Vehicle Description
This funky little 1964 Plymouth Valiant Signet convertible is the
kind of car that you rarely see anymore. And with appealing bright
red paint, a robust slant-six with a 4-speed, and those unusual
looks, it's a very affordable way to stand out in a crowd without
needing to resort to big engines and too much chrome.
Chrysler wasn't afraid to take chances with their styling in the
1960s, and this Valiant has that unusual look that gets a lot of
attention today simply because you don't see them very often.
Fortunately, someone spent good money on the restoration, because
it looks far better than you'd expect for a car in this price
range. It hails from California, so you know it's straight, and it
wears a fresh coat of Royal Red paint that looks as shiny in person
as it does in photos. There are a few minor flaws (after all, the
car has been driven) but nothing that stands out and the bright red
is indeed the original color. Good gaps come from clean living out
west and if you didn't know better, you'd almost think that the
cool grille was a custom piece. In fact, all the trim is 100% stock
and intact, and during the restoration much of it was polished up
to look its best, although the front bumper is showing some light
hazing. But that's an easy thing to forgive on a car that looks
this good and drives this well.
With twin bucket seats nestled right next to each other, this
Valiant has a cozy yet sporty feel inside. The 4-speed is poking
right out of the transmission tunnel, so it's a no-nonsense feel,
but you'll find it easy to get comfortable behind the wheel. The
wide array of dials, knobs, and switches on the dash is very 1960s
and we particularly like the red lettering on the speedometer. In
fact, the original gauges have neat silver bezels that strongly
resemble the white-faced gauges hanging under the dash. Nice,
right? The original wheel is two-tone, which gives it an upscale
feel inside and even the original AM radio is still in the dash,
and yes it works! Nice carpets, a Hurst shifter, and that cool
emblem in the middle of the rear seat back make this a great place
to spend some time. And with a white power top and a big trunk,
this is a great car for road trips.
Don't under-estimate Chrysler's 225 cubic inch slant-6, because in
the featherweight Valiant, performance is surprising. It's silky
smooth and looks very cool sitting there in the engine bay laying
on its side. It's dressed in corporate blue engine enamel and wears
a correct air cleaner and decal on the carburetor. Service access
is great and it's nice to see power steering in this tidy little
ragtop. There's a good hit of low-end torque and you'll have to pay
attention to your shift points at first, because this engine feels
like it could rev forever. Underneath it's as clean as you'd expect
after a lifetime in California, exhaling through a correct single
exhaust system that has a nice 6-cylinder purr. Drum brakes at all
four corners are plenty for the lightweight little ragtop and ride
quality is great thanks to Chrysler's torsion bar front suspension.
Factory wheel covers and 175/80/13 whitewall tires add a correct
finishing touch.
It's been a very long time since we've seen one of these, and if
you want to attract attention without spending a fortune, our
nominee is this cool Valiant ragtop. Call today!
