Valiant Vs. Dart

which one made better economy family car

  • Plymouth Valiant

    Votes: 58 53.7%

  • Dodge Dart

    Votes: 50 46.3%
  • Total voters
    108
  • Poll closed .
-
Depends on what year for me. 63-65 are pretty much dead nuts even. 66 the dart wins. 67-69, the valiant wins. 70-73, the dart wins. 74-up scamp all the way
 
Dave,go with your best... As for Rusty's "Chevy 2" post: Was involved, eith a S.J,327 build.(66 post). Gawd the guy couldn't drive. (4 gear). He/we ,finally whittled it,to 11:20's spray,12:20's n/a. There were some nights,that tach hit 8000+.Nuts.
 
Outside picture
 

Attachments

  • Amarillo Cars 043 (550x412).jpg
    124 KB · Views: 188
adriver said:
Ask Dennis Weaver.
Wait, no family in that car.
Ask Al Bundy.
Apparently Dodges and Plymouths are interchangable.
Click to expand...

lol....

I prefer Dodge "A" bodies over Plymouths, but I prefer Plymouth "B" bodies over Dodges , in "C" bodies I like Plymouths and Chryslers. :scratch:
 
The Dart is definitely more popular right now because of the new model. And the Valiant is a nice car, but you cant beat the body of a 68 Dart.
 
Umm...
 

Attachments

  • sept. 30 2010 2280_1.jpg
    34.9 KB · Views: 113
  • sept. 30 2010 2282_1.jpg
    40.4 KB · Views: 132
Johnny Dart said:
Another pole......:eek:ccasion:

an A body is an A body.
Click to expand...

Under the skin, perhaps, but not on the outside.

I'll take it a step further. Not Only do I prefer the Dodge A bodies over the Plymouths, but of the Dodges, I like the 70-72 Swingers the most, and of those, I think the 71 swinger is the best looking, and for a number of reasons.
I like the side marker lights on the 70 and 71, better than the 72 and later, and the 69 and earlier.
I like the 70/71 Grill better than the 72 grill, and better than all the Scamp/Duster/Valiant grills.
I like the front clip of the 70-73 better than the 67-69. I don't like the front clip of the 73-76 at all.

I like the vent windows on the pre-1973 Darts and swingers.
I like the Swinger/Scamp body better than the Duster/Demon/Dart Sport body style.
I like the 7

I like the 71/72/73 Swinger tail light arrangement better than the 70.


Of the early "A"'s I like the 62 and 63 Darts, best.

I Like the Demon/Dart Sport better than the Duster because of minor exterior differences.

There are other things, though minor, that differentiate one "A" body from another for me, too. It's all in the details, and "an A body is an A body", certainly isn't true to the critical eye. ;)
 
Frankie said:
Under the skin, perhaps, but not on the outside.

I'll take it a step further. Not Only do I prefer the Dodge A bodies over the Plymouths, but of the Dodges, I like the 70-72 Swingers the most, and of those, I think the 71 swinger is the best looking, and for a number of reasons.
I like the side marker lights on the 70 and 71, better than the 72 and later, and the 69 and earlier.
I like the 70/71 Grill better than the 72 grill, and better than all the Scamp/Duster/Valiant grills.
I like the front clip of the 70-73 better than the 67-69. I don't like the front clip of the 73-76 at all.

I like the vent windows on the pre-1973 Darts and swingers.
I like the Swinger/Scamp body better than the Duster/Demon/Dart Sport body style.
I like the 7

I like the 71/72/73 Swinger tail light arrangement better than the 70.


Of the early "A"'s I like the 62 and 63 Darts, best.

I Like the Demon/Dart Sport better than the Duster because of minor exterior differences.

There are other things, though minor, that differentiate one "A" body from another for me, too. It's all in the details, and "an A body is an A body", certainly isn't true to the critical eye. ;)
Click to expand...



You've done nothing but given us a bunch of "I likes" which have nothing to do with the original question.
The question was,"Which is the better,more reliable,family car.The Dart or the Valiant ?
Same engines,drivetrain,suspension,ect ect.
The Dart is no more reliable than a Valiant,and vice averse.
Other than aesthetics.....an A body is an A body.
 
Johnny Dart said:
You've done nothing but given us a bunch of "I likes" which have nothing to do with the original question.
The question was,"Which is the better,more reliable,family car.The Dart or the Valiant ?
Same engines,drivetrain,suspension,ect ect.
The Dart is no more reliable than a Valiant,and vice averse.
Other than aesthetics.....an A body is an A body.
Click to expand...

I did exactly what I set out to do. I responded to the comment, "an A body is an A body". That statement is not true.

A car is more than a drive train, a wheel base, and a factory designation. There are so many different A bodies because of people's aesthetic preferences. That's especially evident if there is no mechanical difference between them under the skin.

What's the difference between a Swinger and a Dart Custom if all the mechanicals are the same? Aesthetics
What's the difference between a Duster and a Demon sharing the same options? Aesthetics.
The differences between a Dart and a Scamp? Aesthetics.

What draws you to a certain vehicle? Is it Brand? Drive train? Aesthetics? All of these? The thing about it is that it's Aesthetics that grabs your attention, Good or bad. It's what draws your attention to a certain vehicle.
Look at Corvettes, I love the early 'Vettes. Especially the 1957's and the 1962's. On the other hand, I don't even give the 1973's a later a second look, but I do like the latest incarnation of the Corvette. Aesthetics.

Have you ever purchased one of these cars (a bodies) new? When you had a choice of any model, any drive train, and color, any option package? I have. In fact more than one. Between 1965 and 1975 I purchased 3 new A bodies. As always I looked at everything, each time. Each time I went with the Swinger over the Custom, the Valiant, the Scamp, the Duster, the Demon/Sport. Why, because after all the mechanicals are decided upon, the ONLY variable is the looks of the vehicle. For me, the Swinger is the best looking of all it's contemporary A bodies. Aesthetics

Further, with the emasculation of the these cars in 1973, my focus for muscle went to trucks an vans. Again, Aesthetics had a great deal to do with the purchase. in 1976 I purchased two new vans. Both were Dodge B vans, both were 3/4 ton (200 series) and both had long 127" wheel bases. Why, because I like the Dodge body styles best, and of the three lengths Dodge offered at the time, the middle length look Aesthetically more proportionally correct. The short van with the 109" wheel base look to short for it's height, and the extended van had too much overhand and looked disproportional (front to rear overhang) and was too much to deal with in a parallel parking situations in the city. Hence the mid-sized B200 body. One van was a 318/727 the other was a 440/727.

In 1979 I was in the market for another van. By then Dodge had followed the lead of Ford and GM and moved they side load doors forward to the point that the front passenger seat partially obstructed the front side load door. Rather than replace the 1976 van, I purchased a new engine/trans combo, and put that van back on the road. Why, functionality and Aesthetics.

The ONLY thing making them different from each other (AS YOU SO CLEARLY POINTED OUT) is the Aesthetics.

Regarding your question "Which is the better,more reliable,family car, the Dart or the Valiant"? The answer is Neither and Both. Under the skin they are equal, they will serve equally, although I do believe that a 4 door car for family use bight have an advantage. Especially considering the required use of child seats, so that might reduce the efficiency of looking at a Duster/Demon/Sport, Scamp or Swinger as a "family classic". I'd venture to say that only a very small minority of a body owners make "family fare" a criteria when buying an A body, today.



Also, what many seem to miss when you ask a question such as this is that Selection of an "A" body in today's world (40+ years later) is far more dependent on availability, than choice. A factor that is often overlooked.

If you're in the market today for an A body, and you prefer Dusters, are you going to balk at an opportunity to purchase a Demon/Sport, if the price is right and the car is worth it? I sincerely doubt it. There might be some exceptions, but for the most part almost all of us would take the Demon, in lieu of waiting around for a good Duster to come up.
...and if a Duster fitting the bill becomes available, another decision would then be made.
 
I should have worded it differently ....the main point is to ask which one has a bigger, longer standing reputation as a family econo car of the 60s and 70s ....

with the same engines and running gear ...obviously the are the same in that way.

but the car itself minus the running gear is in no way the same ....to say a valiant and a dart are the same car is like saying a 70 superbird is the same car as a 75 charger....I mean a B-body is just a B-body ...right.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top