Plymouth launched the Valiant in 1960 as its first entry in the hot new compact car market. Dodge followed suit the next year with a badge-engineered version called the Lancer (the nameplate was used just a few years earlier as a full-size car). The Lancer of 1961-62 didn’t sell as well as the Valiant, so when the cars were redesigned in 1963, Dodge rebranded them as Darts. This nice (but not perfect) survivor is a three-owner car that currently resides in Irwindale, California, and is available here on craigslist for $12,750 OBO. Our thanks to T.J. for the killer tip!
Other than a better level of trim and some reworking of chrome, the 1961-62 Dodge Lancer differed little from the Plymouth Valiant. Why the Plymouth sold better is unknown, but we’re guessing the Valiant was better-promoted and Plymouths were considered a notch down on the Chrysler totem pole. The seller’s car is the base model, perhaps named for its base 170 cubic inch “Slant-Six” engine. But the original owner sprung a few bucks extra for the 225, a push-button automatic transmission, and an AM radio. So, the MSRP sticker was a short read!
This machine is said to be quite original and decently preserved. No apparent rust due to its California heritage of 63 years and 72,000 miles. The car’s first owner was a lake lover and used the Lancer to tow his/her sailboat to the water. We’re not told anything about the second owner, but the Dodge was in dry storage for 40 years. The seller bought the car with plans of turning it into a racer, but had a change of heart because it’s too nice the way it is.
We’re told the Lancer runs well, and the only thing you may want to address sooner rather than later is to recover the front seats. There is a small dent on the passenger side, but it may not be worth fooling around with. The original black and yellow license plates will come with the sale, and the registration is valid for several more months. These were quirky-looking cars, which may be why Chevy, Ford, and others beat them in the sales race.
Change of heart for that much cash, way too much!
Love it but for 12G’s i’d expect the seats reupholstered and a cleaned up engine bay. Dig the fender mounted rear views. Now correct me but am i seeing more and more of these awfull universal rad hoses. They might help in a pinch but can’t someone get o.e.m. or good molded aftermarket ones
There probably isn’t an off the shelf molded hose available, even if there was it would probably have to come from a distribution center which could take several days or more to arrive at a local store.
Most cars from the 1960’s and 1970’s, probably later are too sparse in the ground for local stores to stock hoses. I worked in a large store that was also a WD (warehouse distributor) until about 15 years ago, at that point in time unless a hose was for a very popular car from that era it would need to come from the manufacturer. There are ways to try and find something that will work, if the correct hoses were discontinued, but that would rely on the owner if the car bringing in the measurements of each hose end, the length and a scale drawing of the curves so we could go through the manufacturers illustration guide. Very few were willing to do that.
Steve R
12k is way too much of an ask even with that bullet proof slant six. Probably the best engine Chrysler ever made.
I think the site may want to change its name to “Estate Finds”. It’s just a non-stop cavalcade of stashed away classics, just their car they bought new, and never intended for greedy grandkids to make a buck off, maybe,, and I’m sorry to be redundant, but these people that bought these cars new, are dying off, and I bet we haven’t seen the half of it. Job security for Estate Fi,,oops, I mean Barn Find writers, for years to come. I want to thank the seller for NOT turning it into a gasser, cool as they are, and many were raced, this car is just too nice to do that to. Funny how the 2 doors then looked just like the 4 doors, and automatic seals the deal. Because of that one feature, this car won’t be around for long. It screams retro, and anyone can drive it. Price? Well, that’s the elephant in MY room, but it sure is great to see nice cars like this again, and not all decrepit, rusty beaters I remember.
I used to think that these early Chrysler compacts were ugly. But they have grown on me to the point that I now really dig them. Just so distinctive and “low slung” looking. If I ever find a non-rust bucket manual transmission 2 door at a reasonable price. I will buy one and restore/restomod it. (Take a walk through the Clifford catalog for engine mods, update the brakes, wheels & suspension)and drive and enjoy it.
There was a nice one near me. Slant 6, 4 speed and Custom Air. The ask was less than 10K. Why I didnt go buy it is a question I cant answer. This is within a year, not an old story of regret.
Tells us there are some winners out there. I hope whoever bought it didn’t shove a V8 into it. I was thinking seatbelts, disk brakes and maybe some intake work on the “Leaning Tower of Power” would make a fine car you could drive to work if you wanted to.
Oh well
I believe they actually marketed a GT version of these. And seems like the 199(?) version had an aluminum block? Too lazy to look up the Bing answer.
AMC had one, too?
I guess the original owner put those fugly after-market mirrors on the fenders to facilitate pulling that boat trailer…other than that it’s a cool/quirky little car. Like Jake said, might be a little over-priced.
Always liked these little cars as funky as the styling was. Wish the fender mounted mirrors had never happened. I think the seller is really shooting for the stars with that asking price in it’s current condition.
I never understood the fender mounted mirrors either. In rainy / snowy weather, they were useless and otherwise you needed eagle-eye eyesight for them to be of use. The price is reasonable for California and the west coast as everything there is much more expensive than elsewhere. I doubt he gets any bids close to the asking price from anywhere east of where it’s located.
If all is well with the undercarriage, this little Lancer is quite the find. A lot of people didn’t like the body designs of the early 60’s Chrysler products, but I did – because they did not look like all the other ‘follow the norm’ cars on the road, and thus were quite distinctive. This one appears in excellent condition – except for the front seat, which the owner should have had repaired before putting it up for sale. There’s no photos of the rear of the car on the sales site, so hopefully there’s no surprises there. The asking price of this collector car is not high “for California or the west coast”, but most elsewhere it’s a steep asking price, and so if the seller gets that price, it will go to someone close to where it is now. I’d love to have it and be proud driving it around town where it would be one of kind, as it most likely will be most other places too — and that is what having a distinctive classic like this is all about.
I will go $2,750 and the owner can keep the mirrors!
Russ,
I agree that the Lancers were a bit “quirky-looking.” But its looks are quite similar to the 1962 Olds F-85 that I drove as a high school junior. Same weird horizontal fins on both the front and rear fenders plus an electric shaver front grille. But, boy, did I wish that mine was the turbocharged Jetfire version!
I had a 1961 Olds F-85 for my first car and it didn’t look anything like the Lancer or Valiant. My Dad bought a new 1960 Valiant just like this one but 4 door and 3 speed on the floor. No radio or carpet.
I’m a sucker for short, dumpy looking cars, Ramblers, Studebaker Larks and these. Sometimes it is good that cars are on the other side of the country because I’d be really tempted if it were closer.
Me too, definitely.
I was an assistant manager at a service station when I was 20 and owned a 61 Chevy SS, 327 3 speed. One of our customers just loved that car and had to have it. I really didn’t want to sell it but he made me a ridiculous offer for it and I accepted. Part of the deal was I had to take his 4 door Lancer on trade it looked identical to this but was ragged out. I allowed him $100 toward the deal. I told the night crew if they weren’t busy at night to clean out the interior because it was packed full of trash. The next morning I drove up to a sparkling car as the guys cleaned and detailed it. They removed 2 35 gallon drums of trash from it! After bleeding the brakes I put a for sale sign on it, set it by the busy street and sold it for $350! Great memory!
The 1962 Chrysler/Plymouth dealership was an interesting place to be when shopping for a 4 door. You had the Valiant (same as this Lancer) lined up next to a 300 (also recently featured here) – something for everyone.