Chrysler Valiant VH/CH Model Lineup

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VH Valiant

The VH Valiant Range



Look back to automotive news of 1971 and you would be forgiven for thinking everything was HQ - and why not, the Generals new model was a watershed in local design. By the middle of June all attention was focused on the HQ Holden - everyone knew was coming - and even on the Falcon that was due to hit the showrooms the following February was getting plenty of media coverage. But there was arguably another model just as important, and arguably as bigger departure from its predecessors as the Holden and Ford.

That car was of course the VH Valiant. It's styling was the biggest surprise - completely new and totally Australian. It was a massive departure from previous Valiants which had been little more than American Valiants with different badges, grilles and tail lights. But there were important new developments among the specifications, engines and equipment too. Three inches were added to the wheelbase, but the overall length commendably increased only four-tenths of an inch.

The front track was four-tenths of an inch wider and the rear track up by 2.4 inches - making the Valiant the only "big-three" car with the rear track wider than the front. This development teams with new 5.5-inch wide rims - 6.5 on Pacer and Regal 770 (up half an inch) for better ride and stability. There was an all-new 265 CID six that developed 203 bhp at 4800 rpm and a massive 262 lb/ft of torque at 2000 rpm, making it more powerful than Holden's 253 V8 and way ahead of Ford's 250 Two-barrel. It required a new block casting to take the bore from 3.76 to 3.91 in. and used pistons from the 318 V8 engine.

Disc brakes were standard on all but the cheapest, small-engined Ranger. On Regal and Regal 770 the discs were power assisted. Inside there was a steering lock, reversible keys, exceptionally good seat belts and the handbrake was mounted on the floor beside the right-hand side of the driver's seat. The heaters controls were moved over to the right-hand side of the steering column. The basic model line-up was:
  • Ranger 215/245
  • Ranger XL,
  • Regal
  • Regal 770
  • Pacer 265.
VH Valiant
The VH Valiant, all Aussie designed.

VH Valiant Interior
VH Valiant Interior.

The Valiant Ranger



Prices were up $90 over the VG. The Ranger XL was a brand new model for 1971, and featured slotted trim, slightly better equipment and prestige-wise it sat between the Ranger and the Regal to put Chrysler into more direct competition with Ford and Holden. The base car, the Ranger 215 (140 bhp) at $2888, was the equivalent of the Holden Kingswood. You could option the 245 160 bhp engine (and the then mandatory disc brakes) for an extra $90 - a wise investment.

The Valiant Ranger XL



Next in the Valiant VH lineup was the Ranger XL, which was always going to be the most important of the new models. At $3158 it costs $180 more than the Ranger 245, and went into direct competition with the Falcon Futura in a slot just below the Holden Premier. The Ranger XL was powered by a 245 CID six with disc brakes as a standard (but no power assistance) and all the equipment and trim that was standard on the old VG Regal (carpets, split front bench with fold-down armrest, better instrumentation, boot light, night and day mirror and other dress-up gear). The new 265 was is optional for an extra $70.

The Valiant Regal



The VH Regal was $3678, which was $265 over the Ranger XL 245 automatic (auto was standard in the Regal). It was fitted with some extra kit that took it close to the old Regal 770 standard. And the new Regal 770 went another step again - there was a new wood grain instrument panel, and some better handling and performance equipment including a front anti-sway bar, R O H 6.5-inch specially-styled wheels taken from the Pacer with 185 x 14 radials standard, two quartz halogen driving lights mounted in the grille and the 265 engine as standard (the 318 V8 was still optional).

The Valiant Pacer



The Pacer added to its street cred with fully calibrated gauges and sports steering wheel. The gear change, however, still lacked reverse gear lock out - a common criticism of the Valiants. At $3878 the Pacer was a solid performance package that offered far more individuality than most other makes. It was fitted with the mandatory body stripes and screaming new colors, but under the look-at-me style the car was a big improvement on the old car. It was $85 dearer than the VG Pacer, but for the money you got a new, high-performance version of the 265 engine that put out 218 bhp at 4800 rpm 120 more than VG's undisclosed figure (and 273 lb/ft of torque at 3000 rpm 128 lb/ft more than the VG). Quarter times were in the high fifteens with a top end of more than 120 mph. Wide 61/2 in. road wheels were standard.

The Pacer Comfort Pack



Unfortunately there was no four-speed gearbox - the VH retailed the close ratio three-speed driving a high-performance 3.23 diff. A $95 "comfort pack" equipped the car with carpets, reclining buckets, three-spoke sports steering wheel and dressed-up instrumentation. The 6.5-in. sports wheels and 185 radials were standard. The seats in all but the basic Ranger were good, and the driving position was considered, by most, to be superior to the VG. Rear legroom too was increased - the foot space was up two inches better and the seat was wide and better designed, but headroom was still compromised - strange on a car of its size.

Road testers claimed the brake feel was good, and the clutch was smooth in all but the Pacer's, which was heavy and tiring. There was a new lever handbrake, the first of its type on an Australian Big Three car. It was much easier to reach and operate than the old pull-out type. The trim, paintwork and finish was considered by motoring journalists to be far better than previous Valiants. It had a quality look and feel.

The Fabulous Chrysler by Chrysler



The Chrysler by Chrysler was, simply, a Chrysler and the top-of-the-line model in the vast range which poured from Chrysler's Tonsley Park plant in 1971. The “Chrysler” was the company's first all-out attempt at gate crashing the Fairlane and Statesman market. It succeeded the not so popular VIP, but related far more intelligently to its intended market. The Chrysler CH (C for Chrysler and H for the model designation) was, of course, based on the VH Valiants (and it showed in the styling) but it was built on an extended 115 inch wheelbase (up four inches) which it shared with the Valiant Hardtop. That was one inch more than the Statesman and one inch less than the then current Fairlane.

Unlike today, where the SUV is the current go-to vehicle, the Australian-Build luxury car buyer of the early 1970s wanted a car which looked bigger, different and more prestigious than the cheaper and smaller medium sized cars on which they were based, although the buyers liked to think the big cars were unique in design and appearance. Remember too that there were less options for the car buyer back then, particularly in the luxury car segment. Whether or not the Chrysler looked different enough was debatable. But there was no arguing that it looked to be a big car, but then so too did the Valiant. Perhaps it was a case of the Chrysler being "more big" than the Valiant.

On The Outside



Chrysler stylists adopted the American Dodge grille into the Valiant shell. The grille and headlights were completely surrounded by bumper bar. Four circular headlights completed the picture. Although in detail it was quite different, the overall shape was the same and this detracted to some extent from Chrysler's attempt to create an individual look. A long chrome strip extended from the front wing along the waist line and went right around the cabin of the car. This accentuated the length of the Chrysler - as did the painted coach line which followed the contours of the lower body up over the wheel arches.

The rear window was slightly smaller to give that limousine privacy. The tail lights were horizontal instead of vertical and wrapped around. This gave the Chrysler this safety feature at the rear - on the Valiant it was at the front. A vinyl roof was standard on the hardtop but not the sedan and front quarter vent windows were fitted – perhaps too soon to drop them as a styling que despite the fact that the Chrysler came standard with air-conditioning.

A Luxurious Interior



The range of standard equipment didn’t just include the Air-Con. For instance there was extremely good seating – these arrangements being unique to the Chrysler. Wide split bench seats were up front and had high backs and long cushions with raised pleats on the forward edge for additional thigh support. Small individual armrests were built-in to the middle of both seats. Both squabs are fully adjustable and have built-in headrests. Upholstery is in an attractive nylon trimmed with vinyl but like most seats covered in this way it was slippery. However, they were well padded and shaped and this kept sliding to a minimum. An electrically assisted driver's seat was a $125 option. With this, the seat could be tilted, moved fore and aft or raised at the touch of a switch.

Rear seat passengers were kept almost as comfortable although considering the 115 inch wheelbase there wasn't as much rear seat knee and leg room as you would have thought. The thick front seats managed to reduce it to normal standards. However, there was sufficient stretching space for six footers and more than enough width for three adults. Headroom wasn't quite so generous but the seats were again generously proportioned and very comfortable. The only real problem with the seats was that the driver was too low, a common complaint with the VH Chrysler range. Because of this, visibility was poor compared with the Statesman. The low seats just accentuated the already small glass areas and thick pillars. And the high mounted steering wheel emphasises the lowness. Spacers were available to raise the seats and these could be fitted by Chrysler dealers. Of course if you optioned the power operation it would have eliminated the criticism at the touch of a button.

Behind The Wheel



Behind the steering wheel - which was disappointingly identical with the Regal Valiant - were square instruments set out on the same instrument panel used in the Regal and Regal 770 models, although these run to round dials. The information they contained was also identical - a clock, speedometer, temperature gauge, ammeter and fuel gauge. All the minor controls were laid out in the standard Chrysler pattern and all were at finger-tip length for most drivers. The standard of trim and fittings had been upgraded considerably over the Valiant models, but the dashboard area in front of the passenger was still finished in painted sheet metal. This detracted from the quality feel gained from the rest of the car.

Chrysler went to a great deal of trouble to reduce the noise level in the car. Insulation material of double the normal thickness were used under the carpeting, behind the dashboard, on the cowl sides, inside the doors, in the roof and even under the rear shelf panels. Carpeting extended throughout the cabin. The result was an extremely quiet car. The engine still intruded just a little under hard acceleration and it was not so quiet that it couldn’t be heard while idling at the lights – but it was quiet enough that we seriously doubt that anybody complained about the noise level of the Chrysler.

The car's full equipment list really gave Chrysler something to boast about. The doors had carpeting on the lower edges and separate door pulls above the armrest, while all four windows were electrically operated with a master control panel for the driver. Power steering and power assisted disc brakes were obvious fittings, but a push-button radio with electrical aerial were not so common in Australian made luxury cars from this era. The Chrysler also boasted a variety of interior lighting which extended to adjustable reading lamps for the rear compartment passengers, tiny directional indicator lights on the front fenders, tinted door and rear window glass, full carpeting in the huge 31 cubic feet boot, and an internally operated external mirror (although its range of adjustment was very limited). One very practical feature was a tiny light which shone down from the dashboard on to the steering lock/ignition for 30 seconds after any door was opened. It made finding the awkwardly positioned lock very easy at night.

The Exclusive V8 – Only Available On The Chrysler



Chrysler offered the choice of two engines on its biggest car. The base engine was the 265 Hemi six developing 203 bhp at 4800 rpm but the most popular engine was the then new 360 cubic inch V8 which added another $200 to the price takings the V8 to A$5095. The 360 engine was a development of the 318 V8 used in the Valiant V8s and was exclusive to the big Chrysler. It was first used in the American Chrysler range for the 1971 model year and was designed as a high torque at low revs engine. The massive 360 ft lb/torque at 2400 rpm confirmed this. Maximum power of 255 bhp was developed at only 4400 rpm. The 360 CID displacement was achieved by enlarging both the bore and stroke of the 318 engine. The engine ran an 8.8 compression and surprisingly, considering its size, used a two-barrel carburettor. This helped keep fuel consumption to reasonable level - if you think an overall average of 13.8 mpg as reasonable. In normal driving we believe consumption to be between 13-16 mpg.

Even with extremely tall gearing - 2.77 final drive ratio - there was sufficient torque to give the car very strong acceleration from low speeds and a real punch in the back away from the traffic lights. Taking its 3570 lb weight into account, the acceleration was excellent. The Chrysler reached 30 mph in just 3.1 seconds, galloped to 60 in 8.8 seconds and reached the ton in well under half a minute. It covered the standing quarter mile in 17.1 seconds which reflected the tailing off in acceleration above 80 mph. Top speed was on the high side of 110 mph and the tall gearing made it impossible to run the engine right out in second. In top you could only reach around 4200 rpm so from a mechanical point of view the cruising speed was anything you liked to make it.

The Fully-Imported Torqueflite Transmission



The Chrysler came with the genuine, fully-imported Torqueflite automatic transmission rather than the locally produced unit which went under the same name and was fitted to the six cylinder Valiants. It was beautifully smooth and free of temperament and confirmed the impression that, back then, America built fine, indeed the world's best, engine/transmission combinations. Chrysler engineers spent a great deal of time trying to soften the torsion bar suspension for a softer ride while maintaining a high level of roadholding and reducing the inherent torsion bar harshness. In this endeavour they were, unfortunately, only partially successful. Road testers from the time noted that, while the Chrysler was a big car, it was surprisingly controllable and had a comfortable ride although it didn’t reach the same high level of the Holden Statesman (but then the handling was much better). Under acceleration from low speeds there was a certain amount of harshness passed up through the steering column to the driver's hands. Although it was lower than on any previous local Chrysler product, some road noise entered the cabin at low speeds over minor bumps and pot holes.

The power assisted steering continues in the Chrysler tradition of being far too light and completely lacking in road feel. However, it seemed to suit the character of the car. Holden had the wood on the Chrysler back then, offering a terrific variable ratio set-up. But for the Chrysler driver, you did get used to it and as long as the turned the wheel deliberately and reduced any sudden movements to a minimum the car could be driven very quickly. The Chrysler came with 5V2 inch rims as standard and 7.35L 14 tyres. Some reviewers lamented that it was not sporting six inch rims shod with improved quality tyres, but Chrysler were trying to achieve a soft, quiet ride – so the standard rubber boasted these qualities first and foremost.

That meant that on wet roads it was very easy to spin the wheels when starting off from rest and when accelerating quickly in traffic. It was possible on a greasy surface to go up through all three forward gears while the car was standing still and the rear wheels were spinning furiously. Surprisingly enough, under brakes on a wet road the car was outstanding. Wheel lockup was virtually impossible to achieve and although pedal travel was long the Chrysler stopped straight and sure from high speeds on very slippery roads.

Chrysler Quality Control



Chrysler gave each Chrysler a road test before they were consigned to the dealers and, although a few of the first cars missed out, they were all subject to a rigid quality control check. Even so some owners noticed a number of minor irritations such as the imitation wood trim on the door pulls lifting off, the handle for the driver's reclining seat mechanism breaking with apparent ease, and the inertia reel seat belts became tangled at the top mounting point on the door pillar. The Valiant problem of a wavering fuel needle persisted too. But overall the finish was extremely good and a great advance on the basic Valiants.

Also see: VH Valiant Review | VH/CH Valiant Specifications | Valiant Colour Codes | Valiant Option Codes
1972 VH Valiant

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Valiant VH/CH Specifications
Chrysler Valiant History
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