Preparing an Imported 1964 US Valiant Racer to be a Street Legal Car in Canada

Which brings us to 6 years later finally listening to the advice of my friend. Be patient. Find a car already done where someone else has poured a boatload of money into it. Buy it for pennies on the dollar. Do a bunch of small things and learn as you go.


And current project.

So here is what I would like to do. I am going to present the car to you to the best of my current ability. Once I have done that if you could help me itemize everything that needs to be done, and I will break them down by priority into three (3) categories.


Once I have everything listed with your help I will present the projects each week, you guys let me know what I need, I get the parts, research how to do it, and with your help we get her done piece by piece and on the street.

One main thing to note about the car right now is I have not been able to contact the builder of the engine and car so I have very little drive train or build specs.

So here is some general information and then I will take you through a picture tour of everything I found that needs attention and your help.

The car is a 1964 Valiant hardtop originally a drag car purchased from a racer in Michigan and brought to West Virginia as a race car for the owners son. The seller told me he has invested over $27K in the car. Not sure of those numbers but I had a fellow FABO member spend several hours checking out the car for me. (Which reminds me I should a Good Guy Alert thread). He said he didnt know how much was invested but someone spent A LOT of time and money getting the car straight and the frame perfect. I will send the member a note and hopefully he will chime in with more technical information.

The car went to the track couple of times to test and tune but that was it. Car runs 11.2 at ΒΌ mile but owner believes it is faster now after the engine build. (Again I need to speak with builder).

The car is Orange painted less than two years ago at which time it was put on a rotisserie and any place that even looked weak was repaired or strengthened to make the owner happy and that is hard to do apparently. In places the paint looks older to me than 2 years.

I was told the motor is out of a 1971 Polara and is a built 360 .30 over pushing around 450+horsepower 727 trans by TCI that has a reversed value noise that makes shifting go from normal p,r,n,d,2,1 to p,r,n,1,2,d that I am told is great for racing. Also has stall converter and trans brake topped off with a new Hurst Quarter Stick shifter. The rear is a Ford 9" with the 4:11 posi that is narrowed with fully adjustable coil over shocks. 10 gallon fuel cell and batteries are in the trunk.

The car was originally a 3 speed on the floor as clutch pedal is still there. Seems to have very heavy hardware on transmission. All the floor pans are new or have been changed. Driveshaft loop.

Cage is 6 point. Headliner is torn in back and above passenger side.

This is what we are working with and what she sounds like..