Must Sell: 1989 Chrysler TC by Maserati
Do you ever wonder who is still purchasing certain classes of vehicles in the hobby car world? While you can understand the ongoing acquisition of models like a Fox body Mustang or a Porsche 911, someone who seeks out a Chrysler TC by Maserati begs the question as to: why? If anything, it speaks to the ongoing allure that some cars and trucks manage to maintain even years after their introduction, and given the Chrysler TC wasn’t exactly a home run when new, seeing clean examples like this one in Rhode Island still pop up for sale speaks to its staying power. The seller claims he “must sell” and has listed the convertible for $4,900 firm.
Most of us know the story of the TC, which is a terrific example of how large corporations can sometimes (OK, oftentimes) over-complicate delivery of certain products. The TC was meant to give Chrysler a shot at competing against the likes of the Mercedes SL, but all it really did was cause the company to bleed red on its balance sheets. Extremely high costs to produce, certainly not helped by the bodies being produced in Italy and then shipped to the U.S. to receive the Dodge Daytona-derived powertrain, kept the car from achieving any measure of commercial success, along with the fairly tepid performance.
The Maserati touch was evident in the interior, which featured copious amounts of leather and thickly padded bucket seats. One of the intended key selling points of the TC was that buyers would be impressed by the high levels of luxury, and while there was a deep roster of recognized names in engine and chassis specialists responsible for supplying components, the overall impact of the Italian-American project was softer than expected. Wheels from Fondmetal, camshaft from Crane Cams, suspension components from Sachs, and so on made the car quite impressive on paper, but buyers didn’t exactly flock to the dealership.
The seller’s case comes with the factory hardtop, which actually isn’t that unusual; most owners of TCs have made a point to keep the factory hardtop with the car (of course, I doubt you’d find many buyers if you tried to sell it separately). The interior and the bodywork both appear to be in good shape, and with 77,000 miles, it’s been used more than most low-mileage time capsules. While there is a rare variant of the TC that came with a Maserati-supplied head and a manual transmission, this example is like so many others equipped with the automatic transmission and Dodge Daytona-spec inline-four. Would you snag this rare drop top for $5,000? Find it here on craigslist and thanks to Barn Finds reader Mitchell G. for the find.
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Comments
It not only caused Chrysler to bleed red on its balance sheet, it caused Maserati to bleed red with embarrassment. It’s the one car that the Italian car maker has amnesia about.
The car was damned by the stupid name alone! That said at that price it would make a decent daily driver..just dont tell folks “I’ve got a Maserati”..to me that’s like telling people your Speedster replica is a Porsche..
With the condition that I see in the pics, at least? This would be a cheap entry into the “classic” car hobby. Yeah, it muffed as a halo car for old Lee. But, you don’t see these cars in this condition very often. I looked at one, a couple of years ago, offered by the owner of a Chrysler dealer, with lower miles, but he was asking around $7,000, and it wasn’t in as good of shape as this one seems to be.
If it is the 4-cylinder, it’s worth it.
It is a 4-cylinder, but with the automatic that’d be a 2.2L Turbo II mill just like the Daytona (but slightly detuned), rather than the 16v Turbo “Maserati” engine (designed and cast at Cosworth, with cams by Crane, only assembled and finished at Maserati) that only came in 500 of the first-year cars with a 5-speed Getrag manual.
I know of a low mileage white TC that will be for sale soon in Las Vegas….
Never understood the TC
But I much prefer the Chrysler emblem of the five point star of the 70s and 80s.
I have many of the crystal hood ornaments.
as a car snob of sorts, I wonder why anyone would buy one of these. a 4 cylinder Maserati? who thought of that?
There was a song about this car i think. My Masaratti wont do ninty five , and if i wreck it i wont be alive. Really in all truth not a bad car and easy to maintain and will cruise in comfort and get good mileage
As I recall, the development (and thus, introduction) of the TC was delayed, and as such, was considered by many to look too much like the LeBaron. See: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1988-chrysler-le-baron-4/
For what it is worth, I have a 91 TC (3.0 Mitsu V6) and like it for what it is… a comfortable and stylish cruiser. Removing the hard top is cumbersome, but once done, the convertible top is available. I also have a Honda Del Sol (with the B16 and 5 speed). For spirited driving, the Del Sol is the weapon of choice, but for just touring or cruising, the TC is the choice.
By Joe Walsh:
“My Maserati does one-eighty-five
I lost my license, now I don’t drive
I have a limo, ride in the back
I lock the doors in case I’m attacked.