Plymouth Valiant – The Car’s The Star

7

Dale Vinten

Most of the cars we’ve featured in this series so far have been pretty cool, let’s be honest. From the Pontiac Firebird and Aston Martin DB5 to the Bluesmobile and Ford Mustang, they have all had at least something inherently appealing about them. The third-gen Plymouth Valiant, a compact grocery-getter for the masses from Steven Spielberg’s 1971 road movie Duel, however, doesn’t appear to have any redeeming features. But then that was the whole point, with Spielberg specifically choosing the car as a mechanical representation of the fundamental weaknesses of the film’s protagonist, portrayed perfectly by Denis Weaver. We’re sure the Valiant name also came into play at some stage, mirroring Weaver’s character’s eventual metamorphosis into the plucky and courageous victor at the end of the film (#spoilers).

The movie’s plot is a simple one. Based on the Richard Matheson short story of the same name it’s basically one long car chase, and we’re OK with that. As uncomplicated as it is it still managed to help propel the young American director to superstardom, despite being a made-for-TV movie and anyone who hasn’t heard of Steven Spielberg must have been living under a rock for the last half a decade. The same, unfortunately, cannot be said for the Plymouth Valiant.

The narrative is a somewhat relatable tale, perhaps even more so today with the propensity for “road rage” incidents, whereby people feel that they can act, how shall we say, less civilised than perhaps they normally would, all from the perceived safety of their vehicles. The whole thing kicks off after Weaver’s character David Mann unwittingly antagonises a truck driver by overtaking him, subsequently enraging the trucker who spends the remainder of the film terrorizing Mann until its dramatic conclusion.

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And that’s the beauty of Spielberg’s choice of car for our protagonist. The unassuming Plymouth Valiant pales almost into insignificance next to the imposing Peterbilt that becomes Mann’s, and the Plymouth’s, nemesis. With a paltry 125bhp from the base 3.2-litre slant-six engine featured in the ’71 model it was perfectly cast as a car unable to get away from a shopping trolley, let alone the ominously monstrous, smoke-rolling truck featured in the movie. Its sole quality being the bright red paint job – a colour chosen by Spielberg so that the car would stand out against the drab desert scenery.

The original Plymouth Valiant dates all the way back to 1959 with Chrysler wanting to produce a vehicle for the new compact car market at the time. Before that it was all dripping chrome and big fins with US auto makers jostling for who could build the largest, most imposing land yachts. Unveiled at the London Motor Show the Valiant would survive for four generations until the end of its production in 1976 and is remembered actually rather fondly as one of Chrysler’s best selling models of the time, being as it was a reliable workhorse and a popular choice for the everyman.

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But back to the third-gen that was featured in Duel. As well as the six-pot motor mentioned earlier the Mk III Valiant was also available with a gutless 2.8 six-cylinder, a 3.7-litre six-cylinder, producing 145bhp, as well as two small block V8s: a 190bhp 4.5-litre and a 230bhp 5.2. The body was completely remodelled for this incarnation with a more contemporary, three box saloon aesthetic. Available as either a two or four-door the Valiant retained its rear-wheel drive layout with either a manual or Torqueflite automatic gearbox, both three-speed. Despite being somewhat sluggish and unassuming, especially in non-V8 form, the Valiant contributed to a huge percentage of Chrysler’s annual sales during its tenure, a reminder that not every American in the late ’60s and early ’70s was cutting about in big power muscle cars. Illusion shattered.

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Unlike other, relatively mundane movie cars, like the Blues Brothers Dodge Monaco, Duel didn’t catapult the Plymouth Valiant into the spotlight, at least not in any positive way. But we do have the Valiant to thank for the fire-breathing Barracuda. One of the greatest muscle cars ever produced the ‘Cuda utilised the Valiant’s wheelbase, as well as various body parts, but was a far cry from the humdrum underpinnings of its donor. Would we still have a Valiant? Absolutely, as long as it housed the 318 V8 under the bonnet. We’re steering well clear of any trucks though. And cliff edges. And ’70s style biscuit dusters come to think of it.

If you’d have a Valiant too, here’s where you can find one for sale.

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