The Ultimate Factory "sleepers"Page 4

sparks81 · #61 (**permalink**)

My first car fooled a lot of people. Got a lot of derisive remarks too until you went for a ride with me or saw it take off from a standstill.

I had a 1979 Chrysler LeBaron Town and Country Station Wagon. It was cream colored with the wood trim and actually pretty good tint on the windows. Turns out after checking the VIN that it had the same high performance engine and transmission package as the highway patrol cars of that year.

I think I have a pic of it somewhere.

The only mod that I did to the car was install air shocks on the rear to raise the low rearend that was typical for those cars.

It was a lot of fun to drive too. On a remote road once from stoplights, I beat a mustang not once, not twice, not three times (he tried a rolling start), but 4 times! By the time we got to the 5th light he was really giving the car a visual once over and scratching his head.

The only irritating thing about the car was that it used double belts on the engine. There was just enough gap between the a/c compressor and alternator (if I remember correctly) to set up a slight vibration at idle with the a/c on. Just enough to drive you crazy. At one point I was going to try and find a dual pulley arrangement and weld it on the engine to fix it, but unfortunately never got the chance.

With a lot of highway miles I averaged 13 to 14mpg. On one trip I got 18 and was thrilled (must have been a lot of down hill, lol).

HowardJ · #62 (**permalink**)

When I first saw the title I immediately thought of a Dodge Magnum.

grayroadster · #63 (**permalink**)

I have a sleeper, It's an 86 Chrysler Le Baron convertible turbo tricked out pretty far. I work near UCI in Irvine, and I smoke all the dumb kids with there little rice sleds.

SRT6NC · #64 (**permalink**)

In 1974 I had a 1967 Sunbeam Tiger with a Ford 289. I can tell alot of stories about this 'Sleeper'.

Uncle_Al · #65 (**permalink**)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SRT6NC

In 1974 I had a 1967 Sunbeam Tiger with a Ford 289.

Bet you wished you had kept it. Had to be a real hoot to drive.

SRT6NC · #66 (**permalink**)

It was a blast. Imagine a new Vette (1974) to the left of you at 90 mph when you bang it into 4th and smoke the tires and the Vette.

Yea, I wish I had kept that one and a few others I had back then. But none of them could compete with my Xfire SRT6.