E49 Chargers

[4stanger]

Originally Posted by castellan

hell my SLR5000 was rubbish to drive at 200 km/h and over.:

Beware,
LH & LX toranas speedometers were known to tell lies on above 120 km/h, but try to convince a torana owner that back in the day.................. "they actually seen this speed on their speedo"

Edit; before we go "off topic" with speedometer readings on toranas, have a read of this page taken from "Wheels Magazine" back in the day, A test to find Australias fastest car 1977.
http://planetsoarer.com/ford/fast/page7.jpg

Yes the same wheels magazine that always praised the general's products.

[Bushbasher]

I had a mate back in the 80s' who had a LC GTR with a 253 and auto fitted and he reckoned that with the V8 it was stable till about 135-140mph then the front would float and it got scary.

[Rob1964]

I owend a E48 in the mid 80s & it was brilliant
the note from the triple webers was music to my ears
It had been totally rebuilt by a Chrysler mechanic & he said
he spent a lot of time getting the front end right, i must admit it handled
brilliantly in the day! Like most guys have said, more race sucsess would
of helped there cause, but we all know from the old Wheels & Motor mag tests
that they were the fastest 1/4 mile production car out of OZ!
If you want a good modern day comparison you cant go past the F6

[LoudPipes]

I’ve never owned a LC or LJ Torana but I did have an LH and an LX and both were very light and floaty in the front end at speed. Frighteningly so.

My mate had a Hemi Pacer and he raced my SLR5000 from Dunedoo to Gilgandra many moons ago and he killed me in the straights and corners. I must say I’m not the best driver but I also didn’t value my life like today and because I couldn’t catch him in the straights I was throwing it around a bit in the bends which was only slowing me down more. I have a lot of respect for what Chrysler were doing in the early ‘70’s.

[HO 3]

Sounds like some are viewing Chryslers torsion bar suspension through rose coloured glasses perhaps

Cheers Mick

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by Bushbasher

I had a mate back in the 80s' who had a LC GTR with a 253 and auto fitted and he reckoned that with the V8 it was stable till about 135-140mph then the front would float and it got scary.

heres some pics of my old bomb all sleepy looking packing 13" jelly beans





253 4 speed then 308 glide, top end was ******* nuts

[2011G6E]

Yep, no wins at Bathurst. That will do it for a cars "reputation" back in those days.

However, it keeps the prices down for people who know real quality when they see it...

I mean come on...203hp out of a standard 2 barrel 265 hemi, and over 300 out of the E49? What's not to like?

I remember a radio advert from about 1980 when Valiants were nearly gone. It had two guys talking about buying a new car.
"I'm going to buy a big six"
"What, a Holden with the 3.3ltr six?"
"Nah, a big six".
"What, a Falcon with the 4.1 six?"
"Nah mate, a real big six...the Valiant with the 4.3ltr hemi Electronic Lean Burn six cylinder with even better economy than before!"

Sorry for the crap photo quality...but that's the curse of the days before digital cameras when most people only had 110 instamatics. That's a freshly-turned-18-year-old me sitting behind the wheel back in early 1982. I traded this car...on a Holden Sunbird because I literally couldn't keep up with the fuel bills. Worked 265, 500 two barrel, E49 design extractors and cam, and head work. By christ did it go! Gobbled about fifty bucks of fuel a week...when petrol was only 36 cents a liter...

I still miss this car Every. Single. Damn. Day. A saner person would have kept it and put it in the back yard under a tarp, but back then even a Charger was just a cheap old car. At the same time a mate of mine paid $4000 for a genuine XY GT, and I remember Monaros being a dime a dozen as well.

If I win lotto and build my dream shed, there won't be a Ferrari in it, there won't be a Lambo or anything else exotic...there'll be a few Valiant Chargers, a genuine E49 and an E55 with the excellent 340 cube V8 (the 318 and 360 were just basically underpowered truck motors) and a wild modified one for every day use.

[XW-BAXR6T]

i miss mine after 25 years also 2011G6E. Only had it for 9 months but the memories seem a life time. My new girl BA XR6T kinda rekindled some of those memories as she handles similar to my charger 770 in suspension & power. Im betting my BA XR6T will become the favorite of all time, for me its like the old girl reincarnated to the BA XR6T.

[Blue Roo]

The Kiwis love the Charger, as it was suited to there race tracks. The kiwis could see there was a lot of potential in the car and did lot of race development. This is why the Charger was so successful in touring car racing in NZ.
The Charger would beat all the other makes including Holden and Ford on the track. It even beat Moffats Factory GTHO Phase 3 (who was the man & the team to beat at the time) on quiet a few occasions.
Moffat got feed up been beaten, packed up and went home. The kiwis revered the Charger as being the best muscle car of the era. To the Kiwis the Charger is God.

[XW-BAXR6T]

Finally found pics of the old girl. She was a worked 265 hemi with 500 holey carb, 2.5 inch genie extractors internal was told by a mechanic was E49 specs on cam push rods etc 265 was also bored out .40 thou found out when i changed the head gasket. She looked mean with 7 inch tyres on front with 10 inch at rear with traction bars which i added later always picked on by cops. All engine work was done by previous owner, she cost me $1,900 to buy back in 1985.

[Kal]

Originally Posted by HO 3

Sounds like some are viewing Chryslers torsion bar suspension through rose coloured glasses perhaps

Cheers Mick

I loved my 318 charger dearly, but yeah that front end setup was crap, great car to own tho, and I really miss the comfort, the low low seats, driving position, engine noises etc

[XW-BAXR6T]

That reminds me why i never got to install a sterio in mine kal, loved that screaming engine

[G6T]

Originally Posted by wildrider

while no disrespect to the XU1 I like them (like most Holdens up till 1988) they where quick into and out of corners and handled well, compared to the Falcon and Charger they were pretty much out gunned when it came to straight line speed. thou for what they where they were quick thou just not as fast as the other two.

as harry firth has said a few extra goodies went into that xu1 it was int the same as rest, whereas the e49 on the day was straight off the showroom floor.

[G6T]

Originally Posted by DJR-351

Not totally bs but often the actual story gets blurred......

The car was running up front most of the day, and at a late pitstop for tyres the crew decided to fit new wheelnuts, when they tried to put the new cold nuts on the hot studs they jammed solid and it took some time to remove them whereupon the old nuts where fitted with new wheels/tyres

It's was believed that the long pit stop cost them the race......

my old mate who owned x gagen e49 said he was in doug chivers pits & watch them put old wheels & tires back on the hot nuts wouldn't go into cold rims,umless they did onother stop u might b talking about.

[G6T]

i've been passenger & driver 2 different times when flywheel let go sheared bolts came thu bellhousing & tunnel nearly took our legs off.ripped motor out put it in buggy webers & all couldn't keep front wheels on ground haha fun then put it back in car.4 big boys melting tiers 2 & 3 gear roll ons over 8 grand.

[mcnews]

Originally Posted by HO 3

Sounds like some are viewing Chryslers torsion bar suspension through rose coloured glasses perhaps

Cheers Mick

They handled okay mate to be honest in R/T form. The biggest difference in the real drive behind the wheel came with the switch to a faster ratio steering box. You just can't find one (R/T 16:1 Steering box) for love or money now, as they really do transform the car from the wheel. Gone is the 1/3 of a turn of slop each way from centre or while having to dial on and off lock at the wheel, instead you get a fast and comparably accurate response to the tiller.

They were a light car, with a lot more torque down low and into the mid than a HO (HO had considerably more up top but down low the E49 was a torque monster- huge stroke combined with an inlet port and carburettor throttle for each individual cylinder was what did it - You can make 265s sing up top with four barrels etc. but you can't make torque like you can with those Webers - Which by the way were made for purpose with two Aussie Valiants shipped to Italy where over 10,000 miles were done by Weber personnel designing the specialist set-up for the Hemi - This is why those with aftermarket set-ups generally whinge about going out of tune etc, the original Weber set-up was just ace and I never had to fettle mine at all).

And they couldn't have handled too bad as I was doing tarmac hillclimbs in my concours condition E49 (biante bought it to make models from) completely standard everything including even right part numbers on shocks and mufflers... And running period size 205 Goodyear NCT rubber while competing against often more than 50 WRX Subarus in Hillclimb and Motorkhana State rounds in WA, and I would always be quicker than at least half the WRX entries which I used to find hilarious as they were the new pocket supercar and even came with four wheel grip and G-A-S-P brakes :-)

My first car was a 318 4-speed Charger which within weeks was stroked to 355, had a fully-manualised reverse pattern 727 and disc brake nine inch. Was a great car, had it running on Avgas, stally etc. Wound the speedo round past the H on the KM/H and then the needle fell off :-) Did a measured 550 metre long top gear burnout (340 Eagers had just came out and just had to try them out :-) . Then I went to have a look at an E49 just out of curiosity, never considered a six-cylinder Charger as I was V8 all the way... Drove the E49.... Saw the bank manager the next day and bought it..... Was an absolutely epic drive even compared to my hotted up V8 Charger. One of my best memories was a drive from Perth to Albany (for a Great Southern Street Machine Association Navigation Rally, airport drags, motorkhana etc.) and and back via all the back roads (quindanning etc.) where on all the tight roads we took the advisory corner speed signs to mean MPH and my best mate coined me the nickname one gallon Trev, as every overtaking move meant down a couple of cogs and make those Webers suck the ozone layer in :-) (including the competition driving etc. in Albany etc. though we averaged 15.2mpg over the 750 mile weekend - this was years after people already were not driving them and putting them in cotton wool)

The original owner of my E49 was a Kalgoorlie doctor that traded a Phase Three HO in to get the E49. My E49 has been a feature car in Mopar Action (US Chrysler magazine) and also has four pages in the hard cover book 'Spotlight on Valiant Charger'.

A few years ago the collector that now has my car, and also bought a lot of the other cars in the Biante collection when founder Trevor Young died, asked me if I wanted to come and have a look at the car and see how perfect he had it, I told him that I am only interested if I can come and take it for a good flog, as having that car sit there and not be driven hard is downright criminal :-) The car was beautiful when I had it and won Best Paint, Best Muscle Car etc. at shows, but I drove the wheels off it at every opportunity, and as beautiful and special as it was, it will be the times behind the wheel going bonkers that really stick with me and make the memory of that car truly special.

[HO 3]

Originally Posted by mcnews

They handled okay mate to be honest in R/T form. The biggest difference in the real drive behind the wheel came with the switch to a faster ratio steering box. You just can't find one (R/T 16:1 Steering box) for love or money now, as they really do transform the car from the wheel. Gone is the 1/3 of a turn of slop each way from centre or while having to dial on and off lock at the wheel, instead you get a fast and comparably accurate response to the tiller.

They were a light car, with a lot more torque down low and into the mid than a HO (HO had considerably more up top but down low the E49 was a torque monster- huge stroke combined with an inlet port and carburettor throttle for each individual cylinder was what did it - You can make 265s sing up top with four barrels etc. but you can't make torque like you can with those Webers - Which by the way were made for purpose with two Aussie Valiants shipped to Italy where over 10,000 miles were done by Weber personnel designing the specialist set-up for the Hemi - This is why those with aftermarket set-ups generally whinge about going out of tune etc, the original Weber set-up was just ace and I never had to fettle mine at all).

And they couldn't have handled too bad as I was doing tarmac hillclimbs in my concours condition E49 (biante bought it to make models from) completely standard everything including even right part numbers on shocks and mufflers... And running period size 205 Goodyear NCT rubber while competing against often more than 50 WRX Subarus in Hillclimb and Motorkhana State rounds in WA, and I would always be quicker than at least half the WRX entries which I used to find hilarious as they were the new pocket supercar and even came with four wheel grip and G-A-S-P brakes :-)

My first car was a 318 4-speed Charger which within weeks was stroked to 355, had a fully-manualised reverse pattern 727 and disc brake nine inch. Was a great car, had it running on Avgas, stally etc. Wound the speedo round past the H on the KM/H and then the needle fell off :-) Did a measured 550 metre long top gear burnout (340 Eagers had just came out and just had to try them out :-) . Then I went to have a look at an E49 just out of curiosity, never considered a six-cylinder Charger as I was V8 all the way... Drove the E49.... Saw the bank manager the next day and bought it..... Was an absolutely epic drive even compared to my hotted up V8 Charger. One of my best memories was a drive from Perth to Albany (for a Great Southern Street Machine Association Navigation Rally, airport drags, motorkhana etc.) and and back via all the back roads (quindanning etc.) where on all the tight roads we took the advisory corner speed signs to mean MPH and my best mate coined me the nickname one gallon Trev, as every overtaking move meant down a couple of cogs and make those Webers suck the ozone layer in :-) (including the competition driving etc. in Albany etc. though we averaged 15.2mpg over the 750 mile weekend - this was years after people already were not driving them and putting them in cotton wool)

The original owner of my E49 was a Kalgoorlie doctor that traded a Phase Three HO in to get the E49. My E49 has been a feature car in Mopar Action (US Chrysler magazine) and also has four pages in the hard cover book 'Spotlight on Valiant Charger'.

A few years ago the collector that now has my car, and also bought a lot of the other cars in the Biante collection when founder Trevor Young died, asked me if I wanted to come and have a look at the car and see how perfect he had it, I told him that I am only interested if I can come and take it for a good flog, as having that car sit there and not be driven hard is downright criminal :-) The car was beautiful when I had it and won Best Paint, Best Muscle Car etc. at shows, but I drove the wheels off it at every opportunity, and as beautiful and special as it was, it will be the times behind the wheel going bonkers that really stick with me and make the memory of that car truly special.

Oh dear

Cheers Mick

[XW-BAXR6T]

I envy all of those who owned an RT E49....

[nuthin' fancy]

In 1987 I had a choice of a 351 XY Fairmont sedan or an E55 Charger.

Bought the XY (only had it 6 months, too much fuel and tyre costs) and I always suspected I made the wrong choice.

[XW-BAXR6T]

Forgot to mention, my old girl had both air con & power steering from factory. Only seen or heard a few of them. Any one else seen em out there with both air con & power steering on VH 770 1972? common? Im wondering if she would been a keeper if rare...Id be more sad if that is the case...

[HO 3]

Originally Posted by XW-BAXR6T

Forgot to mention, my old girl had both air con & power steering from factory. Only seen or heard a few of them. Any one else seen em out there with both air con & power steering on VH 770 1972? common? Im wondering if she would been a keeper if rare...Id be more sad if that is the case...

Yep sorry to hear about your loss..........loosing a girlfriend with aircon and power steer would be a terrible loss It's okay it's me not you

Cheers Mick

[G6T]

well done ^^ i feel sorry 4 the people that haven't driven 1,nothing like a e49 webers & the torque pulled harder then a 14 year old lol,wish i had of bought my mates 1 big tank twin fillers rest of a84 track pack he sold it 2 some bloke in charger club 10 or 11 grand at time they didn't believe it was originally built that way some years later apparently realized it was. be worth a bit of coin now if still around.

[HO 3]

Originally Posted by nuthin' fancy

In 1987 I had a choice of a 351 XY Fairmont sedan or an E55 Charger.

Bought the XY (only had it 6 months, too much fuel and tyre costs) and I always suspected I made the wrong choice.

Yep sorry to hear, I suspect if you had purchased the Charger both your fuel and tyre costs would of been more economical

Cheers Mick

[HO 3]

Originally Posted by G6T

well done ^^ i feel sorry 4 the people that haven't driven 1,nothing like a e49 webers & the torque pulled harder then a 14 year old lol,wish i had of bought my mates 1 big tank twin fillers rest of a84 track pack he sold it 2 some bloke in charger club 10 or 11 grand at time they didn't believe it was originally built that way some years later apparently realized it was. be worth a bit of coin now if still around.

^^^^ This time it's u and. Not me.

Cheers MIck

[G6T]

same mate had 12 vals at 1 time 4 vips e38 e49 could go on but he had light blue e55 4 speed he said it was only 1 built had it 4 5 days & it got t boned he pulled motor out & put in black nissan e20 van with slr 5000 flares 15x14 back 10x14 front 12 slotters i think 727 g box stall modded the motor heaps 4 back in the day used 2 lay big black lines.

[MethodX]

Great cars.
Anyone had or have a VH Pacer? Always liked those, would luv to have one.

[2011G6E]

Too many people nowadays judge suspension and brakes of these old girls (Falcons, Chargers, Toranas, etc) by the standards of today.
Hell, even an Aurion would out-perform and outcorner a "supercar" of the early seventies.

People now grow up driving cars in an era when there are no truly "bad" cars. They expect them...even cheap ones...to handle adequately and stop well and perform nicely. Give them the keys to something from the seventies and they'll think something is seriously wrong with the car because even "performance" versions don't handle, don't stop real well, and have the chassis dynamics of a billy cart...compared to modern cars.
However, at the time, these things were amazing and revolutionary in their performance, and if you compare them to what they should be compared with, ie:, the standard versions of the car they were developed from at the time, they're amazing pieces of kit.

It's similar with motorbikes, maybe even more so. My 1974 Kawasaki H2-750 two stroke triple is a prime example. It was a superbike, the fastest accelerating 750cc bike for a long time, and could out run much bigger bikes, with shattering performance for the era.
However, show a modern motorcyclist (especially one who is used to stuff like modern superbikes) the thin frame tubing, the long swingarm (the "hinge" you might have heard about), the skinny forks (36mm diameter...some kids pit bikes have bigger forks than that now), the single stainless steel front disk brake "gripped" by a single piston 40mm caliper, smallish rear drum brake, and skinny tyres, and they'll be honestly shocked that this could have once been state of the art on a superbike. If I had a dollar for every time someone has said a comment to me like "It's a wonder you're not a dead man riding something with that pitiful equipment but that much performance!", I'd be moderately wealthy.


Look back and love the old cars, but it's best not to try and compare them to anything made today in too great a level of detail.

[G6T]

yep agreed^^ mate owned suzuki gt750 water bottle,i had ducati gt900 1976 last of spring head usa version,bloke down road owned 1 kawasaki 750 triple they were insane in there day,latter years i had a yamaha rz 500 v4.

[CyberWasp]

If you are restoring one of these there is an American Company that makes a new IFS front end kit for them. They used to advertise it on their web page in the Mopar A or B Body section for RHD Australian Chargers but the web site has been redesigned since I last looked.
http://www.freakride.com/
I know you can also upgrade the rear with a watts link kit also. Handling can vastly be improved to more modern day cars if you have the coin.

[2011G6E]

Wasn't it the same mob that does the rack and pinion conversions and modern strut front ends for old Falcons?

A quick search showed up one kit from a trusted company here in Oz, "Hemi Performance". They've been around for decades and are just about the go-to place for Valiant modification equipment. They do amazing engine work as well.
http://www.hemiperformance.com.au/st...20AND%20PINION

They also do a lot of upgraded engine and suspension parts that modernise the old cars while keeping them looking the part...improvements on stuff like oil pumps and bushings and other problem areas.

Or, they do crate engines like this little gem in their catalogue...
http://www.hemiperformance.com.au/st...c-Crate-Engine

And, finally, on their site I found a decent resolution image of my absolute, all time favourite piece of Australian car advertising...the "Believe" ad showing an engine being run at peak revs on an engine dyno during testing. Awesome...