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The Valiant, Dart, Duster, Demon, Swinger, Scamp, and early Barracudas were all A-bodies. Production engines ranged from a 170 slant six to a high-performance 383 V-8 (or a Hemi 265). Outside the US, the Valiant was a luxury car...a high performance Hemi Six-Pack speedster...with names like Charger, 3700GT, and even LeBaron.

The Valiant was introduced in 1959 as a 1960 model; the Dodge Lancer followed shortly, only to be replaced by the similar Dodge Dart, a longer-wheelbase Valiant. Though the Valiant was originally a separate make, as Mike Sealey reported, it quickly became just another Plymouth:

Prior to the '60 model year, virtually all U. S. Chrysler Corporation dealers sold Plymouths as a companion make to Chryslers, DeSotos, or Dodges.  Plymouth lost the U. S. Dodge dealers with the 1960 introduction of the Plymouth-based (full-size) Dodge Dart.  This resulted in a loss of sales, which dropped Plymouth out of its traditional 3rd place in U. S. sales standings.  The decision was made to prop up Plymouth sales by including Valiants in the totals. (Valiants were sold in the States by Plymouth dealers, leaving Dodge without a comparable car until the '61 Lancer.)

Mike Sealey and Jeff Chong wrote that there was a 1965 Dart produced in small numbers with the "Charger 273" name. 180 were actually made at the LA factory, and 300 kits were dealer-installed. It was based on a Dart GT either as a hardtop or convertible and all of them were yellow with a black top and interior, with the Hi-Po 273, 13X6 Cragar mag wheels, and special Charger emblems.

1964 Valiant interior (click for a 50K version)

The Valiant's strengths include light weight, durable powertrains, good form, upgradability, and the ability to speed past highway cops. They could seat six people (five comfortably), and often had washable vinyl bench seats. Their automatic transmissions could, with 150,000 miles, could be shifted into reverse at 30 miles per hour with no ill effects other than screeching rear tires.

They had electronic ignition long before any non-Chrysler cars: it was available on V-8s in 1971, on all engines by 1972, and was standard by 1973. Chrysler's electronic ignition was exceptionally reliable; the only component likely to break down was the ballast resistor, which costs about $3 and takes about a minute to replace.

The A body platform was used for early Barracudas, and was the basis for the Volare/Aspen, which was, in turn, the basis for the M-bodies, whose rear styling harked back to the 1970s Valiants.