@Marc a little more digression about the Chrysler Valiant.
The VH was a NZ assembled 245 Hemi 6 engine automatic model with about 185 BHP
- it would shift up into 3rd speed before it started moving on wet grass, I don't think that was very good for the torque converter...
- at around 160 km/h the front wheels would start to lift off the ground and steering became "interesting", that was one huge hood!
- my father's developed a strange electrical fault and the headlights would switch off at random intervals then come back on (see point 2 above...
)
- Handling was typical US wallowing type.
- Automatic box kick-down is quite efficient for power sliding if you have enough power (my mother had an automatic Ford Escort Type 1 which was not quite so good...).
- very large bench seats, perfect for when you were 18-20 years old...
At that time about 25% of road surface I drove on every day was gravel, you learn very quickly to slide on that or it becomes very expensive (for your parents...). That was the second Valiant my father bought, the first one, second hand, I drove also when I was 13 (on the open road to the top of the farm). I don't remember if it was an AP5 or 6. Manual 3 on the tree gear shift, I just about reached the clutch pedal.
My favorite car for driving on gravel was my 1955 Beetle, stuck like glue whatever the surface.
