1964 Valiant "Get Runnin & Drivin"

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Get us another pic it is raining and cloudy up here so I am missing it.
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Got another Vixen project done today. A nice member gave me a killer deal on a class 2 receiver hitch for an early A body a while back. I've been wanting to get it installed and between last night and today I got it done. This thing was made for an EXACT fit on the early A. All I had to do was relocate my tailpipe hanger and drill two holes. It utilized two existing holes in the frame rails. No way this piece is home made. I figure old school Montgomery Ward, Sears, Western Auto, JC Whitney....it's definitely a factory built piece. Not that I'll ever try to tow anything with any weight, but now I can at least hook up my utility trailer or something small if I need to. @memike, I think you were interested to see how this turned out. Here it is.
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That's a nice piece of hardware! It's handy even if only putting on a bike rack to go for a ride, or move a trailer around. Vixen the Mighty Hauler!
 
So I went out in the shop the other day and noticed a puddle under the rear of the car. Come to find out, it's gear oil. I knew the pinion seal was seeping, but it just decided to give it slam up. So I got it up in the air, got the old seal out, inspected the small pinion bearing......perfect. So I knocked the new seal in and refilled the rear end. I also took advantage of havin the drive shaft out to replace the trunnion boot, as the old one (new old one) was split. I actually found a new one in a pile of stuff I had on a box, so yay me. I got it all done and backed it out to clean the floor and Kitty says "we shouldda done a how to on all that". So once again, I fixed something right quick like and didn't think about it. My bad. lol
 
Got another Vixen project done today. A nice member gave me a killer deal on a class 2 receiver hitch for an early A body a while back. I've been wanting to get it installed and between last night and today I got it done. This thing was made for an EXACT fit on the early A. All I had to do was relocate my tailpipe hanger and drill two holes. It utilized two existing holes in the frame rails. No way this piece is home made. I figure old school Montgomery Ward, Sears, Western Auto, JC Whitney....it's definitely a factory built piece. Not that I'll ever try to tow anything with any weight, but now I can at least hook up my utility trailer or something small if I need to. @memike, I think you were interested to see how this turned out. Here it is.
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Love this RustyRatRod !!
 
Love this RustyRatRod !!
I just need to slow down when I'm motivated and think about. It's hard to do. I cannot STAND something that puts one of our modes of transportation down and the only thing I'm thinkin about is gettin it back runnin and drivin. lol
 
I just need to slow down when I'm motivated and think about. It's hard to do. I cannot STAND something that puts one of our modes of transportation down and the only thing I'm thinkin about is gettin it back runnin and drivin. lol
I am out in the shop now getting things ready to fire Victoria up

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We took Vixen into town to get a few groceries tonight and she did great. No more leakin pinion seal.
 
We took Vixen into town to get a few groceries tonight and she did great. No more leakin pinion seal.

Thats great !! Nothing will make you sleep better then knowing things got done and fixed for the next day.
Outstanding :thumbsup:
 
When you change a pinion seal, do you mark the nut and also the end of the pinion in the same spot with a punch before removing the nut? Then tighten the nut back to that spot? I've had more than one old mechanic tell me to do it that way back when I was learning to work on stuff. Done a half a dozen that way and never had a problem.
 
When you change a pinion seal, do you mark the nut and also the end of the pinion in the same spot with a punch before removing the nut? Then tighten the nut back to that spot? I've had more than one old mechanic tell me to do it that way back when I was learning to work on stuff. Done a half a dozen that way and never had a problem.
Yes, but I use a chisel and put a mark on the pinion shaft and nut in line. When I retighten, I tighten in slow increments with an impact until the mark is lined back up, plus "a little more". I've probably done hundreds like that and never had one single issue.
 
Never been 100% satisfied with my fan. Crappy four blade caint move diddly doo doo at idle. Never tries to run hot, mind you, but it's always bothered me. Plus I wanted to utilize one of these smaller water pump pulleys to speed up the water pump since I'm using a high flow thermostat. But this whole time my limiting factor was this aftermarket radiator. It left ZERO room for ANY fan upgrades. Woofie (@Old man ray) came to see me awhile back and gave me a wonderful little original early A three row radiator. So today I finally got around to putting it all together. Five blade non symmetrical solid fan the smaller water pump pulley and the factory radiator. This thing MOVES some air now and I'm sure more water, too. Will update when we test drive.
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@Old man ray is a good one to help out, congratulations, these very hot days that engine and compartment will be much happier :thumbsup: I bet, congratulations RRR :)
 
@Old man ray is a good one to help out, congratulations, these very hot days that engine and compartment will be much happier :thumbsup: I bet, congratulations RRR :)
Mike, I don't know for sure if it's an upgrade yet as I haven't test driven it. But the radiator is in excellent shape, the water pump pulley is the smaller later one and the fan is moving a TON more air. I think it's gonna be a win win. I'll update soon.
 
^^^ You have perfect weather to test this new puppy!!!!!! Just a little hot and just a little humid!! Miidle Ga forecast just above the Fall Line!! But you have NO gnats!!?? :poke:


Drive down the road these days with NO AC and the wind blowing in your hair feels just like a blast furnace!???? But! That would feel cool IF you had been out in the sun and heat all day!!!! Been there.:realcrazy:
 
^^^ You have perfect weather to test this new puppy!!!!!! Just a little hot and just a little humid!! Miidle Ga forecast just above the Fall Line!! But you have NO gnats!!?? :poke:


Drive down the road these days with NO AC and the wind blowing in your hair feels just like a blast furnace!???? But! That would feel cool IF you had been out in the sun and heat all day!!!! Been there.:realcrazy:
....and I did just a little while ago. Even in this heat, the mods made it run cooler. LOL Normally, it rarely went to that first mark, which is about 1/4 the way up. Now it splits the difference at about 1/8 the way. That was with plain water. My experience is they cool a little better yet with coolant. I didn't want to add coolant right away, in case the radiator had a leak. It does not and holds pressure well.
 
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