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Fletch’s Classic Cars: Classic Restos - Series 43
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- čas přidán 14. 05. 2020
- In this week’s episode, Fletch sits down and reflects on the cars in his life. Firstly a ’79 XD Falcon that was by default his first-ever full restoration after being written off, which occurred just after he had just upgraded the engine from a V6 to a V8. The resto was a cut and shut, with a new front end joined on the factory seams at the transmission tunnel. Fletch had the body works completed externally, and he completed all the mechanicals. The result was excellent, and Fletch kept the car for a further five years before moving on to a 1977 Ford LTD Silver Monarch, the 1974 Buick Electra for five years, and then a 1995 NF Ford Fairlane that he drove for 18 years. All of that before the CM Chrysler.
The 1981 CM Chrysler Regal had a strong connection with two members of Fletch’s family that fastidiously maintained the Chrysler for many years. It was sold to another local in the area who sadly let it fall into disrepair. In 2000 Fletch was looking for a restoration project but wanted something different and stumbled across the car again in a paddock and managed to acquire the vehicle and bring it home. Knowing the history of the vehicle and the fact that it had never been in an accident gave him the confidence to take it on. It was his second full ground-up resto, once again he commissioned the body and paintwork and then took on all the mechanicals. The outcome was brilliant, and the car looked brand new, just out of the showroom. The 1981 CM Chrysler Regal is still proudly owned and driven by Fletch some 17/18 years later and is still looking great. As Fletch would say ‘another one saved’.
My dad has a 78 Charger. A Drifter. He got it in 1988 and it is in really good nick and its unrestored.
Love your Regal Fletch. My mother had a Regal, 81 model like yours, from 1987 till 2006 . It was a bit big for her as she got older so it was moved on for a Hyundai i30 :-(
There is something about the CM Valiant I just love its lines !! They just looked right !!
The front end looked so serious. The 73 Olds Delta 88 that appears in Sam Raimi's films such as Evil Dead reminds me immediately of the CL/CM front. I wonder if Chrysler got inspiration from it?
I agree it was a great face lift the CM.
It should never have gone beyond 1979 though. It was too old a design to be offered for sale in the upcoming new decade.
It should have been considered the mid model facelift of the CL like they did with the XC Falcon in 1977 and it's revised grill and badging.
My first car was a CM Valiant ex police car 245 3 on the tree. That ELB really worked better than the GMH polarizer.
Hi Fletch, great to see your cars. I've still got the VC Manual V8 Wagon that you featured on your show years ago. I pulled it out of the garage while we were all in lockdown, and spent an enjoyable week doing bits and pieces and fixes that needed doing. It is a great hobby!
Its always hard watching these vids (Fletch, The Iron Empire,etc) of blokes doing what I'd love to be doing if i had money and family support........buying/ enjoying classic cars. At present with a mortgage and average wage to support me, i just can't give cars priority at this stage of my life. Ive had a few goodies from my youth......HG Kingswood, VB Commodore, XE Falcon among others, but they were common cars at the time. My dream weekend cruiser would be a VC Valiant V8 sedan with a very good audio system to play my favorite 60's collections on as i fang through the windy country roads. When my home is paid off, who knows? My 2012 Corolla sedan is a super reliable and great car.......but still there's something missing. Old cars bring you back to life. Corolla during the week, Val on weekends.
Finally.......whatever happened to our car industry? I'm still mourning its passing now.
I had the same car missed everyday fletch thanks for saving old school l was born in 1965 so l remember the 70ies missed forever fletch lot of your shows make me cry specially going to get the bread and milk please look after yourself and family so we can all crux together for ever Fletch one love from NZ
NIce Val (sorry Chrysler) Fletch. I find it amazing these days that classic Aussie iron has sky rocketed in used markets. Like the add says "I've always been a Ford man like dad" but my dream cars are sadly way over the top price wise (eg, any Falcon coupe or an XD/XE ESP). Watching your latest with your rides though makes me look beyond Ford only. I used to own a mint condition HZ Kingswood which now I'm kicking myself I traded. Also used to own a 1600 Datsun which I reckon was the absolute best classic. In some ways, still wished I owned them all. As an aside I seem to have grown a taste for go fast Chargers, especially in orange. Top show and love your work
Beautiful Resto Fletch 👍
Love the Chrysler's and Chargers too. had a 265
'Sportsman" VJ Charger first, went like the clappers.loved driving that. then bought a 265 CL Regal wagon, another beautiful car to drive. traded that on another VJ Charger, that one had a little 215 Hemi and 904 trans. that little motor was a real surprise package. as far as I know it was stock, but it went even better than the 265, it was a real little screamer that would rev like there was not tomorrow. a few cars got a shock when they tried to beat me away from the lights..lol. sold that to buy a 1983 series 2 Bluebird wagon when family became a priority in 1992. cant complain, had that for 16 years and was one of the best cars I've ever owned. be nice to own another classic one day, have owned and lost a few more along the way as well..life sucks sometimes...maybe the automotive gods will smile upon me soon.
yup that 215 Hemi was the bread and butter of chrysler motors ... they perfected it ...
The CM Valiant looks to be one of the final ones. Nicely balanced engine design sounds to be very strong. Great stuff!
Thanks for sharing 👍
Great looking car ///// love it ///////////////////
PS sounds great also /////////////////
I learned to drive in the family Valiant. It was a 1971 VH Regal 770 318 V8 Dad bought new from Hardman’s in Armidale NSW, just before we moved to Sydney. Ordered for the dealer’s father, it had a high compression 318 and went like a rocket ship. Great memories.
I really enjoyed the story of your history with the car's you owned
Love your work Fletch
I am of the same era and had and restored/ repaired similar vehicles during my life
So I really appreciate your stories
Cheers mate!
Always a pleasure
Awesome CM Mark. Enjoyed your story mate.
All Chryslers have a note of their own and a presence.
I agree with that still miss my 1969 vip valiant with the 360 Rust is what killed it the whole roof with that padded crap they put under the vinyl
Very nice I miss my cm regal.
Beautiful cm
Fletch .. Red?? a racy canary yellow chrysler !! Thanks for showing it off
Best show on TV
I remember as an 11 year old back in early 1979, i was playing in the schoolyard in country NSW when one of the teachers showed up to school in a brand new impossibly yellow XD GL sedan with those striped wool blend seat facings. I remember being mesmerized whenever i saw it, or a simular car. I left the area years ago, but visited it late last year and walked past his house. To my surprise, he still lives there.....and still has that car! Other than faded yellow paint, it still looks the same. I doubt he's ever restored or modified it. I thought, surely this is not his main car these days......there must be a Territory or Mustang in his garage as well?!
I bought a cream coloured XE in 1990 with 3,3 and 4spd......but only kept it five years. Life is short. You must try new things and move on.
great car.
Beautiful fletch
Hi Frank, thanks for commenting and glad to know you liked this episode. What is your favourite classic car? - Andres.
That CM is a great looking car mate - everything looks "right" on it. The interior is fantastic - the console, whoever modified that, did a great job (remember, only the later Regals got the flip top armrest comfort - all other lower models and sports orientated models had to make do with a console with no armrest). Even the polished woodgrain strip on the LH side of the dash stands out. The body, the polished rims (Charger 770?), GT colour, badging and chrome grille, all combine to make it very desirable.
Chrysler really got the tail end right again, not since the brilliant American inspired VH tail lights. The forgettable VK ones, and the horrible VJ tail lights luckily no more.... And unique with the 360 4 speed - good on you for doing that.
The shots at 16:24 and 20:47 are superb - they really were a nice style for a family car, right from the VH days. The curved waistline that ended halfway along the side on the front door was a nice unique touch. But they need to be slightly lowered and with guard filling rubber - otherwise they come across as a bit too gangly.
I always liked the VJ tail lamps. It was the first on that body shape I remember seeing in my early childhood memories in the 70s. The VH taillamps are my least favourite and I liked how modernised the VK's facelifted taillights looked over the VJ's. Chrysler Aust. Did a good job.
Much as I liked the CL's rear treatment, it was quite a radical departure and looked the blandest IMO.
Fletch you've always had a no BS attitude. Not Flash but very informative I'm 61 and remember when the CM came out Thinking that's the best looking Chrysler for years.
It's how the CL should have looked.
Good to see a CM Regal from the Mitsubishi era get a V8. I believe they only offered the ELB 265 and 245 sixes when Mitsubishi acquired the plant. Even the Regal SE got the 265 only.
I notice it has received CL tail lamps and the head light surrounds are all chrome instead of having the gunmetal grey in the pit area, again CL spec.
I didn't agree with the rear garnish panels being colour coded or the missing rub strips and chrome demarcation strip on the lower C pillar, or those kidney mags but with a 360 mated to a manual, at least there is justification.
Good to know it's rust free. Some CMs weren't as fortunate, even on the dealer's lot!
nice!
Great cars the CM. I also own an impact red v8 cm. On my channel mate. Just love it.
Mines a august 1980
Fletch, you said you changed the final drive ratio but didn't say if you installed a Sure Grip. That's Chrysler's name for the LSD, which I think would /should be a basic must-have in a car like this. Well I suppose it's how the car is driven, but having that wide rubber and great torque and power is one thing but getting it to the ground is just as important as well. Unfortunately the Sure Grip diffs were not common in Valiants, unlike many American cars. Only some higher R/T models and some wagons (eg Tow Pack), some utes, Police Chargers etc had them. or if ordered at the time of manufacture. Even the big CxC 360s and Chargers with the E55 engine didn't get them, they had to make do with an open centre diff with 4 pinion for a bit of extra strength. With a car like yours with the standard 25 spline axles the only option was to find a 25 spline Suregrip from a Valiant or earlier Falcon/Fairlane or to change the axles to 28 spline which opens up a whole new variety of Borg Warner LSDs from Fords, Commodores and even Nissans.
Lovely car, well done. Is it just me, but the tail lights look like from a CL, with the chrome surrounds. I thought the CM had done way with them! Our family had a series of Valiants (Chryslers) VC, VG, VJ, and a CL. For a while a had a VH Charger.....
Cheers David. Yes. CL tail lights. They are nicer. Fletch
Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth, all good manufacturers at various times, Interesting that you tried the classic Ford and GM offerings, and finally settled with Chrysler. Similar story for me, Dad had a Valiant 245 then a Regal 770, Hemi 265, while I was still a junior driver. Then left home and and went on lifes voyage, trying out just about every motoring variant along the way, but always remembering the Chryslers. Arrived at a point where my next car needed to be purchased, Ford had effectively gone, Holden was looking unstable (commercially) so what to do, since I dont fit into the new age micro cars. and didnt have european budget or mind set. One day while at the Holden dealer, spotted the Chrysler dealer across the driveway. Outcome, I traded the 98 v8 Calais for an SRT8, and just enjoyed for the next 3 years. Opportunity came to move on, I traded it for another, which is now a keeper. A truly well engineered car that is such a great drive. On long haul interstate runs it cruises with no effort at all, quick, quiet and surprisingly cheap to keep. These are cars that were designed by engineers rather than multiple committees of well meaning experts of every kind. Seems there are very few cars left like that now and these may well disappear shortly too. Maybe one day, just before the next ice age, it can become someones resto project.
On ya Fletch.
The cm Val was my favourite one
But get back to the xd was it the yellow colour or yellow orange which was called magnolia which is my first one
I had an xd wagon 3.3 four speed manual wagon loved it
You have had some really nice cars 👍👍😍😍
How is it easy to see why Hare and Forbes Machinery House has been family owned and operated for almost 85 years?
Hi Fletch. Nice work. Can I ask your opinion please?
I have an 84 wb Seville, 308 trimatic. I got it a few years ago with 163 k on the clock. It was a QLD country car so has some road rash but little rust. But, it sat a while with a cover on it and I think it sweated a bit. So the paint chips etc have surface rust. I can buff it but the paints lifted a bit. Should I Lee pl the original paint for prosperity or repaint? Cheers. There is a small clip of the car on my channel.
Chrysler valiant's outdated yeah I had about 15 or so in the 80s - 90s I love driving them easy to work on only time i broke down is when i ran out of fuel I have gone way back in the past now I have a 1958 chrysler desoto fireflight 361V8 so still love my chryslers.
My dad had one as a taxi in 1981, bloody heap of shit he said,.... it got updated to a falcon, it’s probably at the tip by now 🙀
Is it just me or does this guy sound like Chopper Read?
i didnt notice till you mentioned it
That's so true about torque - it accounts for most people's or 95% of an effortless driving experience. Many Australians are obsessed with the horsepower number but it's the torque that is most important mostly for impressive drive-ability. Now, that Electra - the overall shape and rear end is not too bad but at 5:36 I'm just having trouble believing that this front end treatment was put into production by a major car manufacturer - to me it looks like a 13 year old designed that awful grille and headlight 'styling' combination. This is typical of GM (Generic Motors) offerings, meaning that it passes from a distance but the closer you get the worse and cheaper looking it becomes. I can't see much thought has gone into that layout. Shameful really, for an upmarket model. Same as many GM cars, even the Camaro - simplicity and plain-ness to the point of ugliness. Compare this Buick to an equivalent Chrysler /Plymouth /Dodge car and see the design differences and thoughtfulness. There is no comparison. Fletch, you would have been far more entranced with a beautiful Chrysler or Plymouth C body of the same era; a 300 Series model, Plymouth Fury, New Yorker, or Imperial, etc
Delivery.
Holdens driver ergonomics better engine much worse hemi heaven