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Thread: Great Beater Challenge Build-1960 Valiant

  1. #1
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    Default Great Beater Challenge Build-1960 Valiant

    I think there are a couple of Beyonders who are familiar with the Great Beater Challenge and this is a build thread for my entry into the GBC 2019 edition.
    For those not hip to what the GBC is all about here is a link to Peter Brooks site…

    https://greatbeaterchallenge.com/

    In his words-Stupid Cars, Stupid Cheap, Stupid Fun. Basically a combination road rally and scavenger hunt with the criteria of beaters bought and fixed for a total budget of under $700.

    I competed in the GBC 2018 with a co-worker-we drove a 1998 Ford Escort ZX2 that I bought for $500 and sank less than $100 in repairs into. I actually daily drove it for the months leading up to the GBC and if it wasn’t for the fact I promised the better half of my relationship I would sell it at the end of the challenge I might have kept it. Great fuel economy and decent performance with a ton of upgrades from the previous owner.

    And that brings us up to the selection process for the GBC 2019; Peter had indicated that he was hoping to see contestants dragging cars out of fields and barns for that one last hurrah before they meet their final resting place.
    Well after trolling through Kijiji and Facebook I came across an ad for a "Dodge Rambler Valiant Car" for the princely sum of $250.
    SOLD!

    Rounded up a friend or two to help out including borrowing a somewhat sketchy flat deck trailer to drag the thing home.

    Seems legit...

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    Here is what we found in a junkyard near Turner Valley.

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    Quite literally dragging it out.

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    Good news is that all the wheels turned. Tires are beyond saving.

    A little push sure helped load it up.

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    Up on the stretcher

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  2. #2
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    On the driveway. Yes my neighbors are looking at me sideways. And that is a deer skull we found while poking around the junkyard.

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    Good news is that the motor seems healthy enough. Motor turns over and minimal timing chain slack.
    And the motor in question is a 225 slant six. Not original to the car-the Valiant is a 1960 but the casting number IDs the block as a 65.
    We thought the car pushed on and off too easily so we started checking the brakes (non existent-the jelly jar MC was dry) and no driveshaft.
    A quick look in the trunk...

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    Seems to have the original A903 manual 3-speed (non synchro reverse and first) as well as an early A904 auto plus two driveshafts in the trunk.

    A few more spares...

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    Interior may need some cleaning and floor pan repairs.

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  3. #3
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    Mice made a mess of the headliner and filled the rad with nest and droppings.

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    Speaking of the leaning tower of power...

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    While poking around getting it ready to fire up I noticed one of the freeze plugs was missing.
    Was found sitting on the motor mount. I hope it didn't freeze and pop out. Tapped it back in place and cross our fingers.
    The block is dry and no apparent cracks. Once we fill it with coolant we will find out!

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    Motor was rebuilt sometime in the 80s as well.

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    A bit of a mix and match of parts and pulleys.

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    The goal is road worthy and cheap! Our $700 budget doesn't include safety gear but that didn't stop us from scrounging some free rims and tires.
    Also located a set of four NIB brake rotors, pads and all hardware for $60.
    No seatbelts so we will have to locate some from PnP-and no shifter for the trans but it does have the old push button setup. Unfortunately there is no torque converter for the auto so we will stick with the 3-speed and fabricate a shifter.
    We may be looking for more freebies we can use-like this VW CC exhaust setup we scored for free from FB marketplace.

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    No keys so a trip to PnP yielded a set of door locks, an ignition key and two ignition keys from two separate B200 vans.
    Re-keyed the locks to match the ignition.

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    Stay tuned for more super sketchy work!

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    Put the parts washer to use-cleaned up the auto trans from the trunk. Those are casting lines on the aluminum case.

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    Started fabbing up a shifter from scrap metal and an old shifter.

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    Swapped the jelly jar master cylinder for a dual reservoir unit from a manual brake Valiant.
    You can see some wiring upgrades as well. Going to switch to an electronic single pickup dizzy with a GM HEI module to eliminate the ballast resistor.

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    The wiring diagram is one page!

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    Took advantage of the warm weather today to swap in the squareback alternator.

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    Also made a decision between a Pick n Pull purchase-either a mini starter or a Super Six 2 bbl manifold.....

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    Last edited by ianmcc; 05-08-2019 at 10:08 PM.

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    Had a friend make a donation to the cause-a free Holley 2280 carb that he literally pulled out of a snowbank. It is filthy but I hosed it down with some Fluid Film in hopes of freeing up the stuck bits. Name:  20190310_183757.jpg
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    For the record, this project is fucking awesome. That thing is an utter shitpile and I hope you don't die.

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    You are right-it really is a shitpile! I am spending a lot of time on shitty Mopar electric upgrading so we don't burn it to the ground.

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    Here is an example-anyone that ever had a Mopar with the firewall mounted ballast resistor has suffered a failure at one time in their ownership.
    Some will simply replace them when they fail but I am working around the Mopar ignition electronics.
    The old ballast resistor and the insides...

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    Instead of bypassing it on the outside I am going stealth mode.

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    Other electrical upgrades are a little more obvious. Like a GM HEI module and a coil from a Merkur (both from previous projects). This will combine with a single magnetic pickup in a modified points dizzy.

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    Can you believe there is only one fuse and one relay in the entire car? A VW and a BMW made some donations to the cause. Still have a proper mini fuse and relay box to set up.

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    And since we are on a budget we are looking for scrap pieces for our exhaust system. Any 2.25 or 2.5 piping and maybe a Cherry bomb as well.

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    Well that free carb is giving me fits. The lower butterfly shaft is seized solid.

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    Had to resort to ham fisted removal techniques.

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    A replacement throttle shaft. Probably have to swap the idle stops from the old one to the donor.

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    Last edited by ianmcc; 05-08-2019 at 10:09 PM.

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    Any car guy has a rite of passage in their life-a carb rebuild. This is the Holley 2280 and a manufacturer close out special from Rock Auto-under $21 delivered.
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    Yes those are ice cube trays.

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    Also picked up a complete (minus head gasket) /6 Fel Pro gasket from Kijiji for $20. Was going to need a new intake/exhaust gasket with the 2bbl intake swap.

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    After rebuilding the carb I went about sorting out the throttle linkage and choke oven.
    The old one barrel linkage wasn't compatible with the new two barrel so scored a cable from a Dodge truck on half price day at PnP.
    Fabbed up an EGR block off plate and throttle cable mount from scrap metal.

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    Chose the rattiest of the two air cleaners that came in the trunk.

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    The choke oven re-configured and new mounting plate again from scrap.

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    I had a couple of fan belts that came with the car-all the wrong size. And since there are very few decent v-belts in the junkyard I made do with the best and shortest one which was still too long.
    So I clearanced the inner fender.

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    Don't fear the sawzall!

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    .
    Last edited by Rat Fink; 12-06-2020 at 01:51 PM.
    Thanks for the 14 years of LOLs. Govern yourselves accordingly and avoid uppercut reactions!

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    Since I can't get the original power steering pulleys to line up in a configuration that works I am going down the de-powered p/s box. And rather than simply looping the lines I want to be able to easily add fluid and hopefully make room to accommodate fluid movement. So a power steering reservoir from a prior project should work.

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    I am sure the smaller black fuel line is p/s fluid friendly but what about old garden hose?
    Last edited by ianmcc; 04-12-2019 at 04:06 PM.

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    Today cut out and spliced in a replacement wiring connector for the ignition switch and installed the replacement ignition switch from a B200 van.
    Played with some underhood wiring and tried out the lights and some other electrical components after installing the battery.
    Found out we have one working horn, one working low beam but no high beams (probably the floor switch) and a working radio and speaker but with no antenna we just had static.
    Heater fan works but squeals like a pig on high setting. No signals and no sound from the flasher so will source a replacement.
    Also found that the starter and solenoid both work.


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