Keeping it alive

-

yawakze

Active Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2013
Messages
34
Reaction score
5
Location
Aylmer, Quebec, Canada
I have a great car.
I lucked into Barney this summer it's a B-body so I won't bore you with it.

Then I got laid off.

What is a guy to do you can't look for a job in winter without a car.
I started looking and low and behold I found a nice old valiant for sale.
Rhonda was sitting on the front lawn of a true Mopar enthusiast, he had a 73 satellite, a 68 charger, an old hemi Desoto, a cuda, and some assorted trucks.
I borrowed a tow truck and paid Jeff 1200 bucks.
She ran.......Barely
She stopped.......... almost
She has a slant 6 225 and a little badly done body work but she was all there.
Where to start, well...
The brakes were done so I replaced everything from the pedal out, upgrading to a duel master cylinder while I was at it
Replaced Alternator, carberator, distributer, points with eliminator kit, battery and all wires in the engine bay except lights, new rear spring shackles, new u-joints. new fluid in diff, new exhaust manifold and spent 2 weeks everyday with wiring.

Covered lower car with truck bed liner-never rust again.

Then paint, Tremclad med blue, citrus orange and pinstripe with red duck tape.

The seats were eaten mostly so I bought some nice fleece blankets from Giant tiger and sewed them on.

New stereo and some small mechanical work on the front end.


100_7591.jpg


100_75921.jpg



100_7597.jpg



100_7594.jpg



100_7596.jpg


frontpassedited.jpg






frontdriveredited.jpg





rearedited.jpg


100_7593.jpg
 
Update
Rhonda was running rough at start up in the cold so I made sure timing and everything was ok set carb with vacuum gauge again and just for kicks changed the air filter. It didn't do squat. She purred like a kitten when warm but cold was like sitting behind a jack hammer.
I figured it must be choke because everything else is new except the thermo choke rod, I figured those things never wear out, I was wrong.
I just happen to have a manual choke kit in the garage so 45 minutes later it was in and problem fixed.

oops first pic is my summer car.

103.jpg


IMG_20131119_134102.jpg


IMG_20131119_134056.jpg

IMG_20131119_125107.jpg
 
OK so that wasn't the problem. As a matter of fact it runs worse. This morning took forever to start so back to the drawing board and reinstall spring until I order a new one.

How about some good advise please, I was frustrated so I was messing with the carb and decided to listen real close to the valve cover. I heard a tick. Not just 1 but evenly like every few seconds at idle. I think I will have to pull the cover and gap the tappets-valves I will look on the site for info if anyone can help I'd appreciate.

Thanks
 
I was barley above 0c so I figured I would adjust the valves.
Having the car running concerned me but what the heck why not.

So I was there with the feeler gauges and my little spanner and it was going OK, then as I have been tweeking and fiddling all of a sudden.......

The engine started to sing!

Really, it was throwing out a beat.

I was kind of weird.

What a difference all of a sudden the shaking stopped and Ronda got real quiet.......Purring like a kitten.
I got out the vacuum gauge and rock steady on 20 then came the timing light and a solid 5 degrees advance.
Me happy.
 
OK still having starter issues I have tried 4 different starters and nothing fits. I am going to have to rebuild it myself and I have a new very similar starter to use for parts.
 
OK still having starter issues I have tried 4 different starters and nothing fits. I am going to have to rebuild it myself and I have a new very similar starter to use for parts.
It should be the same starter as just about every other mopar, 3250.
 
This car really has a heart and soul, glad everything is working out and you're keeping her.
 
Here's a new update.
I had to buy 2 different starters to build 1 that works.
Rhonda doesn't like the cold last week it hit -30 and Rhonda did not like starting.
She eventually did but was not happy.
I was driving home from my new job and Rhonda sprung a leak on the rad, it took a few days to find the leak ( it was on the seam ) and put a little solder on it to stop the leak.
I had to drive my 67 Belvedere 2 for a few days and he was not happy.
I hope that is all for now.

I am not upset that is what happens when your daily driver is 47 years old.

Until the next update.............
 
Why yes I have a block heater.

I had to replace the rad it had a pinhole in the seam at the top and was spitting on to the block and steaming like a boiler.
I got a nice used rad from jopar.ca

Joe lives here in Gatineau and has a barn full of mopar parts if anyone is interested he also has a couple of awesome mopars.
 
New stuff happening.

Remember if you replace your rad to replace the tranny hoses as well or else you will be doing it in Canadian tire parking lot at 25 below............. after a hard day at work too boot.
 
Rhonda is now at the back of the garage, it's been a hard winter and she is tired.
We talked of selling her but there was no interest.
We are now thinking of just fixing her up over the summer and getting her ready for next winter as we have no cash to invest.

I was thinking of gloss black and a new interior.

I will post anything that happens.
 
I must have done 20 donuts that last storm and then on the way home that 47 year old beauty decided she did not like her new alternator so she stopped, in traffic, blocking the left turning lane, YAY. So called AAA or Caa in Canada and towed her home. I brought the alternator to the NAPA dude and got a new one no hassel at all and in less than a jiffy she was fixed...... BUT...........

I drove that real nice 67 b body and I liked it, a lot .

So Rhonda is sitting in the back of the garage again all ready to go and looking upset that she has to sit there.
 
My neighbour with that really awesome ram with the hemi came by because his pretty little truck would not start and he had no way to get to work. I lent him Rhonda and he is starting to wonder more and more about classics. He also stopped with the new Chrysler jokes.
 
Here's a quick update Rhonda is up on blocks getting new ujoints and some much needed rust protection as she will be running again this winter.
 
-
Back
Top