Aussie Valiant Tidy-Up

[70coupe]

Hi All My name is Pete and I am from Melbourne / Australia

I have a 70 Valiant hardtop which has had the front sheetmetal changed to appear similar to a 67-68 Dart. It's running a 318,904 (now 4 speed). I found it in a garage late 2015 where it was sitting since 1999.

Below are pics of the car when I got it. I'll slowly update to where I am at with it now

Thanks for looking

Pete

 

[70coupe]

To put my statement about the front sheetmetal being changed into context, this is what the Australian coupes looked like - they never used the us 'dart' front panels on the hardtops here

 

[70coupe]

The panels were used on our earlier '68 sedans, wagons and utes. To fit these panels to our aussie coupes, the entire front inner fenders must be changed over, which is what was done to my car in the 80s.

 

[70coupe]

I got it home and stripped out the trim. Mocked up the 4 speed conversion including box section in the floor etc. G/box used in Aus cars was a "Borg Warner Single Rail" Not an A833, hence the differences you'll see in the pics!

 

[70coupe]

Then I decided to attack the rust in the cowl

 

[70coupe]

Cowl top removed

 

[70coupe]

Cowl lower tray removed

 

[70coupe]

Repair section and prepping lower cowl tray

 

[70coupe]

Lower tray plug welded in place

 

[70coupe]

Upper cowl prepped and welded in place, welds dressed and primed

 

[bargeahead]

Lotsa work and looking good.

Always wondered; is the shift pattern the same for a vehicles with steering on the right ?

 

[70coupe]

Engine out, engine bay prep

 

[70coupe]

And finally laid some colour on the engine bay last week
Have the k-frame and control arms off getting blasted ready for reassembly in the next few weeks, then on to freshening the 318

 

[Evan Dutch]

Moving right along it seems. Cool build.

 

[70coupe]

Lotsa work and looking good.

Always wondered; is the shift pattern the same for a vehicles with steering on the right ?

Yep the same, reverse to the left and forward, with conventional 'H' pattern to the right of that

 

[Swinger340Canuc]

Nice work on the cowl repair, that's a job most would not tackle, enjoy watching the downunder cars so keep us updated.

 

[70coupe]

Nice work on the cowl repair, that's a job most would not tackle, enjoy watching the downunder cars so keep us updated.

Cheers, it's a really common rust spot for Aussie A bodies, I've done a few and it's nowhere near as daunting as it seems at first

 

[JeremyAB95]

I love seeing ozzie Mopars. Wish we got some of those valiant utes in the states.

 

[70coupe]

I love seeing ozzie Mopars. Wish we got some of those valiant utes in the states.

There are still plenty over here, they are a great thing... I would argue you guys got the better end of the stick though - Big blocks, Hemis, A833s, Challengers, Cudas..... The list goes on!

 

[JeremyAB95]

There are still plenty over here, they are a great thing... I would argue you guys got the better end of the stick though - Big blocks, Hemis, A833s, Challengers, Cudas..... The list goes on!

You got a Hemi though! Albeit those last two cylinders mysteriously vanished...
Will be watching this thread - your Valiant certainly puts my Duster to shame.