1964 Plymouth Valiant Signet

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!