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Chrysler was fighting for survival in the early 1980s, and one of its odder bets was a droptop K-car. The Dodge version of that bet is this 1983 Dodge 400 Convertible, live on Hagerty Marketplace at no reserve, finished in white over a red interior and showing 36,550 miles, according to the listing. When we checked on November 12, it had no bids. The auction ends Tuesday, November 24, at 3:10 p.m. ET.
The Convertible Detroit Had Stopped Building
When the 1982 Chrysler LeBaron convertible arrived, Old Cars Weekly notes, no U.S. automaker had built a domestic convertible since the 1976 Cadillac Eldorado. Dodge got its own version through the 400, a more upscale Aries-based coupe that sat between the Aries and the larger 600. The convertible joined the 400 lineup partway through the 1982 model year, per published histories of the model.
Chrysler chairman Lee Iacocca believed there was a market for factory convertibles, according to Autocade. The drop-top work itself was handled by outside coachbuilder Cars and Concepts, with reinforced A-pillars and a torque tube added to stiffen the body, according to published histories.
Rarer Than Its Cousin
The Dodge was never the volume seller. Old Cars Weekly puts total LeBaron convertible output for 1982 at 12,825 cars. The Dodge 400 convertible figures cited in published references are 5,541 for 1982 and 4,888 for 1983. Across all body styles, Curbside Classic reports Dodge sold 24,090 400s in 1982 and 32,052 in 1983, against more than 80,000 LeBarons in each of those years.
The 400 name did not last. For 1984 the car became the Dodge 600, and the convertible gained a redesigned top, roll-down rear quarter glass and a larger back seat. That makes a 1983 one of the last of the original boxy-top 400s.
What the Listing Shows
Under the hood is a 2.6-liter four-cylinder of Mitsubishi origin paired with a three-speed automatic and front-wheel drive. Published specs show that 2.6 was the only engine offered in the convertible. The listing notes power windows and locks, cruise control, a power-operated top, wood-look trim on the gauge cluster and steering wheel, and chrome faux wire wheel covers. The seller says the white soft top was replaced in 2025.
The car was sold new in Redlands, California, and the CARFAX report shows registration in Washington, Oregon and California. The seller acquired it in 2025 and says the Washington title is clean. The car is located in Ridgefield, Washington.
The seller is upfront about the flaws. Two wheel covers are dented, the white rubber beltline trim has imperfections, and the interior shows wear, especially in the plastic seat belt components. The seats have been partially reupholstered and there is an aftermarket radio. One more item deserves a close read: the CARFAX report shows a mileage inconsistency in June 2025, which the seller believes is a clerical error. Bidders will want to review that report and the 55 photos before deciding what the 36,550 miles really mean.
Why Anyone Would Want It
The Dodge 400 convertible is not a car most people ever wanted to be rare. It was built to be affordable personal-luxury transportation during Iacocca's turnaround, and most K-cars were used up as exactly that. Finding a clean, mostly original one in a color combination that looks right on a boxy convertible is the part worth talking about.
If you like Chrysler products that never fit neatly into a category, see our look at the Prowler that outlived Plymouth. For another take on the 1980s droptop, there is a Corvette convertible with the Doug Nash 4+3, and for a more expensive way to spend the same sort of nostalgia, a manual 1989 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet.
With no reserve and no bids as of this writing, the car will change hands whenever the clock runs out. Details are on the Hagerty Marketplace listing. Specifications and history above come from the listing and the sources linked; seller statements are the seller's own.
