1965 Chrysler Valiant AP6 Regal Sedan

Description

For most of its two decades of production in Australia, the Chrysler Valiant was the most powerful locally manufactured six-cylinder sedan. Indeed, it notched up a number of performance firsts: in 1962 the original R-Series Valiant was the first standard family sixpack sedan that could top 90 miles per hour (as well as being the first with a floor gearshift!); the first compact Aussie V8 was a Valiant in 1965 and the fastest-accelerating car made in Australia up until that time was the six-cylinder Charger E39 in 1972. With its 225 cubic-inch (3.6-litre) canted (‘Slant’) six-cylinder engine, the R-Series Valiant had almost double the maximum power – 145 versus 75 brake horsepower – of its EK Holden rival for a price premium of less than 10 per cent. The R-Series was available for just two months in early 1962, during which brief period 1008 were produced. Then came the S-Series (with the same body shape but revised grille but minus the dummy spare tyre on the boot lid!). In May 1963 came the AP5 model (with ‘AP’ meaning Australian Production – the earlier numbers belonging to the big Chrysler Royals – and ‘5’ meaning model number five) and the first upmarket Regal edition with more chrome, extra equipment and richer trim. The AP6 followed in 1965. From a styling point of view, the AP6 must be judged one of the most unusual Valiants with its unique split grille. The R-Series, S-Series, AP5 and AP6 were all powered by the 145-horsepower Slant Six engine, but in 1965 the AP6 was made available as a separate variant known simply as the ’Valiant V8’ with essentially Regal trim and Chrysler’s 273 cubic-inch V8 engine.