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Drop Top Blues: 1964 Plymouth Valiant V200 Convertible

Convertible weather is about done for the year so perhaps this is the time to look for a deal on your favorite droptop. If the black Dart convertible I wrote about recently wasn’t your style, how about this baby blue Valiant listed at Island Classic and Customs? It’s at a dealer on Staten Island, New York for $10,500. It might be a bit high, but it is at a dealer and he does say “offers will be considered”. It’s always surprising to see convertibles without rusty floors, especially in the rust belt. If this car truly has only 60,000 miles on it, then it was likely put away for winter and avoided salty roads. According to the ad, someone has spent a lot of money on this drop top in the last year. With a completely new interior, new top and all the mechanical work including the front end and brakes, it sounds like they have spent more than the asking already.

It looks like the interior was nicely done in period correct materials. It almost looks new, but when you look closely, the chrome over plastic on the dash is a bit bubbly. It does look plenty nice for a driver and for car shows though.

 

Things under the hood look nice as well. It doesn’t look detailed, just well kept. Because this is a V200 this is likely the 225 CID. These slant six engines are very reliable and had more power and used less fuel than the Ford and Chevy 6 cylinder engines.

This Valiant looks like a nice solid car. That’s not likely an original gas cap if you insist on it being completely original. Otherwise, there’s not much to fuss about. That door gap doesn’t look encouraging, but it’s an easy adjustment unless this droptop really is getting swaybacked. The right side doesn’t look as bad. It appears someone has taken this car down the road to restoration about as far as it will go. It appears ready to drive and enjoy unless there’s serious rust on the underside or you can’t get a magnet to stick the panels. I would add subframe stiffeners to eliminate some of the cowl shake. Some would want to add more go, of course, suspension and brakes could always use improvement. For the right price, this might just be a nice driver for the next owner.

Comments

  1. Avatar Chuck Sibio

    THAT IS TOO COOL. Wasn’t this one posted on here a while ago ?
    Or was that BAT ? look familiar to anyone ?

    Like 0
  2. Avatar Brian R

    I really like this one. Great color and looks in great shape. Unmolested…..and a convertible.

    Like 0
  3. Avatar flmikey

    …would much have the black one…much sportier…plus, black cars are so cool…and, I think you are right about those door gaps…they look scary…and the quarters look like they are waving at us…

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  4. Avatar Nrg8

    Rear splash pan and quarter has seam filled, kinda wavy, back seat panels painted, wheel well lips look 1/2 inch in places to 1 inch in others, dash trim bad shape. I love these cars, but this color, much like white, hide the puddy. 10 footer at best. This money should include a V8

    Like 0
  5. Avatar Beemoe

    What is this cowl shake of which you speak? I’ve never had any shake in my 65.

    These are great cars to cruise around in, but those quarter panels often turned to Swiss cheese before they reached the 1970’s.

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Dovi65

    I kinda cool. I’d rather drive something like this than a big block bruiser Charger, or Superbird. I’d worry a lot less about driving it to do errands on weekends

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Nova Scotian

    Me like. But a close up inspection required, with 1/2 the price of admission before I’d consider purchasing.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar Suttree

    It doesn’t matter to me but did this car come with headrests?
    I’d love to have this car. A very simple classic.

    Like 0
    • Avatar DweezilAZ

      No, they didn’t. That didn’t come until later, 68 or so, along with other federally mandated regulations.

      Like 0
  9. Avatar Matt Mattila

    I have a 1962 Plymouth Belvedere 4 door with 88,000 original 6-cylinder car in really good shape for sale for $9,000 if anyone’s interested phone number is 608 576 5176

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Matt Mattila

    Also have a 1962 Plymouth 2 door X Hot Rod was drag race since day one very low miles really nice car so I can I do know all about these Mopar I’ve got a 67 Valiant with a 440 in that I’ve had since I was in high school and I’m 57 now

    Like 0
  11. Avatar DrinkinGasoline

    I’d lose the front fender mounted ugly spring radio antenna replacing it with twin slanted antennas on the rear quarters. Fender skirts would be a must and it’s begging for a slightly larger tire size.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar Neal

    I’m not in the market right now, but I’m really starting to fall for these early to mid sixties mopars.
    This one is cute as a button. I wonder if the new upholstery matches original, and if white instead of the darker blue would have been a better choice?
    Still, a nice looking cruiser. I think when I’m ready, I’ll be plenty happy with a slant six instead of a dragon breather.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Scott

      I just purchased a small building and found one of these inside … It seems to be same color interiors is very light blue and light blue inside. The odd thing I noticed is the dash cover is a yellowish bakelite material??? Has original soft top in good condition, body has one noticeable rust through spot on driver front wheel well.

      Like 0
  13. Avatar Bbuz

    Remember the Revell see through motorized slant six model of the sixties? If you weren’t carful with the glue it froze up and became a boat anchor for your Revell Chris Craft cabin cruiser.

    Like 0
  14. Avatar lawrence

    Nice car…maybe at a little lower price ? Theses are great cruisers….even with the factory V/8/push button auto – my 1964 V-200 convertible is a joy to cruise in…

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Will Owen

    Such neat looking cars, these second generation Valiants, and the converts are especially nice. If this were anywhere close by I would be risking some serious intramarital conflicts, with too many cars and one more on the way. The price is not excessive IMO, not from a dealer, and that 6 is exactly the engine I would want. Every one I’ve driven has been very pleasant, even the one with most of its floor gone!

    Like 0
  16. Avatar RNR

    The dealer is nice enough to include a photo of the fender tag on their web site – it’s for a white car (big surprise, the fender tag is white) with a red interior. So this thing’s had a major personality change. And Nrg8 is right – you probably won’t get a magnet to stick to many places on those quarters – I filled the seam on my sister’s ’64 Signet 200 convert when I “fixed” the quarter panel rust back in ’68; I’d worry about how long all that body work will last. Probably could have put in an original pattern reproduction Legendary interior for the same cost as the all that blue custom vinyl work, too.

    Nice cars, but too much dough for this one.

    Like 0
    • Avatar DweezilAZ

      RNR: I’ve had my patchwork last for 30 some-odd years on the left rear fender. It will be getting a new patch panel, one I bought from Classic Industries.

      The right rear has already been done withe new patch about 20 years ago.

      I’ve had my 63 Signet for 37 years now.

      There’s something “off” here. 60,000 miles and the seats needed to be replaced ?

      Like 0
  17. Avatar RicK

    Always liked the really big and tall rear window in the convertible top on these, nothing else like it out there at the time or since (that I can think of anyway)

    Like 0
  18. Avatar DweezilAZ

    @ David Frank: This being a V 200 doesn’t necessarily mean it has a 225. Even the Signet came with the 170.

    I made the same mistake with my 63 Signet 2 door hardtop. I had assumed it had the 225 when I replaced the engine with a rebuilt motor. Later I discovered it had come with the 170 originally. The 225 had five leaf rear springs as opposed to the 170 having only four, as my Signet did.

    The 170 would have been appropriate as my car came with a radio, three speed column mounted manual shift and heater originally and possibly whitewalls. Definitely lightly optioned for Valiant’s top of the line.

    The gas cap looks like an aftermarket replacement. I have a couple plus a body colored painted one.

    It was replaced by a near unicorn lockable cap I sourced on eBay that wasn’t cheap.

    Like 0

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