thanks!
Art Strader - 8/26/1999
(170) "Lulu" 1987 Dodge Diplomat Sedan Salon
- 80,000 mi.
I bought Lulu 3 years ago from an elderly couple in
Ashland, WI. who actually only drove it to church on Sunday. It had only 16,000
miles on it and was 10 years old. They buy a new car every 10 years and bought a
1987 Taurus. I bought Lulu from them for $2,700 and knew that I got a good deal.
The spare tire had never been unwrapped in the trunk and the car even smelled
new. They garaged it daily. Lulu saw my daughter through 2 years of college and
my daughter named her after Boss Hogg's fat wife Lulu on the Dukes of Hazard.
Now Lulu carries me back and forth to my job as guidance counselor at Wisconsin
Indianhead Technical College in Ashland, WI. I get 22-25 mpg on a road trip and
Lulu's body is in excellent condition with absolutely no rust. She is burgundy
in color and has the 318 engine with auto. trans. Yes indeed, Lulu is one foxy
lady.
Lynn Reichert
- 8/19/1999
(169) "The Grass Killer" 1984 Dodge Diplomat
Sedan Salon - 348,250 mi.
Special Equipment - Was a stock 318 2bbl but now is going to be a 383
Magnum big block.
I paid 200 dollars for my Dip. Not a damn thing wrong with it except that it had
348,000 miles on it (no kidding!). One night I had a few too many Busch Lights (I
DO NOT promote this) but I was driving it and the oil psi light came on. I said
well I got my 200 out of it and shoved it into 1st and put it to the floor. I
looked down and the light was still on and I looked at the speedo and it read 55
mph i couldn't believe it so I drove it home and the next morning it started
right up but sounded like hell. Now I'm putting a 383 into it and I'm having a
few problems with getting the motor aligned with the motor mounts but oh well.
Nate Broerman - 8/16/1999
(168) 1987 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg Salon - 138,000
mi.
Special Equipment - Cop tires, cop shocks, cop
suspension, spotlight.
I have an 85 Dodge pickup that had all the emissions
controls removed by a previous owner. When they opened a test center in my town,
they sent me a test notice, and lets just say I needed another vehicle fast (too
much $$$ to fix). Scanning the classified ads I found this Diplomat for sale,
and decided to take a look. It was an ex-IL State Police cruiser, 138,000 miles,
all white, ran great, was cheap, and had passed emissions. I bought the car (yes
I was scared about the mileage but took a chance) and immediately took the car
to a paint shop and told them to paint it like the Bluesmobile. When I finally
took the car home a few days later (all decked out in black and white), I
noticed on the interstate there were no cars passing me, and looked in the
mirror to see a wall of traffic just behind pacing right along at 60 MPH. Now my
intention was not to impersonate the police, I'm just a big Blues Brothers fan.
I guess that paint just looked too fresh, so I vowed to never wash it, so it
will just look like an old beat up ex-squad car. I would like to find some big
pusher bars like the Bluesmobile had too. I'm really worried about that mileage
though, please everyone e-mail me and remind me how dependable Dodges are, and
that everything will be okay. I've just got this feeling I've got about 10,000
miles left before this thing falls to pieces.
Dan Rey
- 8/8/1999
(167) "Big Blue F***" 1987 Dodge Diplomat Sedan
Hardtop - 103,000 mi.
It was the wonderful car I learned to drive in and now I am the owner of
my very own Diplomat. It recently turned over it's 100,000 miles one afternoon
after school. I as so proud of the Dippy, which is another nickname for it. It
is a light blue car, with dark blue interior. Um, the a/c doesn't work and it
doesn't always run right in the rain but I love it. It is a shame I have to sell
it at the end of the month because I am moving, BUT if you are interested,
please email. I might sell it to you if you make a decent offer for such a fine piece
of machinery.
Laina Dufour - 8/6/1999
(166) "Caramel" 1985 Plymouth Caravelle Sedan
Salon - 145,000 km.
Special Equipment - 318 4-Barrel
Just bought it on Sunday July 25, 1999....previously owned by a smoker (gotta
get rid of that smell)
Crawford Adriaans -
7/27/1999
(165) "LuLu" 1987 Dodge Diplomat Sedan Salon
- 80,000 mi.
I purchased this car 3 years ago for my daughter who was in college. She
named it LuLu after Boss Hog's wife on the Dukes of Hazard. Lulu was owned by an
elderly couple near us who bought it new and trade every 10 years. It only had
16,000 miles on it when I purchased it and the spare tire had not even been
taken out of the trunk yet. The interior was and still is spotless and the burgundy
paint has been durable and looks great. The 318 engine has been tremendous and I
get 25 mpg on a trip with LULU. My only complaint is the front bench seats are
uncomfortable for a long trip and have little support. Also the trunk is cut up
funny and does not hold much do to the poor design. The automatic transmission
works flawlessly and the ride is very comfortable. I may look for front seats
from a special police edition. They have great seats I hear. Lulu is a keeper. I
do all my own mechanical and maintenance work and Lulu has never been to a
mechanic once I purchased her. What a car!
Lynn Reichert - 7/24/1999
(164) 1988 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg Hardtop - 179,000
mi.
Special Equipment - 4brl 318
Ex Atlantic City N.J. P.D
previous registration
(142) "Mongoose" 1986 Dodge Diplomat Sedan Salon
- 69,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Custom dual exhaust, grant wood steering
wheel, blacked out headlights
ok I'm just keeping you updated i have done the ignition system to get
rid of lean burn. the car is much quicker. i just returned from a night of
racing. the car now can beat heavily modified 4cyl cars and stock and slightly
modified 6 cyl and some stock 8s. I'm still looking for a suitable manifold and
carb setup. if all goes well i should have that next month.
Randy Occhipinti -
7/23/1999
(163) "Dano" 1987 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg -
133,000 mi.
Special Equipment - 318 4bbl, oil cooler, ac, has labels for siren &
horn but disconnected.
Only had it for a couple of months, no real stories but I notice people seem to
slow down when I come up behind them..
James Johnson - 7/17/1999
(162) "Neato Car" 1987 Dodge Diplomat Sedan SE
- 80,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Every night, she dreams of becoming a 4-speed.
I am a simply wonderful freeway cruiser, and in the Rocky Mountains, I never
begin to ping at all, but alas, my home for the foreseeable future is in
McKeesport (right next to Pittsburgh) PA, where I constantly ping and literally
limp up the many steep hills to be found here. When I found out from this site
that there was such a thing as a 4-spd Diplomat, I found new hope! Please,
anyone out there who can help me locate a '79 M-Body with a 318/Manual
Transmission, send me a line at [email protected]
As for the pinging, I'm not sure what it is. Sometimes I really run like a champ
(especially if it's cool out) and sometimes I'm a total dog. Several garages
with reputations for solving special problems have failed to help me with more
than a standard tune-up, which has not helped. My owner will some day find the
time to do some exploratory on me - maybe I need a new cat. converter.....
Scott Scoville - 7/17/1999
(161) "Haze" 1989 Plymouth Gran Fury Police Pkg
Salon - 99,600 mi.
Special Equipment - Power windows/locks/trunk, factory tape player.
Car belonged to the Richmond, VA Police until the camshaft self-destructed. A
car dealer in VA bought it, fixed it up, dropped an '88 318 in out of a wrecked
M-body, and I bought it with 73K miles on it.
Andy Garland - 7/16/1999
(160) "Tiburon Azul" 1980 Dodge Diplomat Coupe
Sport - 200,000 mi.
Excuse me If I can't write too good. I'm 23 years old. People say
I'm crazy here in Peru. My friends want Japanese cars, here nobody has a
V8 but I don't care, I love my car.
Hernando Delgado Jose Antonio - 7/16/1999
(159) 1984 Plymouth Gran Fury Police Pkg Salon -
47,000 mi.
Special Equipment - K&N air filter and 2 1/2"
Stainless all aluminized exhaust with a Flowmaster 2 chamber muffler.
I saved the car from going to the junk yard, by purchasing it
off of a local Ford dealer... The mileage was 32,000 and they wanted $650.00.
When I told them the car was scratched from some neighbors children then asked
me if I would give them $450.00. I said yes and it is the best car I ever
owned...2 years and no problems....
Jeffrey Klee - 7/16/1999
(158) 1984 Dodge Diplomat Wagon Salon - 186,611 mi.
Jacob Straub
- 7/13/1999
(157) "Beast NASCAR" 1978 Dodge Diplomat Coupe
Sport
My '78 Diplomat is a NASCAR (it looks like one anyway). I have
put on 15"x8" Bart Wheels that are black and have a D-hole shaped
pattern. I have tires that are black with white writing on them that says
"ROAD HUGGER" on the side. I took the vinyl top of and shaved all of
the chrome off. It is primer gray until I get money for a paint job. The thing
that really makes it look like a NASCAR is that I painted a stripe around the
trunk lid and quarter's like the old Super Bees had. I am going to get more
paint and paint 01 on the doors and roof. My '78 is the Diplomat NASCAR!!!
(record lost, if this was you, notify me) - 7/9/1999
(156) "LiL Ed" 1984 Dodge Diplomat Sedan SE
- 140000 mi.
Special Equipment - cd, fog lights, rotating
bed in trunk.
(record lost, if this was you, notify me) - 7/3/1999
(155) 1986 Dodge Diplomat Sedan SE - 100,000
mi.
Special Equipment - cd player.
I got it to go over 90 once!!!!
(record lost, if this was you, notify me)
- 7/1/1999
(154) "The Tank" 1985 Dodge Diplomat Sedan Salon -
135,000 (or so) km.
The upper radiator hose blew while parking in a lot. Since we couldn't just
leave in the middle of the lot, we spent about three minutes parking it. After replacing
the hose, I managed to drive this fine vehicle up the steepest hill in our town (about a
30 degree incline) burning nothing but antifreeze in the carburetor (or so the knocking
and looking in the carburetor) told me. Got it home, cleaned the plugs - it works like the
day we bought it. Try doing THAT with a Crown Victoria!! :-)
Brandon W. Uhlman -
6/29/1999
Brandon's Stuff
(153) "McBeth" 1987 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg Hardtop
- 115,000 mi.
I picked it up from a gentleman who needed a truck. Don't Know much other
than that.
Weldon J Walker Jr -
6/29/1999
(152) 1988 Plymouth Gran Fury Police Pkg Salon -
149,000 mi.
Special Equipment - still has spot light
The car is very reliable the a/c is cold enough to hang meat in the car and it
will still do over 120mph, pass almost every car on the road.
Steve Chambers - 6/28/1999
Update of previous registration
(142) "Mongoose" 1986 Dodge Diplomat Sedan Salon
- 68000 mi.
The dual exhaust is fitted and comes out the side the lift kit was lowered to one
inch above stock height because too many people started to raise their M bodies after
seeing mine accel. 8mm wires were painted black to look stock. AC and air pump
were removed to free hp. The car now has 215hp and the parts were ordered to do away
with lean burn. I found head light covers that look really bad ass and improve the
cars sportiness. A cop stopped me the other night to talk to me about the car. He
seems to be a collector and owns 4, he's trying to get me a 4bbl manifold and carb from a
police package highway patrol car. With the 4bbl hp should be 260-265 and with the
cam it should be over 300.
Randy Occhipinti -
6/27/1999
(151) "Da Limo" 1979 Dodge Diplomat Sedan Medallion -
164,000 mi.
Next door neighbor bought it new. I bought it from in 1995 with 110,000 miles
for $500. Has been very reliable and is used as my daily driver.
previous registration
(106) "Betsy" 1978 Dodge Diplomat Coupe Sport
Special Equipment - Power windows/power driver seat/t-top
I bought it in 1998. It is is good shape. I am the third owner of the car it
still has a 8-track player that still works. It is by far the best car that I have owned.
The motor was rebuilt when I bought it. The lady who sold it to me thought that the
radiator needed replacing but it was just the radiator cap that was bad. She sold it to me
for $350.00. It still has the original t-tops, they were not taken off for the three
years that the lady owned it I take them off and enjoy the beautiful sunshine every chance
I get.
Patricia Henry -
6/15/1999
Peppermint
Patty's Place
(150) "Daria" 1978 Dodge Diplomat Sedan SE - 188,500
mi.
Special Equipment - Open exhaust
This has been a good first driver car because it takes all the stupid tricks I
try in stride.
Jason "Big Red"
Siebesma - 6/14/1999
(149) 1988 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg Salon - 135,000 mi.
Bought this car 5/97 from High Performance Motors in Virginia. It is a retired
fire chief from Anne Arundel county, Maryland, even had a couple shirt patches in trunk!
The car is solid, but my paint job is peeling off, a problem I have noticed on lots of
Chrysler products. I just spray bombed it flat black and don't worry about washing or
waxing anymore. This is a great car. I might add I enjoy your website, too!
George Paine -
6/13/1999
(148) "Dee Dee" 1985 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg Salon
- 187,000 mi.
Special Equipment - C.H.P. push bars and whip.
Bought it in 1993 for $650.00 from a private party, who got it from the C.H.P. I
have placed second place in the daily driver category at the last police car show near my
home.
Baron L. Crenshaw
- 6/11/1999
(147) "Prowler" 1984 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg Salon
- 159,550 mi.
Special Equipment - Bone stock police package sans spotlights
Until I broke the timing chain and sold the car for $500 to a kid in the next
town over for duty as a toy for a high school auto mechanic, this was my beast, my
prowler, my cop car. Air conditioner blew out on the shoes of my girlfriend the 2nd day I
had it. The car never did run over 60 or so because (as I found out the hard way) the
chain was stretched or maybe it jumped time a tooth or two. I have a picture of this car
(somewhere) and I will put it on my website. I still know the kid that has it and he is
still driving it around Sunbury/Galena, Ohio, just off I-71 north of Columbus.
Alan Moore -
6/10/1999
(146) "Pimp" 1979 Dodge Diplomat Sedan Hardtop
Justin Wiese -
6/7/1999
(145) 1986 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg Salon - 167,000
Special Equipment - Custom stereo installation
David Van Eck -
6/7/1999
(144) "Dippy" 1988 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg Salon -
195,000 km.
Got my car for $75 at a City Of Toronto auction. With the auctioneer's fee and
tax, $175. It was a former Undercover Toronto Police Car. Currently I'm cleaning out all
the coffee stains on the interior rubber floor. I plan to increase the engine's
performance, acceleration-wise, because of the slow pickup out of red lights. However, it
picks up great after 60 Km/H. Shocks, brakes, and body in great shape. Still gotta look at
engine closely and need to replace trunk lock, doesn't open. Wonder what's in there?
Mark S. -
6/2/1999
(143) 1979 Chrysler LeBaron Sedan - 118,000 mi.
I got this car at a dealership for $275.00 which was a really good deal cause
it's got very minor rust and runs good, after the oil change and tune up that it
desperately needed. It looks pretty decent but it's brown. The interior is really nice, a
real change from the Ford Tempo I owned before it.
Gregg VanAmburg -
5/27/1999
(142) 1986 Dodge Diplomat Sedan Salon -
67,000 mi.
I just got it a few weeks ago. it has 3 inch lift shackles. the lean burn is
coming off for a Holley 4 bbl and a custom exhaust is being fabricated. I'm shooting for
300 hp from the motor and a 125 nos shot. Its gonna make a nice sleeper.
Randy Occhipinti -
5/23/1999
(141) "Gran Fury" 1987 Plymouth Gran Fury Sedan Salon
- 65,000 mi.
Special Equipment - 318 4bbl, bucket seats, floor shifter,
traction bars.
Bought 9/20/97 as a rusty gold Gran Fury Salon. It has major body work, paint,
engine work, and interior work. It is now in mint condition with only 65,000 original
miles.
Jeff Towne - 5/22/1999
(140) "Pimp Deluxe" 1983 Chrysler Fifth Avenue Sedan
- 163,000 mi. (maybe)
Special Equipment - Custom three tone paint, hydraulics (due to
original shocks)
Quite possibly the ugliest vehicle on the face of the planet. Painted that ugly
factory brown color, which chipped off in large places and was covered by a different
brown from a rattle can. Primer shows through everywhere, but it's the most reliable
vehicle we own. Paid $500 for it and drove it home.
Alan Meyer -
5/20/1999
(139) "Trusty" 1985 Chrysler Fifth Avenue Police Pkg
- 117,000 mi.
Special Equipment - 1973 Fury III 360LA, 78 Chrysler 904
transmission, 78 Dodge Aspen Wagon Rear end (same as Road Runner), 87 Diplomat Police
Electronics, 85 Diplomat Manifold, 86 Thermojunk carburetor, 85 Diplomat Police rear
suspension. Still working on the front end.
This vehicle belonged to a client of mine. It was originally bought by an old
couple in Brooksville, Florida and sold to my client's parents in Palm Harbor, Florida and
summered in Philadelphia. In 1995 my client entrusted me with the vehicle until her
parents passed on. I've put three engines, two 727's and rebuilt the front end numerous
times. I am a Process Server and had a 87 Dip which had been used for a cruiser and then a
taxi. I used it in the woods and around Tampa Bay chasing bad guys for five years. The
front was Chrysler and the rear was Yellow Cab Yellow Dip. I had more fun serving people
as though the yellow cab was there for a different purpose. In addition I did some work
for a bondsman and always got our man and turned the meter on back to the detention
centers. I'm a dedicated rear wheel drive Chrysler man ever since my Cadillac developed a
broken muffler hanger in Maine and I had to drive 175 miles to find a replacement. At
least Chrysler parts are interchangeable.
Jon Bowdoin - 5/19/1999
(138) "Date Rape Mobile" (Only Because The Door Is
Hard To Open)
1987 Dodge Diplomat Sedan Salon - 67,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Soon To Be A Musical Horn
My car is wonderful, the only time it has failed me is when I was turning left
and I hydroplaned across four lanes of traffic. When I stopped I didn't hit any cars but I
ended up going the other direction.
Chris Conmy -
5/18/1999
(137) 1981 Dodge Diplomat Coupe Hardtop - 100,000+ mi.
Special Equipment - BFG's, CD player, Kenwood 6x9's
All my friends know its my mom's car but the police think it's mine.
James Gray - 5/17/1999
(136) "Classic" 1980 Dodge Diplomat Sedan Hardtop - 80,000 mi.
Special Equipment - a/c
Everything in my car works perfect but the fuel sending switch. Do you know
where l can pick one up. The cheapest one I've found is $200.00 dollars here in Canada.
Rick Dobbs - 5/13/1999
(135) "Dodgie" 1977 Dodge Diplomat Wagon - 380,000
km.
Special Equipment - loaded...
I was working at a gas station in Norway, when a guy with a Dodge came with my
future car... I bought it! I will write a better story later, (sorry, short on time...)
Tommy Eide -
5/12/1999
Update of previous registration
(126) "Leper Car" 1978 Dodge Diplomat Salon -
43,000 mi.
Ever since I had my diplomat, I had problems. After having it for 2 weeks my car
started backfiring and quitting on me and from that it blew a brand new muffler apart, but
I fixed it from doing it again. Then last winter when there was a foot of snow on the
street I was going down at twenty miles per hour lost control and fish tailed into a tree,
so now my trunk leaks when it rains. and then one day when I flooded the engine in my car
my friends offered to help me tow it, so we did by pulling the car with his truck, but
then at a stop sign the guy who was braking and steering the car didn't press the brakes
hard enough and next thing I know my hood does not close all the way. And that is the
story about my Diplomat.
Matt Husen - 5/11/1999
Non M-body registration
(134) "Pimp K" 1987 Chrysler New Yorker Sedan -
125,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Chrysler/ Infinity system
No story yet. I'm only 15 and I'm restoring it
Evan Richardson -
5/11/1999
Evan's 1987
Chrysler New Yorker
(133) "Betsy" 1985 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg -
175,000 mi.
I purchased my car about 4 years ago at a Delaware state auction, I fell in love
with her before I got home. She hasn't had any major problems since I got her. The
transmission had already been altered to shift at higher RPM's and there was already a
transmission and oil cooler already installed. I haven't modified it in any way, but now
that I have some spare I'm going to give her a make over.
Stephen Brown - 5/8/1999
(132) "The Dip" 1979 Dodge Diplomat Coupe - 52,895
mi.
Special Equipment - Air horn, custom rims
I am the 3rd owner of my tan 1979 Dodge Diplomat 2 dr Coupe. I have 52,XXX
miles which are original and the car runs great! The car also has an excellent
ability to fly!!!
Chad M. Blake -
5/8/1999
(131) 1986 Chrysler Fifth Avenue Sedan - 70,240 mi.
Special Equipment - Loaded-black w/white stripe-gray leather
interior
One owner-looks great, I'm proud of it.
Nicholas Formica - 5/5/1999 (received an incomplete
email address of "Woodster78")
(130) "Black Beauty" 1988 Chrysler Fifth Avenue Luxury Sedan
- 69,120 mi
Special Equipment - Fifth Avenue name on front fenders, gold
wreath around glove box opener, Chrysler nameplate on trunk lid.
It took me two years to get a Fifth Avenue and I bought it in November of 1998
with only 65,000 miles on the engine. It needs small body work and I plan on adding some
high performance parts to the engine. I added a gold wreath to the glove box and put the
words Fifth Avenue under the Chrysler name on the glove box. I managed to grab a Chrysler
nameplate and placed that on my trunk. I did the same thing when I put the Fifth Avenue
nameplates on my front fenders. It is very reliable and powerful and I love the car.
Dale McCartney - 5/5/1999
(129) "Blue Panther"" 1985 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg
- 240,000+ mi.
Special Equipment - Rebuilt police 318 with 360 heads, rebuilt
quad
We got 2 Diplomats from KS Highway Patrol auction for $600.00 a piece in 1990.
Sold one and kept one. They had 75,000 miles when we got them. It used
to be my dad's till he gave it to me in 1996. I had the engine rebuilt in 1997 cause
it was burning oil. It wasn't cheap, but I just loved pulling up behind someone and
scaring the hell out of them. Then wrecked it in Jan 98. I had just put a
brand new stereo the day before and my friend asked me where the bass was and I went to
help him and slammed into a Ford Taurus 35-40 MPH at a stop light. Wrecked the whole
front end, front clip, hood, passenger fender, radiator, fan. I found all the parts
at a junkyard, then paid about $1,400, it's a lot but I did not want to junk it. It
is now a full restored ex-undercover police car. It's been all over the U.S. I
think the cops in town think I'm a cop because I'll be flyin down the road and cops all
over won't pull me over, I guess those Fords can't compete with the Diplomats. I
just hate to see a Diplomat go to the junkyard. I fell in love with this car, one of
their best cars ever built. I will give you a few tips to avoid not getting pulled
over.
Nich - 5/5/1999
(128) "Budd" 1978 Chrysler Imperial LeBaron - 244,300
mi.
I just bought it and I am having some engine work done to it. Well, actually
just some sensors. Then we will begin some restoration work.
Eric Segal - 5/4/1999
Non M-body registration
(127) 1978 Plymouth Volare Station Wagon - 59,428 mi.
Special Equipment - 1-ton springs in the rear
Well this is my first car. It is a very good car for $50.00, it is built like a
brick. Let's face it, cars are not the same anymore. This lady slammed her door into
mine in her 95 Chevy Impala SS and it crushed the corner of her car and on my car all it
had was a little paint transfer from her car. I am looking for people that know about the
Volare station wagons. I also have to do a little body work on it too. It has a slant six.
It has had some OK upkeep on the engine but I still get 33 miles per gallon and it is the
original engine and original miles.
Marc Mapes -
5/3/1999
(126) "Leper Car" 1978 Dodge
Diplomat Salon - 43,000 mi.
Special Equipment - huge dent on passenger side rear quarter
panel
Since I've got my car I had problems, because it is a POS.
Matt Husen - 5/3/1999
(125) "Baby" 1978 Dodge Diplomat Sedan - 127,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Wheels and Stereo
As a young and hot-headed kid, I've raced many cars in my Dodge. Amazingly
enough, I've beat a 1989 Chevy Beretta, a 199x Dodge Neon, and a 1986 Chevy Celebrity. I
can push that car until the speedometer goes way past the 100 MPH mark.
Reginald Beard -
5/2/1999
Non M-body registration
(124) "The Joemobile" 1979 Plymouth Volare Premier
- 60,000 mi.
Special Equipment - none yet, I just got it, but this summer a
318 or 360 is going in
This was my grandpa's car since '79 until he recently passed it on to me as a
second car. I've always loved it, and it might change this Olds fan into a Mopar guy. This
is going to be my play car, starting with dumping the slant six, and then dumping in a
nitroused 318 or 360. It will look almost completely stock too...
Joe Sherbanenko -
4/30/1999
My Web Site
(123) "El Blanco Diablo" 1982 Plymouth Gran Fury Salon
- 74,628 mi.
Special Equipment - added cd-player, replaced factory speakers
w/ really big speakers, added 400 watt cerwin-vega power amplifier and 2 12"
subwoofers, added vacuum gauge.
I bought El Blanco from some old people. They had taken excellent care of it,
washing it every Saturday, getting regular tune-ups, and taking it to the mechanic for
every strange squeak or noise. I bought this monster for $500. The first thing I did was
to get gas at the nearest gas station. I filled it up with regular unleaded. Big mistake.
That damn thing started shaking and rattling so bad I had to siphon off some gas and
re-fill it with supreme/93 octane gas. The next thing I did was to take El Blanco
off-roading. It was really fun first, but then the rear suspension broke, and muffler fell
out. Needless to say, I will never go off-roading in that thing again. ya-know what? I
love my car. Its great. IT HAS A V-8. Its first rate. I could use it as bait. I just can't
wait. Ill soon have a mate. Isn't that great? Now Ill have something to hate. My car came
in a crate. I'm starting with a new slate. DAMMIT-MY CAR'S GREAT. AND ANYONE WHO SAYS
OTHERWISE CAN (censored by mgmt, use your imagination).
Chris Hoover -
4/28/1999
(122) "Beluga" 1987 Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue
- 239,576 km.
Bought in 1994 with 128,000 km. Demolished a 10x10 ft snow bank at 40km/h, with
not a scratch. Got ditched at 80km/h, only a dent in the fender.
Chris Reid - 4/27/1999
(121) "Bob the Anti-turd" 1982 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg
- 299,850 mi.
Special Equipment - Torn headliner, 4" grease buildup,
worlds scariest car radio
Bob the Anti-turd (he's a white piece of s***) was maybe the best thing to ever
happen to me. We got him for $300 from a junkyard. He wasn't a full-fledged police package
-- has a nice fast 318 with 4bbl but not the wheels or a lot of the accessories, someone
before me removed the siren from the top, I believe it was a DOT car or some such). In any
case, a few weeks back, I was camping about 10 miles from town with my girlfriend, when
she got stung by a bee. She is highly allergic, it turns out, and she started swelling up.
Everyone started panicking and running around. I helped her into the passenger seat and
buckled her in and told her to hold on. I drove Bob for all he was worth... 90 on the 55
mph straights and 45 on the 25 mph turns. When we got to the emergency room, he was
smoking something wicked. Turns out someone had done the favor of putting water in for
me... and left the cap off. With the pedal to the floor for 10 miles of twisty road all
the water had been forced out or evaporated. Somewhere along the line (maybe right as I
pulled in to the hospital) he seems to have marginally blown a head gasket. My mileage
dropped from 15mpg to 10mpg just like that. And it's leaking oil out of the valve covers
(that gets fixed tonight). I figure I'll buy something that will keep me on the road...
and have that engine totally worked over.
JT Justman -
4/27/1999
(120) "Babe" 1979 Dodge Diplomat Coupe - 90,000 mi.
Joe Amy -
4/26/1999
(118,119) 85,88 Dodge Diplomats Police, Civilian - 175,000,
125,000 mi.
Special Equipment - "Stock", Budnik 18' billet wheels
cut springs lowered two maybe three inches
The '85 I bought in March of 1999 for a paltry 75 dollars. The guy who owned it
had been in an accident and the bumper bolts had broken off. He was scared to drive it
that way so he was on his way to the salvage yard when I intercepted him. It has the
police pkg. w/ dual spots and an (aftermarket?) Holley 650 carb. Runs great best 75 bucks
I've ever spent. The '88 is civilian but I've modified it in my own way. I detail cars so
I had the means to customize it a little. We chopped the springs in the front and got some
different rear springs from an Aspen. I added some 18' billet wheels to double the value
of the car. When I bought it in March of '98 I gave 1,200 dollars, it had 57,000 miles but
hey I've doubled that also!
Adam Chandler
- 4/24/1999
Non M-body registration
(117) 1979 Dodge Aspen 2dr Sport Coupe - 150,000 mi.
Special Equipment - 400 big block with intake headers, ignition
carb starter
James - 4/21/1999
(116) "LiL Ed" 1984 Dodge Diplomat SE 4-Door -
136,000 mi.
Special Equipment - CD player, 300 watt amo, 2-10" Kicker
Solar Barics
Edward Pipkin
4/20/1999
(115) "Silver" 1986 Chrysler Fifth Ave (CF66) Sedan (4S)
- 229,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Bought with r15/235 Mud tires on rear end.
Bought on 7/30/98 from a gentleman who thought he had already blown the engine.
after a $60 tune up, it has a habit of passing Ford 5.0's like they're nothing.
Kirk Killman -
4/18/1999
(114) "Crippler" 1979 Dodge Diplomat - 120,000 mi.
It died on me and now it seems like the elec system is fried. Tell me
what's wrong. It has EFI
Jeremy Froemke -
4/16/1999
(113) "Gladys Ann" 1979 Dodge Diplomat Wagon -
172,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Nice stereo
Mom bought this car new. I got it in 1991. It was great for hauling but was
nasty looking (wood grain peeling). Drove it in to a auto recycler this morning...Gladys
Ann is now an organ donor.
Russ Perry - 4/15/1999
(112) "Mean Machine" 1983 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg -
43,000 mi.
Anonymous - 4/14/1999
Non M-body registration
(111) "Endora" 1977 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham 4-door
Hardtop - 73,000 mi.
I found this car in Missouri, while I was on vacation (looking for a late '70s
LeBaron wagon w/ woodgrain). When I saw this beautiful, full-size car, I decided I liked it
more than a LeBaron. I would still like to find one, though. My New Yorker Brougham is in
excellent original condition and has incredible tufted "Corinthian Leather". It
also has a vinyl roof and all factory options, including automatic climate control, power
seats/windows/locks/trunk release/antenna, etc. It is a truly magnificent-looking car. It
was also Chrysler's most expensive car in 1977. I enjoy taking it to car shows and
cruising around town. The color is "Golden Fawn" with matching interior and
roof. It even has "shag" carpet!
Jon Denson - 4/13/1999
New Yorker
Brougham Page
(110) "Silky" 1987 Chrysler 5th Avenue (Loaded) -
105,000 mi.
I bought the car 3 weeks ago and love it!! I now know why I have always wanted
one!! It is the smoothest car I have ever driven. The mileage is great too. 20+ always.
Twice the MPG of my Ramcharger. I drive the car at least 120 miles a day on weekdays and
it seems to tolerate it very well. I NEVER get tired of driving!! Thanks for the great
page!!
Eddie -
4/13/1999
(109) 1986 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg - 285,000 mi.
Special Equipment - paint tires
I bought the car from the West Virginia State Police, I didn't check the car very
good. I went ahead and repaired the body and painted it. Afterwards I was cleaning
the car when I found a loaded pistol stuck down in the back seat , not wanting to keep the
gun I traded it for a set of caps and rings and a spotlight. Now that I look back on it I
wonder if the gun was used to commit a crime or if it was a throw away one of the cops had
stashed in the car. I'll never know, but it was a great car while had it!
Charles Carroll
- 4/11/1999
(108) "Caravelle" 1979 Plymouth Caravelle
Salon - 122,800 km.
Special Equipment - Bondo, primer and Canadian Tire color coat
Light blue in color and light blue interior. This car has the LeBaron style
crushed velour interior with the rear arm-rest and also the aluminum rims. It has
p/windows, p/locks, cruise, tilt wheel, p/trunk, pass. side mirror, AM/FM Stereo w/8
Track, Chronometer clock (in glove box door), p/seat and air. It also has the optional 5.9L
360 engine with sure-grip rear axle.
Mike Taylor -
4/10/1999
Chrysler Fifth Avenue
Homepage
(107) "Sally" 1978 Dodge Diplomat low rider - 70,000
km
Special Equipment - Chopped down to make a low rider, painted
gloss black. new upholstery, supercharger
When I acquired Sally it was in bad shape, rust holes everywhere, puke green and
the engine was shot to s***, but after 4 years of work it is now the sweetest car.
It's gloss black with cow hide upholstery and black interior, it's been chopped down to be
a low rider, and I threw a supercharger on last year. It was originally my Grandfather's
but he couldn't drive it anymore so I took it off his hands, and that's the story of
Sally.
Peter Shambrook -
4/9/1999
(106) "Betsy" 1978 Dodge Diplomat Coupe
Special Equipment - The 318 motor is rebuilt and the driver's
seat was replaced or recovered. The back passenger small window was replaced.
Betsy is green in color. She also has a T-top. I bought my car November
'98 from a lady who bought it about 5 years prior to me. She bought it from a friend that
had bought it new. It is the best car I have owned. It still needs a lot of work, but I am
slowly getting it done. If anyone knows more about this car please contact me at [email protected] Will get a picture of it on
the net soon.
PepperMint -
4/8/1999
Peppermint
Patty's Place
(105) "Louise" 1984 Dodge Diplomat Salon Police Pkg
Adam P. Shivers -
4/8/1999
(104) 1988 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg - 92,000 mi.
Car is used as daily transportation, and has all magnetic markings for Shows and
Parades.
Don Miller - 4/6/1999
(103) "The Fury in a Hurry" 1988 Plymouth Gran Fury Salon
- 180,000+ mi.
Special Equipment - Three CB/Ham Antennas
I took my beast down a dirt road to a friend's house and I gunned the gas over
the top of a hill and found that the rest of the hill was washed out. The car flew through
the air and landed on the front bumper. I wasn't sure if it was going to fall forward or
backward. To my luck it fell backward and I just had to scoop some dirt out around the
engine so I could put the alternator belt back on. No damage was done to the car.
Nicholas Hautamaki -
4/5/1999
Non M-body registration
Cesar Sanchez Reyna - 4/5/1999
(101) "Squad" 1981 & up Dodge Diplomats and Plymouth Gran
Furys 4dr Police Pkgs - various mileage
Mainly I remember the beating those cars took as big city police cars. How they
kept coming back for more again and again. Guys who used to run to 30 to 40 MPH, then
shifting into reverse, continue to floor it, grinding gears and actually smoking the
tires. Then close to topping it out in reverse, slamming it back into drive (low gear
blockout), keeping the pedal floored, a couple times doing that. Not wrecking the
tranny!!! Then a couple hours later being involved in a chase. Those cars never quit.
Unless of course you're in your own newer squad and there is lots of cornering, floor it,
brake hard, turn, floor it and the dang thing stalls out. Very embarrassing. Sure they
weren't fast cars, especially the 2bbl '85 Diplomats we got stuck with, but they were like
the old Timex watch, takes a licking and keeps on ticking!!
Tim - 4/2/1999
(100) 1980 Dodge Diplomat Wagon - 170,000 mi.
Brian Carriere - 4/1/1999
(99) 1987 Dodge Diplomat Salon Police Pkg
- 96,000 mi.
This is the fourth Diplomat my family has owned and the second we currently own. Our 86 SE is also listed here. This car was an Illinois
State Police car. Delivered to them on 8/7/86 and retired from service on 3/1/1999. We
bought it from a guy who got it at a state auction on 3/6/1999. It was used as an unmarked
car for at least the end of its career. It was removed from service after it had been hit,
busting the grille and header panel. The dome light doesn't work when the front doors are
open, and it has a large light on the ceiling between the front seats.
It is white with a blue taxi-like interior. Has the 318 4BBL police engine with many
police and factory options. It has an almost new set of Goodyear Eagle GA's on white
slotted cop wheels with the dog dishes that have cooling holes. Also has the driver's
spotlight and I even found an antennae in the trunk. :) For more on our 2 Diplomats,
check out my homepage.
Adam Taylor - 3/28/1999
Adam's Dodge Diplomat Page
(98) 1988 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg Salon - 130,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Solid sub frame bushings, 340 camshaft
I bought the car from the California Highway Patrol in 1991 with 66,000 miles. I have
begun a complete restoration of the car, and it should be seeing parade duty by the end of
the year.
Marc Bergman - 3/23/1999
Update on previous
registration
(22) 1979 Dodge Diplomat Medallion - 100,000 mi. (30k on the
engine)
Special Equipment - Since the last time I posted here: Sony CD, MTX 12's
in the trunk, MTX 6.5 components in each of the four doors, spark control computer
removed, found my tail lights. :>
Well since the last time I posted on here back in March of '98 we're ALMOST finished!!!
After having the whole brake system redone, ripping the gas tank apart several times cause
it wouldn't work right, and a few other head scratching moments it's pretty close. I got
to drive her for the first time back in September but unfortunately that didn't work out
too well. Heh half way home from the Garage that did my brakes were going down toll 66
when the car started dying... We barely made it home that night to find out that all the
seals in my Carb were totally screwed up! Anyhow got that fixed then spent a lot of time
adjusting it because it wouldn't run right in gear at higher idles. Lastly and most
currently somehow my caddy got plugged :< Oh wellz, hopefully within another month
we'll be set... Or at least I hope cause my station wagon, current ride for at least 100
miles a day, is falling apart! Oh wellz more update laterz...
Jesse C. Smillie - 3/22/1999
(97) 1986 Dodge Diplomat SE - 113,000 mi.
I purchased this car from a used car dealer in Feb./94. It had 32,000 original miles on
it. The car originally came from New Hampshire. How it ended up in Nova Scotia is a
mystery, but it was fortunate for me that it did. I commute 160 miles a day round trip to
work. For the first year that I owned this beast we made this trip daily with no problems
what so ever. I was promoted to service manager which meant that I now got to commute with
the company piece of crap Sonoma pickup (Oh, my aching back!). The Dip still serves my
family well as a weekend and vacation ride. I'll keep this one until it or myself dies.
Unquestionably the most comfortable car I have ever owned. (of course all my cars and vans
have been Chrysler products, starting with my first, a 1972 Plymouth Scamp.)
Tom Sherman -
3/19/1999
(96) "The Dope Dip" 1988 Dodge
Diplomat Police Pkg - 176,743 mi.
Well, after seeing so many Diplomats in a fine number of chase scenes, I couldn't resist
it when I found my Diplomat for sale for only $200.00. $272.00 after taxes and
license and it was on! Let me tell you a little bit about our first week
together.... It started after seeing a special on the Secret Service drivers training, and
learning how to do "J-turns" driving in reverse and cranking the wheel, and
dropping it into drive to keep your momentum. Much quicker than a three-point
turnabout. I have since learned to keep it in a single lane of road while performing
this feat.
Roughly a month after the purchase my friends and I went out to try out its wings.
Surely not the best thing for the car, I simply had to try it. We ran across a
perfect jump at the end of a road. How could I resist? Foot all the way down
and heading for takeoff I hit the jump. This was an amazing feeling, what a
rush. Four and a half lanes and 80 feet later I landed. The only thing as a
result of the amazing leap was a cracked battery from it not being secured properly.
Anyway the car is great, and amazingly tough. I have come to love this car
which has brought so much joy to my life. I was so bummed when somebody stole it,
luckily my friend found it later that week with only minor damage. I will send you
updated pictures as time passes.
Robert Pyne - 3/19/1999
(95) "Betty" 1985 Dodge Diplomat Sedan -
79,000 mi.
Derek Fraley - 3/17/1999
(94) 1979 Chrysler LeBaron Medallion - 100,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Stereo, soon to add Edelbrock goodies
I've only had the car for about one month. It was an interesting story about how I got it
though. I had an old ratter VW Jetta Diesel with way too many miles and a terminal case of
electrical problems. I got pulled over for a non functional turn signal and was told that
I would be best served to scrap the car, since it had so many problems. I was low on cash
and didn't know what to do when I saw my LeBaron. I bought the car for $375, which I
thought was a steal since it is in v.g. condition and has documented low mileage (for a
1979). Two weeks later I found out that the tranny was toast and cost me another $825. I
now have about $1200 in this car, but I feel it is well worth every penny. Enjoyed the
stories about Farley and hope to see more.
Jon And Kelli Smith -
3/17/1999
(93) "Skuld" 1984 Plymouth Gran Fury Salon 4 door
sedan - 196,975 mi (or, 317,000 km.)
Not sure who used the car before, but it looks like a government vehicle - even has some
worn out number written on the side and all the wiring for a GE Master radio with those
standard jones plugs (the police department used to use GE Master radio's in the trunk of
their cars - most of which ended up in the local ham radio club as repeater systems). Very
little rust! This car is an absolute tank, you're not easily intimidated while driving -
If you want into a lane you'll get it :). People like to move out of the way for fear of
denting their '98 whatever car. Has a pretty poor low end, but after about 25 she can
really move! I'd like to fix this car up so I don't have to worry about the brakes going
out (they are being replaced hopefully...). Hopefully I'll keep this car forever. OH -
this car sat in a lot for months, the 318 started right up - I was impressed :) - best
$300 I ever spent.
Michael Jantzen - 3/8/1999
(92) 1985 Dodge Diplomat Salon - 44,000 mi.
Great website! I own an '85 Dip w/ 44,000 orig mi. My uncle bought it about 2
years ago at a city auction with 35,000 orig mi for $700 as transportation for his new
wife. I wound up buying the car from him for my wife who doe not appreciate it as much as
myself. This is my 1st Dip & I've been very pleased so far, on 2/1 some idiot
broad sided my wife in it & undid all the restoration my uncle & I put in it. It
probably kept my wife from being injured on top of being 7 mos. pregnant. The car was a
traffic control car that has a 318 w/ 2 barrel. It really drives better at higher speeds
than on neighborhood streets. What's also impressed me is how smoothly the tranny shifts
compared to my '83 Impala w/ overdrive. I have owned the car 10 mos now & the only
major repairs to report are a water pump & windshield wiper bushings (I feel for you
if yours are due for replacement). The car handles stiffly and rides well for it's weight.
All my other vehicles have weighed 3800 pounds & up. I'm also impressed with the
fairly quiet ride for it's age. The interior colors are that wonderful Chrysler beige/tan
whatever with the plaid seat striping, also sun-faded to death. Most of the int. is faded
from the tan to a vanilla white. Also, these cars don't seem to run any temp at all which
I find amazing. My uncle & I put a new thermostat in it before last summer & we
left of the radiator cap of & the engine running to make sure the thermo would open
& move the antifreeze like it should, I swear we waited at least 20 minutes for this
to occur & that's w/ the a/c. The car is also equipped w/ the new R-134 compressor but
I can't quite get the vacuum right. I'm about to begin the lengthy restoration! process
again since the wreck. This is the car 2nd restoration in the last 2 yrs so wish me luck!
Keep up the great website!
James S. -
3/5/1999
(91) 1985 Plymouth Gran Fury 4 door - 87000 mi
I just bought this car used from a man who had inherited it from his father in-law. The
motor starts up first try every time.
previous registration
(77) "Alice" 1979 Dodge Diplomat Wagon - 120,000 mi.
This car was given to me by a friend who bought a new minivan, and no longer needed a
station wagon. I haven't had a chance to drive it regularly yet, as it has been sitting
for a few years, and needs some work before it will drive!
Nick - 3/3/1999
(90) "Whitie" 1987 Plymouth Gran Fury Salon -
108,690 mi.
Joseph Nunnally - 2/26/1999
zeus mmi @aol.com [sic]
(89) "Equalizer" 1987 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg
- 130,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Lean burn conversion.
Couldn't find the Mopar I wanted so I picked this one up at a police auction. After going
over the car to put it in top mechanical condition, I found I liked it. So I bought
another one.
88) "White Streak" 1986 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg
- 177,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Lean burn conversion, intake manifold, Holly 650 cfm
carb, oversize tires, and more.
Like MOPARs, my third police car. I like driving this car, not too big, not too
small and will perform with the best of them. Plan an engine change soon, 383 (360
block). Will probably move the spring hangers inboard for larger rear tires.
R.P. Ganow - 2/21/1999
(87) 1979 Chrysler LeBaron SE - 170,000 mi.
It was a very dependable though extremely rusty ol' beast. The rear-end went out one
winter so it sat for six months but it still started with the first turn of the key.
Even in the dead of winter it would start on the first try. Too bad there
wasn't any solid metal from the dash back, changing tires was almost impossible. The
paint stripped off the front fender when it was washed but even after two years it never
rusted, just wish the rest of the car was like that.
Christopher J Nichols -
2/14/1999
CJ's Homepage
(86) 1981 Dodge Diplomat Salon Miles - 180,000 mi.
Bought it in the winter of '94 for $200. The previous owner had an accident with it
bending the front passenger corner around the tire. I fixed the fender and have driven it
without putting any money, other than general maintenance, into it until the summer of
1998 when it needed a new trans and rebuilt the carb.
Christopher J Nichols -
2/14/1999
CJ's Homepage
(85) "Maude" 1988 Dodge Diplomat Medallion -
149,000 Mi.
I spared her from a retiree whose hands became too worn to tweak her bolts. The
water pump was immediately replaced as was the fuel pump, plugs and wires, the gas line
from the carburetor to the fuel filter [it was so bad that the fuel filter may have been
the original]. This weekend it's the valve cover gasket but she drives like a
dream. The interior is immaculate but she needs a new paint job. The
adventures are still ahead [I've only had her a few months]. She'll make a trip or
two a month from San Antonio to OKC and back. Not a bad purchase for $300.
Julie Autaubo - 2/12/1999
(84) "Captain Lou" 1988 Dodge Diplomat Salon
Special Equipment - Suspension, Turbine Rims, rear lift, 360 4bbl.
It's been over since Dec 9, 1997. That was the last time I laid eyes on my old faithful
rig. You see, being from the Atlantic Canada, you become accustomed to having to
move west to find decent paying work. After working in Halifax for a few months my
contract ended, and I and a friend were on the road to Prince George, BC to find our
wealth in the lucrative Electronics Technology field. In the town of New Waterford,
Nova Scotia. Sitting having a coffee in Lou, we decided it was going to be Lou to be
our shuttle to B.C. (over my friends recently functional 81 Pontiac Lemans). I think
Lou heard us saying this because pulling away from the coffee store, the transmission was
slipping.. Due to the quick nature of the trip (we were leaving the next day!!) we
decided we would take our chances with the slipping transmission, however, both of us
being mechanically inclined decided to pile another transmission in the trunk and take all
the required tools to change the transmission on the side of the road!! So we
started out with all of our things in the car (you couldn't see out the rear window), all
of the tools in the trunk with the transmission to head for the other side of the country
some 6500 KMs away.. The car (laying on its leaf springs) never stopped, with the
slipping transmission the gas cost ran a little high, but we made the trip in 5 days all
across Canada and the car didn't so much as over heat.. The sad ending to this story
is that Captain Lou stayed in Prince George and I ended up leaving to go back to
Halifax
due to lack of work. I ended up transferring the car to my brother who resides there
and he has been in 3 accidents with the car. I never want to see it again. It
was the most dependable, great looking (after a paint job that had me sanding him for 2
weeks straight), and pleasing car I will ever have. I originally purchased the car
in the summer of 1994 to go to school with for the price of $800.00. I will
never again obtain such a value. On a side note, after I returned and my friend stayed, I
purchased the 81 Pontiac LeMans from my friend. Listen, anyone who ever insults a
Diplomat, should just own this piece of crap for one day, they'd never say anything bad
about the box then. Granted, the 325HP 355 in the LeMans pulls around 12.3's in the
1/4, the car is lucky it makes it.. and has cost me (stupidly) over $4000.00 in the
last year with breakdowns.. I still have the ownership paper for Nova Scotia on the
Captain and his license plate, CPB660.. To Lou: I'll never forget you ol'
Buddy!!
Rob Baxter - 2/9/1999
(83) "The Baron" 1979 Chrysler LeBaron Coupe
- 131,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Engine swap 360 in place of 225.
I'm the second owner of The Baron and will be the last. She's very solid with the
exception of one fender. I recently completed the engine swap, suspension upgrades,
and restored the interior (original except for Stealth front buckets). Soon she'll
have a new fender and then paint and new chrome.
Micah French - 2/8/1999
(82) "The Green Bomb" 1980 Dodge Diplomat Sedan
- 21,000 mi.
Michael Taber - 2/8/1999
Mike's Page
(81) "The HP" 1985 Plymouth Gran Fury Salon Police Pkg
- 120,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Hooker Super Comp. headers, dual exhaust with torque
tube, MSD 8.5 SD wires.
I just purchased it from the Hoven, SD police dept. It has some drivers side damage,
but other than that it's in good shape. They had it for 8 years and never tuned it
up. The original wires, cap and rotor were on the car. They wondered why it
wouldn't get out of its own way. The computer vacuum line was disconnected and
another line was in its place (everything was screwed up). Now she lights the tires
quite often. Headers are a must for these cars. I want to install a 625 cfm AVS and
junk the QuadraJUNK. Purchase price was $255.00, what a deal.
Ryan Peterson -
2/7/1999
Dodge dude and other unique
Mopars
(80) "Deidre" 1988 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg
- 92,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Straight Police Stock.
Found on a car lot that specializes in used Police Cars. Previously was with
Baltimore County Police as an unmarked unit #P304. Has seen service more recently
with me being an EMT and 911 Operator.
Stan Fredericks - 2/7/1999
(79) "The Nipple" 1977 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg
- 247,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Jacked-up rear end, 4WD frame.
Need a little excitement, well just go for a ride in my 77 Dodge Diplomat. We have souped
up the Diplomat to be a four wheel drive car. It has a rebuilt 318 with a edlebrock 650
carb feeding it, pushing out almost 350 horse. It has oversized tires and stands taller
than most trucks. We call it the Nipple, short for Diplomat.
Mike Hansen - 1/20/1999
(78) "Blue Angel" 1979 Dodge Diplomat Coupe -
452,000 mi.
Blue Angel and I have traveled together since April, 1984; all except approximately 46,000
of those miles were put on by me. She started off as a 318 cu. in. V-8. When the oil pump
failed at approximately 169,000, I decided to have the engine rebuilt, although it was
still running fairly well. Over 265,000 miles were placed on the rebuilt engine; I
replaced it with a 360 cu. in. and I plan to keep and drive Blue Angel many more thousands
of miles (although her load is now being shared by a 1997 Intrepid 3.5 liter). She has
traveled from the East Coast to the West Coast and back three times. Around the end of
December, 1997, while we were stopped and waiting to make a turn, someone ran a traffic
light, resulting in a collision, with Blue Angel being considered a total loss. I was not
about to give upon her, and had Blue Angel rebuilt, and we continue to travel together--
although primarily within a range of about 600 miles from home. I did have her repainted
the original royal blue (the 360 consumes quite a bit more gas than did the 318 and than
does the 3.5 liter). If you travel with a similar Dodge Diplomat, treat her well, and she
will reliably do the same for you.
77) "Alice" 1978 Dodge Diplomat
Wagon - 120,000 mi.
A friend's mom gave me the car. It was my first car. I also got my first kiss in that car!
76) 1985 Plymouth Caravelle Salon -
187,000 km. (Images)
It was bought in Nova Scotia Canada by my grandparents. My father was given the car
in 87 by his mom and dad, and then it was passed on to me in 97. I have been
restoring the car to original condition as money allows, but I have a hard time getting
certain parts like the rear window fuzzys (ext window stripping). My car looks very
much like the Diplomat, but I understand the Caravelle was only sold in Canada.
According to my VIN #, the car was made at the St. Louis No. 2 Plant. My car is gold
in color and has a vinyl roof. It has the 318 2B carb, 5.2L Engine.
Bruce Hale - 1/3/1999
(75) 1981 Dodge Diplomat 2 Door Sport Coupe - 128,000
km.
Special Equipment - = Infinity CD player
6 cyl. factory air. Body is original.
Steve Salisbury -
12/26/1998
Brad Bognar - 12/24/1998
All I got was your name, please re-submit your registration . . .
(74) "Old Brown" 1979 Chrysler Lebaron Medallion Coupe
- 102,000 km.
Special Equipment - Super stock rear springs, MP electronic ignition, JR
headers, MP lightweight starter, Appliance wire wheels, tires rear 265/60 x 15 , front
195/60 x 15.
I have had this car since 1985 and have really enjoyed it. Over the years I have put
some 60,000 kilometers on and loved every one of them. This car has almost every option
available including: 4 bbl 360 dual exh. V8 rated at 195 hp, T-top, etc. All in all about
every option except leather and heated rear window. This car originally did go to
Saudi-Arabia but for some fortunate reason ended up here in Iceland along with several
others. By the books of Galen Govier this car should be one of less than about 860
produced with the 4 bbl 360 and T-top. If anybody needs more info please contact me
at the e-mail addresses I have the Broadcast sheet for the car so all info should be pretty
complete.
Fridrik R. Eggertsson -
12/19/1998
(73) 1987 Chrysler Fifth Avenue Sedan - 98,000 mi
Dean - 12/16/1998
(72) "Speedy" 1988 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg
- 65,000 mi.
Mike - 12/11/1998
(71) "Beast" 1978 Dodge Diplomat - 25,000 km.
A cousin of mine, who is a mechanic, was working on an R.V. for an elderly couple.
They mentioned to him that they had an older car that they bought new, but rarely use
it. They said he could have it if he wanted it. He looked at the car and it
only had 4,000 km on it (the date he looked at it was 1997). The car was in absolute
mint condition, other than it had been sitting outside beside their garage. The
paint had become faded, and the dash was cracked near the steering wheel because of the
sun. He took the car after paying them $200.00 for it, because he didn't feel right
about just taking it for free as they offered. I went to visit him at his garage in
Burlington, Ontario. This is where I first saw the car. I couldn't believe the
shape and low mileage of this car. He told me the story of how he got it, and I made
the comment "why can't I ever find a deal like this?". A day later he
called me up and offered the car to me for $800.00. I figured this was a great deal
because he had put new tires on and gave the car a complete tune-up. I picked the
car up on Dec. 10, 1998 with 25,000 km on it. The car runs impeccably. I will
be giving it a new paint job, and that is about it. I want to keep it original.
James Felder -
12/10/1998
(70) "Dip" 1984 Dodge Diplomat SE -
150,000(?) mi.
Special Equipment - Alpine Cassette, JBL speakers.
Hit head-on by a truck, about 1 and a half times it's size at 30 MPH, only front grille
cracked, didn't stop running, had to shut it off.
Joel Barnett - 12/10/1998
(69) 1978 Dodge Diplomat Medallion - 49,000 mi.
My best friend received this car free of charge from a man he was doing yard work
for. He then sold it to my little brother (who is not of driving age) one week later
for $275. The car had been sitting in his driveway for about 2 years, and was still
in great running condition. Being the mechanic of my family, I have begun minor
repairs on it. I have been driving it occasionally, for it is a cheaper vehicle to
maintain than my Jeep (Just Empty Every Pocket). The Diplomat is an excellent
vehicle.
Joe Smith - 12/10/1998
(68) 1987 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg - 127,568 mi.
It was a prior Yreka, CA. police car.
Jim Phipps -
12/10/1998
http://pride-security.com
(67) "Black Box" 1988 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg
- 160,000 mi.
Special Equipment - HP Ignition, Resto Susp. (in progress), CD stereo
Ex-Baltimore County, Maryland unmarked. I LOVE THIS CAR !!! Although I didn't
buy it to be, the 'Dip' has become my daily driver. I'm currently restoring
suspension/brakes, etc. I would like to upgrade the motor next, possibly a 360 with
Multi-port Fuel Injection & Direct Ignition. I tell you I'm nuts about this stupid
car!
Brian - 12/6/1998
(66) 1985 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg - 178,600 mi.
Special Equipment - Holly 600, Edelbrock Performer, M.P. dist. MSD wires.
Carbon metallic F/pads. Wicked, Wicked Alpine, Kicker stereo.
I have no problem jumping curbs to enter or exit a parking lot etc...My wife still can't
get over it. This car tows my '68 Hemi GTX to shows and races (E-town & L.I.
motorsports park).
Michael Barletta -
12/4/1998
(65) "Thor" 1985 Dodge Diplomat SE - 160,000
mi.
Special Equipment - Two new front tires.
I bought the car with 80,000 miles on it from an old lady for $800. Everything
worked except the kick down linkage missing. Everything still works. He starts
every time, no pumps of the pedal. Let's see a story, well a short one is that I got
it stuck in mud, and the cat (converter) caught the weeds underneath it on fire, spreading
up through the engine compartment. I ended up putting the fire out with Surge (soda)
and mud water, after freeing it from the mud, Thor started with no probs. Dips are
Tanks, friends, I am glad you all realize it too!
Scott Brennan - 12/3/1998
(64) "Quiksilver" 1985 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg
- 161,536 mi.
Special Equipment - shift kit, Edlebrock carb, vac advance dis
Was a cop car from Grand Ledge, MI and I acquired it for free in 1992 from a man in Grand
Ledge who said he was tired of looking at it sit in his yard. There was nothing
wrong with it and i drove it home.
63) "The Great White Beast" 1988 Dodge Diplomat
Police Pkg - 81,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Police spotlight, driver-side airbag, two 10"
subwoofers in trunk.
About a month ago, I was giving 4 people a ride to work, and mind you, these were not thin
dudes. Anyway, this one time, we were late for work, so I had the car going about
100 MPH uphill in a carpool lane and one of my passengers saw how fast I was going and
wanted me to slow down. Well, since I didn't like this guy and he was the one who
made us all late in the first place, I floored the car and faster than I could snap my
fingers, we shot up to 110. I was duly impressed :) I had not been terribly crazy
about driving a sedan, since my previous car was an 85 Dodge 600 convertible (it caught on
fire), but after that performance, I became a believer in Diplomat-power.
Damian M. Hopper -
12/1/1998
(62) 1979 Chrysler LeBaron Medallion - 39,800 mi
This car was given to me for free. It had been in storage for over 10 years and has
no rust on it which is good for its age. It needed some work to get it running, but
I'm finished with the repairs and I really like the way it rides and the looks.
Since it was ordered with the premium 360 ci engine, it does take a bit of gas to run.
61) "Daisy" 1980 Dodge Diplomat
S-type - 118,000 mi (Images)
People seem to have a problem with Daisy's rear window, it's been knocked out twice.
Once by a bat and once by a patio brick. They're probably just jealous of her
ravishing beauty. :) I know I am.
Sarah Millslagle -
11/26/1998
(60) 1985 Dodge Diplomat Salon - 144,000 mi.
Juan Reyes - 11/26/1998
(59) "It" 1982 Plymouth Caravelle Salon -
280,000 km.
Special Equipment - trailer hitch.
Car hasn't had any adventures. Not yet, anyways. I just got it last Saturday
to fill in for the neon while I put an engine together. Leaning tower of power slant
6 can't get out of it's own way, but the car is solid as a rock, and the garish bright red
interior is mint. Gotta get me some cop hubcaps and a hula dancer for the
dash. And one of them steering wheel covers that you can steal from a toilet seat.
Ian MacDonald - 11/23/1998
Update on previous
registration
(14) "The Dip" 1986 Dodge Diplomat SE
- 121,454 mi.
I figured I should add a little more info, so here it is. In December 1997, we
bought this car for $1800. Had 103,000 miles on it. Faded, somewhat peeling
paint. Some rust. Almost perfect interior. In March, the right front
wheel bearing went out. Then in October, the same wheel bearing went out. This
also damaged the spindle. We got one off of a Volare at a junk yard and we were back
in business. The car now has 121,454 miles. I hope to get it painted
soon. Very reliable, gets about 18-22 mpg. To find out more about my car,
visit my homepage.
Adam Taylor - 11/22/1998
Adam's Dodge Diplomat Page
(58) "Tank" 1981 Dodge Diplomat Sedan -
367,000 km.
Rare slant 6 still on road in Canada
Dave Sliming -
11/21/1998
(57) 1987 Dodge Diplomat Sedan - 124,000 mi.
I just receantly bought the car from a foreign exchange student that was leaving to
Scotland, for 800 bucks. The car does not have any problems. In fact it has a
new paint job and the interior is clean. I have not had any adventures yet.
Miguel Ramirez -
11/15/1998
(56) "The Golden Nugget" 1986 Dodge Diplomat Salon
- 146,000 mi.
Special Equipment - rear adjustable air shocks, police-style push bar
w/ fog lights.
I bought my Diplomat in the fall of 1997 for $400. The car was in pretty good shape;
no dents, no rust, flaky paint, new tires, rotten radiator, and bad U-joints. I
promptly replaced the radiator and U-joints, installed new valve cover gaskets, and put in
a fresh timing chain and gears. This readied me for the highway. I later
fabricated a large, black push bar for the front and found some old "dog-dish"
hubcaps at the cost of $5 each. I also mounted ski racks on the roof to simulate a
light-bar. I can cruise down the highway at 75 mph and people move right out of my
way, mistaking me for our friends in blue. So now, three speeding tickets later (one
at 120mph), me and my "Gold Dust" colored Diplomat make the 550 mile trip
between college and home several times a year with no complaints. My favorite part
about driving the "Golden Nugget" is that it's the only car I've driven that
will do 65 mph in first gear without having a coronary.
Jim Mason - 11/12/1998
(55) 1985 Chrysler Fifth Avenue - 115,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Added a leaf to each rear spring.
Bought the car used with 56K miles on. Ran well and needed very few repairs. I
just put a used rear end from an '86 Diplomat because it was getting noisy. I also
added a leaf to the rear springs to give it a little more height in the rear. It is
my second car and I use it sometimes to commute. It's rather good in the snow (with weight
in the trunk). The outer paint coat is chipping away though. The color is
"Gun barrel blue". I'm going to keep it and run it as long as it goes.
It's easy to work on and have access to junkyards if I need any parts for it. Plus
it's a comfortable car.
Dan Kucherich - 11/9/1998
(54) "The Bluesmobile" 1989 Dodge Diplomat -
141,000 mi.
Special Equipment - cop tires, cop shocks, and a 318 cubic inch plant.
Retired City of Columbus (Georgia) police cruiser I picked up in real good shape for
$1,500. Perhaps the only one of its kind with straight sheet metal (at least from
what I have read around here). It is capable of passing anything (except a gas
station), able to leap tall speed bumps in a single "KATHUMP", the spotlight is
bright enough to make hordes of illegal immigrants scramble from over 500 feet. Not
to mention no rear door handles and a partition cage to make my young nephews more easily
adjust to their future in transportation. Ah yes, a truly "super car" with
its only kryptonite being a G.M. feedback carb. More to come.
B.J. McCarthy - 11/8/1998
(53) "Christine" 1984 Chrysler Fifth Avenue -
112,000+ mi
Special Equipment - Front end modified by large Iowa deer.
I just got the car two weeks ago from the guy who hit the deer. He was going to take
it to the junkyard. I gave him the price the junkyard was going to give him.
It is in decent shape except for the deer damage. The hood and trunk lid look like
it was damaged by hail. It was originally silver but was painted a nice dark
red. The paint job was not very good, the paint is peeling and there are dry spots
in the paint. There is some rust in the driver's side fender and in the passenger
side rear wheel well. The driver's side fender will be replaced when I put on a
junkyard front panel and fender to repair the deer damage. The interior needs
cleaned but the leather seats and steering wheel are still fine. The 318 still runs
good but burns oil. I will be looking for a 360 to put in later and a 727
transmission.
Mark Zogg - 11/3/1998
(52) "Trooper" 1989 Dodge Diplomat AHB Police Pursuit
- 118,000 mi.
Completely stock. Brand new to me, originally a Phoenix, NY Police car (NE Syracuse,
NY). Owned by hillbilly, friend brought it back, abused it now I've rescued it. Serial
number 1B3XM26SXKW321214 318 4 bbl AHB Police Pursuit Package -NB: had "DWI"
stickers on roof posts!
Tony McLean - 11/2/1998
MoPar Experience
(51) "Rufus" 1986 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg -
783,692 mi.
Rufus was my emergency response vehicle. We went a lot of miles together.
Many of them at speeds greater than 115 MPH. He was white, 318 4bbl. He
started life in Miami as a cruiser. He ended in life as an emergency response
vehicle. I worked for EMS in another county. I used him to get there in record
time several days. I would get called at home and have to respond 51 miles away.
I was then a supervisor. Rufus was awakened one morning at 3:00 AM. He
gave it his all. We responded to a major MVA [motor vehicle accident] on the interstate.
He was looking exceptionally fine, wig-wag, rear deck strobes, a Q2B [mechanical windup
siren] under the hood (don't ask it was not easy putting it there), SVP siren, Federal
Electronic siren (yes he had 3 sirens), 2 chrome federal speakers on the front bumper
(with an extension plate), red & white MX7000 light bar, a Mini Edge light bar
in rear
window, also a BackFlash on the rear brake and reverse lights. You could see Rufus
coming a mile away. Well on that fateful morning Rufus passed on to the great Dodge
dealer in the sky. With all the equipment on him a trucker claimed he did not see him.
He hit Rufus!!!!!! Rufus was parked in the median!! After the collision
Rufus' gas tank exploded, thus wounding him beyond recognition. Rufus passed on but
his memory will always be in my heart. He gave his all to save the lives of many
humans whom he never knew.
Chris Hughes -
10/31/1998
Serious Undertaking
(50) "The Cheeseler" 1987 Chrysler Fifth Avenue
- 200,000+ mi.
Special Equipment - 360, HD 727, HD 8 1/4 Suregrip, ECU conversion.
My car has seen most of the Eastern Canadian seaboard and never let me down. Even
when, after installing my police spec'd rebuilt 360 into her, I blew two teeth out of the
pinion gear in my originally stock 7 1/4" axle, it got me home. I really enjoy
working on the car because it's so satisfying to save money and do it right and rub the
savings in my GM buddy's noses. I love to hear them say "that can't be cheaper
than my Chev's calipers". Well read the invoice and weep buddy. I paid 3
grand Canadian for my '87 in '92 and comparable '87 Chev Scraprice classics were
commanding ten grand. Many people are GM sheep to the slaughter, not knowing about
the affordability of the last generation of Chrysler rear wheel drives. Oh well,
less competition for the rest of us buying them up for next to nothing.
Malcolm Hamilton -
10/29/1998
(49) "Gomer" 1986 Plymouth Gran Fury - 56,000
Mi.
I'm a Cop here in Iowa, I bought it from a 70 year old guy who bought it at auction for
his kid to drive to school. He never got it to run good (the carb needed overhaul).
Bought it for $500 in mint condition. Some punk kids vandalized it for $600
damage. It is rust free and has "special modification" stickers all over
the firewall!! Radar-ed it at 142 MPH, so fast! Had plenty of pedal
left!! Our hot Crown Vics can't touch it. 318ci Quadrajet 4bbl w/special
computer system with torque limiter, so you won't spin the tires. I put VR rated
wide tires on it and talked to the Plymouth dealer. They had never seen one like
this. It was a special order for the US gov. 3-1/2" single exhaust, Quadrajet
carb, full computer system, dual rear shock mounts. KEWL!!
Steve - 10/25/1998
(48) 1976-89 Volares, Aspens, Diplomats, Gran Furys, LeBarons,
Fifth Avenues - 92,000-317,000 mi.
Taxis!!!!!! Some wrecked in taxi service, some still in taxi service, some ready for taxi
service, some junked to keep others on road.
47) 1982 Dodge Diplomat Police Pkg - 200,000 mi.
My dad bought this car for $300 when his Datsun wagon broke down in Northern CA.
The tow truck guy told him he just wanted to get rid of it. It has no interior paneling or
lining, the seats are badly covered, 3 out of 4 door handles are broken, and when we got
it, the trunk was filled with ants. It is a 318 police edition, with a nice 4
bbl. First time my dad drove it on the freeway after that little Datsun, he realized
that he was going about 110 and didn't even have the pedal to the floor. Her flaw
is that she shakes rather violently when you decelerate and in between 70-90. My dad
is buying a minivan tomorrow and I inherit her. Once three Mexican guys offered my
mom a thousand dollars for her. She needs some TCL and a new interior, but she runs
like a dream and starts every time.
JT Justman - 10/22/1998
(46) "Highland Village General Lee" 1985 Dodge
Diplomat Salon - 120,000 km.
Special Equipment - None yet.
I had it on the road for three hours, after I got it inspected, and got pulled over by the
police. For spinning my tires.
Geoff Wenham -
10/18/1998
(45) "Christine" or "Gran-ma-ma" 1987
Plymouth Gran Fury Salon - 115,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Spotlight, Panasonic CD player, Pioneer and Kenwood
speakers.
I too bought my car from HIGH PERFORMANCE MOTORCARS of NOKESVILLE VA. I bought it
with 105k on the odometer. I put my CD player in last year with a pair of Pioneer
5x7 inch speakers in the back. Last week I put a set of 4 inch Kenwood component
speakers in the doors. That was very hard to do. I hope to put a 5 speed in
along with a new carb. I need to get some stiffer shocks and better tires
first. I will paint my car a brighter white and get new mufflers too. If you
ever see a white GF tearing through Warrenton VA, honk your horn. No accidents yet.
I hope to keep it that way!
Mike Cross -
10/16/1998
(44) "Soopa-Fly-Ghetto-Ride-Bucket-O'-Hoopdee" 1987
Dodge Diplomat Salon - 170087 mi.
Special Equipment - Fuzzy Dice, Sheepskin Wheel Cover, Crushed Velvet
Tiger Fabric Interior, CD Player.
My friend thinks he's a badass whenever he's driving his dad's Nissan 240 SX
Convertible. So once, we decided to have a little race out of a stoplight. His
puny 4 cylinders were no match for my mighty 318cc. I punked his b****-a** real good.
Now he knows who's got the pimp-ride.
Charlie Howle - 10/14/1998
Update on previous
registration
(25) "Nina" 1983 Dodge Diplomat Salon Sedan - 219,000+
mi.
Easter Sunday this past year - driving to the grocery to pick up more food... Tooling
along at 35 mph (speed limit) when the left upper control arm decides to snap in two just
above a brand new ball joint. The result of this was a mangled Michelin and bent
wheel. Luckily for the car and I, there was no traffic to speak of, as the handling
characteristics of a Diplomat reduced to using only 75% of its front end parts are very
quickly turned into "what the car wants to do." We made a sharp left
shortly before the tire said goodbye, and the power steering did not make a difference at
that point. She was towed home and immediately repaired. Later (about a month
and a half ago), the right side upper control arm bent itself at a 90 degree angle at a
rather hard landing at 45 mph. The results were not quite so disastrous, but the car
once again immediately responded. She (with me playing the hold on game) grazed a
post and ruined her last good front fender, thus ruining my attitude for the day. We
drove home and she was repaired the next day.
Phil Johnson -
10/14/1998
(43) "Atomic Pickle" 1979 Dodge Diplomat Sedan
- 173000 km.
Special Equipment - Chassis and body lightening (lots of rust).
The best pizza delivery car I ever drove - never broke down, fast, a little hard on gas
(13 mpg). Very smooth on landings (Dukes of Hazzard was my favorite TV show)
Greg Hynes - 10/10/1998
(42) 1988 Dodge Diplomat Police Package - 190,000 mi.
Special Equipment - bulletproof, 4-tons weight, special SWAT's car.
It's one of only two Diplomats in Poland (central Europe). I bought this car one
year ago from Special Forces of Polish Police. I have a six-way stereo system with
10 track CD (Blaupunkt), GPS position indicator, CB-radio and Ivory leather
interior. Body color is Snow-white.
Jerzy Ko'can - 10/5/1998
Non M-body registration
(41) "Joan" 1977 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham 4-door hardtop
- 80,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Spoke chrome hubcaps.
I got my New Yorker in Missouri, where salt is not used on roads (like in Michigan, where
I live). It is a beautiful car in excellent condition, and runs great. I am
collecting it as an investment, so I keep it in the garage. I love to take it for
cruises, and laugh at people cramped in their Geos and Hondas. It has a 440 engine,
fender skirts, concealed headlamps, fine Corinthian tufted leather, and a vinyl-covered
roof. It's one of the most luxurious cars on the road.
Jon - 10/4/1998
(40) 1989 Dodge Diplomat Police Package - 130,000 mi.
Special Equipment - All the "duty" equipment. 4bbl, bucket
seats, heavy-duty suspension, cop wheels, cop shocks, etc...
Seems that the police package cars last the longest doesn't it? I am the third owner
of this car, a refugee from the Orange County Fl. Sheriff's Department, when they upgraded
(?) to LTD's. This car has literally been beat to death. I don't think there's a
straight panel anywhere on it! It's had two really good hits in the right rear
quarter, replaced front clip, one new windshield (that's how I found out the entire car
was bent!), and the carb & ignition were replaced with an AFB & a Unilight.
The steering's sloppy and the tranny finally croaked. But all in all, it has got to
be one of the toughest, best built cars ever to come out of Detroit. My '89 police
mustang NEVER would have taken this kind of abuse. I think Chrysler also used to
build tanks, which explains where the MPG and curb weight figures come from...
Keith Jambura -
10/2/1998
(39) "White Lightning" 1989 Dodge Diplomat 4 door
Salon Police Package - 34,658 mi.
Special Equipment - Owner installed eight track player.
It seems like forever that my family was a Diplomat family. One of the first cars I
remember was the car everyone in our family has driven, an '85 Salon. It's gray and
has a dent in the front fender, can get in only from the passenger side and the sway-bar
is going out. "Stonewall" is still running hard. Have taken it to
the "M" on the speedometer. Mom drives an 1988 Salon SE. Dad bought
it for her so I could drive Stonewall. Mom's car and Stonewall are still stock 318 2
bbl's. My brother had a '79 two door that we would run the hell out of until he hit
a bridge and ended it. My first car was an '88 Salon bought from the county
yards. Cost me $650. Nice car, did everything in it. Raced it, jumped
over roads just like the Dukes of Hazzard. Jumped clean over the Highway once with
five buddies. Tranny went out once, had it rebuilt but the car "Betsy"
wasn't the same. Installed the 8-track in there first, then in April fell asleep and
took out the driver's side windows and windshield. Right after, I got the car back
from hitting a deer. After putting a new windshield and doors on it, got a cracked
head and after fighting it for a while bought my current car a 1989 Salon Police
Package. Bought it at the same county yards I got Betsy from. Mom's car is
white, Betsy was blue, Stonewall is gray and White Lightning is white. Whitey, as I
call him, still has faint markings of the Sheriff's decal on the doors. Not sure if
you can say it is police package, but it has a dash pad down to the right side and the
ashtray is on the passenger side. Also the speedometer reads 120 but the best I've gotten
is 105. Betsy did run fast though, Highway Patrol clocked me with 87 in a 55, but I
got off. I am currently driving Whitey to college and it gets fair mileage.
Raced it against a Beretta, Chevy C1500, and a F-250 and beat them. Whitey has a
2bbl, I think the cops took the 4 bbl off. I love my Diplomats. I get a lot of
crap but I know that they can run like hell. As one of my friends says, it's just a
kick a** car. Whitey also has the number 75 on the trunk near the key hole. It
needs some paint work and I might put in a 4 bbl, but not until after college. I am
wanting to sell Betsy. I let her go for $500. But I want the tires so I can
use them. Let me know if you want to buy it for a demo or to do an engine swap for a
racer or parts. But you have to take the whole car. Diplomats RULE!!!
Wes Griffin - 10/01/1998
(38) 1984 Chrysler 5th Avenue
Bought my first 5th 2 years ago with 140,000 miles. Leather, sunroof, etc... Who
couldn't fall for this car? Motor failed catastrophically at 160,000, so I used a
donor van for a transplant. A 72 440, 8 3/4 rear end, and a 727 trans added to the
recipe makes for a toy that makes 5.0 mustangs taste like chicken! OK, so I only get
14 MPG now, but it's worth it.......
Dave - 10/01/1998
(37) "Madeline" 1986 Dodge Diplomat 4-door Salon
- 140,000 miles
Special Equipment - Carter AFB, no computer, dual exhaust.
Our car is the 6th member of the family. She is currently awaiting a 360 to give us
more leverage over Camaro and Mustang idiots. She has the look of an unmarked cop
car, with the cop slots and dog-dish hubcaps. Many people have been embarrassed
by
our maroon marauder. With 3 car seats in the back, the girlfriends of these lesser
cars are continuously hanging in shame.
Matt and Stephanie Vail - 9/30/1998
(36) 1981 Chrysler LeBaron Police Package - 138,000 mi.
This is one of the RARE '81 LeBarons with the police package, and it doubles my M-Body
collection; I have an '86 Gran Fury also listed here. I bought it for $250 in
Bernie, Missouri this past June. As my grandfather said, it looks like the hind-end
of hard times. It has a 318 2 bbl, a blue vinyl interior, the body has been painted
a blue primer all over, the left rear door glass is broken out, the hood was warped
incredibly, the trunk lid looked like someone had used a ball-peen hammer on it, and the
windshield is plexi-glass. It runs great, starts easier than does my '86 GF, but it
still needs lots of attention. There is no rust on it anywhere. I guess this
is about the only car listed here that isn't being driven regularly, but this condition is
only temporary.
Jason Shafer - 9/26/1998
(35) 1978 Dodge Diplomat Wagon
When I was a child, my mother had a 1978 Diplomat Station Wagon. I really loved that
car. I really want to find one in any condition. If you can help me, please
e-mail me. Thank you so much.
James Dupre - 9/24/1998
(34) "Hooter" 1985 Dodge Diplomat Police Package
- 200,000 mi.
Special Equipment - 318 V8, police push bars, zig zag headlights and
police spotlight.
I purchased the Hoot from a police auction in Detroit, Michigan in 1996 for $800.
She was an ex-Detroit police car, with an oxidized baby-blue finish and American flag
stickers on the side in front of the front doors. She still had the original police
switchbox inside and the headlight flashers still worked, as did the spotlight on the
side. She was a good car for a long time, but in Michigan, the weather can be rough
on vehicles, and wear and tear was starting to appear on the car.
When I first bought the car I did a complete overhaul on the brakes to get them in top
condition, as well as new Goodyear GA rubber. She was a screaming machine. I
drove the car up to Flint, Michigan to Auto City Speedway to race it in the
"Spectator Drags" where all you need is a car and a helmet (I had to borrow a
helmet). I raced the car and lost, and ran the oil sump dry in the process.
Driving back to the parking lot with no oil pressure and I had lost one of the caliper
bolts on the right side, so when I put pressure on the brake, the whole caliper would
slide forward with a loud clunk and then shake to a stop. I figured we could limp
the hour back to my house without a problem. Unfortunately on the way home, the same
bolt came out from the other side. Now the car was in rough shape, and we barely
made it home. I had to buy new bolts from the Dodge dealer and they soaked me $5 for
each one. I bought extras.
After that, it was usually less expensive to pull a non-vital broken piece off the car
than to replace or fix it. One day I picked up a friend to go out to lunch, and upon
exiting his driveway the car became VERY loud. One of the mufflers on the dual
exhaust system had fallen off and was dragging under the car. Now of course I cannot
drive the car like this, so we proceeded to bend the crap out of the dangling metal to get
it to come off. It took a few minutes to yank off the muffler, and we were on our
way.
Soon after, I found myself with an overheating engine and stranded 1/2 hour from my
house. I left the car there thinking this may be the end. The lower radiator hose
had split on the radiator side and had leaked all the coolant from the engine. With
a regular screwdriver and a knife, I took the hose off, cut out the damaged section, and
put the same hose right back on the car. It runs to this day like that.
Towards the end of my time with the car, the power steering pump had a crack and was
leaking terribly. I spent several dollars buying quarts of heavy motor oil to pour
into the reservoir to be able to steer the car around town.
But alas, all things must come to an end, and when I purchased a newer car, the Hoot had
to go. In the middle of winter, she was not doing well. I had not driven her
for a few weeks, and she would not start. The city had also given me a pre-ticket warning
that trash was not allowed to sit in front of my house for more than a week. With
the "Racing Fever-Catch It...Auto City Speedway" bumper sticker fading and
peeling, I did what I had to do and called the local scrapyard. They gave me $40 for
it and towed it away. Shed not a tear however, because she has been resurrected. The
scrapyard guys got her running again and used her to haul parts back and forth, and a
sighting on the car two weeks ago puts her a few miles north of me with a new owner.
Eric Culling -
9/23/1998
(33) "StreetMachine" 1987 Plymouth Gran Fury
- 130,000 mi.
The "StreetMachine" was a granny car until I rescued it from a garage.
People often joke that it looks like something a nun would drive. I reply,
"You're right . . they're in the trunk."
Todd Plesco - 9/22/1998
(32) "Ghost" 1989 Chrysler Fifth Avenue -
85,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Blackouts on headlights, Mopar Performance stickers
on back window, Pioneer tape deck.
This is the fourth car that I own, after a 1987 Dodge Omni, 1994 Dodge Shadow, and 1986
Chrysler LeBaron K-car. It is by far my favorite car. It is the biggest, and
has the biggest engine. I dig the V-8, even though it isn't the fastest car on the
street. I would like to put 340 heads on the stock 318, an Edelbrock intake and a
Holley 700 cfm four barrel on it, dual exhaust, and five spoke rims to make it one heck of
a sleeper. I would also like to tint the windows pretty dark and repaint it
soon. I have gotten many comments on the car. Everyone likes it. But
what really surprises me is how many more I have gotten on the stock interior. It
is a VERY comfortable ride. Chrysler sure got something right with these cars.
I would appreciate anyone who has interest in these cars to email me.
Chris Woller - 9/4/1998
(31) "Max" 1978 Dodge Diplomat Coupe -
192,067 mi.
Special Equipment - MP Electronic Ignition, Dynomax Super Turbo Muffler,
freeflow Cat., polished heads w/3 angle valve job, MSD Blaster2 Coil, Summit Timing Chain
w/4 degree advance, Sealed Power Camshaft w/lifters, and a LOUD air horn.
Hi all! I am a proud owner of a 1978 Dodge Diplomat. It is a Maroon/White 2-Door
with power everything and over 192k. I purchased this car in Sept. of '95 just to
get around in. It was in fairly good shape but with a lot of oil leaks and some
rust. The Body is in decent condition despite the hole in the rear quarter
panel! This turned out to be a pretty good and reliable car. Last summer, I
performed a minor overhaul of the engine. To date, I replaced all engine gaskets,
timing chain, water pump, fuel pump, belts, alternator, camshaft, and lifters. I
also rebuilt the 2-barrel carb and, since the heads were off, removed all carbon deposits.
Just recently, I converted the A/C to r-134a (A whopping $35 done by myself
compared to the $150 I paid two years ago for a mechanic to charge it with R-12).
When I first got the car, it barely made 70 mph and got a whopping 12/15 mpg
local/highway. Since the minor overhaul and the fairly recent upgrade to MP's
Electronic ignition, I can now get the car over 100mph (speedo's limit) with no problem and
an average 23 mpg with an occasional jump to 25mpg on long trips. I used to have to
fill up after 150 miles. Now, I can go 265 miles between fill ups! A HUGE
difference, especially on those monthly Amoco bills!! My car gets more looks and
interests than these newer cars! I also get a kick when I run light to light against
these newer cars. I just slam Max (my daughter named him) into first and peel out!
Due to the standard 318 2V, they can pass me quite easily after 85 mph. When the
engine blows, I'll throw in a 360 with an Edelbrock intake and a Carter AFB 4 barrel.
We'll see who passes who!
Victor Dumeng - 8/25/1998
(30) 1979 Dodge Diplomat 2 door
Justin Wiese - 8/24/1998
(29) "The Cruiser" 1987 Dodge Diplomat AHB Police
Package - 151,000 mi.
Special Equipment - Twin spots, Polygraphite front-end upgrade.
A fine vehicle, a true "cop-car". Get all the details (as I add them) on
my Cruiser Restoration Page at: http://geocities.com/pentagon/6205/cruiser.htm.
Alan Sease - 8/24/1998
(28) "TBD" 1988 Plymouth Gran Fury Salon Police
Package - 69,870 Mi.
Special Equipment - 318 4bbl interceptor, additional tuned coil over
shock suspension, HD anti-sway bars, oil cooler, trans cooler, power steering cooler,
6-hole rims with 215/70R15 Goodyear Eagle GT +4's.
I picked this car up from High Performance Motors in Nokesville, VA on Sat 8/22 (I now
have 3 running M-bodies!). It is an ex-Richmond, VA Sheriff's unmarked car.
The car had 69,197 miles on it. I drove it 635 miles from there to Eastpointe, MI
(Detroit area). This car is GREAT! I averaged 17.4 mpg with an average speed of
about 70mph (posted speed limits). The body is in almost perfect condition.
The interior is a little tired, needs a new headliner, the sun and heat have taken their
toll on her. The performance is not quite what I expected (but then again it is not
the 300+hp 360 I have in the 84 Diplomat!) but performs admirably. I think I need to
put a new carb. on her. This one bogs out on takeoff if I floor it, also stalls
sometimes when i come to a stop. Will restart no problem and then stays
running. A Camaro thought he was going to pass me to cut me off for an exit this
morning....NOT! I have plans to dress her out with spot lights, push bars, back seat
cage, shotgun rack, light bar (depending on markings used), radios, siren, flashing
headlights and tail lights. I haven't decided if I am going to put markings of the
original department or one of my choice. Either way this GF is going to be one for
the Police car club shows. Check in on the Forum page for the updates.
Tom Adams - 8/24/1998
(27) "Daphne" 1987 Chrysler Fifth Avenue -
161,000 mi.
It occurred to me rather suddenly that neither of my M bodies are on my own web
site. We bought Daphne in November of 1997, apparently as the third owner.
She's got every option listed in the owner's manual save the sunroof. Main
difference from Farley is all of the power everything seems to give the car more things to
break, and I've been getting a little frustrated tracking down all the annoying things
that quit working but take only fifteen minutes to fix. Overall an OK car, but no
way could she ever replace Farley.
Frank Billington - 8/24/1998
(26) "Farley" 1979 Dodge Diplomat Sedan -
297,500 mi.
Special Equipment - Red/white DashLaser M, 100 watt siren, wig-wags, rear
deck red and amber tear-drop lights, fog lights, CB radio, fire band two way radio.
I really don't have much to put here since this web site is built around Farley in the
first place, but at least he's on the registry now.
25) "Nina" 1983 Dodge Diplomat
Salon Police Package - 218,136 mi.
Special Equipment - Full police package, owner-added AM/FM stereo.
Bought her in February '97 to replace a long-lost Dart (stolen). Gave $800 for her,
and most of my friends still think it's too much to give for a retired cop car that had
199,572 miles showing on the odometer... But she refuses to die, and continually shames
newer cars anywhere above the legal limit. Bodywork will be less extensive than
originally anticipated, so that is a plus. Still missing small stuff like 6-hole
wheels, push bars, and spotlight, but those are the details right now.
Phil Johnson - 8/14/1998
(24) 1985 Dodge Diplomat Sedan
Special Equipment - Police lights in the grill, super wide tires.
My Diplomat was used as an inspector's car for the Capitol Hill Police, then I bought it
from a police auction, it only had 52,000 miles on the car.
Joe Close - 8/6/1998
(23) 1988 Plymouth Gran Fury Salon Sedan Police Package
- 141,000 mi.
Special Equipment - 318/4 bbl carb. Fully loaded with all the options to
include airbag.
I picked this car up at an abandoned car auction in Tacoma, WA in Feb 1998 for $110.
All I had to do to get it running was replace the spark plug wires and jump it. Although
it still needs some work to bring it back to top shape, I've put over 3000 miles on the
car since I got it with no further work. Best $110 I ever spent!
22) 1979 Dodge Diplomat Medallion Sedan
- 119,000 mi. (engine 30,000)
Special Equipment - Posi Rear-end, I'm not sure of the ratios
though. 318-2bbl.
I figured I'd add some detail to my last post so here it is. My dad bought our
Diplomat back in 1985, I don't know how many miles were on it back then. We drove it
straight for three years and did some heavy traveling with it as he closed restaurants in
various stores for Ames after they bought out Murphy Mart which my dad was a restaurant
manager for. Anyway around May or June of 1988 on the way back returning from
Greensburg, PA to Riverdale, MD we blew the oil pump out of our 318 pretty close to
Breezewood. Got the car towed back to Greensberg and had another Engine put in
it. The engine had 30k on it when we got it and I have pretty good reasoning that
this engine came out of a cop car some where along the line. :> Anyway after the
new engine was dropped in, the car developed some electrical problems and was parked with
the notion to fix it when we came back on vacation. This never happened. So
here we are after ten years of it sitting in my Grandmother's yard. I started it last
summer with the help of a few friends and got pretty far along with it. For sitting
for ten years the frame shows hardly any rust. I attribute this mainly to the fact that it
was Z-Barred. The transmission has about 20k on it. It was replaced about a year
before the engine went. Currently my car has been moved to our local mechanic to
finish off the brake system and a few other minor details. I'll send you a few
pics
when she's done. Laterz for now though.
Jesse C. Smillie - 7/30/1998
(21) 1985 Dodge Diplomat Sedan SE -
60,000 mi.
One reliable car, fully loaded I think it weighs in at 5k?
John - 7/30/1998
(20) 1977 Chrysler Lebaron 2 Door - 77,000 mi.
Special Equipment - 1970 340 TA Six Pack 8 3/4 Rear.
The car is like the day it was on the floor at a NJ Dealer.
Steven Stecchini - 7/26/1998
(19) 1979 Dodge Diplomat Special Order - 100,000 km.
Special Equipment - E-58, hd 727, 81/4 sure grip, tranny cooler,
pscooler. Big brakes.
This car is now dead. I was hit by a kid in a stolen GM at 130 km/hr. I have
the drive train...and the memories.
Greg Haza - 7/25/1998
(18) 1984 Dodge Diplomat Salon - 172,000 mi.
Special Equipment - HD front anti-sway bar, rear anti-sway bar, driver's
side spot light, Setina 12" pushbars, Code 3 MX7000 light bar, traffic flasher,
traffic backer, 300+hp 360cid, headers, duel 2.5 in stainless exhaust.
I bought the car in April 1988 while still in college with 68k miles. Car was a state car
(not police) with a lean burn 318 2bbl. I added the HD front and rear swaybars,
cruise control, Reeseclass III trailer hitch, trans fluid cooler, and spotlight soon after. In
spring of 1989 the car received its first accident. An older gentleman pulled out in front
of me with a 2 week old K-car, T-boned pass side of his car. He got the ticket, ins fixed
my car ($1700) didn't look like that much, but I had all new parts: grill, bumper, bumper
shocks, fiberglass nose etc. After I got it back I added the push bars. The gas tank
rusted
through in 1993, replaced with lifetime ReNue tank ($135) same price as steel. No problems
until Nov. 1995, at 159,000 miles the trans gave out, $466, rel. of a friend. Did the rear
end next month, I had had a leak and let it run low, picked up a Howell, all new $485, same
place. This is where the story turns to a living bad dream. I rebuilt the front
suspension end of May/first of June 1996. All new ball joints, tie-rod ends, shocks,
upper/lower control arm bushings. Had the car on the road for 2 weeks, on June 22, 1996,
rear main oil seal gives out on way to work 8am Monday morning (171,000 miles). Motor was
still OK, still was getting 16-18 mpg in city and 22-26 hwy with occasional 30-32mpg hwy.
Decided it was time to put a few extra ponies under the hood, give it the go it looked
like it should have. Ordered a 360 from so called reputable shop. Five months later it was
ready. Another 2 months for me to pull and install, along with a little sandblasting and
repainting the front under body rails. Also took opportunity to replace steering gear box
and idler arms. I did all the custom installation work with the help of a couple of close
friends. Included oil filter relocator, trans lines rerouting away from headers,
additional oil press and water temp gauges, and a sun-tach on the dash center. Ignition
was upgraded to a MOPAR Performance electronic w/distributor. I drove the car for 3 days,
then had my friend who was our groups carb expert, take the car to set the Holly 750cfm
4bbl and timing. On the last test drive (I wasn't with him) some bonehead hits him in left
rear quarter, with an S-10 pu. This is Feb. 7, 1997. He got the info and tried to get the
guy to wait for the cops, didn't and when they did show (1.5hrs later) told by friend that
if I needed a report to come get it myself. Damages estimated at $3200. The ins comp sent
an appraiser out to look at the car. They finally agreed not to total the car for a
partial cash settlement. I took it to my cousin's body shop, he cut me deal but I would
have to wait until work slowed down a little as he would be doing the work himself. No
problem. Well, 13 months after I take it to him, he finally starts working on it. Only to
have a large tree in the lot get blown over on it in a storm on 5/31/1998. The damage is a
roof, headliner, trunk lid, and possibly the trunk latch reinforcement. Also the pass
mirror was broken during tree removal. He claims the car is a total loss. I don't. I have
an 87 that I bought for parts for the previous damage. All I need outside of it is the
headliner (wrong color). So now I wait to see what is liability ins. is going to do. I'll
update when I can.
Tom Adams - 6/18/1998
(17) 1986 Dodge Diplomat SE - 75,000 mi
Special Equipment - Traffic flasher, Code 3LP lightbar
I picked this car up in October 1997. I spotted it for sale along the road.
Thought it looked nice so I stopped and checked it out. Was in good shape, only 66k
miles, and since I didn't know when my '84 was going to be fixed and the 90 Ramcharger was
expensive to operate, I picked it up for $1300. I put a new 2bbl pre-emissions carb,
MOPAR Performance electronic ignition and distributor, new shocks, and had to replace the
rusted gas tank, same ReNue tank as '84 Diplomat. Also put the light bar and
flashers on it (was on Volunteer Fire Dept till recently, change in job, looking for new
dept.) Car is everyday driver and runs well. Love the air conditioning, 84
didn't have that! Mileage is not as good as the 84's 318, 12-15mpg city and 16-22
hwy, depending on conditions and my foot's position. No plans to hop this one up, just
drive it for a few 100,000 miles till it's just a little dust in the wind.
Tom Adams - 6/18/1998
(16) 1986 Plymouth Gran Fury 4 door sedan - 100,750 mi
Special Equipment - Bone Stock (318 4 barrel)
I just bought this car in March 1998. It belonged to the Comanche County, Oklahoma
Sheriff's Department (Ft. Sill area), and it has never been marked...it was used to serve
arrest warrants. I have put nearly 4000 miles on it in just under 3 months; it had
been sitting in a garage for two years before I bought it. I fired it up and drove
it over 500 miles back to my house. I have had to replace the water pump, starter,
and U-joints. The front end was also way out of alignment. I just took it on a
1200 mile trip to Arkansas, and it performed flawlessly and got nearly 20 mpg.
Performance tip: Disconnect the cold air intake hose (don't plug it), and flip the
breather lid upside down. It shortens the life of the air filter, but the car runs
immensely better and gets better mileage. Chrysler put this in a service bulletin to
police departments in the late 1980's. It's a fabulous car, and it has been able to
get Porsche drivers to slow down and take notice.
Jason Shafer - 6/10/1998
(15) 1984 Dodge Diplomat 318 Police Package - 174,000
mi
Special Equipment - Edelbrock Carbuerator, Posi-Rear End Cooled Oil, LOTS
OF chrome.
When I was 14 years old, I belonged to the local volunteer fire department's explorer post
(boy scouts). One day upon responding to a rescue call with my father, we sighted a
firetruck-yellow diplomat with chrome American Racing Rims and the words "New Haven Fire Chief" painted on the doors. Immediately, I fell
in love with the new car, apparently our chiefs doings, since he owned a car lot. I
said to my father, "Dad, someday I'll own that car". Hey what do ya now?
By the time I turned 17 the chief had retired, and the car did the same onto his
lot for $900. So, I scrimped and saved, and picked up this glorious Diplomat.
Come to find out it was an 84 Police Package, a retired Maryland State Police car,
resurrected from the auction block, and babied by the chief. I ended up with a lot
of repairs over the past few years. The Tranny went, the brakes, the idler arm,
radiator, carburetor. But, what could I say, I was in love with my car. How
could I not be? It took me from upstate NY to Boston and back 4 times, and never
really gave me any serious problems that left me stranded. And,
racing, man does it fly. With the posi rear end, the new Edelbrock carb., cooled
oil, and all those other nice extras, I had no problem toasting (even off the line) those
sissy 70's Chevelles, and the punk Camaro patrol, and don't forget the 5.0 Mustang club.
All these victories and no exhaust led to its naming of "The Flying Death
Machine". The fire department didn't take so well to it though. Booted me out
when I refused to paint it. Then they notified the local police, and in such a small town
the tickets began to flow in. Finally I was forced to paint some cheesy flames over
the writing. So, despite the fact that over the past two years my 174,000 mile
Diplomat has managed to get me pulled over 24 times, and produced 14 moving violations in
two different states, I still love it, and plan to drive it forever and a day.
Cheezy Flames, monthly repairs, weekly traffic violations and all.
14) 1986 Dodge Diplomat SE - 116,000
mi
Almost flawless mechanically. Very nice car. The paint is, as is too typical, a
little faded. The interior is just about perfect.
Adam Taylor - 6/8/1998
(13) 1979 Dodge Diplomat Medallion
I just purchased (here in Bellingham, WA) a 1979 Dodge Diplomat Medallion for $765. It
runs great, has only 76,000 miles on it (318 V8). Electric sun roof, windows and locks
(they all work). AM/FM 8-track stereo works! It's a two-door sedan. Black w/red
interior. Interior needs help, body is in relatively good shape. My brother has a 1977
Diplomat w/about 90,000 original miles. Runs great too.
[email protected] - 5/12/1998
(12) 1983 Dodge Diplomat Police Package
I was the proud owner of a 1983 Dodge Diplomat police package. I drove the hell out
of that car and it always treated me good. I mounted a Carter thermoquad 4bbl in
place of the 2 bbl. With the dual exhaust and 12 inch tires in the back it would do about
110mph. It still had the dual spotlights in it and I mounted some small police band
antennas on the roof. I loved cruising down the street and see people slow down
thinking I was a cop, I even had the pleasure of seeing a couple people pull over if I
followed too close. My tendency to speed and the negligence of the other driver got
me in trouble though. I actually cried when I got out and looked her over, the car I
hit was some small import that was nearly bent in half! While mine had only
sustained some front end damage, a torn up radiator and cracked timing cover.
"Fortunately no-one was hurt" but alas I had no money to fix her up and I
scrapped her. I have been searching for another one along the lines of 1980-1985
Diplomat or Gran Fury and cannot seem to find one! If anyone in the Detroit area has
one or knows where I can get one please e-mail me! Thank you!
Luke - 5/12/1998
(11) 1986 Dodge Diplomat Police Package
I've owned an '86 Diplomat police package for about four years now. I bought it with
39,000 miles on it and now she's got 63,000. This car is great and by far the best of the
best. Its got the 318 V8 w/ 4 bbl carb and the classic "dog dish" hub caps. I
wish the boys at Chrysler Corp. would put the m-bodies back into production.
Chris - 5/8/1998
(10) 1979 Dodge Diplomat
A couple years ago, I replaced my piece of junk 1981 Toyota Corolla (toy-auto crayola as
it was known), with an exceptionally large and ugly 1979 Diplomat. It was called
the "dippy" by my friends shortly after I acquired it. I rebuilt the 318,
and installed some extra lights so far, with a black and white paint job coming up in the
future. I bought the car from a friend, who was only the second owner. The
original owner was a retired cop; and lucky enough for me, the car was well maintained,
and is a heavy duty police package model. The carb has been replaced with a
thermo-quad. Also, due to the fact that the car has spent most of it's days in the
Southern Utah/Arizona desert, there is virtually no rust what-so-ever. But the
car's paint is in bad shape; greenish, with white doors. My car looks fairly similar
to yours. (I noticed the orange lights in front of the grill -- are they turn signals or
fog lights?). I installed some really bright quartz halogens (yellow ones too, since
i can't do red and blue) in front of the grill, and I've also installed some white xenon
lights on the corners of the front bumper. (and as a little quirk, I've installed some
yellow lights identical to the front on the back bumper to blind tail-gators, etc..)
So this car can really blind people at night. And it also casts an interesting
profile if I drive around without headlights and just the ditch lights. I've taken
the car out rallying and muddin' and it's like a truck. It's even seen some jeep
trails in Moab, Utah. And with cruise control, I can travel non-stop between St.
George and Salt Lake City, Utah with an average speed of 130mph. (that's what the
lights are for, since I do this in the middle of the night) As far as wrecks, I've
only had one; and luckily it was not my fault. But to put it in a couple words, a
1996 Honda Civic was completely destroyed, and all the damage to my car consisted of a
small dent and a torn-up hubcap. [nobody was hurt, but those two girls were shaken pretty
bad] their car was thrown (literally) about five to ten feet, and my CD player didn't even
skip, I can't decide whether to be proud of this or remorseful for causing so much
damage. I'm currently a Sophomore in Mechanical Engineering at University of Utah;
so the car doesn't see quite as much action anymore. But my dates love the car if I
can get them near it. And it's fast too, I've embarrassed most of the people that
live around me; trying to show me up in their new Mustangs, and Acuras. I can spin
the tires quite easily on dry pavement, which has caused me two tickets for exhibition
driving. (some people think that that involved mooning someone or something!) Also,
the car is very reliable. The only problems (in my 32000 miles) have been a
detonating starter, and a bolt on the pinion shaft (in the differential) that decided to
run free at around 120 mph. (nice... at least it only cost me $60 to have it fixed. I
would have done it myself, but this happened in some no-where town.) Anyways, it
looks like I finally found people that know the true power of the Dodge Diplomat.
Someday I will fully restore mine, and then those bratty Mustang owners will be forced to
get "MOPAR" tattoos as I beat them badly off the line. :P
Dan Flickinger - 5/4/97
(9) 1987 Dodge Diplomat
The first car I ever bought was a 1987 Dodge Diplomat. When I got is it already had over
100,000 miles on it. Now it has 140,000 miles. It is the most dependable thing I have ever
owned. It has gone through two wrecks already, but still looks like new (almost). The only
thing that I have had to replace is my radio that has just gone out. I still need to buy
speakers for the darn thing. The 4x10 that fit in the back are hard to come by in the
price range I am looking for. Other than that, every thing is good. I think I'll keep the
double "D" for a few more years.
Jim Martinez - 4/27/1998
(8) 1980 Dodge Diplomat Salon
Hi my name is Rich and I live in Conn. Five years ago my uncle give me a Dodge
Diplomat but it's a model I have never seen in my state. Its a 1980 two door which says S
Type on the small back windows. Its the original dark blue and has the 318 engine with
bucket seats AC and nice wheels. The car has 150K and still runs perfect. The body is also
in great shape.
Rich - 4/25/1998
1989 Dodge Diplomat SE
Adam Henderson - 4/23/1998
(7) 1979 Dodge Diplomat
Hello. This is Kim from Hegra in Norway. I have a Dodge Diplomat 1979 model
which I am very proud of. I have just switched from a V6 engine to a 318 which is
much better for my use!!! My car has run 75000 miles. It was imported from
California to Norway in 1982 and have since then run in Trondheim before I got the car
last year. I soon have to show my car to the expert year control, and then I expect
to buy some new parts and repair it, but I think that will be nice in the summer weather
coming to us now. A few weeks ago my Diplomat almost caught fire, because of the
headlight switch! I saw that my lights began to blink when the car shook after
driving into a hole, and then it came smoke up from the console. I stopped the car
and got out. It smelled pyton inside the car. Some hours afterwards when I got
out the switch, I saw that the headlight cable was almost uninsulated because of the heat,
and the switch smelled very bad and looked even worse. I have put in relays to take
the current to the headlights now, so I think the problem is under control now. That
was some words from me about my car, maybe I write to you later.
Kim Danielson - 4/20/1998
(6) 1986 Dodge Diplomat Police Package
I have a 1986 Diplomat police package. I love this car. The only problem is the carb
it is a quadrajunk. It has 106,000 and the motor runs great except for the gm
carb. I want to build the car to at least stomp mustangs and camaros. The body style
on these cars rule!
Scott "Screech" Ganshirt
- 4/19/1998
(5) 1984 Dodge Diplomat Police Package
Mine is a 1984 Diplomat with a police package. I have tweaked it just a little:
1973 340 engine, balanced, blueprinted, bored with 9.4-1 compression. Six pak type
exhaust manifolds with 2 1/4 inch duals and dyno-max mufflers. 2800 stall converter, hemi
governor (shifts at 5800 rpm in drive), 904 with low-ratio gear set. 8 3/4 rear-end out of
a 1965 b-body with 3.55 sure-grip. Steel rims all around with 225/60r on front and 255/60r
on back. Fun to drive. It has munched several mustangs, cameros, and 351sc
thunderbirds.
Dan Easterling - 4/15/1998
(4) 1984 Chrysler Fifth Avenue
It's a 1984 Chrysler Fifth Avenue. It currently has 110,000 kilometers (approx.
68,000 miles). It has power everything. It lacks the leather interior, but the
velour is a lot nicer than any car interior you can get today so I'm not missing out on
much.
Mike Taylor - 4/13/1998
Mike's Chrysler Fifth Avenue Page
(3) 1988 Dodge Diplomat Police Package
AC, Tilt, Pwr seats, Pwr Locks, rear Defroster. All Factory Equipment: Rochester 4
BBl Carb, Oil cooler, Transmission cooler
5 Core Radiator 727, Torque Flight Transmission, Sure Grip Diff, Police Suspension, Heavy
Duty Alternator & Battery.
Mil spec heat treating for engine block etc., due to the HD (Heav(1) 1979 Dodge Diplomat
HI I just saw your page and fell in love. I have a 79 dodge diplomat sedan
that
my dad left sitting in our yard ten years ago that after a summer and partial winter long
crusade is about to hit the pavement once again. Heh the only thing is I'm looking for
those tail light covers and man are they hard to find! Catch you laterz.
Jesse C. Smillie - 3/31/1998
y Duty) Designation.
Car has 117K on it. I have upgraded the Coil to an Accel Super Stock,
and put in Split Fire plugs and good wires. Replaced Gas tank with new one. I
run Goodyear F32 Tires on her all around. P225/70 15 (That's what the Police use) Its
been paid for for 5 (Five) years. Car runs best on 90 Octane. I will probably
get 300,000 out of my Dodge no Problem.
Eric Toll - 4/10/1998
(2) 1987 Dodge Diplomat
Hi, I've got an 87 Diplomat. You might have seen in on this site. I am Steve Knickerbocker
and, no, the car behind my Diplomat is not another M body but rather a 79 Newport, an R
body. My Diplomat currently has a 318 with a Holley Projection TBI system on it. I have
been gathering the parts I need to drop in a 360 and a 4 speed. I'll keep y'all up to
date.
Steve Knickerbocker
- 4/9/1998
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/2398/
(I updated the photo description - FB)
The Diplomat Registry formerly served as a place for owners of any Mopar M Body to submit their car's information for the record. The Registry has been replaced with the Showroom subsection of the discussion Forum. View the registration archives to see what other owners
have shared and get ideas on what to tell us when you fill out your own
entry in the Forum Showroom: For an even earlier archive, check out the archived registrations from Eric Plosky's old Diplomat Page. |
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