1968 Plymouth Valiant First Gen HEMI

[Mike P 52]

I found an intake……small world, but the guy I bought it from is the same one I got a 392 oil pan from last fall. He had a Wieand WC2QE which was the one produced before Holley bought out Weiand. He was more than fair on the price so we made a deal on it. As I figured, it’s the lowest of the 3 intakes.

https://flic.kr/p/2pVgXDv]

DC1[/url] by https://www.flickr.com/photos/153889607@N08/]M Patterson[/url], on Flickr



https://flic.kr/p/2pVj6Kv]

DC2[/url] by https://www.flickr.com/photos/153889607@N08/]M Patterson[/url], on Flickr


I had originally thought about running the pair 550 AFBs I have, but I had shelved them in favor of the pair of 650 AFBs because of how much better the old 57 ran with the bigger carbs. This 354 is built pretty close in specs to the one in the 57 so I ordered a second 650 AVS2 to go with one I already have.

Building fuel lines and linkage was pretty straight forward.


https://flic.kr/p/2pWe3VW]

intake carbs[/url] by https://www.flickr.com/photos/153889607@N08/]M Patterson[/url], on Flickr



That left starting on the air cleaner. Modifying the base got it reasonably low, and for now this is the way it sits. I’m going to have to wait to finalize it until we get the engine in the car and a hood back on (I may run into wiper motor interference with it as far back as it is). I can possibly go 1 to 1½” lower by changing out the top and dropping the base a bit more but that remains to be seen.



https://flic.kr/p/2pWgbq4]

DQ AC[/url] by https://www.flickr.com/photos/153889607@N08/]M Patterson[/url], on Flickr



The big project for today was to get the mock-up motor and trans out of the car and get the K member out. The next few day will probably involve final welding the mounts and grinding the mounts, cleaning and painting it to get it ready to go in the green car.



https://flic.kr/p/2pWqiuY]

K Member[/url] by https://www.flickr.com/photos/153889607@N08/]M Patterson[/url], on Flickr

 

[Mike P 52]

I got the K member cleaned and painted last week, so that’s ready for next weekend.



https://flic.kr/p/2pWYbWA]

Hemi K member[/url] by https://www.flickr.com/photos/153889607@N08/]M Patterson[/url], on Flickr





Yesterday my grandson and I actually started on the Green Valiant. Turned into a long day but by the end of it we had an empty engine bay.





https://flic.kr/p/2pXTgpy]

EB[/url] by https://www.flickr.com/photos/153889607@N08/]M Patterson[/url], on Flickr





And the 508 and torqueflite sitting on the engine cart.





https://flic.kr/p/2pXTgaq]

508[/url] by https://www.flickr.com/photos/153889607@N08/]M Patterson[/url], on Flickr





As expected fighting the headers to get the engine out was the biggest issue and a giant PIA. Fortunately, the HEMI swap should be a lot easier. Having already done the mock-up will save a bunch of time when we start putting the car back together. I’m sure glad we won’t have to fight those headers when we put the car back together…….so is my Grandson LOL.





https://flic.kr/p/2pXUvtv]

A body BB[/url] by https://www.flickr.com/photos/153889607@N08/]M Patterson[/url], on Flickr





With the car up in the air I was able to get the casting number off the carrier and order a set of gears. I ordered 4.30s which with the overdrive will have an effective ratio of 2.97. I’ll probably spend the rest of the week cleaning and sorting parts so I can put the parts car and parts up for sale in the next couple of weeks.







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[Mike P 52]

We got the K members changed over. The BB K member now resides in the red car so that’s back to being a roller now and is about ready to be rolled out of the shop and put up for sale.


https://flic.kr/p/2q1zR9k]

z RC2[/url] by https://www.flickr.com/photos/153889607@N08/]M Patterson[/url], on Flickr


One of the main reasons I bought the Green car was that the suspension work had already been done and it would be one less thing I would need to work over. I really figured that with the stroker BB in the engine bay that the torsion bars would have been changed over for heavier ones……nope. When we got the engine out and I could get in there to measure the torsion bars it turns out they were 6 Cyl bars. I decided on a new pair of PST “103” bars and while I was at it also added one of their 20:1 ratio steering boxes to the cart (the steering box in the green car had a little slop in it, but plenty of adjustment. Just for peace of mind I wanted a new one because if there did turn out to be issues with the box it would be a real job to change out once the HEMI was installed. With the new parts in hand the modified K member was installed in the green car.


https://flic.kr/p/2q1zRJt]

Z GC[/url] by https://www.flickr.com/photos/153889607@N08/]M Patterson[/url], on Flickr



While I was waiting on the parts to come in, I started removing some of the stuff that I won’t be using on the green car and will sell along with the red body. When they wired the car they had installed the wiring for a Terminator EFI system…..I don’t know if they actually tried the unit or not but I won’t be using it, so out that came. I’m also going to remount the battery back under the hood so the cables for the trunk mounted battery also came out.


The hood that was on the green car is also going with the red car so we changed that over along with changing out the deck lids…..(saves me from having to fill the for the power switch that they had on the car).


https://flic.kr/p/2q1B4Ex]

z RC[/url] by https://www.flickr.com/photos/153889607@N08/]M Patterson[/url], on Flickr


With the holiday coming up it looks like a short week, but down times a good thing.

 

[75slant6]

We got the K members changed over. The BB K member now resides in the red car so that’s back to being a roller now and is about ready to be rolled out of the shop and put up for sale.


]View attachment 1716270348z RC2[/url] by https://www.flickr.com/photos/153889607@N08/]M Patterson[/url], on Flickr


One of the main reasons I bought the Green car was that the suspension work had already been done and it would be one less thing I would need to work over. I really figured that with the stroker BB in the engine bay that the torsion bars would have been changed over for heavier ones……nope. When we got the engine out and I could get in there to measure the torsion bars it turns out they were 6 Cyl bars. I decided on a new pair of PST “103” bars and while I was at it also added one of their 20:1 ratio steering boxes to the cart (the steering box in the green car had a little slop in it, but plenty of adjustment. Just for peace of mind I wanted a new one because if there did turn out to be issues with the box it would be a real job to change out once the HEMI was installed. With the new parts in hand the modified K member was installed in the green car.


]View attachment 1716270349Z GC[/url] by https://www.flickr.com/photos/153889607@N08/]M Patterson[/url], on Flickr



While I was waiting on the parts to come in, I started removing some of the stuff that I won’t be using on the green car and will sell along with the red body. When they wired the car they had installed the wiring for a Terminator EFI system…..I don’t know if they actually tried the unit or not but I won’t be using it, so out that came. I’m also going to remount the battery back under the hood so the cables for the trunk mounted battery also came out.


The hood that was on the green car is also going with the red car so we changed that over along with changing out the deck lids…..(saves me from having to fill the for the power switch that they had on the car).


]View attachment 1716270350z RC[/url] by https://www.flickr.com/photos/153889607@N08/]M Patterson[/url], on Flickr


With the holiday coming up it looks like a short week, but down times a good thing.

Little late now, but I personally would’ve gone with even bigger torsion bars like 1.08 or even 1.12’s. I had 1.03’s in my Duster and it rode great, but that was with a small block with an aluminum intake. The 1.03’s will certainly work for you, bigger would’ve just handled the added weight a little better

 

[Mike P 52]

Even late I appreciate the input. This is an odd ball swap so some things (like the torsion bars) are a best guess situation at this point……basically I won’t really know how it does till I can get some drive time on it. It is nice to know I can go with heavier bars if I feel the need (something that was in the back of my mind when I ordered the 1.03s). Kind of like a sway bar (which the car doesn’t have), and shock changes, I’m holding off on that till it’s drivable.