Practicality and thrift are the themes in this sales pitch for the 1966 Plymouth Valiant. 

In this original 1966 Chrysler Corporation spot, the Valiant is described (deep breath) as “a neat, trim, solid, inexpensive, solid little saver.” That’s quite a stack of adjectives, but they all seem to apply to the Plymouth division’s entry in the compact class for 1966.

Totally redesigned in 1963, Chrysler’s A-body Valiant package received an extensive facelift for the final year in its four-year production cycle, with a body-color center grille divider, massive new bumpers, and a revised roof design. Buyers could choose from three model lines: base model 100, mid-range 200, and the deluxe Signet. The heater-and-keys 100 series was by far the best seller in the Valiant lineup for ’66, accounting for better than half the sales—more than 78,000 of the nearly 138,000 cars produced. Chrysler’s vaunted Slant 6 (read about it here) was the standard powerplant, naturally, while the 273 CID V8 was an available extra.

The top-of-the-line Signet Hardtop Coupe is the featured vehicle here, and this one is nicely equipped with the optional bucket seats, center console, and floor shift. We found it interesting how buying habits have changed since the ’60s. Here the Valiant is pitched as the perfect vehicle for a young couple with two little boys and a large dog, but today a family of that size would probably be shopping for a two-row SUV at the least. Time marches on.