Chrysler by Chrysler: Australia’s long-wheelbase luxury Valiant

The Chrysler by Chrysler was a long-wheelbase luxury saloon built by Chrysler Australia from 1971 to 1976. A more opulent version of the Australian Valiant, it replaced the Chrysler VIP and competed with the Ford Fairlane and the Statesman in the country’s prestige car market.

Chrysler by Chrysler at a glance

History of the Chrysler by Chrysler

The CH series

The original CH series Chrysler was introduced in November 1971, replacing the Chrysler VIP as Chrysler’s competitor to the Ford Fairlane and the Statesman. It came as a four-door sedan and a two-door hardtop, based on the VH series Valiant and using the floorpan of the two-door hardtop: its 115-inch wheelbase matched the Valiant hardtop’s and was four inches longer than the sedan’s. Externally it differed substantially from the Valiant, with a four-headlamp grille inside a chrome surround and a unique wrap-around horizontal tail lamp assembly, while the frontal styling and wrap-around bumper were similar to the 1969–1971 Chrysler New Yorker. A long list of standard luxury equipment set it further apart: front disc brakes, power-assisted steering, a push-button radio with power antenna, a carpeted boot, tinted power windows and courtesy lighting with adjustable reading lights for rear passengers. Considerable attention went into reducing noise, vibration and harshness with extra soundproofing. A 265 cu in Hemi six was standard, with an American-designed, Australian-built 360 cu in V8 as an option, and an imported TorqueFlite three-speed automatic in all versions.

CJ and CK series

An updated CJ series arrived in May 1973, a month after the VJ Valiant, distinguished by minor cosmetic changes. The four-door sedan was now the only body offered, since the two-door hardtop was not carried over. The car was exported to several markets, including Japan, where it was sold as the Chrysler 318 CA with a three-speed automatic and the smaller 5.2-litre V8 that Australian buyers could not have until 1976, producing 150 PS and a claimed top speed of 170 km/h. The CK series followed in October 1975 alongside the VK Valiant with further minor changes; the 360 cu in V8 was modified for better economy and performance but new emissions rules saw it replaced by a 318 cu in V8 from 1 July 1976. The CK Chrysler was discontinued in October 1976 when the CL series Valiant and Regal arrived, with a luxury Chrysler Regal SE sedan effectively replacing it, though without the longer wheelbase or the unique styling.

Export markets

The four-door Chrysler by Chrysler was built and sold in South Africa as the Dodge SE alongside other Australian Valiants, and New Zealand imported it while assembling other Australian Valiants locally through Todd Motors in Wellington. Japan took the VH Valiant Charger and the CJ Chrysler by Chrysler through Mitsubishi, though neither sold well given Japan’s narrow winding roads and the fuel costs of the 1973 oil crisis, and Australian Valiants including the Chrysler by Chrysler were exported to the United Kingdom from the late 1960s to 1976.

Design and features

• Extended wheelbase: four inches more than the Valiant sedan for rear-seat room.
• Luxury equipment: front disc brakes, power steering, power windows and reading lights.
• New Yorker-style front: a four-headlamp grille and wrap-around bumper echoing the American car.
• Hemi six standard: a 265 cu in six, with an Australian-built 360 V8 optional.
• Export career: sold in South Africa as the Dodge SE and exported to New Zealand, Japan and Britain.

Chrysler by Chrysler versions

• CH (1971–1973): four-door sedan and two-door hardtop.
• CJ (1973–1975): sedan only, with revised cosmetics.
• CK (1975–1976): the final series, with a 318 V8 from mid-1976.
• Chrysler 318 CA: the Japanese export version with a 5.2-litre V8.

The Chrysler by Chrysler was the luxury version of the Chrysler Valiant and shared its Hemi six with the Valiant Charger. More cars are in the Chrysler collection.

Video: Chrysler by Chrysler

Video by zanerobe1000 on YouTube.

Sources

• Chrysler by Chrysler, English Wikipedia: series, equipment, engines, exports
• Chrysler by Chrysler, Wikimedia Commons: photographs