Little $250 69 Valiant

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Hey Dave thx for the thought! I am going to be up North for the 4th of July. Do ya' come out this way for the weekend to enjoy the beach and whatnot? Hope your trip goes well and is fun! Gotta bring the A Body!!!!! lol
 
Well, She lives! I finally got all the little things under control and buttoned up! The only problem I had was a starter that went south, and a heater hose that needed tightening! Primed the carb hit the key and fired with no hesitation! It sounds bad ***! I have the forementioned exaust in place and has no leaks.
 
Well whats up guys, well as the title says I had a change of plans with the color of the wheels. I had them at work to be powder coated and had been waiting for them to be done in silver. Turns out our silver's shelf life was up. So between waiting wayyyyy too long and my impatiance, I said to hell with it and hit em' with black. Well turns out I like them pretty well. Ill post some more pics when I can get some sun on em'.

On a seperate note. I finally got a chance to drive it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Damn its everything I hoped for and more.
Here is what I changed pretty much all in one shot.

1.Swapped out the 7 1/4" w/ 2:76s to a 8 3/4" 3:23 SureGrip.

2.Swapped out the thrashed and slipping 904 to a 904 w/ a Transgo TF2 kit, and a new converter.

3. Rear Main.

4. new trans lines.

5. Swapped from crappy leaking headers with 1 7/8" pipes with cherry bombs to Heddman headers and a 2 1/2" system with an "H" pipe and turbo muffs.

6. Shortened and balanced drive shaft.

7. new starter, Battery tray.

8. Repaired inner fender rust with new sheet metal.

9. Cleaned, sanded,, and resprayed the engine bay.

I am sure I have left out a few little things as well, but hey!

Oh and soon to go on the car are the new front and rear sway bars.
Once I get all the suspension, steering, brakes, and trans linkage dialed in Ill be moving onto sanding and shooting the outside in primer. Just because it will look 100 times better in one color!

Oh I almost forgot, driving the car. Well, I went to a friends house about 2 miles away for my "maiden voyage" and all was well. I couldnt get toooo loud because here you need an inspection sticker and I have yet to get one. So I didnt want to draw anymore attention than the big *** snorkel scoop draws anyway. However when I did get the oppertunity, you better believe I gave that trans kit a try. Wholly crap!!!! man I love it!!! 1st to second didnt just chirp the tires it got sideways for a quick second. Ill be honest I wasnt expecting it, so it caught me off gaurd. Ill have to get used to the new trans and the suregrip at the same time. The bigger exaust helped out my top end a bit too. Yet didnt kill my torque! Woo Hoo.


Well I plan to get it out tomorrow again, Ill have a story for tomorrow Im sure, I just hope it doesnt involve the "5-0".:cheers:

valiant 007.jpg
 
They look cool. One color will be nice and those wheels will pop.
 
Well I have been able to drive the Valiant around off and on for about a week or so. I spent last sat. trying to get all of the little things buttoned up so I can go get the state inspection that is required here. The inspection consists of basic stuff like lights, brakes, exaust and what not. I had to put a new emergency brake cable in on the passenger side since the the 8 3/4 didnt have the appropriate one. That and the only thing holding me from going to get it inspected at this point is a functional horn. I have the cheapy grant steering wheel and have no horn contact plate for under the button. Well I went to see if it was in a new adapter kit that you can get at the local convienience/parts store and they feel it is worth 28.00 so that wasnt happening. Especially considering I have been keeping an eye out for an original wheel now.

The other thing I have managed to get done, was to install the new 1 1/8" front sway bar. Ill tell you what!!!!!!!! I have had some issues with my steering for quite some time, mainly having play at the wheel. Well after rebuilding the front end it helped a lot but still had some play. I chalked it up to being the box. Well I put that sway bar on, and nearly all of the play is gone. This will make sence to you if I had mentioned that I still have the slant 6 torsion bars under it. The old tired T-bars were acting to mushy and soaking up some of the steering! Aside from those benefits the thing turns a corner and stays flat, I have to say this was definately one of the best parts that I have added recently. I have a new 7/8" rear sway bar that I have yet to install.

Other wise between school full time and work full time, I havent been able to get much accomplished. Once I get it inspected I plan to replace the windshield so I can fix the leaks and then start on my interior. I am definately excited about the interior because I have a bunch of custom ideas and new parts to install.
After the interior or possibly before (since a good friend keeps hounding me) I will have it primed atleast. He keeps sayin I have to get it in one color.

However after the compliment I got this weekend I would drive it around like it is for another year. I went to a little "car gathering" near my house and a guy I had met there asked what I was driving, I said "that little plymouth over there" -------" Lets go talk about that car" he says. so the normal conversation followed as to whats in it and the future plans. Then he tells me "Well let me tell you, I seen you drive by and my first thought was, that car looks like it rolled off the drag strip a long time ago and just hit the street". I have to say I love Nostalgia, so he made my day with a comment like that!

Oh and a super crazy cool sidetopic/statement. A recently new friend went to the opening weekend of a new drag strip in Nags Heads N.C. Well I really wish I would have knownabout this event because "Big Daddy" Don Garlitz was present. Well my friend managed to get Him to sign the dash of his 1930 ford rat rod. How damn cool is that ?!!!!

Ill post a few pics of the sway bar install a bit later.
 
Well she is down for the count! I had my fun while it lasted. The transmission that I bought for 150.00 wasnt too keen on a TF2 kit and me bangin' gears after it had sat for a while out of commision. The trans guy said that what most likely happened was that the trans had been out of service for a while and some of the parts dried up. Then I put the new kit and new fluid in it. Well the new fluid and detergents along with the slamming of parts inside from the hard shifts, just shredded the guts!
When I pulled the pan this is what I found. Yes thats a beetle at the top of the picture, and yes it really was in the pan when I let it down.

So as for the valiants future. I have decided to put it aside for the remaining days of summer, and get my garage geared up for the winter. I graduate from ITT in a few weeks and I finally get my free time back. This means that all winter Ill have time to wrench on the beast. I have to say that with this discouraging moment, that I may just go all out with the car this winter, which menas it wont be ready next summer either. I really would like to make a " G Machine" out of it (touring style). This means a lot of metal work because I want to lower the car a good amount. The other thing I have thought pretty seriously about is twin turbos on my 360.

So what do you guys think? A LOW 1969 Valiant with 18"/19" wheels, fully tied subframe, triangulated 3 link rear, front and rear sway bars, Alterkation K frame, fully adjustable front suspension, with either twin turbo or one single large turbo?
Lots of cash but I can do all the fabrication my self so? The wife may be disapointed though! She knew I was close to making it "pretty" if I go this route it wont be done for a good while still.

Oh and I have a good lead on a 833 4 speed overdrive but Im not sure if I want it yet. Would be fun though!

RESIZE TRANS PAN.jpg
 
Ok guys I think its time for a few renderings of the possible project. Im gettin kinda siked about this. I have wanted to do this to the Valiant but I had momentum going toward getting it drivable and I guess this trans issue may have been just what I needed to get back to the plan!
 
Here are a few pics of the concept for my dash. I have a decent hack job under the signet dash panel, so I am covering it. I have also cleaned, prepped, and painted my dash insert and detailed the letters to bring it back to life.

Dash 015.jpg


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Sorry to here about your trans.
It sounds like a good plan for a winter project.
Your inter is looking good and you are ding some good handy work there.
keep us updated and remember to enjoy your time you spend with here.
 
Great story about the Valiant. I hope to have mine with a 360 in it in the near future. I have 2 360's, just have to figure out what route I want to go and which one to use. Oh, and a job would be nice as well. I haven't been working for a couple years now due to some weird medical issues that the docs can't even figure out.

Anyway, glad you updated this thread because It's the first I have seen of it.

My Valiant came from the Tacoma, WA. area three years ago. The car is already ready for a small block, just have to get it done. Putting around with a 225 /6 now though.

The windshield wipers quit working on it yesterday though. Figures, since it's raining. The odometer reads 66,677. Maybe it's a sign. I wonder what else is going to quit on me.
 
Nice project and some good stories. You are doing some nice work, personally I do not care for the lowered cars with the huge rims but the rest of your plan sounds killer. As we say do what makes you happy with your ride!
 
69Valiant360 said:
Great story about the Valiant. I hope to have mine with a 360 in it in the near future. I have 2 360's, just have to figure out what route I want to go and which one to use. Oh, and a job would be nice as well. I haven't been working for a couple years now due to some weird medical issues that the docs can't even figure out.

Anyway, glad you updated this thread because It's the first I have seen of it.

My Valiant came from the Tacoma, WA. area three years ago. The car is already ready for a small block, just have to get it done. Putting around with a 225 /6 now though.

The windshield wipers quit working on it yesterday though. Figures, since it's raining. The odometer reads 66,677. Maybe it's a sign. I wonder what else is going to quit on me.
Click to expand...

Doesn't the ballast resister on some models control power to your wiper motor.:scratch:
do you have a dual resister?
 
memike said:
Doesn't the ballast resister on some models control power to your wiper motor.:scratch:
do you have a dual resister?
Click to expand...

You might be right. That is something I am going to look into today. I am totally retarded when it comes to the electrical side of things.

Yes, it has a dual resister btw.

Here is what happened. I went out to warm up the car. While it was sitting there ideling, I was annoyed by the water droplets on the windshield. Turned on the wipers and everything was fine. I have never turned it on to the second speed and decided to see how fast it was lol. That's when things went bad.....fast. It hesitated, then died in the full upright position. They haven't worked since. :sad1:

Heading over to my brothers today (I have no tools where I am at right now) to see if there is power getting to the motor from the switch. I'm sure we will get it tracked down.

I drove all day yesterday with it raining. Rain-x really works wonders lol.
 
Hey guys well I thought Id pop back in for an update. Well I went ahead and got my garage floor done with a nice epoxy coat so because the garage was empty I wanted to see how much room I had if the Valiant was in there. Well I pushed it in and there it sits still. But because I had it indoors I decided to see how bad the A pillar rust was under the windshield gasket I am very fortunate, it wasnt bad at all compared to what I have seen on some A bodies. So now it sits with the glass on the roof. Im going to get a new windshield since I need a new gasket and the old one is soooooo pitted (all the sand on the roads in the winter). Aside from that I have picked up a factory shifter for the console I have. I was very fortunate to have picked up all the correct style console and shifter. Not that it would have came with a console but Im glad to have the correct year stuff. Also I have rebuilt the front brakes from the plates all the way out.

I hope to get a trans soon from a guy locally and have it movin' again by spring.

As for whats been keeping me busy in the mean time, I have traded my daily driver Honda Accord for what I call the Chevroleep. My latest addiction a 350 powered 89 Wrangler. It sucks more gas than the Valiant by far. It will be funny to consider the Valiant a commuter!

Anyhow guys I hope to be on here a bit more as spring draws near. Lata'
 
Well I figure its time I get off my butt and get something done! I think, actually I KNOW I did more work to this poor thing while I was going to school, and work full time than I have since I have graduated! PATHETIC!

So here is whats up! I bought a console that was supposed to be in fair shape according to the ebay listing. I went after this one because I was going to put it over an aftermarket shifter. Well I got the console and it was much nicer than the pics had shown as well as the description. So my plans changed. Rather than destroy a very nice console I have been searching for all the correct parts to install the whole set up. Damn this stuff is getting exspensive!!!!!!!!
Well all this matters because the trans install has been put on hold til' I got the console in. (figure it may help if its not in the way if I need to get under it)
I was lucky enough to score the remaining parts, so now I have to jam it out because I WILLLLLLLLLL BE DRIVING IT THIS SUMMER! Dag Nab It!


As for other things that need to be done prior to driving it:
1. Get my dash Bezel back from my friend who is making new decals for it. I am going to have silver face gauges with black lettering. Should go nice with the signet aluminum dash panels.
2. Get my dash pad refinished
3. A-pillar Gauge Pod finished
4. Install windshield
5. finish the trans cooler install.
6. Put the Trans in.
7. Finish sealing and sound proofing the cab (maybe, might be next winter)
OUCH this is getting long!
8. Bleed the brakes since I rebuilt the fronts
9. Install the 318 Torsion bars
10. Install the other sway bar (rear)

Damn I better get on it! These arent quick Jobs!

Anyway wish me luck I have been discouraged since I popped the trans last summer. But figure its way past due for an update and maybe if I start here Ill find myself in the garage tommorow night wrenching on it! Lata Guys and Gals. Donnie:toothy10:
 
Well as I said I was hoping to get off my butt and start getting something done. My console parts are on their way so I worked on getting the dash put together.
I was planning on putting a stereo in a heater delete Signet panel I got from Ebay. (previous pictures) But I learned tonight that my plan wasnt going to fly. I may be killed by some purists now but I cut the NOS heater delete panel to put my heater controls in it. It was looking sweet but when I tried to put it together It was held off the heater controls too far so it just wouldnt work.
Well lucky for me I also have a mint condition Radio delete Signet panel aswell. No dont worry I wont be cutting this one. I am going to leave it with a radio delete. That in it self is just kinda kool. So here is a picture of what I came up with. I will be making a Formula S badge to cover the Signet emblem on the glove box. Yes I am going to make a "Formula S Valiant" Hope yall like it! Sorry bout the poor quality pics, I only have my phone at the moment.

radio delete.jpg
 
Nice work!

I am enjoying your thread. Keep up the good work!
 
So as I mentioned yesteday I was waiting on my console brackets and linkages. I got home today and I was happier than a pig in $h_t to see a couple packages on the steps!
Ok so I open the box and man was it worth the 66.00 I paid (ebay) These things are in great shape, they were removed with caution to preserve them and all. However I do have what must have been the first year brackets, they look a little different than most. Well I was fortunate because the linkage I bought was looking a bit off too, turns out I just so happened to get all the matching components from 3 or 4 different people. Talk about luck!!!!!!

I have to say, I have been almost dreding trying to put this in because from what I have read it seemed like it was going to be a pain to get it all lined up.
Well first I mocked all the bracketry up and made sure it fit. Then I drilled a 2 1/8" hole in the floor where the rod goes through. I had the shifter attached to the bracket and set it up so the rod was centered in the hole. After I got it where I needed it, I put a self tapping screw in the bracket to the floor to temporarily hold it. I want to get the trans in before I fully attatch the brackets to the floor.
Anyhow, I sat there and did some mental engineering and realized it wasnt going to be nearly as hard as I have heard. What I have done is attatched the brackets to the console before dropping it into the car. Then I positioned it so it sits correctly over the shifter and wouldnt hit when in park or 1st.

This will work very well, I chalk this up to the quality of the brackets and a little fore-thought maybe? There doesnt seem to be any reason I cant place this using this method, then just reach under the console with my welder and tack the brackets in place. Like I say I will wait to get the trans in, so I can make sure the shaft is strait in the linkage guides, but after that is checked I think it'll work just fine. Ill be sure to post a few pics of the progress concerning the brackets. I lknow there are plenty of people trying to get the same thing accomplished.
Other than that I have a picture of the "cobled together" interior concept I have. Tryin' to keep it vintage but clean!


Oh I was going to make a corugated stainless steel veneer to go over my console top but it will prove to be quite a pain, so has anyone come across an argent paint that isnt textured, but is the correct silver?

console 1.jpg
 
I'm redoing the floors in my car now. I can give you the measurements for the brackets if you'd like?

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Okay well I finally got a few minutes this weekend and went out to survey where I stood with getting the trans back in the Valiant. So I realzed I wanted the valve body I just built for the other trans, in this one. So as I have done to all the other components concerning the trans, I began cleaning it out. I disasembledd the entire thing again and cleaned it with parts cleaner. Well as I flushed all the disintegrated clutch material out with some cleaner I seen a few pieces of shiney stuff fall out. They were cresant shaped metal shavings about an inch or so long. They came from where their used to be clutch material!!!!! Toooo crazy. Oh and I found the culprit, It turns out that the band adjustment jamb nut had come loose. and the stud had so much play in it after the material was gone, that it made a small indentation in the side of the valve body. It was able to move roughly an inch, when it shouldnt be free moving at all!
So as you may guess that trans is shot and is currently beating around in the back of my truck!
So after I cleaned the VB really well, I reasembled it with lots and lots of new trans fluid and made sure all moving parts moved as needed. So now the trans is awaiting the new valve body, filter, gasket, and the pan I welded a plug bung into. Boy was that a nice feature!!!!
Well I hope to get the trans all buttoned up over the next few nights after work and then try to get this thing back in soon. I have a lot to do still!
Lata' guys. :cheers:
 
Valve Body is in the trans and then as I put the pan on I find out that the smart guy I got the trans from, has stripped out some of the bolt holes as well as re tapped some of the other holes. GOOD LORD! So now, I guess Ill head over to Home Depot and pick up a handfull of larger bolts and atleast make them all the same size and threads. Oh and that reminds me I have to pick up the tail shaft seal and the shifter/throttle pressure seal from the parts store. Hmm we'll see if I get anywhere tonight.
 
What a joyful evening it was too! LMAO No really though, I didnt have all that much trouble getting it together. I work on the car when ever I get a little time so I cant schedule a friend to come over to help. Needless to say she went in with just me couxing it into place. It probably took the better part of an hour to get the trans lined up so it all fell into place but I managed.

I painted the trans white (I know not nearly a mopar tradition) but I am working in a dark A$$ garage and figured aside from reflecting a little light down there, it'll help me to find any leaks that may occur down the road. I hope thats not an issue though. I have replaced every external seal on it! Need to get the O-ring for the dipstick tube still, but everything else is new.
Im glad I thought to index the flex plate and the TC with a shot of white paint from a rattle can. It really made matching the Converter to the flex plate much easier than previous attempts.
I still have to put the trans cross member in, thats gonna be a pain! My exaust runs right under it and leaves very little room to maneuver it into place. I really dont wanna take the collectors loose either because it was a pain to get the gap to close between the pipes and headers. (the exaust came from another car, a duster actually)
So the next step for me is to finish bolting the trans to the block, then begin hooking everything back up. I needed to get the trans installed so I can finish the trans cooler install. The lines have not been in place so I didnt know exactly where they were going to be located, so I didnt wanna cut any tubing or hoses yet.:cheers:

I was going to swap out my Torsion bars prior to putting in the trans but as I got to looking at whats was entailed and what was actually in the way of making it remotely easy, I said to hell with it for this summer. I put the front sway bar on last year and it made a world of difference on its own. I have always had them, so I think I can deal with em' for another year.
Well wish me luck over the next few days! I hope to have the trans in and all bolted up with all the other parts concerning the trans done by the middle of next week maybe. Hell, I guess I never know though!
 
Damn I am soooooooo glad I have gotten off my A$$ and done some work! I got a good amount of work done in a matter of a few days. The trans is officially bolted in and I began hooking everything up. I checked the new console linkage to see how that was going to work and all seems well there.

I know Im not telling anyone here, anything they dont already know but damn it those bell housing bolts at the top of the motor are a real PITA when the motor is completely dressed, not lacking even plug wires. I had a hell of a time getting them tight!
Well I hope to get back to the Valiant on monday if I dont have some plans pop up. Its my sons B day on sat. and we are taking him to Busch Gardens, so that day is spoken for and then Sunday we are having a party for him, so that day is filled as well. I am rarin' to go on this thing now. As it is, I just came in from the garage and its 11:00ish now. Wife says Im a dumba$$ ! LOL Lata' guys:toothy10:
 
Here is a concept paint sceme I will probably do on my Cragars that I powder coated. I am pretty sure Ill be doing this. The "rim" of the wheel will be painted a gunmetal grey color while the center spokes will stay black. I made this concept wheel with Autodesk Inventor.

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