From the pasture; The valiant story of my '66 Valiant
- Thread starter AircoolerKirk
- Start date
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Great story! Love it!
Isn't it funny just how much pleasure we can get out of an old car, and it does not have to be the fastest, most desirable, or what ever model car!????
I have always said,.. many times, Less is More!!
Isn't it funny just how much pleasure we can get out of an old car, and it does not have to be the fastest, most desirable, or what ever model car!????
I have always said,.. many times, Less is More!!
66340SEDAN
FABO Member #3649
Awesome read, nice car too...we like the 66’s...we have his and hers! Keep up the progress, these are cool little cars...I would love another 
plumkrazee70
Well-Known Member
Very fun read. Keep at it. She'll be back on the road in no time.
Awesome read, nice car too...we like the 66’s...we have his and hers! Keep up the progress, these are cool little cars...I would love another
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Neat cars.
I always seem to have to have 2-3 of the same model!
AircoolerKirk
Well-Known Member
I just finished reading about yours. I plan to try and copy your rear wheel/tire set up (the steelies, although id love a set of SBP thrusts) for mine. Very very nice.Awesome read, nice car too...we like the 66’s...we have his and hers! Keep up the progress, these are cool little cars...I would love another
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66340SEDAN
FABO Member #3649
SBP thrusts are about the hardest to find wheel for these cars...extremely rare....it’s probably cheaper to do the conversion to 5 on 4 1/2”...
AircoolerKirk
Well-Known Member
Well, I'm still around. Managed to clean out my little garage at home (and nearly gave my self heatstroke in the process, thank you for that Texas) so I could squeek the Plymouth in. Having it at home is great, so I can tinker more often.
I do have questions about my MC upgrade (hope to tackle that this weekend). I bought the line kit, and distribution block, and a dual res MC from a '67 Valiant. Is there anything particular about how all this goes in? Any tricks? I've read a billion posts and some stupid things on facebook, but im still not sure exactly how this all works.
Maybe Ill post a thread for that.
Princess Valiant
A.K.A. Rainy Day Auto
That is the absolute best avatar I have ever seen on fabo 
I've always thought they flattened them out too much in the front. I will admit though, they have grown on me more in the past few years.
"From the Pasture" What an awesome thread title. lol
65wgn440
Well-Known Member
What specific questions do you have about brake system install ?
moparmat2000
Well-Known Member
Cool thread, I am in Abilene Tx. This is the best mopar site on the net. I am not biased lol. Subscribed.
I admit the FABO site and its folks is hard to beat, anywhere!!!
Yes this is a cool thread. I still say, our Mopars do not have to have the highest HP engines, the coolest vin #, or fresh flawless pant to be enjoyed to the fullest. Life is always what we make of it.
Yes this is a cool thread. I still say, our Mopars do not have to have the highest HP engines, the coolest vin #, or fresh flawless pant to be enjoyed to the fullest. Life is always what we make of it.
AircoolerKirk
Well-Known Member
So I had the a long weekend off from work due to Labor Day which was glorious. So with time off, what did Kirk do?
And but of course, I decide to spend the day in the shop. I show up early, open up the doors, turn on the music and spend the first hour and a half just cleaning. After that, its Plymouth time. Since I had no idea what the brake system is even like at all, I want to get her up in the air and inspect-able. Upon stands you go, lemme get them wheels real quick.
Now based on its time in a pasture, I was assuming the rear drums would be stuck. Well that's a big nope. Wheel off and I bumped the drum with my shin, THAR SHE BLOWS.
This side, the drivers rear) doesn't look overly bad inside. The spiders I displaced were not happy, and they left behind their dead, but I care not for them! The drums look like warmed over and hammered poo however.
In addition to spiders, I also have my share of mud dobbers to deal with. Luckily i have a very surgical method of removing them, as to preserve their way of life.
So, sparing you the boring, drug out details, I redid the rear brakes. New shoes, wheel cylinders and all. I hate drum brakes with a white hot burning passion. The parts, the springs, the adjustments. So tedious. Yet, less tedious than a disc brake conversion, so I'll just shut up now. These brakes are tiny anyway, so they were relatively painless. Emphasis on the word relatively. Once the rear brakes were done (and while waiting on my hardline, master cylinder conversion kit from inline tube on eBay) I pulled the rear shocks. They might have had some life left in them, but I doubt it. They also look like they lived in a pineapple under the sea, so we can't have that either. They came off surprisingly easy, for their age. To the trash, and the dumpster says thankyee.
So shocks off, in an act that can only be described as having extra time on my hands, and not liking what i see every time I peek under m'lady's skirt, I decided to clean up the rear axle some. As was explained to me, repeatedly, this isn't a show stopper, its a survivor car, but that axle is pretty ugly. Lets see what a bit of elbow grease and some Rustoleum will do.
So I put my lil wire brush on my drill and buzzed all that crap off. For $2 at Harbor Freight, that little wheel is easy peasy. I like it better than my grinder with a wire wheel, because I could get it right where I wanted it to be.
It was about that time that I really wanted to clean out my home garage, and bring the Plymouth closer so I could tinker more frequently. Once the garage was moderately clean (and I damn near gave my self heatstroke AGAIN) getting it done, I threw the wheels on, and loaded her up. To home we go!
- Cook delicious meats
- Sit on his rump
- Any number of actual productive things that need doing
- Spent time in a hot freakin shop tinkering on a derelict Plymouth
And but of course, I decide to spend the day in the shop. I show up early, open up the doors, turn on the music and spend the first hour and a half just cleaning. After that, its Plymouth time. Since I had no idea what the brake system is even like at all, I want to get her up in the air and inspect-able. Upon stands you go, lemme get them wheels real quick.
Now based on its time in a pasture, I was assuming the rear drums would be stuck. Well that's a big nope. Wheel off and I bumped the drum with my shin, THAR SHE BLOWS.
This side, the drivers rear) doesn't look overly bad inside. The spiders I displaced were not happy, and they left behind their dead, but I care not for them! The drums look like warmed over and hammered poo however.
In addition to spiders, I also have my share of mud dobbers to deal with. Luckily i have a very surgical method of removing them, as to preserve their way of life.
So, sparing you the boring, drug out details, I redid the rear brakes. New shoes, wheel cylinders and all. I hate drum brakes with a white hot burning passion. The parts, the springs, the adjustments. So tedious. Yet, less tedious than a disc brake conversion, so I'll just shut up now. These brakes are tiny anyway, so they were relatively painless. Emphasis on the word relatively. Once the rear brakes were done (and while waiting on my hardline, master cylinder conversion kit from inline tube on eBay) I pulled the rear shocks. They might have had some life left in them, but I doubt it. They also look like they lived in a pineapple under the sea, so we can't have that either. They came off surprisingly easy, for their age. To the trash, and the dumpster says thankyee.
So shocks off, in an act that can only be described as having extra time on my hands, and not liking what i see every time I peek under m'lady's skirt, I decided to clean up the rear axle some. As was explained to me, repeatedly, this isn't a show stopper, its a survivor car, but that axle is pretty ugly. Lets see what a bit of elbow grease and some Rustoleum will do.
So I put my lil wire brush on my drill and buzzed all that crap off. For $2 at Harbor Freight, that little wheel is easy peasy. I like it better than my grinder with a wire wheel, because I could get it right where I wanted it to be.
It was about that time that I really wanted to clean out my home garage, and bring the Plymouth closer so I could tinker more frequently. Once the garage was moderately clean (and I damn near gave my self heatstroke AGAIN) getting it done, I threw the wheels on, and loaded her up. To home we go!
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AircoolerKirk
Well-Known Member
Before heading off into the garage, wouldn't a quick wash be good? Of course! The only thing better than tinkering on a Plymouth is tinkering on a clean Plymouth, and much like that fat, sweaty relative everyone avoids at the family functions, my Valiant could benefit greatly from some soap and water.
Months of shop dirt and grime went floating down the drain (street). My neighbors, drawn either by the thumping, rhythmic sounds of 80's music playing on my tiny garage radio, or noticing the addition of a dead automotive relic wearing long expired tags to the neighborhood all came by to check it out. I would like to say that their comments were all positive, and that they didn't roll their eyes while glancing sideways at each other, but I also am not a liar. To say this was well received would be stretching the truth a bit, so lets leave it at that. This thing was over due for a good scrubbing, which I gave it, most enjoyably. I think once the time for spit and polish comes, I can pretty her right back up.
Clean and dry, its time to tuck baby away to bed. She seems impossibly long in my little tiny garage, but hey, you make due with what you have.
Unfortunately, once I had the car in the garage, all warm, snuggly and dry, had my game plan all worked out and had her back on jackstands, sans wheels, my house flooded. And not that "oh the toilet over flowed, darn it" type flooding, more the "MY DAMN WATER HEATER BLEW UP AND SOAKED EVERYTHING I OWN, TIME TO LIVE LIKE A HOBO IN MY OWN HOUSE!" type soaking. So because of the vast and extensive water damage, all my surviving possessions needed a place to live while the house was repaired. So much to the imagined vexation of my neighbors, the Valiant rolled back out into the driveway once more, and into the garage goes all i own in the world*. (*okay not quite but you get the idea)
To be honest, I haven't been able or motivated to do much lately, since just getting to where my tools are is a HUGE undertaking and my house is a mess. That being said, I did finish the rear hard line and shock install. It did require the destruction of one of the hard lines, but I was able to get the little brass block off and cleaned up too so that's a plus. Arent wire wheels the best? Also, if you were considering the hard line kit from eBay (inlinetube) I highly recommend them. Came with instructions, the lines they send match each line nearly exactly, AND the main line is clearly marked where you are supposed to unbend, and shape it. Their communication was great, and while this kit wasn't overly cheap, I felt like it was a good value.
Months of shop dirt and grime went floating down the drain (street). My neighbors, drawn either by the thumping, rhythmic sounds of 80's music playing on my tiny garage radio, or noticing the addition of a dead automotive relic wearing long expired tags to the neighborhood all came by to check it out. I would like to say that their comments were all positive, and that they didn't roll their eyes while glancing sideways at each other, but I also am not a liar. To say this was well received would be stretching the truth a bit, so lets leave it at that. This thing was over due for a good scrubbing, which I gave it, most enjoyably. I think once the time for spit and polish comes, I can pretty her right back up.
Clean and dry, its time to tuck baby away to bed. She seems impossibly long in my little tiny garage, but hey, you make due with what you have.
Unfortunately, once I had the car in the garage, all warm, snuggly and dry, had my game plan all worked out and had her back on jackstands, sans wheels, my house flooded. And not that "oh the toilet over flowed, darn it" type flooding, more the "MY DAMN WATER HEATER BLEW UP AND SOAKED EVERYTHING I OWN, TIME TO LIVE LIKE A HOBO IN MY OWN HOUSE!" type soaking. So because of the vast and extensive water damage, all my surviving possessions needed a place to live while the house was repaired. So much to the imagined vexation of my neighbors, the Valiant rolled back out into the driveway once more, and into the garage goes all i own in the world*. (*okay not quite but you get the idea)
To be honest, I haven't been able or motivated to do much lately, since just getting to where my tools are is a HUGE undertaking and my house is a mess. That being said, I did finish the rear hard line and shock install. It did require the destruction of one of the hard lines, but I was able to get the little brass block off and cleaned up too so that's a plus. Arent wire wheels the best? Also, if you were considering the hard line kit from eBay (inlinetube) I highly recommend them. Came with instructions, the lines they send match each line nearly exactly, AND the main line is clearly marked where you are supposed to unbend, and shape it. Their communication was great, and while this kit wasn't overly cheap, I felt like it was a good value.
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AircoolerKirk
Well-Known Member
So one night, while laying on my couch (suspended by styrofoam blocks off the floor), drinking a bourbonish beverage, I began to search the market place. I have noticed that if placed on a chart, the line indicating items bought correlates heavily with the line indicating bourbonish beverages consumed. I may have to think about that a bit. While doing such, I found a set of wheels in my bolt pattern (5x4) not too incredibly far away, in brand new shape, with brand new lugs, and with brand new tires. I wasn't really planning on buying wheels at this point, but after watching the ad for several weeks, the price dropped low enough that a road trip was now in order. As per my usual, I asked my buddy Parker if he would like to go, and as per his usual, Parker said he would.
Trucks were fueled, Buddy Parker was grabbed, and aways we go.
To occupy his time, my navigator Parker researched where the best eating places where we were headed, Malvern, Arkansas. He settled on a place called Keeny's, a local hole in the wall promising the best American fare around. Sounds good to me, because everyone knows road trips are all about the food anyway.
Once we arrived, we met fellow Mopar enthusiast Dave. Super nice guy, and he brought the wheels. I was a bit confused about how they were hauled, but he was so nice it didn't matter. The Valiant now had some "bling".
In addition to being the wheel bringer, Dave confirmed that Keeny's was the place to eat. Old man cooking great food in the back of an old Market. Sounds good, I'm in. Mopar stories were swapped, goodbyes given, onward to lunch!Nice to meet you Dave!
Keeny's, located off in a residential district, was accessible by roads and alleyways barely wider than my truck, and was just as I hoped it would be. Small, homey and smelled phenomenal. As you approach the restaurant, just in case the large letters telling you that you found the lunch time Valhalla were missed, is a vintage Coca Cola sign with letters as aged as its owner, revealing that yes, honey, you found the right place.
Mr. Keeny himself still works, cooks and greets you with a smile. His menus are done by the day, and on this day, we could have whatever we wanted as long whatever we wanted was catfish or a BBQ sandwich. We ate the fish and took the sandwich to go. You know, just in case we were in danger of starving to death on the four hour trek home. One can never be too careful.
When I remarked that we came from Texas, and that the food was great, he dropped me a jaunty little wink and said "Well I know how Texans are, but we can make SOME stuff in Arkansas ya know?" I liked him immediately. If you ever find yourself in Malvern, Arkansas, you gotta stop by. Trust me on this.
Back on the road, it began to rain, then Rain, then RAIN, progress was slow. Conversation lagged, BBQ sandwich smell filled the truck. We stopped for gas and such about the time the rain let up. Parked in the lot, like a beacon of light, was a Yuengling truck.
Yuengling is apparently not available anywhere further west than Arkansas so Parker, resident beer connoisseur among my friends, lit out after the beer guy like a moth to a hot bulb. After his initial confusion, the beer man was super cool, and Parker bought enough beer that I thought we might need a Trans Am to run interference back to the border. I threw a couple in the bed for a photo op.
Several hours later, I decided to have a snack and grabbed my sandwich. It was several hours older by that point, but still delicious. I wanted a cold Yuengling to wash it down, but since I am a rule follower, and was driving in the rain, I settled for a several hour old Gatorade instead. Responsibility, thy name is boring.
Once home, I couldn't wait to bolt them up to see how they look. I like them! They are quite large, comparatively however, when compared to the stock 13" wheel/tire combo.
It was about the time I was going to install the passenger side wheel that I realized I did not have left hand lugs for that side.
Crap. Stocks back on, lugs ordered. BUT for that one brief shining moment, it looked great! Like a bit of old dead skin had been peeled away to show the bright pink new life beneath. These tires are a bit large, and may not make the final cut, but I will get them all mounted and see exactly what I am working with, when the lugs come in.
So now we wait! That's my overdone update for now, Constant Reader. Here is hoping my house dries and the Valiant can move back indoors, so work can continue. Until next time, Confucius say "Man who neglect water heater maintenance is destined to sleep on couch."
Trucks were fueled, Buddy Parker was grabbed, and aways we go.
To occupy his time, my navigator Parker researched where the best eating places where we were headed, Malvern, Arkansas. He settled on a place called Keeny's, a local hole in the wall promising the best American fare around. Sounds good to me, because everyone knows road trips are all about the food anyway.
Once we arrived, we met fellow Mopar enthusiast Dave. Super nice guy, and he brought the wheels. I was a bit confused about how they were hauled, but he was so nice it didn't matter. The Valiant now had some "bling".
In addition to being the wheel bringer, Dave confirmed that Keeny's was the place to eat. Old man cooking great food in the back of an old Market. Sounds good, I'm in. Mopar stories were swapped, goodbyes given, onward to lunch!Nice to meet you Dave!
Keeny's, located off in a residential district, was accessible by roads and alleyways barely wider than my truck, and was just as I hoped it would be. Small, homey and smelled phenomenal. As you approach the restaurant, just in case the large letters telling you that you found the lunch time Valhalla were missed, is a vintage Coca Cola sign with letters as aged as its owner, revealing that yes, honey, you found the right place.
Mr. Keeny himself still works, cooks and greets you with a smile. His menus are done by the day, and on this day, we could have whatever we wanted as long whatever we wanted was catfish or a BBQ sandwich. We ate the fish and took the sandwich to go. You know, just in case we were in danger of starving to death on the four hour trek home. One can never be too careful.
When I remarked that we came from Texas, and that the food was great, he dropped me a jaunty little wink and said "Well I know how Texans are, but we can make SOME stuff in Arkansas ya know?" I liked him immediately. If you ever find yourself in Malvern, Arkansas, you gotta stop by. Trust me on this.
Back on the road, it began to rain, then Rain, then RAIN, progress was slow. Conversation lagged, BBQ sandwich smell filled the truck. We stopped for gas and such about the time the rain let up. Parked in the lot, like a beacon of light, was a Yuengling truck.
Yuengling is apparently not available anywhere further west than Arkansas so Parker, resident beer connoisseur among my friends, lit out after the beer guy like a moth to a hot bulb. After his initial confusion, the beer man was super cool, and Parker bought enough beer that I thought we might need a Trans Am to run interference back to the border. I threw a couple in the bed for a photo op.
Several hours later, I decided to have a snack and grabbed my sandwich. It was several hours older by that point, but still delicious. I wanted a cold Yuengling to wash it down, but since I am a rule follower, and was driving in the rain, I settled for a several hour old Gatorade instead. Responsibility, thy name is boring.
Once home, I couldn't wait to bolt them up to see how they look. I like them! They are quite large, comparatively however, when compared to the stock 13" wheel/tire combo.
It was about the time I was going to install the passenger side wheel that I realized I did not have left hand lugs for that side.
Crap. Stocks back on, lugs ordered. BUT for that one brief shining moment, it looked great! Like a bit of old dead skin had been peeled away to show the bright pink new life beneath. These tires are a bit large, and may not make the final cut, but I will get them all mounted and see exactly what I am working with, when the lugs come in.
So now we wait! That's my overdone update for now, Constant Reader. Here is hoping my house dries and the Valiant can move back indoors, so work can continue. Until next time, Confucius say "Man who neglect water heater maintenance is destined to sleep on couch."
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moparmat2000
Well-Known Member
I would still recommend looking into maybe a scarebird front disc brake conversion bracket kit. It will reuse your spindles, and front hubs off your front drums. The scarebird brackets bolt in place of the front drum backing plate. It uses easily found and inexpensive Chevy celebrity calipers, pads, and hardware, and uses off the shelf Toyota Previa van rotors that you redrill to the 5 bolt 4" circle.
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cool thread
AircoolerKirk
Well-Known Member
Gotta follow this one! Love the car and love your writing style!
Food then parts... yep!!
AircoolerKirk
Well-Known Member
Forgive me Father, for it has been six months since my last confession. I confess to thee that I have (hath?) been busy, and have neglected the required updating of my thread.
Thou art forgiven my son, now do 12 Hail Mopars, and post pics.
Deal.
So one bright shiny day, however many weeks ago it was, I was in the shop, and decided I would finish the gas tank install at a minimum. So here we go! We were already still up on jackstands so that parts done. Hey baby, howya? Good to see ya, miss me?
*insert wavy lines and sounds indicating a flashback sequence*
Now since I have last updated you, oh Constant Reader, I have off and on attempted to clean this stupid filler neck. I ran pipe cleaners through it, wire brushes, everything known to man. Nothing. So I got frustrated and googled it. I found one on that magical auction site in the sky for $100, but I wasn’t quite bourboned up enough to pull the trigger on that purchase. Or maybe I was not quite so frustrated as to quit on the one I have just yet. Dunno. Maybe both. I mean it’s a smooth hundy plus shipping and I feel like I should exhaust all efforts first. So I put it on the ole watch list. This is important for later.
So instead of trading a Ben Franklin for a piece of pipe, I decided to try some stuff I have had good luck with in the past, CLR. I filled up a bucket, and soaked this thing. Ran some through it, used some and the wire brush again.
And guess what?!?!
Not a damn thing, that’s what. Fuel filler said F U. I like being rusty, corroded and ugly. I refuse to change; to get clean. Take me as I am or cast me away it said, in its secret filler neck language. I chose the latter option and by way of a sweeping arm motion, I send him off to the nether recesses of the shop to reside for evermore. About a day later, I get an "offer" from that one auction place, and when I click the email, I see that I am being offered one sterling jewel of a Taiwanese filler neck fitting one derelict 66 Plymouth for 48% off. I mean that’s a pretty good coupon me thinks.
So faster than you can say Direct Connection, I sent a presidential hit squad consisting of one Ulysses S. Grant and two George Washingtons over to rescue Capt. Filler neck. (They were wildly successful at it BTW) And unlike my wheels, I didn’t even have to make a drink first. Shipping was scheduled to take ten days, so I hopped over to RockAuto, ordered me a sending unit (with some other bobs n bits) and then ordered some gas tank felt paper, and a filler neck rubber gasket. I plan to be ready when it comes!
Ten days to the day, this purty lil thang showed up on my porch, well packaged, dressed up and ready to go. Well worth the money.
Being made in Taiwan seems to be a bit of a downer, but let's reserve judgement until we assemble, hmmm?
Before the weekend came, everything else I needed showed up, and I made plans to head to the shop, which brings us back to the beginning of the story. Are you keeping up? You are? Good. Flashback over.
First thing I did was make sure the fuel line was clear. Mo gas, mo air, mo crap sprayed out. That line is clean, so let's move on.
So I kinda got clowned by my buddy when I bought the actual fuel tank pad instead of just using some cast off tar paper, but since this was like $18 and I didn’t have any cast off tar paper, and I didn’t wanna go bumming around for cast off tar paper, and I had $18, I didn’t worry about his opinion much. Also, Detroit Muscle was easy to deal with and shipped quickly. Here it is lying "in place" prior to glue. Fit pretty well, and is notched where you need it to be. I had to lay it out in the sun for a while so it would quit its rolled up ways. Other than that, no issues!
Quick note, the aftermarket ring that comes with your fancy Chinese fuel sender is made of grade A hot stinky garbage. It was too small, didn’t fit in the hole, barely fit around the fuel sender, and is 100% effective at ONE THING, and that’s pissing me off. So if you feel the need to be pissed off, and don’t have a ready target, buy (Edit: don’t buy this, ever) one and smash it with a hammer. Twice. So I, having the brains to keep the old one, walked over, put it on the wire wheel and, for no reason, painted it.
Now we in bidness!
Sender goes right back in like its supposed to when you use the correct part. Funny that. So using the powers of my knees, minimal big swears and only a pinched finger or two, Madam Valiant of the isle of Plymouth gets the gaping hole in the rear filled with one shiny fuel tank. And it fit perfect!
Thou art forgiven my son, now do 12 Hail Mopars, and post pics.
Deal.
So one bright shiny day, however many weeks ago it was, I was in the shop, and decided I would finish the gas tank install at a minimum. So here we go! We were already still up on jackstands so that parts done. Hey baby, howya? Good to see ya, miss me?
*insert wavy lines and sounds indicating a flashback sequence*
Now since I have last updated you, oh Constant Reader, I have off and on attempted to clean this stupid filler neck. I ran pipe cleaners through it, wire brushes, everything known to man. Nothing. So I got frustrated and googled it. I found one on that magical auction site in the sky for $100, but I wasn’t quite bourboned up enough to pull the trigger on that purchase. Or maybe I was not quite so frustrated as to quit on the one I have just yet. Dunno. Maybe both. I mean it’s a smooth hundy plus shipping and I feel like I should exhaust all efforts first. So I put it on the ole watch list. This is important for later.
So instead of trading a Ben Franklin for a piece of pipe, I decided to try some stuff I have had good luck with in the past, CLR. I filled up a bucket, and soaked this thing. Ran some through it, used some and the wire brush again.
And guess what?!?!
Not a damn thing, that’s what. Fuel filler said F U. I like being rusty, corroded and ugly. I refuse to change; to get clean. Take me as I am or cast me away it said, in its secret filler neck language. I chose the latter option and by way of a sweeping arm motion, I send him off to the nether recesses of the shop to reside for evermore. About a day later, I get an "offer" from that one auction place, and when I click the email, I see that I am being offered one sterling jewel of a Taiwanese filler neck fitting one derelict 66 Plymouth for 48% off. I mean that’s a pretty good coupon me thinks.
So faster than you can say Direct Connection, I sent a presidential hit squad consisting of one Ulysses S. Grant and two George Washingtons over to rescue Capt. Filler neck. (They were wildly successful at it BTW) And unlike my wheels, I didn’t even have to make a drink first. Shipping was scheduled to take ten days, so I hopped over to RockAuto, ordered me a sending unit (with some other bobs n bits) and then ordered some gas tank felt paper, and a filler neck rubber gasket. I plan to be ready when it comes!
Ten days to the day, this purty lil thang showed up on my porch, well packaged, dressed up and ready to go. Well worth the money.
Being made in Taiwan seems to be a bit of a downer, but let's reserve judgement until we assemble, hmmm?
Before the weekend came, everything else I needed showed up, and I made plans to head to the shop, which brings us back to the beginning of the story. Are you keeping up? You are? Good. Flashback over.
First thing I did was make sure the fuel line was clear. Mo gas, mo air, mo crap sprayed out. That line is clean, so let's move on.
So I kinda got clowned by my buddy when I bought the actual fuel tank pad instead of just using some cast off tar paper, but since this was like $18 and I didn’t have any cast off tar paper, and I didn’t wanna go bumming around for cast off tar paper, and I had $18, I didn’t worry about his opinion much. Also, Detroit Muscle was easy to deal with and shipped quickly. Here it is lying "in place" prior to glue. Fit pretty well, and is notched where you need it to be. I had to lay it out in the sun for a while so it would quit its rolled up ways. Other than that, no issues!
Quick note, the aftermarket ring that comes with your fancy Chinese fuel sender is made of grade A hot stinky garbage. It was too small, didn’t fit in the hole, barely fit around the fuel sender, and is 100% effective at ONE THING, and that’s pissing me off. So if you feel the need to be pissed off, and don’t have a ready target, buy (Edit: don’t buy this, ever) one and smash it with a hammer. Twice. So I, having the brains to keep the old one, walked over, put it on the wire wheel and, for no reason, painted it.
Now we in bidness!
Sender goes right back in like its supposed to when you use the correct part. Funny that. So using the powers of my knees, minimal big swears and only a pinched finger or two, Madam Valiant of the isle of Plymouth gets the gaping hole in the rear filled with one shiny fuel tank. And it fit perfect!
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AircoolerKirk
Well-Known Member
Up top, our aforementioned Taiwanese filler neck, coupled with all the appropriate (and new) gaskets slides on in like new money. And its shiny! Shiny is always good, right? Dunno.
About that time, a "hoodlum" buddy of mine showed up in his more door Chevrolet. I don’t think he was impressed by my lil Plymouth, but he appreciates my efforts in automotive tomfoolery.
After he "chebbied" his way out, I decided to move on to the next project, pulling the interior. I have known the floors will need repair, as a couple decades in the Oklahoma mud are not conducive to solidity. So with my fuel tank situation in and plumbed, I started removing stuff inside, slowly and well documentedly (I don’t think that’s a word).
So, seats out. Everything unbolted and came apart nice. Rubber floors aren’t bad, I dunno if Ill go back with those eventually or if I will buy carpet. Time will tell. For now I just wanna see what rust I have and what its gonna take to get right. Fearing the worst, I continue to dig in.
Now the rears aren’t so bad. They have minor holes that I can patch, once I clean and POR-15 the whole thing. Not worried about those in the least.
The fronts on the other hand, BOY HOWDY. Remember me crowing around how the car had barely any rust, and "Look at Me, I Is Rust Free"? Yeah. About that, all the rust that wasn’t in the rockers or other places decided to run and hide under my mats. Knock knock, who's there? Rust. Rust who? RUST ALL UP IN YO FLO.
Great.
If we were using a highly complex, highly scientific scale, my front floors would go to Nigel Tufnel's 11.
(Ill wait for a couple of you to google that. You back? Good. Lets continue.)
At least this venture did help me track down some of the Valiant's lineage, as this has to be Fred Flinstone's car, as this one, and the one he so famously is seen leaving work in, have similar floors.
*insert large sigh*
At least the invasive, cancerous, floor eating rust avoided the accelerator pedal mount, so theres that.
So there are several things in life I'm good at. Making people laugh. Eating French fries. Finding and adopting derelict cars, and forgiving (yeah, mostly) mine enemies to name a few. Two of the NUMEROUS things I suck at include repairing and floor pans. I haven’t the foggiest Idea how to weld in floors. BUT because this car is a survivor and won't ever be a show winner, I feel like this is a good one to learn/practice on with only ALLLLLLL of you to see. So, at some point, you will be able to watch me trim all those floors out, cut up some new metal, and botch the sh*t out of welding it back. So be it. So now that I reached a stopping point, I vacuumed out all the debris, and made a mental note to order floors from ABS when I got to work the next day.
(Little did Kirk realize, he had inadvertently given himself a sinus infection working in a car with crap floating around without his respirator on. After this day, he would be incredibly sick and miss two days of work, and still have the cough and sneezies for three weeks)
Flooring out, seats stored, last thing I wanted to do that day was pull my radiator so I can have it rebuilt. I found a localish guy who rebuilds radiators for classic cars, and for about the same money as buying a new shiny one, I can have the original repainted and recored. It seems true radiator shops around me are a dying art, so Im hopeful. Removing it was no issue, other than the long petrified coolant hoses that required damn near a hacksaw to remove. Also, the thermostat housing is horribly chewed up, but a quick glance at RockAuto shows they have them fairly inexpensively with the thermostat and seal. Im certain that’s how Ill go.
About that time, a "hoodlum" buddy of mine showed up in his more door Chevrolet. I don’t think he was impressed by my lil Plymouth, but he appreciates my efforts in automotive tomfoolery.
After he "chebbied" his way out, I decided to move on to the next project, pulling the interior. I have known the floors will need repair, as a couple decades in the Oklahoma mud are not conducive to solidity. So with my fuel tank situation in and plumbed, I started removing stuff inside, slowly and well documentedly (I don’t think that’s a word).
So, seats out. Everything unbolted and came apart nice. Rubber floors aren’t bad, I dunno if Ill go back with those eventually or if I will buy carpet. Time will tell. For now I just wanna see what rust I have and what its gonna take to get right. Fearing the worst, I continue to dig in.
Now the rears aren’t so bad. They have minor holes that I can patch, once I clean and POR-15 the whole thing. Not worried about those in the least.
The fronts on the other hand, BOY HOWDY. Remember me crowing around how the car had barely any rust, and "Look at Me, I Is Rust Free"? Yeah. About that, all the rust that wasn’t in the rockers or other places decided to run and hide under my mats. Knock knock, who's there? Rust. Rust who? RUST ALL UP IN YO FLO.
Great.
If we were using a highly complex, highly scientific scale, my front floors would go to Nigel Tufnel's 11.
(Ill wait for a couple of you to google that. You back? Good. Lets continue.)
At least this venture did help me track down some of the Valiant's lineage, as this has to be Fred Flinstone's car, as this one, and the one he so famously is seen leaving work in, have similar floors.
*insert large sigh*
At least the invasive, cancerous, floor eating rust avoided the accelerator pedal mount, so theres that.
So there are several things in life I'm good at. Making people laugh. Eating French fries. Finding and adopting derelict cars, and forgiving (yeah, mostly) mine enemies to name a few. Two of the NUMEROUS things I suck at include repairing and floor pans. I haven’t the foggiest Idea how to weld in floors. BUT because this car is a survivor and won't ever be a show winner, I feel like this is a good one to learn/practice on with only ALLLLLLL of you to see. So, at some point, you will be able to watch me trim all those floors out, cut up some new metal, and botch the sh*t out of welding it back. So be it. So now that I reached a stopping point, I vacuumed out all the debris, and made a mental note to order floors from ABS when I got to work the next day.
(Little did Kirk realize, he had inadvertently given himself a sinus infection working in a car with crap floating around without his respirator on. After this day, he would be incredibly sick and miss two days of work, and still have the cough and sneezies for three weeks)
Flooring out, seats stored, last thing I wanted to do that day was pull my radiator so I can have it rebuilt. I found a localish guy who rebuilds radiators for classic cars, and for about the same money as buying a new shiny one, I can have the original repainted and recored. It seems true radiator shops around me are a dying art, so Im hopeful. Removing it was no issue, other than the long petrified coolant hoses that required damn near a hacksaw to remove. Also, the thermostat housing is horribly chewed up, but a quick glance at RockAuto shows they have them fairly inexpensively with the thermostat and seal. Im certain that’s how Ill go.
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AircoolerKirk
Well-Known Member
Overall, the radiator is in about what shape you would expect a fifty-four year old radiator to be in, if said radiator was stored under the sea. Its just old and in need of some love. I like the idea of keeping the original one vs putting in a new shiny one. Hope that doesn’t bite me in the *** later, but for now, here we go, a couple before photos.
Now as I wrapped up, and began to sniffle (although I didn’t know what was coming) I looked back at the Plymouth and thought that in true lieutenant Dan form, she aint got no LAHAIGS. So lets fit some for giggles.
Man those look cool. Im going to have to switch the larger tires out, but I do like the look. Well that’s all for now, Constant Reader. I apologize for leaving you for so long. I hope you forgive me; I never meant to do you any harm. I hope that I can post updates more often, depending on how long it takes for my floors to come in and my radiator to return. In the meantime Ill finish my brakes and tinker on the small stuff.
Bring on the warmer weather!
Now as I wrapped up, and began to sniffle (although I didn’t know what was coming) I looked back at the Plymouth and thought that in true lieutenant Dan form, she aint got no LAHAIGS. So lets fit some for giggles.
Man those look cool. Im going to have to switch the larger tires out, but I do like the look. Well that’s all for now, Constant Reader. I apologize for leaving you for so long. I hope you forgive me; I never meant to do you any harm. I hope that I can post updates more often, depending on how long it takes for my floors to come in and my radiator to return. In the meantime Ill finish my brakes and tinker on the small stuff.
Bring on the warmer weather!
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moparmat2000
Well-Known Member
I do like your writing style. Your build thread is entertaining. PM me if you need any help figuring out how to do those floor pans. It's not super hard. I have lots of tips to help you.
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