Project Crusty Biscuit (65 Plymouth Valiant)

[frederick_76]

Looks like good progress. I also got my Valiant from my Grand Aunt. She bought it new in 69.

 

[ChrisRomello]

Floors are finished, so the engine came out today!

 

[ChrisRomello]

Stripped clean!

 

[ChrisRomello]

I did some more cutting over the past few days. I had a pretty bad case of cabin fever after Irma; so I began attacking the rusty metal on the front cowl. I cut it off to find all these leaves in there...

After cleaning all the leaves out I found this:

I purchased a whole front end from the firewall to the radiator support and a few other goodies on a trip to @waggin 's place. I am now waiting for a very clean inner cowl that was offered to me by Mr. @Lee Robinson. Thank you guys so much for helping me to make progress on this project!

 

[ChrisRomello]

After removing the inner cowl:

As you all can see there is a lot of rust; I will have to replace the hinge pillars and A-pillars as well. This is by far the worst rust on the car.

 

[ChrisRomello]

I went ahead and carefully removed the rear valance so that I can attack the surface rust on this inner rail.

I'm going on a trip to NY in a week so I probably won't get much more done until I get back. After all of the major rust is fixed I hope to craft some sort of rotisserie so that I can work on and paint the underside of the car. Until then...

 

[moparmat2000]

Nice work on the val so far. This might help you out, I built a rocking rotisserie out of old trampoline tubing, and some leftover scrap steel tube. It bolts to front and rear bumper mounts. I am in it not much $$$ wise, mostly time. I have since primered and painted it. The pieces are stored behind my shop now because they are not in use. I built the one frame then built the second frame over the first to make them the same. I built the ends the bolt to the car as seperate pieces to the rocker parts can be used on different vehicles, just make different ends for different cars and reuse the rocker part. Its balanced to where one person can pull the support poles and the body will slowly rotate 45°, then you have to push it the other 45° and put the support poles back in.

 

[Deemo]

I drove my 65 Valiant right out of where is sat for 32 years. Paid 500 bucks for it, got a battery, plug, gas and a reman'd carter 1 barrel, went back out and drove that junk home. Not as bad as yours but I couldn't believe it. Had a Miss in it but I drive mine daily. Never let me down. You can't kill the damn slants. Smelled like rat poop for a week but I was smiling the whole time

Keep up the updates. That thing will be nice once it's done!! Nice work!

 

[ChrisRomello]

I finally got my car port set up to keep my Valiant dry and so that I can work on it with all the rain we've been having down here lately.

 

[ChrisRomello]

With that done I was able to finish the trunk today. Welded in a rust free pan and patched a few spots on the lower wheel wells and the trunk drop offs.

I applied POR15 to it insides of the frame rails before putting in the new pan

I still have some grinding to do but I'm going to save that for when I have more patience!

 

[ChrisRomello]

I'll tackle this rusty mess on the weekend...

 

[Tadams]

You are inspiring me to get to work on my 65 Barracuda this weekend. I was hoping to paint mine last week when I was off work. Humidity was really high.

 

[ChrisRomello]

All braced up!

After a few hours of cutting and grinding...

This is quite the milestone in this project; now I can say that the car is 90% rust free!
Now to get it back together...

 

[ChrisRomello]

After some por15 and weld through primer:

 

[ChrisRomello]

Made up these little doggy eat structure pieces real quick after a run to the grocery store today:

 

[moparmat2000]

Nice work on your aunts old car so far. Are you keeping it a slant 6, or eventually a V8 ?

 

[Tooljunkie]

Wow. Good progress. All i did so far was clean all the loose parts out of the passenger compartment.

 

[ChrisRomello]

Nice work on your aunts old car so far. Are you keeping it a slant 6, or eventually a V8 ?

I’m planning on doing a Magnum swap on it. All of the slant six drivetrain needs to be rebuilt (old and tired) so I thought I might as well! it will cost a little bit more to do but I think it will be worth it.

 

[moparmat2000]

That will be cool.

 

[ChrisRomello]

I was able to finish welding the hinge pillar on the driver’s side today; along with a little rain gutter patch and the new stiffening plate. Then my welder quit

 

[Tooljunkie]

A litle tip for cutting sheet metal, i use a jigsaw with a metal blade. I used to clamp saw upside down in my vise so both hands on sheet metal. Chips go down so not flying in your face. I use a couple layers of duct tape on intricate parts,cut it to lay flat afterwards. Works slick.
I have since attatched jigsaw to a plate for easier cutting.

Great work!

 

[pishta]

I drove my 65 Valiant right out of where is sat for 32 years. Paid 500 bucks for it, got a battery, plug, gas and a reman'd carter 1 barrel, went back out and drove that junk home.

I bought my 65 S for $800 back in 1993, It had 76 tags. Drove it home straight out of cold storage and I jumped it! Brought a gallon of fresh gas, and 2 quarts of oil. Drove it home 20 miles on 5 cylinders. good stuff...

 

[ChrisRomello]

A litle tip for cutting sheet metal, i use a jigsaw with a metal blade. I used to clamp saw upside down in my vise so both hands on sheet metal. Chips go down so not flying in your face. I use a couple layers of duct tape on intricate parts,cut it to lay flat afterwards. Works slick.
I have since attatched jigsaw to a plate for easier cutting.

Great work!

You mean a scroll saw? Lol! So far the metal I’ve worked with has been thin enough to use my trusty sheet metal cutters. I’m an HVAC guy by trade and have had some practice. Thanks!

 

[moparmat2000]

I am enjoying your thread. Most would have left this one for dead. Plus its a moredoor you hardly ever see em getting fixed up.

 

[ChrisRomello]

The past few days I’ve spent working on the Valiant have been quite tedious and I was too focused to take a lot of pics. I HAD to make sure that these a-pillars were perfect!

I re-installed the doors before fitting the new pillars. It was a pain with my crappy hinges... I ended up keeping the hinge bolts loose, lined up the door gaps perfectly, then using clamps in the top of the door and the rain gutter to hold them in the correct position.