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Mid-Level: 1963 Plymouth Valiant V200 Wagon

Something that would cause heads to roll at any car company today, the re-skinned 1963 Valiant was actually a half-inch shorter than the 1962 model was! Now, every redesign gives us bigger, fatter, longer, wider, heavier vehicles. If I were looking for a wagon, I’d much rather have this 1963 Plymouth V200 Valiant Wagon than almost any new wagon, and certainly more than any new SUV. This beautiful wagon is listed on Hemmings with an asking price of $12,500 or offer and it’s located in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania.

This car is in amazing condition. It has had one repaint in its original blue and was purchased by the seller for his father-in-law who loved it and worked to keep it as nice as it could be, even restoring parts of it. The base model was the V100 and the mid-trim-level Valiant was a V200, which this car is. The top-level cars were designated Signet. From what I understand, only two-door hardtops and convertibles wore the Signet trim level for this generation of Valiant. Fun fact: the Valiant Signet offered Plymouth’s first vinyl top.

The quarters have been replaced on this car and the seller’s father-in-law had it painted and he had the bumpers rechromed, and just maintained everything else. This is a second-generation Plymouth Valiant made from 1963 to 1966 and they were popular, selling 198,399 cars in 1963.

The interior is original, according to the seller. It’s in outstanding condition if it is all original. There are a couple of repairs that will need to be made on the door panels but it just looks like a good, honest car. Can that front seat be original? There’s no wear on it at all.

This is the famous 225 slant-six engine with 140 hp. Like this being the mid-trim level, it also has the mid-engine-level offered in 1963. The base engine would have been a 170 cubic-inch slant-six with around 100 hp and the top would have been the 273 cubic-inch V8 with 180 hp. An aluminum 225 slant-six was offered very early in production but they were discontinued due to durability issues. I think this car is priced probably right on the money, at least according to NADA which lists an “average retail” of $7,054 and a “high retail” of $16,435. This car is probably nicer than average but it’s not perfect so somewhere in-between those two prices is the sweet spot. What do you think a fair price is for this Valiant wagon? Do you have any memories of riding in these as a kid?

Comments

  1. Avatar RayT

    Had a friend who owned one of these (well, his Dad did, anyway…) and it was absolutely unbreakable! I doubt it had any maintenance in the years I saw, rode in, and occasionally drove it, but even with what I’m sure was the original oil in the sump, it just ran and ran; for all I know, it could still be running somewhere.

    I think that one had the 170 — speedy it was not!

    I’ll leave judgments of value to others, but it does look like a nice deal for someone who wants what seems to be a solid, original Valiant wagon.

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  2. Avatar Livermoron

    I learned to drive stick in one of these (a 66 – but not much different) with 3 on the tree. It was my mom’s in the early 80s. It was actually pretty quick to my inexperienced butt speedometer. It was versatile, sturdy, and reliable – I even fantasize sometimes about having one someday.

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  3. Avatar Guggie 13

    I always liked these little wagons , had a 65 Dart 270 with 225 slant 6 3 speed standard , couldn’t kill it put 70k on it in less than 2 years ,sold it when I went over seas with military , saw it about 6 years later still running and lookin good .

    Like 1
  4. Avatar JW

    Very nice and maintained car, I agree I think the asking price is pretty fair for such a nice wagon.

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  5. Avatar Rabbit

    Valiants always made great sleepers. Everyone expected them to have a 225 at best. Hell, my ’69 100 series didn’t even come with a radio. Just an automatic. I ran that 225 low on oil (leaker), and coolant (kept throwing belts) and it just kept going. Then, I was practically given a very nice 360/727 combo…..and the rest you can figure. Heluva car right up til the torsion bars tore out of the frame.

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  6. HoA Howard A Member

    My 3rd car ( 2nd I drove on the road) was a ’63 Valiant 2 door, 170, 3 on the tree ( I put on the floor) mags, chrome reverse, 2 barrel carb ( with adapter). The condition of this is just amazing. A few corrections, though, something is amiss with the motor. Chrysler made a 198 slant 6 later on (73?), that was blue,( and slant 6’s after 1970 were blue) and this has a blue intake manifold, yet a red valve cover, ’63 Valiant 225 motors, I believe, were red. Also, V-8’s were not available in Valiant’s until mid-’64. My 4th car, was a ’64 2 door Valiant, 273, 3 speed ( again, I put on the floor) and I put a 340 4 barrel and manifold on, it was a quick little car. As usual, I’m shocked at the price, but nobody, and I mean nobody, ever thought of saving one of these. I suppose that in itself, makes it worth it.

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  7. Avatar 68 custom

    drove a 62 for many years it had the 225 auto combo with push button shifter. word of advice,make sure and pull back the park lever and the E brake or that sucker may just pop in reverse and cause a wreck. ask me how I know. these are fun cars and I would love to own it !

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  8. Avatar OLDSTUFF

    My Dad had 2 of these,…a 63 4 dr. Valiant with the push button shift, power steering and power brakes and a dealer add on AIR Cond. that would freeze you to death on that 225 ! It was the same color as this one except with a light blue roof. It was a great color combination…
    He gave it to me and my older brother, after my older brother flipped the 54 Bel Air (I sort of restored at age 15), that we were given by our grandparents.
    The valiant was a great little car, good on gas and the 225\slant six actually was a very peppy runner… I can remember ‘drag racing’ LOL… a Mustang 6cyl with an automatic and losing the first race,(due to my totally being an 16 yr.old inexperienced amateur)…Afterward… a little older ‘mopar’ buddy of mine who owned a 6cyl Barracuda, walked up and said he could beat the mustang if I let him drive…So I did,… SIGH…..

    When the flag was ready to drop he had the trans in neutral and was really revving the engine (I was about to freak out, I just knew he was going to tear it all to pieces and I would have to explain to my dad the Chief of Police, what I was doing) and so when the flag dropped,… he pushed the 1st gear button and that little Valiant jumped it seemed about 10 feet after barely squalling the tires and took off !! it was so wound up tight when he finally pushed 2nd gear button I thought it was gonna blow and wasn’t even paying attention to the Mustang, who by now had dropped about a car length behind and by the time he went to Drive the Mustang was about two car lengths at the end of a 1/4 mile…

    Of course it was most likely the ‘Jump’ off the line that got the Mustang in that second race, and won by that margin…and yes I was happy AND relieved, but my nerves and psych would never be the same….

    Later when my Dad finally traded the little Valiant for a really optioned out Mercury Monterey with one of those slide down back windows, I was kinda sad…but not too bad, I had just got my first car I bought myself at 17… A Hemi Orange, 1971 Plymouth Duster ~Twister Option~. (the evolutionary brother car of the original Valiant)

    But a couple of years later he redeemed himself with me by buying a White, 64 Valiant wagon with the same engine and same options… I drove it off and on for a couple of years, it was a great Little beach Wagon and camping car especially with the just slightly oversize tires, front radial and rear mudgrips I put on it…LOL… it was a great car too….

    I remember so much of those little cars… They were just almost bullet proof and plain nice cars…

    Like 0
    • Avatar The One

      It;s all about the hole shot

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      • Avatar OLDSTUFF

        LOL… yeah I kinda learned that as I grew older and more experienced…I definitely had better luck with the Duster and subsequent cars …

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    • Avatar Elizabeth

      Who know u can find parts for the 63 4d wagons

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  9. Avatar Ed P

    Valiants were never fancy, just solid, dependable transportation. It looks like somebody really took care of this one.

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  10. Avatar KevinW

    Buy this, and be the envy of all the hipsters around town.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Rustytech Member

    Not sure about the engine color on the 63’s or if the 170 and 225’s were different colors, but my father in law and I each had Dodge Darts, his was a 65 and mine a 66 and they both had 225’s that were red, I think Mopar went to blue sometime in the 70’s, I started working for a Dodge dealer in 1973 and by then the 6 cyl’s were blue. As I look at the seat I can’t believe that is an original vinyl cover, those things usually split out the seams in under 5 years. I think they are either NOS or good reproductions on original seat. This is a very nice looking wagon. Value is hard to determine on one of these as there aren’t many around. I would think $10 to $12k would be reasonable if you want a nice old wagon, so it’s right there. Only alteration I would make would be vintage A/C.

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  12. Avatar the one

    Oh my goodness. I have only seen this color after oxidation. Nice color! My second car was a ’60 Valiant wagon, same color. We did every thing we new how to rid the oxidation. Nothing worked. Great car! Especially when on a hot date! Oh yeah.Took that car all over, camping, parties at the beach. Never let me down.
    We could go from Cupertino to Santa Cruz round trip on $1.00 of gas.
    24.9/gal 4 gallons. heh..

    Like 0
    • Avatar OLDSTUFF

      Our 4 dr. was also that color. I think it was something about those early metallic colors… I never could make ours really shine like it should’ve either….

      Like 0
    • Avatar Oldog4tz

      Before clear coat, a little kerosene and water would cut right through the oxidation.

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  13. Avatar G 1

    All were red in color. 170cuin. – 101hp 225cuin. -145hp They were that for years. Had a lot of these over the years.

    Had an uncle that bought a wagon new. Used & abused that car for years. He converted more people at Honeywell over to Chrysler products then Lee Iacocca.

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  14. Avatar pursang

    Learned to drive on a 63 white over red 225 auto. Solid car, deep enamel paint that I used to polish up for Dad. Once used compound on the dash and ruined the chromed plastic (pot metal?) around the speedo. Later cleaned engine and got all of the ignition wires screwed up. Dad never got mad, he just turned it into a lesson.

    First time I drove it was with 75 feet of rope tied to the rear bumper That went around a tree to a 90 degree angle pivot and ended high up on a giant tree he was cutting down with a two man saw with the neighbor. My job was to keep pressure on the rope so it would drop in the direction he wanted. Not too much gas, not too little, and when the tree started to drop, move a little faster so the rope stayed taut through the fall. Did it perfectly, maybe 13 years old at the time.

    Good times.

    A 72 Plymouth Fury III was his next car, teal over teal.

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Jon Bauer

    Not every new ‘Merican car is heavier longer fatter, etc. My 2017 Camaro (built in Lansing MI) is 300# lighter than the last Generation, as well as stiffer chassis, much better suspension, quicker, better mpg and the sound of the 335 hp V6 at 7000 shift speed is priceless. Naught to 60 in 5.1-5.2 seconds, and 150+ (computer limited) ain’t bad. My Dad had a ’60 Valiant which I drove the poo out of. I was 17 then. Got stopped by NY State Police doing over 100 in a 50 zone about 2 days after I got my “Senior” driver’s license @18. He told me to look behind me more often. No ticket. Never will forget that guy. Lots of respect for NYSP.

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    • Avatar Ed P

      You were lucky, my son got caught doing 85 in a 60 mph zone.

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  16. Avatar John B

    We took our ’64 Valiant wagon to Germany when my Air Force pilot dad was sent there in ’65. Family of seven in a slant-banger hoofin’ it on the Autobahn. She never missed a beat, but they traded her in for a Satellite wagon in 1969. I love this one featured…just the right size!

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  17. Avatar John

    Omg, oldstuff. I usually enjoy the comments, please, take a breath, all good was there a car?

    Like 0
  18. Avatar WaltB31

    My first car was a ’63 Valiant Station Wagon. White with red interior. 225 Slant Six. Pushbutton Automatic.
    Drove that car all through high school and college; it was bulletproof!
    I would love to have this one!

    Like 0
  19. Avatar the one

    To the best of my knowledge the 273 V8 wasn’t introduced until 1964.
    Care to comment?
    I had a 64 Valiant 4D, 273 auto push button, drove it for about 9 years,Ran great, it came with a Franz (toilet paper roll) oil filter. I’d change the filter and add oil! Sold it to my alchy brother in law who wrecked it. oh well..

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  20. Avatar Vernon Sebelius

    I purchased a 1965 Valiant Custom 200 back in 1971, Canadian model, 273 cu engine 3spd standard , it was fast, a lot of people thought it was a slant 6 automatic, redid the brakes , steering , and dual exhaust installed (blue bottle walkers)

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    • Avatar Ed P

      The Canadian Valiant looks like a US Dart. Nice car.

      Like 0
  21. Avatar chad

    drove that model but ’64 till the body dropped off. Took the 170 & put it in another wagon (’66). Drove it loaded w/’belongins’ all over the country as an ‘exploring youth’. 300K on motor’n engine. Always hoped for a 225…
    Into the ‘falcon (144 -300/4.9) motor’ now…

    Like 0

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