Great Beater Challenge Build-1960 Valiant

[ianmcc]

Some updates-did some work on the distributor. I am converting the points setup to a magnetic pickup to run the GM HEI module for better spark.
But first I had to fix this. A crack in the cap.



Also had to shorten the rotor because I had to flip the stator to make things work.





Replaced the one piece intake/exhaust gasket as well.
The old one.



New one in place. No sealant as it has to slide back and forth.

[ianmcc]

Filed the surfaces as flat as I could. The intake and exhaust manifolds bolt together and you have to he-man the cast iron setup into place.



Upon further review the thermostat housing may not seal as I would like! I cleaned it up on the bench wire wheel and this won't work. Luckily there was a spare in the trunk.
I guess the PO thought the old one was a little sketch.



Replacement with a new gasket and some Hylomar.



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Also started piecing the exhaust together. Sawzalled the old exhaust out and started laying out the stuff I have accumulated (all graciously donated I might add!)

[ianmcc]

And have been working on the electrical.
Pulled the old light switch apart and cleaned out the old grease and added new spark plug silicone.



As part of potential modification bonus points I wired in a fuse/relay box so I could run actual fuses for the lighting as well as relays for high beam, low beam and parking lights.
Can't be burning this thing to the ground! Also replaced the floor mounted hi/low switch as the old one literally disintegrated once I removed it. But ran into a slight problem.



All I could get was high beams. It took a while but I determined I reversed the high and low beam wiring. So once I swapped them around I could get the switch to work and had proper high/low as well as parking lights.





Also replaced the dome light bulb. And yes the interior really is that rough. But not changing a thing!



Next step-see if I can get the turn signals working. Nothing doing right now but I found out that the window wiper motor works and I can get static from the radio and a whole lot of squealing from the blower motor.
This was a tricked out ride in it's day. The variable speed wiper, radio and heater were all options.
On another note (no pictures) but I finally replaced the drivers side door lock so now I can use the key to unlock both sides.

If you noticed from the video I posted we are running a 9 year old Optima red top I got for $10. Still working fine!

[never]

Such a quirky looking car...deserves a big powerful turboed V8 when you’re done the challenge!

[ianmcc]

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Such a quirky looking car...deserves a big powerful turboed V8 when you’re done the challenge!

Well if I was keeping the car I would think about something along those lines but the plan is to sell it off after the challenge.

[ianmcc]

More electrical work. Added a brake light switch from an old Focus parts pile I hold onto like it was an organ (that silver metal plate to the left is the bracket). Also added hazard lights and a second flasher unit as most American cars didn't have them until the late 60's. Tied into the brake lights and the front marker lights since they are on their own circuit. The rear ones were too dim so that's why I used the brake lights. I figure that just in case of a breakdown we might need them.



I had an old set of wipers I picked up from a D200 from PnP but they were too long so I drilled out the rivet and chopped them to length.



I decided to work on the glovebox since it was seized tight. Water got in the piano hinge and rusted it solid.
And turns out the Valiant has a cardboard glovebox. It didn't weather the elements well.



Just might stuff it back in and call it a day.

Since I was playing with electrical and we hope to one day get this thing legal there should be a license plate light. There is wiring for one but no light nor bracket.
There were overhead light switches under the hood of the car when we bought it so I re-purposed one into a plate light with the help of some scrap metal and JB Weld.



Today worked more on the exhaust by making a head pipe out of my pile of scraps and a few Power Fist muffler clamps.
Almost ready to finalize-just test fitting for now so it clears the suspension and clutch z-bar.



Totally butch but a big improvement in size (2½" vs. 1½" stock)!
That plus the electronic ignition upgrade and the 2bbl carb should really make this thing buzz!

[ianmcc]

Also sorted out the radio-turns out it does work but needs to warm up first.
But the speaker has seen better days.





Another Focus item being re-used. Just some modifications needed to match up the mounting holes.



Used a 6' coaxial cable as an antenna by stripping one enda as an aerial and crimping the other end to a broken drill bit and jamming it in the radio.

[ianmcc]

Been working on the car and have been slacking on posting updates so here is where we are at.
Got all the lights working except if I am going to get this registered I might need some additional safety items. First thing is more lighting. No licence plate light but there is a wiring pigtail for one so once again into the pile of parts for a light.



Next I figured we just might need hazard lights-apparently not a feature in 1960.



Apparently the glovebox is made of cardboard.

[speedog]

Cardboard was a big deal in vehicles back in the sixties because plastics hadn't made they way into vehicles all that much. Sedan rear window shelves that were made of cardboard were very common, if I remember correctly my Dad's 68 or so Chev truck had a cardboard panel between the seat back and the fuel tank mounted inside the cab behind the seat.

[ianmcc]

Sorted out the rear air shocks-Gabriel Skyjackers ftw!
Just needed some replavement lines and to reconnect and teflon tape the fittings.
Dunk testing...


Tried fitting the 5x100 wheels and tires. Metric 100mm is kinda close to 5x4" but the offset in the front rubbed on the upper ballpoint.



I like the look but not the fitment. So some wheeling and dealing and scrounging and I found a full set of 14" (instead of the stock 13") 5x4" small bolt pattern Mopar wheels and some decent tires.

[ianmcc]

The front bench seat had to go! Nice wasps nest (actually one of three in the interior).



Another Kijiji find-someone giving away two drivers side powered leather seats from a Maxima. Score!!!



Some re-wiring and removing unnecessary wiring got them working on the bench. Some more wiring in the car has them working. Mounted in the front....



Still working on the seat belts-car never had them. I think that might be an item we should include.

[ianmcc]

While running air lines for the rear air shocks I started looking at the trunk floor. Or lack thereof.



Replacements riveted in place.



The original windshield had a hole in it so a trip to Tilley got us a crappy cracked but hole-free windshield.
Out with the old...



In with the newish.



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More to come!

[ianmcc]

Time to fill it with water and see where it leaks. I spent hours pulling a huge mouse nest and a pile of droppings out of the rad before I bolted it back in. But while bolting it in I noticed a bit of an issue.



Cracks in the top tank. So grabbed the propane torch, some flux and solder and repaired as best as I could.



Was also leaking from the block heater and the hidden frost plug. The block heater was totally gone so scrounged a replacement from PnP.

Normally one can remove a frost plug by simply tapping on the inside edge and the thing will window or pivot, allowing one to then grab it with pliers and remove. Unfortunately this wasn't the case. Ended up destroying it in the removal so no way to re-use it.



The solution? A second block heater-both installed with sealant and new (read-decent used junkyard) o-rings.

[ianmcc]

Sorry got the pics mixed up-doing this from my phone.
Here is the double block heater solution.



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Mouse nest in the heater box!

[ianmcc]

So the side exit exhaust is comprised of a Focus ST, VW CC, some random bends and 10 Power Fist muffler clamps.

Attachment 87049

So, with water in it and a 2 1/2" od exhaust cobbled together only one thing left to to-try starting it.

Had some issues at first with a dead GM HEI module in the upgraded electronic ignition system.

It's attached to a Ford e-coil and a slant 6 electronic distributor powered by a relay.

It's alive!!!

[ianmcc]

So all thats left is to finish building a shifter, hook up the clutch rods and cable, parking brake, rebuild the entire brake system, install the driveshaft, clean out the gas tank, fix the holes in the floor, set the valves, do a quicky wheel alignment, install the rear seat, clean out the interior.......

[90_Shelby]

Cool car. I had a ‘71 Duster with a slant 6 (eventually swapped for a built 360) and a ‘75 slant 6 Dart 4 door that I drove while restoring the Duster in high school. Man was it slow!

[ianmcc]

This could prove troublesome.

[Sentry]

Just straighten it back out in a vise.

EDIT: And keep the RPMs down

Any others bent?

[ianmcc]

I started straightening it in a vise already! It is scored on the sides but if I can't find a replacement I just might throw it back in.
The only bent one so far-probably because the rocker arm worked itself loose and allowed the pushrod to jam against something. I thought it was because the lifter seized but it was MIA. A short fish with a magnetic pick up and I located it floating in the block.
I guess that was the misfire I was hearing!