Plymouth Valiant Based Cars (A bodies): Lancer, Barracuda, and many more

Barracuda, Twister, Dodge Dart, Demon, Swinger, Lancer, Valiant Charger, Pacer, Ute

2007 Dodge Demon concept car

The Valiant was introduced in 1959 as a 1960 model, creating its own brand for one brief year. Shortly thereafter, the Valiant became a Plymouth - after 190,000 Valiants were sold (by comparison, Plymouth sold only about 250,000 vehicles) - and a more plush Dodge Lancer version was brought out. Before long (1963), Chrysler dropped the Lancer name, and applied the Dart name (from a 1960 B-body) to the new Dodge compact. By 1963, an Australian version was being made, complete with right-hand drive - and that spawned a variety of new models such as the Valiant Charger, Pacer, and Ute. In South America, there were even more - Coronados and such (see elsewhere on this site). The incredibly popular Plymouth Duster is the only variant that outsold its parent, though its companion, the Dodge Demon, sank quickly (the Dodge Demon may return as a small car with underpinnings shared by Mercedes).

Valiants of Other Nations: Charger, Pacer, GTX, and more

In Australia, the Valiant spawned the Pacer, Charger, Ute, Panel Van, and Drifter. Australian Valiants had Australia-only 215, 245, and 265 inline six Hemis; the 265 Charger E49 could run a 14.4 second quarter mile! New Zealand had a unique, higher-power version of the 265 (click for more info). The Valiant line in Australia included both the American-style A-bodies and domestically-designed varieties, such as the Valiant Charger.

South America saw a large variety of rebadged and reshaped Valiants, including the Dodge Charger and Dodge GTX.

In Europe and South America, the Dodge 3700GT helped to bring more Chrysler sales using a Valiant body with upscale fittings.

 

North American versions

The North American models were:

Year	Model	Wheelbase
1960-62	Lancer and Valiant	106.5"
1963-66	Valiant, Barracuda, Dart Wagon	106" (except Canada)
1963-76	Dart (except wagon)	111"
1974-76	Valiant	111"
1967-73	Valiant	108"
1967-69	Barracuda	108"
1970-76	Duster	108"
1971-72	Demon	108"
1973-76	Dart Sport	108"

Why are they called A-bodies?

The Valiant, Duster, Dart, Lancer, Demon, etc. were all "A-bodies." Four major vehicle platforms used by Chrysler at the time:

• A-Body: the new compacts
• B-Body: (e.g. Belvedere, Polara) mid-size
• C-Body: (e.g. Newport) full size
• D-Body: (1957-73 Imperial only) large
• E-Body: (1970-74 Challenger/Barracuda only), downsized B body with some A-body elements
• F-Body: (e.g. Volare) refinement of the A-body, to be refined again into the M-body (e.g. Diplomat) and J-body.

The K cars would eventually replace the A (or, by then, M/J) and B bodies.

Valiant and Dart convertibles and station wagons

The Valiant and Dart station wagons were dropped after 1966, and the Valiant convertible became the Barracuda convertible. Lancer wagons were available in 1961 and 62; Valiant wagons from 1960 to 1966; Dart wagons from 1963-66; Valiant convertibles from 1963-66; and Dart convertibles from 1963 to 1969.

Dodge Lancer

The Lancer was a short-lived Dodge version of the Valiant, given to Dodge dealers due to the incredible runaway popularity of the new small car. We don't have a separate page for the Lancer, but Allpar.com did a comparison of the 1961 Dodge Lancer and the Plymouth/Chrysler/Dodge Neon. We do have a page on the Dart.

The Lancer name came back decades later for the Dodge version of the Lebaron GTS (this Lancer looked exactly like a Sundance). Now, Mitsubishi is using the Lancer name outside the US!

Canadian Valiants

Canadian Valiants started out as Valiants. Then, for reasons explained in our Canadian Valiant page, they became Darts with Valiant grilles and nameplates. During the early years, Chrysler did interesting things with the Valiant in every country, including the US, apparently because their strategic plans had a lifespan of about a year. Click here for more information.

Plymouth Duster; Dodge Demon and Dart Sport; Plymouth Twister; Plymouth Barracuda

The Duster, Demon, Twister, and Dart Sport (in its later years) were Valiants with rounded rears, but some were available with unique packages (340 or 360 engines for power, gas-saving 38-mpg Feather Duster, etc.).

Early versions of the famed Barracuda were also A-bodies! See Allpar's Barracuda page.

Plymouth Scamp and Dodge Swinger

The Scamp and Swinger were two-door hardtop versions of the basic Valiant, and retained its angular styling. The far more successful Duster, and its derivatives (the Demon and Twister), used a Valiant front with a completely new rounded rear that provided better aerodynamics and more trunk space. The Swinger came first; when Dodge appropriated the successful Plymouth Duster and called it the Dodge Demon, Plymouth was allowed to get the far less popular Swinger and call it the Scamp.

Dana Atchley wrote: the easiest means of telling a 1971 Scamp from a '72 is the front and rear fender lights. In '71 they're set in a recessed metal frame and in '72 (and later) they're only plastic elements screwed to the side of the fender. The taillights in the bumper were one tail/brake lamp per side on 1970 Swingers and 1971-73 Scamps, and two tail/brake lamps per side on 1971-1973 Swingers.

Dominick's Scamp

Valiant Acapulco

The Valiant Acapulco was essentially a 1963-67 Signet with an upgraded interior, made and sold in Mexico; it featured an optional Hurst four-on-the-floor setup.

Dodge Dart Hang Ten

Stan wrote that his 1974 Dart Hang Ten has "Hang Ten" decals, a fold-down rear seat (presumably so surfboards could go through the trunk to the rear seat, a 225 slant six, and a center-console-controlled automatic transmission. vaanth@s3109gdl.atl.hp.com wrote that the Hang-Ten was a special appearance/feature package on the Dart Sport for 74-75. They were Spinnaker white (W1) with the special blue/orange striping and decals. The interior had the white/orange accents. The standard engine was either the 225 or the 318. The 360 was available. The option code was A63.

Valiant Super Bee

Chris Krisocki (not the New Jerseyan) spotted a Valiant Super Bee in Mexico, and we let it ride because most unconfirmed sightings turn out to be hoaxes - like the guy who put a "Turbo" sticker onto his 1976 Nova. Then we got a note from Mark Staroselsky, who said he has a 1971 Valiant Super Bee, which he thinks was a Mexican model. It was like the 1972 Scamp, with a 1974 style dashboard and Super Bee logos and stripes. His is red with a white interior, bucket seats, and four speed manual transmission hooked up to a 318. 

Dodge 3700 GT, Coronado, Polara, Charger

Special A-body models were made for Europe and South America; these were very similar to the US models in every way except trim and sheet metal. The Charger, in particular, was an imaginative variation on the US Valiant.

Why didn't they see taxi use?

The prototypical taxi for many years would be the Dodge Diplomat and Plymouth Gran Fury, both essentially fourth-generation Valiants (though officially the A-bodies ended when the F-bodies began, and likewise the M replaced the F - the similarities are fairly strong from F to M and not inconsiderable from A to F), but there were very few Valiant/Dart taxis.

Taxi-historian Mike Sealey wrote: "First-generation Valiants and Lancers were tried as cabs in the US when new, only failing as a result of legroom. From 1962 on, Slant Six B-bodies had all the virtues at very little more expense and almost no more operating costs, and with ample legroom. Even the longer wheelbase 1963 Dart (and Canadian Valiant) were not enough to get cab companies to take a second look at A-bodies... it took a series of smog laws, accompanied by diminishing horsepower ratings and, finally, the 1973 oil embargo, to accomplish that. Chrysler appears to have brought back the A-body taxi package in 1974, the same time they officially released a police package in the A-body range."

Thanks to Dan Stern for his technical assistance and corrections.