hi people, i own an aussie valiant (CV VALIANT australian produced) just wondering if any one have any info on it's design origins as i know the privious modle (AP5 and AP6 ) were plymouth vailants and just want to grather some info on them, can anyone help?

I think you might mean VC Valiant, not CV.

Check out www.moparmarket.com for Australian Valiant information.

None of the Australian Valiants were Plymouths. As was the case in most countries outside the US (and Canada until 1966) they were all Chrysler Valiants. The VC was sold from 1966 to 1967 in Australia. Engine options were 225 Slant Six-1bbl or 273 V8-2bbl. Transmission options were Chrysler Torqueflite A904 automatic 3-speed, or locally-built full-synchro 3-speed manual on the steering column. Brakes were drum or optional disc. Trim levels were Valiant or Valiant Regal, which was fancier. Doors were the same as the US '64-'66 Valiant and Dart; all other sheetmetal was unique to the Australian model. What other info are you after?

_________________
一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Back in 1992 I got a book as a gift - "The Valiant Book" By Tony Davis
ISBN 0-947079-00-9

This book is a history of the Valiants in Australia. It has some small
articles and lots of the magazine reviews relating to these cars.

I liked it a bunch, since I was always intriged by the Ute based on the
Valiants and then chose to have 1961 Valiants (a close relative of the
australia R series) for a hobby.

This book says the VC series was for the 1966 year. There were sedans, Utes and wagons. Regal, Wayfarer, and safari respectively.

Although The AP5 & 6 are not Plymouths the family resemblance to US Plymouth A bodies is very strong; grille details, rear window and boot (trunk) being the obvious differences.
The VC has the same body as the AP's, with redesigned front clip and boot. It also resembles US Plymouths of similar vintage, but not as closely as the AP's do.
The VE departs from being a Plymouth copy by being almost identical at first glance to the '67(?) Dodge Dart.
It's not until the VH that the body is truly unique to Oz, I believe.

Quarter panels, instrument clusters, interior trim, taillamps...
...roofline mod, taillamps, bumpers...
From the front, yes. But from the sides and rear, no.
True.

_________________
一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

That is a terrific book, isn't it?
Not a close relative...a 1961 Valiant is an "R-series" (properly "RV-1"), regardless of where it was first sold. It's just that in Australia, cars at the time were described by their model name and not by their model year. The RV1 Valiant and RW1 Lancer were sold as a 1961 model from 9/60 through 9/61 in North America, but the RV1 was first sold as a new 1962 in Australia. The SV1 Valiant and SL1 Lancer were sold as a 1962 model from 9/61 through 9/62 in North America, but the SV1 was sold through 1962 and part of 1963 in Australia. The TV1 Valiant and TL1 Dart (and, in Canada, the TVX1 111" wheelbase Valiant) were sold as 1963 models from 9/62 through 9/63 in North America, while the AP5 was sold in Australia from early '63 through '64. So on and so on. These model codes are used in North American parts and service literature, just not in general day-to-day reference to the car.

The model designations aren't just random; they are meaningful. The first letter indicates the (North American) model year. Q for 1960, R for 1961, S for 1962, T for '63, V for '64, A for '65, B for '66 and so on up the alphabet.

The second letter indicates the model series. V for Valiant, P for Plymouth, D for Dodge, etc. Chrysler sporadically denoted the first model year of any given model by assigning a unique model designator letter for that first model year only. The 1960 Valiant was "X", thereafter it was "V". The 1961 Lancer was "W", the 1962 was "L". Interestingly, the "L" designator was kept even after the Lancer name was replaced by Dart.

The third digit indicates a 6-cylinder engine (if the digit is "1") or an 8-cylinder engine (if the digit is "2").

The suffix after that indicates whether the car is a base model ("L" for low trim line), a deluxe model ("H" for high trim line) or a premium model ("P").

Deep in the early '60s nomenclature are body type designations:
21 for 2-door sedan
23 for 2-door hardtop/coupe
27 for 2-door convertible
29 for 2-door sports coupe
41 for 4-door sedan
45 for 4-door 6-passenger/2-seat station wagon
46 for 4-door 9-passenger/3-seat station wagon

(These body style codes were not in general referent use except in parts literature until the advent of the new VIN system in 1966.)

So, here are some examples of model designations from the early '60s:

QX1-H 41 is a 1960 Valiant V200 4-door sedan, 6-cylinder.

RV1-L 21 is a 1961 Valiant V100 2-door sedan, 6-cylinder.

SL1-P 23 is a 1962 Lancer GT 2-door hardtop, 6-cylinder.

RW1-H 45 is a 1961 Lancer 770 4-door 2-seat 6-passenger station wagon, 6-cylinder.

AL2-H 41 is a 1965 Dart 270 4-door sedan, 8-cylinder *OR* a 1965 Canadian Valiant Custom 200 4-door sedan, 8-cylinder.

The model designations used after SV1 in Australia were unique to Australia, as follows-

AP5: Australian Production 5. This was the first Australian-designed Chrysler product since the AP4 Chrysler Royal of 1960. The RV1 and SV1, being US designs shipped as CKD kits from Canada to Australia where they were assembled, did not get Australian Production designations. (CKD means "Completely Knocked Down", i.e., a parts kit to build a complete car).

AP6: Australian Production 6. Sold from '65 through part of '66.

Beginning in '66, the Australian Valiants got V-models.

VC, '66 to '67.
VE, rest of '67 through early '69. (guess they didn't want a model called "VD"!)
VF, through early '70
VG, through early '71
and so forth up through VK, through early '78.

Beginning in '78, the Australian Valiants got C-models.

CL, through early '79
CM, the last Valiant, through early '81.

for a hobby.
See above.
"Regal" was the premium trim level for the sedans and wagons. The base cars were just called "Valiant" (without the "Regal"). Regal trim level wasn't available on the Ute.

_________________
一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Isn't a VC's front clip (except the grille) the same as a US '66 Val? Sure looks like it.

I have an Australian book called Chrysler Valiant that covers all the Aussie Valiants from '61-'82. Iteresting stuff! Like finding out you've got long lost relatives overseas.

Is there a book (or website) that has info on the South African or South American A-bodies? Allpar.com has a bit of info, but not many pics. From what I can tell, South Africa had quite a variety of RHD A bodies, even Barracudas and Dusters/Demons. Argentina or Brazil (can't remember which) had A body sedans and hardtops with comepletly different sheetmetal than anything sold in the US. They're sharp- look like scaled down 68-70 Bodies.

_________________
Brian (Valianator)

'65 Valiant V100 170/T-flite
'82 D150 225/4-speed
'65 Dart 225 4 door
'68 Dart 225 4-door with Valiant front clip (future project)

V3B59193745 BFT24N


Try this one Dan!

_________________
Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

US:


Australia:


Different hood and grille and front valence if you look. Different bumper if you look hard. Different fenders if you look real hard.
South African cars were RHD US-type A-bodies, sometimes rebadged, until 1973, then mostly Australian Valiants with Slant-6 engines rather than the Australian-market Hemi-6 from 1974 onward. Starting in '67, the 2bbl setup was offered on the South African 225s. 160BHP with standard compression, or 190BHP with 9.3:1 compression (the "ChargerPower" engine). The oil filter was remote-mounted on a bracket welded to the valve cover, to clear the steering shaft and gearbox on the RH side of the RHD car.

South American A-bodies, you betchya. The old dodgedart.com site had some good images of them, and you can still access that site on my server Here. Maybe some info at http://www.valiant.org .

Argentina-Slantsixer can help with Argentine models. You can also go on a field trip to http://www.mercadolibre.com.ar (Ebay of Argentina) and search on Dodge or Valiant or Chrysler. You can do the same thing at http://www.mercadolivre.com.br (Ebay of Brazil). Lots of cars show up.

_________________
一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

That's a '65 Canadian Valiant, 106" wheelbase, 2dr. Beyond that, I have to beg off 'cause my '65 CFPC is buried in Denver.

BFT24N doesn't ring a bell with me.

_________________
一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Oh damnit! Now I'm going to have even more classic cars to pine over! Those things are effing cool.

-josh

_________________
64 Dart 170 /6

Dan, as expected you've picked up on details I've neglected to include/didn't know existed.

One thing that's intrigued me that perhaps you can answer. There are 2 versions of the AP5 body, one known as the Canadian body with LH drive wiper sweeping. Do you have any more detail on this?

John

Nope, got no info on "Canadian Body" AP5s. No AP5 bodies were built anywhere except Australia (Tonsley park). Some panels (hood, fenders, all four doors) were imported from North America. The only reason I can think of that an AP5 would have LH-sweep wipers is if they used North American-spec cowl panels, but even this doesn't make sense, 'cause starting in '63 the RHD export American-body Valiants had RH-sweep wipers.

Have you seen an AP5 with LH-sweep wipers? I've never seen one in person, but all the photos of the many AP5s I've seen all show RH-sweep wipers.

_________________
一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I've never posted photos, but check out
http://www.chargerclubofwa.asn.au/Model ... ht/AP5.htm
There's examples of both body types.
I would have thought that the 'Valiant Book' would also show some examples.