Obscure factory racers from the other side the world

Hi All

I thought this maybe of interest. Not all of Chrysler corps legend cars where 440s or 426 hemis. In Aus and NZ Chrysler fielded a lot of hot 6s for circuit racing the Chargers and pacers being the top of the tree they where pretty toey numbers and could run with SBCs and Boss spec Clevos. Here is a pretty interesting example of a valiant pacer Track Pack that most don't know about. Is it a muscle car dont know probably not, interesting none the less.

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http://australianmusclecarsales.com.au/muscle/177820-vg-valiant-e31-track-pack-pacer

Stupid money being asked for it

Cool, I like the off beat ones.

Yeah Luke the Chrysler six cylinder "Hemi" was a really good thing and could give the V8's a bit of a hurry up, especially in NZ were the tracks were short and tight which suited the Vals over the GT-HO, but on the longer tracks such as Bathurst they didn't quite have the legs up top, but in saying that they were unlucky not to win there in 72, because someone decided it would be a good idea to put new cold wheel nuts on hot wheel studs causing them to jam up and it took them ages to get them off to do a tyre change. One of the best induction noises you will ever hear is a hemi six with a set of triple Webbers on it. As for the price on that one advertised, probably a bit high, but the problem with cars like that Pacer is finding them with the matching numbers driveline. The problem with the poor old Vals was they were a cheap car that people would buy to flog around the bush in or go Speedway driving on the cheap, if you blew the motor up, you go buy another one for $50 (or for free because people just wanted them out of their yards) stick the motor in the old one or just thrash the new one and dump the old one, hate to think how many and what we may have thrashed, trashed, cut up and dumped because they were so cheap and went really quick for basically no money.

True they didn't have the legs of the GTs and the blokes that raced them reckon they could of gone a full second quicker if they had brakes still pretty cool cars for 6s. Funny how our chrysler stuff never achieved the Hero status that it undoubtedly deserves always been the cheap option here.

And to think that 6 started off as a potential truck motor for the US....

But, more importantly, what does 'toey' mean and where does the word come from? This was the subject of a rather long discussion on another forum with no resolution even with the input of several members from down your way.

Toey in this instance would be a bit grumpy, ready a bit ready to go. So I guess ready to go, as it can apply to your best girl when she's in the lovin mood too. Origins don't know its been in use here forever. Edgy is probably a good fit for Toey too

Very true the Chrysler six cylinder "hemi" was to be used in the U.S as a truck engine, but was rejected and the Australian engineers got wind of this engine and thought it would make a great passenger/performance car engine and how right they were. The plans and blueprints came down here, where they made the moulds to cast up the engines so Chrysler could use it for their local content to keep the politicians happy and so they could save on tax. The 265 "hemi" in its ultimate form in 1972 (just before the supercar ban) could go 0-100 MPH in 14.2 seconds and cover the quarter in 14.4 seconds, not too shabby for a six cylinder and quickest australian production car down the quarter and the only car here to do over 100 MPH down the quarter during this period. Chrysler were working on a 300 cube version before the supercar scare. As for toey, it means to accelerate quickly but some people also say it as being fast too.

Yeah very true Luke about the brakes, but it was the case with all the cars back then. While the Vals had crap brakes, the GT-HO's (heavier) weren't much better either. All drivers of the era said the same thing about going quicker if they had brakes that would work properly. When I listened to Allan Moffat speak one time, he said around Bathurst during the series production era, after three laps the brakes would be gone and you still had another 120+ laps to go and traveling at over 150 MPH down Conrod Straight and going back gears and pumping the hell out of the brakes, you hoped they worked enough to slow you down because there was no way you could ever stop with them. Those guys really were fearless and drivers of today have it pretty easy.

Another interesting anecdote about Chrysler Corp AU is that they never sent a dollar back to the US all profits stayed local hard to believe but true. Kind of made them Aus only real local producer

Another interesting anecdote about Chrysler Corp AU is that they never sent a dollar back to the US all profits stayed local hard to believe but true. Kind of made them Aus only real local producer

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Very true and they were the only arm of Chrysler Corp to still turn a profit when they were facing bankruptcy in the late 70's, that's why it was sold off to Mitsubishi because it was the only division worldwide that was still making a profit. The only thing Chrysler Australia bought in from the U.S was V8 engines and transmissions to suit, even when the E38 got the green light in 71 they wanted to use a 4 speed, but there was not a local one available, as the Borg Warner single rail was running behind schedule. It was put forward to use the new process 4 speed, but was rejected on the basis of being of local content, so it ran with the 3 speed box. You just have to look what Chrysler Australia did with a limited budget and Detroit always trying to stick their noses in, imagine how great they could have been if left to do it all their own way and allowed to make all their own decisions.

But, more importantly, what does 'toey' mean and where does the word come from? This was the subject of a rather long discussion on another forum with no resolution even with the input of several members from down your way.

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Toey to me has always meant something to the effect of "ready and rearing for action at a split-seconds notice". I've always associated the term with boxing, where contestants a constantly on the move on their toes ready to strike. In a car I see toey as meaning the car has a higher than anticipated response (i.e. peppier) to a particular driving input action (acceleration, steering etc.)

But, more importantly, what does 'toey' mean and where does the word come from? This was the subject of a rather long discussion on another forum with no resolution even with the input of several members from down your way.

Click to expand...

Toey to me has always meant something to the effect of "ready and rearing for action at a split-seconds notice". I've always associated the term with boxing, where contestants a constantly on the move on their toes ready to strike. In a car I see toey as meaning the car has a higher than anticipated response (i.e. peppier) to a particular driving input action (acceleration, steering etc.)

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Yes boxing and horse racing too toey "eager for action" and I guess nags toe the ground when they are gee'd up before a race. Or somebody a bit prickly and quick to scrap eg "That bastards as toey as a roman sandal" Lol we have gone from valiant's to a discussion on the colloquial lexicon this forum teaches may things

Hey! Thanks for the response on the 'toey' thing. On a coincidentally related note, I watched an old movie the other night, a western, ("Texas" with Glenn Ford and William Holden in their early 20's. kind of odd to see them that young compared to later roles). Anyway, Holden ends up a boxing match with some guy from a railroad construction camp. The ref mentions 'London rules' and scratches a line in the dirt. The two boxers line up with the toes of one foot one the line. Possible origins of 'toe the line'? If so, and from what you guys said of 'toey', could it also come from the same origin?