CM Valiant GLX towing original Charger race car
(first posted 2/25/2015) In our last installment, we covered the introduction of the Valiant and the subsequent Australian models based on the US Valiant (and Dart), but beginning in 1971, Chrysler Australia went their own way with their own model. The photo above nearly bookends this era from the original 1973 Charger race car to the final CM model sedan.
Despite the work that had gone into prior generations, newly designed Holdens and Falcons meant that Chrysler was still third of the Big Three with 12 percent of the market and, with new cars coming from the other two, they had to respond. Unfortunately, the US Valiant was in stasis as far as Chrysler Australia was concerned; even the Duster/Demon/Swinger hardtop was of little relevance to the Australian market, so they took on a $22 million development of a new car.
1969 Dodge Polara, photo from www.history-of-cars.com
With styling that reflected the 1969/70 C- and B-body fuselage cars in the US, some added character lines to the flanks, a three inch longer wheelbase (111 inches) and four inches of additional width (74.2 inches), the new car certainly fulfilled the bigger-and-better theme (at least on the outside, as one of the criticisms was that the interior space did not reflect the expanded sheet metal). Visibility was also markedly reduced from the previous Valiant, thanks to the raised waistline.
VH Valiant Ranger
Curiously, the overall length only grew slightly over the old VG model, but it was still a hefty four inches longer than the HQ Holden and four inches longer than the XA Falcon released in 1972. All three cars sat on a 111-inch wheelbase and most other dimensions were close, with the surprising exception of the Valiant’s 58.3-inch track width which, while wider than its predecessor, was two inches less than those of the Holden or Falcon.
The VH Valiant sedan had less rear overhang than the previous model
Perhaps the tucked-under look of the wheels contributes to the impression of the Valiant being larger than it is. Note that the car above has the wider styled steel wheels, while base models had narrower plain steelies.
Valiant 215 engine (Picture by “boxhead”, George the Valiant wagon (X Hearse) )
While broadly speaking, there wasn’t a lot of mechanical change with the suspension and driveline carried over. There were the additions of an “economy” 215 cid version of the Hemi 6 for the base and Ranger models and a 265 cid version that was optional in most models except the Regal 770, where it was standard. The 265 was bored out beyond what was originally intended when the Hemi 6 was designed and shared pistons with the 318 V8. The 265 put out 200 hp, enough to deal with the extra 160 pounds of weight the new car carried. Finally, the long-wheelbase Chrysler by Chrysler brought the option of the new 360 V8 and an increased focus on performance-oriented variants, but we will come to those in a moment!
VH Valiant Pacer
New models included the Ranger and Ranger XL, which slotted below the Regal and Regal 770; the Pacer also stayed on, although only 1,800 were built.
A modified CH Chrysler by Chrysler
The long-wheelbase VIP was replaced by the Chrysler by Chrysler with its distinctive full-loop bumper. The car above has had its vinyl roof removed.
CH Chrysler by Chrysler Hardtop, again modified
There was a new hardtop on the same 115 inch wheelbase (one inch longer than the VG but overall length was actually three inches shorter) in both Valiant and Chrysler by Chrysler guises.
CM Valiant Regal wagon, the same as earlier models apart from trim and front sheetmetal
Wagons were six inches longer than sedans, making them the largest sold in the country (at 198 inches), even though its GM and Ford competitors now sat on long-wheelbase platforms (114 and 116 inches, respectively). The wagon’s air deflector was now over the rear window, resulting a sleeker appearance.
Dodge Valiant ute
The ute returned too, but also missed the boat of the GM & Ford utes’ move to the longer wheelbases. The base model utes continued with Dodge badging.
VH Charger R/T
The biggest news with the new Valiant was the Charger, which really made an impact in the market. It was the first time a local hardtop coupe had been based on a smaller and lighter platform, but surprisingly, it wasn’t actually part of the original plan. It actually started off in secret, with Managing Director David Brown diverting a tiny part of the budget ($2MM) to the cause.
VH Charger 770, note the vinyl cover over the side louver panel
The wheelbase was reduced six inches, and the car shared doors with the long-wheelbase Hardtop. While some new panels were necessary, there were such cost-saving tricks as the boot lid being a shortened version of the standard item and a flat rear window. Not only was the Charger 300 pounds lighter than the sedan, it was also $100 cheaper. A louvered panel was added to cover the join of the roof and rear quarter panel, but budget constraints prevented its being functional.
A still from the “Hey Charger!” ad
The Charger’s TV advertising campaign was one of the most successful ever, with a catchy “Hey Charger!” slogan and the V-for-victory sign. For a time, the Charger made up 50 percent of all Valiant sales, something unheard of for a coupe/hardtop in Australia. While this figure would later decline to just five percent, it also probably reflects the ratio of surviving Chargers to other surviving Valiants covered in this article. The Charger also won the 1971 Wheels Car of the Year award.
Chrysler VH Charger RT race car in Magenta
Of course there were some wild colours available, including Vitamin C, Hemi Orange, Mercury Silver, Hot Mustard, Limelight and Bondi Bleach (a play on the famous Bondi Beach).
1971 VH Charger R/T E38. The fuel filler on the side instead of the rear panel indicates fitment of the bigger 35 Imp/42 US gallon tank
But while the Charger came in XL or 770 trim, the real action was found in the R/T, which took the reins from the Pacer (which continued) and its tweaked 218-hp 265. Most of the Chargers shown here feature the 14×7 ROH alloy wheel that was optional or standard, depending on the trim level.
Charger R/T 6 pack 265 engine
The new 6-pack option got you three twin-choke Weber carbs and 248 hp, while the E38 option intended for the race track took that to 280 hp. Cars so equipped were sent over to Italy for Weber factory technicians to perfect the tuning. Even hamstrung by the three-speed manual, the E38 would clear the quarter mile in under 15 seconds, which was around a second faster than the cars with a single carby.
South African 1974 Chrysler Valiant Rebel. Note the mandated white reflectors below the ends of the bumper
Exports both to UK continued, and also increased to South Africa thanks to the convenience of being RHD, replacing North American-produced cars. Actually the previous generation station wagons had already made the trip after the wagon was dropped from the 2nd-gen Valiant line-up in North America. For local content reasons the slant-six was used instead of the Hemi, and there were different trim level names: Rebel, Regal and VIP. The cars were also known as the ‘Fast-Body’ presumably for being much less square than the 2nd-gen Valiant.
1972 VH Charger R/T E49
Despite winning its first race, the Charger was largely an also-ran on the track, so performance efforts redoubled for 1972. This resulted in the E49 package, which (finally) had a four-speed gearbox and an engine tweaked to 302 hp and 320lb-ft–outstanding for just 265 cid. It was actually the most powerful naturally-aspirated six-cylinder engine in the world! This was enough to get the just over 3,000 pound Charger to 100 mph in the low 14-second range (faster than the immortal Falcon GT-HO Phase III, but using a 3.5).
Chrysler 265 Hemi 6-pack E49 engine on dyno, from period ad
This produced another iconic image used in Chrysler’s advertising, showing the extractor exhaust manifold glowing red-hot during a dyno test.
1972 Chrysler Valiant Charger that placed 4th at Bathurst driven by Leo Geoghegan
Victory still proved elusive at the all-important Bathurst 500 race, though. Thanks to their car’s lighter weight than the Falcon GTHO V8s and the big 160L fuel tank, Doug Chivas’ team planned on just a single pit stop, but for some reason attached the wheels using new lug nuts. The cold nuts jammed on the hot studs, and six precious minutes were lost before the car was returned to the track, only to end up in third place. Chivas would finish third, two laps, or just under six minutes, behind the winner, notching up Chrysler’s best-ever result at Bathurst in the process.
Charger option E55 340 ci engine
The factory race team had already been killed during an event called the ‘Super Car Scare’ in June 1972. That had raised hysteria over the prospect of 160mph cars being sold for the street. As a result, the Bathurst rules were changed, and the planned 340-powered Charger was drastically altered.
Chrysler VJ Valiant Charger E55, the same as a VH except for a front-end facelift
Since Chrysler had already imported 330-odd sets of parts to homologate the car for Bathurst, they were used in a special version of the top-trim Charger 770 SE. The 340 kept its 4-barrel carby, but the power was ‘hidden’ by a mild camshaft, small single exhaust, automatic transmission and tall final drive ratio.
Chrysler/Dodge VJ Valiant ute
The VJ model introduced in April 1973 was a simple facelift, with a new grille, round headlights, and new tail lights; mechanically, there was now an electronic ignition. The range was trimmed slightly with the Ranger XL, Regal 770, Pacer and Charger R/T not making the cut. This is more significant than it sounds, with the number of possible trim & drivetrain combinations dropping from 56 to 18.
Chrysler VJ Valiant Regal wagon
Despite this, there were almost 91,000 VJ Valiants built, which is actually the highest of any model (although this was largely due to the 30-month model run), though the sales rate was slightly down from the VH.
1973 VJ Chrysler Charger Sportsman interior
The first special edition car was the Charger Sportsman, in vintage red with white 770 trim strips below the side windows and tartan cloth seat trim.
Chrysler VK Valiant Regal showing the new tail lights
In October 1975 the VK debuted with another new grille and set of tail lights. With sales hit hard because of the fuel crisis, the range was trimmed even further. Base model cars were dropped, so you could choose between a Ranger or Regal sedan or wagon, a Charger XL or 770 and, if you wanted a ute, it would now be wearing Dodge badges only. The Chrysler by Chrysler continued, but the long-wheelbase body was dropped, along with the 360 V8 after new emissions regulations came into effect on 1 July 1976.
Chrysler VK Charger White Knight special edition
While the performance engines were gone, another Charger appearance package was brought out to bump sales: the White Knight, in white or red with colour-keyed exterior, white interior and special striping.
Chrysler VK Valiant Town and Country ute
Those 200 units didn’t help a lot and only 20,500 VK Valiants were built during their 13-month run. Being the largest, heaviest car with the biggest engines and consequently poorest fuel consumption, the Valiant was hit hardest by rising fuel costs with sales down by about half.
A CH Chrysler by Chrysler in the police TV show “The Sweeney”
Chrysler Australia also lost their UK export market at this time, although according to one source only 350 of the cars were sold, with prices being cut in 1975 to clear stock.
Chrysler CL Valiant
The CL model Valiant of October 1976 brought a larger change, with new front and rear styling that gave it quite a different appearance. Ironically, with the change to “C” designation, the Chrysler by Chrysler that had used the CH, CJ and CK codes was dropped and replaced by a Regal SE model that came standard with the 318 V8, a vinyl roof, colour-keyed wheel covers, a coach line, a walnut wood-grain dash, power windows, retractable front and rear seat belts and a fully carpeted boot; buttoned-leather seating was optional. Equipment levels were up across the board.
Chrysler CL Charger 770
There was yet more musical chairs with model names as the Ranger name was dropped and the Valiant name was removed from the Regal. The Charger XL was only available to police forces, leaving the Charger 770 for the public; utes changed back to Chrysler Valiant badging instead of Dodge.
Chrysler CL Valiant panelvan and ute
A few months later a panel van was introduced, as Chrysler no longer wanted to miss out on a class of vehicle that was taking a whopping 18 percent of the total commercial vehicle market. As you can see, it was a relatively straightforward variation on the ute in terms of production, which helps explain why Chrysler actually bothered to create it so late in the model run. The Valiant panel van had a lasting impact greater than its sales figures, as fewer than 2,000 were actually built.
Chrysler CL Valiant Drifter panel van
This influence was thanks to Chrysler’s contribution to the van culture movement, the Drifter, which competed against Holden’s Sandman and Ford’s Sundowner. Typical of the late ’70s, the package consisted basically of some decals and all the ‘sporty’ equipment which could be thrown on. It could be had with either the 6 or V8. Twenty years ago I actually considered buying a V8 van when I needed to move, but never actually went to look at it because with a $650 asking price I fully expected it would be plagued with rust. Like a lot of cars from this era, Valiants certainly could rust!
Chrysler CL Valiant ute
Partway through the CL model run, the Electronic Lean Burn (ELB) ignition system was brought over for the 318 V8, approximately a year after it had been introduced in the US; it provided a 15% fuel economy improvement plus better power and driveability. The suspension geometry was also improved to take advantage of radial tyres.
Chrysler CL Valiant Le Baron
I couldn’t neglect to note the Le Baron limited edition introduced in April 1978, the only use of this storied name down under. There wasn’t anything particularly special about it, just silver paint and a vinyl roof, alloy wheels, tinted windows, a floor shift auto and bumper overriders. Note that the car above has non-standard alloy wheels and the vinyl roof has been removed, but with only 400 cars built, I can’t be too fussy with a genuine CC find!
Chrysler CL Valiant panel van and CM Valiant ute
The CL was the last model for the Charger, ute and van, casualties of only 32,672 sales over two years. The final 1,813 CL Chargers included the only factory V8 4-speed cars–a fitting 813, because they ran the 318 engine.
Chrysler CL Charger 770
The final tally of Chargers was a little under 32,000. Note that this is roughly 60 percent higher than the number of Falcon hardtops and twice as many Monaro coupes sold, in what must surely be the only market that Chrysler led. The long-wheelbase VH-VJ Hardtops added fewer than 2,000 units to this tally, and there were only 480 Chrysler by Chrysler Hardtops sold, which confirms that that body was a major misjudgment by the North American Chrysler management. The Drifter package was used to clear out the last 75 Charger body shells, echoing the fate of the Falcon hardtop and Monaro.
Chrysler CM Valiant Regal
The final CM model was launched in November 1978, featuring a new grille and the model range contracted to just the base Valiant, the Regal and the Regal SE. Under continuing pressure to raise fuel efficiency, the Electronic Lean Burn system was adapted to the Hemi 6 with a claimed 25-percent improvement.
Chrysler CM Valiant GLX (the tow car from the first picture)
A new model was the GLX, which had a sporty flavour; it featured with the same grille, steering wheel and dashboard as the Chargers, plus alloy wheels and blacked-out door frames. The flavour was not too strong though, and only 605 were sold.
Chrysler CM Valiant Regal interior
While this was happening, partly due to Chrysler’s problems in the US and partly due to local losses (including a $28 million loss in 1977), one third of Chrysler Australia was sold to Mitsubishi in 1979 with the remainder gone by April 1980. The company name officially changed to Mitsubishi Australia in November 1980, but the Valiant was kept in production because development and tooling costs had been fully amortized by this time, making sales very profitable.
A Mitsubishi Motors Australia Ltd compliance plate on a Chrysler Valiant, near the end of production in July 1981
This resulted in the rather unusual situation where you would find a Chrysler vehicle with a compliance plate issued by Mitsubishi–and you thought the Ford engine in the Sunbeam Tiger was a problem!
Early Australian-built Chrysler Galant
Mitsubishi had first become involved with Chrysler Australia in 1971, when local production of Galants started at Chrysler’s former Rootes factory, in Port Melbourne, before it was closed in 1972 and production shifted to Tonsley Park.
1977-80 GE model Chrysler Sigma SE
In late 1977, the Sigma was introduced and it would quickly become the best-selling four-cylinder car the next year; it was well placed to take over from the Valiant.
Chrysler CM Valiant Regal: off into the sunset
The CM would only sell just over 16,000 cars in a three-year run that ended on 28 August 1981. This brought to an end nearly twenty years’ production with a total of 565,338 vehicles. This is in stark contrast to the 1971-74 HQ model Holden that sold 485,000 vehicles alone; indeed, Holden sold roughly five times the number of Valiants overall from 1962-1981. Nevertheless, the Valiant is firmly a part of the automotive landscape, and there are still many cars in service both for daily transport and classic enjoyment.
Further reading:
Automotive History – The Valiant in Australia Part 1
Chrysler by Chrysler Hardtop – Brougham Australian Style
1971 Australian Valiant Charger RT Hemi Six Pack – That Thing Got A Hemi? Um; Not Quite.
Car Show Capsule: Chrysler VH Valiant Charger R/T Clone – The Australian AMC Javelin
CC Capsule: Chrysler Regal – The Fuselage Look Arrives Down Under
Cohort Sighting: Chrysler by Chrysler (AUS) Motorhome – Living Area Not By Chrysler
The Australian Valiant of the 70s was a good looking car. The U.S. version was a late 60s style that lasted until the mid 70s, when the Aspen / Volare was introduced. The U.S. Valiant wasn’t bad looking if you don’t mind the boxy look. But the Australian version looked more up to date for the 70s. We also had the Duster model which was a more stylish 2 door version of our Valiant, on the same platform .
I like the 1970-72 Dodge Dart/Plymouth Valiant for the front end styling.
I love the magenta Charger.I can remember seeing a few of the featured cars in Australian TV shows and films.Anyone remember Bluey and Stone?
A few Aussie Valiants and Chargers turn up at the Mopar Euronats show in the UK.My parents had a white 66 Valiant 6 4 door from 68 to 73,very comfortable and reliable.Mum loved it as it was RHD and she never got on with left hookers,especially when overtaking driving alone.
In the 60s Aussie Valiants were sold here to replace the big Humber Hawk/ Snipe but there were few takers, although a few were imported into the 70s.
I never saw the original Bluey tv series, but I did see the send up on the late-night comedy series by the D-Generation around 25 years ago where they re-dubbed the show with rather different dialogue and called it “Bargearse”! I have seen Stone (where a police officer goes undercover in an outlaw bikie gang), it is an interesting film, definitely a product of its time in a different way to Two Lane Blacktop.
Gem, I mentioned the exports to the UK in part one, but not when they stopped importing them – I will have to do a little update.
The Charger was imported in the 70s.I remember seeing adverts for it though the only one I saw around the time was a blue custom painted 318.
Thanks for a great read John
The only time I heard of these in the UK in the 1970s was when the annual Motor Show supplements were published each October.
It must have taken a lot of effort to find one to actually buy.
I like all the Chrysler Valiant cars shown here except for the CM. These had the least attractive looking front end.
The Valiant CL looks VAGUELY like the late 70s Datsun 810/Maxima. Interesting that both relied on inline 6 cylinder engines.
You can keep the “V” series, (all but the VL),
I’ll stick with the CL.
There seems to be lot of AMC styling cues mixed in the body designs. Really like the utes. Not having bumper regulations really made for some good looking machines. And who couldn’t love those multiple carb Hemi 6’s? Was the slant 6 not used in this market? The panel vans are also quite a treat. The fastback design seems to have been quite popular, another great look. A fan of 70’s Australian cars here, nice write up.
The hemi replaced the slant six in 1970 IIRC. Since most Falcons were sold with the 250 six, Chrysler needed a bigger engine. Holden misjudged the market by introducing a 253 V8 (which few bought) while Chrysler came out with the hemi six.
Thanks, Old Pete.
Was the hemi 6 based on the slant 6 block? The slant 6 was actually a straight up engine with all it’s mounting, intake & exhaust and accessory units designed for the slant. Unlike several other slant engines that were actually slant engines from the crankcase up most notably the Pontiac Tempest slant 4
No. It was a new design, originally intended for US cars and trucks, to augment/replace the slant six. But then it was decided not to build it in the US and it was sent to Australia. It has seven main bearings and is otherwise different and more modern than the slant six. And it’s not really a hemi.
Man another seppo calls out AMC styling influences on Australian cars I’m gonna loose it. There’s plenty of AMC styling themes on American GM, FoMoCo and Mopar cars ya dill. Saying this is plain lazy and shows a lack of understanding and knowledge of auto design.
The original ’71 VH would have sat well alongside the Avenger. The Charger is definitely a looker.
And we never got the Avenger! Chrysler Australia looked to Mitsubishi for its small cars rather than to Chrysler UK – an excellent decision, as it turned out.
John, this was brilliant! I’ve always wanted to learn more about the later Valiants and you’ve covered their story excellently, even getting your hands on sales figures! A wonderful read 🙂
Those last CM GLXs appeal to me, and the CL Charger is curious looking: the bluff front just does not suit the body. I know someone who bought either a CL panel van with the intent of restoring it, but they never got around to it and it just sat in a shed on their property. I always wanted to check it out but apparently it had become populated by bats who used it as their personal toilet. A real shame. I don’t know what happened to it, but hopefully someone else bought it and… cleaned it.
I once scanned these photos from a issue of the magazine Collectible Automobile article about the Australian 1971-81 Valiant published around 2003 It showed also some ideas, even studied by Mitsubishi to continue to Aussie Valiant by updating the body including more squared cars who look more or less like a bigger K-car or shrunken R-body or a mix of both.
Also, the Aussie Valiants was also sold in South Africa but due to local contents regulations, they have to be equipped with the slant six instead of the Hemi 6 and also sold as the Dodge SE. https://www.flickr.com/photos/ifhp97/5851947180/
You’re right, Stéphane: interestingly, the Dodge SE started off with a Valiant front end but with the Chrysler by Chrysler’s four headlights; this was changed to the hoop bumper in 1974. Unlike the Chrysler by Chrysler, it had the 111-inch wheelbase. It became the Chrysler SE in 1975; the final models there (with the CL front end) ditched the Valiant name altogether in favour of L and SE.
http://autocade.net/index.php/Dodge_SE
http://autocade.net/index.php/Chrysler_SE
http://autocade.net/index.php/Chrysler_L,_SE
CA seem to have a soft spot for the Vals. This is from Aug 2001 article on the Charger.
Thanks for posting those Stéphane & Don. I have seen some styling models before, but not the Charger ones! Some of the models have typical 1970s hardtop styling, so I am pleased they built what they did because I don’t think there is another car that shares the same style.
There is an article on the Valiant Pacer in the latest edition too!
Does it mention the Pacer wagons? I saw a VG listed for $9.5k in the late 90s and apparently nine came out of the factory.
And as Gavin Farmer, who written the Valiant Pacer article, mentionned, it was a missed opportunity. The Pacer could had go head to head against the Falcon GT sedan and the Monaro who just added a 4-door version.
Well done, John! You even found a photo of a base model Valiant (the sedan with the mismatched rear door). I knew they existed, but I never saw one before.
Those Australian Chargers look great! Too bad they never sold them in America!
I agree. If only all our American cars were built and tested in Australia. If we have to rely on any country outside the USA to produce our products, I’d rather Australia was that country.
The Pontiac GTO was.Too bad there weren’t enough buyers to save Pontiac.There’s a Chevy (and a Vauxhall over here) based on a Holden on sale.
It’s a shame that happened. I reckon poor business practices are what did Pontiac in.
Nice one John. I used a White Knight years ago for a photo shoot, I wonder if your pic is of the same one. IIRC it came from somewhere like Warnambool.
That famous shot of the glowing pipes was shot by Bernie Van Elsen in Adelaide.
Goodlooking cars. Strangely I find the two door the least attractive of the range.
These were all good-looking cars, I think. It’s interesting that two old Edsel series names – Pacer and Ranger – were resurrected for use in Australia.
Great pics, John… Very informative article as well. I like seeing the offerings other countries got, that the US didn’t.
That Charger is dreadful, compared to the US B-body Charger we all know and love… It looks like a Torino or an extended Maverick. Ugh.
Also, that Valiant looks like an AMC Ambassador… Those door handles look like the ones I had on my 1973 Hornet, simple, but functional.
Although, that Valiant Ute is AWESOME… Chrysler should’ve made THAT proper RWD sexy beast to contend against the El Camino and Ranchero, for us Mopar fans… instead of that FWD Dodge Rampage/Plymouth Scamp… What a piece of rubbish those were. Lol
Perhaps the worst aspect of the Valiant Charger is its body, from the bonnet (hood) aft-ward.
The US and Australian Chargers are not really comparable IMO, for starters the Dodge Charger is 30″ longer than the Australian Charger, which is more like an AMX.
I just realised I did not post a photo of the longer Hardtop – more homework!
Here is the ‘long’ Hardtop, this one is actually a Chrysler by Chrysler version with the vinyl roof removed that the Valiant version did not have standard. It is more like the Dodge Charger, but only ~2500 of these were sold, compared with nearly 32,000 Aussie Chargers.
To each their own. I quite like the Australian Charger, although the later grille didn’t do it any favors. As much as I like the second-generation Dodge Charger, its sheer size and massive overhangs are daunting, and so I appreciate the Australian car’s tidier proportions.
+1 I quite like it as well. It’s a very different approach to the US model but I think the name is perfectly fitting for it. I mean if this came to US shores to replace the B body version after 74, vs. rebadging the Cordoba, I’d have been stoked.
Plus I’m a sucker for slot mags and straight sixes, especially one I can call a Straight-Six Six-Pack Hemi(how Moparie is that?)
I’d say it’s more like a scaled down and better proportioned 66-67 US Charger
Can you think of an old advertising slogan that became a part of the popular culture? The ‘Hey Charger’ ad certainly worked here in oz.
Upon seeing a Charger, us kids would give the driver a Victory salute and call out ‘Hey Charger’, just like in the ads. Even now, I can’t see a Charger without that coming to mind.
Too wild!!! The background music is the same “Chrysler-Plymouth, coming through for you” tune that we had in the U.S. in the early ’70s. Ditto for the “Extra Care in Engineering” tagline.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vFn2pCe4G4&w=420&h=315%5D
I agree. If only our American Plymouth Valiants were as well built as the Aussie built Chrysler Valiant.
Very cool article! Before reading this, I did not realize how many cars Chrysler produced in Australia. I especially like the green CM Valiant Regal station wagon, with all the details reminiscent of a Plymouth Fury or Dodge Monaco. Man, that would look great parked next to my Dodge Polara station wagon! The blue VH Charger 770 is pretty sharp, as well. Think I know what I’d be looking for if I lived over there.
Thanks for the very informative read.
Excellent article, very interesting to me in the U.S. where we are so steeped in Chrysler history.
This generation AU Valiant sports a number of interior and exterior bits that appear lifted straight out of U.S. models, but the parts seem bolted together a bit better. The interiors are simple, but the materials look better and seem better aligned than in many U.S. Chrysler models of the time.
Your positive comments on Lean Burn bringing a 15% improvement in fuel economy and better drivability is contrary to most experience in the U.S. where the trouble prone system never seemed to get better over its run from the mid ’70s into the 1980’s. Perhaps the system tacked on to our emissions systems was its curse in the U.S.
Thanks again for this look into this part of Chrysler that was mostly blind to us in the United States in the pre Internet days.
Dave I don’t have any first-hand knowledge on how reliable the ELB was but on the other hand I don’t recall it being a ‘remove and throw away’ thing either. It was introduced for emissions reasons here too, there was a big change in 1976, but maybe the system had been improved since it was introduced in the US.
The apple certainly didn’t stray far from the tree in terms of styling, inside or out.
Well I liked Valiants and owned several they were a good very cheap used car Aussies didnt like them and considered them WOG cars because the main clientel buying them were Italians and Greeks my uncle lived in the Sydney suburb of Marrickville and Valiants were dubbed the Marrickville Mercedes because of all the greeks who lived there and drove them, my uncle was a travelling salesman for Clipsal and covered most of western NSW every month as his area in Valiants as company cars they gave him excellent service with no issues other than regular servicing until his cars became Falcons in the 80s.
Valiants were always well reguarded in NZ especially the Chargers they won the standard production race series 9 years running and the quickest Charger in NZ ate Allan Moffats championship winning GTHO for breakfast on NZs flowing race circuits the big V8 GTHO was simply out classed, great writeup of very underated cars.
Yes the Valiants were ‘out of fashion’ when I was growing up, but always respected as a good solid car which in a rural area was more important.
As a race car they were good on slower circuits (400lb lighter) but could not match the top end of the V8s, and Bathurst is a circuit that rewards power up and down the hill. I think they were about 4 or 5 seconds a lap slower there.
It’s interesting that the secret development of the Charger parallels the story of the US Duster the year before.
For the very different exterior, the underhood shot still looks pretty similar to the US cars.
That CM grill looks a lot like the ’76-’78 Chrysler Newport. (Neither one looks much like a Mercedes otherwise. 😉 )
I noticed that too, I’ve also spotted that the XA – XE or F are similar as they all share the circa 1966 shock towers with their American counterparts.
What a great trip down memory lane and one of the best articles I’ve read online on the Aussie Valiants. Only one tiny error, I believe: the South African model known as the Chrysler Valiant Charger was not one of the “fast bodies“ based around the VH. Instead, it was a version of the US Dodge Demon or Plymouth Duster, sharing the locally made 3·7 slant-six of the other South African Chryslers. The grille was essentially that of the South African Chrysler Valiant VIP (not a typo—unlike Australian Valiants, this was the official name there). They’re very rare, with 1,935 sold between 1970 and 1975.
http://autocade.net/index.php/Chrysler_Valiant_Charger
Thanks Jack. When I saw the Valiant Charger name I naturally assumed it was the Australian car, until I saw a photo – it seems strange that they would make a RHD version of the Demon/Duster! I can only imagine one of the local execs liked it a lot more.
What did Chrysler race in South Africa? Did they have a competitor for the Capri Perana and Chev Can-Am?
researching South African Vals, they had the first Valiant Charger and yes, it wasn’t aussie but later changed to them but unfortunately no HEMI 6.
Too bad we never got the Valient Charger version here in the US. It is a very attractive car.
It would be nice if the authors would get photos of the entire car.
We can’t even buy cars that are/were made here. I wanted one of those turbo diesel Chrysler Town and Countries that were made here and exported overseas. I even got the codes and went to my local dealer. He said it was a good code, but due to the EPA, I couldn’t buy it. He had never seen that before.
If that isn’t unforgivable, I don’t know what is. What bothers me the most is the cost of buying what’s made in North America (U.S.A. and Canada) are prohibitive at best. You’d think that if something were made here in the USA, it’d be less expensive than if it were made elsewhere and imported. What’s wrong with this pic? 🙁
And continuing with the Charger name…it’s now used in the U.S. on a large 4 door sedan. No hardtop coupes and no wagons.
Considering the vein of recent Dodge commercial campaigns on tv here, with their “Charger is a big, bad road eater” theme, I can’t imagine the “Hey Charger” type commercial working in the U.S.
Excellent, as always, summary of cars that were so common when I grew up but are much less so now. Thanks John!
That was like meeting a bunch of old friends again! Thanks for the entertainment.
Lurking about Melbourne is a VH hardtop decked out as a Pacer. I wonder whether it’s factory, or somebody’s just picked up where the product planners left off. Either way, it’s a very cool piece of work.
Yeah Valiants are getting rarer but I still se several in regular use around Napier theres a Pacer striped VH with a great bark out the tailpipe, and this sitting quietly at a supermarket waiting for the drive home with the groceries
What I like about the Australian cars is that although their styling was influenced by American designs, their building, their engineering was their own design, influenced by the road conditions they drive their cars on. I would think even today, much of Australia’s roads are dirt tracks, particularly between major cities.
The reality was that these cars were the worst built out of our “big three” cars, ( the Fords weren’t much better)
Water leaks around the windshield causing early rusting of the cowl and firewall .
Doors that had a nice quality sound on closing soon deteriorated into a nasty metallic clash , and those diecast flush door handles could break and other problems typical of Chrysler products of the time.
Having said all that they were tough cars that served a lot of owners , including me, well.
But the whole range was worth doing just to get the Charger, a brilliant car engineered on a tiny budget . Road tests of the day reported on the tight feel of the car compared with the loose feel of the sedan , the fortunate result of chopping 6 inches out of the wheelbase.
It is sometimes hard to judge the true look of a car from still photographs, but the rare sight of a Charger being driven on the street today, combined with the bark from the “not quite a Hemi” straight six is a joy to see and hear
Being a Valliant tragic from way back, I enjoyed this write up.
I won many bets at school about Chryslers being faster than Holdens or Fords of the day.
13.9 secs for the charger 6 pack over 400m compared to Fords 14.1secs for the slow poke ph 3 GT. And from a 6 cyl no less. That really hurt the Ford dudes. And Holden had to shove a 6 cyl into a 4 cylinder hillman (torana) to beat the charger on the track, they only did so after Chrysler was showing them up, the monaro wasn’t even in the game.
Chrysler Aust. were stifled by by parent company, they were making cars that put the USA to shame, all on the sly. The USA didnt like that. To the detriment of the brand.
And today, with Ford and GM, pulling out of Austraila, can we expect to see a Charger or Challenger here? I guess us Chrysler freaks will have to be happy with a people mover or a jeep. Chrysler U.S. is again watching what happens with GM and Ford before they again do too little too late.
Untill Chrysler release a RHD Challenger here I’ll stick with restoring my VJ Sportsman A26 package. I guess we wont ever see a hellcat here, going by Chryslers assumptions that if ford and GM cant move units they wont either.
My move would be to strike first, relese a few limited edition cars and see what the market does. If they stick with their old 70’s mentality, the market will be smothered with Mustangs and Comaros before Chrysler pull their finger out.
And when they decide to follow the leader, the market will be gone.
About time Chrysler move on their strengths here. They are already an established importing market, something GM and Ford are still yet to battle with. Give us a Hellcat now, right hook, and beat Ford and GM to the sales.
But they wont. They are still stuck in the “we’ll wait and see” mentality. Still ignoring the fact they make the fastest heavy metal around.
I am a fan of Aussie cars as I traveled there several years ago.
Anyway, I recently watched these two videos from an old car review show. I guess this is what is known as the CC Effect!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6yAozhmp6E
CC-in-scale will have to resort to the realm of diecast models here. This is a 1/32 Charger R/T E38 from Signature/Ozlegends.
I saw that interesting text who mentionned what if the 1970 Barracuda was something more closer to the Australian Charger?
https://www.indieauto.org/2020/06/01/1970-plymouth-barracuda-should-have-been-like-an-australian-valiant-charger/
Fascinating story. If only our American Chrysler cars were designed and tested the same way as Australian Chrysler cars were.