1960 Valiant Restore: advice welcomed.

[Gadabout]

My first Slant Six was a '67, which I backed up with the driver's door open resulting in a replacement door that was green, the car was white. Overheated the engine repeatedly, but whatever abuse I hurled at her, she never quite. Later, I got a 70's station wagon, which ran flawlessly, and not content to live without pain I sold it to a cab company and then later found myself driving, and loving a '64. Again, not content to enjoy a vintage car, I loosed that one until much later I came across a perfect '76 Mirada that ran perfectly, and was complete. Loosed that one to get a new sub compact, which has been durable, except that it rides like a Jeep and looks like every other melted chocolate bar out there. So, now I'm back with a serious love affair with a Toilet Seat '60.

The interior is ate up, and the paint is peeling, otherwise straight and complete. A 100% restoration to factory new is not my aim, but I would like to keep the general integrity as to original as possible.

Not being Jay Leno, my intent is to take it across the river to Juarez, Mexico for interior and paint. I've had some luck in the past, but there are concerns, of a general nature. One compadre familiar with cross border trade warned me that it is not unheard of to have one's car packed with narcotics and a locator device to that when one returns, and gets passed Customs, the car is retrieved, lock stock and barrel. The other general concern is that when doing business in a foreign nation, there is no recourse. If they screw up the job, you can pound sand. Maybe you can get them to fix the problem, but if they don't play ball, you're out of money and out of luck.

I'm going to have grope along in the dark, here, wish me luck. One thing is for sure, I am not letting go of her this time. I love these cars, and I love the toilet seat and the cat eye break lights. I'll blog how it goes, please jump in if you have opinions or advice.

 

[junkyardhero]

i'd mexican blanket the interior, rub out the paint and then turn my focus and efforts to the drivetrain and chassis.

upgrade to disc brakes up front, upgrade the rear axle, new uprated springs and shocks, larger more modern wheels and tires. dial in the slant and trans, make a game plan from there if i want to keep it push button, or upgrade the trans to something a little more modern with a passing gear. decide if i want to upgrade the motor or maybe build something a little hotter on the side for install later.

either way i'd leave the cosmetics to last (besides collecting trim and bits along the way that i may need) and the interior would get running repairs to make it liveable. i would 100% update the electrical for safety and better function.

i always find that if a car is running and driving i'm more keen to get specific projects done and get the car back together. i don't know how many people i've seen just start taking stuff apart and get so far down the rabbit hole they can't see the way back up. then 5, 6 years later the car is still at the body shop and all the rest is in the garage half taken apart unfinished because there's no motivation to get a motor done when the car is still in primer.

make it run. make it drive. make it safe. update smartly so that it can operate in modern traffic on modern roads. make it so that it's enjoyable to drive and then do so. worry about making it pretty later.

 

[Icetech]

I would leave the paint and clean it up and get the interior done locally if possible.. rebuild the suspension and make it 100% dependable and drive it

P.S. you could always paint it yourself... nice project and i prefer to not have a amazing paint job cause then i worry bout every little scratch.

 

[Hyper_pak]

1960 is a different animal from 62-76 A Body.
Good luck finding suspension, gas tank, electrical items.
They really made them quite better starting in 62.

Good luck, they attract attention wherever you go!

 

[Gadabout]

i'd mexican blanket the interior, rub out the paint and then turn my focus and efforts to the drivetrain and chassis.

upgrade to disc brakes up front, upgrade the rear axle, new uprated springs and shocks, larger more modern wheels and tires. dial in the slant and trans, make a game plan from there if i want to keep it push button, or upgrade the trans to something a little more modern with a passing gear. decide if i want to upgrade the motor or maybe build something a little hotter on the side for install later.

either way i'd leave the cosmetics to last (besides collecting trim and bits along the way that i may need) and the interior would get running repairs to make it liveable. i would 100% update the electrical for safety and better function.

i always find that if a car is running and driving i'm more keen to get specific projects done and get the car back together. i don't know how many people i've seen just start taking stuff apart and get so far down the rabbit hole they can't see the way back up. then 5, 6 years later the car is still at the body shop and all the rest is in the garage half taken apart unfinished because there's no motivation to get a motor done when the car is still in primer.

make it run. make it drive. make it safe. update smartly so that it can operate in modern traffic on modern roads. make it so that it's enjoyable to drive and then do so. worry about making it pretty later.

Very useful overview. I have encountered the rabbit hole phenomenon a little while back on a '64 Ranchero. No matter how far down the hole I went, there was yet another problem. After the first 7K to replace and repair mechanicals from brake lines to ball joints, they failed to install a new thermostat when the radiator was replaced, leading to a fast overheat and a warped head. That's just the tip of the iceberg. I bailed out after 10K.

In retrospect, another 10K I might have actually gotten there.

Fortunately for the Valiant, all of the trim and knobs and stuff is there. Fortunately, it fires up and runs smoothly and steers straight. Doesn't blow smoke. Unfortunately, some of the widgets that are broken are going to be very tough to diagnose and obtain, the speedometer being the first in line. One member indicated that the problem would like lie in the speedometer gear bushing gone bad. So, there's that.

Also on my mind is transmission lurch. It can be softened by letting of the accelerator at the top of the rpm, but it is worrisome.

My Achille's Heel in all this, is that I have had a long, and successful, history with Slant 6's. Now I'm trying to recapture that relationship, hope I don't incinerate myself in the process. Again.

Thanks again for your insight.

 

[WV64Signet]

Agree with the above...

1. Get it running,
2. Get it safe...
3. Make a list and prioritize.
4. Stabilize or mitigating things that will get progressively worse... and negate #1 and #2
4. Make it comfortable

Constantly reasses and remember it's supposed to be fun... ( I have to be reminded of that some times)

I'm not saying anything new... it's just what I try to remind myself... and fail.

Sometimes when a hard to find part becomes available, you'll need to shift priorities

 

[Gadabout]

So, to get it to pass inspection, need working wipers. The original knob is there, but it is frozen, so the guess is the switch component is corroded. The replacement arrived today, it's a universal knob, so the hope is to replace the switch and reattach the original knob.

Next up is the speedometer. This little adventure is making me sorry I didn't argue the price down. But there it is, my problem now. The needle is missing, assumed it broke off, and what Forum guys are telling me is that it probably broke off from a worn out speedo transmission gear failure, causing the needle to rattle off. The NOS speedometer arrived today, well it looks the same. And I got a cable. The devil is to replace the speedometer gear, which is likely toast. Or at least the bushing is.

I am not keen to go grubbing around underneath, and prefer to hire someone to do it. Therein lies the rub. I call transmission specialists and I get three kinds of answers:

The supremely confident: oh, yeah, bring it right over.
The flat no: nope, we don't do vintage.
And the hesitant: well, I don't know. Had a '67 in here with a bad carburetor, and we replaced it with a new one, and it still didn't work right. I guess so, bring it in Tuesday...

My problem with the supremely confident is that modern transmission shops appear all about swapping out transmissions, one for the other, and not about repair.

My concern with the supremely hesitant, is that even though the man is in his 60's, and should be familiar with older cars, he appears to be telegraphing that he is not good at diagnostic work. A carburetor swap on a '67 should not be a big deal for an experienced mechanic.

Next on the list is a power steering cap. How the Hell do you manage to lose that?? Tried to find one on line, ordered it, will see if it fits. Or not. The "universal" one purchased at O'Reilley's was not even close.

Other tidbit is a flasher unit. That should be easy...right...the one in there works hesitantly or not at all.

 

[barbee6043]

If you buy this model, remember if you buy it, you and two other guys in this world will be its fan club. Lots of people will say cool, unique, different....but,,,,,,
In other words, buy it because YOU love it!!

 

[Gadabout]

True that.

So, I called this fellow from Performance Automotive Group, other side of town, on the advice of a vintage car club. Though the gas gauge didn't work, figured I had plenty of gas to get over there. Three miles out she spluttered to a stop and I called for a tow and sat reflecting on my sins of assumption.

The tow truck pulls up, and I step out, the door shutting behind me, and that's when I remembered the doors lock automatically and I am now locked out. He doesn't have a jimmy, so we're scouting about and to my amazement I find that I left the passenger vent window unlocked, and I can just barely not reach the keys, because for some reason the door handle won't release (I found later it was just sticky). But, with some effort I manage to roll the window down and retrieve the keys.

The motor turns over once, then nothing. Dead battery. So, that quickly remedied with a jump and down the road we go until the engine starts to overheat.

Brilliant, the roadway is bordered by Jersey Knees on each side so I tease it a few miles, praying to the cylinder head gods to not let the head warp, until I can pull over. Didn't dare shut it off, so I gingerly release the radiator cap and the over flow hose comes to life like an angry serpent, slashing this way and that shooting out a rusty stream of scalding hot water. Finally, get enough pressure off to add some water, and limp in to Performance Motors and Restoration.

One good thing, if I didn't blow the head gasket, is I discovered that whoopee, the windshield wiper switch works, and the wipers work. I didn't realize you pull the knob outward, not try to turn it. Anemic, and will be just enough to keep up with a slow drizzle, but it works. And we get very little in the way of rain out here.

The yard had a '67 two door, with a Slant Six with a turbocharger, and the mechanic guy said, that yes, they spoke Slant 6. The head mechanic appeared older than Father Time, but seemed unfazed at the idea of getting the speedo up and running. I just hope he lives long enough to finish the job. Or I do.

Well, following the good advice of Junkyard Hero, et al, will get these little odds and ends done. Mexican blanket, too, though I would like to be able to sit without being skewered by old springs. Need a tetanus shot just to sit in it.

 

[Gadabout]

So, back in '86, a recent college grad living on a shoe string, my '67 Dart had a little problem. The fuel tank leaked if I put more than a few gallons in it, at the seam. So, being young and intrepid I replaced it myself in a back alley on a February day with a pair of vice grips. This resulted in getting drenched in gasoline. No worries, I was yet to discover the joy of tobacco (a wretched condition I picked up while in the Army, a few years later).

Well, fast forward to 2024 (where did the years go???) and the restorer wants to slap in a new tank in this '60 (if I can find one) sight unseen on the basis that it is 64 years old. But, wait it doesn't leak, and I've put gas into it. Should I blindly follow his advice, or is there a more economical solution here?

I found a fuel sending unit without much effort, but a tank could be a very expensive Easter Egg hunt, methinks. And a NOS??? Please someone clarify the issue. Not to mention, if it works, why mess with it? He's already hinted at wanting to pimp my ride into a hot rod, and no thank you. One of the reason I like this old beast is that we weren't in such a damn hurry (to quote Shashank Redemption). I like to cruise along unhurriedly. James Dean I am not.

And again, I'm not a purist, but I am a pragmatist. The radiator doesn't leak, but he wants to throw out the old and put in a new one. OK, I'll let him have the radiator as I don't fancy getting stranded on these desert highways out here, where heat stroke is a real possibility. But overall, I'd like to keep it as close to original as possible, and I am not motivated in the slightest to pimp this car out with nitro fueled fuel injected turbo charging.

I love her because she is old. I am a nostalgist. Like many, I am not thrilled with the New Age. But we won't go there.

 

[barbee6043]

I have to admit to having owned many Mopars over all these decades but on one 62 Lancer. I got it maybe 10 years ago and yes the tank was history maybe? or maybe I found a repop NEW tank that fit! Don't remember! Yes I do, I found a new one!!! Was it for a 62 Lancer? I doubt it! NOS? I doubt there is such an animal.
Me, the conservative type, I hate to throw anything way that can be salvaged/ Problem with old 60 year old tanks is the metal can get really thin in spots and get a pinhole. I have patched with all kinds of things over the years, some worked better than others, but NON as good as a new tank!!I would try to fin a repop tank that will work, unless YOU can fix the old one where it does NOT leak!! Leaky gas tanks are dangerous!!

 

[Gadabout]

So how did I get interested in tobacco? Well, my unit was training for the upcoming invasion of Kuwait and we were all enjoying ourselves struggling into this antique charcoal suits and rubber masks and what-not. It was pretty obvious that in any event we were going to be toast, even if we could jab ourselves with an Epi pen.

This one chap was sitting on a brick wall rolling what appeared to a be a joint. I sidled over to him and asked him if this was his way of getting Article 15'd out of the Army. He laughed, and told me it was just a plain hand rolled cigarette, and would I like to try one.

I figured I stood a pretty good chance of getting wasted anyways, so what the Heck. One puff and I was hooked like a rainbow trout in a Front Range stream.

It took a good piece of my life to finally quit smoking, fifteen years later. Nicotine is the Devi's handiwork. But now, pay later. Truth be told, this chap was also a card carrying Satan Worshiper. That was a religion that Army was required to accommodate, by this point.

Don't thank me for my service, I remained safely Stateside while my comrades were sent over to fill endless sandbags and catch nasty illnesses without a name. I took the college money and got out first chance I could.