1966 Valiant Signet Convertible Resto

[daves66valiant]

Called up my painter today to see how things are going and guess what? :cheers:

I may have my car back as early as next week....the shell that is. All the panels will come later. With the shell back home I can start with my suspension, engine and 5-speed install. I can't wait to get her back together.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the paint goes on nice and there are no hang ups. The powdercoated K-frame and suspension parts will be done next week as well. This will be good timing.

Next posting will hopefully be a painted body and suspension parts. 8)

 

[memike]

That is what we all have been waiting for.:cheers:
hope she comes home looking good.8)
Life get's better.

 

[Longgone]

WHAT? Next week? No way!.............That would be great, that is,..if he`s not just blowing smoke.

 

[FASTBACK340]

I may have my car back as early as next week....

Maybe this will make you feel a little better that your not the only one: My body guy STILL hasn't painted my header panel, lower valance, and fender tag! I paid him a surprise visit this past Monday morning and explained why I must have my parts painted and returned. The reason is because I already PAID him to do it. I was promised I'll have them back this Saturday. We'll see....

Good luck Dave. I'm sure everyone is dying to see your car.

 

[SlotCarWon]

I know it has been a long hard road but you're lucky you have found someone that wants to do quality work for you. Keep in mind your car will be really great!
Keep the reports coming in and good luck.

 

[daves66valiant]

Well I said the next posting would either be shiny suspension parts or the car.

I got the k-frame and control arms back and they look awesome. These guys used to do the powdercoating for Willwood. I wish I would have added some other stuff to get coated at the same time. Beats the heck out of sandblasting and painting these parts myself. Especially the K-frame. For all the parts it was $125. Well worth it to me.

Shop dog checking out the parts

I have decided to replace the original 1966 Valiant grill with a 1966 Barracuda grill. After seeing a post about the Acapulco Mexican Valiants I was hooked. There was a picture of a 66 Signet with the barracuda grill and it looked fantastic. I dig the cheese grater grill. Much more aggressive and screams killer MOPAR. I got lucky and found a set on ebay for $60. They looked rough in the pictures but they sure cleaned up nice. Very little pitting in the pot metal and only one corner has a pinch. I think that can be fixed though. Man they are way heavier that the aluminum ones from the Valiant.

Filthy Before

Beautiful after cleaning and polishing

This is about the only excitement I've gotten lately. I'm headed down on Sunday to cut the holes out for the 5-speed and fab in the new tranny hump. I had a word with my painter and we now have an understanding.

Sorry to leave you guys hanging. It'll get there soon enough.

 

[FASTBACK340]

I had a word with my painter and we now have an understanding.

Sorry to leave you guys hanging. It'll get there soon enough.

I hope the understanding is if the car isn't painted he'll be hospitalized for a blunt head trauma.... your being WAY too nice with this guy.

I finally got my header panel back last Sunday (along with an attitude...:angry7: ) from the guy who painted my car. And I'll probably have to hit bodyshop # 3 to fix what he didn't do right. Damn bodyshops....

BTW: Good deal on the powder coating!

 

[daves66valiant]

I hope the understanding is if the car isn't painted he'll be hospitalized for a blunt head trauma.... your being WAY too nice with this guy.

I finally got my header panel back last Sunday (along with an attitude...:angry7: ) from the guy who painted my car. And I'll probably have to hit bodyshop # 3 to fix what he didn't do right. Damn bodyshops....

BTW: Good deal on the powder coating!

Too bad about your header panel. Everything else looks so good. I am being way too nice and patient than most people would be. I told him I didn't want it to come down to taking my car to someone else. He knows that I'm starting to get very impatient. I have set a deadline :clock: to get my car back. I must get a majority of this car done before the my house sells. He totally understands and he seems to be a straight up guy but with a lot of back luck this year.

BTW: Good to see yours is coming along nicely. I dig the trunk and hood releases. Very cool.

 

[daves66valiant]

First off..no car yet.....:angry7: But.....

I went down to the shop today and finished the floor hump for the 5-speed. It turned out 100% better than my first attempt with the parts car. I ended up making my own template (Keisler's template is total **** for the early a-body IMHO) with some metal that I took from the roof of my parts car. My welding still sucks but it is getting better...it's not going anywhere. I feel better knowing that part is finished and it will be painted with the rest of the floor. It still has to be sealed from underneath but I will do that later. It was really good to work on the car. I love that feeling of working on something that you've planned out for so long and you see it starting to really come together.

The body work is looking fantastic. The car was in an accident at one point on the driver's side and it has been giving my painter/body guy some fits. The previous work done was exceptional and he wants to make it better. On the early convertibles the factory kinda did a mediocre job making body lines transition smoothly where they cut the body for the convertible top. He made everything flow really nice and smooth. I really enjoy making things better on these old cars.

Tough spot

The fenders came off since the last time I saw the car at least.

I'm hoping to get the shell back soon. I can tell that there is not much more to be done before he can actually shoot the car. In the mean time I gotta finish my engine cradle/jig for the transplant.

 

[daves66valiant]

Since I am getting my car back pretty soon I have been busy getting things ready for the arrival and transplantation. Ordered some dynamat from Summit. Thanks Longgone for the tip and the price savings. I also got the engine cradle/dolly finished so I can install everything at once. Hopefully I'll avoid the issues of getting the TTI headers into this early a-body. I still need to mount the power steering gear box, the lower control arm and maybe the disc brakes and other steering components. Having the fenders off makes the access easy. :grin:

I used my engine stand from Harbor Freight as the dolly. I just removed the engine mounting post. The lumber supports everything nicely and it's very stable. I can't wait to see everything sitting in the engine bay.:burnout: That's all for now.

 

[65s]

Everything looks good man. I just looked this thread over from the beginning for the first time, and I'm very impressed and happy for you.

 

[redfastback]

dave, all the stuff you are doing to the car is great. i hope that you and i both are at fall fiing so i can see it in person. that is if the car gets painted in a timely fashion. good luck.

 

[Longgone]

Looking good Dave! The silver lining to the paint job taking so long is that it gives you time to do everything you need to do in detail. When it comes time to put it all together, the assembly should go really fast, since you`ve done so much in preparation for it. I`m still tickled silly with the Tremec 5spd. when I go through the gears and then right into OD:toothy10:. They do need to improve that top cover that`s stamped steel though. I bent mine on install and it leaked like a sieve. I had to go back and pull the trans and reseal it. BUMMER, but she`s nice and dry now. Everything looks good , have you any wire looms? R&M make some nice sets that`ll keep those wires safe from those headers. I look forward to seeing this project come to fruition! Your vert is going to be one nice ride!!!=P~ Dave,thanks again for the gas cap!

 

[daves66valiant]

Thanks again for all the kind words. It has been a great journey so far and will continue to be. My goal is to have it at the fall fling for sure. It might be missing some finishing touches but I hope to have her there.

I did get some thermal sleeves for wires #5 and #7. They are really close to the headers. I'll figure something out with the wire looms though.

I've definitely had plenty of time to plan things out and get things ready. I still have more to do but not too much. I hope. :tongue5:

My painter called today in the middle of coating the floors and trunk. Yesterday he went ahead and stripped the engine bay down to bare metal and cleaned things up so it will look as nice as the outside. He said basecoat should go on Saturday and clear on Sunday if all goes well. I'm headed down again this Saturday to check things out. Should be fun.

 

[daves66valiant]

Everything looks good man. I just looked this thread over from the beginning for the first time, and I'm very impressed and happy for you.

Thanks. How's the Deviant?

 

[daves66valiant]

The floors are seam sealed and coated. In addition to the dynamat, this rhino liner type stuff should help deaden the sound a bit more. I'm headed down tomorrow to see the rest of the progress. Might even see some blue.

More tomorrow :wave:

 

[memike]

Looks real good !!
I seen a jeep painted with rhino liner.
It is some good material . We have a big rhino liner co here in goober town Arkansas.

 

[daves66valiant]

Was at the shop a couple times this weekend. I finished sealing up the 5-speed conversion hump and installed the dynamat. The dynamat stuff is awesome. Tedious and very sticky. I managed make one box fit the whole floor. I think I will do the doors and kick panels as well. It looks killer too.

NO BLUE PAINT YET...damn it. Was at the shop today while doing the dynamat and the filler he put on some moisture in it during the night and stayed tacky and never really cured. He had to take it all down and do it over. It was only a couple sections but this is getting tiresome. :bs: At least I got some more stuff done on the car while I wait. So it's not all that bad and actually good in some ways.

Wishing I was driving my car right now. HAHAHA

Shifter hole is done, just needs coating over the foam.

Dynamat

 

[Dodgenut64]

Looking real good man. Ive did the "sitting in the car and dreaming" thing alot. I think we all have. Keep us posted

 

[daves66valiant]

Well I got my suspension finished today. Painted the 340 torsion bars. Installed the brake conversion kit from SSBC. Super easy kit. Bolted up really nice. I get both patterns too. Everything is setup now for plug-n-play once i get the car back which is no telling at this point. :clock:

 

[fstfish66]

dave looking good,,im concerened,,,you want to bring home the shell..and wait on the doors,,hood trunk lid???what if there is a color blending issue???
any metallic in this paint??? if so,,,is the matellic in the clear???now a days the metallic is in the clear,,was on my 02 dodge truck any way,,,if the metallic is in the clear,,it wont match the shell,if sprayed at a diferent time,,

question,,did you make some thing to roll that car around at the body shop?? i may have missed that part in your story,,good luck cant wait to see it,,

 

[redfastback]

your first post was 9-17-2006, give this guy an ultimatum. this is ridiculous. it seems like drama and excuses are this guys middle name. its always something.

if it ain't done by fall fling, when i'm there, i'm giving him a visit.

 

[daves66valiant]

dave looking good,,im concerened,,,you want to bring home the shell..and wait on the doors,,hood trunk lid???what if there is a color blending issue???
any metallic in this paint??? if so,,,is the matellic in the clear???now a days the metallic is in the clear,,was on my 02 dodge truck any way,,,if the metallic is in the clear,,it wont match the shell,if sprayed at a diferent time,,

question,,did you make some thing to roll that car around at the body shop?? i may have missed that part in your story,,good luck cant wait to see it,,

Yeah the metallic is actually in the paint itself. It is rolling. I put some casters on the fron framerails. We pretty much decided if he can't get it done in the next week it is gone. Either to another shop or my house. He has offered to get someone else (wonder about the guarantee from this guy) to paint it if he can't get a booth, which was the problem this week.... he got bumped. This is Fuccking rediculous at this point. Car was on a silver platter when I gave it to him. Bad luck is bad luck. 3 months tops if could have been one. I have been way to generous and patient. Now I have lost all patience. He's between a rock and a hard place now. So maybe things will get done. I would rather have everything painted at once. I may have to rent a flatbed trailer and pick it up. Maybe I'll paint it my self.:angry7:

 

[fstfish66]

DAVE,,,sorry your having this experience,,but i have heard it before,,always seems a regular guy with a classic car,,gets the shaft,, ive knew a guy when i lived in chicago area,,had a 71 charger at a paint shop for 2 years,,he finally went and got it,,took it some place else,,to finish it,, i have no clue as the how the money worked out,,,your in calif ?? land of tons of classic cars,,and custom shops,,,,i cant believe this is happening in your area,

good luck my friend,,tell him you wil have his legs broke,,trust me he will respond,,,i had to treaten a auto insurance co,,one time,,gavew them a choice,,,i can go to the media,,or come down there with a gun,,,,i finally got my money,,,,

 

[daves66valiant]

But no pictures yet. Sorry. Just got the word that the car is bout 70% blue right now. :cheers: Hope to have pictures soon.

Not to leave you empty handed I did hook up the tti exhaust to the headers to check clearances. Sure enough the passenger side hit the Keisler tranny mount. Better pics are here. http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?p=177090#post177090
I didn't want to double post too much stuff.