Mabel's home!

[B-i-n-g-o]

I posted a couple months ago looking at getting an old Valiant convertible. All now situated, and got her home! Rough around the edges (new fluids and tuneup, cleaned out gas tank), tail light wiring, discovered the rear bumper is bent (thanks, FABO!). Will do disk brakes and dual MC first...current one, I just don't trust!

Thanks in advance, I will be bugging you a LOT! I confess, I've got an old fat fender Chevy sedan languishing because it needed so much, and my wife and I saw this, and just immediately loved it! Any good resources (books, manuals, appropriate websites) for that make/model, slant six, and care and feeding of a convertible?

 

[CFD244]

Now that's a cool car!

 

[Plymouth 65]

Nice little project you have there, love those early A bodies! 65'

 

[barbee6043]

Cool ride!!

 

[JDCLE]

Great ride! I'm looking forward to seeing more!

 

[Keith Mopar]

I love all the early A bodies and especially the convertibles. Lots of great info on this site!

 

[B-i-n-g-o]

New gas tank/sender. Waiting on strap, fuel pump, and ordered tank to neck grommet today (didn't know it wasn't included).

Question- anybody know if the tank is supposed to have this bend in the lip? Old tank has a similar, but not exact, match. I started hammer-dollying it, assuming damage in shipping, then thought it best to ask.

Also, picture of the old bumper, showing the fairly nice chrome, but subtle bend.

Thanks!

 

[Brooks James]

Plenty of /6 info out there
Dodge Dart club on Facebook
Doug Dutra
Slantsix.org

 

[B-i-n-g-o]

Thanks, appreciate it!

 

[JDCLE]

The tank I installed had very minor differences but the major important pieces matched (strap slots, fuel feed tube) so my advice is just slap the new one in. There isn’t anything in that ball park that needs clearance, I used some rubber gasket material for the top anti-squeak. Good luck, let me know if you need me to crawl under mine for any pictures.

 

[B-i-n-g-o]

Thanks, I'll hit you up if I need anything!

 

[JDCLE]

One tip... It's documented, but when you mount the gas tank, just get the strap connected, then put in the fuel feeder tube. If you wait until the tank is strapped down, it's a bear, some say doable, but I couldn't do it. I had to drop the tank slightly after I had it tightened down. Not a problem, since I love to do things twice, sometimes three times!

 

[B-i-n-g-o]

Finally got the last part in for fuel tank! Filler neck grommet...the hole in the tank is 2. The grommet is 2" inside, and where it mounts (outer lip, inside the groove, is 2 3/8"...impossible for me to get in...am I missing something?

 

[B-i-n-g-o]

Got it! Had to cut small relief kerfs on the inside along one quarter, put it in with that quarter rolled out, then dowel rod and motor oil to force that quarter to flip into place. Voo-lay!

 

[JDCLE]

Well done! I used lube, like medical lube (this is what you have on hand when your wife is in medicine). Slid right in!

Don't forget, as you get the tank in place, just get it hooked on the strap, or even use a bungy cord, etc. THEN push in the filler neck from inside the trunk (use said lube or other slippery stuff).

 

[RedFish]

Nice car. These bumpers can be straightened. I used some wooden blocks, channel iron shaped sort of like [ and 12 inch C clamps. I worked for plant maintenance in a textile mill at that time. I don't know where you can access those kind of tools.

 

[B-i-n-g-o]

Good to hear, thanks! I do some woodworking, I might try my hand at shaping something with some larger scraps I have, see what comes of it...

 

[B-i-n-g-o]

Oh, baby! I bought my first DSM as a teenager, to work on my hand-me-down Coupe de Ville from my dad. 40 years later, the BOMK (Book Of Mabel Knowledge) came in today!

 

[B-i-n-g-o]

Slow going, but it's getting there...as I pulled the old fuel line out, realized the undercoating (another thread...) needed to come off, to at least a degree, so I'd have an idea on rust and to get to various bolts and clips. Heat gun and scraping got enough off. Left some, as I decided "that's rusted enough to replace, so I'll get it after she's running". Tank and fuel line in (still need to clip fuel line and replace chewed up, mismatched screws on fuel filler). New back brake parts, lugs and nuts are here, front suspension rebuild and disc brake, new dual MC ordered. Stoked!

 

[B-i-n-g-o]

Yoga, as it turns out, is very calming...

$10 mat from Walmart, cut to fit, gas tank in...I am at peace with the universe.

 

[B-i-n-g-o]

Fuel line about 5" too long, pulled the tank back out, pulled the line, cut it, back in, tank back in, soft line from tank to fuel line ran. Need to cap the extra line on the sending unit, then soft line from hard line to fuel pump in front. And all the clamps and clips holding it to the body...

 

[B-i-n-g-o]

Fuel tank, pump, and lines done, so could start Mabel. Smooth idle...whooo!!!

Arg, how do I post video?!!!

 

[B-i-n-g-o]

Found instructions!

Video of my first starting Mabel! Exhaust unhooked, so sounds a little like a log truck...but smooth idle!

 

[JDCLE]

Sounds and looks great! I'm also running a basically stock engine (1bbl also). I'm amazing how smoothly they run! Well done!

 

[B-i-n-g-o]

DrDiff parts are in for front disc, dual MC and new brake lines! And finished one of the rear drums today! Passenger rear here, compare to #19 above as driver rear 'before'.
Found the adjust cable on driver's rear is broken, picking up a new one tomorrow. With that, hope to finish passenger rear drum, run lines front to rear, then move the jackstands to the front to blow apart the front end! Whoo!