Chrysler Conquest

[Figit090]

hey everybody, i've always liked these cars, and i think they are part of the reason i like supras... boxy 80's cars from japan with popup headlights and those mk2 supra looking rims... does anyone here have one? (i know some of you do)

i was hoping for some quick knowledge about these cars... anything you think is relavant, and especially anything common and/or potentially very expensive that commonly goes wrong with them, much like our supras' BHG and rod knock issues (< i know that one is an end-user problem but its still common)

i found one for sale at $700....the bad parts are it is running rough and has a salvage title...i'm waiting for his reply to find out why... if its been bent up i dont want anything to do with it, but by the looks of the new door i'm guessing it got a smashed door and otherwise came out of whatever wreck allright.. but i dunno yet. its just something to think about..and a cool car to discuss i guess.

 

[suprarx7nut]

So thats what I saw. I saw one at the local Safeway and didn;t know what it was. No badges, just a hint of mkii supra styling and wheels that I could've sworn would be at home on a mkii.

 

[RazoE]

they're pretty much identical to the Mitsubishi Starion...


they have a pretty big fan base, search around, you'll find some cool shit..

 

[Murd]

Chrysler Conquest and Mitsubishi Starion. Same car, two different badges. Only thing I've heard is you really have to watch for oil leaks/bad seals. This was 2nd hand info from a co-worker who owns one.

edit: Damn RazoE beat me to it!

 

[RazoE]

yup, turbo 2.4l RWD, wide body (and narrow body models, sound familiar?), 80's styling, what's not to love?

 

[Figit090]

are all of them turbo?

i know about the mitsu/chrysler/plymouth mess and that the sister car is the starion... and i've seen a few of these beasts drag race i think. the seller even mentioned using it as a "dragster" or to restore it...

how are they stock? reliabe? powerful?

i doubt i'd get this one...but its fun to think about. its also fun to remember its role in cannonball run 2..hahaha

 

[RazoE]

no, they're not all turbo...

it's an old car, so expect common problems, but for the most part, once built, it can be pretty nice..

 

[OneJoeZee]

what's not to love?

It's ugly.

YUCK

 

[RazoE]

you're ugly too, but we still love you...

 

[OneJoeZee]

You're entitled to your own opinion, even if it sucks.

 

[Kai]

Heh - i fancied one as well...until i found out it was SOHC :/

Still - drop in a 4G63 from an EVo and you'll have fun

Jeremy Clarkson bought a Starion as part of a Top Gear Challenge - cant remember the episode though...i think it was season 6...

 

[encomiast]

Figit090, I already answered your PM... I'll post it here in case someone else is also interested:

Hi,
mine is a 2.6 turbo, I can't speak for the pre-87 2.0 turbo (don't know which one it is in your case).
I haven't driven mine for over 4 years now, and before that I could only drive it for a couple of months. From what I remember it was much fun to drive (I was only used to driving econoboxes though). It's a four-banger, but due to the 98mm of stroke and the turbo, it has quite a bit of torque in the low revs.

Technology-wise, it's more similar to a Supra MKII than a MKIII.

I for one am definitely going to rebuild mine in the near future, it has a worn out timing chain, a spark plug hole has been messed up by some mechanic, the water pump is leaking, the transmission makes noises etc..
Typical weak points AFAIK are the transmission and the cylinder head which tends to crack easily.
Luckily, upgrade parts are fairly cheap compared to Supra standards. E.g. you can get a new cylinder head with an improved design (to aid longevity) including valves and springs for less than $400.

Regarding maintenance it's similar to a turbo MKIII. Whether or not a Conquest/Starion is worth buying depends on how the previous owners handled it. For 700 bucks, I'd say do a test drive but be prepared to do a lot work in the long run if you decide to buy it. It's much like buying a turbo MKIII for $700-$1000: you might be lucky, but chances are that it's a money pit.

HTH
Florian

hello, i was wondering...how do you like your mitshubishi/chrystler? i have a supra but just found a 700 dollar conquest for sale near me and i was curious if they are any good...

RazoE, you're sure they also came as NA? I don't think so, I'm not too familiar with the US models though. AFAIK they came as 2.0 turbo and 2.6 turbo, but no 2.4. The 2.0 liter models where partly non-intercooled, depending on the year (I hope that's also true for US models). The 2.0 were all flatbodies, for some time in '86 they came as 2.6 flatbody, after '87 only as 2.6 widebodies.

 

[trucker]

i like the looks, and the fact that 5.0 ford is a common swap...easier than my sbc mk2 swap.....it's on my must do list, right after supe is done, then 5.0 focus swap...and yes there are actual kits on the market for it

 

[Mr.PFloyd]

didn't they have a 4wd version of these cars? i could have sworn they used them in rally events at some point.

 

[Syris]

the interior reminds me of a spaceship

not in a good way either....

 

[encomiast]

didn't they have a 4wd version of these cars? i could have sworn they used them in rally events at some point.

Yes they raced these things (with a shorter front end and non-popup headlights), but I don't think they were AWD. Just like the MKIII Supra participated in rallye events without being AWD

 

[AF1JZ]

My neighbor had one and was out there day and night working on it. I think some of the trouble he has was the injectors because it was sputtering real bad. Funny thing is that there are only 2 injectors, 1 big and 1 small. I'd go with Kai and take out that junk sohc and put a 4g63 in even if it isn't out of an evo. Good luck with the decision. I've always loved the way they look. I'd get one if they weren't what seemed to be a nightmare to work on.

 

[Wills7MGTE]

A guy in town has a blue 87 or 86 but he pulled the stock engine since its finicky and has an iron head in place he put a 1st generation 4g63 with a few mods, car runs well but it has enough room you could maybe use a 2jz or maybe an rb25 or 26 depending on cost etc.

 

[Wills7MGTE]

BTW the 1st gen 4g63 is better than most other years since it doesn't have the propencity to have crank walk and all that due to it's better bolt setup

 

[Big Wang Bandit]

The seatbelts say turbo.


Ricers!