posted by robadr
It’s neither a Dodge or a Plymouth, as Valiant was a brand unto its own in Canada in the sixties. It looks just like a US-version Dart, except for the V A L I A N T spelled out across the top of the hood. And although by this time it wasn’t a Dart body with a Valiant front clip, there’s still one or two Valiant parts still to be seen, from the side view.
Those wheel covers are very much US Valiant Signet items. And of course the badging on the front fender.
This one is sporting a V8, which would be the 273 LA.
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And a floor shifter for the four(?) speed manual.
Cute little bumper guards. Not effective, but undoubtedly a good profit maker for Chrysler or the dealer.
OK, the cohort car is a ’66, not a ’63, it’s a Valiant, not a Dodge, but whenever I see the words Dart convertible, all I can think of is the old Car Talk guy Tommy Magliozzi’s 1963 Dodge Dart convertible.
With preemptive apologies to Daniel Stern, below is Ray Magliozzi’s sibling rivalry tinted review of a ’63 Dodge Dart convertible.
https://www.cartalk.com/content/1963-dodge-dart-convertible
In fact, this is a Dodge Dart ‘L’ body car. (All Dart sheetmetal) It has the 112” platform of a Dart, not the 106” platform of a Plymouth Valiant. It appears to have the A-833 four speed with the HURST branded shift lever used on the 1964-65 year models. It would be interesting to know what other ‘left-over’ parts were used in the production of this Canadian built conglomeration.
It’s true—the 4-speed was available with the 225 engine only in ’64-’65 in the states, but in ’66 as well in Canada, where the only ’66 A-bodies to use the 106″ wheelbase were the Barracuda and the Valiant wagon.
According to the factory parts cattledogs, though, the ’66 Slant-6/4-speed A-bodies weren’t built with leftover ’64-’65 parts, at least not as far as the working parts. They didn’t have the up-to-’65 ball/trunnion front universal joint with flanged transmission output shaft, for example; they had the ’66-up conventional cross-and-roller front U-joint with the spline-and-yoke output shaft. And they had the new-for-’66 speedometer drive setup.
I’m less certain on the shifter; I’ll have to go back and look again, but I think I might recall seeing the same part numbers for all 4-speed A-bodies in the Canadian and American cattledogs, which would mean the Inland shifter rather than the much nicer ’64-’65 Hurst. But this what’s in the car featured today does look like it has the Hurst shift lever, doesn’t it!
“It’s true—the 4-speed was available with the 225 engine only in ’64-’65 in the states”
Daniel, we rarely disagree, BUT I must at that statement as I ordered one of the first 1964 Dodge Darts with the NEW LA 273 CI engine and a 4 speed in the calendar year 1963.
My old employer, McCrane Auto Co had changed from a DeSoto – Plymouth Dealership after DeSoto went away after 1961, along with me probably close to the same date.
It was now a Dodge Dealer and all my old buddies were still there.
As soon as I read about the V8 coming in the ‘A’ bodies for 1964, I went home on weekend leave from Cherry Point and ordered MY new Dart. More on that story in my C O A L whenever it will be written.
I don’t doubt you; I was talking about model years.
Beautiful Car! My parents bought a 65 Dart new just after i was born. My grandmother bought a 1966 Dart new she drove until 1987. I had a 1966 as my first car car. Same color and a 4 door like my Garndmother’s car. Looking at the car brings back a lot of memories. All of our family’s Darts were the Slant 6. The dashboard brings back a lot of memories. I guess we could call this car a “Plodge” Valiant. Plodge is a nickname for Chrysler Corporation cars sold in Canada with mixed parts from US models. Thanks for the look back. Miss those old cars! Lots of good memories! :)!
Your first “car car” ??? You must have been VERY young then, and should have NOT been driving! L0L
Beautiful pics, of a lovely Valiant. Wish I was around to have experienced all of these genuinely oddball Canadian specific models common during this era.
Off topic. I always enjoy checking out the background and settings of car pics at CC from around the globe. Other than Paul’s pics from the Eugene area, which are typically somewhat lush, so many images show increasing extreme drought and parched settings in grass and foliage. Other than robust weeds, this grass is burnt… in Vancouver! As it is watered across the street?
Too bad EARTH IS FLAT isn’t it?
What globe is that?
Don’t post while high.
Vancouver is actually pretty dry in the summer, and most grass browns out for a month or so in August/September. The grass across the street is part of a large development – it must be sprinklered.
“And although by this time it wasn’t a Dart body with a Valiant front clip, there’s still a one or two Valiant parts still to be seen, from the side view.”
Cool car, good pictures…but this sentence is a mess. I think you mean it was a Dart body with a few valiant parts still to be seen?
And extra “a” slipped in there somehow. Take it out, and hopefully it makes sense. if not: It’s essentially a Dart but it’s wearing Valiant wheel covers and badging (the two parts). Is that clear enough?
It’s not a mess; he says exactly what you want him to have said, but he does it with reference to the ’63-’64 Canadian Valiants like this one, which had Dart bodies with Valiant front ends.
PRECISELY !
Cool car, the only Valiant convertibles here are either used imports or sawzall treatment hardtops I kinda like the real thing
Goldilocks car. Just right in many ways. Great representation of a Curbside Classic. A keeper for sure.
Oh, but this is nice. And I don’t care what they called it. I would happily call it mine. 🙂
An aunt had a 66 valiant sedan that was owned thru out my parents early business years and as a result was “borrowed” on a regular basis by both my folks and my other aunt and her husband as a road trip vehicle. My cousins and I have memories of that little red sedan in most of the early years of our lives. As a result I’ve had 6 66 valiant s ( say that three times fast) and my cousin had a couple himself plus several Darts.
We both have said we’d take another one in a heartbeat.
Call it dart, valiant,whatever, the 66 will always have a special place in my heart.
My Dad had a 1966 Valiant. This is my Mom next to the car. Judging from the plain-ness of the side body it looks to be a base model, not a Signet. Dad’s was a three on the tree car, and I don’t remember it having a radio either. No power steering, no power brakes, possibly a small slant six engine. I remember going with my Dad to pick it up, the dealer was quite a distance away by streetcar. There was a closer dealer, but he may have known someone there, or maybe the dealer was near where he was working at the time.
I never got to drive it, I was much too young.
I have but a small handful of photos of the car, it was not with us long.
I’ve been in BC for the last week on vacation and while I haven’t noticed any Valiant/Dart hybrids, or even anything distinctly Canadian except the Fargo I posted the other day, I am amazed at the number of convertibles I’m seeing. With tops down. Everything from late model BMW’s and Corvettes, to a Plymouth Sundance (and a Prowler) and several Pontiac Sunbird ‘verts and a nice ‘65 Fairlane. Is this a Canadian “summer car” thing? I’m from California and the number of convertibles on our roads seems much less.
Convertibles have long been much more popular in northern countries than sunny southern ones. Germany, which is probably as far north or more than BC, has long had the highest convertible take rate. Good luck finding any in Italy or such.
Why? Folks in northern countries crave the sun, for obvious reasons. They’ll drive with the top down and the heater on full blast even if it’s cold as long as it’s sunny.
Folks from hot sunny countries/states don’t. They rather prefer shade.
I don’t know about “folks”, but my personal experience is much different. I actually was able to drop my top on more occasions when I lived in the north than I do living down south. The sun and the heat are relentless in the south and in the evenings it’s humid. I still drive a convertible because I like the way they look (no extractables for me, thanks).
Convertibles come out in relative force on sunny days in Vancouver – even in ‘hot’ 10C February weather. We’d really rather be in California, or at least we think we do. 🙂
This was a perfect late summer day however, and I also passed by this beautiful 1954 Hudson just a few minutes before the Valiant.
Looks great ! .
I too prefer coupes to rag tops but this is a fine looking car and the V8 coupled to a four speed means it’d make a terrific driver .
-Nate
Ha ! I’ve got a ’66 Dart convert in my driveway as a new arrival to my fleet of Mopars. It just arrived from Phoenix to my home in Seattle. Slant 6, bucket seats, console, power top, power steering, 14″ Mopar rallye wheels. What a coincidence !!
Anything you need to know mechanically, let me know. 62 Years a MOPAR mechanic.
Even live in AZ.
I’d love to know if the American ralley style hub caps were indeed factory installed on the 1965 Canadian Valiant Signet.
Interesting chat. My Mom’s car that I used in high school was a Canadian 66 Valiant Signet but I swear it had a push button automatic on the left with the leaver park brake. It was Navy Blue with split front seats. All my research indicates the push button transmission was availabe on 64’s and a few 65’s but not the ’66’s. All your discussion about mix and matching between years and models got me thinking this was a rare combination. What fun car to drive, would love to find one again.
My brother had a 66 Valiant hardtop with the 273 PowerPak engine and 4 speed. Fun car but he eventually traded it in for a 68 Chevelle SS396 for more power.
I just ran across this, I bought a 1966 Valient Signet 2 dr hard top brand new from a dealer friend. It was equipped with the 273 commando engine 235hp 4 speed manual with an inlander shifter like a Corvette, it had non power front disc brakes, and fast non power steering. I mounted 235/14 Pirelli radials and went and played with the sports cars.