Thread: My Wifes 62 Valiant

Originally Posted by Bearman

Great old machine. A mate of mine had one back in the late sixties in a small town in SW Qld and MAN could that thing go. The poor old coppers had 144ci Ford falcons and didn't have a chance of catching him. Pretty sure it had a 165Hp slant six. It really was a novelty back then (and a chick magnet).

On that you are so right they went like the clappers.
Cheers,
John ( disco 44 )

Originally Posted by hodgo

This one is in a wrecking yard not far from where I live has been for some years now, There was only about 1006 R Ser ever sold in Aust. This one is a manual The owner wont sell it.

Hodgo

Thats an original the spare in the boot tells that.The next model up got rid of the spare inprint,but still had the slant 6 motor.Word has it that the slant was designed by Chrysler to fit under the bonnet as the straight 6 was too high.I owned one years ago and later on the hemi 265 , both motors pushed those two machines at a very fast rate of knots.The only thing that was against the Valiants was the rust problem but that was endemic to all makes of that era.
Cheers,
John

My dad used to have one like that when he was a younger lad...

I know that because everytime we visit my grandma in his old family home, we drive through a roundabout. With a tear in his eye (well, not really - but you get the point) he retells (yet again...) the story about how some stupid woman wasn't paying attention and T-boned him and wrote off his beloved valiant.

He then replaced it with... a Toyota Celica.

(which then met with a mob of Kangaroos just outside of Northam - another "yes dad" roll eyes story... )

The torqueflight transmission used by Chrysler during the 60/70 was the only auto to my knowledge that you could run or tow start, this as enabled by the use of a second oil pump in the rear of the box, A mate of mine had a 1964 dodge push button auto that was often run started in winter months as it had a 12/1 compression ratio you had to get up to about 20mph then turn the ignition on. Tow starting could be a bit dangerous if one did not know how as it was easy to run up the back of the towing vehicle.

Hodgo

Originally Posted by loanrangie

Very nice, i love the R and S series Vals, first thing i'd do is remove the toyota door mirror quick smart and fit some correct era ones, ebay has them for $20 each.

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A lot of vehicles of that period were not fitted with wing mirrows or were optional extras.

What an awesome project!! I love the old Vals.

Only a few years back I sold my daily driver Val.

A 1969 VF VIP 318 904 auto duel fuel.

I drove that beast everday everywhere.

The sound from the 318 with twin system was intoxicating.

I still miss that car.

We were a Valiant family. When I was a kid our neighbours had a S series and then an AP5. My dad then bought a new AP6 and my uncle bought a VC. We upgraded to a VE and then a VF Regal which I learned to drive on.

10 years later I pranged it - after my Mum pranged it twice - so my Dad sold it. The day after it went through the side of a bus and was finally written off. My Dad who was then retired then stayed with Chrysler (sort off) and bought one of the first 2.6 Chrysler Sigma Station Wagons. Unlike Sigmas that were made in Australia the first 2.6 wagons were actually made in Japan so quality was much better.

Back to the topic - I agree with getting it to good drivable condition and using it - if you take it off the road for a restoration there is a chance it will not get going again. There is a lot of improvements you can make while still driving it.

Good luck with it.

Garry

Originally Posted by hodgo

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A lot of vehicles of that period were not fitted with wing mirrows or were optional extras.

Yes but at least fit correct vintage not jap crap ones, besides its a requirement to fit at least a drivers side mirror regardless if originally fitted or not.