Not a big fan of four doors, but this little valiant is special. I've owned two, both slant-six powered. Those late model small bolt wheels would have been a welcome addition to my cars, had ,I know about them.
I grew up in the same home my mother did. With her dad and brother living downstairs. My uncle was a life long bachelor, who lived the outdoors life, hunting and running his dogs. Anyway he was the original owner of a 64 Plymouth Valiant Wagon, he ordered special. In black with red vinyl roll/tucked interior, with all the chrome trim and roof rack. But the best part was the 273 he insisted on with a factory 4speed! The only one I’ve ever seen! He also had a factory towing package added with a quick powerful posi trac rear differential. I also remember as soon as it was out of warranty, Uncle Rim as we all called him added a 4 brl manifold and Holley carb. Along with long tube headers and dual exhaust with huge quiet mufflers. He also cranked up the torsion bars and added a couple leafs in the rear, that raised the car at least an inch, along with special 15”x8” steel wheels he acquired with the biggest and widest tires he could fit, Firestone Town&Country Mud&Snow on the rear and reg Firestone tires in the same size up front. He kept that car for over 20 years with over 190,000 miles! It always slept in a garage and we’ll cared for, so there was little rust. But I remember him going off hunting with a couple buddies, the dogs in a built in crate in the way back, with a roof rack container holding all there stuff! Always with a set of tire chains just in case the going got rough.
Well go buy it and restore it. Start your own RU-vid channel share it do you like the fellow who bought the Malibu Chevelle. Until I saw the floorboards I thought the same thing. I assume that this car is not a full frame car. If it was pulled the seats out go down to your local HVAC store heating and cooling and buy yourself some galvanized 10 and rough shaping new flooring for you sleeper parrot then do a two two door conversion. Some of these Chryslers the two-door and a four-door had the same wheelbase. Even if it didn't you can still make it a 2 door
One of my first cars and the one I'd replace today if I could was a 1963 Valiant. It had a 225 slant six and 4x4 suspension! Yup! I paid $25 for it because it sat on the ground due to the rear springs rusting through the trunk... I did some measuring and figured I could jack it up and wedge a 4x4 beam between the springs and what was left of the trunk bed. It was meant only to be a temporary fix to get the car home but it worked so well I just drove it that way for 3 years before the motor died. I loved that car and I love your videos, Steve!
My favorite sleeper wheel treatment was the stock steel plain jane rims, painted to the match the car, with the Mopar dog dish hub caps and beauty rings, with as wide a tire as the rim would accommodate
Wow, V8 + 4-spd, did not know they even made those! We got plenty of Valiants here in Finland, almost all of them were V100 2-door sedans with 170 + 3 on the tree, the cheapest Valiant there was... This car sure deserves to be rescued, such a rare car!
My father purchased a '64 Valiant V200 station wagon new with the 170, but had the dealer install a 225 and AC. With the push-button auto was a nice car. Served us well and dad and I overhauled the engine when I was 13. One rebuilt AAMCO transmission as well and we got over 300k miles out of her.
Steve, you are one knowledgeable bastard! Thank you very for all these videos. Just an FYI, I am watching all of them and in some cases several times. The level of detail you go in to blows me away.
@@HighSockDavid I can remember back then during the winter when it was pretty cold out, before going to sleep for the night most people were thinking Damn, I sure hope my car starts in the morning! Then it was a 50/50 chance it might not start, sometimes the motor would get flooded because someone forgot to pull the choke on the carburetor, or people would keep trying to crank the motor trying to get the motor to start till the battery got too weak and needed a jump start Now with modern cars long as your battery is good, they will start up with no problem , and those old cars rusted away in a few years in the rust belt states from road salt
@@bluemouse5039 as much as I love old cars it just something you have to learn the hard way your classic car is going to spend a few weeks siting until you figure out what is wrong with it while your brothers Toyota starts up just fine
No kidding especially when you look at the price of full size pick up trucks now. Its gotten so bad for a person looking even for a late model pick up that used ones, say 4 years old or so, are selling for what they cost new even with 40 or 50 thousand miles on them!
A Factory Sleeper Car!!! Steve. I wish someone would save that car. I’d love to have this to put together with new floors. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Mighty little MOPAR (Grandma’s Grocery Getter) yes sir. Steve you should let Steve Dulcich know about this little beauty.
As a kid raised in a Mopar family 63, 64, 67, 72 Darts and a brother with 64, 65 Valiant my first car was a 67 Ply formula S cuda 4spd with a 70 340. I took my brothers 4dr 65 Valiant 273 auto and built a 340 4spd sleeper, so I would love this 64 Valiant!!
In 1969 I bought a used 1965 Plymouth Valiant with a 273 4 speed and bucket seats. It had to be a rare animal. A couple of years later I wound up with a 1971 Dodge Demon, 340 4 speed and thermoquad carburetor. That was a fun car to drive.
Steve I met you in Vancouver at the PNE for a car show 4 years ago. You sat with my brother inlaw and me and chatted cars for about 10 mins. And you let me take a pic with you. Your a classy guy, a real ambassador to the car world.Happy New Year to you and your family.
Oh wow, that is too cool! I'd be very, very tempted to take that one with me when I left. Of course do the proper floor replacement, get the mechanicals up to snuff and clear coat over that original paint and patina. Usually I dislike clear coated patina cars, but if that is the original paint and the car is as rare as we think it is I think that's the appropriate way to deal with it. Great stuff Steve!
Agreed, great car. I like satin clear coat over patina. I used that other guy’s “shine juice” on my C30. It looks great but needs re-applied regularly. It’s cheap though
Even though I'm a Chevy guy, if I had the cash I would buy that thing in a heart beat and restore it. Wow, great find and great info Mr. Magnante Walking Encyclopedia! Thank you for what you do!
I had almost completely forgotten about the 273, great little engine, thanks for doing a segment on it! My grandpa was a MOPAR salesman from 1946-1977, thats what I grew up on so I am a big fan of Chrysler/Plymouth/Dodge - PEACE LOVE n HIPPYNESS!
The 273 engine was the basis for the 280 cubic inch class of racing hydroplanes in the American Power Boat Association for many years. It was a great class. Jim P Macomb, MI
@@SquirminHermanthe1eyedGerman No, there is no 280 cubic inch engine. The racing classes usually rounded up in cubic inches so a couple different engines could be used. So, in this class, the 273 Plymouth, and I believe the 265 cubic inch Ford could be used and it allowed some ability to clean up the cylinders through honing without going over the 280 cubic inch limit.
OMG! I have not seen one of these in decades! My grandmother had the same car. Her's was almost exactly the same. It had that exact interior, color and all, but it was the powder blue exterior. She had the slant 6 with the automatic, too. That was one of the first car bodies that I memorized. Thanks so much for posting!
Did your grandmother live in the MN or WI area by chance? Just curious because my valiant matches your description exactly. It was originally sold in MN and as far as I know stayed in WI it's whole life since.
@@mattyann She lived in MO. I don't remember, exactly, what she did with the car, but my guess is she traded it in on the 1967 Plymouth Fury that she owned, next to it.
I was gonna say, that looks super clean and should be restored until I saw the ground LOL. Love a nice 4 speed 4 door! Knew a guy who ordered a 1964 Galaxie 4 door 352/4-Speed from the factory.
@ Eric Hite Really it still should be saved! I had a classmate in high school who's dad had ordered a base level Granada, V8 & 4spd & 4dr - had to be rare.
Holy cow that's super awesome Steve. I have a 1965 Dart 273 2bbl 4 door 4 speed with factory a/c. A thread on FABO stated that the 1965 records were saved for some reason and that mine would be one of 13 and they made 9 wagons that year. I'd venture to guess there were probably around those numbers or less even for for 64 Valiants. Uber cool find! Thanks for sharing.
This was my first car bought in '71 for 250 bucks. The 273 was shot so I picked up a low milage 318 delivered from the junk yard for $200. Threw in a cam, long tube headers, aluminum intake with a four barrel Holley and had a blast driving it.
Jesus. I just found this channel not long ago and I would LOVE to hang out with Steve for a few days n just soak up his knowledge. Such a awesome channel!!! Btw I really really want this car!. Just wish I had a place to work on a project lol
Valiant ,V8 Four Speed, Floor delete option . We had them in Australia in RHD, Slant six ,904 trans and marketed as AP5 and AP 6 Valliant's. . I have seen One 273 powered Oz built valiant,sadly crushed about 20 years ago when no one wanted it. I have a gold Station wagon and a Beige AP6 Valiant regal ,Loved both cars but sold them when better deals were offering.
