I recently purchased a "barn find" 1960 Valiant V-200. Complete but rough. Would appreciate info on sources for repair/replacement parts, etc. Also,appreciate info/experience on Clifford Performance regarding slant six performance parts. Just want to warm it up a little. Thanks.
Barn find Valiant
- Thread starter LAVAL60
- Start date
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stevedemon340
Senior Member
Post us all some pics. Congrats on your find!
moparsegura
moparmaster
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2008
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I have a Clifford header and intake, love it!! show us some pics of your car
dge467
Well-Known Member
Cool! Nice find.
casey70dartreed
Well-Known Member
Sweet! I have been running the Clifford 4-BBl Ram flow intake manifold, clifford headers, the double roller timing set they sell, and their super treated steel rods in my "race" engine for four years now w/no trouble. Launching at 2000 RPM, shifting at 5100 RPM a couple hundred times a year, and the engine is as good today as it was when I first built it. One thing about the headers I didn't care for was that they came coated in a black coating that seemed cheap to me. For $100 I had them powdercoated at a nearby business...And they look great! Also, the custom exhaust is an interesting fit to say the least, (with the kickdown linkage and such, but it works. Before I messed around with the 4-BBL on the new engine, I switched to the 2-BBL Super Six and headers on the old engine and WOW! That sure did wake up that tired slant (took off almost two seconds at the strip just with that mod).
Really nice motor and as you can see by the pics, I've got a ways to go. Your motor is exactly what I have in mind. I've read some negatives about Clifford so I am glad to hear from you about your experience. Is the red you painted your motor the Chrysler red or the Hemi red? What did you do about the weak clutch? I had this exact car new and at the time, I just added springs. Won many trophies in the sixties with the car. Modified the original manifold to accept a Pontiac 2-barrel, Isky cam, split manifold. Looking forward to getting this car back on its feet. Thanks for your info.Sweet! I have been running the Clifford 4-BBl Ram flow intake manifold, clifford headers, the double roller timing set they sell, and their super treated steel rods in my "race" engine for four years now w/no trouble. Launching at 2000 RPM, shifting at 5100 RPM a couple hundred times a year, and the engine is as good today as it was when I first built it. One thing about the headers I didn't care for was that they came coated in a black coating that seemed cheap to me. For $100 I had them powdercoated at a nearby business...And they look great! Also, the custom exhaust is an interesting fit to say the least, (with the kickdown linkage and such, but it works. Before I messed around with the 4-BBL on the new engine, I switched to the 2-BBL Super Six and headers on the old engine and WOW! That sure did wake up that tired slant (took off almost two seconds at the strip just with that mod).
slantsixdan
=..=
Hey, sweet, that's an early-production V200 (the inner trim ring on the "spare tire" trunk lid was deleted early in the '60 model year). Not super-early, though, because you haven't got the "shark fin" atop each front fender, and not one of the first ones built, because you haven't got the stainless steel trim around the windshield and backglass.
Be very careful before you decide to spend any money with Clifford. They have a long and ugly reputation for being a bunch of clowns; see for example here, here, here, here, and here. Much of what they sell is inaccurately described, and a lot of it is not even slightly cost-effective. The good news is that you don't need to go to Clifford to get hot rod parts for slant-6s; there are lots of other, better options. See for example Dutra Duals and header options discussed in this thread and this one, Erson custom cams, HEI ignition upgrade, 1.6-ratio rocker setup from RAS, Mike Jeffreys windage trays, Hurricane intakes, other exotic intakes. Hi-perf engine buildup here, high-perf parts and build info here.
Engine paint info is here. For now, to get it running respectably, tune-up parts and technique suggestions in this thread, and remember it'll need a valve adjustment.
Suppliers for resto parts: See here.
Be very careful before you decide to spend any money with Clifford. They have a long and ugly reputation for being a bunch of clowns; see for example here, here, here, here, and here. Much of what they sell is inaccurately described, and a lot of it is not even slightly cost-effective. The good news is that you don't need to go to Clifford to get hot rod parts for slant-6s; there are lots of other, better options. See for example Dutra Duals and header options discussed in this thread and this one, Erson custom cams, HEI ignition upgrade, 1.6-ratio rocker setup from RAS, Mike Jeffreys windage trays, Hurricane intakes, other exotic intakes. Hi-perf engine buildup here, high-perf parts and build info here.
Engine paint info is here. For now, to get it running respectably, tune-up parts and technique suggestions in this thread, and remember it'll need a valve adjustment.
Suppliers for resto parts: See here.
DartSportGreg
The system has failed!
That thing would go for some decent money in Austarilia.
I can't thank you enough for this info. Probably saved me days/weeks of stumbling around looking for this much info. It was running poorly when I picked it up in rural Missouri and have now got it running smoothly but it does need some valve adjustment and probably a valve job. It has 55,000 miles on it and some cancerous floor panels but little body cancer. Everything works except the heater and the core is good but some valve is leaking. (Minor detail) Also appreciate the info on dating it. When I pulled the door panels to clean out the door drains, one was dated December, 1959 and one was dated January, 1960. It does have a trim ring embedded in the rubber around the windshield and backglass but the "chrome" has weathered off the plastic.
This is most definitely a "project car" and will take some time to get it back but with patience, a few $'s and help with information from you and others on this site, I'll be able to save it.
BTW, I have the original Hot Rod magazine from 1960 road testing and comparing the Valiant to the Falcon and Corvair. Also the one where they put a small block Chevy in a Valiant. Interesting reads!
Thanks again!
slantsixdan
=..=
Y'welcome!
Heater valve info here.
Right, the super-early-build cars got actual hard stainless mouldings around the windshield and backglass. Shortly into production they changed to a mylar-faced plastic lockstrip used on all A-bodies thru '66. Original material not available, but there's a Chev/GMC truck lockstrip that looks reasonably close and works well in new gaskets. It will not quite fit (fractionally too small) in old gaskets.
dustermaniac
Senior Member
That is a cool old Mopar. Nice find and good luck on your restoration. You are at the right place as for help and advice and please keep us all updated with pics of your resto.
2 Darts
A-body Addicted
Very cool find. I'm surprised at the condition for being neglected so long. It would be worth your while to find out which /6 you have. There's a lot of /6 specific stuff over on SlantSix.Org.
Good luck with the refurbish/restore on the car.
Good luck with the refurbish/restore on the car.
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