The Valiant began as Plymouth’s compact entry in 1960. With a couple of redesigns along the way, the Valiant (and Dodge’s similar Dart) lasted through 1976. In its later years, a fancier version of the Valiant was offered called the Custom (Brougham in some circles). While not as fancy as an Imperial, the cars offered more than adequate creature comforts. This 1975 example wears older paint with a touch of rust but has an interior that’s well withstood the passage of time. Located in Santa Rosa, California, this Plymouth is available here on Barn Finds Classifieds for $12.500.
While the final generation of the Valiant was conceived in 1967, a minor update occurred in 1974 when the Valiant sedan gained the slightly longer wheelbase of the Dodge Dart. You’d need to park a ’74 next to a ’73 to see the difference. By then, the cars were warring 5 mph bumpers on both ends, which perhaps helped in low-speed collisions, but did add some weight. The ’75 and ’76 Valiants were little changed as the car’s replacement was on the horizon. The Plymouth Volare/Dodge Aspen debuted in 1976 and the cars ran in parallel for the last year. The recall history of the Volare indicates that the Valiant was a far more reliable automobile.
Valiant sales dropped by more than 50% in 1975, but that’s because 1974 was a record year thanks to the movement toward smaller cars after the ’73 OPEC oil embargo. About 17,800 of the higher-end Valiant like the seller’s sedan was built in ‘75. At 75,000 miles, this Plymouth seems to have led a softer life but is far from perfect. While the interior has just a minor flaw or two, the green paint is fading and there is a touch of rust by the driver’s side rear wheel well where some grey primer has been applied. Also, one of the hinges on the trunk lid is broken and a broomstick is needed to prop it open. But the matching vinyl top seems to be in top condition.
A new speedometer was added when the original windshield began to leak (how does that goof up the speedometer?). At any rate, the windshield has been replaced, too, and there’s no mention of any other issues the leak may have caused. This Valiant has Chrysler’s venerable 225 cubic inch Slant-Six engine under the hood and these things are hard to kill. It runs well and some versions of the TorqueFlite automatic transmission should be present. A 318 V8 would add a bit more zip, but it would also use a tad more gasoline. Are you a fan of these 1970s Mopars?
The styling on the Valiant of this era was so much nicer than the Dart. This one looks really nice.
The four door models were so unloved that they often were scrapped even in good shape. They are harder to find now than two doors, but still unloved.
I can’t believe the prices of these cars today. 30 years ago I would see these for a few hundred bucks…in this condition all over the place….especially in the “Car Trader” at my local convenient store..lol
I know some things become valuable over time and is only worth what one is willing to spend, but I’m getting older…lol! These are pretty cool…The bodies would rust away before the engine would give up.
Neighbors of mine many years ago had an Aspen wagon…2 sisters…each weighed about…350+lbs. The suspension and body fell apart around them, but that slant 6 still pulled them around.
Right! I don’t get it. However collector the car may be, I wouldn’t pay that much for this car. Maybe if it was a Cuda or the earlier Barracuda, since they’re more sought after. But even then, OMG! That’s crazy!
Warring?? They were actually at war? Maybe wearing would work.
Bo- I agree- this generation Valiant was a lot cleaner than the Dart… the Plymouth guys seemed to have a little more energy during this time- the Duster was a successful by-product
For me, it depends on the years. I like the 1970-71 Dart, and the 1973 through 76 Dart. I’d buy a 4 door with a slant 6 engine, with all the options one could get. $12k seems rather expensive, even for a nice example. For a runner with a few flaws, I’d pay up to $5k.
i luv all my old a bodies. but not 12 grand worth. i drove a bunch of these over the years. never a complaint from any of their slant sixes either. just pop the valve cover when they started talking to you. i even had a couple that got consistent 20+mpg. only one i knew ever failed was one buddies that he never put oil in until the idiot light came on at 2psi. and it took him 2 years of that to kill her
Was that a measured “2psi” of oil pressure over a two year period?
Just because there’s few of these left (because they all rotted away), doesn’t mean it’s worth it’s weight in gold. Especially a 4 door with no options. Pipe dream.
I 100% agree. Not even in the neighborhood of reasonably priced. Must really not want to sell because at that number a reasonable offer would look ridiculous.
Just my 2 cents.
$12,500???????? ffs
I agree. That’s too much for a car like this, however nice or solid it may be. I’d pay between $5k and $10k for a car like this. Any more expensive, and you’d be looking at Charger or Coronet territory.
i luv my old slanty a bodies but not 12 large worth. not even for all of them put together . no way uh-uh
Leaks from the windshield wiper spindle seals were pretty common on these cars when they hit around 10 years old. Water would get behind the instrument cluster, I had a ‘73 and water would drip on my feet during a heavy rain. That’s probably what damaged the speedometer, not the windshield.
They male a kit for that I used them on by old dart and no more leaks even had a grease fitting on them
My Dad was a rural route mail carrier for 20 years fom 60 til 80. As you can imagine the roads were still dirt in the countryside (NC) He started buying Valiants in 67 but moved onto a 68 and drove it for years and never had issues and of course krpt it maintained. I was 16 and of course I needed gas money for my 65 Plymouth Fury III so it was my job to clean out the inch thick dirt every Saturday afternoon. I would sneeze for 3 days. It was a perfect size to get up to mail boxes and of course he sat in the middle and drove with his left hand and foot. He drove a million miles and never had a wreck. Put chains on these and it would go anywhere. I think he had 3,possibly 4 of these and loved them. It was a sad time when he retired and decided to part with it. IMO, great car and great memories.
My Dad was a rural carrier and after a 72 Satellite wagon drove nothing but Valiants and Darts until he retired. The 68 would squawk the tires from a standing start (225 1 barrel)!
Really miss Dad and his slant sixes.
Great memories. Great cars.
Nice story
Agree that it’s probably overpriced. But the 4 door hate is disappointing. It’s not 1993 anymore & all cars like this are rare and should be respected.
I don’t get why some people don’t appreciate 4 door cars. I think they’re great cars. I’d buy a 4 door Dodge Dart or a Plymouth Valiant if I could find one in decent condition and at an affordable price.
There’s a cruise scene in Centralia – Saturday night downtown.
Remember all more door means less money !
I have a ’72 2 door /6 survivor that’s about this nice… if someone wants to give me $12,500, it’s gone faster than that /6 would ever go on its own!
I miss my 1974 A38 package PLYMOUTH VALIANT Brougham.
It’s as close to a muscle car I ever got. It wasn’t a drag car but it got up to speed quickly, and going down the interstate I only had 1 car ever outrun my Valiant, and he had nitrous.
$12,500!! What?? Does that include the broom handle, or is that extra?
The slant 6 is a tough engine. I have them and also a couple 318’s and a 383. These old Chrysler engines from the ’60’s and 70’s are ironclad tough. I bought all mine within the last 10 years and paid less than $2000 for any of them including a ’66 Newport 2dr HT 383. ($1300). Of course it needed some things like a new carb, auto choke, brakes, fuel tank, fuel line, tune up, misc trim, and fresh paint (not a bank breaker to have a knockout nice cruiser).
I have Darts, one with /6 and one with 318, neither perfect, but running and driving cars, a Swinger and a 4-door SE 318. Have done nothing but replace tires and done tuneups on these. (1200 for the SE and 1600 for the Swinger) Sorry, but I just see 12 Grand for this Valiant, at least where I live. Prices do vary quite a bit depending on where you live.
How do you break a trunk hinge? These prices are way out of line.
Friend of mine had a brand new 75 or 76 valiant brougham it was cream with same color velour interior. Loaded. Was actually a nice car. We were teenagers used to ride around with our Genesee Cream Ales.
The slant 6’s wouldn’t die.( changing the points between the block and the fender wasn’t fun.) I remember that on a buddy’s 71 Dart. Also on a damp night his plug wires were going and sparks were jumping around under the hood. I forgot all about that.
I love the grandpop cloth on the seats on this one. Happy memories from out teenage years.
His had a bad plug on the charging module on the firewall. It would stop charging and you’d have to pop the hood and tweak the plug. We finally go one out of a junkyard…
Russ–
Starting in 1974, there was a Valiant Brougham and a Valiant Custom. Both stayed with the Valiant line until the end in 1976.
First car was a ’74 Scamp with a Slant Six. I still miss it to this day. Love this car, but with rust, a broken decklid hinge and assorted other things that probably need repair, I don’t see this car being worth anywhere near $12K. At least you won’t need to deal with points and condensors…….electronic ignition was an option in ’73 and standard starting in 1974.
Valiants and Darts were great cars. The Aspen and Volare nearly sank Chrysler with their drivability and body integrity issues.
I had a slant 6 overheat after a thermostat failure to the point that the block glowed red.
10$ later and some cooling fluid it ran like new again. Crazy tough engines.
Lovely looking car. IMHO, it’s the best looking car since the 1972 Valiant. I’d buy one if it were offered here in Tacoma Washington.
One too many zeros in the price.
I agree. Particularly given its condition. I’d pay between $1,000 and $5,000.
I had a 73 Valiant 4 Dr with the 225 six. That was back in 1980. I paid $300 I think? It was even the same color. It ran great! At 135,000 miles I lost reverse and for $50 I installed a used transmission. It burned oil and I would wait for the oil pressure light to flicker when stopping and knew it was time to add oil. That engine would not blow up! I sold it for maybe $200 after 3-4 years of dependable abuse! Today I wouldn’t pay much more than $1,000 for one.
I agree. That sounds like a good price for a car like this.
OK, back to the uglier than a cow’s anus thing. This, colors and all, was the car my Dad (God rest his soul) gave my sister when she turned 16 as her first car. She was so happy to have a car and so sad at the same time. A cow looking anus covered in mold! Uglier than hell but transportation, right?Long story short, that fricken ugly green moldy cow anus looking car saved my sisters life. She was driving on the dangerous 2 lane highway in her first year of college. This was the 80s y’all. No cell phones or traffic on the go. Little known to to her there was a major accident on that highway between 2 18 wheelers. My sister hit a big rig cummings diesel in the middle of the highway and survived! Literally split that ugly green car in half! She was on the news and in the papers for surviving that wreck. No matter how ugly cars like this may be, they will always hold a special spot in my heart for saving my beloved little sisters life. Long live ugly green anus looking cars!
BTW, my beloved little sister had the Dodge Dart SE version, still, one fugly fugly car regardless