Did you know Brazil had their own version of the Dodge Magnum? And it had a special fiberglass front end with that beaky grille and the quad-headlamp setup? And it also had that very strange B-pillar situation, where the upper window trim sort of bisects it but then it continues, undaunted, over the top of the roof like a roll bar and the result is the rear side windows are smallish triangles and are almost, but not quite, like opera windows? Did you know they only made these from 1979 to 1981 and they had the 318 V8 engine? And that they were actually pretty popular in Brazil?
It’s okay. I didn’t know it, either.
Never heard of this but it is cool. I have a 1974 Dodge Dart Swinger (not a popular year of darts but I like it and have had it for 15+ years). But you can see this car is just a 1974 Dart with a different grill and B pillar setup.
I’ve lived here for nearly 30 years and I’ve never seen one. With such a short run, I would imagine that they were not big sellers and would have been limited to large company owners/CEOs etc. Now I would like to see one. Big classic car show coming up here in the south in a couple of weeks. I’d be happy to do the roving reporter bit and send you the story, photos/videos etc if you are interested Jason.
That car looks like the offspring from when a AMC Matador mated with a Chrysler Valiant!! (☉౪ ⊙)
**Plymouth** Valiant
(Still no edit button……) 🙁
The late 70s Brazilian Darts are based on a US 73 Dart – it had the big front bumper that wasn’t quite as prominent as in 74. I think the 318s were all imported, but not sure about that.
So they took the Plymouth Scamp hardtop and made it into a coupe, I guess by then hardtops were going out of style.
It was basically a fancied up 1968 Dart, as Chrysler couldn’t justify the cost of retooling the Brazilian plant for a new model, but also couldn’t import the Magnum from the US due to tariffs
I was gonna say, this looks more like a 1960-something than a 1970-something.
This makes me wish that landau tops would make a comeback. This one looks like they mashed up a sedan with a ute, and I strangely don’t find it offensive at all.
Another unique-looking Brazilian-built car I didn’t know about. Keep ’em coming! I’m guessing they’re just permanent fixtures, but I feel like those rear windows should be opened in the same way, but opposite direction as the vent windows in the front.
Looking at the top, it looks the vinyl install gives off that T-top appearance, unlike the US Magnum, which actually had that option. More important, it appears to be another Valiant/Dart variant. DT would approve.
And definitely Tom “are you Click or Clack?” Magliozzi, rest in peace.
Clearly inspired by the ’77-79 Thunderbird.
In Brazil what you are calling the “Magnum P.I.” was actually the “Magnum π” and it was available with an almost infinite number of options – the list went on almost forever….
That sounds pretty irrational to me.
Why do you go on so long after making your point?
Let’s sine off on that idea for now and circle back later.
My knee-jerk reaction to the word “Brazilian” is to thing of creative pubic hair styling. The top on this car is similarly well trimmed.
That would look pretty awesome without the vinyl top. Just keep the basket handle effect with the chrome trim for some classy, understated weirdness.
Not sure about popular, at least not for long. I never saw one in my life – hell, didn’t even knew they existed, and as I kid I was both into cars AND Magnum PI!