1976 Chrysler Valiant Reviews

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1976 Chrysler Valiant Regal 360 V8 from Australia and New Zealand

Year of manufacture1976
First year of ownership1991
Most recent year of ownership2005
Engine and transmission 360 V8 Automatic
Performance marks 10 / 10
Reliability marks 10 / 10
Comfort marks 10 / 10
Running Costs (higher is cheaper) 8 / 10
Overall marks (average of all marks)
9.5 / 10
Distance when acquired196000 kilometres
Most recent distance295000 kilometres
Previous carChrysler Valiant

Summary:

This is the best car ever made in Australia

Faults:

Normal wear & tear only.

Ball joints have been replaced.

Front brake discs and rear drums.

I always replace the oil filter when I do an oil change.

General Comments:

This is a great car. It is reliable, comfortable, smooth and has great performance.

The 360 has great torque, teams well with the Torqueflite auto transmission and the 2.77 final drive.

The seats are very comfortable and there is plenty of interior room.

The Val handles very well, sitting on 7" wide alloy wheels with good tyres and gas dampers (shock absorbers) are fitted.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 30th August, 2005

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1976 Chrysler Valiant VK Regal Hemi 245 ci 4.0 Lt from Australia and New Zealand

Year of manufacture1976
First year of ownership1998
Most recent year of ownership2004
Engine and transmission Hemi 245 ci 4.0 Lt Automatic
Performance marks 8 / 10
Reliability marks 8 / 10
Comfort marks 10 / 10
Running Costs (higher is cheaper) 4 / 10
Overall marks (average of all marks)
7.5 / 10
Distance when acquired76000 kilometres
Most recent distance156000 kilometres
Previous carToyota Crown

Summary:

Robust, but elegant luxury tank

Faults:

The original radiator and water pump needed replacing due to excessive rust. It sat inoperative for 8 years before I bought her.

The accelerator pedal snapped off from the shaft. Freak accident, and a temporary accelerator 'cable' was easily attached to the shaft.

Wheel alignment and front suspension issues - design flaws.

General Comments:

The car is extremely comfortable and excellent on open roads.

The large boot size can hold an entire drum kit, and the back parcel shelf metal has holes for the 6x9" speaker option. Nice bassy resonance.

I drove her 3000km in 3 days, then 1300km in 19 hours, and she loved every bit of it. Still going strong with minimal maintenance. (Oil and Coolant)

Can handle driving for 7 hours in a day with a hole in the radiator.

The engine is simple and there's plenty of room to do work in the engine bay, should you need to.

These cars usually always have rust problems where the front and back window glass meets the metal.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 7th June, 2004

Comment on this review

1st Oct 2004, 00:40

The Valiant is a very nice car and is extremely comfortable. It may have been made in Australia, but was based on the Plymouth Valiant in America. The Valiant came from the U.S. originally, so it is an American design adapted for the right-hand drive market. Australia has never had its own car entirely because Ford, Chrysler and General Motors are American owned and operated.

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20th Jun 2006, 02:25

The VK Valiant is still based on the American 'A' body, using the same floor pan and suspension arrangement. VH-CM Australian Valiants do have different sheet metal from their American cousins. I own both a 360 V8 Regal sedan and a 265 Hemi 6 Regal station wagon. They are great cars. There is nothing on the market today that is comparable.

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16th Jun 2008, 09:29

I have owned 18 cars since 1978. Of those cars, which includes various Euro, Japanese and Australian models, there is only one car which I truly regret selling - my 1976 VK Valiant Ranger 245 sedan.

I bought the Val as a 2nd car in 1984. Initially I drove it exclusively. Unfortunately I had to sell it for the simple reason that we moved house and suddenly my wife need to use the car also. She was 5'2" (62 inches) tall, and couldn't see over the bonnet (hood) of the VK. So I sold it and bought a Toyota Corolla, and have regretted it ever since.

At the time I was a cab driver, and drove the comparable Holden and Ford equivalents every day. The Valiant was in a different league to its contemporaries, being much smoother, comfortable and refined. It wasn't the greatest handling car of the time, but it didn't have to be. That wasn't what a Valiant was about. It was the ultimate Australian made long distance cruiser. I loved it.

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1976 Chrysler Valiant VJ 4 litre straight six hemi from Australia and New Zealand

Year of manufacture1976
First year of ownership1992
Most recent year of ownership2001
Engine and transmission 4 litre straight six hemi Manual
Performance marks 4 / 10
Reliability marks 8 / 10
Comfort marks 8 / 10
Running Costs (higher is cheaper) 6 / 10
Overall marks (average of all marks)
6.5 / 10
Distance when acquired100000 kilometres
Most recent distance200000 kilometres
Previous carmy first car as above

Summary:

A grunty sofa

Faults:

Almost everything. But if you have a backyarder who has a passion for these then it was a good thing (hobbies require attention).

Particularly in the end the change to unleaded fuel did in the valves.

Head gasket was going, rusting lots etc so had to get rid of it.

General Comments:

Absolutely a wonderful car. Nothing like a 4 litre straight six powered sofa (bench seat in the front, mate!)!

Many many memories built up in the car. I'm stupid to have ever gotten rid of it.

The cars have character and that's something that every other car I've owned since really lacks.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 28th March, 2003

Comment on this review

4th Feb 2008, 21:23

Mate, you have made a mistake with the model designation of this vehicle. VJ's ceased production in 1975 and were replaced by the VK Designation.

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Average review marks: 7.8 / 10, based on 3 reviews