Anyone familiar with Daytonas?

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7duster4

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Anyone here familiar with Daytonas? Specifically a 1990 model with the base 2.2 turbo/5-speed. I found this Daytona on craigslist.

http://dayton.craigslist.org/cto/1465397674.html

I have been communicating with the owner through e-mail. Needs a few small things but other than that sounds like a good deal. Are these good motors? Seems like I have heard good and bad about the turbocharged models? Anyone here own or have owned one in the past? Im debating on looking at it but it's a little far away me. About 1 1/2 hour drive. I have always liked these cars just too bad more of them are not around.

Thanks for any info.
 
contact Tony Fields on here.... he is into those. I am sure he can help you with some questions.
 
I had a Chrysler Laser with the 2.2 Turbo, great little fun car . . . until it blew a head gasket. That is a common problem with these cars. I would guess that is why it was rebuilt. Not a bad price for the car tough. With just a few miles on the 'REFRESHED" engine, I would go firf it. Good Luck!
 
I've had 3: an '89 CS, '89 Shelby and an '87 Shelby Daytona. The Shelby's were 2.2 T2's; the CS was a 2.5 T1. All 5-speeds. The only problem I had in about 100,000 mile of cumulative driving were: Broken timing belts (twice, both at ~120,000 miles); broken motor mounts (playing with increasing the boost); 2 clutches (both T2's need clutches at around 120k). Otherwise, 30 mpg if driven easy; easy to work on; and fun to drive. The engines are non-interference, so the broken timing belts were no big deal.

I think the 90 T1 was a 2.5 but I can't remember offhand. I think 90 was the first year of the new interior and the improved-shifting 5speed. If you want to mod on the cheap look up Gus Mahon's (RIP,Gus) web pages for ideas. Must use a/f ratio gauge or egt when modding turbos. Or you can probably still find some Mopar Performance computers around for a little extra boost.

Love those cars. My last one, two years ago, looked for months to find a rust free one (the floor pans rust pretty bad); got it home, did a quick paint job, tune, new clutch; and drove it for a couple of months before it got totaled in an accident. I didn't get hurt and drove it home. It broke my heart though. That was the '87.

Good luck.
 
Edit: if the $1750 is for a not-too-rusty, drivable car; that is a good deal IMO. If I was looking for a daily driver I would strongly consider it.
 
One thing about head gaskets for these cars. When you need one buy it from
Mopar and get it from the Mopar Performance catalog (part no. P4452006). Put one on my Red Daytona back when I bought it in 2000. I did a complete rebuild at the time.

I ruined one head gasket since then and it was due to the intermediate
shaft gear going bad causing the timing to go thus ruining the gasket.

My Black '88 Daytona Intercooled Turbo has over 200,000 miles on it and
has never had the head off.

My '89 Turbo Mini Van has 251,000 miles on it and has never had the
head removed.

What I'm trying to say is that I wouldn't worry about the head gasket. Just
make sure you use premium fuel and change the oil and filter every 3000
miles.

Good luck....should be a fun ride

Tony

One more thing.....that car should get you an average of
24-27 mpg and get you 32 mpg on a trip
 
xring is correct on the engine size. It would be a 2.5 with the A-568 tranny.

The 2.5 has more torque than the 2.2 and the 5-speed is very heavy duty.
 
Thanks everyone. I may check this out in person. In e-mail he told me the clutch was replaced when the engine work was. Not sure how reliable the turbos are on these but he said it was looked over but didn't need anything. He said the engine was rebuilt because one piston was bad and the rest were checked. Wouldn't it have been best to just replace all the pistons? Thats all he stated for the engine rebuild. So I would assume all new gaskets were installed. I asked him if it was in an accident at some point. He said the dog-house is new but the air bags never went off. He told me $1,650 is the lowest he will go. But needs some small things such as some of the interior needs re-assembled due to replaced headliner. No big deal. Also the speedometer is not working. But all other gauges are functional.
 
The speedo came and went on my 87. I replaced the S/D sensor but didn't help; next I disassembled the speedo itself to find one of the gears stripped. At the time somebody was making replacement gears for sale on the net.

I never had any trouble with the turbo's on my cars. Or head gaskets.

The control unit for the headlights tends to go bad and are hard to find, last time I checked.

I don't see any problem with replacing one bad piston on a stock rebuild, as long as the cause of the problem was corrected.
 
Several years ago I had a 90 C/S Daytona 2.5 turbo 5-spd. It had 118K when I sold it, never had to replace the head gasket . It went 14.91 @ 90 mph at our local 1/4 mile dragstrip (Bone stock) Man I miss that little car !
 
I worked at Monicatti C-P(R.I.P:salute:) from 1985-90 in the parts dept. and I can still remember most of the part numbers for a 2.2 head gasket job, Chrysler finally superseded the part number and visiblely changed the head gasket There was an added bead all the way around the(in the appropriate areas)gasket.

That seemed to help, they also came out with a reman head because people would keep driving them when it overheaded and warp the head.

I had a 89 turbo stick daytona from 44K miles to 125K with no problems..great car, always kept the fluids changed (including the thermostat)
 
The ad dosn't state what size the engine is. Says turbo so I assumed it's a 2.2. Is the 2.5 a more performance based engine? more uncommon? He sent me a picture of the engine and it looked like any other turbo mopar of that era. Are the 2.2 and 2.5's similar?

Thanks again everyone. Im thinking about checking it out this weekend.
 
Ad says Turbo I, so I would assume a 2.5.

Turbo II's were the 2.2 intercooled motors, and put out more power due to higher boost. Most 5 speed cars of that era were the intercooled motors, in 1990 it could have been a VNT. Not sure they did a later (after 88 or 89) factory 2.5 5 speed until 92 when they did away with the Turbo IV motors (DOHC Lotus head motor).

I have an 89 LeBaron GTC with the 5 speed and 2.2 Turbo II. 254,000 miles, but I did just put a headgasket on it. Tried to sell it for $500 needing the headgasket, and gave up. Now it's my daily driver again. First headgasket I've had to do (on this car) due to a failure.

I didn't go to MP for the gasket this time, though. I bought a Felpro, and it seems they have improved it some. The gasket failed at the passenger side rear corner where it pushed the gasket out between the block and head. Now that area is wrapped with metal, kind of like the fire ring at the bore.
 
2.5's had the balance shafts, driven off of the timing belt. 2.2's did not have the balance shafts. 2.2 & 2.5 were similar otherwise, kind of like comparing a 318 to a 360. Maybe some small dimensions were different on bearings, etc. but basically they were the same. I think most all external parts interchange. I don't remember where the extra displacement came from, stroke or bore. I remember as Tony says, the 2.5 had more torque.

My 2.2's were rated higher HP, but the CS 2.5 Turbo 1 felt stronger.

I drove 12 hours round trip to pick up my last one; for a 3-hour round trip on a decent car; I'd to that after work before somebody else buys it.
 
I purchased an 85 turbo Daytona new and put 240,000 miles on it. It's life ended when my son wrapped it around a tree. In that time I replaced the head gasket once, timing belt twice and both front wheel bearings. The clear coat was tired but otherwise it was a great car. My second one was an 89 Shelby Daytona. This car I put 176,000 miles on it and sold it to thin out the herd. I replaced one head gasket and one timing belt. I also had the intermediate shaft gear that drives the distributor go. I had done some engine mods to this car and figure it was making around 220 HP. I currently have an 03 PT Cruiser turbo with 80,000 miles, I have had no engine issues. The LED odometer display went out and I have had to replace a wheel bearing.
 
DionR said:
Ad says Turbo I, so I would assume a 2.5.

Turbo II's were the 2.2 intercooled motors, and put out more power due to higher boost. Most 5 speed cars of that era were the intercooled motors, in 1990 it could have been a VNT. Not sure they did a later (after 88 or 89) factory 2.5 5 speed until 92 when they did away with the Turbo IV motors (DOHC Lotus head motor).

I have an 89 LeBaron GTC with the 5 speed and 2.2 Turbo II. 254,000 miles, but I did just put a headgasket on it. Tried to sell it for $500 needing the headgasket, and gave up. Now it's my daily driver again. First headgasket I've had to do (on this car) due to a failure.

I didn't go to MP for the gasket this time, though. I bought a Felpro, and it seems they have improved it some. The gasket failed at the passenger side rear corner where it pushed the gasket out between the block and head. Now that area is wrapped with metal, kind of like the fire ring at the bore.
Click to expand...

If your GTC is a convertible they only made 906 of them I believe.
If it is a coupe, they made a little over a thousand of them. Both
rare as far as production numbers go.

The DOHC Lotus head motor was the TIII. 227 hp at 6000 rpm
if I recall
 
xring said:
2.5's had the balance shafts, driven off of the timing belt. 2.2's did not have the balance shafts. 2.2 & 2.5 were similar otherwise, kind of like comparing a 318 to a 360. Maybe some small dimensions were different on bearings, etc. but basically they were the same. I think most all external parts interchange. I don't remember where the extra displacement came from, stroke or bore. I remember as Tony says, the 2.5 had more torque.

My 2.2's were rated higher HP, but the CS 2.5 Turbo 1 felt stronger.

I drove 12 hours round trip to pick up my last one; for a 3-hour round trip on a decent car; I'd to that after work before somebody else buys it.
Click to expand...

The 2.2 VNT TIV motor in my '90 LeBaron GTC VNT has the balance shafts.

The reason your T1 felt stronger is probably because of the smaller
Mitsu turbo instead of the Garrett. It spooled up quicker but probably ran out
of steam.
 
Tony Fields said:
If your GTC is a convertible they only made 906 of them I believe.
If it is a coupe, they made a little over a thousand of them. Both
rare as far as production numbers go.
Click to expand...

I was thinking the coupes were even lower production than the convertibles, but either way I'm pretty sure the production for T2 LeBaron Coupes was somewhere around 1050. Not quite as rare as my 4 speed 360 Duster, though. Only 586 of those in '74. :toothy10:

Tony Fields said:
The DOHC Lotus head motor was the TIII. 227 hp at 6000 rpm
if I recall
Click to expand...

You're right, that was the Turbo III. I think the VNT motors were tagged as Turbo IV's, maybe? Can't remember where I read that, though.
 
I still have my Daytona. Special ordered it June 1983, it was built and delivered to me 9-13-1983. I drove it one summer, and put it on jackstands and covered it up I get it out once per year to take pictures of the kids next to it. It still has only 5121 miles on it. The windshield wipers have never moved. It has never been on a wet street. It went 15.30s at about 91 mph when I ran it early on and then stopped racing it and went for an automatic.

Emmabecky2007small.jpg


DSCN0421.jpg
 
VOETOM said:
I still have my Daytona. Special ordered it June 1983, it was built and delivered to me 9-13-1983. I drove it one summer, and put it on jackstands and covered it up I get it out once per year to take pictures of the kids next to it. It still has only 5121 miles on it. The windshield wipers have never moved. It has never been on a wet street. It went 15.30s at about 91 mph when I ran it early on and then stopped racing it and went for an automatic.
Click to expand...

Looks brand new!
 
VOETOM said:
I still have my Daytona. Special ordered it June 1983, it was built and delivered to me 9-13-1983. I drove it one summer, and put it on jackstands and covered it up I get it out once per year to take pictures of the kids next to it. It still has only 5121 miles on it. The windshield wipers have never moved. It has never been on a wet street. It went 15.30s at about 91 mph when I ran it early on and then stopped racing it and went for an automatic.
Click to expand...

That's a great story. Got any more pics with the girls getting older. A collage of them growing up with the car would be neat.
 
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