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| Another seldom-seen A-body https://slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=47299 |
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| Author: | SlantSixDan [ Fri Dec 16, 2011 11:06 am ] |
| Post subject: | Another seldom-seen A-body |
'68 Valiant station wagon. South African model with US '68 Valiant front clip and Australian '67-'68 VE Valiant body with rear sidemarker lights added to match US front ones. Slant-6 engine, right-hand drive. The "AUTOMATIC" badge looks as if it's off a Mercedes or something, but I am told by a reliable South African Valiant enthusiast that it's original:   A couple years later, Chrysler RSA put the US '70 Dart front clip on the same Australian body, minus the rear sidemarkers: 
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| Author: | Reed [ Fri Dec 16, 2011 11:17 am ] |
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I really wish we had gotten 67-76 A-body wagons in North America. I think they really would have been a good seller. Those Valiant taillights remind me of the Barracuda taillights from the same 67-69 period. |
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| Author: | Slanted Opinion [ Fri Dec 16, 2011 11:57 am ] |
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I'm not sure if an A-bodied wagon would have sold in '67+. By that time Americans were looking for wagons that could hold a Valiant in the cargo area... (plus... You KNOW that ma Mopar would have stuck wood grain all over the side of it... Really bad wood grain. Maybe it's best that they didn't build it after all). |
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| Author: | raPoM [ Fri Dec 16, 2011 12:14 pm ] |
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The one with the 70 Dart grill 
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| Author: | Buick [ Fri Dec 16, 2011 8:37 pm ] |
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Sweeet. Thanks for sharing SSDan. |
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| Author: | Reed [ Fri Dec 16, 2011 9:16 pm ] |
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Hey, I LIKE woodgrain! I think a compact wagon would have sold. They did good in 76 with the F bodies. |
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| Author: | SlantSixDan [ Fri Dec 16, 2011 9:17 pm ] |
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Quote: I'm not sure if an A-bodied wagon would have sold in '67+. By that time Americans were looking for wagons that could hold a Valiant in the cargo area...
I donno 'bout that. Not only did Volvo and VW do extremely well (in proportion to their overall market share) with the 145 and 412, respectively, but so did Subaru and Toyota ad Datsun with their own small wagons, and look how many F-body wagons Chrysler sold.
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| Author: | exoJjL [ Sat Dec 17, 2011 3:11 am ] |
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Quote: wood grain all over ... Really bad wood grain. Sorry I edited your post but wood grain is awesome, no matter how bad!I need wood grain paneling for my door panels. Any one? |
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| Author: | Fab64 [ Sat Dec 17, 2011 8:44 am ] |
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Quote: Sweeet.
Ditto!
Thanks for sharing SSDan. |
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| Author: | Sam Powell [ Sat Dec 17, 2011 2:46 pm ] |
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I would have bought a Valiant wagon for sure. I intended to buy a Volare wagon when they came out, but they were bigger than I wanted. I bought a VW square-back instead. Wagons were hot in the late 60's. I thought it was a huge mistake not to market the A body wagon here. Sam |
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| Author: | Slanted Opinion [ Sat Dec 17, 2011 4:56 pm ] |
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The first wood grain job I really liked was the mid 80s Chrysler Town and Country wagon. Chrysler seemed to go the extra mile on that one. In terms of small wagons, that was a well built machine, or at least mine was. 184,000 miles on the 4 banger, with nary a bit of trouble. - Mac |
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| Author: | Slant Cecil [ Sat Dec 17, 2011 7:15 pm ] |
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Interesting, I never knew they made an A body wagon after '66. Since '68 Valiants are my favorite slant six vehicle, I'm really digging the wagon version. Dan, were there any Utes made on the larger '67-up platform? |
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| Author: | SlantSixDan [ Sat Dec 17, 2011 8:19 pm ] |
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Yup, utes continued right on up through the end of Valiant production in '81 in Australia. South Africa got Australian-bodied Utes (called "Bakkies" in South Africa), though I'm not sure if there were any South African utes with US Dart or Valiant front sheetmetal. |
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| Author: | Reed [ Sat Dec 17, 2011 8:23 pm ] |
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Man, an F body ute, a late a body ute, and a late a body wagon would have been cool in the States. A Duster based two door wagon would also have been nice. |
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| Author: | shimos [ Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:19 pm ] |
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If you want to see the odd Australian Ute or wagon... Go to Carsales.com.au then look up ...Chrysler. Then look up model ...Valiant. Theres always a few in there. I still see them on the roads here. |
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