For sale is a stunning fully restored 1972 VH Valiant Charger 770SE optioned with the E55 340cui V8 Mopar engine. In stunning Vintage Red, this is one of only 125 VH E55 Chargers ever built and certainly one of Chrysler's rarest most sought after models. For sale from Sydney.
We can only imagine what the Hardie Ferodo Bathurst 500 could have looked like if Chrysler had fronted the grid at Mount Panorama with a 4 speed manual version of the 340cui V8 powered VH Valiant Charger 770. There is no denying that Chrysler was developing an E55 R/T. In fact Chrysler Australia put a lot of effort building a VG Valiant Pacer-based mule with the race-proven 340 cubic-inch V8/four-speed manual powertrain sourced from the US Plymouth and Dodge Trans-Am cars.
According to Gary Bridger and Gavin Farmer’s excellent book, Hey Charger, test driver Ken Hartland remembered that the prototype VG Pacer V8 was “bloody quick” as he checked out the top speed of the car on a long straight road in South Australia. “The speedo was bouncing around at the 140mph mark”. Chrysler team racing drivers, Tom Naughton and Graham Ryan, also comment in the book that a V8-powered Charger R/T was due to be raced at Bathurst in 1973. “We could easily match the Falcons and Toranas across the top of the Mountain at Bathurst and almost match them going down Conrod Straight, but we were losing two or three seconds on the climb to the top (in the six-cylinder R/Ts) – that was our Achilles Heel. “If we’d had the 340 V8 as was planned for 1973, we would have been on even terms with the Falcons in particular.”
Former plant manager at Tonley Park, Colin Adey, has reported that as many as 350 of the 340c.i. V8s, a small number of 833 four-speed manual gearboxes, and stocks of Borg-Warner’s heavy-duty 3.27:1 limited-slip diffs were imported for the E55 R/T project. The specs of the V8 engines suggest that they were imported with racing rather than road touring in mind. They had forged-steel crankshafts, crankcases reinforced with extra webbing, big valves with enlarged ports, beefed-up conrods, and ran a 10.5:1 compression ratio. With three dual-barrel Carter carburettors and free-flowing exhaust headers, as fitted to the fastest Trans-Am Mopars, the 340 could have easily delivered 400bhp in E55 R/T form.
However, thanks to the famous Sydney Morning Herald Super Car article written by Evan Green, Ford, Holden and Chrysler put their super car development plans on hold. Instead, Chrysler built a Special Edition version of the Valiant Charger known as the VH Valiant Charger 770 SE with the E55 option engine. Those wonderful 340 V8 engines were hooked up to Chrysler’s A727 three-speed auto and dropped into Chargers kitted out with the 770 models luxurious interior. With the oil crisis kicking off, a 2.92:1 diff was fitted, and a simple Carter four-barrel carburettor took care of air-fuel mixtures.
Power was 275bhp, and when Sports Car World compared an E55 770 SE with an automatic Falcon GT fitted with the 351 cubic-inch Cleveland V8 in November 1973, the Charger ripped through the 0-60mph sprint in 7.2 seconds to the Ford’s 7.7. Both cars topped out at 127mph.
Only 125 special-build VH SE 340 examples launched in August ’72 were produced. The VH E55 was offered in only three solid colours: Sunfire (35), Lime Light (44) and Vintage Red (44). Two other cars snuck through one painted in Black and another in Deep Maroon.
The side windows and C-pillars featured white vinyl accents and the matching white pinstripe was painted, not stick-on. The E55 also featured red grille accent and driving lights, 7.0-inch-wide ROH alloys, 70-series tyres and discreet 340/4 Barrel badges.
The VH model was the only SE model Charger built and was marketed as a luxury tourer. Special Edition features included the 340 V8, coloured coded black and white seats, W35 mag wheels, padded front dash, vanity mirror in the glove box, sound deadening, white vinyl side trim and SE side badges. Of the 125 E55s, 25 were fitted with factory air-conditioning and green-tinted glass and the remaining 100 were fitted with the front quarter vent windows. Rear side windows were fixed on all except four. Inside, the all-black trim featured stark-white or off-white patterned seat inserts. The interior also featured a sports steering wheel, ‘fish scale’ instrument surround and a centre console.
FOR SALE is one of only 44 Vintage Red VH E55 Chargers ever built. The Charger was purchased by the current enthusiast owner in excellent restored condition having been restored around 15 years ago in 2 Pack Vintage Red. All chrome, stainless and glass is original and in very good condition as are the door rubbers and boot rubber. And all badges are original day one items not reproduction parts.
The car features the original matching numbers 340 V8 fully rebuilt with mild cam, Holley 650 Vac Sec carby (the original Carter AVS comes with the car), standard exhaust manifolds through to a 2" dual exhaust with factory chrome exit tips. The Automatic has been rebuilt and the Charger runs the standard tailshaft and factory 4 pinion 2.92:1 ratio rear end.
The interior has been retrimmed in the correct X2 trim with NOS Nylex vinyl, new loop pile carpets and new correct hood lining with the original gauges, sports steering wheel, crash pad and door cards still in place. The Charger also features power steering and rare factory rear parcel shelf speakers. The E55 is showing 76,597 miles. Open the boot and the original Jack instruction sticker is still in place as is an original W35 spare, factory tools and boot mat.
It may have not ended up on the race track and become the Valiant Charger that conquered the Mountain but it is certainly a super rare and highly sought after Mopar muscle car not to be missed.
Located in Sydney for your inspection. (Ref. 6612)
And if you like we will gladly arrange a video inspection/road test of the car using WhatsApp and of course there is no issue with door to door freight delivery anywhere in Australia or New Zealand.
Price: $139,990 VIN: VH6H29/CJ05-1301 Engine: A331C00094 Paint: RP - Berg 4624 Vintage Red Trim: X2 - Black Options: H51 - Air-conditioning E55 - 340 cui, 4BBL carburettor, A727 Torqueflite 2.92:1 ratio, Build: 10-1972 Specifications: CHRYSLER VH VALIANT CHARGER 770 SE 340 Engine: 5573cc V8, ohV, 16v, four-barrel Carter AVS carburettor Power: 206kW @ 5000rpm Torque: 459Nm @ 3200rpm Weight: 1462kg Transmission: 3-speed automatic wheels 14 x 7.0-inch alloys Brakes: 279mm ventilated discs (f), 229mm drums (r) 0-100 KM/H 7.2sec (WHEELS) 0-400 M 15.5sec (WHEELS) Top speed: 201km/h Price: $4,850 (1972)
