mrstix 68 Valiant

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mr.stix said:
I thought about swapping a 70 Duster grill on it some day. How much work did it take to get the shark tooth in there?
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if you do put a 69 or newer grille in it change the hood too. Notice how the gap at the grille spaces out with the 68 grille and the hood makes contact with the grille. eventually this will break the expensive grille. If you are serious about the swap i have a spare 70 hood, filler panel and grille ( but the grille is pretty rough)

My opinion. keep the 68 front. The best front end of any mopar A body.
 
hemitheus said:
if you do put a 69 or newer grille in it change the hood too. Notice how the gap at the grille spaces out with the 68 grille and the hood makes contact with the grille. eventually this will break the expensive grille. If you are serious about the swap i have a spare 70 hood, filler panel and grille ( but the grille is pretty rough)

My opinion. keep the 68 front. The best front end of any mopar A body.
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Yeah I ended up keeping the 68 grills. I painted the black areas on the grills and headlight surrounds and they look great. Think I put pictures up on page 2 of the thread. Thanks for looking:)
 
Attempted to make some custom brake lines tonight cause mine are looking a bit shabby. Made this one between my MC and my LL and it was a little short. Not to bad for my first attempt at brake line making. Suppose I will make that line over again and make it longer so it doesn't pull my LL off the fender.
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Bending brake lines is so much fun-not! Looks pretty good for a first attempt to me. I'm personally not looking forward to bending any lines when I convert mine to all discs, but I know it's coming. I'll probably just buy one of those Inline Tube kits and modify it as necessary.

Your cam and lifters ought to be there tomorrow :)
 
txstang84 said:
Bending brake lines is so much fun-not! Looks pretty good for a first attempt to me. I'm personally not looking forward to bending any lines when I convert mine to all discs, but I know it's coming. I'll probably just buy one of those Inline Tube kits and modify it as necessary.

Your cam and lifters ought to be there tomorrow :)
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Yeah it kinda wasn't as much fun to do as I had thought. It bent in the middle a bit so I'm going to make it a bit longer tonight. The cam and lifters are in Oregon, should see them tomorrow. Can't wait to get them put in and start buttoning the motor up.
 
mr.stix said:
Yeah it kinda wasn't as much fun to do as I had thought. It bent in the middle a bit so I'm going to make it a bit longer tonight. The cam and lifters are in Oregon, should see them tomorrow. Can't wait to get them put in and start buttoning the motor up.
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:blob: Kinda excited about it myself:happy1: I knew I wouldn't ever use the stuff, but I certainly didn't want to see serviceable parts go to waste...even if they aren't hot rod parts.
 
txstang84 said:
The cam and lifters finally make it your way?
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Yes sir!!! Opened last night after work. Thanks again for sending it out here, I'm way excited. I assume the Paypal went through for the shipping. If it didn't let me know. Anyway I'm tryin to find time to get the cam bearings in but this weekend is looking like its going to be busy. Updates when I get them:)
 
Yessir-sure did-thanks again for your consideration.

Looking forward to updates :)
 
I can't recall correctly-were you going to run headers of any kind or manifolds?
 
txstang84 said:
I can't recall correctly-were you going to run headers of any kind or manifolds?
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I have headers and a Weiand Stealth intake for the top end. I made a wrecking yard run today and got some 302 casting heads for $50 complete for the set. Going to tank them and slap them on.
 
mr.stix said:
I have headers and a Weiand Stealth intake for the top end. I made a wrecking yard run today and got some 302 casting heads for $50 complete for the set. Going to tank them and slap them on.
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Be aware, the 302 castings have the small chambers to help your compression, but will probably run out of steam before 4500...but they can be ported ;)

I can't recall which magazine did it, but they took a set of 302s, ported them, and cut them for 1.88/1.60 valves...I think the engine made about 370 with a pretty healthy cam, dual plane intake, and headers...can't recall the carb they used...if I find the article, I'll send the link your way.
 
txstang84 said:
Be aware, the 302 castings have the small chambers to help your compression, but will probably run out of steam before 4500...but they can be ported ;)

I can't recall which magazine did it, but they took a set of 302s, ported them, and cut them for 1.88/1.60 valves...I think the engine made about 370 with a pretty healthy cam, dual plane intake, and headers...can't recall the carb they used...if I find the article, I'll send the link your way.
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I'd rather have work done on those. My dad went from 675's to 302's (that he hand ported) and it made some good power. The bump in compression made it worth the change. And the goal of this motor is just to get it running as cheap as possible. I just want a runner, the real money will be spent on a 360 that's when I can get crazy. The 318 is a budget affair:)
 
txstang84 said:
Sounds like a winner to me! I forgot about the 360 :)
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Yeah this is my "buying time" motor, so to speak.

And I got a better brake line made and installed today.
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I'm wondering if anybody knows if adding loops too the lines help with flex or not. I have been told it needs a spring like loop in certain areas to help the lines not too snap.
 
If the line needs to rotate on an axis, yes, loops help dissipate any stresses...same principle is used on titanium hydraulic system lines in aircraft when they fasten to an actuator from a bulkhead. But, non moving lines don't really require it. Just have enough slack bent in to facilitate a smooth easy install, and relieve any type of stress created from fastening to their fittings.

...put more simply, torqueing a line down snug should not in any way shape or form put compression, shear, binding, or torsion stresses on a line as it will weaken at the flare...
 
Well I decided I wasn't happy with the brake line I made the other night so I made 3 new lines. There not perfect but there functional and fairly clean looking. I should have made my loops all a standard size....but I'm not really wanting to do these again. Progress is happening, finished the brake lines, organized parts and took inventory and even messed around with where to put my tach in. All in all it feels really good not to loose ground and make headway.
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Indeed-little things add up quick and better to mess with stuff like brake lines when the engine's out anyway.
 
how do you like your hood ? my buddy Kramer put 1 on 3 years ago what a piece of ---- we all think it looks to nova like but beyond that he has the 440bored and stroked it it had the big wide scoop facing the front looked right and stayed cool inside the car on a hot summer day ,now it has that hood the car is black with true flame inside motor compartment, and out the back of scoop and down the doors,the flames come out the grill and roll over the hood but the hood flexes and twists so much in the sun,he is really pissed the hood was not as sturdy as expected 10 k just in paint and true flame wins every show we go to but we all know because he pointed it out when it started ,ithe paint is starting to show the ware of twisting and flexing all day , just wonder if your dad has the same problem with his hood , tho a lot harder to see in that color, nice car tho another 1 I shoulda kept .
 
Well fellas.... My wife is going in for emergency surgery at the moment. She has to have her appendix out. And she doesn't have health incurance at the moment so not sure how the much time and or money I'll be spending on the Valiant in the near future. Updates when I get them and if your the praying type send some prayers her way. Thanks, stix.
 
txstang84 said:
Not a terribly devout individual myself, but I'll say one for y'all both.
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Thanks Jeff, much appreciated. And for the record I'm waiting to get my hands on a bearing install tool from a friend of mine. He loaned it out, so I'm waiting:)
 
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