Satisfyingly Quick: 1984 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z

Compared to the numerous fine offerings the folks at Dodge have provided us with since then, the 1984 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z may not seem like much of a performer by today’s standards, but back in the mid-eighties when things were kind of in a bleak period industry-wide for exciting and fun cars, this one actually delivered both.  This 1984 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z is going to need lots of love and attention to get things back to their former days, but it is running and at $1,500 I’m guessing some eager project-seeker will snap this car up in a hurry.  The Dodge is located in Troy, New York, and can be spotted here on Craigslist, with our thanks being sent out to reader Mitchell G. for his great tip here!

Chrysler was excited about their new sporty coupe, known as the G24 in the developmental stages and put into production as the Laser and Daytona, with the Dodge available in three different versions, including the base Daytona, the Turbo, or the best of the bunch, the Turbo Z.  Fortunately, the car featured here is the latter, with the paint showing a combination of patina and no evidence of having taken a bath in a decade or so.  We don’t get a shot at all of the passenger side, but looking at the photos provided I’m trying to peek through that baked-on finish down to the body, and from what I can tell it actually looks pretty good beneath the surface.

The seller says his Daytona still runs and drives, packing a 2.2-liter inline 4-cylinder engine that punches out 142 horsepower in turbocharged form.  Chrysler set out to come up with an innovative front-wheel-drive muscle car, at least muscular for the time period when the M-word had sort of lost its zeal in many manufacturer’s lineups, and being able to shift your own gears is a real plus here as well.  There’s a knock in the motor, which the seller believes may be a lifter, but it’s said to run at a cool temperature and is a non-smoker.  Just don’t get caught in the rain until you address those missing wipers.

While the interior is far from perfect, other than the radio it seems complete and really just doesn’t look all that bad overall.  I’m wondering if a good afternoon with some 409 might not get it back to at least driver status inside, along with a thorough vacuum and maybe some upholstery cleaner.  But be forewarned there are some electrical issues mentioned, so it might be helpful if you or somebody you know has some decent wiring skills, and perhaps the glovebox is detached to help gain access to wherever the problem lies within, obviously a failed attempt.  But a running and driving Daytona Turbo Z model seems like a bargain for 1500 bucks in my book, what do you think?