Chrysler Centura Overview
Engineers from Chrysler Australia and Simca considered modifying the body and shortening the drive train so they could place the Australian 6-cylinder engines further back in the body but instead decided to lengthen the nose as Chrysler Australia apparently felt this created a more aggressive and better looking car. It also meant less changes were needed to "Australianise" the car, making it cheaper to assemble. Additional, largely cosmetic changes included a new grill, headlights, bonnet and rear panel and taillights. To compensate for the extra weight at the front of the car a brake proportioning valve was fitted, to compensate for weight shifts. When the car "nose-dived" under heavy braking, the proportioning valve reduced the brake pressure on the rear wheels, to prevent them from locking up and causing the back of the car to slide.
Chrysler also experimented with fitting a 5.2 litre (318 ci) American made V8 but decided that the body wasn't strong enough to cope with the larger engine and the V8 version never went into production. The KB Centuras sold and assembled in Australia not only had a 1,981 cc version of the 4-cylinder Simca engine but were also available with Australian made 6-cylinder pushrod 3,523/4,014 cc hemi engines and BorgWarner 3-speed automatic and 3- or 4-speed manual gearboxes. The four offered 122 hp (SAE), the sixes 142/167 hp (SAE) respectively. The KB series was sold in XL and GL trims, the latter having more equipment including a tachometer, cloth trim seats and optional vinyl roofs. The KB model's European pedigree was obvious with instrumentation in the opposite order and steering column controls on opposite sides.
As with their bigger Valiant brothers, flow ventilation was an issue, but at least the Centura had two face level outlets. The sixes also came with larger brakes (60 mm front discs and 25.4 mm rear drums) and a tandem brake reservoir. The six-cylinder Centuras' firewalls were not up to the heavier duty clutches needed for the sixes; flexing considerably and sometimes cracking badly as the cars aged. All Centuras also experienced quality issues with interior fixtures, with door trims breaking off, and torn vinyl trim near stitching lines not uncommon. KB 6-cylinder models have also been known to catch fire under bonnet, due to the long loom required from battery to starter motor, which are on opposite sides of the bay. This is caused through looms rubbing on metallic clips located on the firewall. The importation of the bodies from France into Australia was complicated in 1973 by industrial action.
Many bodies spent months on wharfs exposed to salt air creating corrosion problems later in these cars' lives. As the union bans lasted 2 years some cars spent this long on the wharfs.In addition to the union bans on French imports, parts supply and local Chrysler support for used vehicles also became more complicated when in 1978, Chrysler Europe went bankrupt and was taken over by Peugeot. This Peugeot takeover was soon followed by several French Peugeot/Talbot factory strikes worsening the problems in sourcing parts in Australia. The mix of metric and imperial fasteners used on the 6-cylinder cars and their combination of French and Australian parts also made them challenging vehicles to maintain. Six cylinder cars sold four to one in the Australian market over the fours. They had a reputation for providing reasonable handling, good torque and outstanding acceleration.
Sports options available on Centura models ranged from dealer fitted stenciled sports strips (bonnet and sides) to styled steel wheels and alloys. The Centura's main competitors in Australia were 4- and 6-cylinder Australian made versions of the Ford Cortina and General Motors' LH Holden Torana and Sunbird. The Centura boasted much more interior room and boot space than these main rivals. Centura's were also seen to compete to a lesser extent with both the perceived more reliable and better equipped 4-cylinder Datsun (Nissan) 180B (Bluebird) and Toyota Corona, and the larger bodied Australian Holdens, Chrysler Valiants (including the sporting Charger coupe) and Ford Falcons. Most competitors, although often lacking the fierce acceleration of the 6-cylinder Centura, proved less rust prone and generally had more modern styling.
In retrospect the rather compact Centura was not a typical 1970's medium-sized car. It wouldn't be until after the cancellation of the Centura, when Holden released the Commodore in October 1978, for the market to have a vehicle with similar internal dimensions to the Centura. Chrysler Australia was being starved of funds by its troubled American parent at this time, leaving the larger Valiant sedans persisting with the same chassis platform and basic body shape and interior (no face level flow through vents) for many years. This created an old fashioned image of the Australian Chrysler-Valiant brand that may have also have adversely impacted Centura sales. The 180 design was also rather dated by the time the cars arrived in the Australian market (later than intended), further adding to the old fashioned image of the brand.
