Oracle wrote:

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...Interstingly the Bedford CA vans were sold in Canada and quite well it seems, and by Pontiac dealers but there were also Envoy-badged versions for Chevy dealers. I had no idea about this until I saw a photo of one in a scrapyard!

I have written about the history of the 1952-69 CA vans in VINTAGE ROADSCENE if anyone is ever interested.

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Back in the day I remember the only imports besides Volkswagens were pretty much all British cars. Being a commonwealth it was not surprising. Through about 1970 around town I remember Humber, Singer, Sunbeam, Austin, Morris, MG, Wolesley, Hillman, Jaguar, Vauxhall / Epic, Ford / Thames, and Commer (GM vans?). There were numerous Anglias, Vauxhall Vivas, Epic Envoys, Austin 1100 Saloons, Morris Minors, Sunbeam Impalas plus a few MGA & MGB roadsters, a Vauxhall Cresta, Hillman Minx & an Austin Mini Countryman wagons (woody wagon), Jag XK 120 plus numerous E-types and 3.8 Saloons, the odd Jag 420.

I do remember the Firenza that was introduced for 1971 as the refaced Vauxhall Viva. They were dropped in Canada before the end of the 1972 run due to appalling quality control (or lack thereof). They continued in the U.K. as the Vauxhall Magnum. In Canada we also got leftover 1970 Ford Cortinas redesignated as 1971 models (a class action lawsuit followed), then the next generation Cortina was sold in Canada in 1972 & 1973 (those never made it to the U.S.)

CHRYSLER

BY DAVID O. HAYWARD

The history of Chrysler cars and commercials in the UK goes back to the days of the Maxwells, and the setting-up by Walter P. Chrysler of his own company. By the early 1930s, Chryslers had set-up an importation and assembly operation near the world-famous Royal Botanical Gardens, on the banks of the River Thames in Mortlake Road, Kew, Surrey. There were in fact two companies, Chrysler Motors Limited which imported Chryslers and Plymouths, e.g. the Airflow models which were named after Aerodromes and Surrey towns, and Dodge Brothers (Britain) Limited which imported and assembled Dodge and De Soto chassis. These were all RHD and included Canadian-built cars as well as US-built, the Canadian parts incurring less duty as a result of being in the Empire, then the Commonwealth.

Assembly finished at Kew by the mid-1960s, though there had always been up until then imports of Canadian RHD Dodge, De Soto, and Plymouth cars, including the Canadian Plodge Dodge Kingsway, De Soto Diplomat, and Plymouth Fury. Mirroring the South African  Chrysler subsidiary, imports continued right up until towards the end of 1969 Calendar Year, though imports of other  North American Chrysler Corporation products continued with a break until Chryslers re-entered the market a few years ago with their new facility near Dover, Kent which was set-up to import the very successful Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee and Wrangler 4x4s, and now the Dodge Viper, Plymouth Prowler, Chrysler Voyager, and the Chrysler Neon.They also sell a few Chrysler Corporation cars, such as the New Yorker for those who want a luxury car with difference. Chrysler UK took-over from AMC after a short gap when the importation of AMC cars and  Jeeps finished [conversions of the latter being undertaken to RHD with a chain-drive system]. However, the last RHD Chrysler products were in fact 1969-model US-built, at Hamtranck, US plant, and badged as Plymouth Barracudas in the UK and Australia, Valiant Barracudas in South Africa [assembled CKD, six-cylinder engines only?}. The prototype RHD car, #25 was imported in early summer 1968, and possibly the one exhibited at the 1968 Motor Show. This car I have photographed, and I hope that it still, exists. This car was advertised by Warwick Wright Motors Limited, a Rootes Group-owned dealership chain, and therefore Chrysler subsidiary. The story of this marketing I will come onto shortly. In due course, Chryslers bought all the Rootes Group shares, and changed their name to Chrysler (UK)Ltd., ultimately selling out to the French PSA [Talbot, Peugeot, Citroen Group]. Thus, the latest Chrysler operation and Peugeot UK have no connection whatsoever. Does this not mirror to a certain extent Chryslers selling-up to Mitsubishi in 1980, and the recent return of Chrysler with the Jeeps, etc.? As a matter of interest, AMCs were sold here by Rambler Motors, then American Motors, though until the  Javelins and AM Gremlins [which were also converted to RHD here] were badged as Ramblers. However, the Rambler name was dropped in the UK before AMI ceased assembly of  their 1976 Matadors, which must lay claim to the last use of the Rambler name worldwide?  Matadors were still being sold here in 1977, thoough N. American-sourced. AMCs were imported from the USA, Canada, and also from their Belgian assembly plant in LHD form. Renault ran the Belgian plant, which exported throughout Continental Europe and of course in the end  they  owned AMC outright, before selling-up to Chyrslers as before. All these companies were thus intertwined in the UK, just as in Australia.

The last RHD Canadian Chrysler Corp. cars imported were, as mentioned above, in the 1966 Model Year, but probably, as elsewhere, imports continued into 1967. Canadian imports were handled in Canada by Chrysler International in Windsor, Ontario, and then through Chrysler International in Belgium which was in charge of European imports. Until 1969? when Chrysler International had set-up an office in Bowater House, Knightsbridge, London, imports were handled by the aforementioned Kew companies. At the 1965 London Motor Show, there were on the Chrysler Motors Stand a Chrysler Imperial Le Baron 4-Door Hardtop, LHD with 440 V8, posibly US-sourced, a Plymouth Fury III V8 4-Door Saloon RHD with 318 V8, Plymouth Barracuda 2 Door HT LHD with the 273 V8 and Plymouth Valiant 200 4-Door Saloon, RHD with the 225 inch Six and the 3-speed Torqueflite as with the others.  On the Dodge Brothers Stand next door were a Dodge Polara 880 V8 Convertible RHD with 318 V8, 880 V8 4-Door Saloon, again RHD and 318 V8, together with I believe a RHD Dodge Dart. The Chrysler advertisement in the Show catalogue had the familiar Pentastar, and VALIANT, PLYMOUTH, CHRYSLER, DART, DODGE, IMPERIAL emblazoned, note the branding of Valiant and Dart. See price lists below.

However, for the 1967 Model Year, Chrysler International had decided, as would Ford for 1967, and Chevrolet/Pontiac for 1969, that the Australian subsidiary was to provide RHD cars worldwide, save for South Africa which had its own versions of North American Chrysler Corp. cars, some CKD until 1970? Chrysler International SA in Belgium appointed Chrysler Motors Ltd., to be the Concessionaires, and Warwick Wright Ltd. to be the Distributors of the new Australian cars, which were announced in time for the October London Show in Autocar magazine, 16th October 1966.  They were all of the VC Valiant series, and the models imported initially were:

Medium Saloon

Medium Safari Estate Car

Regal Highline Saloon Automatic

Regal Highline Safari

Premium V-8 Saloon

Premium Safari Estate Car

Prices after tax went up from £1795.0. to £2545.0.0, which was about the cost of a Mustang. Engines were to be the 3690 cc Six and 4.5 Litre V8, with Auto. transmission only. The other weekly magazine, Motor tested a VC Valiant Safari Wagon with the 3.6 L Six in their 17th December 1966 issue, and quoted a Top Speed of 92.8 mph, and 17.7 mpg overall fuel consumption. Sale price was £1945.0.0, same more-or-less as the Jaguar 420 Auto.: a lot of money, yet Jags. were always such incredible value over here then! Specialist Rootes Group dealers sold Aussie Chryslers on a shared- commission basis with Warwick Wright, similar to the Ford set-up.

At the October 1966 Motor Show were the Aussie Chrysler Valiant Medium 4-Door Station Wagon in white with 225 in Six, Torqueflite Auto. transmission with manual 3-speed to order, Valiant Regal 4-Door Saloon again in white with the 225 Six and Auto. trans. with manual to order, Valiant Premium 4-Door Station Wagon in green with 273 V8 and Torqueflite, and the Valiant Premium 4-Door Saloon in gold as per the Wagon. This car may have been the one photographed for the Autocar piece in fact.

I would mention at this point that several large Humbers were fitted with US or Canadian Chrysler V-8s instead of the standard British-built Six as an experiment, to see if they could compete in the same market? Is it coincidence that in the end the Aussie end of the Corporation were appointed to be sole suppliers of big RHD V-8 cars? After the big Humbers were dropped by Rootes in 1968, the new Humbers were based on the Hillman Arrow series, a family-size saloon upgraded. Lovely as they were, Rootes  could not have competed in that segment of the market with such anachronistic designs.

For the 1967 Model Year, there were apparently only two models imported, VE Valiant Saloon and Estate Car were imported, possibly the Regal Six. The 1968 models were the VE models again. Autocar magazine quoted 106 mph Top Speed, 0-60 mph in 11.3 seconds, and 18 mpg typical fuel consumption for the Valiant saloon.

The 1969 models included the VF Regal 770 Saloon and Estate Car and also the  VIP. At the 1969 London Show, there were apparently no Aussie Chryslers, though Rootes Motors Ltd. (Dodge Division), successor to Dodge Bros. (Britain) Ltd. of Devonshire House, Piccadilly, London W1 [just around the corner from Lincoln Cars Limited in 88 Regent Street] were exhibiting the Dodge Challenger 2-Door HT with the 318 V8, Charger R/T 2-Door Notchback HT, with 440 Wedge V8, and Plymouth Sport Fury 4-Door HT with 383 V8. Chrysler International SA of Knightsbridge, near Harrods store, was exhibiting the Chrysler Imperial Le Baron 4-Door HT with 440 V8, Chrysler 300 2-Door HT with the 440 V8 and a Chrysler 300 Convertible with the 440 again.

The 1970 VG, and 1971 VH Regal Saloons and Estates, all Automatics and 245 and 265 Hemi-Six engines respectively, were sold, though I believe that they were the Regal models. Also, the VH Charger [770?] though this did not appear in the Weekly Price Lists it seems. I have photographed a VG Regal Saloon, which seems to have been registered as late as 1972. The words 160 BHP featured prominently in the badging. For 1972 Model Year, the VH was again available, in Saloon and Estate Car versions, Automatics only. The CH Chrysler by Chrysler model featured in the 1974 Price Lists, but since this was launched in April 1973, I query whether they unsold stock of what were in effect 1973 models? I query whether any 1972 Model CH saloons were also sold here alongside the VH Valiants.

For 1973 Model Year, the VJ Valiants were available in Regal Saloon Automatic form with the 265 Hemi-Six of 4473 c.c. as before, the Regal Estate Car Automatic with the 5210c.c. 318 V8, the Charger Automatic with the 318 V8 and either the CH or CJ sallon Automatic with the 5900 c.c. V8. As mentioned, I believe that there were still unsold stocks of the CH models in 73. Also, I query whether the V8 was an option in the Saloon and the Hemi-Six in thje Estate version.

The 1974 models were again, the VJ Valiants, available as the Regal Saloon, with Automatic Transmission and the 4342c.c. Six, the Regal Estate Car with the 4.3 Litre Six, the Charger with the 5211c.c. V8 and Auto. transmission, and the [allegedly] CH saloon with the 5211 c.c. V8 and Automatic transmission, though I query if they were in fact the CJ models.

At this stage, it is interesting to note that the Aussie Centura KB was launched in March 1975, since this was a British design being a smaller version of the Hillman Avenger which was sold in Europe as a Sunbeam, and in the USA as the Plymouth ....wait for it.....Cricket! The Chrysler 180 and 2 Litre were built by Chryslers French subsidiary, Simca, though the 180 was the only UK version available initially. The French company exported parts to Chrysler Australia by way or reverse-trading, in 1973, though the first models were not sold until 1975. They were Australianised with the imported 2 Litre  (1981 c.c.) Four, the Valiant Hemi-Six of 3.5 Litres and the 4-Litre Six, replaced by the KC model in 1977. The 2 Litre was the first car I remember as a young man starting-out on a carrer as being Automatic-only, which I gathered at the time was not necessarily what punters wanted. This seems to have been the one-and-only attempt by Chrysler International to effect an exchange of auto. parts, something which is to a certain extent only now happening with GM in Europe and Australasia: after all, multinationals wish to avoid currency exchanges if they can.

During 1975, the known models on sale in the UK were the VK Valiant Regal Saloon Automatic with the 4342 c.c. Hemi-Six, Charger Automatic with the 5211 c.c. V8, and the allegedly model CH [must have been the CJ] Saloon Automatic with the 5900 c.c. V8.

There were no Aussie Chryslers listed in the June 1976 Price Lists, and I believe that the VK models marked the end of importation into the UK. In 1975 Chrysler UK Ltd. had been launched, to replace Rootes, and what were, say, previously badged as Hillmans were re-badged as Chryslers. In due course, Chrysler name was dropped as the PSA Group bought them out, to be renamed Peugeot-Talbot Group, and what vehicles left in dealers showrooms, badged as Chryslers were available to be re-badged as Talbots, a famous name from the past. In the end, Talbot survived only on commercial vehicles and they disappeared as well to become either Peugeot or Citroen commercials or MPVs, or if made by the collaborative ventures, a Fiat or a Lancia. The last Talbot-badged car was a Sunbeam Hatchback incidentally, not one of the former Chrysler UKs design successes!

Why did the Aussie Chryslers not sell in any great numbers, and why no later than 1976? The reasons are plentiful: fuel consumption being more and more important, depreciation, lack of spare parts, exchange-rate fluctuations, pricing in the luxury market a non-luxury car, you name it. However, there is a thriving Owners Club, and I congratulate them on their achievements with regard to tying-together owners for the purposes of meeting, spare parts, etc., and also for buying Restored Cars magazine! The Valiant I mentioned above was photographed at the same time as the prototype Barracuda, at an American Car Meet! And there lies another problem: North American cars were sold at a luxury car price, with extras as standard, but they would-be owner wanted one because it was American, and he was prepared, is prepared, to put up with depreciation which can be severe. I  believe that Aussie Chryslers were bought by the various High Commission staff as well as the various State Government officials based in London: after all, in those days you encouraged us to come-over, and all State Governments had offices near the High Commission in the Strand/Aldwych, central London.

KNOWN PRICE LISTS [POUNDS STERLING]

JUNE 1966                                                                                              £

CANADIAN CHRYSLER VALIANT 200 AUTOMATIC        2085.0.0

BARRACUDA AUTOMATIC                                                 2261.0.0

DODGE POLARA 880  V8 AUTOMATIC                                              2606.0.0

DODGE POLARA CONVERTIBLE AUTOMATIC                 2775.0.0 

JUNE 1967

AUSTRALIAN CHRYSLER VALIANT MEDIUM SALOON   1795.0.0

AUTOMATIC                                                                         1895.0.0

SAFARI ESTATE CAR                                                            1945.0.0

AUTOMATIC                                                                         2045.0.0

VALIANT REGAL HIGHLINE AUTOMATIC SALOON        2045.0.0

SAFARI ESTATE CAR                                                            2195.0.0

VALIANT PREMIUM AUTOMATIC V8 SALOON                                2295.0.0

SAFARI ESTATE CAR                                                            2445.0.0

JUNE 1968

CHRYSLER VALIANT AUTOMATIC SALOON                    2386.00

ESTATE CAR AUTOMATIC                                                 2542.00

JUNE 1969

CHRYSLER VALIANT SALOON AUTOMATIC                    2438.00

ESTATE CAR AUTOMATIC                                                 2597.00

JUNE 1970

CHRYSLER VALIANT AUTOMATIC SALOON                    2438.00

ESTATE CAR AUTOMATIC                                                 2597.00

JUNE 1971

CHRYSLER VALIANT AUTOMATIC SALOON                    2438.00

ESTATE CAR AUTOMATIC                                                                 2597.00

JUNE 1972

CHRYSLER VALIANT SALOON AUTOMATIC                    2258.00

ESTATE CAR AUTOMATIC                                                 2406.00

JUNE 1973

CHRYSLER VALIANT REGAL SALOON AUTOMATIC       2711.00

REGAL ESTATE AUTOMATIC                                                             2908.00

CHARGER AUTOMATIC                                                       2810.00

CHRYSLER BY CHRYSLER AUTOMATIC CH OR CJ           3797.00 !

COMPARISON: DAIMLER DOUBLE-SIX V12 AUTO.             3794.00  

JUNE 1974

CHRYSLER VALIANT REGAL SALOON AUTOMATIC       2818.00

ESTATE CAR AUTOMATIC                                                 3024.00

CHARGER AUTOMATIC                                                       2921.00

CHRYSLER BY CHRYSLER CH OR CJ                                   3947.00

JUNE 1975 [V.A.T. INTRODUCED AUGUST 1974 REDUCING PRICES]

CHRYSLER VALIANT REGAL SALOON               AUTOMATIC         3875.00

CHARGER AUTOMATIC                                                       2767.00

CHRYSLER SALOON CH OR CJ                                             3875.00