1971 Valiant Charger
The Charger was a natural to go racing and a hot "R/T" (Road and Track) version was soon developed. The Charger was built on a shortened sedan platform. The integral rear spoiler was a first for an Australian car
The R/T performance Charger was instantly recognised by its red and black grille bars with halogen driving lights mounted inboard of the headlights. A wide black stripe ran from the centre of the door to encompass the rear deck. A centre black stripe running down the front guards leading from black bonnet patches was optional.
The vehicle pictured above is finished in trademark 'Vitamin C' orange with black stripes, and has been the property of former Australian motorcycle champion Charles Edwards since it was delivered new in Hay, NSW in 1971.
At that stage, the new Charger R/T E38 was being cited as a Monaro GTS/Falcon GTHO beater, both in Australian muscle car circles, and most importantly, at Bathurst.
Built on a shorter wheelbase and 130 kg lighter than any Valiant sedan, the two-door Charger was already pre-disposed to be Chrysler's most sporting Australian model.
In its base specification, the Charger R/T came with a 3.23:1 differential rather than the 2.92:1 standard in other Chargers, six-inch rims, a front anti-roll bar, a rev counter and oil pressure gauge.
Optional was the 'six-pack', with three dual choke Weber carburettors that boosted horsepower by 30 horses to 248 HP. However, if you ordered the ultimate E38 option, you got a higher compression 280HP engine and revised gear ratios. This allowed the E38 to run at Falcon GTHO levels, with the standing quarter mile dropping to 14.8 seconds in a single change of the three-speed manual gearbox, while 0-60 miles per hour (95.5km/h) took only 6.3 seconds.
Over the next few years, Edwards drove the Charger to race meetings around Australia, clocking up more than 80,000 miles. But when he was forced to quit the sport in 1975 for health reasons and take up another occupation, the E38 also retired from regular duties and its registration lapsed in 1984 while it was up on blocks in Edwards' garage.
In the mid-1990s, Edwards took renewed interest in the E38 and decided it needed a little TLC. The result being that over the next nine years a complete bare metal restoration of the Charger occurred, while all its major mechanical components were overhauled by Chrysler enthusiasts, MG Autos in Hay.
The result is an immaculate 1971 Bathurst R/T Charger which will be offered for sale this November at the Shannons Sydney Motor Show auction, with bidding expected in the $70,000-$90,000 price range.
In brief
Valiant Charger VH
Date of introduction: August 1971, R/T E49 Charger released June 1972, E55 3430 V8 released October 1972.
Model line-up: Charger, Charger XL, R/T Charger, 770 Charger
Engines: Hemi 215 - 3.5 litre six; Hemi 245 - 4.0-litre six; Hemi 265 - 4.34 litre six; E37 - 4.34 six; E38 - 4.34 litre six; E49 - 4.34 litre six; 318 V8 - 5.19 litre eight; 340 E55 V8 - 5.57 litre eight.
Transmissions: Base Charger standard with 215 engine and
column mounted 3-speed
manual, 245 engine optional with floor mounted 3-speed manual. Column mounted auto optional.
Charger XL standard with 245 engine, manual floor shift or
column mounted auto.
R/T Charger available only with 265 engine and 3-speed manual transmission. R/T and 770 Chargers available with E37 option. Charger 770 standard with 265 engine. From June 1972 4-speed manual transmission optional on all models except base Charger. From Oct. 1972 Charger 770SE 350 E55 V8 available only with automatic transmission.
Other models: Charger VJ introduced March 1973, VK Charger October 1975 and CL Charger October 1976.
Production: Between 1971 and 1981 31,857 Chargers produced
