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147-463: Road & Track magazine considered the Valiant to be "one of the best all-around domestic cars". In May 1957, Chrysler president Lester Lum "Tex" Colbert established a committee to develop a competitor in the burgeoning compact car market which included the popular VW Beetle , the new American Motors Rambler and upcoming entries from GM , Ford and Studebaker . Design chief Virgil Exner created

294-633: A "Fuel Pacer" system that lit a warning light to tell the driver he was driving uneconomically, as well as Chrysler's A833OD four-speed manual transmission, the first four-speed Chrysler had offered with a six-cylinder engine in the North American market since 1965. There were new 50,000 mi (80,000 km) spark plugs and batteries and a "clincher" warranty that covered everything on the car except trim for 12 months with no mileage restrictions. 1976 models were virtually identical to 1975s; amber rather than clear front park/turn signal lights were used and

441-448: A 10.5:1 compression ratio, dual exhaust pipes on a single muffler, a manual choke and a larger 15 US gal (57 L) fuel tank. Dick Maxwell, a Chrysler engineer responsible for many of the super stock Mopars , recalls that "When NASCAR decided to run a compact road race in conjunction with the 1960 Daytona 500 , all the factories got involved. We built a fleet of seven Hyper Pak Valiants with 148-hp 170-ci [Slant] sixes having

588-503: A 145-hp 225 cubic-inch (3.7L) slant six, up through high-compression small- and big-block V8s. Although the first and second generation Barracudas were heavily based on the contemporary Valiants, Plymouth wanted them perceived as a distinct models. Consequently, the "Valiant" chrome script that appeared on the 1964 model's trunk lid was deleted on the 1965 model in the US market. For 1966, the stylized red-and-blue Valiant "V" emblems were replaced on

735-417: A 1959 Plymouth with separate body-on-frame construction. Dynamic testing showed that high structural resonant frequencies were attained, indicating greater damping and reduced body shake. The front suspension consisted of unequal length control arms with torsion bars , while the rear suspension used a live axle supported by asymmetric leaf springs . Chrysler used this design through the entire production of

882-553: A car that was smaller and lighter than a full-size car without sacrificing passenger and luggage space. Originally named the "Falcon" after Exner's 1955 Chrysler Falcon concept car , the vehicle was renamed the "Valiant" (which means "having or showing courage or valor") honoring Henry Ford II 's request to use the name for the Ford Falcon . The Valiant debuted at the 44th British International Motor Show in London on October 26, 1959. It

1029-433: A continuous stainless steel molding following the tailfin crease as it swept down in front of the rear wheel, then continuing forward along the lower break line in both doors and the front fender. The radiator grille was brite-dipped stamped aluminum, and a central grille badge doubled as the hood release. Script "Valiant" callouts were placed in the center of the deck lid's spare-tire stamping and on each front fender. During

1176-544: A diner inside, locally called "McDiner." This McDonald's theme failed nationally. Eventually, the "McDiner" closed and was converted back to a regular McDonald's restaurant. The following inventions are associated with Kokomo: On March 21–26, 1913 Kokomo suffered severe flooding when 6.59 inches (167 mm) of rainfall occurred. The Kokomo Tribune reported at the time that the Wildcat Creek over-topped its levee to reach nearly 1 mile (1.6 km) wide after rising at

1323-439: A divided opposition. The Klan, however, continued to dominate state politics especially after the election of Edward L. Jackson as governor. Kokomo served to symbolize the nation's early misunderstanding and ignorance of AIDS in the mid-to-late 1980s when Ryan White was expelled from school due to his illness. White was a teenage hemophiliac who had been infected with HIV through contaminated blood products ( Factor 8 ). At

1470-405: A donation of the more fertile lands south of Wildcat Creek, but Foster refused, donating instead 40 acres (16 ha) north of the creek—land which was thickly forested and "swampy." The terms of the donation required that Foster build a courthouse on the land, but he was later excused and Rufus L. Blowers was promised $ 28 to build it. He was penalized $ 2 for construction delays. The log courthouse

1617-418: A fanned-out look. Horsepower rating for the 170 cu in (2.8 L) Slant-6 engine was raised from 101 bhp (75 kW) to 115 bhp (86 kW) by installation of the slightly bigger camshaft introduced on the 225 in 1965, together with Carter BBS and Holley 1920 carburetors using the larger 1 + 11 ⁄ 16  in (43 mm) throttle bore previously reserved for the 225, rather than

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1764-401: A fourth generation of Valiants. 1974 Valiant was also available in a "Scamp package" which included 318 V8 engine, four door, three-speed automatic transmission, power steering, power disc brakes, chrome trim, vinyl roof, AC, carpet, split vinyl bucket seat bench, radio, rear window defroster blower, and 120 mph speedometer standard. Production was limited and ordered as customers requested

1911-550: A lap distance of 3.81 mi (6.13 km). The race length was 10 laps, 38.1 mi (61.3 km). Averaging a speed of 88.134 mph (141.838 km/h), Marvin Panch drove his Hyper-Pak into first place; all the Hyper-Paks swept the field taking the first seven places. The second race of the day used only the tri-oval track, 20 laps on its full 2.5 mi (4.0 km) length totaling 50 mi (80 km). A multi-car accident on

2058-614: A large truck that was moved 10 feet from the driveway of a house and flipped over. A Starbucks was completely destroyed, and several people were left trapped inside the still standing bathroom and had to be rescued. Many sheds and detached garages were also destroyed in the storm. A receipt from Kokomo was found 30 miles away in Marion . The storm followed a path very close to that of another tornado which hit on November 17, 2013 . Meteorologists have noted that nearly every tornado in Kokomo has struck

2205-404: A larger, 111 in (2,800 mm) wheelbase, except for wagons which used the Valiant's 106 in (2,700 mm) wheelbase. The Valiant was completely redesigned for 1967 model year and the station wagons, hardtops, and convertibles were dropped. Buyers who wanted a Valiant-type hardtop coupe or convertible could choose a similarly styled Barracuda , which was still based on the Valiant with

2352-474: A major shop owner, merchant, justice of the peace and investor, moved to Kokomo in December 1844, and erected the first two-story frame house, not only in Kokomo, but in all the county. After the enactment of the 1846 pre-emption law, settlers rapidly attempted to secure homesteads in the surrounding lands. In 1848 Stonebreaker's Mill, 10 miles (16 km) west of Kokomo, began operations. By 1850 Kokomo had

2499-600: A massive Konklave in which D. C. Stephenson was elevated to the position of Grand Dragon of the Indiana Klan. Other estimates say the crowd was only 10,000. A huge flag was used that day to collect a reported $ 50,000 for construction of a local "Klan hospital" so that Klan members would not have to be treated at the only local hospital, which was Catholic. Both men's and women's Klans held weekly rallies and initiations in Malfalfa Park, and Kokomo's Klanswomen held meetings at

2646-465: A memorandum seeking subscribers (at $ 100 each) for the purpose of boring for gas at a distance of at least 2,000 feet (610 m) below ground. It took until September to obtain the necessary 22 subscribers. The first rig was built south of Wildcat Creek. and on October 6, 1886, natural gas erupted forth and the well was capped. Together with the well in Eaton , which began producing slightly before Kokomo's,

2793-416: A mild form of planned obsolescence . The radiator grille stamping was the same as in 1960, but for 1961 it was painted with a pattern of black squares. The central grille ornament was still pulled from the bottom to release the hood, but it was now faced with an emblem having a white field with the blue-and-red stylized "V" logo, rather than 1960's red placard with a gold script reading "Valiant". The side trim

2940-480: A mix of North American and local design and components. In 1974, the 108 in (2,700 mm) wheelbase variant of the A-body sedan was dropped, and the Valiant sedan became a rebadged Dart. The larger size resulted in thicker C-pillars and new rear fender contours. Thenceforth, the only differences between the Valiant and Dart were minor cosmetics. The 1973 Valiant grille and front sheet metal were retained for 1974, but

3087-411: A new black plastic grille sculptured differently from 1969's metal item. The central portion protruded flush with the forward edge of the hood, while the remainder of the grille was set back from the front plane. The two-door sedan was dropped, replaced by the new Duster coupe (see below). For all except export Valiants, the base 170 engine was replaced by a new 198 cu in (3.2 L) version of

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3234-560: A newspaper, when James Beard purchased the printing equipment of the New London Pioneer and set up the Howard Tribune . By 1851 county business was so brisk that the county ordered the construction of two more court buildings, both one story brick affairs, 18 by 36 feet (5.5 by 11.0 m). The county auditor and treasurer occupied one building, and the clerk and recorder occupied the other. On April 1, 1854, Kokomo's first bank,

3381-558: A number of other autos over the next few years; the Haynes-Apperson Automobile Company for mass-production of commercial autos was established in Kokomo in 1898. Haynes went on to invent Stainless Steel flatware in 1912 to give his wife tarnish-free dinnerware. In 1938, the Delco Radio Division of General Motors (now Aptiv ) developed the first push button car radio. Kokomo serves as the "City of Firsts" in

3528-473: A plea of emotional insanity. Cole divorced his wife thereafter. Cole's reputation for violent instability, and the cowardice in the way he killed Allen, created many enemies for him, but his generosity toward poor patients and a promise to "clean up" the town won him enough support to win a bitter election for Mayor in 1881. Shortly thereafter, on September 19, 1881, he was shot dead by a sheriff's posse at Old Spring Mills at West Jefferson Street. According to

3675-525: A rate of 3 inches (76 mm) per hour. Damage was widespread, including loss of electrical power due to the power plant being flooded. On March 26, flooding was declared over after the water level dropped 42 inches (1,100 mm) in a 24-hour period. From 1914 through 1986, the Continental Steel Corporation facility produced nails, wire and wire fence from scrap steel on a 183-acre (74 ha) facility in Kokomo. Manufacturing operations in

3822-497: A reputation for dependability. Project engineer Willem Weertman and his team had designed a simple yet robust workhorse, from its four-main forged crankshaft to a simplified "mechanical" valve train. Block and head castings were unusually thick because both were intended to be cast in either iron or aluminum with the same tooling. Although volume casting techniques of the era could not yet reliably produce complex head castings in aluminum, over 50,000 die-cast aluminum-block versions of

3969-526: A result of the natural gas boom, Kokomo attracted an increasing number of industries, which resulted in significant technological innovations. For these industrial and technical achievements, Kokomo is officially known as the "City of Firsts." Among other achievements, Kokomo was a pioneer of the United States automobile manufacturing, with Elwood Haynes test-driving his early internal combustion engine auto there on July 4, 1894. Haynes and his associates built

4116-630: A rubber-booted telescoping system attached to the car's structure, added mass to the Valiant. At the same time, engines were being progressively detuned to comply with increasingly stringent emissions regulations. Performance and economy suffered as a result. Through the early 1970s, the Valiant took more than 40% of Plymouth's total sales volume. These models also had considerable success in foreign markets. Worldwide, Chrysler affiliates and subsidiaries sold American- or Canadian-made Valiants from complete knock down kits, as well as locally designed and engineered Valiants and Valiant-based vehicles incorporating

4263-459: A separate restroom. Many parents and teachers in Kokomo rallied in support of banning White from attending the school. A lengthy administrative appeal process with the school system ensued, followed by death threats and violence against White and his family, including a bullet being fired through the window of their Kokomo home. Media coverage of the case made White into a national celebrity and spokesman for AIDS research and public education. In 1987,

4410-476: A single four-barrel with ram manifold." The race Hyper-Paks also featured high-load valve springs and long-duration, high-lift camshafts. NASCAR's new compact car category debuted at the Daytona International Speedway on January 31, 1960. The first of two races was a road course, which used a 1.5 mi (2.4 km) portion of the high-banked tri-oval together with a twisting infield road for

4557-453: A slightly sportier style. The new Valiant model range included two- and four-door sedans on a newly lengthened 108 in (2,700 mm) wheelbase. The design was straightforward and rectilinear. The body sides were mildly sculptured with a tapering lower feature line that widened toward the wheels. The new fenders had a vertical slab look. The grille was vertically split and subdivided horizontally. Vertical taillights were segmented and had

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4704-492: A small central ridge at its trailing edge. On V200 deck lids, a large round emblem surrounded an oblong block-letter "Valiant" callout on a black field. Similar block-letter/black-field callouts were placed on each front fender. On the Signet, the deck lid was adorned with a smaller round emblem surrounding the red-and-blue stylized "V" logo. The "Plymouth" script disappeared from the 1962 Valiant, as in 1960. V200 side trim reverted to

4851-622: A special selection of paint and trim combinations. Much of the optional equipment on a regular Valiant became standard equipment on Brougham models such as power steering , power disc brakes, air conditioning, cruise control , electric rear window defroster and an AM/FM radio. With a slightly restyled grille, 1975 models were essentially carry-overs from 1974 except that California and certain high-altitude models received catalytic converters and required unleaded gasoline . The 1975 Valiants had several new items available to buyers with increasing interest in fuel economy. These included radial tires and

4998-440: A worldwide record sales success in 1963, the Valiant moved into 1964 with design changes giving better economy, reliability and performance. Changes in the 1964 Valiant included a restyled front end featuring a new grille with a horizontal bars. A "Valiant" medallion was placed at the center of the grille where the bars formed a flat bulge. Vertical taillamps replaced the previous horizontal items. The ring-style rear deck decoration

5145-515: Is a trading post record of a purchase of a barrel of flour for $ 12 for his "squaw." His remains (with those of others) were reportedly discovered during the construction of a saw mill in 1848 and re-interred in the "north-east corner" of the Pioneer Cemetery. The tradition of the Peru Miami is that the town was named after a Thorntown Miami named Ko-kah-mah, whose name is rendered Co-come-wah in

5292-628: Is an American automotive enthusiast magazine first published 1947. It is owned by Hearst Magazines and is published six times per year. The editorial offices are located in New York, New York . Road & Track (often abbreviated R&T ) was founded by two friends, Wilfred H. Brehaut, Jr. and Joseph S. Fennessy, in 1947, in Hempstead , New York . Published only six times from 1947 to 1949, it struggled in its early years. By 1952, regular contributor and editor John R. Bond and his wife Elaine had become

5439-641: The Ku Klux Klan in Indiana . On June 16, 1923, a crowd of 75,000 attended a Klan rally in Terre Haute . On June 21 Argos held the largest rally it had ever seen. On June 26 a large Klan rally was held in Alexandria . All of this was merely a prelude to the rally planned for Kokomo. Conceived as a "monster tristate conclave," it was intended to charter 93 Indiana klans representing more than 300,000 members. Some doubted

5586-518: The Palm Sunday outbreak . The F4 tornado that swept through Kokomo was 800 yards (730 m) wide and killed 25 people in the surrounding area. Significant damage was done to the Chrysler transmission plant. Windows were broken and the framework cracked throughout, and sections of the west wall were leveled. The Maple Crest elementary and junior high schools suffered extensive damage. The roof collapsed on

5733-491: The Pennsylvania Railroad announced that one of its lines would pass through Kokomo. By 1853 a line was commenced between Kokomo and Logansport (which was intended to become the hub of a network of lines for the company). Railroad service was inaugurated on that line on July 4, 1855. The most important rail line for Kokomo became the standard-gauge Clover Leaf line. This railroad would eventually link Kokomo with both

5880-740: The Treaty at the Forks of the Wabash in 1834. That name was translated as "the diver" (an animal that could swim under water). As a result of various removals , by 1840 the Miami population in Howard County (until 1846 known as Richardville County) was reduced to about 200. The principal settlement was the Village of Kokomo, on the south side of Wildcat Creek . Indian paths connected Kokomo with Frankfort and Thorntown (along

6027-500: The census of 2010, there were 45,468 people, 19,848 households, and 11,667 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,457.7 inhabitants per square mile (948.9/km ). There were 23,010 housing units at an average density of 1,243.8 per square mile (480.2/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 83.5% White , 10.7% African American , 0.4% Native American , 1.0% Asian , 1.1% from other races , and 3.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.3% of

Plymouth Valiant - Misplaced Pages Continue

6174-514: The convertible , with manual- or optional power-operated top, were offered only in the high V200 and premium Signet trim levels. The optional 225 cu in (3.7 L) slant-six engine was initially offered with the die-cast aluminum block introduced in late 1961, but early in the 1963 model year the aluminum block was discontinued; both the 170 and 225 engines were thenceforth available only with iron blocks. In December 1962, Plymouth's first-ever vinyl-covered roof became available as an option on

6321-412: The manual transmission gearshift was moved from the floor to the steering column, there were new 45°-shear engine mounts replacing the previous vertical-shear items, exhaust systems were made of more corrosion -resistant (aluminized) materials, and axle ratios were altered for better fuel economy . Manual steering ratio was changed from 20:1 to 24:1, and both power and manual steering gearboxes were new,

6468-445: The 1960 concept, following the tailfin crease and lower body break crease. However, the 1962 trim was more massive and contained an oblong triple-window effect at the rear of the body break crease. On Signets, the front fenders had an open-centered double spear, connected at the front and back, within which was contained a secondary body paint color. The 1962 Valiant was given a completely new asymmetric instrument cluster. Like that of

6615-463: The 1960 model year, there were revisions to improve lubrication of the two rear connecting rods , voltage regulator function, cold starting and idling, acceleration, and to prevent breakage of the front and rear manifold mounting studs. For 1961, new two-door sedan and hardtop models were released, but no changes were made to the four-door sedan and wagon sheet metal. The interior and exterior trim were changed to provide model year differentiation,

6762-421: The 1968 model, the horizontal division bar was removed from the grille. A fine cross hatched insert was framed by a segmented chrome surround. Model nameplates were moved from the rear fender to the front fender. The 318 cu in (5.2 L), 230 bhp (170 kW) V8 was a Valiant option for the first time. All North American Chrysler products got front and rear side marker lights, amber in front, red in

6909-492: The 1972 Valiants. New surface-mount sidemarker lamp-reflector units replaced the more costly previous flush-mount items. Beginning in 1971, a badge-engineered version of the 111 in (2,800 mm) wheelbase Dodge Dart Swinger called the "Valiant Scamp" was offered. This used the Dart Swinger two-door hardtop body shell with Valiant front sheet metal and dual taillamps carried over from the 1970 Dodge Dart. The year 1972 saw

7056-417: The 2010 census, Kokomo has a total area of 18.559 square miles (48.07 km ), of which 18.5 square miles (47.91 km ) (or 99.68%) is land and 0.059 square miles (0.15 km ) (or 0.32%) is water. Kokomo has a humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfa ). On April 11, 1965, the southern part of Kokomo was struck by one of the 47 tornadoes that erupted over six Midwestern states, an event now known as

7203-451: The 225 cu in (3.7 L) engine were produced between late 1961 and early 1963 and sold as extra-cost options. The 1960 Valiant exemplified Chrysler's leadership in aluminum die casting. While the aluminum slant-six engine block did not enter production until 1961, the Kokomo, Indiana , foundry produced a number of other aluminum parts for the 1960 Valiant, all instrumental in reducing

7350-626: The 273 called the Commando 273 was made available with 10.5:1 compression, a four-barrel carburetor, performance camshaft, low restriction exhaust and other modifications. The Dodge Lancer, which had been almost identical to the Valiants of 1961–62, was replaced in 1963 by the Dart . The Dart was available in all the same body styles as the Valiant, except there was no Dodge equivalent of the Barracuda. All Darts used

7497-730: The 340 was offered as a regular production option in the Duster 340, Plymouth's analogue to the Dodge Demon 340 and the Dodge Dart Swinger 340. The Duster was an immediate hit as a sporty alternative to the now larger and more expensive Barracuda. Throughout its production lifetime, the vast majority of Dusters were built with the Slant Six engine (available in 198 and 225 cubic inch versions) and TorqueFlite automatic transmission. Road %26 Track Road & Track (stylized as R&T )

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7644-531: The A38 Valiant included front and rear antisway bars . However, the Valiant was not physically durable enough; it lacked additional frame welds and rear cross-member reinforcements standard on all other Mopar A38 packages. More importantly, the front K-frame of the Valiant was prone to failure under severe police use. In 1976, the Plymouth Volaré and Dodge Aspen F-body cars were introduced mid-year replacing

7791-456: The Barracuda with a model-specific stylized fish logo. For 1967, the new four-barrel 383 cu in (6.3 L) V-8 with 280 hp (210 kW) was optional only in the Formula S, which boosted the Barracuda's performance with 0–60 mph in 7.4 seconds and the quarter mile covered in 15.9 seconds. In other markets such as Canada and South Africa, where Valiant was a marque in its own right,

7938-532: The CSA's population estimate was 2,631,863, ranking it as the 27th largest in the U.S. As of 2000 the median income for households in the city was $ 36,258, and the median income for a family was $ 45,353. Males had a median income of $ 38,420 versus $ 24,868 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 20,083. About 9.6% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the poverty line , including 18.5% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over. As of

8085-576: The Chrysler Corporation since the Airflow models of the 1930s) rather than " body-on-frame " construction. Instead of a bolted-in forestructure used in other unibody designs, the Valiant incorporated a welded-in front understructure and stressed front sheet metal. The fenders, quarter panels, floor and roof contributed to the stiffness of the body shell. A unit wheelbase comparison showed the Valiant to be 95% stiffer in torsion and 50% stiffer in beam than

8232-463: The Indian Reserve Bank, was organized with David Foster, John Bohan and Harless Ashly the principal shareholders. (It only lasted a few years until a robbery impaired its capital. The loss substantially injured Foster's fortune.) 1854 saw the first railroad stop at Kokomo. The New London Pioneer had long advocated for a rail line to connect Kokomo with Indianapolis . Colonel C.D. Murray was

8379-672: The Klan had "obliterated party lines" and "virtually swallowed" the Indiana Republican Party. Since the Republicans held only a 25,000 vote plurality in the state, any serious defection of African-Americans would tip the state to the Democrats. In the event, Harding died within a month and Republican Calvin Coolidge succeeded him with a substantial electoral majority (including Indiana) against

8526-582: The Signet. The 1963 Valiant was much better received by the public, and sales for the year rose to 225,056. The Valiant was sold in Mexico as a "Chrysler Valiant" starting with the 1963 model year. This was also the first year that it was coupled with the Dodge Dart , which had been previously a lower-end full-size model. In the U.S., the Valiant finally joined the Plymouth brand for the rest of its production. Building on

8673-453: The US automakers looking at making compact sporty cars. The Valiant was a natural choice of basis for Chrysler's efforts in this direction. Ford's Mustang gave this type of vehicle its common " pony car " moniker, but in fact Chrysler beat Ford to market by two weeks with the April 1, 1964 release of the Barracuda fastback . The Barracuda used the Valiant's 106 in (2,700 mm) wheelbase and

8820-513: The V200 high-trim cars, featured extensive brightwork and ornamentation. An 8 in (20 cm) chrome spear atop each front fender, an inner reveal ring on the deck lid's spare tire stamping, a "V200" nameplate on the dashboard, and stainless steel windshield and backlight reveal moldings, which were deleted from production, replaced with less costly flexible mylar -faced plastic locking strips—in approximately January, 1960. Early and late V200s had

8967-415: The Valiant and Dart, respectively. Production of the A-body shifted to Saint Louis Assembly while Hamtramck Assembly was dedicated to the new F-body, which did not maintain their predecessors' reputation for quality and durability and in fact reversed it. The change hurt Chrysler's reputation and profitability, contributing to its near-bankruptcy in 1979–80. Automotive trends in the early middle 1960s had all

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9114-578: The Valiant and other A-body models, with revisions to the suspension components themselves for the 1962, 1967, 1968, and 1973 models. Plymouth product planning director Jack Charipar gave impetus for a stock car racing version of the Valiant, and while Chrysler engineers developed the Hyper-Pak for the track, the Hyper-Pak dealer tuning kit option was made available in limited quantities on December 1, 1959. Features included 153 lb⋅ft (207 N⋅m) of torque,

9261-469: The Valiant boasted a radical design that continued Exner's " Forward Look " styling with "sleek, crisp lines which flow forward in a dart or wedge shape". The flush-sided appearance was a carried-over feature from Chrysler's Ghia -built D'Elegance and Adventure concept cars which also gave the Valiant additional inches of interior room. The Valiant's styling was new, yet with specific design elements that tied it to other contemporary Chrysler products, such as

9408-537: The Valiant hood, headlamp bezels, windshield, vent windows, quarter panels and bumpers; all other sheet metal and glass was new. This hybrid design approach significantly reduced the development and tooling cost and time for the new model. Unfortunately, the Barracuda was as similar to the Valiant as the Mustang was different from the Falcon, and its introduction was, at first, barely noticed by most buyers. The fastback body shape

9555-433: The Valiant weighed only 3 lb (1.4 kg). If this same assembly had been made of die-cast zinc, as many grilles of the era were, it would have weighed an estimated 13 lb (5.9 kg). An estimated 102 lb (46 kg)—about 4% of a Valiant's total shipping weight—was saved with the 60 lb (27 kg) of aluminum parts. The Valiant A-body platform used "unit-body" or " unibody " construction (not used by

9702-468: The Valiant's best sales ever, with 330,373 sold. For 1973, the vent wing windows were deleted from the Scamp, and all models were given a new grille and front bumpers able to withstand damage at a 5 mph (8.0 km/h) impact, as well as steel beams inside the doors to protect vehicle occupants in side-impact collisions as mandated by NHTSA . The door beams, the new bumpers and their impact-absorbing mounts,

9849-421: The Valiant, "an automobile of outstanding originality, restraint and spirited beauty". The Valiant was totally reskinned for 1963 with a 0.5 in (13 mm) shorter wheelbase; it had a wide, flat hood and a flat square rear deck. The upper belt feature line ran from the rear body, in a gentle sweep, to the front fender tip. Here it was "veed" back and down to the trailing edge of the front fender. The roofline

9996-562: The West Coast and the Eastern Seaboard. It began as a short line linking Frankfort and Kokomo, the Frankfort and Kokomo Railroad . Henry Y. Morrison of Frankfort was the principal promoter, and A.Y. Comstock acted for him in Kokomo. A failure of the proposed subsidy caused the promoters to turn all assets over to the contractors, who promised to complete the line. Construction began in 1873 and

10143-483: The White family left Kokomo for Cicero, Indiana . Ryan attended Hamilton Heights High School in nearby Arcadia, where he was welcomed by faculty and students. The Kokomo Gas Tower had been a symbol of Kokomo since it was constructed in 1954. The tower was 378 feet (115 m) tall and had a capacity of 12,000,000 cubic feet (340,000 m ). Due to high maintenance costs of $ 75,000 a year, and up to $ 1,000,000 to paint it,

10290-499: The Wildcat) and led to Peru by way of Cassville , and to Meshingomesia by way of Greentown . At the time David Foster had a trading post in Howard County, near the intersection of the reservation boundary line and Wildcat pike, where he engaged in both legitimate trade and illegal sale of alcohol to the Miamis on government property. Shortly after Richardville County was organized in 1844

10437-446: The agent at Kokomo for stock subscriptions in support of the railroad. In 1852 the construction of the Peru and Indianapolis Railroad commenced. In Kokomo Samuel C. Mills and Dr. Corydon Richmond, commercial competitors of David Foster, donated several lots to the railroad in order to secure the location of the rail depot near their commercial property. The route was laid along Buckeye Street at

10584-627: The armory, the local headquarters of the Women of the Ku Klux Klan , and churches. A speech at a Baptist church was attended by 1,000 Klanswomen. The Kokomo rally sent shockwaves through the national GOP , which had come to believe that the re-election of President Warren G. Harding depended on the vote of Indiana. According to the Washington correspondent of the New York World , Republicans feared that

10731-523: The automobile industry. The city of Kokomo was named after the Miami man Ma-Ko-Ko-Mo , said to have been one of the four sons of Chief Richardville , last of the chiefs of the Miami people . Tradition holds that David Foster, the "Father of Kokomo," named the town Kokomo after the "ornriest Indian on earth" because Kokomo was "the ornriest town on earth." Kokomo is thought to have been born in 1775 and died in 1838. The only documentary proof of his existence

10878-402: The benefit of reduced section thickness where strength was not a vital consideration. Section thickness of cast-iron parts were often dictated by casting practice, which required at least 3 ⁄ 16  in (4.8 mm) to ensure good castings. Exterior decorative parts stamped from aluminum were lighter than similar chromium-plated zinc castings. The entire grille and surrounding molding on

11025-533: The canted tailfins tipped with cat's-eye shaped tail lamps and the simulated Continental spare tire pressed into the trunk lid that were thematically similar to those on the Imperial and the 300F . According to Exner, the stamped wheel design was used not only to establish identity with other Chryslers, but to "dress up the rear deck area without detracting from the look of directed forward motion". The Valiant debuted an all-new six-cylinder overhead-valve engine ,

11172-461: The car remained known as the "Valiant Barracuda" until the A-body Barracuda was discontinued after 1969. For 1970, the Barracuda lost all commonality with the Valiant as an all-new E-body Barracuda was produced. Plymouth introduced a sporty new model for 1970: the two-door fastback Duster. The same technique that spawned the 1964 Barracuda was employed for the Duster. It was designed to use

11319-528: The cargo deck, served as a spare tire storage space for models equipped with standard tires in which case the lock was optional. Captive-Aire tires, which did not require a spare, were standard equipment on the three-seat models. An aluminum tailgate window screen was available for the exclusion of insects when on vacation and camping trips. The four-door station wagon, assembled only at the Dodge main plant in Hamtramck,

11466-400: The cat's-eye tail lamps were deleted. A wraparound stainless trim was applied to the tailfins, below which were placed round tail lamps set into stamped aluminum bezels. These occupied the space formerly available for optional backup lamps, which for 1962 flanked the license plate below the rear bumper. The spare-tire stamping was eliminated from the deck lid, which was now a smooth stamping with

11613-647: The city of Kokomo. The city is located approximately 60 miles (97 km) north of Indianapolis and 85 miles (137 km) south of South Bend, Indiana . Named for the Miami Ma-Ko-Ko-Mo who was called "Chief Kokomo", Kokomo first benefited from the legal business associated with being the county seat. Before the Civil War , it was connected with Indianapolis and then the Eastern cities by railroad, which resulted in sustained growth. Substantial growth came after

11760-542: The city transportation map: Kokomo is the principal city of the Kokomo metropolitan area and the largest city of the North Central Indiana region, which has approximately 225,000 people. The Kokomo MSA joins the larger Indianapolis metropolitan statistical area (MSA) along with the Muncie MSA , Columbus MSA , and six other micropolitan areas to form a vast Combined Statistical Area covering 20 counties. In 2022

11907-600: The cleanup of hazardous waste on the site. In the process, total of 15 Indiana contractors or subcontractors were involved in the ARRA-funded work, creating at least 45 temporary jobs. In August 2010, using the ARRA funds, EPA completed the cleanup of the former slag processing area of the Superfund Site. Approximately 86,000 short tons (78,000 t) of slag were moved to the site's acid lagoon area for use as fill on that portion of

12054-414: The commissioners appointed to establish the county seat approached Foster for a donation from his substantial holdings. (In 1846 tax records show that he owned 552 acres (223 ha) of farmland and as well as 67 divided lots in the business district. ) At the time of the request the only improvements in what is now Kokomo were Foster's log house and log barn and several Miami huts. The commissioners sought

12201-543: The coroner's inquest, he died from shotgun wounds inflicted by Deputy George Bennett (father of New York stage idol Richard Bennett ). The sheriff claimed that an informant had advised him that Cole was planning to rob a flour mill, possibly to incriminate his enemies. The posse was forced to fire on Cole in self-defense (the sheriff claimed he had two revolvers) and to prevent his escape, although his injuries seemed inconsistent with that version. Cole's supporter's argued that no revolvers or burglary tools were produced and that

12348-536: The discovery led to the Indiana Gas Boom . This discovery was directly responsible for Elwood Haynes' move to Kokomo, as a superintendent with a gas company with interests in Kokomo and Howard County. The Diamond Plate Glass Company (now part of PPG Industries ) began in Kokomo in 1887, lured by the cheap and plentiful natural gas. The Kokomo Opalescent Glass Works started making stained glass in Kokomo in 1888 and has been in continuous operation ever since. As

12495-431: The discovery of large natural gas reserves, which produced an economic boom in the mid-1880s. Among the businesses which the boom attracted was the fledgling automobile industry. A significant number of technical and engineering innovations were developed in Kokomo, particularly in automobile production, and, as a result, Kokomo became known as the "City of Firsts." A substantial portion of Kokomo's employment still depends on

12642-583: The editorial offices in Michigan were closing, and that publication was moving to New York, New York , at the Hearst Tower . His LinkedIn profile lists February 2019 as his final date at Road & Track . Travis Okulski, Road & Track's website director at the time, took on the editor-in-chief role from the May 2019 issue onwards. Car and Driver and Road & Track are sister publications at Hearst and share

12789-486: The famous slant-six . Its inline cylinders were uniquely canted 30° to the right (passenger side), permitting a lower hoodline. The water pump was shifted from front to alongside, shortening engine length. And an efficient long-branch individual-runner intake manifold was fitted, an advance that benefited from Chrysler's pioneering work in tuned intakes. The slant-six produced both more power and better economy than similar American made economy straight sixes, and it soon gained

12936-489: The fields surrounding its own large lot for parking, and electric amplifiers were obtained to allow the large crowd to hear the speeches. According to historian Robert Coughlan, "literally half" of Kokomo residents were members of the Ku Klux Klan during its height in the 1920s and 1930s. On July 4, 1923, Kokomo achieved national notoriety when it hosted the largest Ku Klux Klan gathering in history. An estimated 200,000 Klan members and supporters gathered in Malfalfa Park for

13083-405: The first in Chrysler's LA engine range and that would last until 2002, was specifically engineered to fit in the compact A-body engine compartment. Valiants with the optional 273 engine came with V-shaped emblems at the sides of the cowl. With the 180 bhp (130 kW) 273, the Valiant became the lowest-priced V-8 automobile in the world. For 1965, a hotter 235 bhp (175 kW) version of

13230-423: The food industry as well. In 1928 Walter Kemp, Kemp Brothers Canning Co. developed the first canned tomato juice because of a request by a physician in search for baby food for his clinic. Kokomo is also home to the first mechanical corn picker which was developed by John Powell in the early 1920s. Kokomo was home to the first Ponderosa Steakhouse , which opened in 1965. Kokomo opened the first McDonald's with

13377-425: The fourth lap took out the four Valiant leaders including one driven by Richard Petty . Panch was not among them because car trouble delayed his start and he was busy passing slower cars from the rear of the field when the leaders crashed. After a restart, Panch worked to first place and stayed there, averaging a speed of 122.282 mph (196.794 km/h). The remaining Valiants placed 1-2-3 and Panch again went into

13524-432: The front bumper's rubber guards were chromed. The taillights were extensively redesigned, resulting in a more formal look. The US federal 5 mph (8.0 km/h) bumper standards were applied to rear bumpers for the 1974 models, adding even more weight to the Valiant. Since the Duster (1970), Dart-based Scamp (1971) and Dart-based sedan (1974) displaced both of the Valiant's 1967 bodies, they could be considered to represent

13671-514: The gas company decided to demolish it in 2003. Other ideas were reviewed before settling on this decision, including a plan to turn the tower into a giant Coca-Cola advertisement. On September 7, 2003, at approximately 7:30 a.m., the Gas Tower was demolished by Controlled Demolition, Inc. (CDI). Pieces of the tower were sold to the public for $ 20–$ 30, and proceeds went to a planned Kokomo technology incubation center and Bona Vista. According to

13818-487: The insistence of the merchants who hoped to reduced drayage expenses. Samuel Mills built a large frame structure at the Howard flouring mills, which served as a warehouse for the company's freight and a passenger depot. For some time after 1854 Kokomo was the terminus of the line, but eventually the line was extended to Peru and then to Michigan City. A short time after the construction of the Peru and Indianapolis Railroad began,

13965-427: The junior high school, and the framework of both schools was substantially wrecked. The Maple Crest Shell Station at the intersection of Lincoln and Washington was torn from its foundation and scattered about. Mills Drug Store at the same intersection was demolished. A house on Holly Lane was uprooted, and one on James Drive was demolished. The Maple Crest Shopping Center was extensively damaged, with Woolworth's suffering

14112-405: The larger 1962 Plymouth models, the new Valiant cluster was highly regarded for its clean design and easy readability. A large round speedometer was placed at the left of the cluster, with separate round gauges for fuel level, engine temperature, and charging system condition ( amperes ) in a row to the right of the speedometer. Automatic transmission pushbuttons were in a column at the left edge of

14259-415: The latter in compliance with regulations mandated by the newly created Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) implementing new devices such as an EGR valve and an activated charcoal evaporative emissions system. The 1971 Valiant eventually set sales records with 256,930 calendar year deliveries, so there was little motivation to change it for 1972. Only details of the taillights and grille were altered for

14406-478: The latter now housed in aluminum rather than iron. Most of the front suspension components were redesigned (now with balloon seals, an industry first), and it was claimed they needed lubrication only every 32,000 mi (51,000 km). In October 1961, the Society of Illustrators presented Exner the 1962 Styling Award for outstanding design of the 1962 Signet 200; the award lauded Exner's "creative sculpted design" of

14553-464: The magazine in 2011. In June 2012, Larry Webster assumed the role of editor-in-chief, and DeLorenzo became an adviser to the publication. Additionally, the magazine moved its operations from Newport Beach, California , to Ann Arbor, Michigan . In February 2016, Webster resigned as editor-in-chief and Kim Wolfkill was announced as his replacement. In the March/April 2019 issue, Wolfkill announced that

14700-413: The midpoint of the front fender spears. Inside the car, the instrument cluster was largely carried over, but 1960's black gauges with white callouts gave way to 1961's white gauges with black callouts. For the first time, Valiants wore "Plymouth" script just left of the right-side taillight. Mechanical revisions for 1961 included new carburetors , the availability of positive crankcase ventilation (which

14847-540: The most damage. The front and back of the one-story structure were caved in and merchandise was strewn about. Numerous homes in the Maple Crest area were flattened, and the top floor of the Maple Crest apartments was blown off. The only thing left standing on the nearby Church of the Brethren was the steeple. The force of the wind on the flat earth near Kokomo was so great that Ted Fujita was able to make aerial photographs of

14994-500: The motive was implausible. Nevertheless, no action was taken against Bennett or the other members of the posse. Natural gas had been developed in Pennsylvania and Canada for some time, and had most recently been developed around Findlay, Ohio . In March 1886, a group of citizens, led principally by A.Y. Comstock (who had promoted the Frankfort and Kokomo Railroad ) and D.C. Spraker (later President of Kokomo Rubber Company), circulated

15141-410: The northern part of Kokomo. The first tornado was rated F0 and caused little damage to homes and trees. The second tornado was rated F1 and caused a roof to collapse at the skating rink, and damaged three other homes and a truck stop. Both tornadoes caused 1 injury but no fatalities. This was the first time a tornado struck the northern part of Kokomo. On November 17, 2013, two EF2 tornadoes tore through

15288-545: The owners of the magazine, which then grew until its sale to CBS Publications in 1972. The ampersand (&) in the title was introduced in 1955 by then Editor Terry Galanoy, who replaced the word "and" in the magazine's name because the words Road and Track were graphically too long for newsstand-effective recognition. In 1988, Hachette Filipacchi Media took ownership of the magazine. In October 2008, Matt DeLorenzo became editor-in-chief, succeeding Thos L. Bryant, who had been in place for 20 years. Hearst Magazines purchased

15435-571: The package, a few hundred were produced. 1974 introduced the Valiant Brougham and its twin, the Dodge Dart special edition. Available in two- or four-door models, they were a compact luxury car meant as an attractive alternative to larger luxury cars following the 1973 oil crisis . The Brougham had generous chrome trim, a vinyl top, deep cut-pile carpeting, velour cloth upholstery, interior door padding, color-keyed or simulated wire wheel covers, and

15582-406: The panel, and heater pushbuttons were in a column at the right edge. A new shallower-dish steering wheel was also introduced. Mechanical revisions for 1962 were extensive. The electrical system was extensively upgraded, with a new gear-reduction starter , new alternator, more fuses, and printed circuit boards rather than individual wires for the instrument cluster. Carburetors were improved again,

15729-445: The parking brake pull-handle was changed to a foot pedal. In 1976, the Valiant was available as a Code A38 police package car and offered in three basic engine sizes: E24 (California emission standards) and E25 (federal) 225 cu in (3.7 L) single-barrel slant-six; E44 318 cu in (5.2 L), twin-barrel V-8; E58 360 cu in (5.9 L), four-barrel V-8 with single (California) or dual (federal) exhaust. It

15876-443: The population. There were 19,848 households, of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.4% were married couples living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.2% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

16023-450: The post office one day in October 1866, he shot him dead. The fact that the killing both took place in broad daylight and showed cold-blooded rage (Cole continued shooting after Allen was down) caused the crime to receive national attention. Cole's case was venued to Tipton County, where he retained Daniel W. Voorhees of Terre Haute to represent him. Voorhees obtained a not guilty verdict on

16170-451: The power needed to operate the groundwater extraction system. Site cleanup was completed in August 2011. In 2016 the former site was approved as the location of a Solar farm with installation of panels beginning in August 2016. The estimated cost of the project is $ 10M. The solar energy park began operating on December 29, 2016. In the summer of 1923, record numbers attended rallies of

16317-836: The premium, 180-page enthusiast magazine on stands today. The Smoking Tire's Matt Farah and best-selling author A.J. Baime ( Go Like Hell , The Accidental President ) joined as Editors-at-Large. In January 2024, former Executive Editor Dan Pund was confirmed as Road & Track's new Editor-in-Chief. Road & Track focuses on new production cars, vintage cars, and race cars with drive reviews, road trips, and comparison tests. Former race car drivers have often contributed material, including Paul Frère , Sam Posey , and Formula One champion Phil Hill . Other notable contributors include McLaren F1 designer Gordon Murray , car executive Bob Lutz , Henry N. Manney III , Peter Egan , Jason Cammisa , and Matt Farah. Like many auto magazines, Road & Track currently publishes an annual "car of

16464-413: The prospect of 200,000 attendees, claiming it would be "without parallel in history"; others predicted attendance of 300,000. Extensive preparations for that number were made, including the scheduling of 1,000 interurban cars from around Indiana to Kokomo. The Union Traction Company , in addition to supplying 50 cars, transported three cars of white horses to Kokomo for the parade. The Kokomo Klan rented

16611-479: The real cars. Kokomo, Indiana Kokomo ( / ˈ k oʊ k ə m oʊ / KOH -kə-moh ) is a city in and the county seat of Howard County, Indiana , United States. Its population was 59,604 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Kokomo metropolitan area , which includes all of Howard County, and it is the largest city and regional center for the North Central Indiana region consisting of ~225,000 people across six counties anchored by

16758-409: The rear. These were round in shape, surrounded by an attractive chrome bezel. Valiants built after January 1, 1968, also got new front shoulder belts as standard. For 1969, a new one-piece, full-width grille, new taillights and trim were featured. Standard engines were unchanged, although refinements in the Chrysler "clean air system" (formerly "clean air package") produced better operating economy from

16905-408: The red-and-blue stylized "V" Valiant emblem. The Signet 200 had pleated, leather-like bucket seats, custom tailored interior trim, deep-pile carpeting, special trunk lid emblem, different headlamp frames and special side moldings; it was America's lowest-priced hardtop with bucket seats. Fender and hood stampings were similar to the 1960-61 items, but neither identical nor interchangeable. At the rear,

17052-625: The same advertising, sales, marketing, and circulation departments. However, their editorial operations are distinct and they have separate publishers. This arrangement exists since 1985, when CBS acquired Ziff Davis ' consumer magazines and among them, Car and Driver . In August 2020, the magazine transitioned to a large-format bi-monthly that emphasized elegant design and deeply-reported features. Incoming Editor-in-Chief Mike Guy, who had previously launched The Drive for Time Inc., hired Executive Editor Daniel Pund and Creative Director Nathan Schroeder, and together they refashioned Road & Track as

17199-531: The same front end sheet metal, running gear , and 108 in (2,700 mm) wheelbase as the Valiant, but Plymouth's stylists gave the car an entirely new look by using a modified fastback configuration with radically curved side glass having only half the curvature radius of conventional side glass. Though the 340 cu in (5.6 L) V8 engine with 10.5:1 compression, 275 bhp (205 kW) and 340 lb⋅ft (461 N⋅m) of torque had been available for special order in Valiants and Barracudas since 1968,

17346-428: The site. Two feet (0.6 m) of clean soil were used to cap the former slag processing area, leaving it suitable for potential redevelopment. ARRA funds were also used to address contaminated groundwater at the site. This work included extensive groundwater sampling to determine the contaminated plume area and installation of groundwater extraction and monitoring wells. Three wind turbines will be used to generate much of

17493-432: The six-cylinder engines. Improved drum brake self-adjusters, a more efficient power steering pump, and improvements to the optional Sure-Grip differential were also highlighted. Starting with cars built on January 1, 1969, front seat headrests were now standard. 1969 Valiants got new rectangular side marker lamps with federally required integral reflectors. For 1970, the Valiant was carried over with detail changes, including

17640-574: The slant-six. The 198 gave better performance than the 170, and was less costly to make, since it used the same cylinder block as the 225. The Valiant was virtually unchanged for 1971; small revisions included removal of the center grille emblem and a new kind of finish treatment on the grille surround. It now had a blacked-out look instead of the previous argent silver treatment. For the 1970 and 1971 models, exterior and interior trim were slightly revised, and there were engineering changes for better driveability, improved soundproofing and decreased emissions ,

17787-438: The smaller 1 + 9 ⁄ 16  in (40 mm) carburetors formerly used on the 170 engine. Federally-mandated safety equipment was provided on all 1967s, including a new dual-chamber brake master cylinder, energy-absorbing steering column, wheel, and instrument panel controls; shoulder belt mountings for outboard front passengers, a new 4-way hazard flasher, and, for 1970, lane-change directional signals were included. For

17934-467: The so-called "performance cars" of the day. The Seattle Police Department using the Valiant A38 reported a 46 percent drop in the preventable accident rate among police officers, and according to a Motor Trend police survey, the A38 Valiant had much better evasive capabilities, better overall visibility, and was generally easier to drive than the full-size squad cars. A special handling package applied to

18081-597: The southern part of Kokomo. The first tornado damaged over 300 homes and businesses. The second tornado touched down briefly and caused damage to the golf course and other businesses. The two tornadoes caused no fatalities and only five injuries. On August 24, 2016, an EF3 tornado caused significant damage to the southern part of Kokomo, damaging over 1,000 homes and businesses. 80 of these homes were destroyed, 176 had walls blown in and roofs torn off, and over 700 were damaged badly. No fatal injuries were recorded during this tornado. These are neighborhoods in Kokomo according to

18228-462: The southern part of the city. Kokomo has been struck by 18 tornadoes between 1950 and 2015, some of which were strong enough to claim lives. On March 6, 1961, two F3 tornadoes struck the southern part of Kokomo, killing one person and injuring three others. On April 11, 1965, an F4 tornado tore through portions of Russiaville, Alto, southern Kokomo, and Greentown killing 25 people and injuring hundreds more. On April 20, 2004, two tornadoes struck

18375-415: The spiral scouring on the ground. On August 24, 2016, a strong EF3 tornado damaged 1,000 homes on the city's south side, with 170 sustaining major damage. 80 of these homes were destroyed, with some sustaining loss of roofs and exterior walls. Many large trees and power poles were snapped along the tornado's path, and an apartment complex was heavily damaged as well. Vehicles also sustained damage, including

18522-649: The steel plant and on other portions of the property included the use, handling, storage and disposal of hazardous materials. Steel-making operations had included reheating, casting rolling, drawing, pickling, galvanizing, tinning and tempering. After the company filed for bankruptcy in 1986, EPA and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management investigated the plant and property and found soil, sediments, surface water and ground water contaminated with volatile organic compounds (PCBs) and several metals, including lead, arsenic, cadmium, and chromium. Lead contamination

18669-453: The time blood products were often collected through state prison systems. Factor 8 was made from pooled plasma of thousands of donors. Later the plasma was screened for HIV and Hepatitis and heat treated to inactive HIV and Hepatitis. The teen had been attending Western Middle School (which is actually in Russiaville ) but was ostracized by his classmates, and forced to eat lunch alone and use

18816-564: The total weight of the car. The 1960 model contained as much as 60 lb (27 kg) of aluminum in structural and decorative forms, with the majority of the material used in cast form as chassis parts. These parts included the oil pump, water pump, alternator housing, Hyper-Pak (see below) and standard production intake manifolds, all-new Torqueflite A-904 automatic transmission case and tail extension, and numerous other small parts. These cast-aluminum parts were roughly 60% lighter than corresponding parts of cast iron. A cast aluminum part had

18963-443: The whole 1965 Valiant range except for the wagon, which got different taillamps. The second-generation Barracuda, though still a 106 in (2,700 mm) wheelbase A-body sharing many components with the Valiant, was given Barracuda-specific styling and its own range of models including convertibles and fastback and notchback hardtops. A wide range of engines were available on the Barracuda throughout its production lifecycle, from

19110-451: The winner's circle. Maxwell again recalls that "It was a Plymouth runway. We finished first through seventh. Our cars were so fast, NASCAR never did that race again." The Valiant station wagons had 72.3 cu ft (2.0 m) of cargo space yet required two feet less parking space than a full-size Plymouth. A locking luggage compartment on the two-seat models included the use of "Captive-Aire" (run-flat) tires. The compartment, located in

19257-497: The year from the larger Dodges and Plymouths to the Valiant-sized Dodge Lancer. The 1962 model year saw an extensive facelift . The radiator grille was flattened and shortened. The hood release was moved to a knob at the top of the grille frame. The central grille emblem was deleted, except on the top-line Signet 200 two-door hardtop model, which received a black-painted grille with a round central emblem incorporating

19404-495: The year" test, dubbed the Road & Track Performance Car of the Year. The test's most recent winner is the 2020 Hyundai Veloster N. Road & Track contributed to the 1992 video game , Grand Prix Unlimited , developed by Accolade for MS-DOS. The magazine also contributed to the 1994 video game, The Need for Speed , to help the designers match vehicle behavior and sounds to that of

19551-417: Was achieved primarily with an enormous rear window, or backlight, which wrapped down to the fenderline. Pittsburgh Plate Glass (PPG) collaborated with Chrysler designers in producing this 14.4 sq ft (1.34 m) rear window, the largest ever installed on a standard production car up to that time. The following year, the fenders and taillamps that had been introduced on the 1964 Barracuda were used on

19698-656: Was also detected in soils on nearby residential properties. The site was proposed to the National Priorities List as a Superfund site in 1988 and formally added in 1989. In April 2009, EPA received almost $ 6 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to complete needed cleanup at two problems at the Continental Steel Superfund site: the former Slag Processing Area and the site's contaminated ground water. The ARRA funding helped accelerate

19845-722: Was available in V100 and V200 trim in two- and three-seat configurations; the third seat faced the rear. Both models were the lowest priced four-door station wagons in America. The two-seat model was $ 60 under both the four-door Lark and Rambler station wagons, and the three-seater was $ 186 below the Rambler four-door. The first-generation Valiants, though sold in three model years, existed in four distinct configurations: early 1960, late 1960, 1961, and 1962. The base-model V100 cars received relatively minimal ornamentation. Early 1960 models, particularly

19992-497: Was changed; a 10 in (25 cm) stainless spear was placed at the rear of each tailfin crease, a hockey stick -shaped trim was applied to the lower break line, and the front fender/door crease was capped with a long stainless spear. The tailfins were each topped with three transverse chrome strips, and a large horizontal emblem containing a round plastic "V200" callout was centered in the deck lid's spare-tire stamping. Matching round "V200" callouts were placed in round housings at

20139-418: Was completed in 1845. In June 1855, Henry A. Brouse petitioned the board of Howard county commissioners to incorporate the town of Kokomo. The original election was not held (for unspecified reasons), but another took place on October 1, 1855. After a vote of 62–3 in favor of incorporation, the board so ordered it. On March 31, 1865, an election was held for Kokomo to assume a city government. The resolution

20286-457: Was completed the following year. Limited freight between the two cities made the line unprofitable. After a series of acquisitions by other railroads, the line became part of the Toledo, St. Louis and Kansas City Railroad . A line connecting it to the east reached Kokomo on January 1, 1881. In 1881, one of the most remarkable and controversial events in Kokomo's history took place. Mayor Henry C. Cole

20433-411: Was flatter and sharpened in profile. The grille was a variation of the inverted trapezoid shape that characterized contemporary Chryslers, with a fine mesh insert. Advances in body structure, many accessories and a new spring-staged choke were promotional highlights. The Valiant was offered as a two-door hardtop and convertible, a two- or four-door sedan , and a four-door station wagon . The hardtop and

20580-425: Was introduced as a 1960 model and was officially considered a distinct brand, advertised with the tagline "Nobody's kid brother, this one stands on its own four tires." For the 1961 model year, the Valiant was classified as a Plymouth model. The 1961–62 Dodge Lancer was essentially a rebadged Valiant with different trim and styling details. For the 1962 model year, the Valiant returned without Plymouth branding but

20727-482: Was newly mandated on cars sold in California ), the availability of dealer-installed air conditioning , the relocation of the alternator from the left to the right side of the engine, and extensive revisions throughout most of the Valiant's systems and components. Late in the 1961 model year, the larger 225 cu in (3.7 L) slant-six engine became available in the Valiant, its use having been expanded earlier in

20874-620: Was offered together with a Hurst shifter. Another new option was the "Sure-Grip" limited slip differential , which was touted as a bad-weather safety feature and also offered traction benefits in performance driving. The Valiant was extremely popular in the US, Canada, and numerous markets outside North America. Plymouth supported a successful team of Valiant two-door sedans in the 1965 and 1966 SCCA Manufacturers Rally Championships. In mid-1964, Chrysler released an all-new 273 cu in (4.5 L) V8 engine as optional equipment in all Valiants. This compact V8 engine, with solid tappets ,

21021-457: Was passed, and Nelson Purdum was elected the first mayor. In anticipation of business that the court would bring, Kokomo began a fairly quick growth from the time that lots were first sold on October 18, 1844. David Foster was granted the first license to sell merchandise in Kokomo at the December 1844 commissioners meeting. Two more merchants were licensed in March 1845. John Bohan, who would become

21168-433: Was replaced with a Valiant script located at the right-hand corner. There were few styling changes in the 1965 Valiants, but the 1966 Valiants had significant superficial changes: a split grille with fine-patterned insert; new front fenders; new rear fenders on the sedans; new bevelled-edge rear deck lid; heavier rear bumper; and a new roofline with large rear window. The new Chrysler-built A833 four-speed manual transmission

21315-603: Was shot to death by a sheriff's posse. Dr. Cole had a curious history and had stirred up a great deal of passion in the previous fifteen years. He was reputed to have been a gifted surgeon, who served in the Union Army during the Civil War and when afterwards he settled in Kokomo, he became a prominent physician. In Kokomo he married a woman, Natalie Cole, of whom he became intensely jealous. He became suspicious of one Allen, whom he warned away from Kokomo. When he discovered Allen leaving

21462-540: Was sold only in Plymouth Chrysler, Chrysler Dodge, or the rare standalone Plymouth dealerships. For model year 1964 and onwards the car was sold in the United States only as a Plymouth Valiant. The Valiant was less radical in configuration than General Motors ' compact Chevrolet Corvair , which had an air-cooled rear-mounted engine, but was considered more aesthetically daring than the also-new Falcon and Studebaker Lark compacts, which had more conventional looks;

21609-578: Was the E58 that Chrysler recommended for police service as it was the only one with "added endurance features to improve durability". The E58 produced 175 net hp in California trim and 220 net hp in federal form. The E58 dual exhaust engine (sans catalytic converters) made for a very fast Valiant squad car. So equipped, this compact Chrysler cop car tripped the quarter-mile lights in 16.4 seconds with trap speeds of 84.6 mph (136.2 km/h) and could catch nearly all

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