68 valiant signet

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Neil, pretty crafty devil you are. I like the seats, they'll be comfortable and look like they'll keep you in place as well. The shifter lever adapt to Hurst job is cool, is that lever from a B body? They were so tall with such a long throw, reminds me of a friend that had a 68 GTX 440 car, you'd bang 2nd and you elbow would hit the rear seat, then hit 3rd and smash your fist into the dash:lol:.
Looking forward to how much crafting will be required to fit the rear seat.
Thanks for sharing your build:thumbsup:
 
ok, back seat then and not too bad a job as it turned out. i had to make a pair of risers to support the front of the base up to tunnel height. i welded a nut behind where the seat bracket hung down each end and a flat sheet hook that the rear hooked into to stop it sliding down and forward. the rear sections (it was a 60/40 folding seat) have a thick flat plastic backing (about 1/4" thick) as the seat belt is fixed inside so strength is important. i'll be using lap belts in the back so don't need them. anyway, i'll need ashley to help mounting them as the plan is to hold them against the seat/parcel shelf frame then drill through the frame and use fat self tapping screws through into the plastic backing. the 2 side pieces that cover the inner wheel arches will need the foam sanding back to suit the shape and sit back neatly, i can't do them until the backs are secured though. i was lucky and height wise they are spot on, about 3/4" higher than the parcel shelf.
last job today was the only bit of rust through i've found on the car, 2 tiny holes on the passengers floor. or at least that what it looked like until i started tapping at it with a pointy hammer to remove any flaky rust in the area. i ended up with a section about 4"x6" with a couple of ribs in (1 short and 1 full length). i'll clean up any whiskers underneath next time it's in the air and get some sealer and paint on it.
oh, i nearly forgot i added the lsd additive and gear oil to the rear axle before i forgot too.
neil.

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Joe Mc said:
Wow! Looks like back seat wasn't difficult at all. Nice job:thumbsup:
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thanks, i'm taking my grandson the the dentist to have his brace altered in the morning so i've roped my daughter in to help secure the seat backs in place when we get back :thumbsup:
i just need to sand the foam to get the side cushion/bolster bits to sit right and it's done. then if she's not in a rush i've got a large sheet/roll of 3/8" foam rubber which we'll cut into panels to use as carpet underlay for that luxury feel :lol:
neil.
 
like the rear seat, makes it look like a 2+2 setup. i was trying to figure out how to reuse the stock front buckets from mine as rear seats, and have a console in between them, but it's going to take a lot of fab work so i've shelved it for now
 
kursplat said:
i was trying to figure out how to reuse the stock front buckets from mine as rear seats, and have a console in between them, but it's going to take a lot of fab work so i've shelved it for now
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Good call, what you have now in back is nice and should last well.
 
today my daughter terri helped me with the rear seat fitment. we must've had the backs in and out 4 times. getting them secured was the easy bit, the side bolsters took the time. after sanding the foam to conform to the shape of the valiant inner arches we ended up with some angle brackets made to support the upper steel loops inside and bent the lower ones to attach to existing tabs sticking out of the bottom of the inner arch. while it was out i sprayed the green parcel shelf board black to match the seats. tomorrow i'll remove the driver's seat to mark and drill the passenger's floor then start laying underlay and carpet. no pics as the seat looks as it did at mockup.
neil.
 
first job today was remove the driver's seat and measure the new hole positions on the floor so i could drill the passenger's side. with that done i cut some foam panels for the floors as underlay and taped these in place with ally tape. i layed the carpet out in the sun while i cut, drilled, welded and painted black the reinforcing plates under the floor where the 'new' bolt holes are now (i don't want the floors splitting later). then i layed the carpets in the car and removed the sill/rocker trims and kick panels. there's enough 'spare' at the back to cover the new seat risers i welded in for the mercedes seats which was a nice bonus. it's sat there now and i have started trimming on the passenger's side but it was really hot in the garage and my back had enough so i called it a day. i did get one of the kick panels painted black, i'll do the other tomorrow and hopefully i can finish it all up and fit both front seats back in for the last time.
neil.

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My dash was also pretty bad, I ended up just using a the fitted carpet looking thing. Not even close to perfect, but good enough for this car.
 
mygasser said:
thanks, i'm trying to make it nice enough (inside at least for now) so the wife (who currently doesn't like the car :rolleyes:) will go out in it with me.
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it took mine a few years before she would readily agree to ride in one of mine. the kids on the other hand never minded. my daughter still complains i got rid of her favorite one
 
Neil, looking good man:thumbsup:
Tip, although your wife doesn't like the car "yet" as long as you don't make it too loud she'll come around, especially when the kids say "come on mommy...":lol:
 
unfortunately the kids are all grown up but she always used to go in my cars with the kids when we went to weekend shows etc and some of my dailies were stupid low and she went in them, she's never liked drag racing so won't go there but you can't have it all. i've fitted the summit dual exhaust which has turbo mufflers so it's not too loud. today i did get her under the car on my lift holding the spanner on the nuts while i did the bolts up inside the car that hold the seats in place. i think it's the first time ever she's actually worked on one of my cars so there's hope yet :lol:
neil.
 
until the dash cap arrives the interior is done, well it's useable
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i found a gearstick gaitor that'll work, i just need to make a base 'ring' bit with a raised lip that the elasticated bottom can loop over. i even fitted the new brake and clutch pedal rubbers and cleaned all of the windows. boy, clean glass makes a lot of difference that's for sure. i may take it out this evening once it cools down a bit, if not a mate's coming round in the morning to look at some paintwork on the cortina that's arriving tonight so we'll go out then while it's cooler.
FINALLY.....
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neil.

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Looks great Neil!!! If she's helping your spot on = there's hope. Now...did you say "the Cortina that's arriving tonight"? Those things are pretty cool. Give a bit of info if you would...
 
Joe Mc said:
Looks great Neil!!! If she's helping your spot on = there's hope. Now...did you say "the Cortina that's arriving tonight"? Those things are pretty cool. Give a bit of info if you would...
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it's an 81/2 2.0 gl saloon so a mk5. crystal green with a set of slot mags which is cool in my book of course. i'll get a couple of pics today or tomorrow.
neil.

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the test drive went well
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no leaks and everything works as it should, the brakes (still stock drums up front) are as expected and i can see discs being fitted there soon. they're not bad but not up to idiots with modern abs brakes doing an emergency stop in front of me good either. the gear lever may get shimmed slightly over towards the passenger's side (2" ish) as it's close to the steering wheel when selecting reverse.
the dash cap arrived this morning so i can trim the old one and get that glued in place when i get some time, the cortina jobs, the rebuild of the 383 big block and a back log of honey do's need doing first after spending over a week getting the valiant mobile
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no video of the drive out as i was on my own.
cheers, neil.
 
i tried to order a speedo drive gear from brewers yesterday but they can't post to the uk any more, something to do with our vat (a uk purchase tax). so i've got to contact my cousin in pennsylvania to make sure it's ok to have it sent to her and then have her forward it to me over here. what a pain :BangHead:
neil.
 
Sometimes you just got to do whatever's necessary to work-around and get what you need. Sucks tho
 
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