426 Hemi Cordoba 

The question we all want answered about this car: did it have rich, Corinthian leather?

When Ross Perot was talking about "giant sucking sound" he was referring to NAFTA sucking US jobs to Mexico, not the national debt.

Steve, I still contend that the Cordoba advertising campaign was more famous than the car itself. Rather than being just a humorous Dana Carvey impersonation, Ross Perot should be remembered for warning voters over and over again that NAFTA would cost the USA millions of middle class industrial jobs. He was absolutely right.

Ross Perot worked for IBM in the early 1960s. He would call on Core Lab in Dallas where my dad worked. My dad was a brilliant engineer and computer programmer. This was about the time I was born. Some of dad's coworkers suggested he go with Ross and start Electronic Data Systems (EDS). But, dad said he had 4 kids by 1961 and needed a stable job. Pops was the Texas A&M slide rule champion in the late 1940s. He scored the highest score ever ( at that time) for the Army rocket school aptitude test They wanted him in White Sands / Los Alamos designing nuclear weapons, but dad had no interest in that, so they shipped him off to Korea to aim artillery, safe many miles behind the action. They kept prodding him to go to Los Alamos, but he never did. Dad’s college roommate told us of students lining up at the dorm to have dad help them with their engineering homework. His roommate later became president of Otis engineering, later purchased by Halliburton Most of his computer knowledge came after college, and he became an expert programmer in mainframe computer languages in addition to his petroleum engineering degree. The family think he had a photographic memory, and I believe it. In the early 1980s, my buddy called me from Texas Tech and said he was using a computer textbook co-written by my dad. Dad worked on well into his 80s, and one day at the office, a group of engineers from Exxon came by to meet the man who wrote these reservoir engineering studies using some techniques they had not seen before. I , of course, inherited absolutely none of that technical ability. Dad passed recently, and that Ross Perot bumper sticker triggered me to speak of him. R.I.P pops.

That junk yard is just incredible, the cars Steve finds there to cover is like a time capsule !!

Back then, Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth really had no idea what excited car nuts. They really could have done so much more. Praying for you Steve, get well soon 🙏

Around 78, my brother came to visit and told me where to meet him and look for the new Dodge "Charger". I looked and looked and couldn't find a Charger in the parking lot. But did find a new Cordoba. He had been looking at Chargers, when the salesman showed the Cordoba and he bought it, thinking it was a Charger. I still laugh to this day. He just passed last November at 89.

Pretty sure my brother already commented on this, but the 426 Hemi Cordoba from the magazine article you featured was my dad's daily driver for quite a few years and was pretty much one of our main family vehicles in the late 70s and early - mid '80s.

I worked at the Chrysler Engineering center in Highland Park Michigan in the early 70s & was able to peruse the various prototype shops. One day in early '74 was a mule '75 Cordoba all black with a 426 hemi. I was told it was a "what if" car & evaluated for production. I think the idea was scrapped due to the first gas crisis & wondered what happened to it. There were a few one offs that day in the shop like a 440 six pack C-body '74 Plymouth wagon & a couple of Turbine cars that looked a lot like a ''64 T-Bird.

We love you, Steve, and we’re wishing you a very smooth and prompt recovery!

You may have been canceled by motor trend, but we will never cancel you Steve, your a bright light of information on vehicle history that warms the hearts of millions while doing so every morning.❤😊

The 400 lends itself for the biggest of stroker cranks and can be built to produce tons of horse power. Love those 400s...!

The Cordoba was a beautiful car. With its “ Rich Corinthian Leather”, lol.

For 78, the Cordoba got the std 400 4bbl ELB, yes for the last time. But, the rare P code (called the HD 400) was offered. Specs for that engine oddly enough were not factory released, but I've read that the same mill in cop cars were rated about 220, 230 hp with torque in the 325 range for 78. Specs for the std 400 were pretty tame, 190hp, 305lbft of torque. Single exhaust meant it cleared the 25.5 gal tank. The P code got the 21 gal tank to clear true dual exhausts, with dual cats, and those cars actually had a slightly modified floor pan to accommodate that. Seat tracks were different as well. All 400 cars had the 9 1/4 rear gear, but the std 400 came with a new for 78, 2.45 ratio! P cars had 3.21. All 400 cars had the 11x2.5 rear drums, whereas lesser engines had the 8 1/4 gear with 10 inch brakes on the rear. All B body Cordobas had the 11.75 frt discs, which if you snag all the parts, are a cheap factory way to convert older drum brake B's. New for 78 was the lock up 727 trans for std 400s only. They were known for burning out because lock up came in at just 31 mph on light throttle. Styling is subjective, but I've had 4 of these, including 3 79 300s, 1 of which I still have. My only real gripe is as big as these cars are, rear leg room actually isn't good and cars w/o optional tilt wheel, make for an awkward driving position for shorter people. That aside, of course rust was the #1 killer, and man did these cars rot easily! Not much aftermarket support for metal or interior pieces.

Back around 76 or 77 I was working at a Dodge Dealer. We got in a shipment of new cars and were scratching our heads over a "Charger" that got rolled off the truck. It had Cordoba rectangular headlights, a Dodge emblem steering wheel, Dodge emblem on the trunk, Cordoba nameplate on the dash. We called it the "Charger Cordoba." The Chrysler Zone Manager didn't believe us when we called to ask "WTF?" He came by later in the week, shook his head, and a few days later a truck showed up with an ACTUAL Charger and took it away. You are in my Prayers Steve, praying for you and yours.

Ross Perot was not a "Texas oilman" but a business man who founded Electronic Data Systems, sold to GM in '84 for a couple three billion. He also helped fund Steve Job's Next.

Hi Steve , that Cordoba looked more like the Monte Carlo to me me but,the Malibu kinda the same . Have a great day bud .👍🚗

When I was 4 years old living in Massachusetts 1986 my grandmother came to visit us and we were going for a ride to the store in my mom's Cordoba and the door randomly swung open as we went around a turn and I almost fell out of the car but my grandma caught me my my shirt. The latch for the door had rusted off. And the seat belts weren't made for kids at that time. I can still see it in my head it's crazy

I’ve always preferred the round headlight Cordoba’s versus the rectangular light Cordoba’s. As far as lesser grade Cordoba’s, I actually preferred the Plymouth Fury Sports - thought they were definitely the sharpest version of all three brands! I’m a big fan of “factory stock” collector cars, but a Cordoba with a Street Hemi? YES PLEASE! What a fun little ride THAT would be! Kind of surprising the Cordoba nameplate didn’t make a reappearance later in the 80’s as some stylized version of a K-car - although in retrospect, maybe it’s just as well……..🤔

The 78 Cordoba was my first car. I bought it in 1991 when I was 15. The day I got my license I hit an icy patch at about 10mph and hit a curb and bent the rear end, lol. It spent more time being worked on than on the road. Ended up trading it for a regular cab long bed 77 chevy c10 2wd with a 350 and $1000. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

My grandpa bought a brown cordoba brand new and my brother painted the tires and headlights chrome with a spray can the day he bought it! What memories! We were very young then!

In 1980 I bought a black with red interior 76 Cordoba that came with all the factory options except a sunroof. I put a 375 hp 440 with headers in it with a 4sp and 391 rear end. It didn't stand up on its rear wheels or anything but it did run very respectable for a 3900 pound car.

Prayers for a full recovery. We’ll be here when you return. We love you man.

My parents had a Plymouth Gran Fury with the 400 Lean Burn. That car was exceptionally fast considering being a 4 door full size car. I used to take it to Dodge Street and race light to light with it. The air cleaner flipped of course. I did beat a few Novas and Camaros. The engine was definitely built right from the factory and was very impressive.

I'm surprised Steve didn't mention the Electronic Lean Burn Ignition had been discarded from the air cleaner and a Mopar Performance Orange ECU was on the firewall! When I lived in NC, a fellow airman had a '75 Charger and at the time (''90) I was unaware that the Charger had been produced as a badge engineered Cordoba. I always thought they had been discontinued after '74. His had been a northern car and was suffering from cancer, but he was determined to save it.

I LOVED my '79 Cordoba Crown Coupe! Factory sun roof, two-tone paint scheme (Linen Creme over Light Cashmere) (two very pale shades of yellow) and the Crown Roof treatment. 318 under the hood (underpowered for such a heavy car). I still have the window -sticker for it and in 1979, it listed for nearly $11,000 dollars! A tidy sum for an American car in 1979!

Steve, to this day the best car I ever owned was my 76 Cordoba bought off the showroom floor. Sadly after nine years it succumbed to MI rust. Wish I still had it.

Reminds me of the black with red graphics 79 Dodge Magnum I bought from a tow yard in Rhode Island for $200 to get back to Virginia after finishing a job. Went through it and replaced all wear items, fluids, filters, belts, hoses and stripped the other one they threw in and burned the highway up as it was built for cruising at 85. Traded it eventually for a 76 F-150 that was set up for hauling 10k with it's 360 and manual transmission. I missed both ever since.

My mother ordered a 1975 Cordoba from Trans Island Motors in Montreal. The 360 was standard, 318 no cost downgrade, and 400 or 440 optional, and at least in Canada, no Catalytic Convertors in 1975. I put a Holley 500 CFM on and beat the crap out of it as a hyper 16 year old

Ross Perot quote: "I'm all ears".

My uncle had a Cordoba and i believe it had the "rich, Corinthian leather". And same color too. I also had a friend with a black Magnum as well.

My sister bought a 77 monte cordoba in 1987 while in college. I couldn't believe it when I opened the hood to see a 400 with a thermoquad!

I wonder if Lee Iacocco looked at that Hemi Cordoba and thought, "man, that thing goes like hell"!

Back in the day that was the cheapest and easiest way to put disk brakes on your charger because everything bolted right up. Just pop the upper and lower ball joints . My charger still rides on the cordoba spindles and brakes. when I order new rotors I just order the disks for a 72 dodge charger because they were all the same. They didn’t have conversion kits like they do now. Just putting it out there. Thanks for the videos!

Steve gets 2 weeks out of a shirt , I get the same out of my fruit of the looms. Then I flip em inside out and get 2 more

Road and Tractor. Never heard that one before!

The "Throwing It All Away" ad-lib was comedic gold. Love your channel.

My Dad's 1976 Cordoba was the car I drove on my learner's permit in 1983, great car.

Looks like the junker has the “rich Corinthian leather!”

I was passed on the highway in my 1975 Grand Prix by a 1977 Blk Cordoba and I got off the next exit in Buffalo NY and went to Sheridan Chrysler and they had a black one and a white one, I bought the black one with red corinthin leather with a crank sunroof..Had a lot of problems with the LEAN BURN engine computer, infact it was replaced 5 times! TO me, and my new wife ,it was a beautiful car and we loved it, even tho the LEAN BURN COMPUTER sucked....lol!!

We had a fleet of 1978 and 1979 Cordobas at Southwest Leasing in Southern California. They would rent for $14 a day. I have always preferred the last two model years as well as both 1978 and 1979 Dodge Magnums.

Thanks Steve! These 400's were so loaded with emission stuff and de-tuned to the max, one would be lucky to get the faintest tire squeal turning a corner coming out of a sand patch!

Come on Steve you should have told the story behind the real Corinthian Leather ? I was waiting for it

Mr. B. Here ! ☕️☕️🍩 Morning Mags ! Very interesting and informative thank you Steve. 👍🤯👍🤯

One of my Mom's friends had a Cordoba, but I don't remember ever riding in it.

One of my firiends had the Charger Detomaso edition of the K-bodied variety. Thought he had a rare collectible.

Cool Hemi cordoba in the PHR magazine. That would be a great model car project. 😊

Owned 2 1975s.......loved them both....always liked the round headlights better than the stacked

Don't you die on us Steve M, you're a treasure to our culture and have been for decades. We need you... blessings to you!

Had an 80 Cordoba with the slant six, the LS model. The car was not great, was not terrible either. I still kind of miss that car at times.

My parents bought a 1978 400 Cordoba and I got the hand me down 68 Newport Custom. Loved that land yacht!

When I first saw a picture of a 3614230 400 block I actually laughed out loud. They have to be the beefiest crank bosses, relative to the size of the engine, in human history. We need to redesign the crank case to make it beefier but we don't have time! Just shove the whole cow in there.

Steve I was Given that same car, with the 400, It was a nice running car,When My transmission went out in my 65 buick, I needed a car for work,The Old couple I was building a addition, for had one sitting behind there house, Gave it to me. I never got it registered, and got caught at lunch time getting the guys lunch, The officer, Comes up and asked for paper,s I said sorry I don't have any, I told him My story, All he said, Go home right now,get out of new Fairfield ,well that was a short day at work. boy were the guys happy, But I have to say It was a great running Car, Nice riding car, I went and got it register that day, Drove that car for almost drove it a Year, Police today would have towed, he was nice, they were all nice back in the day.

That air con compressor looks like it could run a pearl diving boat.

Disappointed you didn't mention the Corinthian leather.

Wheres the younger crowd at? Im 20 and watch everyday before work

Wow, you can almost hear Ricardo telling Herve about the Corinthian leather at the stage set to Fantasy Island!

My father had a 78, Charcoal Gray with light gray vinyl top and leather interior with center console. It was a sweet car.he loved it!

The government loan stipulations that Chrysler scrape the tooling for the big blocks really put Dodge trucks at a disadvantage. I can still hear Ricardo Montobom and the fine Corinthian Leather.

Great video!!! Save that hood ornament from the crusher!!!! Any Olds diesels? Viewer from Arkansas....it is odd seeing rust on cars, they don't rust here in the South.... Thank you Steve!!!!!

This was the best video yet!! I love Cordoba's and the entertainment was great throughout, thanks Steve!

My mom had a '76 with 400 with duel exhaust and it was gutless. It did have a limit slip rear and did better than most cars in the snow.

Praying for your quick recovery, Steve! Your videos are the best!!

Hot Rod, Car Craft, Rod and Custom, Motortrend magazines were all by Petersen Publishing!!! That Hemi Cordoba was a BEAST, I remember that article, but that's not the only one built, I've seen 440 six-packs, 4speeds, HEMI's Cordoba's over the years, so anything is posible!!! I even saw a Cordoba Stocker, also, the Cordoba actually was the replacement for the '74 Plymouth Satellite Sebring Plus!!! Mopar, or no car!!! Mopar Nate Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

We are all wishing you well Steve!!! 🙏

I had 78. Just that same color. It had the 400. Wth alloy wheels,t-tops and an am,fm cb radio.And was all original too.That car was a beauty. Until it got hit in the rear. But i still have great memories of her. She was a great car.

My sister owned a 76 Charger Daytona,with the 400. As others have written, the poor engine was strangled but gosh was it a good looking car. Thanks as always ~ Chuck

The 2nd-gen Cordoba/Mirada and the 1981-83 Imperial are the J-body, a stretched M-body platform. The rubber isolated K-member was called Torsion-Quiet Ride in the 1971 C-body, where it first appeared.

Perot, "Can I finniisshh?.." Then nothing but silence. AWE, SIMPLER TIMES.

Steve the long torsion bars went on until 81 in the R body Newport, St Regis and Gran Fury cars. They all share the same platform.

The most important thing in a Cordoba was the Corinthian leather. Had to wait for the 2nd generation for the slant 6.

Mags, I love the way you sneak that little fired clip in almost every vlog so witty old boy that's why I like watching you everyday always thumbs up I like you because deep down you're a Mopar guy but are interested in all forms of motorized transportation and their origins I never get sick of trivia

I like the white Valiant that you show on your short clip of protesting of being canceled

This is one of my favorite Cordoba yr i had one in 88 my mom bought new i wished i had it back

Yea!!! Genesis Live!!! Now the Cordoba is perfect!!! Great Video Steve! I am rooting for you hand in there and keeping my fingers crossed. I loved your show on Motor Trend and really happy to see you on RU-vid. Found you via Nick's Garage.

We jumped one of these land yachts over a raised railroad track bed when I was in high school around 1989. There were five of us in the car. It landed so hard on the nose it bent the frame. We had to climb out the windows since the doors wouldn’t open. In the cars defense it did get us home that night. After we open the tailpipe back up with the tire iron. It got crushed closed.

Had a 78 Fury SE sedan with the tame 318. My senior year high school. Smooth steady but slow. Wish I could have had a cordoba of that vintage w 400.

I just found this channel a couple of days ago, I REALLY LIKE THIS KNOWLEDGE FOR A PERSON WHO KNOWS THEIR SHIT PLEASE KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK

Nice Chrysler. Had a friend in High school his mom had one.

I bought a brand new 1976 Dodge Charger SE with the 400 engine, basically the same as the Cordoba. These cars were gutless wonders, you would think that the engine was about 100 HP. I paid extra and got the turbine wheels. These rims could never balance properly and the car had a minor vibration that they could never balance out. The only saving grace was the car got 19 mpg/Can. gallon and with the big fuel tank you could go a long distance without refill. The inside was nice and the drivers seat reclined so that if you were driving a long way, you could stop and get a little shut eye. The a/c would freeze you out of the front seats but this car was absolutely not a "tire burner".

Popular cars and nice looking, at least to me.

I find it astounding that every one of these cars that you choose to talk about in that junkyard has the sales brochure on the air cleaner.

Thank you, Steve! I love what you bring to us!

Thank you. I owned 3 of these and one was the 1979 Chrysler 300 version of this car. my fondest memory's. I built that 360 to the hilt, fat tires, and paint. I wasnt doing it for my ego but wow the locks that car got. NY road salt ate that car to death.

I can remember being behind these Cordobas after a few years. The 😂taillight would break seal and fill up with water. Looked like an Aquarium before they would just fall out.

I had a 1975 Cordoba with a 400 back in '89 and I can agree to it's tire smoking capability! Fairly common cars still available in thar era, I was slightly jealous of a friend's 78 with leather, console shifter and sunroof, yes I believe it was Corinthian leather lol

I can almost hear Ricardo Montalban purring about, "Smooth, Corinthian leather..."

My uncle had the charger cordoba thingy, he loved that car, had it in the garage all the time and never drove it and kept it so clean like new, never understood the attraction to the car, now there so different looking it’s like the getto pimp car cool 😎

Although the featured car is a 1978 I found a statistic showing the 1975 and 76 model years had an optional 235 horse 400 over the standard 195 horse version offered in the Cordoba. Since Cordoba was a two door I find it hard to believe it would be a Police package option.

I took my drivers test back in 1983 in one of those. It had a clapped out 360. It had a big misfire under heavy throttle. A total slug. Get Better Steve!

Get well soon there Steve we love ya man!

My first car was a 76 Cordoba, 360 4 barrel. I miss that car. Dad bought it but mom didn't drive it because size. Grandma got it then me 12 years later.

Anybody else get that 'lovely' 🤮 2.45 limited slip differential on theirs? It would grunt in pain off of the line. Under full throttle at low RPM, the intake howled louder than my buddy's Mach 1 with his aircleaner cover inverted. They called it a moose in heat. Although, it would eat freeway miles (at well over the posted limit) as a snack. Thanks for the video!

Love your content steve, you’re an automotive national treasure!! Keep the videos up been watching a lot with my newborn, MT screwed up not renewing Junkyard Gold. 🏁💪🏼

Hope you are well on the mend Steve, We miss you and praying for your speedy return!!!!

Man you are a great present. Love your videos.

Despite all of Chrysler’s problems in the late 70s, those old B-bodies were attractive and comfortable cars to ride in. Sometimes when your body and mind just want a smooth ride in soft comfort seats….

I remember it like it was 47 years ago, As they pulled the metallic dark green with white Landau top 1975 Chrysler Cordoba out of the showroom floor at HE,Hull & Sons Christler Plymoth in Cohoes,NY .And as we left the 1972 Satiltght Sebring behind,, The first car we ever had with A/C, big chome grill like a Rolls Royce, The car I learned to drive in.

The only clouds that thing was producing was probably clouds of cigarette smoke with its 90 ash trays on the inside 😂😂

Magneto!! Thank you for sharing your endless gearhead knowledge with us all, you're a true gift to the car nut community! I still smile whenever I see some of your Hot Rod content.