Depending on who you talk to, Chrysler’s Pacer concept of the late 1960s was either A: A catch-up reaction to the success of competitors like Monaros and Falcon GTs, or; B: So far ahead of the curve that it wouldn’t be until the Falcon XR6 almost a quarter century later that a full-sized, six-cylinder performance car would match the Pacer’s intent and marketing direction. Or get anywhere near the Mopar’s cool factor.
But whichever way you cut the deck, when the Pacer we’re discussing is a genuine, numbersmatching Bathurst homologation special (in this case, an E31) even if it never won Bathurst, that distinction puts this car up there in the pantheon of Aussie homologation specials. Yep, as far as we’re concerned right up there with the likes of GT-HO Falcons, XU-1 Toranas and S4 EH Holdens.
Don’t get us wrong, all GTs, EHs and Torries are cooler than a well-digger’s backside. But when they appear before us, bearing the option codes and equipment that stamps them as one of the 200 cars demanded by CAMS to bring those options to racetracks in Australia in the '60s and '70s, then we come to the overall opinion that we’re-not-worthy.
But let’s backtrack a little first. While Holden and Ford were making the '60s special by cranking out local hotties with V8 engine options and all sorts of stripes and lairy wheel-trims, Chrysler found itself standing at the edge of the dance floor, looking at its shoes. Its answer to all of this (and this is where the catch-up strategy theory emerges) was to grab a four-door VF Valiant, spice up the 225 slant-six a little and whack on some 100 mile-an-hour stripes.
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Denne historien er fra Issue 483-utgaven av Unique Cars.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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V8 MATES
THIS HOLDEN SL/R 5000 BUILD WAS THE CATALYST FOR A GREAT FRIENDSHIP
ICE ICE BABY
TAKE ONE VOLKSY FASTY AND ADD A SUBY FLAT FOUR ... SIMPLE
LOST & FOUND!
THEY THINK THEY MIGHT HAVE FOUND AMELIA EARHART'S PLANE...WE ALREADY HAVE HER CAR!
CAB CHARGE
WHEN IS AN EX-TAXI NOT AN EX-TAXI? WHEN IT'S A FORMER WEDDING-CAR. THIS RARE EBONY BLACK VG VALIANT WAS FOUND BY SHEER LUCK
CBX1000
HONDA'S BIG-SIX TOURER IS A COMPELLING RIDE
1967 FORD MUSTANG FLASHBACK
THIS 1967 MUSTANG MIGHT LOOK LIKE ANOTHER BULLITT TRIBUTE, BUT WHAT LIES UNDERNEATH IS NO ORDINARY MUSTANG
HONDA S2000 SPORTS
THERE ARE numerous contenders for the title of 'World's Best Four Cylinder Engine' and Honda's F20C, twin overhead cam powerhouse must be right near the top of the list.
FORD ESCORT 1970-80
FORD VERY nearly turned the Japanese small-car tide with its conservative but groundbreaking Escort.
ROLLING BACK THE FEARS
HYBRIDS AND EVS ARE BECOMMING MORE POPULAR, BUT A RECENT RETHINK SEES ICE ENGINES, THEREFORE CLASSIC CARS, SET TO ROLL ON FOR MANY YEARS TO COME
SUPERCAT ON THE PROWL
TWR HAS revealed its limited edition Supercat, with a price tag of $428,000 plus taxes, with deliveries to commence late 2024.