Here’s a new entry from robadr at the Cohort. A rather nice survivor that doesn’t look too pampered, nor too ruined; and with the top down, it’s very curbside chic!
This ’64 belongs to Elwood Engel’s early period at Chrysler, where he ironed out some of Virgil Exner’s quirkiest ideas. The transition between the two heads of design was rather hasty at Chrysler, and the ’63 lineup was already far advanced by the time Engel came into the picture. To Chrysler’s relief, the new design chief found Exner’s proposals good enough and proceeded to tidy up their styling without major changes. Some of Engel’s touches are cleaner sides, less surface treatment, and a squarish trunk.
I find the results show a rather interesting interlude in Chrysler’s styling. The two heads of design couldn’t have been more different in their approach, although together, they canceled out the worst of each other; not too many Exner oddities, and not too much Engel dull conservatism.
And well, talking about that ‘squarish’ trunk, it comes from a Dart in this Valiant. Part of the ‘Plodge’ school of design of Chrysler’s Canadian products.
CC has done a few posts about the Exner/Engel transition, and the links are further below. Meanwhile, enjoy the sun in this Engelized ride!
Further reading:
Curbside Classic: 1963 Chrysler New Yorker – Virgil Exner Comes Full Circle (with some help?)
Curbside Classic: 1965 Plymouth Belvedere Station Wagon – One Of The Last Engel-Exner Editions
Automotive Design History: 1962 Plymouth & Dodge – The Real Reason They Were Downsized
I love the older cars. I have one now that I drive. Old Dodge Omni 88 model
Neat car. It is a Plodge. A combination of Plymouth Valiant and Dodge Dart. Canadian cars of this era from the big three were a mixture of parts of different US Models. It has an American Plymouth Valiant front end and a Dodge Dart rear end and trunk. Love the A-bodies of this era. The picture is a an American 1964 Valiant convertible from the back. Darts of this era had a longer wheelbase than the Valiants in the US.
Funny to see ‘The Club’ on the steering wheel. I haven`t seen one in years, but since this is a ragtop……………………
Come over , round here. In //around “DC” they’re everywhere.
Amusing that you mention that. Just yesterday my wife sent me this picture of a Kia Sedona with a Club on it, and wrote that she hadn’t seen one of these used in ages. We used to use Clubs on our cars, but gave up on it about 15 years ago.
Kia sent one to me to use on my 2019 Soul, as part of the resolution to “Kia Boys” thefts of Kias and Hyundais.
It was never supposed to prevent car theft. It was a deterrent that was supposed to delay the crook until he was able to remove it and try to start your car by whatever means were necessary. I remember seeing a news report on a ’60 Minutes’ type of show that claimed spraying Freon refrigerant on the lock would open it if you let it work in for a few minutes, but I doubt that was possible. I got my mother ‘The Club’ when she bought her 93` Lumina,but after a while she would just put on the wheel,stretch it out and leave it unlocked. After about 7 ears, she just kept it in the closet, and it resided there until she moved in early 2014.
Now and then I see a Valiant convertible on the streets or at an outdoor car show.
I suppose this says something about the owner or owners who have put forth the effort to preserve the cars. The Valiant always had pleasing lines to me whether convertible or sedan. I had a friend whose parents bought a 66 Valiant with 3-spd and 273 V8. Good looking car that served their family of four for many years.
I don’t find the Valiant front end and Dart rear end a very harmonious marriage. They should have stayed with their original partners as they were conceived. The Valiant front end is too short and basic for the flamboyant Dart rear end.
To some extent it may come down to what one’s used to. The first time I saw the rear of a US Valiant, it seemed quite homely for an ‘American’ car. It looked to me like a treatment that could have come from British Leyland. 🙂
Out of curiosity I did a brief Google search. The Canadian Valiant was about 5 in. longer than its US counterpart.
Wheelbase: 111 vs 106 in
Overall length: 193 vs 188 in;
The US Dart apparently shared the 111 in wheelbase but was slightly longer again, at 196 inches.
“the flamboyant Dart rear end”
‘Flamboyant rear end’ is a term I’d never heard before, but it’s so colourful it deserves a place in the lexicon. 🙂
I agree totally with Paul. IMHO the same goes for the Barracuda of the first gen variety. I never felt the crunched front end matched the sleek windshield rearward style.
The Plymouth Valiant didn’t actually get the raised trunk lid til1965. The Barracuda had a similar bevel.
Engel’s change for 1963 was the Valiant rear quarter panel. He made it a vertical blade instead of a slope like the original trunk lid. He also made the rear wheel arch a low rectangle instead of a full circular cutout. The full circular cutout stayed on wagons. The sloping rear quarter and full circular cutout went into production in Australia.
Plymouth’s designers repeated Chevrolet’s ’56 an ‘7 Nomad mistake of not stamping rear quarter panel wheel cut-outs equal to those of the front fenders on the Barracudas. Rounded rear wheelwells would have made them less Valiantlike and more marketable as a sporty compact.
I guess, I should rather be thankfull for never having to witness the existence of any Canadian BarracuDart, during my crossings from Detroit to Windsor, back then. Although, the longer wheelbase of any Barracudart would have slightly improved high-speed stability over that of an American-made counterpart
Another neat old Plodge .
I like it fine although I do prefer the Plymouth taillights .
Nice to see one still being used and enjoyed as they were made to do .
-Nate
For some more Mopar variety, this is the Aussie Valiant rear end for ’64. No, we didn’t get convertibles. And I’ve no idea why we got such a different body.
The Thunderbirded C-pillar might have been designed to reduce cabin temperatures, through decreased glass area?
The equally-rounded wheelwells betray a hint on how an Aussie Barracuda may have appeared
Thanx Pete ! .
It’s an interesting look to be sure .
looks larger than the U.S.A. ‘B’ bodies but still looks nice to me .
-Nate