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66 Valiant Vert RUSTORATION
- Thread starter 66valiantconv
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66valiantconv
Well-Known Member
lucky it wasn't trash day :blob:
66valiantconv
Well-Known Member
66valiantconv
Well-Known Member
well, i'll probably be slowing down the closer i get to actually needing to do some work to this thing..... i took out the rear vert section and found out why my top wasn't working.... the pistons had been unbolted because the passenger one went through the floor 
also, the rust killed my inner kick panels on the door frame.... at least the outers are still good.....
also made a hole (accidentally) so i can stand in the car and work
also, the rust killed my inner kick panels on the door frame.... at least the outers are still good.....also made a hole (accidentally) so i can stand in the car and work
We are all rooting for you. You can save this great car.
340sFastback
Well-Known Member
That donor car was a good move. That should save you lots of time and money. If the wheel bases are the same might be easier to put the convertible body pieces onto the 4 door frame/floor. If the wheel bases not the same I bet most of the frame and floor are common.
66valiantconv
Well-Known Member
They are both 106 inch wheelbase and all width and length are same. Only difference is is the rear quarters...... haven't measures inside yet.
PocketAces
Well-Known Member
That's what I would do.
Seems like a 2 door would have been a lot less work for you. But I can imagine four-door parts cars are cheaper and easier to find.
I know convertible and 2-door hardtop doors are the same except for the chrome frame around the wing vent.
Not sure if you've noticed yet, but the rear wheel wells are different. Convertible wheel wells are flat on top to make room for the top when it's folded down.
66valiantconv
Well-Known Member
i knew that the 65 and 66 have different sheet metal in the rear quarters as a design change, but i didn't know about the conv to coupe.... i don't know which way i'm leaning yet, but i kind of think as i strip the convertible it'll tell me i do know that i can take my fenders and hood and mount them on the 4 door... then i'd just need a 65 rear bumper, trunk and tail lights... or maybe frankenstein a graft of the vert trunk to the 4 door.... so many choices!
i do know that i can take my fenders and hood and mount them on the 4 door... then i'd just need a 65 rear bumper, trunk and tail lights... or maybe frankenstein a graft of the vert trunk to the 4 door.... so many choices!
PocketAces
Well-Known Member
I think you will find more differences as you study the two cars. On the 65 Dart, not only are the wheel tubs different on top, but the brackets where the trunk hinges mount are also different. Plus, you've got the structure where the convertible frame mounts on either side of the back seat, the convertible top well and that shelf where the pump sets behind the back seat.
You'll need to graft a big chunk of the back of the convertible onto your 4 door chassis, from the back of the door jambs to the rear wheel wells and across the front of the trunk. I'm not sure where you stop but maybe it includes the entire rear quarters back all the way to the rear of the trunk.
I think you're saying the 4-door is a 65. I don't know what additional problems that will cause. I think Darts were the same from the doors back between 65 and 66 except for the tail lights. I don't know if the same is true for Valiants.
Your 66 front clip should bolt to the 65 no problem.
What are the rules regarding VIN number. Ideally you'd want the convertible VIN when finished, but I don't know if that's allowed. But how would they know if you moved the VIN? Did you get a title with the 4-door?
You'll need to graft a big chunk of the back of the convertible onto your 4 door chassis, from the back of the door jambs to the rear wheel wells and across the front of the trunk. I'm not sure where you stop but maybe it includes the entire rear quarters back all the way to the rear of the trunk.
I think you're saying the 4-door is a 65. I don't know what additional problems that will cause. I think Darts were the same from the doors back between 65 and 66 except for the tail lights. I don't know if the same is true for Valiants.
Your 66 front clip should bolt to the 65 no problem.
What are the rules regarding VIN number. Ideally you'd want the convertible VIN when finished, but I don't know if that's allowed. But how would they know if you moved the VIN? Did you get a title with the 4-door?
340sFastback
Well-Known Member
I would put the convertible related sheet metal parts onto the 4 door chassis and move the VIN over. You are just repairing the car so not a problem. Start drilling some spot welds and get er done.
66Dvert
Working on my custom car parts again!
umm I wouldn't transfer the convertible over to the 4 door due to the fact of the bracing that's internal to the convertible in the rocker panels.
here is what I'm talking about in the rockers it ties everything together in place of the roof doing it (along with the torque boxes.) oh and the inner wheel has a special top that is only for convertibles. it's be even more work to transfer that stuff to the 4 door.
you do have a head start since you do have a parts car. Man are you going to get tired of drilling out spot welds. Get a good cutter. I went through 2 blair spotweld cutters (the replaceable kind).
View attachment reinforcement%20in%20convertible.jpg
View attachment the%20other%20side%20showing%20how%20far.jpg
PocketAces
Well-Known Member
Wow, that changes everthing. I did not know the rockers were different. Kinda cool though! That's some beefy looking steel.
I did my entire floor pan with just one of the Harbor Freight spot weld cutters. They're only $5.
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eighth-inch-double-sided-rotary-spot-weld-cutter-95343.html
66valiantconv
Well-Known Member
and they have a 90 day moneyback guarantee
yes i have the 4 door title, but i would definitely like to keep the vert vin.... from everything i have read, the 66 valiant (the last year it was produced before the major redesign and they stopped making a vert) changed the look of all the sheet metal but share the hood, quarters, doors and frame as the 65.... that being said, i knew that the coupe and convertible rockers would be stronger..... if i were to graft the top i would definitely have to strengthen that area underneath (someone stated before to reinforce with a tube chassis).... but i like you say, i just have to keep stripping her and we'll find out once she's bare boned like the donor
66valiantconv
Well-Known Member
more crusticle pics
and removed some floor.... like that was hard.
and removed some floor.... like that was hard.
66Dvert
Working on my custom car parts again!
oh I just used one cutter on the floor pan and it didn't even wear the cutter, but I did a complete redo from the firewall (including 1 inner fender shield , inner and outer cowl, windshield pilllars trunk gutters,dutchmans panel and over the axle hump ) I was going to count the spot welds I cut. but was so agravated at finding even more and more hidden spots each time I tried to remove something I quit doing that at 1000 spotweld cuts "bout half way through"
my dart was close to the same shape as this valiant except I had good frame rails and torsion bar crossmember. it was the rest of the metal that sucked! I didn't have a panel that I didn't have to work on.
I wish I'd have had a donor car that was worth it to yank parts from it would have been a lot easier. I'll be watching this one to see how it goes. It should be a great car when done
it looks like you've got less sheet metal work that I had but more frame rail work. the body looks pretty good from this view maybe a little work in the jam area just full floor pans from the firewall to the trunk and frame rails I'd like to see the area behind the stainless trim on the windshield and see how bad it is. if that and the cowl are good your 100 % better off than I was.
again good luck and enjoy the car! it'll be sweet when done
66valiantconv
Well-Known Member
i did that with my hands and tin-snips my torsion bar seems to be in good shape, it's the outer rails that are trash.... the donor car i have was molested by a "do it yourself" floor shift and they cut the torsion bar, so if i do use the 4 door, the torsion bar will have to be swapped.... i think i'll do the windshield or the dash next, but i'm starting to think i'm going to need a service manual soon so i get all the "hidden" screws and such
my torsion bar seems to be in good shape, it's the outer rails that are trash.... the donor car i have was molested by a "do it yourself" floor shift and they cut the torsion bar, so if i do use the 4 door, the torsion bar will have to be swapped.... i think i'll do the windshield or the dash next, but i'm starting to think i'm going to need a service manual soon so i get all the "hidden" screws and such
Be careful removing the windshield, the glass is the same for all Valiant models (I think for at least '64 thru '66) BUT the rubber seal on the convertible is unique so make sure you can save it as I don't think there's an aftermarket seal made. To remove the dash you need to remove the windshield to get at some fasteners at the leading edge of the dash.
chryslerfat
Well-Known Member
Moving a VIN to another vehicle is ILLEGAL and can buy jail time if proven. I know if later I bought and paid a convertible price to you and found you swapped a VIN to a 4 door I would follow it through court to prosecute.
66valiantconv
Well-Known Member
good point.... i wonder just how much of the car you have to have there to use the vin from it..... i guess it's all in the disclosure because you do want the title to match the vehicle's looks. but i'm WAY far off from that to worry yet
I think really the VIN just semantics either way 90% of that cars gonna be the 4 door.
66Dvert
Working on my custom car parts again!
radiator support and door jam where the vin is located are major players on the vin part.good point.... i wonder just how much of the car you have to have there to use the vin from it..... i guess it's all in the disclosure because you do want the title to match the vehicle's looks. but i'm WAY far off from that to worry yet
I'd just dismantle the 4 door completely and use the parts as needed. save as much of the humps as you can for the manual setup and go from there. (before you do much more removal I'd brace the heck out of the convertible so it doesn't jump out of square on you.) your torque boxes look a little weak and might not hold things square.
at least do this
View attachment DSCF2037.jpg
it's there to keep the door opening and windshield pillars aligned so you CAN weld in the floor pan without major twisting. and if you need to shift things you can still use a snatch strap diagonally to re-square the main body without loosing the door/windshield alignment
I had an X brace going from the dash to the back seat area but it just wasn't enough to hold it . I discovered that a snatch strap worked much better using a pulling type grab instead of pushing (darn angle iron bowed ).
The way I can see you doing this would be one of two ways first way would be cut up the 4 door into 3-5 major pieces,
1st cut the front frame, firewall, inner fenders and rad support as one piece.
2nd cut the main floor as another piece, now get rid the roof and rockers.
3rd you can deal with the back half in two ways 1st leave it in one piece or take the hind quarters off, leaving rear floor, trunk floor, rear frame and inner wheel wells as one piece.
Next take the vert to it basic unibody tie it together with tubing take just enough floor out to repair the rockers than put the new floor. Next put in the new front end, now the back half can be done in two ways first repair the hind quarters in and out with parts of the 4 door ones than install the complete rear floor and frames with the other one. 2nd seperate the back half from the car leaving the rear door jam tied in, weld on the complete 4 door rear section than graft the vert parts thets the way I'll go if doing it this way.
1st cut the front frame, firewall, inner fenders and rad support as one piece.
2nd cut the main floor as another piece, now get rid the roof and rockers.
3rd you can deal with the back half in two ways 1st leave it in one piece or take the hind quarters off, leaving rear floor, trunk floor, rear frame and inner wheel wells as one piece.
Next take the vert to it basic unibody tie it together with tubing take just enough floor out to repair the rockers than put the new floor. Next put in the new front end, now the back half can be done in two ways first repair the hind quarters in and out with parts of the 4 door ones than install the complete rear floor and frames with the other one. 2nd seperate the back half from the car leaving the rear door jam tied in, weld on the complete 4 door rear section than graft the vert parts thets the way I'll go if doing it this way.
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