By Dave Chapman
The News-Herald
WYANDOTTE — It has been common for years for car companies that have more than one nameplate to make more than one car on the same platform with only minor changes from nameplate to nameplate.
Larry Caruso is quite aware of it as his 1969 Plymouth Valiant 100 is commonly mistaken as its first cousin, the Dodge Dart. Worse yet for Caruso, a fan of all things Mopar, some people mistake the car’s tall, slender tail lamps as one on a mid-1960s Chevrolet Chevy II.

The Valiant’s original slant six engine was replaced with a more modern 360-cubic-inch power plant. The engine has had an aftermarket cam and other performance upgrades to increase its power. A shift kit was added to the transmission to allow it to put more of its power to the pavement. A custom-built aluminum radiator was added to help the engine to keep its cool on hot days.
Caruso is accompanied by his daughter, Emily, when the car is on the road or parked at cruise nights.