American Chrysler Horizon to die for!!!

[Bren]

Have a matchbox dodge daytona. One was used in the TV series Hunter.

[Split_Pin]

I had no idea that the Dodge Omni was a different car 100%.

 

So to clarify, is the Plymouth Horizon the same as Talbot one?

[barrett]

No, the American and European cars are entirely different except for vaguely the way they look and the name.

 

I just love that somebody at Chrysler Corp took a look at the Horizon and said "let's just use the best part of this car: the way it looks." In fairness the coupe is a pretty cool little thing though.

[r.welfare]

I thought the MacPherson strut front suspension on the US version was a byproduct of using the VW power train? Could be bollocks. Isn't the Daytona on a shortened K car chassis so unrelated to the Horizon?

[Felly Magic]

The main body shell in white is more or less identical on the Plymouth Horizon 5 door, and the European cousin, and it had a fairly long life there. 

[Junkman]

Shelbyese Lexicon

 

CLX = Carroll Shelby eXperimental

GLH = Goes Like Hell

GHLS = Goes Like Hell S'more

KR = King of the Road

SS = Super Snake

DS = Dragon Snake

 

CSX 3000 - 3099 = MKIII 427 Competition (all coil spring chassis, 427 Side Oiler).

Of the 100 planned cars only 57 were built (54 sold, 3 kept as show cars).

Guess who once owned CSX 3039. It was later restored by Mike McCluskey.

Originally Light Maroon Poly, it was painted black during that resto,

but I was told the car has since been resprayed in its original colour.

In 1990 Mike was tasked by Shelby himself to build the "Continuation Cars",

which received chassis numbers CSX 3056 - 3099.

[flat4alfa]

Yes, that's what I meant. Yes.

 

You must have photos of 3039, even if on lay-up?   Aww. go-on

[flat4alfa]

Will need a proper Baron New Thread, obvs

[Junkman]

The main body shell in white is more or less identical on the Plymouth Horizon 5 door, and the European cousin, and it had a fairly long life there. 

 

It differs significantly due to the completely different suspension, federal side impact and rollover protection,

8 OMGMPH front and rear impact protection and numerous other things, like space for the catalytic converter, various heat shields, etc.

Not a single stamping is interchangeable, no matter whether it's inside, outside, underneath, or on top.

If you look closely, you will find the US cars look 'meatier', they lost a bit of the 'sheerness' of the original design and the stance is different.

 

 

I thought the MacPherson strut front suspension on the US version was a byproduct of using the VW power train? Could be bollocks. Isn't the Daytona on a shortened K car chassis so unrelated to the Horizon?

 

Correct in every aspect.

 

Horizon/Omni/Charger/Rampage/Scamp were built on the Chrysler L-Platform, which lasted from 1978 - 1990.

The McPherson strut suspension was indeed chosen to accommodate the VW engine(s).

Note: The Simca/Talbot Horizon was NOT built on the L-Platform! It had its own, derived from, but not identical with, the Simca 1100's.

        

The 1984 - 1993 Dodge Daytonas were built on the Chrysler G-Platform, which was derived from the K-Platform.

 

 

No, the American and European cars are entirely different except for vaguely the way they look and the name.

 

I just love that somebody at Chrysler Corp took a look at the Horizon and said "let's just use the best part of this car: the way it looks." In fairness the coupe is a pretty cool little thing though.

 

It might strike some as odd that the Simca Horizon was styled by Roy Axe's bunch of miscreants in the Whitley design studio.

Only the oily stuff was engineered in Poissy.

I think the styling has aged extremely well. At least as well as Giugiaro's Golf styling, if not better.

 

 

May I also remind you folks, that the Horizon was COTY in 1979?

[Formula Autos]

There was a similar development history with the European Mk 3 Escort and USA version of the same vintage. Superficially they looked similar, but nothing much was interchangeable. Development was shared up to a point, ironing out details like what styling trends to follow, basic layout, general styling (including the notchback), mechanical layout, etc., then started to diverge for local needs and laws. The USA version ended up being developed in tandem with Mazda's first FWD 323 and sharing more with that car, whilst looking more like a European Escort.

 

An attempt at a "world car" that, because of practicalities, couldn't happen in reality - though that's what Ford were attempting initially. Were Chrysler aiming for the same thing?

 

As for the Shelby connection I've heard that was due to Lee Iacocca, who ended up running Chrysler, but had previously worked at Ford and ran the programme that brought the Mustang into the world; a car that later had a bit of extra performance and sales appeal by Carroll Shelby ....

[Junkman]

You must have photos of 3039, even if on lay-up?   Aww. go-on

 

Yes, they are in a shoebox that fell behind the bookshelves.

I have to disassemble those to retrieve it. Since 2009, I think.

[AMC Rebel]

This reminds me of the Chevrolet Cosworth Vega

 

a bit.

[Faker]

I was led to believe the American mondeo (or whatever it's called) and the American focus were the same as the UK - Euro versions.

[Felly Magic]

The mk2 Mondeo was pretty much the same, but lhd, and the base model with clockwork windows was available as a V6

[Felly Magic]

Wiki is wrong, the only difference to the saloon shell were the lights, and rear quarters & bootlid, even the dashboard and interior was the same as left hand drive Euro market cars, Eric The Car Guy did significant work on one for his 'Fix It Forward' series.