66 Valiant Vert RUSTORATION
- Thread starter 66valiantconv
- Start date
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BillGrissom
Well-Known Member
Welcome. I have a 64 convertible and 65 2-door. While in CA now, I have family from Gastonia going back before the Civil War.
I agree with seriously considering that car a donor since the whole bottom is missing, which is the entire structure of a convertible. I don't see how it could be fixed in any reasonable time. You should look at cars in SoCal or AZ. Some have almost no rust at all and just need a cleaning pass and paint. Well worth the ~$1000 shipping cost, or buy one you can drive home and see the country.
I agree with seriously considering that car a donor since the whole bottom is missing, which is the entire structure of a convertible. I don't see how it could be fixed in any reasonable time. You should look at cars in SoCal or AZ. Some have almost no rust at all and just need a cleaning pass and paint. Well worth the ~$1000 shipping cost, or buy one you can drive home and see the country.
66valiantconv
Well-Known Member
here's the trunk..... original spare and no rot on it (thank god) and still holding 32psi
unfortunately the plaid cover was broken and there is no lug wrench (unless they hide it somewhere)... the rear bumper isn't bent, just the mounts where they are bolted is pretty much gone on the body
66valiantconv
Well-Known Member
a few quick questions for those in the know... my valient has speaker boxes in the driver and passenger footwells that say "bass 48" on them.... are those factory?
Bulldozer
free ice cream sandwiches
do you have a pic? im sure you do lol
66valiantconv
Well-Known Member
just added it to the post :sign3:
Bulldozer
free ice cream sandwiches
no someone added that.... a loong time ago lol. look for a date somewhere on it, it could be a very rare dealer add-on, doubtful , but possible
66valiantconv
Well-Known Member
this also had a cb radio mounted in front of the shifter.... from looking at it, the area almost looks fiberglassed into the shifter mount..... anyway, all it had was the mount, no cb.... just weird stuff..... but from what i hear, before the girl who i bought it from had it (she owned it for about 5 months) it was a 1 owner.... so who knows thanks for the info
thanks for the info
That all looks like aftermarket stuff. One of my '66 Valiants had an 8-track in it!
66Dvert
Working on my custom car parts again!
power went out so i had time to kill.... as you can see from the pics, i had some critters living under the back seat (gone now), and the driver floor totally destroyed the front seat mount.... needless to say, i have no floor pans to speak of in the front, but where the convert top is is surprisingly solid... even with the big hole in the driver rocker (i think in the last pic) the car is on 4 jack stands and the doors still open and close! it's ugly, and i haven't even vacuumed out the deteriorated stuff (no power at the time), but i feel really good about this car........ damn i'm a sucker!
here's the pics you've been waiting for...............
hmmm that looks so similar to my dart it isn't funny. I just got mine into paint but it took 3 1/2 years to get it there. I had to replace everything in the floor also.from the firewall to the trunk latch panel. you're going to need a lot of new skills to get it done but it's "fixable" (I'd make it a donor car really due to the frame rail rust, but that's just me) my rails were almost perfect it was everything ELSE that was rusty.
View attachment DSCF1387.jpg
check the top windshields pillars and cowl area behind the stainless trim. man do they rust out easy there. also reach inside and up the drivers or passengers side vent to check if the Ring is in there
here's my replacement and you can see the ring's I'm talking about
View attachment DSCF2006 50-50.jpg
snf here's what mine looked like
View attachment DSCF2007.jpg
oh yeah and the piller post I was talking about behind the trim
View attachment DSCF2018.jpg
same area done
View attachment DSCF2999.JPG
good luck with your restore
it can be done! but you'll have way more in it that you can sell it for.
66valiantconv
Well-Known Member
thanks for the pics 66Dvert..... all my skills will have to be new to restore this car, i'm a mechanic, not a fabricator .... but that's ok.... 3 1/2 years is a long time for a dream, but i'm sure it was all worth it and i KNEW every penny i put in this car, even if donored, is lost.... but i'd rather do it myself, whatever it is, than save money buying someone else's dream
.... but that's ok.... 3 1/2 years is a long time for a dream, but i'm sure it was all worth it and i KNEW every penny i put in this car, even if donored, is lost.... but i'd rather do it myself, whatever it is, than save money buying someone else's dream
66Dvert
Working on my custom car parts again!
thanks for the pics 66Dvert..... all my skills will have to be new to restore this car, i'm a mechanic, not a fabricator
yup I know what you mean. when I pulled mine home the wife said dang that's an ugly car, just look at how rusty it is. That made up my mind for me right there that I'd restore it to a drivers condition. done my way, but good enough to show at local shows. I probably have only about 3 grand in the parts and paint but countless hours doing fab and body work. I still have to get carpet (134.00) a new tan top(239.00) and weatherstripping for the convertible and hood (175 or so) plus I had one like it as my second car (first one didn't count since I bought it with my cousin and never got to drive it)
I enjoy doing it and can't count the cost of restoring it my spec's. I have done a couple of numbers matching cars for friends and customers,but it's a "pain" and not fun. now I just do it for relaxation and the pride in doing it.
Enjoy it.
66valiantconv
Well-Known Member
well said... thanks
Cool project! A manual transmissioned 66 convert is a great find.
66valiantconv
Well-Known Member
have a shell to work with now not without it's worries though.... 30 miles from home a trailer recap blew off, but the tire still held air!.... knowing i was close to home, poor and stupid, i drove the rest of the way at 40mph on I85 and the damn thing made it home!!! i tell you guys, this project is blessed rayer:
the vert will live again!!!
p.s. i'm just going to park it next to my other unfinished project :violent1:
not without it's worries though.... 30 miles from home a trailer recap blew off, but the tire still held air!.... knowing i was close to home, poor and stupid, i drove the rest of the way at 40mph on I85 and the damn thing made it home!!! i tell you guys, this project is blessed rayer:the vert will live again!!!
p.s. i'm just going to park it next to my other unfinished project :violent1:
Looks good and solid. 40 MPH on I 85, I know other drivers were pissed because they were going 80mph or better.
Do you still have those old NC license plates?
66Dvert
Working on my custom car parts again!
Cool A donor car. :blob:now you've got almost all the parts to fix the convertible. don't forget to make a pattern of the torque boxes (front and rear on the convertible before you rip em off there). and you can use most of the pillar's to make parts for the windshield if you need to. can't wait to see this car going:happy1:
66valiantconv
Well-Known Member
they are in the trash box, but i can find them... one was peeling really bad, but they were all from 1985
I would like to have them if you don't mind. I can pay shipping for them in a couple of weeks. We moved from Lexington 11 months ago.
66valiantconv
Well-Known Member
well, i'm kind of in the HOARDER / CLEANER stage right now since i don't have the time, space, or equipment at home to start this odyssey.... but i'm working on it :-k
I'm glad to you made it home safely. Looks like a good donor. You're officially hooked on early A-Bodies now.
66valiantconv
Well-Known Member
66valiantconv
Well-Known Member
my bad, they are 1975 plates with 85 stickers... they want like $10 on ebay for these things.... pm me with your info
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