Welcome back! On today’s edition of Shitbox Showdown we’re going to take a look at a pair of almost-forgotten ’80s classics that both need some mechanical help. But first let’s see how our two hypermilers fared yesterday:
The Rabbit wins! Though in this version of the story, it’s the hare that’s slow and steady. The VW is one of very few cars you could probably drag-race against that Metro and lose.
The ’80s are back! Whether it’s Stranger Things, RADwood, or re-releases of Tamiya and Kyosho classic radio-control models, the nostalgia train has parked at the 1985 station and it’s not showing any signs of moving. The only problem with this, for those of us who lived through it, is that we’re constantly reminded just how very long ago it was, and how little progress we’ve made. I mean, we’re seven years past the setting of Back To The Future II, and those hoverboards still don’t exist, let alone instant pizza. What’s taking them so long?
Oh well. At least we still have the cars (even if we don’t have The Cars). Let’s see if one of these two is just what you needed.
1986 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z CS Edition – $2,000
Engine/drivetrain: 2.2 liter turbocharged inline 4, 3 speed automatic, FWD
Location: DuPont, WA
Odometer reading: 130,000 miles
Runs/drives? Yes, but engine knocks
The “CS” in this car’s lengthy name refers, of course, to the great Carroll Shelby, who followed his friend Lee Iacocca across town to Chrysler in the ’80s and spent the decade making K- and L-car derivatives go as fast as possible. Sadly, when I visited the Shelby museum and factory in Las Vegas a couple of years ago, his involvement with Chrysler was an afterthought – nothing more than a wall graphic or two, no cars on display. The twelve-year-old in me who very much still wants a Shelby Charger was disappointed. But then, tell someone you actually aspire to own any ’80s Chrysler product and they just smile and back out of the room slowly, so maybe it’s not surprising.
But I still think Daytonas are cool, and if they were good enough for Dee Dee McCall, they should be good enough for the Shelby museum.
This particular Daytona is the early body style, with the best-looking of the three front ends. The later pop-up headlight nose makes the front overhang look even longer than it is, and the final revision looks too much like a LeBaron of the same era. This 1986 model lacks the digital dash, and is too late (I think) for the talking “Vehicle Information Center.” And, of course, there is the incorrect transmission.
However… the 2.2 turbo four has developed a knock, and the seller says it’s “down on power.” Sounds like a bad rod bearing to me. Time for an overhaul. And if you have to pull the engine anyway, there’s no rule that says you have to put the same transmission back in with it. I don’t know how hard a manual swap is on these, but it’s worth investigating. I owned this car’s sister model, the Chrysler Laser, with the same drivetrain, and the automatic is definitely the Fun Police.
It’s a sharp-looking car in good shape overall, and you certainly won’t see one in every parking lot (anymore). But you will need to put in some work before hitting the road.
1988 Volkswagen Quantum GL-5 Wagon – $1,400
Engine/drivetrain: 2.2 liter inline 5, 5 speed manual, FWD
Location: Fort Worth, TX
Odometer reading: 240,000 miles
Runs/drives? Yes, but won’t go into reverse
Another day, another VW seller that can’t take a decent photo to save their life. But it’s an interesting car, so we won’t let the lousy photos stop us.
The VW Quantum was the name of the second-generation Passat in the US. The first generation was known as the Dasher; we didn’t get the Passat name until the third generation arrived in 1990. The Quantum was available as a sedan, wagon, and three-door hatchback, but the only hatchback I’ve ever seen was at a VW dealership in 1982. The sedan and wagon are rare enough.
The GL-5 model was equipped with Audi’s 2.2 liter five-cylinder engine, but lacking the all-wheel-drive system of the Syncro model. This one has a five-speed manual that refuses to go into reverse, though it does have a new clutch. It could be something was reassembled incorrectly in the linakge, or there may be internal damage. You’ll have to be willing to pull the transmission to find out, or find yourself a good Quantum mechanic. These are hard to find, however, because they are very small, and it’s impossible to say with any certainty exactly where they are at any given moment. (No, I didn’t pick this car so I could make that joke. Not just so I could make that joke, anyway.)
Otherwise, it looks to be in good shape, and wears its 240,000 miles well. And I have personal experience with these cars as well: a sign company that I worked for in California had a Quantum GL-5 sedan as a shop runabout. It was a nice car, and fun to drive. I imagine the wagon is the same, but you can bring more stuff with you. [Editors Note: I love how this thing is named after gear oil, and has a problem with its transmission. -DT].Â
Nostalgia is a hell of a drug, as they say, and it’s possible that neither of these cars is as good as I remember. But misty-eyed reminiscence is the name of the game at RADwood and other ’80s-centric events, and pulling up in either of these cars will turn heads your way. Rebuilding a Chrysler turbo engine or troubleshooting a VW/Audi transaxle is the price of entry; which one do you choose?
That Dodge does hit the nostalgia button as I had an ’85 Plymouth Duster Turismo as one of my first cars. The problem is, I kind of hated that car – it looked good, but it had an automatic and gave my ’71 220d a run for the money in straight-line performance. Meanwhile, I currently have a fairly solid ’88 VW Parati (VW Fox – I prefer the Brazilian name) in my collection that this would go with nicely, especially for what’s essentially “shrug money” these days.
They both look like too much work to bother with, if you ask me. Not that major drivetrain work is always a deal-killer, I just don’t see it being worth doing here for what you end up with. If I had to pick one I guess I would take the Quantum, since if we’re pulling engines and transmissions and stuff anyway, it would be the funner one to turn into a sleeper. If you’re going to take one of these cars apart and put it back together you might as well make it faster in the process, and a fast Quantum would be funny. Also, you can fill it with crap.
Long live Gus Mahon!
I’m just glad somebody else here is the resident turbo Dodge guy. In high school I had an 87 Daytona Shelby Z (with t-tops) AND an 85 New Yorker turbo (which talked).
Quantum for me. My aunt had a very neglected Passat GL5 estate which I had to fill with oil every time I visited and the electrics only worked every other Tuesday but all would be forgiven with a push of the accelerator and hearing the 5 cylinder yowl (or maybe that was the dogs trying to get out of the boot).
The vote thingy isn’t working. The selection highlights, but the choice button won’t select, so no vote.
Picking the Dodge simply for looks. Figure it shouldn’t be too hard to find a drivetrain out of another 80’s Chrysler product to swap in.
Manual wagon? Say no more. Plus the quantum looked good then and looks good now.
Inversely, the Daytona has been ugly for going on forty years. Disqualified before you even see the gear selector. Disqualified again before you learn about the knacked engine.
C’mon, these are too easy.
Quantum – absolutely. In June 1984, bought a (“leftover”) 1983 sedan with the 4-cylinder and manual trans. It was a terrific car. Slow? Yes. But reliable. Kept it 10 years.
Love those Quantums! I rode in many during my travels to China. They made them under the “Santana” name through 2012! It was like their Crown Vic – built for for 30+ years on the same platform and used as taxis and police cars.
Usually in red, if I recall. Durable as all get-out, given plenty of the road conditions… 😉
The Daytona screams out save me. Plus I think it is better looking and platform for some mods.
It worked in The Wraith, why not real life?
VW. That severely raked roofline does it for me.
Its been over 36 years since that Daytona rolled off the assembly line. Maybe someone swapped parts at some point?
Without the VIN, no one knows.
Right, and IDGAF personally, it’s the Daytona all day. The rest of the car is worth a drivetrain swap and all I want to do is drive the fucker, so I give 0 fucks about it being a “real” this or that.
I should also mention that it was already on my favorites list.
I’m guessing it will be easier and cheaper to fix or replace the transmission in the Quantum than it will be to fix the engine in the Daytona. Leap into the Quantum.
As with that Chrysler van a couple weeks back, I’ve got a turbo 2.5L with manual trans attached waiting for the right donor vehicle.
Gimme that Daytona
a bicycle is the correct choice here
VW because manual and wagon. Neither one is a great color inside or out but the VW’s ribbed velour is a plus.
The Daytona is in the most boring possible color combination in sharp contrast to the K-car wagon from week one in very ’80s champagne beige with maroon velour. If it were that color combo, or better yet red with maroon velour, it would get my vote.
Useful kid/stuff hauler with 3 pedals? VW all day.
This was an easy one for me. My pagan tattoo screams Dodge.
Daytona all the way.
The Cars sang Let the Good Times Roll, but I’m not sure you could do that in either of these “classics”. Although in theory the Dodge will roll in two directions, I went with the dub for no reason at all.
As someone who grew up in the ’80s, in a Mopar family, whose uncle rocked a Daytona Turbo Z and later an ES 3.0, the Daytona is a bucket list car for me. 14-year-old me would never forgive me if it wasn’t. Manual swap the Shelby while the motor’s out for overhaul.
C/S more like Chicken Shit in this case.
How the hell did that Rabbit win a voting contest against anything? A bike is better transportation.
As for today’s lineup, the best I can say is at least the Daytona is attractive.
Yesterday was the first time I really wanted to click the third option, but given that it was a prius… No. But the Metro will almost always lose in my book. Hate those things.
As a previous owner of a Daytona IROC, Daytona all day long.
Man. This one is hard, and not for any good reason. Which one is worse? I honestly don’t know. The daytona would be alright with a manual, but FWD is a big no no for me, as is a 3 speed auto. The VW holds absolutely no appeal to me, but does have the right transmission and is in better shape theoretically… Ah screw it, Daytona it is, but just because it would make the better lawn ornament.
As a teen in the 80s my parents had a Chrysler Conquest (Mitsubishi Starion) which looked very similar to the Daytona/Laser with the exception of the B pillar. The Conquest was constantly mistaken for a Daytona even though it was the better car no matter how you measured it so I’ve been biased against Daytonas for 3.5 decades now. Even still, I voted Daytona today, at least it makes turbo noises.
Couldn’t agree more. I get them confused all the time, which is so unfortunate as the Conquest/Starion even drives the right wheels! This is the cheap, crappy knock off that no one wants.
Agree on the goofy 2 injector TBI setup. Even though it worked it was awkward and hard to find anyone who knew how to work on it. The SOHC 2.6 4G54 engine was a product of its time, the 4G63 that came after it in the DSMs was far superior and not an uncommon swap into a Starquest.
Completely disagree on the handling. Perhaps I’m biased because I grew up in, learned to drive in, and my first two cars were Conquests, but the handling was excellent.
I wondered about the authenticity – weren’t the CS models manual only? Or am I mistaken?
I’ll vote for the Daytona just because of the Dee Dee McCall reference (she was referred to as the Iron Cupcake in the pilot). Also it reminds me of this cars appearance in the movie Black Moon Rising. There is another car that is one of the great custom (80’s edition) cars ever. Truly peak 80’s film.
+1 for the Hunter reference, +100 for the Rockford avatar!
Sonofabitch.
$2,000 for a car with a turbo engine knocking like it wants to tell you the good news about our lord and savior? I don’t feel comfortable in this market anymore.
That Quantum is an easy “yes.” Save $600 over the other shitbox and see if you can hunt down a new gearbox to swap in. Eh…who am I kidding? I’d spend it on beer because reverse is for people with regrets.
Yeah, I wouldn’t want either of them, but I picked the VW just because estate car with no slushbox.
Yea if that’s all that’s wrong with it then I’ll save the money too. Just put in neutral and roll it back. If you get tired of doing that you could always fix or replace the transmission with the money saved from buying the cheaper car.
Geez. Parts cars are selling for way too much these days. Shoot, even cars that should be parts cars are being marketed/sold as DDs. There’s not much of a special built into the prices of “mechanic’s specials” anymore, either.