Latest Chrysler Valiants

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32708, 10 September 1971, Page 9

Latest Chrysler Valiants

Big, roomy sixcylinder cars have always been popular with many New Zealanders, and for those with large families, in particular, they are often the only really satisfactory vehicle.

Chrysler Valiants have long been one of the big names in this field, and the latest Valiant range seems certain to win a good share of the big-car and , bigwaggon market. . Todd Motors announced the saris tq New Zealand . motoring writers at Waitakfit, which gave everyone the opportunity of driving the basic Ranger. XL sixcylinder, which , will be assembled locally With .the thrte-speed column change transmission or Torqueflite automatic, the six-cylinder manual Hemi Pacer, the! V 8 automatic Regal saloon and station-waggon, the sixtylinder utility, and the eyecatching Valiant Charger, which will be assembled locally With the six-cylinder Pacer engine and automatic transmission. The new Valiants are big, comfortable, pleasantlystyled and practical cars with very good performance, comfort, and good handling. The three-speed transmissions do an adequate job, but the outstanding Torqueflite automatic, still one of the best at any price, is clearly preferable. Particularly when coupled to Chrysler’s outstandingly smooth V 8 engine, it gives very effortless performance. The test cars were all Australian-assembled earlyproduction models which had not been given any predelivery service and adjustment since they left the factory, and in all cases they were let down by their brakes, and in some cases by their finish. Both these problems are expected to be rectified in the New Zealand-assembled models. At least two of the cars had ill-fitting panels and trim, rust coming through the naint. and in one case

paint which flaked off the glove-box lid to reveal the undercoat beneath. The airvents would not switch off on some of the cars, and there were several other detail faults which would normally be righted during a pre-delivery inspection.

As far as fade-resistance was concerned, the brakes were the worst on any car tested by this writer for several years. Anything from four to six firm applications from 55 to 60 m.p.h. down to 10 m.p.h. produced clouds of smoke from the front brakes, greatly reduced braking ability, and a pedal which went almost to the floor.

Six applications from 55 m.p.h. in the Regal stationwaggon, with only two persons aboard, caused complete fade, so that the car only coasted to halt on the sixth application. The smoke was so dense a passing motorist stopped to see if the car was on fire. AH the vehicles are fitted with big 11-inch ventilated disc brakes which should have no difficulty giving good, fade-free braking, so it appeared clear the problem lay in the fitting of an incorrect grade of brakepad material. Harder linings should solve the problem, and the brakes (servoassisted) are quite light enough to stand much harder pad material. The car’s hand-brakes have on unusual but highly practical feature; after the brake is applied, the lever drops down below seat-level so it does not snag the emerging driver in a sensitive part of his anatomy. The handle must be lifted back to its full height to release the brakes. As might , be expected, the handbrake is a vastly more satisfactory device than the umbrella-type unit now used by a dwindling number of manufacturers. The Ranger XL on test had the standard sixcylinder engine and automatic transmission, with the selector mounted on the column. The driving position was good, the seats (with New Zealand trim) comfortable, and there was generous leg

and head-room front and rear. The instruments were reasonably comprehensive and well laid out, with the exception of the transmission selector, which was ‘invisible to drivers of average height unless they leant forward.

The Ranger was clearly a good-handling and powerful big car of its type, with a little more road noise than one would expect. Underseal, which will be sprayed on New Zealand-assembled cars, would have reduced the noise level considerably. The Ranger, like the other Valiants, has large fresh-air vents under the dash but no face-level vents. The below-dash vents do a fair job, but they are no substitute for a facelevel through-flow system, which Chrysler should think very seriously about introducing. A face-level system would help in another area: the front door quarter-lights, which caused wind hiss and whistles in several of the cars, could then be deleted. The Ranger had a good turning circle, as did all the cars, and light steering with good feel that belied its 4.5 turns from lock to lock.

The unassisted steering bn the Ranger, Pacer and Charger was distinctly preferable to the 3.5 turns power assisted steering on the Regals, which was totally lacking in feel and seemed quite unjustified when compared with the unassisted steering of the other cars. Ail the Valiants will be supplied with leather rimmed steering wheels, a very practical idea which adds considerably to driving comfort. All have combined ignition - steering locks.

All the cars had goodsized glove boxes, but central -pull-down ash trays which were impractical and badly designed. In several of the cars they fell open over bad bumps, and if they csime completely out of their mountings, they were very awkward to replace. AH the cars had efficient screen washers, and twospeed wipers with good speed and spread. Visibility

was generally good in all cases, although it was impossible to see the rear extremities of the vehicles when reversing. The V 8 Regal saloon and the Regal waggon also had particularly good seats (with N.Z. trim) and good ride and handling characteristics, with the reservations about the power-steering. All Valiant waggons have power-operated tailgate windows which can be controlled from outside with a key, or by a switch on the dash: a very practical idea. The luxury vehicles also have dipping rear-vision mirrors and improved instrumentation. although thetachometer in the Australian models will be supplanted by a clock in the New Zealand versions. The waggons have a builtin air-scoop over the tailgate to keep the rear window free of dirt, and the luxury models throughout the range have quartziodine driving lights to supplement the normal headlights, and provide what is effectively a fourlight system. ) A feature of the Regals which particularly appealed was the standard fitting of an American-style door mirror which is adjustable from inside the car: other makers please copy. The Charger is clearly the glamour car of the range, with more luxurious trim

than the Ranger saloon, full instrumentation, and room for four to five persons. It. is a full 13in shorter than the Valiant saloon. The locally-assembled Charger will be an automatic six, but overseas funds buyers can select a V 8 or a very high-perform-ance “Six pack” R/T (road and track) version with three twin-choke Weber carburettors and about 70 b.h.p. more than the Pacerengined six. The test Charger, a VB, was an impressive car, save for its brakes and suspension which gave a harsh ride and failed to keep the wheels on the ground well enough over rough sealed surfaces at speed. The car would be improved if the suspension were softer, but with heavier damping. On smoother surfaces, its roadholding and handling was good. The Charger certainly had acceleration to spare, and even with the automatic transmission, a full-power take-off left long lines of rubber on the road. All the cars had enough power to require circumspect use of the accelerator on shingle or slippery surfaces. The big Pacer was another most impressive car,

and in some ways was the best of the lot to drive. Its steering, handling and ride were all good, the finish was better than the other cars, and the three-speed floor-change manual transmission did a surprisingly good job, although an automatic or a four-speed manual would be preferable. The Pacer had particularly comprehensive instrumentation, with gauges for all the usual things, but the 1 speedometer and rev. ; counter dials were too small to be read at a glance. And 1 with the Pacer’s perform--1 ance, one might often want ■ to spare them only a glance. The car was quiet inside, ’ but from the outside the ex- ' haust noise on acceleration : or at speed bordered on being anti-social. Produc- ' tion models are likely to be " quieter. ’ The cars all had good big t boots, although the Charger boot has a very high lip. ' In all cases, the spare j wheel is awkwardly posie tioned at the side of the boot, and takes up far more space than it needs to. s The latest Valiants are d big, comfortable and fast f cars with good manners •- and an American accent: n they must make a deserved s impact bn the New Zealand car-buying market, and the e Charger model seems s, guaranteed to attract parn ticular interest.

It is a pity that as far as ! the test cars were concerned the brakes were 1 clearly not right, and that , the Australian factory had paid so little attention to the standard of finish, but ’ these factors should not 1 detract from the undoubted j merits of what is a particuJ larly comprehensive range. . SPECIFICATIONS ) anginal.—Hemi 245 six: 4 . litres; 165 b.h.p. at 4400 r.p.m.; 2351 b ft torque at 1800 r.p.m.; compression ratio 0.5 ’ to 1; bore and stroke 3.761 n by 3.Mln; ’ overhead valves, seven-bearing : crank; hydraulic tappets; auto- - matic choke; single-barrel car- > burettor. Hemi 265 six: 4.4 litres; 203 b.h.p. at 4800 r.p.m.; J 2621 b ft torque at 2000 r.p.m.; 1 compression ratio 0.5 to 1; bore i and stroke 3.011 n by 3.681 n; twobarrel carburettor. Fireball 318 V 8: 5.3 litres; 230 b.h.p. at 4400 r.p.m.: 3401 b ft torque at " 2400 r.p.m.; compreaslon ratio 1 0.2 to 1; two-barrel carburettor. . Hemi Pacer six: as for 265 , engine, but 218 b.h.p. at 4800 ‘ r.p.m. and 2731 b ft torque at g 3000 r.p.m. Transmission: Three - speed column change all-syncro-d mesh manual as standard; d Torqueflite three-speed autoc matic optional. - Suspension: Independent front , with torsion bars, semi-elliptic f rear. e Steering: Recirculating ball, n ratio 20 to 1. Power steering lf 15.7 to 1. _ Brakes: Dual master cylinder. 1 Ilin ventilated disc brakes on front wheels, drum rear. Power aesiated. I " (Test cars made available by f, Todd Motors, Ltd.)