FULL STORY of Dodge's Ugliest Car: The 1961-1962 Dodge Lancer (Slant Six)

[@fanguy247b9]

Call me crazy but honestly I think it’s a work of art.

[@youtbe999]

It's nicer than any jellybean car of today.

[@John-wg6xw]

Me too. I didn't think so before but I agree now.

[@UberLummox]

Oh hell yeah. The design works better viewed in person. The rear end is sexy. Love the wagon version!

[@patrickpendergast9251]

I agree!

[@gordtulk]

It’s a work of something…

[@xnihilo64]

Might be homely, but the Slant6 is one of the finest engines ever built.

[@kennethanway7979]

Leaning tower of power! Vastly underated!

[@adoreslaurel]

'cept, the Carter ball and ball carb was an abomination of a design, the tops warped evey time you tightened the top down, no webbing in the sides of the body. other than that I got a great run out of my 65 model, that autobox was the best ever made.

[@kennethanway7979]

@adoreslaurel what is the Carter ball? Serious question!

[@Houndini]

I personally saw how tough them slant 6’s were. A friend sadly pasted away now had 1 in a Dodge ram Tk. He open that Tk wide open sound like running 10,000 rpm’s & burn them tires off. Everyone watching & waiting for the pistons start flying out. Never did. When he sold it Tk still ran fine didn’t smoke or nothing. 1 very tough engine. He was tough on vehicles they wasn’t a body panel 1 that didn’t have a dent in it. Pulled in 1 day I was looked at it. That hood ornament ram somebody had put a band aid on it. I just about hit the ground a laughing.

[@frederickbooth7970]

@@Houndini The picture in my mind of the band-aid on the hood ornament gave me this mornings chuckle!😃

[@stevejacobs8375]

That IS NOT an ugly car ! I'm 70yrs old and liked them when they were new !

[@myronfrobisher]

ME TOO !!!

[@buffdelcampo]

I'm 70 too. When I was six, the woman next door bought a 1960 Valiant. I thought it was great looking. She took me for a ride in it. I liked them ever since. People affectionately call those cars the Road Toads. They are some of the favorite Mopars.

[@OldRustySteele]

I am also a “1954 model” so I’m also 70 years old Like you, I LIKED the looks of the Valiant and the Lancer! They were far more interesting than the plain Falcon, Corvair. Although by ‘63, Ford gave the Falcon a few more sheet metal tweaks to make it look better.

[@fredmullison4246]

Totally agree. I was 11 years old in 1962 and I thought the Plymouth Valiant was absolutely the coolest looking car I had ever seen!

[@davel7014]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. To me, it was ugly as sin

[@CKT1138]

I'm not blind right? This thing looks awesome

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

I agree!!

[@lrich8181]

Ditto! I like it! The Lancer has personality.

[@gerry-p9x]

Kinda like theaztek.

[@eleventy-seven]

So cool. In black it would look outstanding

[@MelodyMan69]

@@CKT1138 Your right. It was BIG in Australia. 🇦🇺 I remember the 225 CID Slant 6 Engine and Push Button Transmission switches in the Dashboard. Cool as.

[@bullnukeoldman3794]

I was a car-nut 10 year old when these appeared. Lancers and Valiants, to me, were and are great looking cars and very different from those of other manufacturers at that time. I guess that beauty, as always, is in the eye of the beholder.

[@mdogg1604]

Yes they were good cars with the then new slant six. I really like the style of the '63-'67 Valiants.

[@m87orion]

Yes, look at 90's Skylark if you want to see ugly. This is like an upscale Barracuda.

[@jeffbrinkerhoff5121]

Lancer-Valiant looked streamlined compared to the boxy competition (Falcons, Corvairs, Studebaker Larks).

[@paulferguson3038]

I remember these Valiants in Australia also when I was 10 years old as well. Lovely looking car and worth a lot of money now in Oz

[@josephscionti4680]

I totally agree! I think their style was very unique and classy

[@johnjessey6955]

That “61” Lancer is an absolutely stunningly, gorgeous vehicle! ❤️

[@josephgaviota]

My dad had customers with both Lancers and Valients ... and they were _FINE,_ reliable cars. Since I have that good memory of them, I think they're NICE.

[@UberLummox]

They were EXCellent cars that drove really well. Way more of a car than a Falcon ever was.

[@bloqk16]

The Valiants of the '60s decade were remarkably dependable transportation. While the other Plymouths and Dodges of the same age would be in the scrapyard, the Valiants would still be on-the-road.

[@UberLummox]

@@bloqk16 Strongly disagree with that. There were no Dodges, Plyms., or Chryslers for that matter, that were really any less strong or dependable than a Valiant/Lancer. 273, 318 big block & LA, 361, 383, 413, 440, & 426 were ALL amazing engines, and the cars themselves were just larger versions of the A-body.

[@richardracette6162]

I had a '62 Valient in the late 60s and early 70s. It was a great car. My wife and I referred to it as out "Super Valient."

[@pampoovey3281]

yea they were all over my middle class town. I didn't appreciate the styling then but I sure do now.

[@Galaxie500IN]

This has aged very well. Ugly is what’s on our lots nowadays.

[@Joe-d7m6k]

CORRECT, AND THANK YOU!!!

[@Maximus20778]

This hasn't aged well, stop lying

[@XCELERATIONRULES]

That ugly car smokes every current model produced today. At least it stands out.

[@marckyle5895]

I'm tired of the Cylon insect theme out there in Designerland.

[@gabrielv.4358]

It's serviceable

[@oldsguy354]

I have to agree. I was very young when these were new but as soon as I saw the thumbnail I knew right away that it was a Chrysler product, and not a bad looking one. I will admit that I thought it was a Valiant at first glance. You could park a late model Chrysler in my driveway and I wouldn't be able to tell you who built it without looking at the emblems. That last picture Adam showed of the wagon with a newer car in the background, I have no idea what that is, and I couldn't even tell you what country it came from. It's very hard to tell different models apart anymore, and what happened to car color options? It seems like the only choices are white, silver, and black these days...almost like they are intentionally making them all look alike.

[@kaybroughton9004]

Push button drive at 11:40... Brings back such fun sweet memories. My parents moved to the New Jersey suburbs in 1963 and our neighbors next door had a Valiant that looked very much like the Lancer... We used to get in that car and push all the buttons and pretend to drive everywhere... A sweet memory of how safe and strong we felt in that car... How much fun we had... Unmeasurable. I'd love one!

[@McVaio]

​@@oldsguy354 You wouldn't be able to recognize a Chrysler 300 or Dodge Challenger??

[@daijones101]

We got the Chrysler Valiant in Australia with the 225 and push button auto. They were a great car.

[@kenchristie9214]

The Australian 1962 R Series Valiant with the bench seats and the 3 speed manual on the floor was every teenage boy's dream car.

[@barrykochverts4149]

14" wheels on them, right?

[@FloridaBiker-t3b]

I would so drive that thing today.

[@deltavee2]

I'd drop a 383 in it with a 4-speed. Talk about a sleeper!

[@glennredwine289]

​@deltavee2 what I really would like would be 2.8L 24 valve inline-6. With a 383 V8 you are condemned to poor mileage ALL the time, with a 4 valve/ cylinder you can good mileage when you want it but power when you need it or want it...

[@deltavee2]

@@glennredwine289 Have to agree, Glenn. A straight six is always a good way to go. I had them in my Austin-Healey 3000s back in the '60s. Plenty of bottom end but the tech was nothing like it is today. My fave was a '67 350SS Camaro. Monster torque and after a little fiddling the usable revs were substantial. Chased down 383 Dodge Darts with it. 'Course that was back when the cost of gas was 'who cares' per gallon. The family ride had a 240 cubic inch straight six in a '66 Mercury Park Lane station wagon that had monster torque and a three-in-the-tree, HD suspension and heavy duty everything on 8.55-15s so of course I chased sports cars with it, successfully. I have to agree with you, though. My favourite engine was always a straight six. Properly set up they always punched above their weight. Today's tech...a capable straight-six with an electric motor in the driveline - Ye Gods! Back in the '60s that would have been Voodoo. Cheers from Ottawa CDA and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

[@mrkeopele]

me too

[@uralbob1]

Me too!

[@RonaldoSantos-pw6yh]

I love cars and their story. I'm brazilian, and watching your vids helps me a lot to improve my English! Thank you for your nice work man, and have a nice holidays!

[@opera93]

Thanks, for Comments….. Interestingly, other Countries *& Viewpoints are INTERESTING! …..wish I could Visit your Country, though at 77 Years “young” & just relocated to HELENA, MT : for life’s end, etc. (Also, our two,children live here also)…….ps: my Maternal Grandparents had one of these VALIANTS …..IN 1961[[?]].

[@kevinbrowndc]

It’s beautiful. Gorgeous, lovely, stunning

[@davidkastin4240]

@kevinbrowndc I couldn't agree more. I just love these Lancers and Valiants.

[@cdes68]

It does look real nice in white.

[@CDKDC]

@@cdes68 I like that white 2 door.

[@glennspreeman1634]

Falcon was the most pathetic excuse, to each their own.

[@dewardroy6531]

Somehow not so visually distant from my mom’s 1962 Comet.

[@ScatPackRob]

My 1st car was a 1961 Lancer 4 door with the 225 slant 6. Thanks for the memories.

[@Earlywinters09]

My grandfather had the Plymouth Valiant version of this car. I loved that thing when I was a kid. It was also the start of my affection for the venerable slant 6. Thanks for featuring this cool little car!

[@GregPerryman-kk2gs]

It wasn't just the "tower of power", it was the "leaning tower of power"! When I was very young in the early 60's, Lancers and Valiants were standard issue in our driveway. My favorite was a 63 Valiant, much improved over the earlier Lancers.

[@UberLummox]

Right!!!

[@EJohnDanton]

Yep - a riff on the leaning tower of Pisa.

[@jeffmiller3150]

The "Tower of Power" was the Mercury Marine vertical inline 6 cylinder outboard engine.

[@tonyyglesias7784]

The Lancer is AWESOME, not ugly at all, an American work of art...🇺🇸

[@Maximus20778]

It looks hideous, stop lying

[@philipfrancis2728]

This is the car my parents took me home in and owned until 1965 when the transmission gave up. I remember the car as a toddler and I loved it. It looked like my toy spaceships.

[@UberLummox]

Same here! But it was a tictac green base model 2dr. Valiant. Bought new - Dad drove the wheels off of it.

[@BonFShaw]

I went through two transmissions. Loved the pushbuttons and the car. It had power steering that you could turn with your little finger.

[@Cougracer67]

So the transmission failed at only 4 years old?? Tell me again how "they don't make them like they used to"! Be glad they don't! Those '60's Chrysler products rusted out in one winter, too!

[@UberLummox]

@@Cougracer67 The 904 was generally a fine trans.

[@UberLummox]

And ChryCo. was using galvanized rockers and dipped their body shells up to the roof in primer by 1960, so they rusted less than others.

[@stephencragg7657]

They were badged a Valiant in Australia. Extremely collectible now. They look so good.

[@rnreajr9184]

Grandma had a "62. Black with a red interior. Even as a kid I thought thought that car was fugly. But she loved it, and drove it until she couldn't drive anymore. Memories...

[@kimmathis1945]

Granny had style!

[@craigjones2878]

In Australia they were simply named Valiant, sedans only. They were received well by the public.

[@marksommers6764]

Valiant was it's own car company and shortly distilled by the larger conglomerate .

[@cosmo5254]

I'd love to have a nice RHD Valiant here in the States. Do you see many still on the roads down under?

[@craigjones2878]

@ unfortunately no, whilst they were popular they were only available in small numbers. I’ve seen maybe ten all up in fifty odd years. At the time Holden had a 138 CI engine, the Falcon had the 144 and 170 engines while the Val had a 225 so it was a powerhouse in comparison. Can you imagine, a slant six as top dog.

[@ashleytidd-w9i]

You have probably read that Chrysler Australia released them in 1960 and they sold out in week's.Had to order another large shipment from USA.The reason being they looked so different from the Bland offering's from GMH and other's at that time.

[@kaysguy]

Love the styling, but then I drove one until 1975.

[@santaclause2875]

Rode to junior high and high school, daily, in one of these. Classmate of mine's mom owned it, drove lots of us neighbor kids to and from school. I always remember the 'ticking' of the engine. Hers had the automatic trans, radio, heater. That was it. Rides to school on cold mornings meant it would die at every stop light (carburetor icing) until it warmed up enough. She'd go through a hilarious routine of 'turning everything off' as in radio, heater, lights, etc., before she'd attempt to restart. Then, back on again after she'd got it restarted, which sometimes meant waiting through another 'red light' signal cycle. Fun times !!!!

[@TaylorZ2]

Carburetor icing was a huge problem on the slant six in cold damp weather, as was vapor lock in hot weather. But other than that, they were great engines.

[@gm12551]

I wonder how long she warmed it up

[@santaclause2875]

@@gm12551 Probably less than a minute, because by the time we got to school (about a 4-mile run) the heater was finally beginning to warm up the interior of the car, and the defroster was starting to clear the fogged-up windshield.

[@santaclause2875]

@@gm12551 On clear, sunny, warm days, it ran perfectly.

[@TaylorZ2]

@@santaclause2875 1969 and later model slant sixes had a fix to solve the carb icing problem. Prior to that, on a cool damp day, meant the car died at every stop when engine wasn't fully warmed up. I'm surprised engineers didn't come up with a fix sooner.

[@myronfrobisher]

I had the opportunity to drive both the automatic & standard shift version of these - the shifter on the standard was a floor shift and was a really nice experience. The other nice feature was that they really did not need either power steering or power brakes - the handling / steering was light and responsive. Frankly I do not find them ugly and they were just simple easy to work on solid transportation.

[@dustin_4501]

A car that will be remembered not for being a masterpiece but for being so unique and quirky.

[@josephgaviota]

... and _very_ reliable.

[@dustin_4501]

@@josephgaviota When the bible was written they probably mentioned Lancer and reliability side by side...

[@josephgaviota]

@@dustin_4501 /Bible/ I think about 2000 years separate the Bible from the Lancer.

[@UberLummox]

YES masterpiece. More like a unique quirky masterpiece.

[@renesagahon4477]

You left out ugly

[@OnkelPHMagee]

Remember that the 1960 Valiant technically wasn't a Plymouth, so either franchise could sell them. After the Valiant joined Plymouth officially for 1961, Dodge dealers expected some type of compact to sell. You're right about keeping dealer networks happy.

[@BartBieber]

was a very good car great slant six engine good ride

[@michaelcrumlett187]

I hated these cars when I was younger, but they have really grown on me over the years. I’d be happy to have a Lancer or a Valiant in the garage now.

[@craigbenz4835]

I never liked them, but his photos make them look better to me.

[@BillofRights1951]

In 1969 I needed a car as I headed off to UCSB to start my college career. A buddy of mine had parents who worked at Jet propulsion lab, and they knew a scientist who had a fire engine red ‘62 Plymouth Valiant Signet 2-door with 82k on the clock for sale. When I went to see it, it was absolutely showroom, with the 225 Slant Six, three on the tree, and a very upmarket aftermarket A/C unit that blew ice cold. Though I was blown away by its condition, I thought it was the weirdest car I’d ever seen. I was aware of them certainly but buying one was another matter. He only wanted $450, so I bought it. What a terrific automobile. Never any problems with engine, clutch or accessories. No squeaks or rattles, ever. The aftermarket A/C never overtaxed the factory radiator . Drove it up to 150k and the only thing that ended my ownership was being rear ended at a stoplight, totalling it. I loved that car , drove it everywhere …but it always seemed odd to me and was a bit of a chick repellent ! Great engineered car , however!

[@Sedan57Chevy]

I think the Lancer was more attractive than the Valiant- the front end reminds me of a simplified Imperial front end from 61-63. The sides and rear... Yeah, they're wild. The interiors do look very nice and quite tasteful for the period. I think these cars were a great size and I can understand why someone would seek them out as an alternative to a period full size model... Today though, I think I'd rather stick with a big boat.

[@timothykeith1367]

Visibility is fantastic.

[@ianhillsman7777]

I said something similar in my comments before reading your comment. The Valiant had the fake spare tire bulge like some of the Imperials, while the Lancer had the smooth trunk lid like some of the other Imperials. The front of the Valiant reminded me of a Studebaker Lark with that big grille.

[@kevinvoyer5053]

I have an uncle I was very close to. Grew up in his tenement house upstairs. He owned a 64 Valiant Station Wagon he special ordered for getting around with his hunting dogs and Maine hunting trips with a couple buddies. So he ordered it with the biggest engine, a new at the time 273 V8, that also came with a 4 brl and dual exhaust, plus a 4 speed trans with floor shift! But with HD vinyl bench seats, plus towing package with 3:09 TracLoc rear. He kept that car on the road till about 1985! 21 years with over 200,000 years, but as some point he swapped out the tired 273, for a surprisingly hot 340 4 brl. He was kind of a hot rodder. He finally was forced to take it off the road due to heavy rust. The rest of his life he had a Subaru Turbo Wagon.

[@chrislochner4038]

In the 70s someone loaned his 1961 Valiant to my brother for a few days. Was running very warm. Went to the gas station. Checked the oil. Not a drop on the dipstick! Put in a number of quarts. Ran fine thereafter. True story. Bulletproof for sure.

[@Inadaze560]

Thank you Adam, for your videos. I love them!

[@stevenstoll2016]

In 1961, Dad went to the Dodge/Chrysler/Plymouth/DeSoto dealer and bought a new Valiant for mom, and one of the very last DeSoto's for himself. Both cars pretty much bullet proof. Had them for many years. Wish we still had them.

[@jeanderamee488]

I love these and the Plymouth Variant. The slant 6 is one of my favorite engines. I wish I could find in this shape. Thanks for the video and all of your videos!

[@Bushwawh]

This was my first car! Loved it!!! Especially the push button shifting!

[@cheftomsd]

Remember the ads, Lancer is the answer to a compact car.

[@DouglasMcLaughlin-kq7hk]

The song for the ad should be playing in the background to get the full effect... 🎶A gallon of gas---never went so far... Lancer's the answer!🎶

[@20CentMotors]

These cars also had the same advanced "Torsion-Aire" suspension GEOMETRY. It was more than just the torsion bars, it was anti-dive, anti-aquat, anti-roll suspension geometry with a little bit of rear steering engineered in. They were fun to drive.

[@karlbishop7481]

My dad had 1960 Valiant V200 wagon. I guess it had the 170 engine but I don't know for sure. It was the first car I got to use on my own. It was a 3 speed with the shifter on the floor. I have always thought it handled very well, it could go around a corner like it was on rails. Now I know why. Unfortunately it burned a valve, I don't think my dad ever had them adjusted. He had a valve job done and then sold it, I was destroyed. To this day it was my favorite car even though I have owned many Mopars.

[@20CentMotors]

@karlbishop7481 the floor shift must have snagged a few Corvair shoppers away from Chevy, VW too. I drove a floor shift Valiant once, it felt right, ergonnomic, sporty. Good dad!

[@markdc1145]

This car is so strange looking but it has grown on me over the years. Recently saw a nicely restored black Lancer with red interior on the street and it really stood out. To put things into perspective, think how frumpy compact cars like the Rambler looked in the late '50s and then this car appeared just a few years later. It must have looked ultra-modern back then.

[@joelkoosed902]

It looked just as ultra-ugly when it came out as it does today.

[@martentrudeau6948]

Virgil Exner did a good job IMO, maybe it was not as a successful the Falcon and Nova, but I think it has aged well, it is distinctive looking. As a kid I didn't like them, but now I do.

[@rogerdodrill4733]

Funny how tasts change as we age​@@martentrudeau6948

[@LynxStarAuto]

@@martentrudeau6948all of these Exner designs were for full size cars. Take AI and have it stretch these platforms, and they are much more pleasing to the eye. Chrysler executives acted on a false hunch that Ford & GM were downsizing all their cars, and ordered the design team to downsize the Chryco line up. Exner frowned on this as he said it would make his cars look ugly. It was done anyway by the design team while Exner was recovering from a heart attack. After the sales flop, he was used as a scape goat, and fired. Although, Chryco brass was already eyeing his replacement Elwood Engle who they stole away from Ford. He would design the fuselage cars and the muscle cars of the late 60's and 70's which are timeless classics.

[@lawyer1165]

My mother owned a black/red Lancer, which was fun to drive.

[@JeffW77]

I drove a 61 or 62 Valiant for a couple days 40+ years ago. It felt amazingly tight and solid. I thought the Valiant and Lancer looked unusual but sleek. Looking back, I don't understand the appeal of the Falcon (one Ford guy in David Halberstam's "The Reckoning," attributed the Falcon to R. McNamara's personality--"He wore these little granny glasses and he got this little granny car) nor the Comet, which I thought was a really homely car. Chrysler certainly did make some goofy looking cars in the early 60s--I happen to like the Valiant and Lancer in Adam's video. Great video, Adam. Thank you.

[@UberLummox]

Falcons were just flimsy, poor handling tin cans next to these tight, solid cars.

[@martinliehs2513]

I, too, read Halberstam's book in the late 80's. A bit depressing that the hubris that almost killed the US auto industry back then has returned with a vengeance.

[@johningardia2088]

I owned a fleet of Dodge vans with slant 6s. Every one lasted over 400k with a valve job and welding exhaust manifolds. I really loved those vans.

[@petersmith-iz6im]

Fantastic turning radius!

[@hudsonhollow]

If you could destroy a slant six, then the military needed you to train a demolition team.

[@n.josephpotts6592]

I owned a beautiful 1962 Valiant, and loved everything about it.

[@briantayler1230]

G'day from Australia. The Chrysler "Valiant" and Ford "Falcon" were very popular here, as was the market leader, Holden "GM". These were all made here. What Americans called compact cars were our family-size cars. We never got the huge models and called them "Yank Tanks". Ford family-size cars were all called "Falcon" until the end of Ford Australia and the same for the "Valiant". I own a 2009 Ford Falcon.

[@jaycarlson927]

Quirky but still iconic 1960's car that I would still love to have. When people talk about the 60's compact cars they always skip over the Studebaker Lark that was the first in the class

[@stevetournay6103]

Well, first of that period. The Nash/AMC Rambler had been around almost a decade by late 1958 when the Lark appeared as a '59 model (having been cleverly conjured by simply shortening the nose and tail of the previous Stude sedans). I've had four Studes, all Lark types (the name itself went away but the car remained essentially the same), and I love 'em...

[@hugh007]

I'm a Ford guy but decades ago I had both a Valiant and a Lancer. Both of them could run circles around a Falcon and didn't have fanbelt problems like The Corvair. Of course the following year brought the GM B-O-P cars. Thanks.

[@stevef4304]

Yeah, my Lancer outperformed the '60 falcon I had before it in every way.

[@UberLummox]

Big time!

[@bobbyheffley4955]

In 1961, Chevrolet introduced the Chevy II as a 1962 model.

[@FreakOlds]

Great video. I myself have a 69 Dart since 1989 - a V8 airtemp car. And I have a friend who found himself in 62 Lancer out on the west coast and had it shipped back here to the east coast. Ya gotta love the rust free cars that can still be found. Although not a "mint" condition vehicle - it's very nice. It's a canvas that he's wanted for years and he has finally gotten. It's now going through the process of a horsepower upgrade as he's swapping in a well built 318 he's run in another car. He also has an 8-3/4 tucked under it as well. His dream is coming along nicely and I'm glad to see him happy.

[@atvtheory3151]

Back in the early 80's, I had a 1970 Plymouth Duster with the Slant-6 engine. I wish we had the Internet back then because someone told me that those engines had weak bottom-ends so I sold it off. Many years later, I saw my old Duster pull in to get gas at the same time as me (custom paint stripe). I went over and talked to the owner. He said that that car was the most reliable vehicle he's ever owned. Lesson learned. If I own a vehicle that isn't prone to repairs and is reliable, then I hang onto it.

[@petepeterson5337]

A very fine vehicle! I had a '70 dart demon (Dodge's Duster) with a 318 and a 3-speed manual on the floor. No power assist steering or brakes, but it was AWESOME. There is nothing wrong with any of the V8s, but now that I am older I would prefer the classic Slant 6. It is possible we both sold these trouble free battle-wagons at the time they had the lowest used value. Next episode, I will talk about my rust free dumpy old '68 Charger.

[@ksman9087]

Remember the Matt Helm novels written by Donald Hamilton? In one of those novels Matt has to rent a car in a hurry in a small town. All they have is a Chrysler product. Matt comments that it was from the era when Chrysler was conducting experiments in tortured sheet metal.

[@sthier24]

I never thought they were ugly. My grandma had a Valiant. That thing was bullet proof. Slant six was a great engine. It seems to me some of the GM "senior compacts" had reliability issues if I recall.

[@brianmacadam4793]

My brother had a Valiant, straight six, amazing interior room, large trunk, OK mileage. The car also REFUSED to break down or "die" from neglect or abuse. It was a wonderful vehicle to take on a road trip, small enough to park downtown. Great vehicle !

[@fearsomebeard4290]

I always loved those cars as a child growing up seeing them.

[@20CentMotors]

Having one of these as a daily driver, it was almost cartoon-like to walk out to it every morning.. It made it a bit more endearing.

[@61rampy65]

When Adam said that there were 2.5 different engines, I thought he was going to mention the "Hyper-Pak", a dealer installed package that included and aluminum long ram intake manifold and a 4 barrel carb. I can't remember if it included any exhaust mods or camshaft changes, but it definitely increased the power! They are rather scarce today, but impressive to look at! I had forgotten about the aluminum block version.

[@randallsullivan3692]

Not to mention they were the sole reason that the compact class of NASCAR only lasted one year! NOTHING could touch the MOPAR slant 6 Hyper-Pak in the compact field!

[@mrkeopele]

I LOVE THIS VIDEO, your presentation of images is stimulating and emotionally stirring, thank you

[@Godlovethepilot]

Virgil Exner - Nothing Boring......Ever!!!

[@929cbr_rr]

Homely or not I’m glad there’s folks still restoring these old jewels, and thankful you are bringing them into my living room with your vids.

[@cubantoro]

You forgot the 1959-1966 Studebaker Lark introduced in fall 1958

[@jamescooley5744]

Before that was the Kaiser Henry J in the early 50s-and the version sold at Sears as the Allstate.

[@thomasmcgivney4519]

My Grandfather was a Chrysler Dealer. He said that the slant 6 was one of the best engines ever made. We had a Valiant. It was a beast.

[@cosmo5254]

My first car was a used 65 Plymouth wagon with a 225 slant. Ran great - smooth, fast, and surprisingly torque-y.

[@louislepage5111]

Intergalactic transport device 😊

[@tombuckley762]

I am a proud owner of a 1962 Lancer 170 and I think it's a work of art. Have gone to several cars and coffee get togethers in the Washington DC area and it always gets lots of admirers!

[@josephgaviota]

1:50 That "compact" Falcon today would be a FULL SIZED car.

[@jamesengland7461]

In what country? Certainly not the US. That thing is tiny

[@josephgaviota]

@@jamesengland7461 1) Don't be a self-liker. 2) Yes, the "compact cars" of the '60s are like full-size cars of today.

[@JasonPeters-k8m]

​​@@josephgaviotaYour saying you beleive the 1960 Falcon is the same size to a Chevrolet Impala or Chrysler 300? Seriously. You might park one next to Fusion....

[@hattree]

Honestly it looks better than anything I've seen come out in the past 25 years.

[@Sundancer268]

I learned to drive on a 60 Dodge Dart Seneca Wagon with the Slant Six and three on the tree. I always thought it was an ugly car, but I loved driving it and have always had a soft spot in my heart for station wagons.

[@Midnightdreamer5287]

1961's were the ugliest

[@The-Rickster-29]

My dad bought one of these used in 1970. As an eleven year old at the time the car just looked dated, but it was reliable and since then I have come to love these cars...basic reliable transportation with quirky styling. If one came to my attention, and if it was affordable, I would buy it. Thanks for your channel as the work you do is awesome.

[@Vegaswill714]

I remember these, along with Dodge Darts and Plymouth Valliant's being very common in my youth. Many people my age had them as hand me down first cars in the late 1960's. People used them up, beat them down and wore them out. I haven't seen one in years.

[@pices229]

I absolutely love the looks of this car, and don't get me started on that no kill slant six engine. Best engine ever.😍

[@sgrant9814]

What i like about this vehicle, and others like it of the time, is the thin roof pillars providing good visibility...i cannot believe that today with current engineering knowledge and materials not readily available in the 60s, car makers cannot again give us good visibility with thinner roof pillars and meet safety standards

[@lloydandbethbeiler8127]

Today's roofs have heavily regulated crush ratings!

[@rogerdodrill4733]

U rite on,new cars are clostrophobic to drive

[@rogerdodrill4733]

Especially w huge elephant ear rear view mirrors to block u side view as well. Hard to avoid things u cant see

[@maplebones]

You might like a Volvo 240.(1976-1993). Great visibility and dependability. There are many still running daily service on the roads today. Everybody who rides in mine comments about the wonderful view.

[@Maximus20778]

​​@@rogerdodrill4733how are they claustrophobic? They definitely aren't if you've driven a car.

[@coolezum]

My dad owned a 62 lancer, one of the best cars he ever owned. Good driver and 3 on the floor👍

[@KentuckyIrish]

Only thing I could afford for JC

[@jerrycallender9352]

I had a 1962 Lancer GT and would like to have it back!

[@EricCoop]

Slant Six engines are known for being bulletproof. Hence, "Tower of Power." Great engines!

[@paulrickman7549]

Leaning Tower of Power. The inline 6 Mercury outboard was the Tower of Power.

[@satsuma77009]

The styling is much better than the bread loaf look consumer transportation modules better known as the SUV.

[@craigbenz4835]

No high C-pillar!

[@josephgaviota]

As a kid, I remember these having aluminum keys, and I thought those were SO LIGHT, I couldn't believe it!

[@kendillard7375]

If Citroën, Peugeot or Renault had tried to design an American style car, they would look like a Valiant or Lancer.

[@tailfin6595]

Valiant was conceived as a new entry-level brand that Virgil Exner designed with European sensibilities in mind. He wasn’t too happy with Valiant becoming just a model for Plymouth so he ported over a lot of the design concepts to other Plymouth and Dodge models, which was the beginning of the end of his time with Chrysler.

[@arjnsdca]

You do know that the Comet wasn’t a Mercury until 1962. It was going to be an Edsel until the elimination of the Edsel in 1960. It was just a Comet until 62. 🎉

[@charlescarter1529]

I strongly believe that most of this content is scoured from old back issues of Collectible Automobile.

[@thomasdudley823]

Adam; I love your historical stories and I love this car !

[@tbamagic]

I drove one for years. 170 slant six. A great little car.

[@ramblerdave1339]

My grandmother had the '62 Lancer, Identical to the 1st one shown. Liked them then, still do. One of the best, most accurate car channels I've seen lately. 😮👍

[@allareasindex7984]

The slant six block leans over towards the passenger side to allow a lower hood line. It was called the Leaning Tower of Power, a play on the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

[@maplebones]

Volvo used a cast iron slant 4 from 1966-1993. Many have gone 500k miles or more.

[@20CentMotors]

I've driven a few of the 1st series Valiants. They were solidly built, had nimble handling, and powerful enough to be a fun roadway companions. The power steering option gave pinky finger light steering. The '62 manual steering got an even slower ratio steering box than earlier years. I much prefer these with power steering.

[@UberLummox]

Yes! They drove so nice!

[@michaelwhite2823]

The Valiant and Lancer WAGONS weren't too bad. The coupes look weirdest. I can't wait until you do a video on the 1961 Dodge Polara and Dart. Strange styling as well.

[@marksommers6764]

Agreed .. the wagons have a special place in my heart .

[@mistert7958]

Don't forget... the push button transmission!

[@-oiiio-3993]

'Typewriter tranny'. Edsel offered one with buttons on the steering wheel hub.

[@scarecrow8004]

12:00 ... I noticed that too, but I also wondered how did you put it into park? There's no P button. The Edsel had a Park button, but it had problems with the shifting motor not being able to pull the shifter out of park. I wonder what they did here.

[@-oiiio-3993]

@@scarecrow8004 The 'N' button is 'Neutral'. Press 'N', set parking brake. Early automatic transmissions did not have 'Park'. GM added a 'Park' position (and pawl to prevent movement) to their upgrade Powerglide in 1956. By the mid '60s, 'column shift' with a Park position was the common mode for automatics though some used the 'T stick'.

[@jerrys9226]

Also known as the” jukebox “ transmission.

[@Maximus20778]

Nowadays if this was to exist in new cars y'all would hate it.

[@vos7619]

This just popped up in my reccomended for some reason; im not a car person per se, but was immediately surprised at the title because i think this car looks incredibly cool! I'd love to own this

[@barrykochverts4149]

Well, we all have our guilty pleasures, Adam. Despite an understanding of why others find the Lancer ugly, I can't agree, even if some details are beyond understanding, and it projects a very ungainly appearance from some angles. My Dad had scores of auto sales catalogs that indulgent car dealers had allowed him to take home as a child during the depression, and he was super excited about the classic touches that Virgil Exner applied to his 1960 Valiant "company car". Attuned to Dad's taste, and well aware that he really liked the Valiant's performance and handling, Eleven-year-old me fell for the '61 Lancer in a big way. I simply preferred the Lancer's emulation of the 1960 Pontiac/ '61 Imperial grilles over the Valiant's ersatz radiator. In fact, I briefly owned a 1961 Lancer 770 two-door post during the mid-1990s. Equipped with the smaller 170 cid Slant 6 and Torqueflite, it was a very enjoyable ride. As a matter of fact, Road and Track had tested it in period, and gave it a good review, finding it a nimble performer with more than adequate handling and ride qualities. They called it "just about the limit" of size for a roomy family car, but agreed that the styling was "love it or leave it." I've always thought that removal of the character line along the bottom third of the doors, along with the check mark on the front door, and rounding off the canted fins would have ameliorated the excess. I'm still in love when I see one of these "toads" at a car show.

[@Cadillac61]

I don’t think this car is ugly at all,it’s got more personality than most cars produced today. Thanks for the video Adam!, almost there 62 full size Dodge and Plymouth please!

[@charlesdalton985]

I think the Lancer is better looking than the Valiant of the same era (which admittedly is not saying much). Regarding your mention of the size of cars increasing, I've always found it fascinating that the first Chevelles were essentially the same size as the full size 55 Chevrolets. That was only 9 years. Interesting thoughts and presentation as always - thank you.

[@gorb5102]

Your voice, delivery, and knowledge are fantastic.

[@J.W.W.]

Love this body style now!

[@MH-fb5kr]

i inherited my mom’s 1960 valiant… red, push button auto, with sm slant 6 and about 60k miles on the clock… i drove it for several years in california, and saw it again in the early 1970… 250+ miles… amazing vehicle 👍😉

[@geoffreyplasier2796]

Neat seeing the Aussie valiant chargers in the background of the lancer photo.

[@mikevale3620]

I noticed, but probably missed by most. Appeared to be at the Annual Albury Chrysler show usually held in March

[@kso808]

I remember our family getting a brand new 1961 Lancer in about April of that year. I was a 5-year old and we drove it over to my grandparents' home to show it off. It was a white 4-door sedan. The coolest thing I remember about it was that instead of having a manual shift stick it had buttons to change gears! We had that vehicle for over eight years, from 1961-1969, with only 40,000 miles on it, which included several long distance family trips to other states. Ironically, it met its demise when a service station attendant had poured too much oil into the engine on an oil change. The vehicle was essentially totaled.

[@timbancroft8936]

225 slant 6 was also used in manufacture of plenty of farm tractors and sprayers

[@davidkastin4240]

They're still in use today on commercial machines. Very hard to kill them. Virtually indestructible 😏🫡

[@marksommers6764]

....have seen 'em as APUs , auxiliary power units on ski lifts !

[@stuartferguson7947]

I like it; in this era you could identify makes and models from 100 metres + unlike many modern cars where you need to be close enough to read the badge work.

[@coletrain3333]

How do you put out so many videos? This is insane but I love them.

[@charlescarter1529]

I strongly believe that most of this content is scoured from old back issues of Collectible Automobile. Therefore, little time required for research. Old history professor here.

[@Pauley_in_GP]

@@charlescarter1529 As a long-time subscriber to CA, I agree, but his presentation is always very well-done and appreciated.

[@jazzandbluesculturalherita2547]

I'm not crazy, and it is beautiful! Love the Slant Six!

[@JeffSproul]

Good video. My question for Adam is when are you going to cover the 62 Chevy II? My father had one of the first which he ordered from the factory a Roman Red with red interior 300 4 door with Powerglide and factory AM radio. My 2 older brothers drove it in high school and then I drove it thru high school and the first few years of college. With the straight 6 they were nice compact cars with clean lines and very roomy inside. It had a decent sized trunk and handled well.

[@rogercamp6071]

We had one in white with turquoise trim and interior with the six cylinder and three on the tree, the engine and drive line were A one but the front suspension was so crappy that my dad resorted to using recap tires on it.

[@williamnielsen3947]

owned 2 of these put my neighbor thru college sold it to me my first car a 170 cube motor with 3 speed on floor i used it thru college absolutely a tuff reliable car i called it demetrius wish nowaday cars were this good

[@travelingfool9096]

Exner hit it out of the park in 57, and it went downhill style wise to comically bad, like this one.

[@sajanim]

Had a Valiant. looked just like this, and it had a slant six. AWESOME car. Quite fast for a six.

[@barrykochverts4149]

The first Valiants ran rings around Corvairs and Falcons, not just due to their more powerful engines, but also because of the torsion bar front suspension. The wiped them off the stage in a short term "compact division" in NASCAR when they were treated to long ram induction and 4 barrel carbs. NASCAR may have given up the small cars because the others weren't competitive.

[@radioguy1620]

for some reason I miss these cars, every inch styled for styles sake . Had two Falcons but these seem a bit of fun. not boring in the least.

[@johna.4334]

"for some reason I miss these cars" For good reason, they're UGLY!