1963-66 Plymouth Valiant - Hemmings Motor News
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The Plymouth Valiant is an automobile manufactured by the Plymouth division of Chrysler Corporation in the United States from 1960 to 1976.
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/ January, 2006 / 1963-66 Plymouth Valiant
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1963-66 Plymouth Valiant
Feature Article from Hemmings Classic CarJanuary, 2006 - George Mattar
Classifieds Publications Blog
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There's a lot of hoopla surrounding Plymouth muscle cars of the 1960s and early 1970s. As aresult, there are some ridiculously high prices being paid for the distinction of owning aPentastar of this vintage. But not all Mopars manufactured during the Age of Aquarius areunobtainable. The well-styled and fun-to-drive 1963-1966 Plymouth Valiants offer thedesirable combination of simple mechanicals, a relatively plentiful and cheap parts supply,and values that the common man can afford. Powered by the durable Slant Six engine,Plymouth's 1963-'66 Valiant was an economical alternative to the larger, thirstier cars ofthe era and, with reasonable care, these cars delivered thousands of miles of trouble-freedriving.
Unfortunately, many Valiants rusted into oblivion long before the drivetrains gave out.While there is no denying that body trim and panels may be getting quite scarce after 40years, mechanical parts can be bought through Hemmings Motor News or at your localauto parts store.
In 1963, there were several versions of the Valiant, beginning with the base-level V-100.Next in the hierarchy was the V-200, and the top-of-the-line offering was called Signet.Valiants were offered in several bodystyles, including a two-door, four-door, convertibleand station wagon. (The Signet was available in two-door hardtop and convertible form.)Throughout the four model-year span, Plymouth built more than 728,900 Valiants, sofinding one today should not be too difficult.
EnginesWhen V-8s ruled the streets in 1963, the Valiant got its power from a standard 170-cu.in.Slant Six engine. Early in the model year, an aluminum 225-cu.in. version could be ordered,but it was replaced due to durability issues, particularly corrosion, with a cast-iron designof the same displacement. This engine featured an 8.2:1 compression ratio and a 3.40 x3.125-inch bore and stroke. In 1964, the Slant Six remained as the standard engine, but a180hp, 273-cu.in. V-8 was offered as an option. A larger, 225-cu.in. Slant Six, with a longer,4.125-inch stroke, was also optional.
In 1965, the powertrain lineup carried over with the same engines: the 170-cu.in. and 225-cu.in. Slant Sixes and the 273-cu.in. V-8. The 180hp 273 V-8 had a 3.63 x 3.31-inch bore andstroke with a compression ratio of 8.8:1, solid lifters and a Carter two-barrel model BBDcarburetor. An optional four-barrel version, first available in 1965, produced 235hp, but itwas fitted with the same single exhaust as the Slant-Six-powered cars, which was veryrestrictive for the larger engine. With the exception of the short-lived aluminum version, allengines have legendary, almost anvil-like durability. Additionally, their design is simple,
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parts are plentiful, and anyone with even basic mechanical skills can keep one running foryears.
Back in the '60s, my father owned a 1963 Valiant. Regular oil and coolant changes, bi-annually replacing the points, condenser and rotor and adjusting the valves kept the littleSlant Six running long after the body rotted beyond repair. The engine was pulled andinstalled into another car, giving many more years of trouble-free service.
Dr. David George Briant of Arizona, who has owned numerous Chrysler products and is amember of the Walter P. Chrysler Club, says the secret to the Slant Six's longevity was abeefy crankshaft using 2.75-inch-diameter bearings, a full quarter-inch more than the larger318-cu.in. small-block V-8.
"Their life could be astonishing, 400,000-plus miles, certainly. The New York StateThruway Authority used Dodge pickups with the 225/V-8 and put up record longevityfigures," said Briant, who lived in New York before migrating west. "These were astoundingcars."
To find the engine number on a Slant Six, check the passenger side of the block just belowthe cylinder head. For V-8s, check the driver's side of the block below the cylinder head.Not only are these engines strong, but longtime owners report up to 28 mpg cruisingbetween 45 and 50 mph.
Here's something of a surprise: In 1965, Chrysler offered an optional anti-air-pollutiondevice, a PCV, for $5, which was mandatory on all cars sold in California. The 1965 high-performance Commando 273-cu.in. V-8 four-barrel engine had a chrome air cleaner andcast-aluminum rocker arm covers with fins and a chromed PCV valve. This engine alsofeatured a long-duration camshaft and special pistons.
TransmissionsA three-speed manual came standard in the Valiant, and for $172, a buyer could select anautomatic transmission. They are both very durable and, like other mechanicals on thesecars, simple in design, leading to long-term reliability. The automatic transmission offeredthrough the 1963 model year was a push--button TorqueFlite 904 three-speed. The ratioswere: first-2.45, second-1.45, third-1.00, and 2.20 in reverse. The TorqueFlite is world-renowned for its hard-wearing construction and silky-smooth shifting. In 1964, 1965 and1966, the TorqueFlite was cable-operated, with two cables in the first two years and onecable in 1966. By 1965, the automatic used a column shifter or optional floor shifter. A four-speed manual with a Hurst shifter also could be ordered.
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Rear axleThe Valiant used a hypoid gearset with semi-floating axles. The standard gear ratio was a3.23:1 for six-cylinder-powered cars, both automatic and manual transmissions. The 273-cu.in. V-8 cars were equipped with a 2.94:1 ratio final drive; a Sure Grip differential with a3.55:1 ratio was optional. Chrysler literature shows that the following ratios could beordered: 2.91:1, 2.76:1, 2.94:1, 3.23:1, 3.55:1-Sure Grip and 3.91:1-Sure Grip.
SuspensionLike most Chrysler products of this era, the Valiant used torsion-bar front suspension withball joints and a solid rear axle suspended by five-leaf semi-elliptic springs. Hydraulic,direct-acting shock absorbers were mounted at all four corners. This suspension systemremained basically unchanged from 1962 through 1976. The standard 13 x 4.5-inch five-lugwheels had a four-inch bolt pattern and were fitted on six-cylinder Valiants with 6.50 x 13bias-ply tires. The V-8 cars were built with larger-diameter 14 x 4.5-inch wheels with 7.00 x14 tires.
BrakesLike most cars of the day, the Valiant's brakes leave a lot to be desired. The standardsystem included four-wheel drums with internal-expanding, duo-servo with self-energizingshoes. Power brakes could not be ordered until the 1964 model year. The diameter of thedrums measured nine inches, totaling 153.5 square inches of total swept braking area.Chrysler originally fitted these cars with molded asbestos linings that were bonded on, sobe careful working on any car still wearing original brake shoes.
Body/FrameThe Valiants all shared unit-body construction, which made Chrysler famous in the 1960s.The front of the car utilized a subframe similar to a Camaro or Firebird. Despite havingChrysler's "Seven Soak Rustproofing" protection, Valiants had severe rust issues, especiallyalong the lower edges of the quarter panels. The Valiant had one of the largest trunk spacesever provided in a compact car. The wheelbase measured 106 inches, the overall length was188.2 inches and the car's dry weight hovered around 2,725 pounds. The fuel tank had an18-gallon capacity, which made stops at the gas station few and far between. Some bodyparts are being reproduced by Layson's, including the damage-prone headlamp rings. In1963 and 1964, the front fenders shared the same crease and body line, which drops down at
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about a 20-percent angle. In 1965, this changed to a straight crease. In 1966, the bodystylechanged and the Valiant had a larger bumper, a center-divided three-piece grille and nofront valance. The 1966 models also used flat-sided fenders in contrast to the roundedfenders from 1963 to 1965.
InteriorThe standard interior included a front bench seat. In 1965, the TorqueFlite now had acolumn shift, which was cable-operated, thus rendering the console as an option. Bucketseats were standard in the top-of-the-line Signet, which were built with better qualitymaterials than the seats in standard Valiants.
OptionsThe Valiant's option list was quite extensive. Some of the more popular options were:power brakes ($43); power steering ($82); tinted glass, all windows ($29); tintedwindshield only ($14); remote-control outside rearview mirror ($12) and Transaudio radio($59). In 1964, there were 12 interior color choices, and in 1965 that switched to 14 differentcolors. The optional air conditioning system was dealer-installed.
Reproduction partsWhile Valiants do not share the strong aftermarket of the more popular Road Runner and'Cuda muscle cars, there are some parts available. Original NOS seat material is available,as are carpets and headliners. Reproduction sheetmetal such as floor pans and rockerpanels are now offered. There also are numerous junkyards throughout the country withgood, used parts available. The strong point about these simple cars is that mostmechanical parts can still be bought new over the counter at your local auto parts store.
OWNER'S VIEW IAaron Kahlenberg, 37, is a teacher in Valley Village, California. Our feature car was his first,and he has owned it since May 1983. This car has the 180hp, 273-cu.in. V-8.
"My dad found this car in a newspaper classified at 5 a.m. At 6 a.m., we called and were thefirst callers. When we saw the car, I knew I wanted it. The owner wanted it to go to a goodhome. I think it did."
In 22 years, Aaron has only had to replace the water pump, rebuild the brakes and replace
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the tires twice.
"I have always thought that, quality-wise, Chrysler was at its best in 1965. When I waslooking for a first car back in 1983, I knew this car was something that would be reliable.The car gets about 14 mpg in town and 19 on the highway, so it isn't that bad. I will keep thiscar forever and give it to my son, who is now seven months old. My advice for anyonebuying a car like this is to find the best one you can. I bought an almost new one and paid$4,000, which was a lot of money in 1983, but it had only 15,000 miles."
OWNER'S VIEW IIWhile looking for information about Valiants for this story, I came across Lee Hatfield ofRensselaer, New York. Hatfield answered an e-mail I had circulated looking for Valiantinformation and offered to drive to our editorial offices with factory books and manuals forValiants. Some of Hatfield's valuable documents accompany this article.
In 1976, when Hatfield was 17, he bought a clean, one-owner 1965 Valiant four-door thathad a 225-cu.in. Slant Six, an automatic transmission and factory air conditioning. Shortlyafter buying that car, he decided he had to have a Valiant with a 273-cu.in. V-8.
Hatfield's long search for the perfect example ended in 2004 in Rhinebeck, New York,where he found a very clean 1964 Signet two-door hardtop with a factory-installed 273 V-8.Was it worth the wait? Hatfield would answer that question with an emphatic, "Yes."
"I looked on and off for 28 years to find the Valiant of my dreams, and did, just an hourfrom home," he said. "I am very happy with my car and glad the lady ordered bumperguards, electric windshield wipers, AM radio, which still works, the inside day/night mirrorand driver's door remote mirror."
SPECIALISTS
Original Auto Interiors7869 Trumble Columbus, Michigan 48063586-727-2486www.originalauto.com
Classic Fabrication
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843-650-0385www.classicfabrication.com
Layson's Restorations2200 W. Valley Way NSuite 110Auburn, Washington 98001253-804-5140www.laysons.com
Pat Walsh RestorationsP.O. Box QWakefield, Massachusetts 01880 781-246-3266www.patwalshrestorations.com
PARTS PRICES
Brake drum, NOS - $95Convertible top motor, rebuilt - $69Convertible top, pump - $220Convertible top, lift cylinder - $135Door hinges, set of four rebuilt - $195Gas tank, reproduction - $219Fuel pump, six-cylinder - $55Ignition wire set, six-cylinder - $21.50Radiator, reproduction - $290Seat covers, reproduction - $230-$300Shock absorbers, four - $129
CLUB SCENE
Early Valiant Barracuda Club10 Brunswick RoadBaltic, Connecticut 06330 www.earlyvaliant.orgDues: $20/year; Membership: 300
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WPC ClubP.O. Box 3504Kalamazoo, Michigan 49003-3504www.chryslerclub.orgDues: $30/year; Membership: 4,000
PRODUCTION
1963 - 198,3991964 - 225,2451965 - 167,1531966 - 138,137
This article originally appeared in the January, 2006 issue of Hemmings Classic Car.
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This article originally appeared in the January, 2006 issue of Hemmings Classic Car.Order Backissues of Hemmings Classic Car
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Lawrence Perkins · Gardner Assistant at City and County of San FranciscoI got a 66 with a 403 big block I need rims I don't kno the lug pattern.Reply · Like · August 26, 2012 at 9:21am
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