1969 Chrysler Valiant VF Regal

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SO strong is Millicent man Peter Outlaw’s love for classic hot rods, when his father exchanged 1969 Chrysler Valiant VF for a brand new Holden Camira, he didn’t speak to him for three months.

“I could not believe when he sold his Valiant,” he said.

“I was so angry that I actually stopped talking to him for a bit.”

Following the death of his father some 30 years later, Mr Outlaw found an almost identical 1969 Chrysler Valiant VF Regal vehicle online and immediately knew he had to buy it. 

“It sat in the backyard for a good 18 months and I started working on it in February 2019,” he said.
“She was pretty bad when I got it, both rear quarters were rusted and it was painted three different colours, but she ran and she drove.”

Originally based on the US-based Plymouth Valiant, Chrysler released Australia’s first locally assembled Valiant in 1962 with the VF Valiant built from March 1969 to February 1970. 

The VF was a facelifted version of the VE Valiant, the third generation of the Australian-made Chrysler series. 
The car is fitted with Chysler’s 225 Slant Six, a gutsy powerplant engine renowned for its indestructibility, with two class-leading outputs head to haul whatever can fit in the boot. 

Assembled in Tonsley Park – which was once known as Chrysler Park – the VF differed from its predecessor with the inclusion of four new quarter panels, new lights and a new grill. 

In an unusual design decision, the front indicators were placed on the top leading edge of the front guards instead of the more traditional position of in the bumper.

“The Regal version is basically like a Fairline,” he said.

“It has a few extra bits of trim, split edge seats and an extra mirror compared to the Valiant,” he said. 

The restoration of the Regal – which was at the luxury end of the Valiant range – was a labor of love for the qualified panel beater, who was passionate about keeping the originality of the vehicle as close to it was when it rolled off the factory line.

“I painted it the same colour white because I like the original colours, which is hard because some of these colours are 50 years old and are not made anymore,” he said.

“The front panel and engine bay is all original, the interior is pretty much factory standard.

“I did not want to mess with it too much because the beauty of not having an immaculate restoration is I can go for a drive without worrying about scratching it or denting it.

“There’s no point having it if you can’t drive it.”

Despite the nods to the nostalgic, the vehicle features some of Mr Outlaw’s individuality, including a laced roof, pearlescent paint job and Day of the Dead décor

“The lace effect has been an old school trick for 50 years and it is a three stage process,” he said.

“You put a ground coat down and paint the first colour, lay the lace and put the other colour on top.

“The lace is actually from my Nana’s house, who died last year.

“I also added pearl because I have always liked my cars different to everyone else.”