It’s a shame that Plymouth didn’t offer the 1962 Valiant wagon in the Signet trim level, which was the top level for two-door hardtops. They had a unique black grille with a centered, round V badge. This 1962 Plymouth Valiant V200 wagon is the top trim available on the station wagon, and it’s no slouch. It’s listed here on eBay in Riverside, California, and the seller has a suggested opening bid price of $8,400, which nobody has clicked on yet.
The unique (to say the least) first-generation Plymouth Valiant was made from 1959 for the 1960 model year until the end of 1962. The 1962 models were massaged a bit, although there’s no mistaking what generation this car is from. The 1960 and ’61 cars had unique cat’s-eye horizontally oriented tail lights, but by 1962, they were round, as seen here. This is the only angle we see of the passenger side of this car, but it’s as unusual as it gets. The seller says this has always been a California car and there’s only one tiny spot of rust, but several random bubbles and some pin holes on the floors that were repaired by a previous owner.
Tex Colbert was Chrysler’s president in the 1950s and CEO by 1960, but only for a very short time. Conflicted investment interests with Chrysler suppliers cropped up (do they even check for that today?) with several high-level executives, forcing them to step down. The same thing happened with Mr. Colbert in 1961, and he resigned by July of that year. In any case, in 1957, he was tasked with coming up with a compact car, which was all the rage at the time with domestic manufacturers, and also the VW Beetle and other small imported cars flooding the U.S. market. The Valiant was Chrysler’s answer. Hagerty is at $15,200 for a #3 good-condition car and $7,600 for a #4 fair car, just as a general reference.
We don’t get to see the underside of this good-looking car, or the rear cargo area, but the seller covered most of the other bases. I was hoping for a red interior; there’s something about a white or black car with a red interior. But this one is blue, as you can see, even under that blanket seat cover on the front seat. The back seat appears to have retained its original fabric, which is shown on the SMS Auto Fabrics website. You can see the push-button automatic gear selector on the left side of the dash cluster. This high-end car also appears not to have a factory in-dash radio, but one is mounted under the dash, along with some sort of gauge. There’s a small crack on the passenger side dash padding, and the door cards look a little wrinkled, but otherwise, it doesn’t look too bad inside.
There was no V8 available in this car, and this engine is the bigger of the two slant-sixes available; Chrysler’s 225-cu.in. OHV slant-six with 145 horsepower and 215 lb-ft of torque. Backed by the TorqueFlite automatic, this car is said to have power steering, power brakes, and several other optional features. I recently had a monster SUV with over 500 horsepower that got 15 mpg, which is what this Valiant wagon gets. I know which one would have a bigger crowd around it at any gas station or Cars & Coffee: this Valiant. This looks like an outstanding car to drive as is and fix up on the weekends. Are any of you into the unusual look of the first-generation Plymouth Valiant?
I have always wondered what these would have looked like in a 2 door.
Ha, dang you, Pat! Just kidding, I thought about doing one, here it is.
Well done Scotty!
Love it Scotty. I’d suggest a convertible station wagon…… But……. I’m thinking that would be a bit over the top lol.
Ha. I was thinking of a Ranchero/El Camino version, but didn’t have the time, guts, or skill for that…
I have seen sedan delivery Valiants, very cool. Apparently Bell Telephone ordered 200 of them and they do pop up once in awhile
Wasn’t it Exner who “designed” this hideous mish-mash? I read that he was mad that they eliminated his fins, so he punished Chrysler by intentionally coming up with this awful design.
I think you’re right, Rex. I was thinking about the chap who headed up the compact car project rather than the designer.
Virgil Exner did design the Valiant for ’60-’62.
I have his patent drawings, which preceded him ever knowing that the Chrysler brass would remove his fins or downsize his original full size ’62 designs without his approval while he was recuperating from a heart attack.
These ’62 Valiants were a continuation of his designs for ’60, but for the tail lights and mouth around the grille.
There was no intentional, retaliatory designs.
As he was already on his way out the door.
Elwood Engle would usher in the boxy ’63 Valiants.
Thanks David for the info. However, Engle was just arriving at Chrysler in 1963, and his first design didn’t show up until the ’64 Imperial. Is that right?
Elwood Engle was design chief at Chrysler from ’61- ’74, so the ’63 Valiant changes were his.
As you know auto designs are several years ahead on paper.
Exner had been given a lesser, honorary role before he left.
Thanks David. So, Engle was already at Chrysler when his ’61 Lincoln debuted at Ford?
I thought it was the ’61 Lincoln that got Ford interested in Engle.
A relative of mine had a ’60 Valiant 4 door with the cat’s eye taillights and fake spare tire design on the trunk…(I think it was a ’60….I just remember the funky looking taillights)
Last time it was listed for auction on eBay for $8,900 it received no bids, it will be interesting to watch this time. It may get a lot of attention at a coffee and cars, but the value of that attention seems to be dropping. Cars like this receive a lot of love online, but what is telling is how this car is located within a 2 hour drive of over 10,000,000 people and so far appears to no interest. It looks like a nice car, wagons have a dedicated following in Southern California for decades, for whatever reason the market doesn’t care about it.
Steve R
My Mom had one, didn’t these come with a hand crank for the rear window? I don’t see one in the picture.
Only a style a mother would love
Ended with 0 bids.