page_title: Chrysler Valiant
section_title: VH Series
hierarchical_section_title: Chrysler Valiant / Fourth generation / VH Series
caption_attribution_description: English: Chrysler Valiant VH Hemi Pacer in yellow ochre.
context_page_description: The Chrysler Valiant was a full-size car which was sold by Chrysler Australia between 1962 and 1981. Initially a rebadged locally assembled Plymouth Valiant from the United States, from the second generation launched in 1963, the Valiant was fully manufactured in Australia. It was sold locally but also in New Zealand and South Africa, with smaller numbers also exported to South-East Asia and the United Kingdom.
  Parent company Chrysler made a substantial investment in Australian manufacturing facilities, by establishing operations in South Australia with an assembly plant at Tonsley Park in 1964 and an engine foundry at Lonsdale in 1968. The Valiant thus established its position as the third of the "Big 3" Australian-made vehicles behind the Holden Kingswood and Ford Falcon.
  The Australian Valiant was built on the North American A-body platform but with many parts and components from Australian suppliers. Apart from a sedan and wagon body style, 1965 saw the introduction of a commercial utility that was badged the Wayfarer and later exported to South Africa as the Rustler. In September 1969 the two-door Hardtop was released and in 1971 the Charger.
context_section_description: Chrysler released the VH Valiant range in June 1971. The VH was the first fully Australian-designed Valiant and was a major change from the preceding VG range — these were larger cars, styled to look even larger than they were. The grille treatment on the new VH range was a direct design descendant from the US Mopars with the central recessed area for grille and headlamps, surrounded by uninterrupted trim on the outer leading edge of the whole assembly. The rectangular headlamps were carried over from the VG model.
  The model range of the VH Valiant was quite extensive, starting with the new entry-level Valiant Ranger, and progressing to Valiant Ranger XL, Valiant Pacer, Valiant Regal, and Valiant Regal 770.
  Carried over from the VG range, the basic Hemi-6 245ci engine was standard equipment for Ranger XL and Regal, but a new 265 cu in (4.3 L) version offered 203 bhp (151 kW) and was standard equipment for the Regal 770.  The Fireball 318 V8 engine was still an option, but only available on the Regal 770 sedan. The basic Ranger sedan featured a new low compression Hemi-6 215ci engine that operated on Standard grade petrol. This engine was not available on the other sedan cars in the VH range.
  Unlike the VG range, Valiant Pacer was now only available in 4-door sedan form. Apart from vivid paint colours, optional bonnet blackouts and striping, the new Pacer featured a higher performance version of the 265ci engine, with 218 bhp (163 kW) at 4,800 rpm and 273 lbf⋅ft (370 N⋅m) at 3,000 rpm. The Pacer could run the quarter-mile in 15.9 seconds, get to 100 km/h in 7.6 seconds and reach a top speed of 185 km/h.
  In fact, at its release, the VH Valiant Pacer set the record for being the fastest mass-produced four-door sedan with a six-cylinder engine manufactured in Australia, a record which stood for 17 years.
  The Pacer's days as the VH performance model were numbered, because that same year saw the announcement and introduction of what was to become Chrysler Australia's most recognised new car — the Valiant Charger. In total, only 1,647 VH Valiant Pacer sedans were produced.
  The new Valiant Charger was unlike anything that had come before and it had the Australian motoring press calling it, "...the most handsome car Chrysler has ever produced, and probably the best looking car ever produced by an Australian manufacturer". A short-wheelbase, fastback coupe with an aggressive wedge-like stance, the Charger's design gave the effect of speed, even when it was standing still.
  Chrysler's TV campaign for the Charger featured the young adults at whom it was targeted, waving at one as it swept by them and shouting "Hey, Charger!" One of the more memorable TV ads of the time, it created a cliché that haunts today's owners. Charger won Wheels magazine's Car of the Year award for 1971 and was widely acclaimed by others in the motoring press, as well as the public.
  The Valiant Charger came in four model guises, closely mirroring the existing sedan range — Charger, Charger XL, Charger 770, and Charger R/T. The first of the serious "track pack" R/T Chargers had option E38. Despite being hampered by a three-speed gearbox, it still drew favourable comments from Wheels: "We achieved a time of 14.8 seconds for the quarter-mile — on smoother surfaces the Charger galloped away so easily that a best of 14.5 seconds is within reach". Being a three-speed gearbox, these quarter-mile runs took only one gear change.
  The most recognised performance Chargers were the Six Pack cars. The term six pack denoted the triple side-draught Weber 2BBL carburettors with which the 265 Hemi-6 engine – in option E37, option E38, and later option E49 – produced levels of power unheard of on a naturally aspirated six-cylinder at the time. The triple carburettors also made for a distinctive throaty note when under acceleration.
  E38 versions of the Charger R/T featured a 265 Hemi-6 which produced 280 bhp (209 kW) while the E37 was the street tune option made available on Charger 770 and Charger R/T. E38 was a race-ready Charger R/T with the additional A84 Track Pack option, w
caption: VH Valiant Pacer
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