Valiant VF Pacer review

By: Dave Morley, Photography by: Alastair Brook

Date: 12.12.2022

While carving its own niche as an Aussie muscle car, the Pacer led to the birth of the Charger

Remember that scene in The Commitments where Jimmy Rabbitte is explaining to his newly-formed band how and why a bunch of white guys could pull off a black, soul music sound?

"D’ya not get it, lads? The Irish are the blacks of Europe. And Dubliners are the blacks of Ireland. And the north-side Dubliners are the blacks of Dublin."

Great movie, but there’s also a message in that scene that applies to the Valiant Pacer. As in: Valiant was the poor relation of the Big Three in Australian in the 60s and 70s. And the four-door Valiant body always played second fiddle to the swoopy, two-door Val Hardtop. And the Pacer with its six-banger and three-speed manual was always looked down upon by those who drove V8 Falcon GTs and Holden Monaros, or even V8 Valiant VIPs. And yet…

And yet, the Pacer’s place in the Australian car story is just as important as any of those other makes and models. And as for soul, well the Pacer was equal parts Aretha and Otis. With an Aussie accent, of course.

As Jimmy Rabbitte concluded: "So say it once, and say it loud; I’m black and I‘m proud."

| Read next: Valiant VF & VG Pacer review

Long gone are the days when driving a Valiant of any sort, or a Pacer specifically, was a cringe-trigger. So why was it ever the case? Basically, the whole Valiant thing got a bum rap. The tired old ethnic slur on Valiant owners was part of it, and the Pacer copped it in the neck by skipping the obvious V8 powerplant and using the rugged inline six for its tilt at the annual Bathurst Festival of the Bogan.

Of course, Holden also tackled Bathurst with six-bangers, didn’t it? Yep, but what saved the XU-1 Torana’s reputation was that it actually pulled off the win in 1972. Plonk P Brock at the tiller, and the legend was assured. And as a road car, the physically much smaller Torana was never seen as the poor relation (there’s that term again) because there was no V8 Torana to compare it with.

| Buyer's Guide: Valiant VG Pacer 1970-1971

But for all those things that threatened the Pacer’s legitimacy at the time, the concept has risen above it in all 2022 to emerge as a master-stroke. And you know what? Had the Pacer run to a four-speed gearbox and bigger brakes back in the day, it might have beaten the Torana to the Bathurst podium.

But now look at what the Pacer did achieve. Without the Pacer to lay the groundwork for hot six-cylinder road cars, there may never have been a Valiant Charger. Imagine that! And even if the Charger had made it beyond the styling studio, without the Pacer’s hard-won track-cred proving that the idea had legs, the original Charger E38 race-ready model mightn’t have become reality.

| Reader Resto: Valiant VG Pacer

And what about this: While the six-pot Pacer copped flak for turning its back on the V8 engine, fast-forward to the 1990s and Ford is just establishing its Falcon XR6 (yep, a full-sized, performance four-door car with a hot six) as one of the most successful franchises of its local history. Don’t worry about the two decades in between, said the Pacer. Oh, and you’re welcome. And that’s before we even mention Commodore S and SV6, the Magna Ralliart, Aurion TRD and Skyline GTS. The Pacer helped inspire all of them.

So say it once and say it loud: I’m a Pacer and I’m proud.

The owner of this 1969 VF Pacer, Bill Skyrm who lives up Newcastle way in NSW, reckons the only thing the Bathurst Pacers needed were a four-speed gearbox and the others wouldn’t have seen which way they went. "And bigger brakes, too, of course," he adds.

And for Bill, the Pacer in its four-door form is the only way to go. "I’m not a fan of Yank tanks," he tells us, "and the two-door looks a bit like that to me".

He also understands that Pacer-love has been a slow-burn thing.

"Going back 15 years ago, nobody wanted Pacers especially the VH, and now you can’t find them anywhere. I wouldn’t mind one (a VH Pacer) if I could put my hands on one."

Bill’s also aware of the Pacer’s role in the development of local performance cars, and reckons driving a Pacer was always a bit of a statement that you weren’t just one of the pack.

"I lived in a town full of Monaros and Toranas and GT Falcons. So up the street was a fair collection of those sorts of cars. So the Pacer was really something different."

"The Pacer was released as a budget performance car to attract the youth scene. And, I tell you what, it worked on me."

BUYER'S CHECKLIST:

Body & chassis

Most Pacers in the market today will have undergone a fairly thorough attempt at rust ridding however it is important to check – on a hoist if available – the firewall and sub-frame attachment points, rear spring hangers and boot floor. Check too for cracks where the steering box attaches to the frame. On the outside look especially for bubbles forming around front and rear windscreens, rotted door bottoms and rear quarter panels. Chromed and polished parts all need to be undamaged because replacing them is costly.

Engine & transmission

Pacer buyers generally prefer the later, larger and more powerful 4.0-litre Hemi, however the 3.7-litre ‘Slant Six’ is a reliable engine and capable of being tuned to deliver impressive power. Valve-gear rattles are more of an annoyance than a serious issue but bearing rumble and rattles from the front of the engine mean imminent expense. Extractors make a significant difference to both performance and economy but do make the car noisier than standard. The three-speed gearbox is very basic and tough enough to deal with the standard engine’s output plus a bit more. A high first gear – good for 72km/h – isn’t kind to the clutch but uprated units are available.

Suspension & brakes

All pretty basic here but listen for cracking noises over sharp bumps that signify torsion bar problems. Different grades of bar are available to suit owner requirements and kits of suspension overhaul parts cost around $200. The rear leaf springs flatten with age, leading to a harsh ride and poor handling. New spring sets are available but at around $1000 per pair. If the car you choose doesn’t have disc front brakes, conversion is a smart investment in safety. Brake rotors plus pads for cars with discs cost a little over $200 per side.

Interior & electrics

Check that seat frames feel solid and aren’t showing signs of cracking. Next ensure the seat runners move freely and that all the windows wind without excessive effort. Electrics in these cars are pretty basic however if you need to replace the wiper motor, starter and alternator that bill will get close to $1000. Carpet sets, reproduction door trims and seat upholstery kits are available; seat trim sets cost around $2000 (plus fitting). Water on the cabin floor could come from a leaking heater core and those cost around $300.

1969 - 1970 Valiant VF Pacer

NUMBER MADE: 4500 (est)
BODY STYLES: Steel integrated body/chassis four door sedan
ENGINE: 3687cc in-line six cylinder with overhead valves & single downdraft carburettor
POWER & TORQUE: 131kW @ 4500rpm 310Nm @ 2700rpm (approx)
PERFORMANCE: 0-96km/h 10.5 seconds, 0-400 metres 17.5 seconds
TRANSMISSION: Three-speed manual
SUSPENSION: Independent with torsion bars, control arms, telescopic shock absorbers and anti-roll bar (f) Live axle with semi-elliptic springs and telescopic shock absorbers (r)
BRAKES: Drum (disc opt) (f) drum (r) power assisted
TYRES: 6.95 x 14 cross-ply

From Unique Cars #472, Nov/Dec 2022

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