Among the most unusual designs from Chrysler’s studios has to be the first-gen Plymouth Valiant, especially the first two years with the spare tire stamping on the trunk lid. This 1962 Plymouth Valiant Signet 200 two-door hardtop was purchased from the original owner and can be found here on eBay in Hermosa Beach, California and the seller is asking $9,500 or you can make an offer.
This is certainly an overall unusual design but it’s less usual in the front than in the back. The first-generation Valiant was made for the 1960 model year through the 1962 model year so three short years. The 1960 and 1961 Valiant models had the cool and unusual spare tire stamping on the trunk lid and I sort of wish they would have kept that for the ’62 model year but it went away after 1961. The top trim level Signet reportedly had a blacked-out grille with a badge in the center whereas the lower models didn’t. Virgil Exner received a “Styling Award” for the design of the 1962 Valiant Signet 200 from the Society of Illustrators, so that’s pretty impressive.
You can see that the badge on the trunk here is almost as big as a spare tire, that’s one big badge. The first two model years had tail lights integrated into the ends of the rear fins but those also went away for the 1962 year as you can see above. Good news: this one has keys, but not much air in the tires. The seller says that they bought this car from the original owner’s family but we don’t know when that was. Clearly, it’s not in the best condition but appears solid from the exterior.
The top-level Signet 200 had “pleated leather-like bucket seats” but I don’t know if this is the original material or not? It appears to almost be a corduroy-like fabric and it’s the same in both the front and the back – I’m guessing that it has been redone for a more comfortable ride in the hot California climate. Although, the seller thinks it’s the original material. They also say that the interior is in decent condition and mostly complete, but it looks a little scary to me. The trunk is literally filled to the brim with spare parts, that’s always nice.
The engine is, I believe, a 225 slant-six although a 170 slant-six was also available. This one has a pushbutton TorqueFlite three-speed automatic and the seller says that this car runs and drives but could use some work on the brakes. I really like this car or at least this design in a top trim level like this. Are any of you fans of these unusual first-gen Valiants?
Gasser material? Why is it, a neat car comes along, instantly squelched by these California crooks asking outrageous prices for this stuff. I’ll make you an offer, $500 bucks, TOPS. My apologies to SG, he’s just the piano player, but come on. In a lighter note, the Valiant was the 1st car to have an alternator, even though on some cars, like Pontiac, it was still indicated as a generator on the gauge. The Valiant was Chryslers original compact, but again timing, everybody wanted BIG cars, and it would be 20 years before Valiant had it’s day, and by then, imports killed it altogether. They were great cars.
These were tough small cars. Worked with a fellow in the early 70’s and this was his car of choice in N.E. Ohio. Holes were patched with old license plates in the floors and that slant six would keep running and these were really solid unibody cars. He would run them till there was little left and look for another before the rust ate it completely.
Definitely designed by the Lee sisters; Home and Ugg.
Technology wise, they were better cars than much of their competition IMO. The styling just wasn’t for everybody.
That’s a 170 engine, not a 225. There are several “tells”, but the giveaway from this engine view is the large clearance between the valve cover and the bottom of the heater box. There’s almost no clearance here with a 225.
Progressive engineering in toad-shaped body. Though I’d love to shock the SUV-driving neighbors with this one in my driveway.
Exner won a design award for this car? There’s a mystery to figure out. And the price, too.
I wouldn’t call myself a “fan” of these Valients, but this did bring back memories of when a friend and I tried to buy a 1960 Valient for $100 from a Plymouth dealer back in 1970. I was 17 and it was difficult to come up with $100 back then. So, we never did buy it.
Virgil Exner was certainly a…. courageous…. designer.
I think I would spend a little (ha ha) bit more and bid on this gorgeous restored 1965 Valiant convertible (225 Slant Six with a 3-spd Torqueflight transmission) Current bid (19 in total) as I write this is $11,226.26 with almost 8 days left in the auction. It would be a much better choice as it has been completely restored. My guess is it will go for between $20K and $30K. (I personally think that if it could be bought for < $20K that would be a real bargain. In listening to Richard, in the videos that he has posted, he sounds like an okay dude. (I know, I know, all con men sound that way, lol). My only problem is my bank account is currently on life support. If I get any windfalls between now and the end of the auction, look out for Mike.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/393989916637?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110010%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.DISCCARDS%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20211102120225%26meid%3D153b3844257d4c0cbff0514d2ee593a7%26pid%3D101110%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D2%26sd%3D294880824620%26itm%3D393989916637%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2563228%26algv%3DDiscOrganicBase&_trksid=p2563228.c101110.m1982
$ seems a bit optimistic, although I’ll outbid Howard a few bucks.
Growing up we had “lot” or “field” cars purchased for under $50 that would be a step above a go-cart and teach us mechanical skills, and how close you can come to either rolling or not stopping in time.
My brother bought one like this from a neighbor and it just wouldn’t die.
That is sweet. My parents had a 61, black with a red interior. These are getting rare.
I remember in 1975 when I was five years old, a beat up white one with no hubcaps and the tire on the trunk used to pass my house every day in the morning and again in the evening. I’ve never seen one in real life since…
I wonder if an HOA would allow it ?
Very funny Jay T.
Valiant – “possessing or showing courage or determination.”
It certainly did in 1962 and still does today.
That Chrysler emblem in the grill is classic.
At 21, I bought a ’61 from the Plymouth dealer in Santa barbara. It had the 170 engine, 225 not yet available , 3 speed on floor , bench seat; sat 6 slim guys and gals; Used it for several years to pull my wooden ski boat to the Sacramento Delta for 3 couple water skiing. Great car! Especially with stick.
I traded it for a ’66 Corvair which suffered doing the same job.
I guess I liked the design which was unique; but then I was and am a fan of Citroens.
When I was in high school in the late ‘70’s, these cars were normally driven by “loadies” (druggies) or surfers. Average prices were in the $500 range. While the 2 door model is pretty rare, the asking price on this one is still quite shocking!
My preference is/was the Lancer. Dodge’s answer to the Valiant.
In the mid 1960’s, my pal had a 1961 Valiant that ferried 5 GI’s back and forth to our base mst every weekend. I believe that car was virtually indestructible.
Back in junior high a friends older brother in north Akron brought a new one home one Saturday morning. I thought it was really cool. Grey with the same red bucket seat interior and a 3 speed on the floor. I had the privilege of helping him wash the car every week then go for a ride to run the water off the chrome, which was code for run it up through the gears and don’t let your parents know. That 225 and 3 on the floor was just the right package to perk it up. I’d love to have one now.
Someone is smokin some of that Hermosa Green for that price. Home Values and rents may be through the roof…but to Valiantly post that price?
I’d be more interested in the’66 tbird next to it.
At the bottom of the eBay ad seller says “as is, bill of sale only”. I take that to mean there is no title.
A buddy’s dad had a dozen of these around all the time. Some were parts cars, some were really nice. He gave me an aluminum block from one because he couldn’t get a head gasket and he knew I would appreciate it. He swapped a steel block leaning tower of power in it from one of the parts cars and away he went. They are ugly but they are indestructible little turds if the rot doesn’t get to them. I found a sedan delivery version that was supposed to be factory and it certainly looked it from the inside and outside. Supposed to have been ordered by Ma Bell for telephone company supervisors, they made a couple of hundred I was told. Never saw one before or since.
Ma Bell, now there’s a term I haven’t heard in a couple of decades.
We are dating ourselves. ☎️
As someone who’s also old enough to remember when phones lived on the kitchen wall, I’m also familiar with the name Ma Bell. I also remember the phone being called “the ol’ hoot & hollar” and, if you had a second extension in the house, you were considered “high society”!
This doesn’t have anything to do with cars or mechanics, but some of these old geezers are talking about “Ma Bell”.
The phone extension was high society huh?
Well, first, my parents had the same phone number for over 50 years. In that time they only had 3 phones. The original rented rotary with metal wheel, in black, replaced by the same thing only with a clear plastic rotary. Finally, stopped renting the phone from Maq Bell and bought a phone.
My mother volunteered on the town rescue squad and had a outside ringer put on the side of the house so she could hear the phone ring when she was outside gardening.
It wasn’t until the late 70s that we got our first extension in their bedroom.
Even later that we got a second extension on the second floor.
They never had a pushbutton phone.
Neither had a cell phone, ever.