The Chrysler Cordoba | More Than Just Corinthian Leather
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- čas přidán 20. 11. 2021
- This is the story of the Chrysler Cordoba. Though many view Cordoba as a perfect example of 70's kitsch, there is no denying the significant impact Cordoba had to Chrysler's very existence. Introduced in 1975, Cordoba was an instant success with sales exceeding 150k units... a figure that represented more than half of Chrysler's total sales.
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Tommy Laszlo
open.spotify.com/artist/5KyEW... - Auta a dopravní prostředky
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Editing & Music Top Notch
Thought I was watching a movie
👍
What a memory!
My dad was the Service Manager at a big Chrysler Plymouth Imperial dealership when I was a kid.
He happened to meet and make friends with a guy who was a Chrysler executive, and he happened to be in the Development area of the company.
He sold my dad what was a 1974-built "prototype" of the 1975 Cordoba... It was apparently meant to test performance and handling while towing a boat or travel trailer.
It looked like the standard '75 Cordoba, but it was painted as Dove Grey hood and roof, with Charcoal Grey sides and deck lid.
It had fender flares, black anodized aluminum grill, headlight and turn signal rings, and also wore wrinkle finish back aluminum bumpers.
It had a crank open sunroof, power windows, tilt column, console and that "reech Coreentean ledder" upholstery in a dark red color.
Under the hood, there was a stroked 400 and a built Torqueflite.
The car had police style suspension and Gurling disc brakes on all four wheels, which happened to be made of forged aluminum... They looked similar to the optional aluminum road wheels that were used later on the '79 New Yorker.
Under the hood on the lip of the inner fender, was a tag that only read "special handling car" in place of the normal plate that states engine, paint, etc...
Dad eventually had a brand new set of Radial TAs mounted on the car and soon afterward, one tire slipped off the rim at speed... He and mom were in the car and it rolled over.
I have no idea what ever happened to the car after that... But it happened in Houston, Texas.
I do remember that the license tag read 408-ATX.
Maybe someone reading this knows if that car still exists?
Cheers!
Ricardo Montalban was the original "world's most interesting man."
My dad had a '78. Nice car. Ran so much better when replacing the computer with duct tape.
It evokes exactly the same nostalgia as a 25" console television from the same era.
Oh, he removed the Lean Burn module?
The Cordoba was an incredible car & Ricardo Montalban was an incredible person!!! Then there was the fine Corinthian Leather!!!! 👍😁
Ricardo Montalban was the sheik's father in the cannonball run series. In the 2nd movie, he got kissed by the orangutan that won the race with Mel Tillis and Tony Danza.
Still have my 79. My high school graduation gift, brand new. Yes it has the Corinthian leather!
That Letterman piece was fantastic! Does anyone remember Ricardo playing an egotistical bullfighter in a 1976 episode of Columbo?
I think it was called “A matter of honor”
Anyhoo, another triumph Tofer! 🇮🇪
I will definitely have to find that episode to watch! Sounds fascinating!
@@TofersCarTales Season 5 episode 4, I think 🤔 I just binged watched the entire series again! Absolutely love Peter Falk
I remember seeing Montalban on Letterman at the time and that great line about the "Corinthian leather." Very nice touch including that!
It was also a good time when Letterman would have his musician friend Warren Zevon on the show. I liked the episode over 30 years ago when Zevon performed his then new song "Splendid Isolation".
A beautiful tribute to both the Cordoba and Ricardo Montalban. I love that you included his wonderful dance sequence with Cyd Charisse. Another great, totally unique video, Tofer!
I'm so happy to see you enjoyed this little labor of love. Thanks so much for your support of my efforts. 🥰
A "downsized, small" car that comes standard with a 360 (and later a 400 cubic inch V8) with the choice to "downgrade" to a 318 to save on fuel costs, optional CB radio, fine Corinthian leather and your choice of any shade of brown... gotta love the 1970s and the malaise era!
YES, a new Tofer video.
Please do like and subscribe if you enjoyed. Thanks as always for your support of my efforts!
My brother was a Chrysler dealer in Fullerton Ca. It paid for for my family and three kids at that time. So thankful that it was successful. 😁👍🏻
I still recall the day seeing a Cordoba with my father and brother at Port Angeles Wa., in May 1978. As Australians from a relatively poor country town we were so impressed - such baroque richness that made our Holden Monaro 308 look so pedestrian. We almost missed our ferry to Victoria, BC.
The second generation 1980 Cordoba J body platform wasn't ancient and dated, it was a variation of the F body introduced in 1976
In 1982 I bought a 81 Chrysler Cordoba 318 cubic inch , 2 barrel carb , great car !
"When I drive a car I drive... a _CORDOBA_ "
I love the way Ricardo mimics the American accent when the Chrysler folks told HIM how to say Cordoba. Priceless lol
@@TofersCarTales😂 Yeah it was so cool to hear that...i must of took it back 6 or 7 times. It never gets old to hear someone with an accent(non American) completely NAIL an "American accent" lol and your right brother that part was priceless to see and hear. Tofer one more thing, ive been with ya for a Lil while but just in case you may not have noticed, I say what I feel...NO filter & NO BS with that said I am willing to bet almost anything that if Mr.MONTALBAN's family were lucky enough to have seen or see your tribute they would be bought to tears, laughter & feelings of complete approval. Thats what makes your work so different and special, it takes a man making a video about a Chrysler to not only do the car justice but in the same moment capture the essence of a great person. Great job buddy ✌🏾
(Sorry for the L O N G response 🙄)
"While drinking........A dos equis" 🍻🤤
(never operate an automobile while under the influence of drugs or alcohol...((t h c excluded)) 🤘)
Lmao... just kidding🤥
@@averyparticularsetofskills I was actually kind of thinking after I put this together... wouldn't it be cool if Montalban's family somehow stumbled across this. Thanks again for the amazing support my friend.
One of my neighbors is currently doing a restomod project on an '80 cordoba.
He's putting a modern hellcat hemi in it and is custom building a 4 link suspension that will use airbags and coilovers to make it "float like a butterfly and sting like a be".
My very first memory of a car was my parent's 1975 Cordoba in Inca Gold Metallic. I started looking for one about 8 years ago but they are surprisingly hard to find, especially living in Eastern Canada where most cars rot out due to the salt used on the roads in winter. I finally found a really clean example just two months ago - a 1975 model in Spinnaker White, fully loaded with AC, cruise control, power windows/doors/trunk, turbine wheels, floor console and yes the Corinthian leather on bucket seats. It even came with the original sales receipt and the Cordoba booklet where the original purchaser had checked off the options he was intending on getting and his handwritten math calculations on how much it was going to cost him. I have other cars but this one is my favourite, by far.
Thanks for the history lesson!
Look in desert areas of the US. Big city wrecking yards have a better chance of having them. I drive one and that's where I'm finding all the body parts for it.
@@ethanwilliams4559 Thanks for the suggestion, I'll keep it in mind if I ever need parts. Mine is pretty close to mint condition, if it was any nicer I would be scared to drive it.
@@nbrider7235Idaho loves Mopar I'm told so checking there too would be fruitful for any Mopar projects. I'm restoring mine with all the modern weather resistant stuff we have available these days that weren't back then. Rubberized paints, high quality stainless, you name it.
@@ethanwilliams4559 So you're buying new parts? Where are you getting them from? I could use new weather stripping around the windows and doors. What year is your Cordoba?
Ricardo was brought back to do ads for the 1980, with the tagline "I like what they've done to my car."
Love the warning at the beginning of the vid lol. Got my popcorn and ready to watch this latest great work by you my friend. Especially since I’m not a Chrysler fan but you can make almost any brand seem interesting lol.
Yet another outstanding episode! The music, editing, and feelings that are evoked bring me back to the wonderful era of luxurious American land yachts. For this old Boomer, the loss of the unmistakably All-American automobiles of our past is literally heartbreaking. I wonder if we will ever again be able to buy cars that are uniquely American; sadly, I doubt it.
Well most of your parents said the same of the cars they grew up with and bought when they was young!
Yet life goes on, now you're all nostalgic about poorly built cars of the 1970's just like your parents one day was nostalgic about the 20's, 30's 40's and 50's!
Nothing's really changed outside of more consistent uniform planned obsolescence!
I'd argue that a Tesla is uniquely American.
@@allenmontrasio8962 This.
The 75 /76 Cordoba was a beautiful car. Our friends owned a white 75 with a Cranberry Corinthian leather interior and a 360 v8.
A younger local guy rocks one of these things. He's replaced the original rust-hiding Spartan Vinyl top for one made of Delphic duct tape... which is a bold move, I think, but at least he's keeping his Mad Max Edition Cordoba on the road!
I love how the Chrysler marketing guys had the gall to tell a native Spanish speaker how to pronounce "Cordoba" :-D
Immigrating from the UK in 1975, the Cordoba was my first new American auto. $3,250 off the lot!
I always loved humming that woo hoo opening scene tune.
Khan!!!
The stacked headlight appealed far more to the designers following the trends than to buyers for sure. I always thought it gave the Cordoba an unflattering heavy look.
@Thomas63r2
Agreed 💯.
I hated those stacked lights, made the car look very trashy!!
your music makes me happy and helping me out tho my very hard year
8:25. Lol luv it, so true! 🤣😉👌
I miss seeing “everyday” 70s and 80s and even 90s cars on the roads. It’s ironic how all the everyday cars become rare, and the rare ones become more common to see because people drive them less and care for them and spend time restoring them. So many lost cars.
Your videos are always so well made, and as a Video Creator myself I do appreciate all of the crazy editing touches that you put in!! Thank you!!
God I Love All this Music 😗👌
Around ‘84 I bought a ‘76 model Pearl White w/maroon and white interior. Bucket leather front seats and auto shifter on the floor. It was in nice condition and rode like a dream. Only things about it were because of the high speed rear end it felt like you were going slower than you actually was. That almost got me in trouble a few times lol. The other thing was the gas mileage. It didn’t take long to empty the 30 (iirc) gal tank.
Another great video! Thanks Tofer… Keep ‘em coming!!
My mom bought one of these in Electric Blue. She told me afterwards she was very disappointed after taking possession that Ricardo Montalban was not included. ( I always wondered what kind of animal was a "Corinth"?)
They had a cool feature. If you romped on the gas, the turn signal light on the left fender came on. I asked innocently at the dinner table why the light kept illuminating and my dad dryly remarks, "It's to tell you that you are giving it too much gas."
My first car! 1975 Burgundy (Maroon) with white vinyl top and Burgundy Corinthian Leather! Car was legendary in late 80’s high school and college. I begged my father to keep it around for a year after he got his 86 Sable so I could have it when I got my my license. Lots of fun nights, road-trips and hi-jinx thanks to a PA system and a few other fun modifications. Thanks for the memories. Chrysler build, northeast rust finally got it.
I'm surprised how much people like these cars today, I bought one in 1989 for $500 that was sitting in someone backyard for years so it was a little rusty but it was a red with red interior 1976 with a 400 engine and power everything including the seats and everything worked including the AC and the interior was perfect but damn it was a big car but it was silky smooth going down the road and whoever owned it before me put those old slotted mags on it so it was sort of muscle looking.
TOFER- My personal "Thank You" for such an amazing video, the BEST in fact on the Cordoba on CZcams!!! BIG THUMBS UP!!!!!!
Thanks so much for the kind words. I'm so glad you enjoyed this. It is one of my favorites, really happy with how it turned out.
@@TofersCarTales It is a MASTERWORK and will receive a lot of views in the future, and will help your channel growth!! I have sent it to many friends who love cars as well...
This is a artistic video work. Great car and great production.
Finally the cordoba been waiting for this
Another fantastic one as always! Awesome stuff tofer!
I really like the John Davis gauge reference :-)
What a geat video! Very nostalgic.
An Intriguing story and car.
I burst out laughing!!
I could not stand this car until they put the rectangular lights on it. Then & only then did I kinda start to like it.
Hahaha...
My parents had a 80 and a 83 cordoba. Man if I seen one of those cars I would buy it.
I got a 1980 cordoba love my smaller land yacht
@@80fordmustang6 like I said in my comment. 80 thru 83 is what I like. I never liked the older ones. Sounds like you have a nice one.
Corinthian leather means everything, better than Connolly Hide.
More dancing please.
Amazing work again, Tofer! 👌😀
In the mid 1990s, a friend of mine bought a burgundy 1982 Cordoba with a slant 6 and used that car to deliver pizzas! That thing had a healthy appetite for gas, and made lots of rattling noises when you went over the smallest bumps. It also required frequent repairs so he would constantly borrow his brother's reliable and fuel efficient 1988 Accord or my 1985 Camry which he liked to make fun of (at least it worked and was fuel efficient). He soon sold the Cordoba (actually I think he scrapped it) and got a gray 1987 Monte Carlo with a 305 V8.
That Cordoba with that itty-bitty slant six had a "healthy appetite for gas"? It was also slow as all get out, I bet, even with the lighter body (it was downsized for 1980, BTW, that was when the 225 slant six became the standard engine). It seemed ridiculous for Chrysler to put that wheezy little engine in a car as luxurious as the Cordoba. Chrysler thankfully dropped it from cars after 1983 (although it was still available in Dodge pickup trucks for another four years).
_(7/16/2022)_
@@knowbodiesfull5768 Yeah, that slant 6 managed to be low on power and torque while using lots of fuel, at least on today's standards. Even a decade old 3.6 Pentastar V6 with 283 hp and 260 lb·ft of torque mated to a 6 speed automatic in a Dodge Grand Caravan would leave that Cordoba in the dust while getting 25 MPG highway/17 MPG city.
i was born on the same day Richardo montalban. cordoba great car.
Wooow, great history and great video production!!!, I love this car and congratulations for you.
My dad had a 77 Burgundy Cordova with a 400. What a beautiful car. And yes it did have the Corinthian leather. I don’t recall my dad is having really any problem with the car as far as quality issues. Believe it or not we crammed seven people in the car and drove to the smoky mountains. Lots of great memories. Thanks for making the video. PS love the buck Rogers videos in the background lol. And who doesn’t like Ricardo Montalban!
Cool video. Looking forward to the return of the imperial / new Yorker video. My first car was a 88 New Yorker with the 2.2 Turbo. She spoke and did a lot of cool things. Lol
My dad owned a 1977 Chrysler Cordoba. It had a 400 V8 and was silver color. Very smooth ride
15:50 Chrysler Cordoba: for all you yacht rock lovers
I owned a 77 wish I never sold it. People in the late 80s made fun of me driving it...
Nice 😀
I was 18 in 1975 and REALLY wanted a 75 Cordoba. But I had more of a Plymouth budget back then
Rrrrich Corinthian leather
Currently looking at my 1977 with White /Red Top And Interior Corinthian Leather of course 😋 👌 #NO Lean Burn..
Always thought the boxy-looking Cordova was a great looking car. Please do an Imperial episode!
I enjoy all of your videos. This one is excellent. Loved the Cordoba and the marketing with Ricardo Montalban and Corinthian leather is epic One thing that seems to get overlooked about products in the early '80's (time of the 2nd generation Cordoba) is that just about all car sales were down due to the economy and unbelievably high interest rates. I actually tried to buy a 1980 Dodge Mirada (Cordoba clone, as you pointed out) and what stopped me was the attitude of the Dodge dealer. I admit that I was very young, but had a good job. The salesman wouldn't let me test drive the car (he thought I was more Aspen material), so I went across the street and bought a Silver Anniversary Thunderbird. Another thing I learned in this video is that Lee Iacocca was a fan of the creased crisp styling trend. That was very interesting.
Had a 1979 Cordoba, that was a really great, dependable Ride, 318 actually had a good amount of HP, good torque, really good Transmission.!!
But that's all I remember about that car, is the fine Corinthian leather.
It was a missed opportunity to use the Fantasy Island TV show. My fantasy is to just sit on that, fine Corinthan leather. Lol
20:24 THIS was my grandpa's last car! The rare, weirdly placed, and rather unique considering Dodge Magnum. By the time my grandpa couldn't drive anymore, his had been very badly neglected and my Dad didn't want to deal with it... so he sold it to some neighbor of my grandpa's. I was almost driving age at the time. I'm still miffed even 15 years later. 😂 Would love to track it down.
My father owned 3 Dodge Magnums. 2 GT and one XE. One XE and GT were daily drivers while the last GT was near mint show car. He became a missionary in the philiphines around 2000 and around 2005 he sold his home and these cars after deciding to live over there permantly. I was upset also he didn't offer me one of them since he knew i loved them also. Silver lining; the show car was sold to a guy in Austraila so Id image it was well taken care of after spending the money it must have taken to ship it there from California.
Chrysler could bring back the Cordoba name as a trim package for the wagoner with corinthian leather 😁
My Dad (God rest him!) loved the Cordoba from the first sight! I had a '78 Cordoba (BADLY BEATEN, by my period of "ownership") However, I knew these were actually GREAT cars of the era! I believe indifferent workmanship (ALL car makers had this) prevented this FINE car from being a CLASSIC! The GREAT Chrysler drivetrain was ALWAYS there, though!
If my '78 Cordoba had not been so BADLY BEATEN, I KNOW it lived up to the GREAT car my Dad imagined it to be! These were QUALITY built, with (typical) GREAT Chrysler motors/ trannys! I only wish my burgandy/white (white leather interior) '78 wouldn't have been SO ABUSED!
i’m a lifetime subscriber to Tofer. this is yet another Masterpiece. to all of you watching share and support TCT. the best automobile channel on CZcams.
Thanks so much, you really have supported my efforts from the start and I do sincerely appreciate it!
@@TofersCarTales it’s an absolute pleasure. many more viewers will come along for the ride. you build this channel with quality, the people will continue to join in.
Please do a 1971 superbee video, as those cars are almost unheard of sadly
I sat in one of the 80s models once. It was for sale for $2500. But I was too poor to buy it. You sit real low in it like a sports car. It's way nicer than any K car. Funny how sometimes higher quality stuff is less popular than stuff not as good.
Definitely enjoy vid even though I never herd of Cordoba👍some name plates live on n some don’t. Who doesn’t like different shades of brown? Our Holden HJ Kingswood had white rooftop n normal chocolate 🍫 exterior with similar colour vinyl interior.
Great great stuff, as always! The perfect completition to the two Cordoba-videos from curious cars (Bill from Autohaus Naples) from recent weeks. Eccept the gorgous front design from the original, I like better the clear lines from the 2nd gen. Cordoba. Very sad, that America had lost its own beautiful elegant car style, only doing stupidly huge and boxy trucks anymore...
12:14 Celebrating the twilight years of the late 70's into the early 80's is the glorious Pamela Ewing dancing in a Dallas disco. What a perfect touch!
YES! Huge Fan of Pam, and Dallas in general... which just might be the topic of a future Car Tale. ;)
Nice car
Ricardo was a legend, a real actor with great depth, not some schmuck with name recognition playing himself.
What became the 1975 Chrysler Cordoba actually was planned as the Plymouth Sebring ! Management thought ( rightfully so ) that offering it as a Chrysler would be more profitable.
Amazing video ! Glad that you mentioned the other mopar variants that spun off the cordoba platform! I owned way back …. A 1981 Dodge Mirada T-top black with burgundy interior .
Would love to see you do a video series on the dodge Daytona of the 1980’s. And series on the amazing Buick Regal lineup
Dodge Mirada is now rare
Fine Corinthian leather?
Of course, why not the best?
Bill of Curious Cars had one on his channel about a week ago. It was a nice low mileage 1975 model.
As I watched this video, I wondered if it was inspired by Bill.He also did a second gen Cordoba a month or two earlier.
@@martinliehs2513 Yep! Bill did. But the 75 was the one he was promising us. I have to agree the first gen Cordoba is the best looking.
@@MisterMikeTexas agree. Bill teased his viewers for months with the promise of a Cordoba. It was a bit of a let down when the review of the 1981 model aired, but he redeemed himself with the 1975 model.
I watch Bill's channel and was surprised to see him recently feature both the 1st and 2nd gen Cordoba. I actually started work on this video about 3 months ago and had just wrapped it up a few days before I saw his video on the 1st gen. This seems to happen a lot, all of us car guys are thinking of the same make/model at around the same time. Love Bill's work. I've recently moved to east Texas from Southern California and easily relate to his weather comments every time.
@@TofersCarTales I'm in Canada, so I always wait for the review of the back seat. 😀
Bill's weather rants are epic.
The only car that Khan could ever want.
KHAAAAAANNNNN!!!
The 75 Cordoba was the best looking luxo-coupe. My mom's bowling buddy took us with them in a silver one with red Corinthian leather. It was surprising how little room was available in such a big car. They sure did ruin it with the square lights. It just got worse with the second gen. Sad.
It’s a little bit funny that Ford and Chrysler were both notorious for having the largest cars in production, yet Chrysler seemed to be more of the victim of the oil embargo than Ford was and completely switched the narrative by building the K-car and using the platform for everything else it made.
Viewer discretion? People can only be thankful for your movies.
New sub here from Paulwal #Tofer18ksubs !
Do the 78 Magnum next
I thought "Aztec" package was 69 and 70?? Yeah had that Aztec hood ornament that was flush with hood and not a stand up ornament. I dont know exactly , Im an 70s Ford guy but if anyone has an idea about AZTEC Trim was 2yrs?? Either way great vid and although a Ford guy, Chryslers 72 Imperial coupe lebaron just gorgeous. 77 Town/ Country stationwagon just huge, just awesome. 78 Newyorker salon package beautiful etc. I really those big old Mopars and Fords. My 73 T Bird though , my time machine.
hey how about a cadillac brougham episode, the classic end of old school cadillac large sedans
KHAAN!!
Chrysler shot itself in the foot by announcing loudly (in the 1960s) that they would never 'compromise' by offering a small Chrysler. Even though they produced a Valiant based Chrysler luxury sedan/hardtop with fuselage styling in Australia, which probably would have looked right in the US, they couldn't offer it because their mature aged buyers likely still remembered their earlier claim.
Chrysler wasted money and advantage all the time...they borrowed money to build inventory without any buyers...designed a powerful Hemi six that was only ever produced in Australia while the little Slant was still powering behemoths in the US. Couldn't be bothered giving the Australian cars flow through ventilation (even though it was sold as a premium product!) Bloody Chrysler!
i have a fully base 1976 plymourh fury with a 318 it has absoutely 0 options not even a vinyl roof and even that car has the elegance of a cordoba
Some have objected to the idea that other Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth offerings on the same platform did not impact Cordoba sales, but I think this illustrates the point that offerings such as your Fury (even in base form) were nearly as elegant and desirable and probably did impact Cordoba sales to some degree.
The "rich Corinthian leather" for the Cordoba was actually made in beautiful Newark, NJ...LoL
KHAAAAAAAAANNNN!!!!!
Tis why 2 1979 t top 300's sit in Mt garage
Hey tofer , just curious if you would be doing any episodes on underappreciated Japanese cars.
I definitely would like to at some point. Japanese auto brochures are kind of hard to find compared to domestics, but I'm always keeping an eye out.
The Cordoba was the American automotive equivalent to "lipstick on a pig" that I can think of.
The stacked headlights looked more appropriate on a truck, van, or station wagon, not a stylish personal luxury car. That was a BIG mistake. A serious downgrade to style in an Era when style was everything.
My grandmother bought a 1976 Cordoba in the copperish/ carmel-tan color, both inside and out. It was the first and only brand new car she ever bought. My grandpa was NOT allowed to drive her car! I loved how it rode.
I liked the stacked headlamps on the '65 to '68 C body Plymouth.
11:15 I thought this was the windows xp music at first.
Bill Gates would be horrified at the association I'm sure.