Boxy. Four doors. Green. Doesn’t sound like much, but cars like this 1971 Plymouth Valiant have a bit of a cult following. Call it homely charm; they can grab you and not let go. Should you have a hankering for one, find your mark here on ebay, and put in a bid over the current $2,550. The auction goes through next week. But don’t get as high as $7,500, or you’ll be in buy-it-now territory. Then hoof your way out to Big Bend, Wisconsin, for pickup.
A car very much like this one was once my dream car. I was in college, and my parents offered to help me get my first ride. At the time, the Plymouth Valiant and its corporate cousins were plentiful and cheap, and those with the Slant Six engine were known to be reliable and also good on gas. That “leaning tower of power,” as the 225-CID engine has been named, goes forever, though the one I ended up with needed the valves done, a repair I never got around to doing.
Unlike this car, mine had full vinyl seat skins. This one has comfy cloth-and-vinyl. The car here also has AC and power steering, neither of which is hooked up. Mine was similarly devoid of comfort features, and parking the thing was a heave-ho affair with the skinny plastic steering wheel. That wasn’t its only fault. Darn thing wouldn’t start in the Ohio winter no matter what I did. But I saw its near duplicate on Barn Finds about a month ago, and I swear I would have bought it had I not been tied up with other matters.
But enough reminiscing. This car has 33,000 miles showing on the odometer and it looks clean and tidy. The seller here says he doesn’t want to part with this, a car he has owned for over a decade, but he’s selling it for garage space. Then why do a complete teardown, a 0.30-over rebuild, and add (no joking) fuel injection? But he’s legit—there are two pages of receipts for the work. The car still needs some attention, including the lack of an exhaust, but you’re getting a two-owner, claimed rust-free car, no doubt ready to take you anywhere and everywhere in (some kind of) style. Is this something that would enhance your life? If you like the sound of that mighty little engine, then heck, yeah!
Why do i wan’t to paint it red and run after a Peterbilt. I just gotta make sure the rad hoses are up to snuff ;)
Duel Intensifies
This Valiant is in nice shape. I don’t think I would have chosen a survivor car like this to do so many non-original modifications! I would have left it as it was. Not many of these had a/c – that makes it pretty desirable right there.
I’ve always thought that these were really good looking cars.
No comparison with the blobs they sell nowadays.
Factory rally wheels on an otherwise basic 4-door is a too-seldom seen combination that looks great on any compact from this era. Almost an export/proto-“Eurosport” vibe.
I never seen those wheels or raised white letter tires on a 4 door back in the day, let alone on one with a slant 6.
If the new owner also has a 2 door mopar with hubcaps/wheelcovers, a swap between that & this car would be a good idea.
I wonder how loud the exhaust system is with those headers & if they really make much difference in pickup/mpg.
Since Chrysler sold tons of these motors, i find it hard to believe one could not get one started outside in Ohio in the winter.
College roommate’s mom bought one of these with a 3-speed floor shift, 225, 4-door. Three of us took it to Florida on spring break. Awesome car in all its plainness. Even at $7500 its far preferable to a Civic or Corolla.
The Slant 6 earned its longevity reputation honestly – the internal tolerances were so loose nothing touched.
Sometimes I just read & laugh but still when I read A/C & fuel injection on a classic I want it! Of course this car & a 100 others I’m like the dog that wears a running path next to the road to chase cars! Yes country life has that
Nice car… If I had the money out goes the slant six I would save it and in goes a modern hemi V8 like the scat pack motor and leave the body looking the way it does total sleeper car… People wouldn’t know what to make of it when it leaves stop lights or passes on the freeway! Think about this car is perfect for this l.
Awesome car -drove my 71 dark gold 4 door valiant for 22yrs-
I seen a 68 Cuda with a 225 at a englishtown drag strip in NJ many moons ago. This engine was built for racing. Clifford intake big Holley carb headers and it turn 11 flat . Fast Cuda and this Valiant will be quick. 225 and a sound that’s different. This would surprise many and a light taking off. The headers should be split at the flange (power Y)for dual setup. This is a good Mopar and worth it. But I was very surprised to see that F.I. setup. I know once it dialed in it will work very well. Need the right person for this Mopar that understands this engine setup. Good luck…🐻🇺🇸
Used to know a guy here in Texas. Raced nothing but slant-six Plymouths. Won several AHRA National Events and held many World Records in various classes.
Bulletproof race cars.
Tony DeFeo AKA Uncle Tony’s Garage would love this.
Lovely looking car. I’ve always loved the 1970-72 Plymouth Valiant, my favourite is the 4 door sedan. Given its original condition, I’d pay around the asking price of $7500. I’d keep whatever works as original as possible, while also upgrading other things on the car.
Buddy had the exact same car back in 81 he bought for 100.00 from an elderly neighbor.I tuned it for him and it ran like a champ.Points were a bit of a pain to adjust with that engine tilt.This car is well worth the $ he’s asking and I’m no Mopar guy.I’d like drive it and hear what it sounds like. Neat car.Great to get in the hobby with especially if you’re Mopar guy.
Made a road trip from Philly to Miami & back in a Valiant four-door very similar to this one in late December’73 to see PSU vs. LSU in the Orange Bowl. Five college guys taking 4-hour stints behind the wheel, driving straight through. The 6 cyl never let us down, but my 6’1” frame had to unfold when we reached our destination. A totally different time for a road trip. We were young & crazy.
These are great. I have a 72 triple black, bottle cap wheel covers, rubber mats, vinyl seats, the leaning tower of power with power steering. I paid 200.00 for it 22 years ago. I drive it rarely anymore. Mine also has a factory am fm. There were bazillions of these around at one time and then just like the custom vans they seemed to evaporate overnight. I like mine but there is no way this or mine is worth that kind of money.
Love this clean 4dr with a headered, 4bbled slant six, and rally wheels. The only thing that would improve it for me is a 3 on the tree or a 4 on the floor!!
It does not bother me that ac or power steering are no functional, I kind of prefer that.
I’d upgrade the suspension and brakes, with discs up front, and drive the wheels off it!
Love these smaller 4dr sedans.
To repeat from above, “Almost an export/proto-“Eurosport” vibe”.
The Valiants, Darts, and all of the other with the slant-six were some of the most reliable cars on the road. You could close your eyes and hear one coming up around your car and know right away what it was. That engine had a very distinct sound. I had a number if them. The only thing that ever failed was the ballast resistor. If you open the hood, it’s that little white ceramic/plastic looking thing on the Driver side firewall. Sometimes the car would try to start in the worst way, but couldn’t. If it did start, it was usually warmer out and ran rough. I always carried a couple of spares in the glove compartment. Switched it out, started right up. The closest one that I had to this one was a 72 Dart 4 door. Same color-automatic and A/C. I drove it 220,000 miles until the left rear leaf spring blew a hole in the trunk. Base model with rubber floor mats. Anyone who had one swore by them. Legendary reliability, simplicity, and character that many cars today cannot match. A winner.
Yeah, those rear spring shackles were the Achilles heel on those. Best to reinforce them before they decide to leave the chat.
Tell me about those ballast resistors. Always kept a spare in the glovebox of my ’78 LeBaron. In 1960 NASCAR started a racing class for compact cars. They had to abolish it a few years later because nothing Ford or GM had could compete against those hot-rodded Mopar slant sixes.
Had 1 of these in tan. Loved it. Front end started floating at 110 mph. Hooked up adjustable shocks – stiff on the rears, soft on the front. Got 120 before it started floating.
My favourite Plymouth Valiants were, and still are, the 4 door models, like this one, preferably with all the options one can get. And always with the 225 slant Six engine.