Supercharged! 1986 Plymouth Turismo 2.2
Try this experiment: walk into your garage or bar. Tell your friends you’re checking out a blown Plymouth with induction sticking up through the hood, then ask them what they are picturing. Nobody in the room will describe an ’86 Turismo! Someone, however, followed through on their vision of building this custom supercharged 1986 Plymouth Turismo 2.2 in Clinton Township, Michigan. After a long hiatus, the car has been revived and offered for sale as having covered fewer than 27,000 miles. The listing here on eBay has attracted at least six bidders, and a market value above $5000. Thanks to reader SlantSixSwinger for finding this ’80s flashback.
A nondescript B&M blower and (never used) nitrous oxide system promises tons of fun as long while the timing belt holds out. A conservative half an atmosphere of boost should add 50% power to the otherwise stock 110 HP engine for a total of 165 HP. That would prove highly entertaining in the 2400 lb Turismo. For reference, the 1986 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 made 190 HP and weighed 3200 lb. The listing states that the engine was “professionally built” for boost, which could put that number closer to 300 HP. True horsepower probably lies somewhere between those numbers. Suffice to say this boosted hatchback should hold its own in the Stoplight Gran Prix. The roots-type blower boasts zero lag and a satisfying illusion of amplified cubic inches across the tachometer sweep. Thanks to the archivists at Automobile-Catalog for some details.
Other than being a top candidate for the world’s ugliest steering wheel, the hot red interior looks altogether sporty and comfortable, and nothing refutes the seller’s low-mileage claim. Transmission details seem to have cleverly escaped the listing, but the pedal count pins it as an automatic transmission, a weak point in some Chrysler products of this vintage, and a demerit for drivers who appreciate a manual gearbox. If you think real drivers are the ones who immediately disable traction control upon entering the vehicle, the automatic is ideal.
Modest rubber may sucker drivers into thinking some joker shoved an air cleaner through the hood of this Plymouth for purely cosmetic reasons, a mistake that would be quickly dispelled at go-time. If straight-piping your Mom’s old Honda is the extent of your tuning investment, expect to see this view of the Turismo about 0.10 seconds after the green. As ’80s performance goes, this 2.2 should be a hoot, and might approach 30 MPG as well if your foot resists the compelling temptation of boost. How would you rate this custom supercharged Plymouth?
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Comments
Has the trifecta of essential 80’s mods;
Benzi box
Color matched basket weaves
And of course, rear hatch louvers…Nice
@ToddFitch
I really happy to have found another person willing to comment on how ugly that steering wheel is, I was beginning to think it’s me.
The early air bag steering wheels are even uglier. & those on the ’68 Shelby(of all cars) mustang, & the STANDARD wheel on the ’69 dodge charger win no beauty contests either, with the separate metal horn blowers.
& take a look at the one on the ’83 camaro berlinetta …
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/attachments/camaros-sale/255263d1362866013-clean-all-original-1983-interior-1.jpg
I believe these were the twins to the Dodge Omni 024. Another ugly little car.
https://blog.consumerguide.com/dodge-omni-024-de-tomaso/
By this year it would have been a twin to the Dodge Charger, which was a midcycle update to the 024 just as the Turismo was to the early-version TC3.
The ’79 TC3 had a similarly ugly steering wheel with less padding.
could have a Dodge Charger in 86 too. I recall those bucket seats were very comfortable. Not a very well built car. There was also a pick up truck version that was amazing in the snow.
Automatic car…hard pass.
obligatory
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZGwGFpjFxI
this version has better image quality if you want to be able to really see the fashion and makeup choices:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9_E_XXWP-Y
Wow Frank – that made my day. Never seen that gem before. Thanks!
Lol wow . Incredible.
That fire-prone Edelbrock foam air filter through the hood says it all.
Remember. This car was “put away” for a reason.
I had one of these. Bought new and immediately swapped in a purple
Cam and thrush exhaust . Would beat a Camaro for sure but built like crap. Just very light and the front wheel drive …oh boy
I bought a new 84 Shelby Charger. First thing I did was swap out the steering wheel. Second thing was change the exhaust.
First thing I did with mine was out it in the shop and had the SUPER CHARGER put on it at the dealer. Broke 3 speedometers till they put a 82 one in it.
Well couple stories on the 2.2 L.
In 1989 I purchased a 1989 LeBaron GTC turbo coupe. It had the intercooled turbo 2 motor and a 5-speed. From the factory it boosted its 17 lb of boost. My buddy who I’ll get to after I finish this story open the wastegate to where it boosted to twenty one pounds of pressure.
I was able to top the speedometer out at 125 and 3rd and have 4th and 5th to go with no governor. The car came from the factory with v-rated 205 55 16-in tires four-wheel discs touring suspension moonroof. I couldn’t find anywhere in the area I live where I could top it out. Very fast car very fun car very beautiful car in flame red charcoal interior no Chrome at all two-piece forged and cast 16 inch aluminum rims. And if anyone who reached this comment was at the Mopar Nationals and 1991 at Columbus Ohio Days inn they just seen me doing burnouts at the outlaw burnout show Friday and Saturday night that year.
It made five pictures and Mopar action magazine for March 92. Four pictures in The outlaw burnouts and one picture for a article about the Chrysler computers called chip soup.
And 93 of December I went to a Dodge dealership special ordered a V8 5-speed heavy duty everything Dodge Dakota short bed short cab and traded the car in on that truck. And I did get a chance to take that truck to a quarter mile drag strip around 13.5 my first pass shifting in the fifth going through the traps.
And my next story a buddy of mine had an 86 laser 2.2 turbo 1 5 speed. This is the guy that opened my wastegate up to 21 pounds of boost. Now I don’t remember how much horsepower he was running through that 2.2 but he kept breaking the five speeds that he was putting in it he went through three of them and ended up deciding to get rid of the car.
Having owned an ’82 Turismo 2.2 as my first brand new car, I can assure you the design of the steering wheel is the least of your worries with this car. Low grade materials and typical mid 80s Chrysler build quality are your real enemies.
The only thing I can think of that’s a worse idea than bolting on a supercharger to one of these cars is the idea of shooting nitrous into it. The 2.2 might hold up for a few boosted runs. But putting 300 hp thru the alredy brittle A413 Torquflite automatic is just asking for something to explode.
I don’t recall these at all, although I have strong recollections of it’s twin the Charger.
I owned a new Omni GLH-T in ’86 with that same steering wheel and feel that it fit right in with the motif of that car – basic transportation with go fast parts. It was a thrill to drive.
I had a red 1986 Turismo! I loved it ugly steering wheel and all. I had it from my sophomore year of high school through my senior year of college! It could drive well and fast but didn’t last long and I had to constantly reattach the battery to the starter. But, all in all it was a fun car and my very first so I hold it in my memories. My dream car is a 68 Shelby!
Having recently acquired this car, I’d love to find out more info on the original build. The head gasket is currently bad, so until I get that fixed it’s sitting in my barn covered up. A 22k, rust free Plymouth Turismo is impossible to find these days, not to mention the other unobtainable goodies on the car. It should be a hoot when I get it done.