The Dirty Dart has done strange things to my brain. Sitting next to this ’65 Valiant is one of my favorite cars, the beautiful and glamorous first-generation Riviera. Yet I managed to run up and snap a bunch of pictures of a lowly turquoise Valiant post sedan. It was in nice condition, way nicer than the Dart, and I keep telling myself that there’s nothing wrong with loving a dorky little A-Body…nothing wrong at all. Is there?
Well, of course there isn’t. There’s a lot of Dart/Valiant love around this place, for good reason, and while these early A-Bodies might not be as visually striking as the most beautiful car of the 1960s, the Riviera (my opinion), they have a forthright style that’s more “cute underdog.” People dig an underdog.
The first thing about this Valiant that struck me was its condition. It was the same color as my Dart, but the body was nearly flawless. My Dart wagon shares a quarter panel with the Valiant, and it flows nicely into the bumper, but I feel that the Valiant handled the taillight treatment better than the Dart. The fuel filler situation leaves much to be desired, however. It’s too low and fuel manages to leak fuel for days after a fillup. Maybe that’s just my beater, but a fuel door would have been a nice addition here.
I couldn’t resist including a brochure image of the sedan with its turquoise wagon counterpart; the Dirty Dart has indeed weaseled its way into my heart. Honestly, I have always thought that the Valiant sedan was one of the plainest and homeliest vehicles of the 1965 model year, but time and ownership of it’s Dodge-branded wagon counterpart have changed my mind to some extent. Of course, the wagon was the only Dart to share body panels with the Plymouth; other Dart models wore unique body panels on a five-inch longer wheelbase.
While I still prefer the Dart’s arguably bolder front end and grill treatment, I’ve learned to appreciate the Valiant’s simplicity and honesty. Unless you bought one from a junkyard (as I did), it’s not going to mess with you. It’s not that kind of car.
It’s possible that this Valiant has recently undergone a restoration; after all, it has no license plate, it’s at a car show, and it’s in beautiful condition. Restoring a Valiant is a labor of love, because one will never recoup the investment. Luckily for owners and hipsters alike, Darts and Valiants make cool beaters; however, they make equally cool car show fodder. There is almost no ostentatious ornamentation from this perspective, just clean lines.
Adding to the freshly restored vibe are the uniform panel gaps and flawless trim. The Valiant wins a point from the Dart in the battle of bodyside jewelry; even the Dart 270 wore a bulky strip that ran the length of the car, roughly bisecting it. The Valiant’s trim fills in the body’s natural lines before slimming down at the vent window to travel the remainder of the car’s length.
Under that shiny, undecorated hood undoubtedly sits a slant six, either a 170 or a 225. Let’s hope it’s the 225; the 170 felt really borderline on power in my Dart (to be fair, it was worn out), and the 225 has greatly improved the driving experience. It rarely feels underpowered.
This Valiant was ordered with the excellent Torqueflite automatic, unlike my Dart, which runs the standard A-903 three-speed manual (which the original owner ordered with air conditioning). The Torqueflite is almost certainly an upgrade; a three-speed manual is fun for awhile, but I’m always wishing there was a gear between second and third, like, well…like a four-speed would have. The Torqueflite’s first and second gears are far taller than the three-speed’s, and the gear spacing is much closer, making the driving experience far more fluid (pun intended).
The moral of the story is that the Dirty Dart is demanding that I notice cars I rarely gave a second thought. The lovely featured Valiant makes the Dart look a little rough, but they’re both fun cars that are still inexpensive. Parts are quite difficult to find for ’63-’66 A-Bodies, especially body, interior, and trim parts. The initial purchase price is easily compounded if the car needs work, but that’s the case with almost any old car.
Don’t get me wrong, I’d still rather have a Riviera (and still will, someday), but these little Chrysler compacts have broadened my horizons.
A body fan here.Dad had a 66 Aussie Valiant and a 68 Dart both 6 cylinder 4 door sedans.My favourite A body would be a Panther Pink/Moulin Rouge Duster or Demon with a 340 and 4 speed.
I snapped a couple of 340 Dusters at the drag races this past weekend (not pink), so maybe I’ll post them in the future…
This is indeed a beautiful car! If I had my choice, it would be a Signet convertible, but this coupe is stunning, especially in that torquoise color. I’ve always liked the rear treatment, evoking Imperials of a few years earlier. Glad to see this car receiving love. It’s manageable size would make for a great warmer months daily driver.
A lovely little Valiant there. I love the turquoise as well. I think that the 64-65 Valiant is my favorite of this generation of A body. It gets the trim details just right. In my little world, the 64 model gets gobs of bonus points for the pushbutton Torqueflite.
Nothing wrong with that Valiant at all.
Looking (‘way) back when I was a kid in the air force, if I would have settled for something simpler and perhaps cheaper to own like that Valiant or a Nova or even a (gasp!) Ford Falcon or Maverick than the glamorous 1964 Chevy SS convertible I owned, I might have had a lot more cash in my pocket, not to mention other opportunities I let slip by because my car was my life.
But then again, probably not…
A bodies are great ! they’re very good drivers and easily modified into Canyon Carvers , quick if not overly fast .
The Valiant has the prettier grille IMO .
A Friend has a Signet Convertible , it’s a very nice car indeed although I am not a Drop Top kinda guy .
The first generation Barracuda is the dream A Body for me .
Agreed , the slush boxes make these better drivers , matching the power to weight better and less tiring .
-Nate
Nice lines on that and well proportioned. I used to have a Tuff Tots Dodge Dart when I was younger, but I think that must be the next generation body http://goto.glocalnet.net/tuftots/poppics/dodgesports.jpg
That’s a cool toy!
Following this website has caused me to stop and look at all kinds of cars that I wouldn’t have given a second glance to at one time, especially stuff from the 70’s and up in my case. So many times I’ve muttered, “Why am I taking pictures of this car? I don’t even like this car.”
This is a very nice Valiant. Kudos to the owners for maintaining it in as-new condition or restoring what is surely a labor of love, as you said Aaron.
I started noticing the 2nd gen A body after they were mostly gone. In the early ’70s you couldn’t miss the few first gens around with their unique style, and the 3rd gen was still in production and was everywhere.
At some point I saw an ad for a 2nd gen hardtop in Valiant Signet trim, and I was smitten. Perhaps because Chrysler was resisting building a Chrysler compact, their Plymouth and Dodge versions were trimmed well enough to compare to some of the Buick and Olds versions, and even seem to look as if they were inspired by the ’61-’63 versions of those cars. Even this mid trim 200 is a good looker, but the 4 door and wagon pull off the post look a bit better.
What a treat! Almost identical to the car my Grandmother bought new shortly after she started driving. Hers was white, but had the torquoise interior like this one. Wish you had more interior shots, the biscuit pleated seats were really nice for a compact at the time. She really wanted a Buick Special but could not bring herself to part with whatever the price difference was, plus my Grandfather was a Chrysler man. He had a 59 Savoy at the time but Grandma wanted nothing to do with that big monster. Remember spending hours washing and waxing that car when I would stay with them for about a month in the summer. Eventually they gave the Valiant to my Mom to make us a 2 car family shortly before I started driving. Grandma got a new 71 Valiant, a complete stripper save for a radio. It was such a comedown from the 65. At that time we had a 67 Fury II in that shade of turquoise. I spent many hours of wheel time with the Valiant often hooning around and the slant six would push it to 120 mph. Not real safe with the little 13 in wheels. My Brother eventually wrecked the car but he and I put it back together with a junker. Eventually Dad sold it to a friend of a friend when it had about 120000 miles on it. The little Valiant always used about a quart of oil every 1500 miles since new, unfortunately the dummy never checked or changed the oil and after about a year and a half he burned the motor up.
Thanks for the memories!
The seal on your gas cap may have broken or deteriorated to point where fuel does leak. Try a new gas cap (if you haven’t already) and that might fix the leak.
Cars from that era just keep looking better and better to me. Wouldn’t it be nice if a manufacturer would simply restomod their old bodies and bring back the classic shapes -as they were, not like the Camaro or that T-BIrd from 10 years ago – surely an up to date engine and transmission with computer management would return decent mileage?
I’ll have to check that out…I actually have a spare gas cap I can try, too.
OTOH some of us prefer your dart to a Riviera. The only thing wrong with my 68 Nova was that it wasn’t a wagon. They made the last Nova wagon in 67 IIRC. A small wagon pushes all my buttons.
Was the 273 an engine option. I remember one of these with a 273 at the strip that never said die. Just don’t know if it was a swap or not. Suppose they might have chosen that size to get a favorable class.
Good article.
Yep, the 273 was indeed an option in both the Dart and Valiant, starting in ’64, I believe. One could even get the 235 hp “Commando” 273 starting in ’65, but I don’t believe it was available in wagons.
And what a mellow exhaust note that Commando had; anybody remember the rectangular exhaust tip? I’d love to hear one of these now.
Every old road test talked about how great the exhaust sounded on the Commando…and it was a single-exhaust system! I’d like to hear one today!
I love the 1964-66 Plymouth Valiant. I’ve never owned one, although I’ve seen plenty of them over the years.
We could also mention our Canadian Valiants, there the Dart was sold as a Valiant in the Great White North and still a separate division who’ll end with the 1976 models.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/carphotosbyrichard/3153409487/
A nice case of “Plodge” or should I said “Dodgmouth”(Dodmouth?) 😉
Very sweet Valiant. I’ve had a really major soft spot for just exactly this vintage Valiant two-door; going way back to the 70s or so. Always thought it would be the best used car to buy cheaply, modify a bit, and run for the long haul.
I see you’ve come to the same conclusion about the the three-speed manual’s gear spacing: that hole between 2nd and 3rd is pretty annoying. At least with the 225, you can plunk it unto 3rd sooner, and chug along in it at pretty low speeds.
Frankly, three-speeds kinda suck; a four speed is just so much sweeter, with third gear perfect for puttering around town. The only thing better of course is a 5 speed. If I was going to drive one of these a lot, I’d seriously want to consider a T5 swap.
And that 904 isn’t even syncro in first, to add to the insult. After driving my 63 and 64 Beetle, I was always a bit shocked to get into my Dad’s ’68 Dart and have to deal with that non-syncro first gear. Frankly, that was rather inexcusable; not just Chrysler, but all of Detroit, to keep non-syncro first gears around until the mid-late 60s.
The 3 speed is really bad when towing, especially up long steep hills like the Grapevine or Sisku’s. I could go up the same hill about 20 mph faster not having to bog in 3rd and drop in 2nd and have to wind out the motor and then bog back down in 3rd. Driving around town empty after adding a four speed, I would often skip 2nd and just shift 1st, 3rd, and 4th. It almost seemed 2nd took more time to shift in and out of then it was worth. At least the 3 speed my truck had was all syncro, I had a 65 Chevy C10 3 speed with non syncro 1st, I thought I died and went to heaven when my 70 came with all syncro 3 speed. Until I tried to tow, then the 4 speed showed it’s true worth. I never realized how beautiful this vintage Valiant is until looking at this example, the paint and fit and finish look better then new. That paint job would look great on Aaron’s Dodge.
Which is why I love the OD in my Ford truck: second/OD is exactly where a third gear would be in a four speed; I use it constantly around town, and on long grades as you describe.
Just so , I am not sure why they all came with Governors to prevent this as 2Nd. gear over drive is *perfect* for zooming up hills in old trucks and cars….
It’s the first thing I disconnect , the Governor is .
-Nate
I prefer the top of the line Signet model, but sometimes the middle line V200 would be perfect for family and/or business.
I didn’t used to care for this generation of Valiant, but lately my mind has started to change. At least partially responsible is a 1966 Valiant 2-door in dark blue that parks along the street in my neighborhood and catches my eye every time I go past. There’s just something so honest about that car, and so appealing in its honesty.
This was my first car. Same color.
I have been doddering around writing it up for CC.
Had one of those but the Aussie version the AP6 the grille is the same but the tail lamp treatment is different mine was in much worse condition than that one coming home by towrope it needed a prop shaft though once fitted it actually went ok 225 with 3speed manual.
It should be noted that this is the last Chrysler product built to have been styled largely under Virgil Exner’s watch. The ’64-’65 grille was changed from his original design on the ’63, and the rear fenders were peaked a bit by incoming design head Elwood Engel, but very little else. The big protruding single headlights, the protruding “crease” on the top of the front end sweeping around into the front fender are classic Exner, as well as the sloping tail.
Ironically, it was his too-far-out ’60 Valiant that hurt it substantially, but his very pleasing ’63 design that really made the Valiant an acceptable car for Grandma, and set it on a trajectory for its continued growth and success.
That’s an interesting point, because many have alluded to the Dart’s “Turbine Car” cues, like the headlights. I have always heard, however, that Elwood Engel was responsible for the Turbine Car’s styling. Chicken or egg?
Aaron, this is an issue I have been trying to get greater clarity on for a long time: exactly what happened during the transition from the Exner to Engel eras. Realistically, there was no perfect break point; and keep in mind that many of the existing designers continued to feed what Engel had to work with.
The Turbine car’s front end (as well as its rear end), with its prominent single headlights, is itself a blatant crib from the 1958 Ford concept car “La Galaxie”. Yet Exner wasn’t exactly a stranger to bulging headlights either.
What has been confirmed by a number of sources is that the 1963 Chrysler line-up design was essentially complete when Engel arrived in November of 1961, a point in time when it would have been to late to drastically restyle them anyway. He did make some minor/modest changes, including the peaked rear fender line on the ’63 Valiant, so as to disguise the classic Exner sloping rear deadlock, at least from the side. The front end of the ’63 Valiant otherwise looks 100% Exner to me.
The issue of the ’63 Dart front end is the most interesting/unresolved. Clearly, its front end is very similar to the Turbine car’s. Yet I have never come across an explanation as to how much it might have been changed from what Exner left behind for it.
The “large” 1963 Dodge shares much of its general styling with the ’63 Dart, including the prominent dual headlights and general grille shape. I have to assume that was done and mostly un-tampered with by Engel, but then I wasn’t there. And I have never found a detailed explanation for the ’63 Dodge and Dart front ends, in terms of their provenance.
My best guess is that Exner was already taking them in that direction, and that Engel’s decision to also crib the ’58 La Galaxie’s front end for the Turbine Car might have been either coincidence, or??? An unanswered question. If I ever find a really good answer, I’ll write it up.
Cant say no to any 2 door A-body. Being a pillared 2 door sedan hurts it a little bit, but I can get past that. This car would make a killer all original classic just like it is, or has massive potential to accept a few mods. A /6 actually has a LOT of untapped potential.
Pretty car. Love the color, very prevalent in the full size Chrysler models.
That said, the wheels were tiny. Give the car some real wheels (not crazy) and it would be smashing.
I always remember this car in the film “The Flim Flam Man”.
As an A-body afficianado your early comments about the “dirty Dart” went right through my heart. Glad you have had a change of heart, Aaron.
Currently, having sold my ’64 Valiant in July, I am still in mourning.
Of course you should be looking at these cars.
I’d kill to have your Wagon ( with an auto-trans, tho’…)
But, two-door, four-door or, a Convertible, there’s just so much you can do with a willing ‘A’ body ….
Back in the ’80s, there was a frugal city councilman in my hometown who had one of these (a four door model, same color). It was obvious he was proud of it, I don’t recall if he bought it new but it wouldn’t surprise me if he had.
We had a new ’63 Dart GT, loved it with those Turbine Car styling elements. A bodies are appealing because they are honest, functional cars with modest good looks.
Something bad seems to have happened after the late 1960’s to 1970, economy cars and smaller cars lost style that seemed endemic to this a-body or the second generation Corvair or the Falcon even, it seems that the people that decided that economy cars should not have style made a decree that all small cars thereafter become penalty box’s, the Ford maverick never had the style of a falcon or a Chevy Nova, the auto makers seem not to like to sell low option or inexpensive economy cars and instead wanted to push us into more expensive cars at the expense of style in their lesser priced cars, instead the big three pushed us into Torino’s or Malibu’s or Plymouth Satellite’s. Autos past 1970 seemed to be more generic and especially after the 1990’s, there is no magic in the sight of a Corolla or a Chevy Prism.
As the former owner of a 69 Valiant Signet 2 door sedan I have a fondness for these cars. My pick would be a 65 Signet or a 66. But I’d pass on them for a 65 or 66 Valiant wagon…you can keep the Dart of any year.
I was an A-body aficionado for a long time.
~ 65 Barracuda, V8 4-speed, bought new
~ 67 Barracuda fastback, 383 4-speed, bought in 1969
~ 65 Dart 270 2-door sedan, 273 Torqueflite, bought in 1976 or so
~ 69 Valiant Signet 2-door sedan, (factory) 318 4-speed
~ 65 Valiant Signet 2-door hardtop, 273 4-barrel 4-speed; this car had every option to be a Formula S clone, plus power steering and brakes and a vinyl top. Traded for….
~ 76 Dart 4-door ex-cop car, 360 Torqueflite, full police package.
I’m probably one of the few A-body guys never to have owned one with a slant six. I’m pretty sure I’m done with A-bodies – for me, no more water leaks through the windshield wiper attachment holes, heater core replacement, or instrument panel light and gauge replacement or repair. But you know, I saw an interesting looking Dart 2-door hardtop on a car lot near here the other day….
Holy cow, are you right about the gauges and the water leaks. I’m on printed circuit number two, and now I have a temp gauge that pegs (it didn’t work at all with PC number 1), and still no gas gauge. I do, however, seem to have power to the gauge (and I’ve tried two gauges). I have dash lights now, however!
I think I was lucky; also, my futzing with the instrument panel was done on the 69 Valiant more than twenty years ago. When I bought it, it didn’t have any dash lights, and some of the gauges didn’t work. I discovered that the big connector in the center had four or five pins that were loose. The first replacement piece I brought home from the wrecking yard turned out good; that plus some bulb replacements restored full instrument-panel function.
I should add that the feature car is indeed a fine-looking vehicle. I have to wonder if it’s a restored car. My 65 Dart was a darker metallic turquoise, but had the same color interior as that car.
hey where did you find this little gem? I have been searching for a car like this for a few years now.
Sorry typed my email
in wrong…. would
love to know if you know the owner of this fine car….. i may be interested in making the owner and offer for purchase
What color is this? Where do you buy the paint at?
If the paint is original you can find the codes from Chrysler and various suppliers at paintref.com.
I’m not a fan of Chrysler Corp cars but even these compacts exercised restraint as compared to the wacky rides of the early 60’s. Frog eyed dashboards, Out of round steering wheels and bloat. These though plain look better as time goes on. Especially the Valliant and Dart drop tops. A friend of mine had a ’66 Dart ragtop and I could actually forgive the fact it was a Mopar car. Hers held up with less of the rusting problems of the 57-early 60’s cars.