At first blush, the thought of a 1966 Plymouth Valiant may not get one too excited. Well, check out this exceptionally clean convertible – it’s a looker! And, to add to the fun, it has a V8 engine as opposed to the often encountered slant-six (not that there’s anything wrong with that). Los Angeles, California, is where you’ll find this very tidy drop top, and it’s available here on craigslist for $8,500.
Plymouth’s Valiant-based Barracuda was introduced in ’64, but the designers and marketeers weren’t going to let the fish run off with all of the fun – they kept some in store from whenst the Barracuda came. Valiant wrung up sales of 166K units in ’66, and only 2,500 were convertible body styles! Trim levels were Signet (our subject car), 200 series, and 100 series. The Signet level offered just a convertible and a two-door hardtop, while the 200 included a four-door sedan and station wagon, and the 100 brought up the markers with a four-door sedan and wagon, as well as a two-door sedan. This Valiant is finished in Bronze Poly (code YY1), and it’s a stunning hue with lots of depth. I imagine it’s a redo – it’s that nice, but the seller is mum on that matter. The seller adds that the folding top is in excellent condition, too. Dents, parking lot mayhem, or rust? Not here.
Inside is a rather mundane black vinyl upholstered environment, and it’s in fair shape with a boo-boo here and there. The black nylon loop carpet has done what it usually does, and that’s fade to brown – probably accelerated during top-down time. But if it’s original, then good show! This compact convertible is almost 60 years old. The simple instrument panel is in fine shape with clear, legible gauges. Nice to see is a dashpad that appears to be free of cracks.
Power is courtesy of a 180 gross HP 273 replacement 318 CI V8 engine connected to “old faithful”, a TorqueFlite three-speed automatic transmission. Having experienced a claimed 87K miles, the power plant looks complete and original proper, other than an open-element air cleaner. The seller adds, “Drives amazing, no issues at all.”
I think this Valiant is quite the find, it’s simple, complete, attractive, and reasonably priced – it checks a lot of boxes. Considering where sixties’ Mopar values have gone, this Valiant goes against the grain. No, it’s not a “Mopar Muscle” car, but then does every collectible thing that came out of ChryCo in that era need to be? I’d suggest, surely not, how about you?
This car has a few needs. From the hose routing it is obvious the heater core is bad. The seat covers don’t look original, or the pleating is all pulled out, and the engine needs a good detailing. That said, there aren’t many decent drop tops available in this price range. Looks like a good investment to me.
That engine has been “detailed” (or had a rattle can rebuild) at some point in the past. A 1966 273 — the first of the LA engines — would have been red, just like its A engine brethren. In fact, there should never have been a corporate blue 273 from the factory, as they were dropped after 1968, and the red and turquoise of earlier Chrysler engines were replaced by corporate blue for “standard” engines and orange for high performance engines in 1969.
“Upon further review”, as they say after instant replay reviews in the sports world, that’s not the original engine, which explains the corportate blue paint on the engine. The Craigslist listing says that this car has a 318, not a 273. The 318 would have dropped right in, but it’s from a subsequent year, as the 318 LA engine didn’t yet exist in ’66, and being blue, it’s from 1969 or later.
I missed that engine swap, corrected now, thx.
JO
Convertible or fastback? Both beautiful cars and you can own both for less than the price of a Myers Manx! What a great way to have a distinctive place at a car show with 2 V8 Mopars.
Personally Id take this convertible if I could choose. I drove one for many years. These cars are comfortable and smooth and this one really stands out with the nice paint.
But I would redo the seats, Wow would those be hot without a fabric insert!!
You could buy both the Barracuda and this convertible for the price paid for the Malibu mundane mobile and have lots of money left over for gas.
Heater core bypass. Can we still get that part to start with and the oem air cleaner assembly. For minimal moolah it can become a nice cruiser. A new set of carpeting and redo of the vinyl seats and some detailing would make it perfect.
A brass heater core is shown on Jegs website for $94. You should be able to find an OE air cleaner on eBay.
Steve R
Too bad it’s on the left coast. This appeals to me on so many levels.
This car will sell quickly, I predict.
Another decent car, at a decent price.
I had a 65 Dodge Dart Convertible with a 273 V-8. It was one of best “Collector” cars I ever had. I drove it daily and sometimes would take it to little parking lot shows. It always got a lot of attention because it wasn’t a Mustang. I sold it in the mid 90″s for $8500 and many could not believe it. It’s one of those cars you think back on, wondering why you sold it?
Yet again another very desirable car (for me, anyway) that resides on the left coast. Sigh. GLWTS.
I thought the early LA v8s were painted an orange red color. They were blue as well during this time?
Nice car……watching the Flim Flam Man right now……
The Dart’s less popular sister, so that should get you a slight discount. The non-original engine hurts the value a bit, but isn’t a big deal for a cruiser like this. It might be a bigger issue in one of the more popular muscle cars, but not here. The interior needs some love, but that could be addressed as time and money permit. There’s nothing here to stop you from just getting in and driving it. The price seems fair, so GLWTS!
Simply Wow!
Assuming the bottom reflects as the body does and the top has some more years of life new carpet and visit to upholstery shop for seat(s) and side panels is all thats needed.
Back when the slant six, torque flight and 318s were among the most reliable long lasting options in the industry.
Somebody will have an early Christmas
Is it me, or is that a Dart steering wheel? This isn’t a Mopar I follow, but with my grandparents having 2 Darts, and my great aunt with a Valiant, the Dart’s had that triangle with the hollow round center and the somewhat concave sides (like this wheel hub), where the Valiant had the upside down triangle that was blue on the left and red on the right?
Yes, that is a Dodge “fratzog” emblem on the hub of that steering wheel. Good catch… somebody changed it from a Plymouth Valiant hub or steering wheel.