The padded instrument panel was now joined by an energy absorbing steering column. Chrysler also took over Rootes Australia in 1965, including the plants in Melbourne. The Avalon’s dull and dated looks appealed to pretty much nobody. The AP5 (Australian Production 5) cars took over in 1963, with much more domestic content and engineering, and a new Regal version adding some luxury. Chrysler Australia was exporting to South Africa and other countries, becoming the second largest vehicle exporter in the nation. Bob Jane won the opening round of the series at Calder but failed to score from that point on, leaving him sixth in the points standings. Hey Charger! In March 1965, the AP6 was introduced. But the Camira was a complete package, engineered throughout to displease. For the most part, it was a facelift, with a three section grille and new rear end, and improved paint (“Diamonite” acrylic lacquer). Six thousand Toyota Corollas have been added to the list of cars subject to a compulsory recall due to potentially deadly Takata airbags. The Pacer was lauded by the critics, with Modern Motor doing 0-60 mph in 10.4 seconds, with a 17.5 second quarter mile at 106 mph — while getting 23 Imperial mpg (around 18.4 US mpg). Rather than working out ways of reducing the size American cars to fit Australian tastes, in the case of the Magna, they widened a front wheel drive Sigma, to give it the interior room that Australians wanted, and created a success story that was adopted by Mitsubishi head office in Japan. Series: Australian Touring Cars. The rear seats had a one-step fold-down operation; the rear window wound down into the tailgate, and if it was all the way up, the gate could not be opened from the inside (to prevent children from opening it). But hey, the 1970s were relaxed times, so Datsun was forced to throw in some wretched handling, ugliness and a cramped interior for that extra dollop of awfulness. The AP5 used the Holley 1920 carbuetor and an automatic choke (used in its American counterparts, alon with the BBD, through 1973); Chrysler used electrical components from non-Chrysler suppliers, notably Bosch and Prestolite, in keeping with the domestic content rules (Mike Sealey). Mechanically one of the most unreliable cars of its era, which is quite an accolade. Find Yours Now! The final option was the E38 engine, with a higher compression ratio, different gear ratios, and 280 hp (gross) - about 80 hp more than the standard 265! As Leo Geoghegan wrote in Hey Charger!, “what a sweet powerhouse the E38 R/T turned out to be.”. It didn’t look anything like that, of course, but it did bear more than a passing resemblance to the gaping maw of a baleen whale. Still, sales were slow, possibly due to the conservative body. Victorian motorists can once again have their cars serviced following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. These long wheelbase cars were known as the "Chrysler by Chrysler" and were loaded up with luxury items unusual in Australian made cars. It didn’t get any better once you moved inside, thanks to acres of hideous, poor-quality, mismatched plastic that squeaked like the car was full of cicadas. the book (Alternate Source) | Reviews of Australian Valiants | Hear Graham Pratt's 265 Hemi | Australia’s Chief Engineer, The Valiant remains prominent in Australian motoring history, a testament to the heroic efforts of Chrysler Australia's engineers. The short life of the points was also criticized; that would be resolved with elecronic ignition in the 1970s. If pushed too hard you discovered that a car can indeed understeer and oversteer simultaneously. The body modifications consisted of the rear tailgates being removed and replaced by a single door, and bars fitted to the windows of the van section. A one-off Valiant panel van was custom-built by Chrysler in 1971, for use by Crawfords Productions. The new slant six engine easily beat Ford and GM engines six-cylinder engines. Torsion bar suspensions provided good handling. The high-performance version was reserved for the Pacer - for now. Open. The VIP’s wheelbase was initially unchanged (108") but was later extended to 112" and the styling made more distinctive (quad headlights, standard vinyl roof, frenched rear screen). The VE was a critical and sales success; it was given Wheels’ Car of the Year award. There is 1 1969 AMC Javelin for sale today on ClassicCars.com. Jim McKeown took a pair of third place finishes in the final two rounds to move ahead of Peter Manton for fourth place in the championship. The VH would be exported to other countries, including South Africa. If you are interested in the Q, R, and S Valiants, you may want to visit the American-oriented parts of this site. The Holden Monaro GTS, powered by the GM 35o V8, was even slower: 9.3 seconds 0-60 (around the same as a base PT Cruiser), 15.3 seconds in the quarter mile, and a full 24.6 seconds 0-100. Similar to the Morris Marina in that a heavy and overpowered 4.1-litre engine designed for a Falcon went beyond the poor car’s ability to keep it all on the road. Even worse than their driving characteristics was the fact that they were nigh-on indestructible — ensuring that the agony of owning one would be passed on to a whole new generation, like some sort of automotive family curse. I went out and drove the Sunbird, and came back to say to my Fearless Leader, the now-late Brian Ludlam, with what a total surprise this thing was, and if this could be done to the mobile disaster Torana, then God help us if they ever apply this development to the [then] HQ Holden: we and Falcon would be slaughtered in the market place. While past Valiants had been modified for Australian manufacture, the Australian Valiant was created by and for Australians, albeit from a basic design from Highland Park.

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