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Does anybody remember the Chrysler 180?
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Ellis



Joined: 07 Mar 2011
Posts: 1382
Location: Betws y Coed, North Wales

PostPosted: Mon Jun 17, 2019 11:08 pm    Post subject: Does anybody remember the Chrysler 180? Reply with quote



There's a gold coloured Hillman Avenger owned by somebody on the North Wales coast with a "1" registration followed by three letters and is in regular use. Any Avenger is a rare sight these days.
Unveiled in 1970 it was quite successful but the same year saw the introduction of a car which is even rarer these days - the Chrysler 180.

I have not seen one for years although a chartered surveyor in the village had a metallic bronze, 1973 "L" registration example for two years or so. The Chrysler was a disappointing seller everywhere in Europe except in Spain where it was still produced until 1982.

According to "How Many Left" there were two licensed versions and five (I think) SORNED in 2018 in the UK.

Was it such a poor car I wonder and did any of you ever own one or travelled in one? Your opinions please.



It's successor fared even poorer in sales although a bank manager friend of my parents bought a new V6 engined automatic one on his retirement in 1982. It was a silver coloured example and on the two occasions I was a passenger in it I have to admit it was very comfortable and smooth bordering on opulence.
Apparently there are no road licensed versions but nine on SORN.

Does anybody remember either?
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badhuis



Joined: 20 Aug 2008
Posts: 1390
Location: Netherlands

PostPosted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 9:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I do not have any practical with either of them but remember the 180 well. It was not a rare car here in the Netherlands in the 70s. I have always found this an ill-styled car and wondered why people would want one knowing there were (and are) so many nicer cars available.

The Tagora was much rarer, I cannot even recall seeing one on the road. The same applies here, why would you want one? Just buy a smooth CX or the red Triumph next to the Tagora on the picture. Most were sold to dealers themselves it seemed.

Nowadays of course it is fun to see an example of either one of them, bringing back memories (but still I would not want one!).
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consul 57



Joined: 09 Nov 2017
Posts: 482
Location: somerset

PostPosted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 9:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

my mates dad had a 180, never went in it though.
my dad had 2 company avengers, they would start alright but you could hear it poping and banging as he drove off to work in the colder mornings.
i drove them both but not much, his company soon went back to fords!
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MikeEdwards



Joined: 25 May 2011
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Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 9:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My mates Dad also had a 180, and I remember going on a few trips with it but couldn't really describe what it was like. I have a suspicion he had a 2-litre later, but perhaps not.

I have noticed them in a couple of recent TV programmes from the era, but I'm struggling to remember exactly which - perhaps "The Persuaders", or equally possibly something I've recorded from Talking Pictures TV.
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peter scott



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
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Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 11:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I guess I always just assumed that the 180 was a car for people who are not interested in cars but I have no experience of them so may be being a bit unfair.

Peter
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Riley Blue



Joined: 18 Jun 2008
Posts: 1750
Location: Derbyshire

PostPosted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 3:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

peter scott wrote:
I guess I always just assumed that the 180 was a car for people who are not interested in cars but I have no experience of them so may be being a bit unfair.

Peter


The man who ran the garage in Northside Car Park, Street, Somerset had a blue 180. He was also the tutor for car mechanic evening classes at Strode College where I learnt my 'spannering' so I wouldn't say he had no interest in cars. I can't remember his name but he was an excellent teacher who let us take our own cars to class work on, I had a Morris 1300GT at the time.
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Rick
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Joined: 27 Apr 2005
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 7:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I saw a Tagora driving along not far from here, a few years ago, much to my surprise. 180s I remember vaguely "back in the day".

RJ
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Rick
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 19, 2019 1:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some period footage, the Chrysler in the vid is described as a 2-litre - is this just another name for the 180?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cf5h-0Cwcs

RJ
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lowdrag



Joined: 10 Apr 2009
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Location: Le Mans

PostPosted: Fri Jun 21, 2019 1:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There is an immaculate Tagora near me, and a neighbour had a 180 in the day and I went out in it a few times. The suspension seemed rather disjointed and made me feel rather sick. Not for me.
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alanb



Joined: 10 Sep 2012
Posts: 516
Location: Berkshire.

PostPosted: Fri Jul 05, 2019 11:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A neighbour of mine had a 180 and although it was a comfortable car to travel in as a passenger it was a poor substitute for the Humber Hawk.
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V8 Nutter



Joined: 27 Aug 2012
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 05, 2019 8:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I knew several people who had 180's and 2 litres. They were pretty good mechanically, the big problem seemed to be electronics. Everything was fixed to the inner wings which went rusty resulting in bad earths.
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47Jag



Joined: 26 Jun 2008
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Location: Bothwell, Scotland

PostPosted: Sat Jul 06, 2019 10:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The only Tagora I ever recall seeing was a police car that always seemed to be parked on one of those mounds on the northbound M6 near Southwaite Services. I never ever saw it ‘on the move’

Art
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