As the serial owner of several second-generation (1963-1966) A-body Dodge Dart and Plymouth Valiants—bought running for as little as $50—I can attest to the sterling integrity of the breed, especially when powered, as this one is, by the trusty Slant Six engine. This offering is a 1963 Valiant from that first year of production, in very good (but not perfect) condition, and available to be snapped up for $5,200 in Orient, Ohio.
This is a very basic Valiant two-door, I think a V100—there were fancier V200 and Signet trims. If it has any extras, I’m not seeing them. The Slant Six with three on the tree was the base car. The Valiant has been treated to a new battery and exhaust. It reportedly runs great—as they mostly do—and is said to have a solid undercarriage.
The only visible demerit is the visible perforated rust on the quarter panels and the passenger door, but the seller says replacement metal comes with the car. “This is a great pre-1970 car at an affordable price,” we’re told.
The interior is very nice, with what looks like replacement red vinyl seat covers. The carpeting is still there, but the radio is not. You could buy this car and start commuting in it next week. It will definitely get you there.
The ’63 was a complete redesign from the rather gawky first-gen Valiant/Darts. The wheelbase got 13 millimeters shorter, and the mechanical specification stayed about the same. Both Valiant and Dart were available in quite a wide variety—wagons, hardtops, convertibles, sedans. The V100 wasn’t available as a convertible, though.
The Slant Six as offered in 170 and 225-cubic-inch variants, and a few of the ‘63s even had aluminum (instead of cast iron) blocks. It’s not clear which Slant Six is under this hood, but from experience I can say the 170 offers leisurely Sunday drive performance.
The Valiant was a big hit for ’63, selling 225,056 examples. The Dart did well, too. The styling was different, but the panels interchanged. In Mexico, they made Chrysler Valiants, and in Canada there were oddballs that combined Valiant and Dart styling. The Valiant in 1964 became the base for the wild Barracuda variant. The 273 cubic-inch V-8 became an option in Valiant/Darts in 1964. The hot version was the Commando 273, making 235 horsepower.
This appears to be an honest early Plymouth Valiant, and what’s the buyer likely to do with it? Show it occasionally and take those Sunday drives, I would imagine. Hagerty says a ’63 V200 (which this one is not) is worth $10,100 in good condition, with prices down 11 percent in recent years. So the asking price is not unreasonable, and is maybe negotiable.
Ding, ding, ding, yep, we have another from the dusty abyss, my 2nd car after the Volvo 444. Mine was blue, but optioned exactly like this, nothing, nada, bupkis, I don’t think it even had armrests or sun visors. 170, 3 speed column, that I transferred to the floor,,,no not a fancy priced Hurst, had to “settle” for the Moreway “Mr. Shifter”(?), that always jammed, raised ( by several methods) bigger tires, mags on front, chrome reverse on the back, a 2 barrel ( with adapter), my old man thought I was nuts, more so. Got my 1st speeding ticket with it, in a school zone. Kraco 8 track( from Volvo) in the glovebox, did a lot of cruising in that car. That car led to my next car, a ’64 Valiant, equally non-optioned, except it had a 273. Amazing people bought cars like this then. Great find, the stick will kill the sale. I’m telling ya’, if I was a younger man, I’d scarf up all these unsold stick shift cars, convert them all to automatics, they’d fly out of the yard. With being such a nice example and what I consider a plausible price, it’s the only reason this car isn’t sold yet. Thanks for mems,,
I would install a better shifter and put headers on it.
When these type used cars went for a few hundred and you had a teenager ready for the road (or you were that teenager), this was a great way to get some wheels, freedom and learn some basic mechanical stills to keep it roadworthy.
Unfortunately the world has changed and my kids and their peers would rather spend $5K for a used Corolla (sigh) with AC, safety equip and sewing machine like reliability. Is it what I like? No, but I understand the logic.
It’s too bad because cars like this were great stepping stones to auto knowledge, experience and adventure.
Christmas Eve 65.. my parents provided my first car… a creampuff 63 Valiant Signet 200 convertible… white, tan bucket interior, slant 6 (I never knew which one) and pushbutton automatic. A very pleasant car. Thanks mom and dad…. ! Lotsa first times in that car.
My grandparents in Louisiana had a wagon, with a three-on-the-tree … parked in the garage, unlocked, windows down, it was an attractive nuisance for an eleven-year-old … I played with the shift, running through the gears, got out leaving it in neutral not knowing better … next thing we knew it was backing out on its own, drifting left, coming to rest on my dad’s tractor truck … only a dent on the rear fender … that’s when I learned about leaving a stick in gear …
Generation 1 Valiant was matched to the Dodge Lancer as it’s twin. Until then Dodge Dart was a full sized car not a compact or mid sized. Gen 2 Valiants were paired with the smaller Dodge Dart in new body style.
The 1964 Mercedes 220 SE stole the ’63 Valiant’s rear end treatment.
Just sayin’……
Only comment I’d say it might be a V200 but for sure not a Signet. I would say too much chrome for a V100. Otherwise very nice car for how old it is. {almost as old as me}
Right you are. My ’66 100 had no chrome around the windows on the door frames.
Lovely car. We had these in Australia back in the day. I’d be tempted to paint it white to offset that red interior. Too much red as it stands now.
When working and going to school a co-worker wanted the compact stereo and speakers I used at my station. He traded me one of these with a push button auto for the tunes. Drove that car for two years. It could still be running in Vancouver, Washington for all I know.
I’m actually surprised that its still available for this price. Factory anti theft transmission overall just a fun basic car
Knew a guy back in late 70s put a 340 in one beefed up suspension an everything,not sure what year that was,looked like this one think it had a wheel looking thing on the trunk,he probably still has has it,it was definitely a cool car
Do you need a reminder of how things used to be, right here it is. These were bought by people like our parents and grandparents. I kinda like how austere it is, but wouldn’t want it for more than local driving.
My mother drove one back then. Drove it to church and the grocery store. Not far enough to dry out the exhaust and seem like the system had to be replaced every year.
My second gummint vehicle, 4×2, was a ’63 4-door V-100, pea soup green. Uncle doesn’t split for big bucks for the working stiff. Oh, it replaced a ’57 Chevy 150 4-door in “Basic Black” with “U S ARMY 1F3704 painted on the underside of the hood. Should have seen the looks on pump jockeys when they were checking vitals under the bonnet! Priceless.
Bog simple works for him, works for me… well, most of the time.
real fan of any i6 (domestic or import) & this is tops (nother million mi motor w/MB’s OM617, ford 300/4.9, more).
I like the way U put that Jim, ‘gawkish’ 1st gen. That thing is absolutely ‘rocket-ship 50s-ish”. But…
I like it as to it’s weirdness. They took a coupla twiques to it and as the french say “Wa La”. Came up w/these less radical mid 60s lines. (Dont like the late 60s as had the ‘humps over the wheels’, or mid/late 50s as they were ‘bulgem0biles’).
All these ‘early-mid 60s’ hada straight line, 1 piece stamped grill, no (rocket ship) fins, raked windsh. angle, good glass house’n lower/just right ceiling in cab., clean/clear dash’n so forth~
I like it and you can work on it and more then likely might see what is wrong with it–if it gives you trouble. . I go check it out–underneith too. Looks can be deceiving—-divorces prove that. The price is reasonable–if it looks good underneith.