For today, I’m sharing two automobile equines still galloping the streets of San Salvador. I’m told most of these have succumbed to rust and other ailments around the world. Even here, the land of old Japanese beaters, these are rare. But occasionally, one comes out of the stable to roam around.
As in most places, these were marketed under the Dodge banner over here, evidence of the early days of Mitsubishi and Chrysler’s allegiance. It is a saga that has already been covered at CC, though it’s been a while since it appeared. A brief recap may be in order.
Mitsubishi’s history is a bit convoluted, coming from a period in Japan’s industrialization still mired in old customs. Like Nissan, the company has claims of being Japan’s first carmaker. A subsidiary of Nissan was the first to build an automobile, while Mitsubishi was the first to ‘mass produce’ 22 units of their Model A (above). I’ll let you pick sides on what ‘first’ seems more important.
In any case, Mitsubishi had turned into a large industrial complex by the 1930s. After WWII, it was split into various entities under the US Marshall Plan. Once the Americans were gone, the diverging ‘Mitsus’ sometimes competed amongst themselves, with more than one venturing into auto production. That seeming rather pointless, in due time the ‘Mitsus’ found a way to regroup according to mutual interest, and Mitsubishi Motors came to be in 1964.
Objectively speaking, thanks to their industrial might and banking connections, Mitsubishi had the tools to become Japan’s Number 3. They certainly saw it that way, even if sales didn’t prove it yet. To expedite matters, Mitsubishi was the first Japanese automaker to join itself at the hip with a foreign investor. In 1970, Chrysler acquired a 15% share of the company.
Depending on who you talked to, the deal was a masterstroke, or an ‘act of treason’ meant to leapfrog Toyota and Nissan in an unhonorable manner. There were a lot of touchy feelings to be sorted out afterward, where MITI probably played a soothing role (or got absolutely lambasted).
Outside Japan’s borders, it all seemed a convenient arrangement. Mitsu’s products could now reach the world thanks to Chrysler’s network. Meanwhile, the Pentastar had a new partner with expertise in compacts, with products ready to fight the Pinto and the Vega in the US.
As said in an earlier CC post, Colts came in many forms and they’re hard to keep track of. In its native Japan, the nameplate dated to the company’s first subcompact launched in ’62 (above a ’65). The very first Colt.
In ’69, Mitsubishi launched the Galant, a compact one size above their tiny Colt. It’s this Galant that arrived as the Colt in the US and other markets. The Colt moniker would be used relentlessly by the company from thereon. As explained by Paul before:
The name “Colt” is much more than just a series of Mitsubishis branded as Dodges; it’s essentially a brand of its own, somewhat comparable to the GEO brand, and more.
Yes, there were many Colts. But we’ll stick to the 2nd gen. in this post. While the ’69 Galant had vague Italian cues, the ’74-’77 redesign carried a subtle Coke-bottle profile, offering Japanese buyers a bit of ‘American styling;’ which was kind of a thing in Japan at the time.
While not bad-looking vehicles, these early Galant/Colts look an awful lot like a Corolla of similar vintage. Yet a bit more generic. This is probably due to the Japanese government’s stringent regulations; where dimensions for each vehicle class are strictly defined. I know it from visual experience around San Salvador’s streets; grilles and trim are often interchanged from Corollas to Sunnys (or vice-versa) by users desperate to keep their rides ‘presentable,’ and grabbing whatever is available. I’ve seen it done, and the impostor pieces almost fit, even if off by a few millimeters.
The 4-door sedan in the images is a daily driver, and it’s been appearing in my local mall often. Just a couple of weeks ago, it passed me by as I drove back home. No hint of engine noise or tailpipe smoke. A solid runner.
Like a lot of local old Japanese cars, a number of liberties have been taken with the trim and plastics, especially that Ram badge on the hood. Don’t be harsh, it’s hard to find those soft bits over here. Also, I’m not sure if this grille -which is original- ever made it stateside or not. Looking at Japanese sites, it seems to be a ’75-’76.
Here’s Colt number two, still galloping. Unlike the sedan, it looks rather roughed up. It does move, that I know. I drive by this road every once in a while, and the vehicle is not always in the same spot.
I have pegged this as a ’74, but it’s hard to tell with all the missing trim. I’ll let Colt experts illustrate me. Also, if you wonder what the white car behind it is, that’s a ’95-’00 Corolla. Its curious Taurus-tuna-era-face was the one used in these markets.
Under the Colt’s hood resides Mitsubishi’s long-lasting Saturn engine. In the ’74-’77 model, displacements ranged from 1.6L, 1.8L to 2.0L. While Mitsubishi’s fate was a starcrossed one, their engineers knew their jobs well and many of these engines outlasted the vehicles they came with. In local Marketplace posts, these Saturns appear for sale often and there is a healthy market for them.
In hindsight, the confusing use of the Colt nameplate is a good reflection of Mitsubishi. After all, the company’s actions were often a mix of fleeting success and dubious planning. It actually shared many troubling traits with Nissan, with whom it’s now in cahoots. Both companies had sprawling industrial complexes, with costly operations and managers often focused on short-term goals. And in the particular case of Mitsubishi, their car division sometimes seemed an afterthought. Many decades later, while I admit the company created some nice models, I have a hard time pinning down what their cars were about.
But all that was far ahead into the future when this roughed-up sample was built. Yes, this Colt has gone to the rodeo a few too many times, and the results are not pretty. But it still rides. One of the last of its herd, when Mitsubishi began to roam the globe.
Further reading:
CC Colt Chronicles Part 2: 1974-1977 Dodge Colt (Mitsubishi Galant) – The Colt Gets Americanized
I first swa the Colt badge on a 68 1100 F a mates mother bought to replace a Morris 1800 it seemed like a good little car, later the Colt badge expanded into the Galant model and GTO, locally built by long time Rootes and Chrysler assembler Todd motors they sold in competition to the in house Hillman Avenger and others like the Corolla Datsun 1200 Ford Escort Vauxhall Viva and small BMC offerings, none of which are common today, Rust ate more than its share dodgy handling disposed of many and the rest just wore out.
LIke Bryce in NZ, it was the 1100F, derived from the earlier two-stroke 800, that got them started in Australia. But the Galant really showed us they were serious. Once Chrysler got involved, the Galant replaced the Hillman Hunter in their local lineup, and went on to become the backbone of Chrysler’s sales.
I’m trying to work out what’s happened to the front fenders of the green one. They seem much squarer at the top than normal for a Galant, giving it a most unusual look. And the three round light setup at the rear looks most peculiar. Still, if it keeps you on the road…
I remember my Dad making some disparaging remarks about a friend of the family having an early Colt, I’m sure it was a sedan and not the 1100F fastback.
but by 1974 he was driving a Galant.
Those somewhat dainty-looking early Colts turned out to be very tough little bastards, capable of class wins in rallying. Maybe a factor in why your dad ended up with the Galant.
I loved my “86 Colt”.
Hey, i just caught one of these on the streets here. Kind of a mix of the two you found, i.e. a green four-door. Nice enough cars i guess – better looking than contemporary Nissans (weren’t they all?) but pretty generic 70s Japanese design, in the end. Could have worn a Toyota or Mazda badge.
What I remember about my Dodge Colt ’78 is the amount of oil it burned, not because of the piston rings, the compression was excellent on the 4 cyls but because of the leaky valve seals. Always a beautiful blue cloud at startup . The ’77 to ’79* coupé was ugly compare to the previous ’74-’76 model who imitated the .71-,72 road runner rear quarter window . *’79 overlapping year with the beginning of the fwd model .