1964 Valiant "Get Runnin & Drivin"

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unless its some concourse restoration I would add frame connectors. as others said its just a good idea. tightens the old cars up nicely. I have them in my 66 with a slant.
 
I ordered a REM package tray that did NOT work out at all. Ill fittin and when we made the fold on the factory score line, even though we warmed it gently with a heat gun, the paint still cracked all the way the length of the fold. So, what to do? I remembered that when I got the little Falcon, the guy's wife had wanted red carpet...and it had new red carpet......in a green car. 02 Red to be exact, the same color and type I got for Vixen. So, Kitty and I cut it the shape of the package tray and here you go. I kinda like it.

REAR DECK.jpg
 
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Kern Dog said:
Nice fit.
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Thanks. It still has a tiny amount of transmission hump mold in it, but I am pretty certain once it lays out in the hot sun awhile, it will flatten out. Kitty ironed it really good and I came behind with the heat gun. We got most of it right out.

And I think the reason the replacement package tray didn't work is because it was the wrong one. Upon investigation, I don't see one listed for a 2 door sedan, only the hardtop. My original has like a cloth sewn on flap that acts like a hinge where it folds over behind the back of the back seat. The replacement was all one solid piece with a very slight score on the painted side where the fold needs to be. Regardless, it sure doesn't fold well because it breaks the paint off right at the fold. Were it made like the original, that wouldn't happen. Plus, on top of "all that" it just didn't fit well at all. It was like it was too wide and wanted to bunch up in the middle.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I ordered a REM package tray that did NOT work out at all. Ill fittin and when we made the fold on the factory score line, even though we warmed it gently with a heat gun, the paint still cracked all the way the length of the fold. So, what to do? I remembered that when I got the little Falcon, the guy's wife had wanted red carpet...and it had new red carpet......in a green car. )2 Red to be exact, the same color and type I got for Vixen. So, Kitty and I cut it the shape of the package tray and here you go. I kinda like it.

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Nice ! are you reliving the old high school days. lol
If you are, so am I. It's called a midlife crisis. lol 400 in a 64 Valiant. I like it !
 
fishmens67 said:
Nice ! are you reliving the old high school days. lol
If you are, so am I. It's called a midlife crisis. lol 400 in a 64 Valiant. I like it !
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I don't know. Maybe. I have a set of four Ansen slots for it. 14x7 and 14x6. So yeah, I guess it's kinda headed for that 70s hot rod look. lol
 
Carpet works good on a package tray. Back in the day, I used to buy black auto carpet at the flea market, and cover my sun baked package tray with it. About a year later....I would buy some black upholstery die to make it black again instead of the faded purplie lookin color it had become!
 
Well, this went better than I thought. I have to admit, I LOATHED the idea of cutting the dash at first, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I actually did a good job making the cuts....thanks to Kitty. She made a template out of clear plastic sheet and we taped it centered in the radio location and I hacked it out with the wiz wheel. lol I could just see this sleeve being a chinsey as hell fit, but I gotta say, I'm impressed with how tight it fits once you bend all of the tabs in. If you're even thinking about going to a single DIN, I highly recommend it. It will bring your sound into the 21st century. ....and what difference does it make on a driver? If you're gonna drive it, don't you want something nice to listen to? I know I do. The only other thing I need to do is move the fuse panel over to the driver's side about 1/4" to get it out of the way so the radio can slide into the sleeve, but I've done enough for tonight. I'm sweaty as hell. I'll do that tomorrow and I might wire it up and install it. We'll see how I feel. Here's how the sleeve turned out.

DIN INSTALL.jpg
 
Looks great! You will enjoy the modern radio. I did the exact same thing to a 64 Belvedere wagon several years ago.....except I was po and didn't own a zizz wheel for the die grinder at the time. I bored a hole in the corners big enough to get a hack saw blade in, and sawed it out just a tad too small. Then I fine tuned it with a flat bastard file till the sleeve fit. :realcrazy:
 
I'm already enjoying it. It's really nice. Has tons of bass response even considering there's no external amplifier. I am really happy with it so far.

RADIO.jpg

RADIO1.jpg
 
JDMopar said:
Carpet works good on a package tray. Back in the day, I used to buy black auto carpet at the flea market, and cover my sun baked package tray with it. About a year later....I would buy some black upholstery die to make it black again instead of the faded purplie lookin color it had become!
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I did several of my cars with vinyl from a fabric shop. :thumbsup:
 
I blasted an extra cluster face I had and painted it. The paint was VHT chrome paint. Well......it's not chrome. At all, but it's MUCH better than the old one in the background. I think it came out really nice considering. It's fine for me.

CLUSTER.jpg
 
Here is the cluster installed. It didn't turn out too terrible.

CLUSTER FINISHED.jpg
 
Princess Valiant said:
That looks amazing..... that's how I'm going to do my 63 cluster too ..... copy cat Alert lol
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It's kinda grey instead of the more chrome look I was lookin for, but I think it's a 100% improvement over what was there. My stupid *** forgot to put the little red and green lenses back in the oil light and turn and high beam indicators, so it's coming back out and apart tomorrow to do that. lol Thanks for the kind words.
 
RustyRatRod said:
It's kinda grey instead of the more chrome look I was lookin for, but I think it's a 100% improvement over what was there. My stupid *** forgot to put the little red and green lenses back in the oil light and turn and high beam indicators, so it's coming back out and apart tomorrow to do that. lol Thanks for the kind words.
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Plastic chrome is ideal but unless your willing to pay out huge money to have it done or invest thousands in equipment to re chrome plastic.... gray is just fine.

I actually like the grey better because it gives the car a model car look which is so cool.
 
Princess Valiant said:
Plastic chrome is ideal but unless your willing to pay out huge money to have it done or invest thousands in equipment to re chrome plastic.... gray is just fine.

I actually like the grey better because it gives the car a model car look which is so cool.
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This is what I used if you want to duplicate it.

VHT Epoxy Paints SP5251

I've read they changed the formula and it's not the chrome that it once was......only after I used it. Oh well, it's done now so that's how it is. lol
 
I gotta get busy with my dash I started with all the trim and everything got painted flat black painted all the edges silver and bought the wood grain decals luckily before I put them on I noticed all the tabs on the back was broken off on the center trim the one that goes around the heater controls and the radio so I had to dig out another one and start over. The one I started over on was a shame to mess with it had that really pretty laminate style wood grain but it dont match the cluster or the glovebox door so I stripped it down to the plastic and will use the decals.
 
dartfreak75 said:
Looks great good job buddy
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Thanks. I have mixed feelings about it. The application and execution is near perfect. The chrome like quality is not what I wanted, BUT it's stayin like that. lol I know you cannot achieve chrome with spray paint, but I've come closer than this with different products. Still though, it looks much better than it did.
 
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