They get cool engines like that because they pay more in registration fees for V8's. So small engines are pretty popular down under, especially when they make mad HP numbers like this. Back in 72 Chrysler made Oz's version of the Charger with an inline-6 265CI HEMI 6-pack that put out over 300 hp and would easily compete with American V8's of the day in the 1/4 and outcornered anything on a tight roadcourse. The Aussies have been at it for a while now with I6's. I wish we'd get some of those engines up here.
Back in 72 Chrysler made Oz's version of the Charger with an inline-6 265CI HEMI 6-pack that put out over 300 hp and would easily compete with American V8's of the day in the 1/4 and outcornered anything on a tight roadcourse. The Aussies have been at it for a while now with I6's. I wish we'd get some of those engines up here.[/QUOTE] Here's mine, It's not the six pack set up which came in the earlyier RT models,mine has the long runner inlet manifold with the four barrel. It's true that they were/are hard runners,the Holdens and Fords at the time could only beat them on the track by using parts sourced from their US counter parts,ie Ford diffs,chev engines etc. Over in New Zealand they were virtually unbeaten and are held in high regard still today!! They are getting harder to find nowdays and command high prices! I'll be keeping mine forever!!
That's a cool ride you have there! I was thinking about bringing one of those over here, but there's a few already here for sale from time to time. They're cool looking little cars too.
Here ya go! we like the glowing header look down here!! The hemi head engine was developed here and is not exactly like the 426. Mopar helped in some of the initial design and developement of the whole car,however the running gear was all Aussie,in fact when one was sent over to the States for suspension evaluation mopar sent it back saying it could not be improved and commented that it out handled anything they had at the time!! You can see some of the design cues in the tombstone seats steering wheel and general shape. The US Charger is a bigger car,my charger is about the same size as my 64 Skylark. Towards the end of their model run you could get them with the US sourced 340 and 360 ci engines in them.The 265 ci hemi was quicker but the v8 was supposedly faster. If they had kept going with them,the 340 ci engine built to AAR spec was going to be in the next model.This was so Chrysler could hopefully win Bathurst (Australias big race) seeing the other two ( Ford,Holden) were using US sourced parts to keep ahead of Chrysler!!
That's awesome! I did some googling, but couldn't find any pictures or drawings of the engine internals, you know of any? That's a really cool engine, and a neat story. Some of the reading I did makes me rethink that old slant-six in the '66 Valiant we used to have... :bglasses: Nice!!! :TU:
Hey James, I've got a cut away drawing,but I don't think it will scan up to see the detail.Try punching chrysler australia or valiant australia,there was a load of hits when I looked just now. I have seen a few articles on Aussie cars in the States, and there is a company over there that imports our muscle cars as well.From what I can gather there are quite a few chargers,falcons,toranas and early monaro's over there so it should not be impossible to locate one. The "valiant" brand was used here by chrysler when they first imported the R and S series valiant car in the early sixties. They thrashed all the local holdens and fords and offered alot off things the local cars didn't have. We have willys,dodge,plymouth cars and trucks as well chevs here since way back . In fact my great granfather had the first car out where they lived,and it was a Buick,my grandmother used to tell me about being knee deep in mud and having to hand crank it to start it !! There are also a lot of good cars over in New Zealand that used to be cheap to buy,but the kiwis have wised up!!!
