Chrysler crying shame

Acouple of musings. Firstly, have you tried to get a 360 VJ 770 Charger to feature (77 made)? I’ve never seen one for sale, a wreck, or a feature car in any mag. Back in August, 1974, a Sunfire Yellow-coloured 360 VJ (SA rego SUD-295) was tested in Motor

Manual. It was priced at $6027 – it’s definitely a unique and rare Aussie muscle car!

Musing two: the time for Chrysler Australia to have introduced the 340 RT racer was 1969/70 in the VF/G hardtop (Dodge Dart) body, as the 340 was introduced in 1968 and was a match for 351 Ford and 350 Chev motors. Chrysler could have got all the drivetrain goodies for the US and run them as 340 RTs then either changing to the 6 pack 265s or continuing the 340/360 in Chargers. Don’t forget, 4bbl 360s were creaming Corvettes, Camaros and Mustangs in the late ‘70s in Aspen R/Ts and the infamous ‘little red truck’ D500 pickup. Duster 360s were a popular, affordable small block MOPAR to tackle GM and FORD products, and went almost as hard as a 440, 396, 390, 428 big blocks, while being better handlers and easier on fuel.

Dave Rasmussen. email We’ve not touched on the E57 360 VJ – perhaps it’s one for the future.As for the 340 V8, we covered that in AMC #23 and elsewhere. There was certainly a plan to develop a 340-engined VG Valiant for Improved Production in around 1969, but various complications led Chrysler Australia to drop the idea. It is a shame – a factory-backed Australian-developed 340 V8 VG Valiant taking on the likes of Allan Moffat’s Mustang and Norm Beechey’s Monaro GTS 350 would have been something to see!