Glamour Shots.. '62 Valiant Wagon
12/28/23:
I went to accomplish some work on the valiant wagon yesterday, and I was able to get a lot of small jobs done.
I got the painted receiver hitch fully installed:
I wanted to begin building some of the exhaust as i removed the exhaust system from the Muffler shop and previous owners.
I am going to make my exhaust out of all 304 stainless with fully back purged welds. i started to lay out the parts and fired up the TIG machine, but realized that there was no 180° bends in 2 1/2" Ø tubing in my stash of exhaust building materials, so off to the parts catalog to order the required materials.
I revised the OE Tailpipe hanger - yes it was the original one from the factory in 1962, It was still covered with the original rustproofing / sound deadening material from the factory. - the rubber hanger / tire material was starting to give way so I figured I would save and restore it. - New Rubber and A bolt replace the factory rivet. I blasted and then painted what seemed like bare metal from the factory.
Factory rubber was needing replaced:
Rejuvenated factory tailpipe hanger:
Tailpipe hanger reinstalled:
I began working on the block..
I had a feeling that I would need the original Cam plug for the back of the block, so I saved it. I had this happen to me before when I was working on a '64 Truck block a while ago - some of the early blocks are machined for a larger rear cam plug - meaning the 2 9/64" Ø - Dorman 555-065 Plugs do not fit. - Too Small. My guess is the early cast iron blocks (this is a '62 Block) and the AL blocks use this larger plug?
I also gave the block a good bath and Began installing the camshaft bearings.
12/28/23:
I went to accomplish some work on the valiant wagon yesterday, and I was able to get a lot of small jobs done.
I got the painted receiver hitch fully installed:
I wanted to begin building some of the exhaust as i removed the exhaust system from the Muffler shop and previous owners.
I am going to make my exhaust out of all 304 stainless with fully back purged welds. i started to lay out the parts and fired up the TIG machine, but realized that there was no 180° bends in 2 1/2" Ø tubing in my stash of exhaust building materials, so off to the parts catalog to order the required materials.
I revised the OE Tailpipe hanger - yes it was the original one from the factory in 1962, It was still covered with the original rustproofing / sound deadening material from the factory. - the rubber hanger / tire material was starting to give way so I figured I would save and restore it. - New Rubber and A bolt replace the factory rivet. I blasted and then painted what seemed like bare metal from the factory.
Factory rubber was needing replaced:
Rejuvenated factory tailpipe hanger:
Tailpipe hanger reinstalled:
I began working on the block..
I had a feeling that I would need the original Cam plug for the back of the block, so I saved it. I had this happen to me before when I was working on a '64 Truck block a while ago - some of the early blocks are machined for a larger rear cam plug - meaning the 2 9/64" Ø - Dorman 555-065 Plugs do not fit. - Too Small. My guess is the early cast iron blocks (this is a '62 Block) and the AL blocks use this larger plug?
I also gave the block a good bath and Began installing the camshaft bearings.
