Chrysler Valiant Charger

Valiant Charger at a glance

VH Charger: the 1971 launch

Chrysler Australia launched the Charger in 1971 as part of the VH Valiant range. It was a short-wheelbase version of the Valiant sedan on the American A-body platform, with its own two-door hardtop body. Chrysler widened the wings and fitted a wider rear axle, so the Charger's track was much wider than that of any US A-body car. The Australian cars also used a larger wheel bolt pattern than the American ones of the time.

The range covered almost every kind of buyer, from a basic six to a V8 luxury coupé:

Wikipedia lists the ratings in bhp with its own kW conversions. The kW values in this table use the factor 0.7457, as in the 1CARS catalogue, so they can differ by one or two kilowatts. Launch prices in Australia, per Wikipedia, were A$2,795 (1971) for the base Charger, A$3,975 (1971) for the E38 or E49 and A$4,850 (1971) for the 770 SE. By our calculation the E38 cost A$580 (1971) more than the standard R/T. Between the cheapest and the dearest Charger the power more than doubled, from 104 to 225 kW. The 770 SE with the E55 V8 was built only 125 times, with an imported TorqueFlite 727 automatic.

Wheels magazine named the VH Charger its Car of the Year for 1971. The two-door soon dominated Valiant output: at one point it made up 80 % of the Valiants built in Australia.

R/T E38 and E49: the Six Pack Chargers

The R/T was the racing Charger. Its 265 cu in six came in several tuned forms with option codes. The E37 "Six Pack" package with triple side-draught Weber carburettors formed the basis of the 1971 touring car and could be ordered on any model. The E38 had 209 kW (280 bhp) and a three-speed manual. The E49 raised the figure to 225 kW (302 bhp) and added a four-speed gearbox; Wikipedia notes its strong torque but does not give a figure.

Every R/T had a six-cylinder engine. Chrysler also planned V8 performance Chargers. They were among the cars named in the newspaper story that started the 1972 Supercar scare, and they were cancelled, like the Falcon GT-HO Phase IV and the V8 Torana XU-1.

VJ Charger: round headlights and the 340 V8 (1973–1975)

The VJ of March 1973 brought seven-inch round headlights and ended the R/T. Performance moved to the V8s, and the E55 340 was rated at 205 kW (275 bhp) in the VJ. The cars also gained electronic ignition and, in many cases, a Carter ThermoQuad carburettor in place of the earlier AVS. Early VJ heads had 2.02-inch inlet valves, later ones 1.88-inch.

Special editions kept the range fresh. The Charger Sportsman of August 1974, 500 cars, combined the XL trim with the 265 six and a four-speed manual. Late in 1974 the E57 360 V8 with 190 kW (255 bhp) replaced the E55.

VK and CL: the Chrysler Charger (1975–1978)

From the VK of October 1975 the car was badged Chrysler Charger. The VK dropped the E48 Six Pack, leaving a basic 4.3-litre six, and the 770 offered 4.0, 4.3, 5.2 and 5.9-litre engines. In June 1976 the ADR 27A emission rules removed the 3.5-litre six and the 5.9-litre V8 from the range. After July 1976 Chrysler built 200 White Knight Specials on the XL, and the Drifter offered the 4.3 or 5.2-litre engine with a four-speed manual only.

The CL of late October 1976 was the last series. Production of the Australian Charger ended on 16 August 1978.

Racing: Bathurst and New Zealand

The Charger won on its first race outing, the Toby Lee 100 at Oran Park in 1971, with Doug Chivas at the wheel. At the 1972 Hardie-Ferodo 500 Chivas drove an R/T E49 to third place, behind a Falcon XY GT-HO and a Torana GTR XU-1. According to Wikipedia, brake pad problems cost him about six seconds a lap. Chrysler withdrew from Australian touring car racing at the end of 1972.

The car's best record came in New Zealand, where Chargers were assembled from imported kits. They were unbeaten in the B&H 500 mile race, later a 1000 km event, at Pukekohe Park Raceway from 1971 to 1979. Leo Leonard and Jim Little were the most successful Charger drivers there.

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