Concept Car Returns to Chicago 40+ Years Later ! 1980 Dodge Mirada - My Car Story with Lou Costabile 

Hi Jeff, "I always thought that the Mirada was under appreciated" Agree. Bad timing for cars in 1980. My pleasure sharing this concept car with you. Appreciate your support, Lou

Hi Michael, Happy to read this car is "slick" :-) My pleasure sharing this concept car with you, Lou

Thank you for viewing and sharing you enjoy the looks of this car :-)

Yeah, it’s a shame the Magnum didn’t stick around long enough to get the Magnum version of the 318 or 360. I had both in Dakotas and they made a good 100 hp more than the malaise era engines.

I love the 1981-3 Imperial.

@@seed_drill7135 I have a 1998 Ram with a Magnum. It makes pretty decent power. It just has the dumbest intake manifold in history. I'm just wrapping up the intake plenum gasket repair. Bolting a steel plate on the bottom of an intake manifold makes no sense.

Hi Mike, Happy to read this car brings back memories of lee Iacocca pitching this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing, and you're welcome, Lou

Hi Turd, Happy to read "Neat car" :-) Lou

Hi Jeffrey, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your new car purchase :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing, and you're welcome, Lou

Hi drippinglass, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou

Hi William, Happy to share this concept car with you :-) You're welcome, Lou

Happy Thanksgiving TheGunfighter45acp. A happy ending :-) You're welcome, Lou

Hi Bruce H., That's longevity ! :-) Lou

Hi D.J.C. Jr, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou

Hi JazzzRockFuzion, Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RU-vid Channel, Lou

It is very cool Mopar.❤

Hi Hobiemarty, Happy to read you enjoy the looks of this car :-) Lou

Hi Jaime, Happy to read you enjoy the 80's design of this car.....and the horn sounds too :-) Appreciate the kind words on the video, Lou

My pleasure sharing this car with you bryantcurtis :-)

Hi FUBAR Model Yard, Happy to read you enjoy the looks of this car, Lou

Hi Ethan, Happy to read "What a cool car" :-) Lou

Hi USMilitaryTags, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Dad and your Uncles car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou

Hi Robert, Happy to read you're happy for this Caretaker :-) My pleasure sharing with you. You're welcome. Glad you're along for the ride, Lou

Good to know.

I agree :-)

Hi Jay, Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou

Hi boson, Happy to read you enjoy the styling on this car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou

Hi Scott, Happy to read you "I love the looks of the 1980-1983 Cordoba, Mirada, LeBaron, Diplomat, and Imperial!" :-) Lou

Loved those cars, so nice riding. Would love to cruise around in the last incarnation of the Imperial.

Hi Martin, Happy to read "Always liked the Mirada" :-) I agree, it's great to see younger guys (then me) in the hobby as Caretakers, Lou

Lean burn, still gives me shivers just hearing that! Wonder how many folks hate Mopar to this day due to that horrible system that seemed to be on every one I could afford or bought as a young adult!

Happy to read you enjoy the looks of this car FozzyXT :-)

That's COOL !

Hi Mike YQR, Happy to read you enjoy this "Very cool car" :-) My pleasure sharing with you. Appreciate the kind and encouraging words. You're welcome, Lou

Hi Jerry Flynn Dale, Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou

Persistence, perseverance, and kindness pays off :-)

@@loucostabile And $$$$$$$$$$ also..

You'll be able to sneak up on people with this car :-)

Hi Stewart, Happy to read "EXTREMELY cool" :-) Hope you're behind the wheel of the right car for you soon, Lou

Hello Staticky Cat! Happy to read you stopped by, and please stop by more often. Glad to read "I really love this thing!" Cheers, Lou

@@loucostabile Yeah, I'm sorry I haven't been around here very often. I've been really, caught up in my own thing, as well as other excuses... Lol. But maybe sometime again soon I'll stop by!

Hello Juan, Yes, I agree, Lou

There is really very little about this car that is different from the factory ones that were produced. The vents on the front fenders are different and there is the addition of some trim on the roof and the opera windows have been filled in. The front and rear portions that are made out of metal, instead of “plastic” have the same shape. This isn’t so much of a concept car as it is a customized car.

High praise msacco175 :-)

Hi John, Happy to read you enjoy this "Very cool and rare" car :-) You're welcome, Lou

Hi Agostino, Happy to share this concept car with you :-) Lou

Hi Allen, Happy to read you enjoy the looks of this car :-) Lou

Hi gnewb e, Happy to read this one is "spectacular" :-) My pleasure sharing this car with you, Lou

Happy to read this one is "Cool" :-)

Hi Parke, Great minds think alike :-) Happy Thanksgiving, Lou

HI Gary, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou

They made something that looked like this only it had a single headlight. Forgot what it was called.

Hi DOTD77, Happy to read "Very cool" :-) My pleasure sharing this car with you, Lou

Happy to share this car with you Calvin :-)

Hi bogdanich375, Happy to share this "interesting" car with you :-) Lou

:-)

Hi jakespeed63, Happy to read you enjoy Caretaker and the looks of this car :-) Lou

Hi Scuba Trucker, Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou

Hi motorTranz, Happy to read you enjoy the looks of this car :-) Blessing received. Wishing you a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving too, Lou

Happy to read you enjoy the looks of this car :-)

Hi William, Happy to read you enjoy the looks of this concept car :-) You're welcome, Lou

Happy to read you enjoy the lines of this car Brock :-)

Hi Wal Ford, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou

My ‘78 Magnum GT was also in the MCACN Malaise Era Muscle display. I sort of wish it could have been placed adjacent to this car instead of 4 cars down, so spectators could have seen the similarities between the 2 cars’ front ends side by side.

Hi Charles, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou

Didn't have a Mirada in 79.

Happy to read this one brings back memories of the one you almost bought. Happy Thanksgiving Richard :-) Lou

Greetings Alejandro, Happy to read you enjoy this "Nice Car" :-) Thank you, and wishing you a WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING too, Lou

Hi 72dodge340, Happy to read "Really cool!" :-) My pleasure sharing this one with you, Lou

Hi Bob, Happy to read you enjoy this "Cool car!" :-) Happy Thanksgiving to you! Lou

Hi David, Happy to read you enjoy the looks of this car :-) Lou

Hi Franco A. Happy to share this car with you. I use a Sony HD Camera with a wide angle lens,, however the microphone is connected to the camera and no add on mic is available, so you're right, indoor videos at a "live car show" will suffer as I'm not able to control the environment, Lou

Hi Scott, THANK YOU FOR THE SUPER THANKS! Appreciate your support, Lou

Hi cl7player, Happy to read this car brings back memories of the car you sat in :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou

Hi LITTLE, Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou

Hi Car Enthusiast, Happy to read you like this car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou

Happy to read you enjoy this "Nice car" :-)

Hi lkmsl, Happy to read you enjoy this car. My pleasure sharing this one with you. Thank you for the well wishes on Thanksgiving, and hope you and your Family have a nice Thanksgiving too, Lou

Happy to read this one impresses you Larry :-)

Hi Offthbadan, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your old Girlfriend's block :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou

Hi James, Happy to read "Very sharp concept car" :-) Lou

Hi Larry, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou

Hi pearsoooo 6972, Happy to read you like the looks of this car :-) Hope you see many more cars on this RU-vid Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RU-vid Channel, Lou

@@loucostabile ur welcome. Will do as long as u keep on doing a great job whatever vehicles u find. Drive fast and dont get caught

Happy to see you enjoy the looks of this car mr chonn :-)

Hi John, You're right, Lou

Hi TD, Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou

Hi canadiancatgreen, Thank you for viewing and sharing your thoughts. Hope you see many more cars on this RU-vid Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RU-vid Channel, Lou

@@loucostabile Thx

Hi pearsoooo 6972, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Mom & Dads car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou

Thank you for sharing what you see Florida Man Construction.

Hi gene978, Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou

:-)

Hi Milford Civic, Clearly this one is not for you :-( Hope you see many more cars on this RU-vid Channel you'll enjoy :-) Lou

Hi Chris, I can see why you're say looks like an 80's Monte Carlo, Lou

Actually it was if you think about it. The Magnum replaced the Charger and the Mirada replaced the Magnum. I have owned a 80 cabriolet version since brand new.

Hi Brian, My pleasure sharing this car with you :-) Happy Thanksgiving, Lou

Hi CDN Citizen, Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) Lou

Hi Michael, Happy to read this car is "Nice" :-) Lou

Hi Get It?, Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many more cars on this RU-vid Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RU-vid Channel, Lou

Hi TheCrazyMoparDude68, Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many more cars on this RU-vid Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RU-vid Channel, Lou

As the owner of this car I will tell you that I did extensive research on this car from talking with Chrysler to the project manager for this vehicle. I have documentation from Chrysler stating this vehicle to be a concept vehicle. I did find out this car was a pilot car/test mule, one of if not the first Mirada's ever made next to the clay model. Basically this car was used to test the assembly line and fine tune the building process. The car left the plant as a semi-complete badly aligned mess that was than stripped to a shell again and reconstructed. The car if seen up close is a lot more modified than you'd expect. The font and rear clip are both one piece epoxy molds, the roof was welded in where the C pillar glass normally sat, the roof and T-top setup is a 1 off set made my CNC and was the first T roof J body ever made. This is the only Mirada built with black leather seats. Synthatex built the car and was strictly a show/concept vehicle builder for the big 3. They were not some small time custom car shop. Have whatever opinion you'd like but according to Chrysler and the company that built it, my research, and every previous owner, this is in fact a concept vehicle.

Hi Iraq Kingdom, Happy to read this car is "Respectful" :-) Lou

:-)

Hi Corradetti Motorsports. Thank you for viewing and sharing your thoughts. Hope you see many more cars on this RU-vid Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this RU-vid Channel, Lou

Hi Dan R, Hmmm, not sure. Maybe a Viewer has knowledge. Lou

Early versions didn't all have lean burn. My original 80 does not.

1980 situation........

Hi Slack, Happy to read this car brings back memories of the cars you remember :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou

Happy to read you enjoy this car :-)

:-)