New member with an interesting story.

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ProjectBazza

ProjectBazza

FABO Gold Member
FABO Gold Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2023
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Location
Somewhere north of Minne-a-no-place
Hello all! My name is Jim, and this is my first post.....obviously.

Why am I here? A very close and dear friend of mine, Bazza, originally from New Zealand but now living here in The States, owns a 1971 Chrysler VG Valiant 770 Regal Hardtop Mexicana that has been in his family since new. Essentially the car is an Australian version of a Dodge Dart, and it may be the only one of its kind here in The States.

Bazza absolutely loves this car, but it was giving him issues a few years back, so he started taking the engine out. (Don't ask me why.) However, he came down with a serious medical condition around the same time as the disassembly was starting, so the car has been sitting, and taking up space in his garage, for over 2 years. However, just recently I FINALLY convinced him to let me work on the car and get it running for him again, so while I can't do anything for him medically, as an "Old Car Guy", the least I can do is get his baby back on the road for him.

As for me, I was raised in a Blue Oval household (please don't hate me for it!), I currently have several late 60's Fords parked in my garage, and Back in the Day I could probably rebuild a 289/302/351 with my eyes shut. (Nowadays though, I need to grab my prescription cheaters just to type on this dang computer! Sucks getting old, but as the saying goes, it beats the alternative.) Anyway, I have 40+ years of experience, tools, and skills behind me...but none of it with Dodge/Chrysler products.

And so I signed-up in the hopes y'all could help me get Bazza's ride back on the street, before he gets out of the hospital and back on his feet.

And if all goes well, on the 2024 Power Tour. But first things first....

Thanks in advance, everyone.

Jim

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ProjectBazza said:
Hello all! My name is Jim, and this is my first post.....obviously.

Why am I here? A very close and dear friend of mine, Bazza, originally from Down Under but now living here in The States, owns a 1971 Chrysler VG Valiant 770 Regal Hardtop Mexicana that has been in his family since new. Essentially the car is an Australian Dodge Dart, and it may be the only one of its kind here in The States.

Bazza absolutely loves this car, but it was giving him issues a few years back, so he started taking the engine out. (Don't ask me why.) However, he came down with a serious medical condition around the same time as the disassembly was starting, so the car has been sitting, and taking up space in his garage, for over 2 years. However, just recently I FINALLY convinced him to let me work on the car and get it running for him again, so while I can't do anything for him medically, as an "Old Car Guy", the least I can do is get his baby back on the road for him.

As for me, I was raised in a Blue Oval household (please don't hate me for it!), have several late 60's Fords in my "stable", and Back in the Day I could probably rebuild a 289/302/351 with my eyes shut. (But nowadays, I need to grab my prescription cheaters just to type on this dang computer. Sucks getting old, but as the saying goes, it beats the alternative!) Anyway, I have 40+ years of experience, tools, and skills...just not with Dodge/Chrysler products.

And so I signed-up in the hopes y'all could help me get Bazza's ride back on the street, once he gets out of the hospital and back on his feet.

And if all goes well, on the 2024 Power Tour! But first things first....

Thanks in advance, everyone.

Jim

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Welcome from NJ!

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:welcome: from :canada:
As others have mentioned, there are plenty of great people here that are willing to help out and answer any questions you may have. Personally, I love the styling of those cars, and I also happen to own a couple of blue oval vehicles.
Good luck with the project and keep us posted on your progress. It's a great thing you are doing, and the Hot Rod Power Tour is an amazing experience.
 
AHHHHHHH! I got dizzy just looking at that. When you're done, can I drive it? :lol: :lol: :lol:
Just kidding, but it would be a hoot. Welcome from Kansas.
 
Nice story, Jim! Bless you for helping your friend! Those are super cool cars. Thanks for sharing.
 
Well the good news is it's a basic 318 2bbl... So parts aren't a problem... Had it been the 265 Hemi it would have been much more challenging...

What's been disassembled? What do you need? If it's something Aussie Specific someone here might have a source..

As others have mentioned Good on Ya for helping a friend..
 
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Welcome Jim. Most of us are here for nothing more than to share what we do know and/or learn what we don't know. I drove our 1st Plymouth to the Ford dealership job daily. Being the used car departments PDI man, I learned that regardless of what brand badge it wears, they are all just machines. Different engineers with different ideas of how to reach the same end goal.
 
Welcome, great story. Hope you have pictures of it in it's present state. By the way, are those Spyder Wheels?
 
Welcome aboard !! 17 years ago, this bunch of fine members gifted me this 66 when I fought the law and the law won, enjoy this great site

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Thank you for the warm welcome, everyone! To be completely honest I'm a little overwhelmed, as I haven't received anything like this on any other forum I've been on, past or present.

You guys/this place is special, so again...thank you!

To answer some questions, and in no particular order:

1WildRT said:
What's been disassembled? What do you need?
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Apparently the engine ran really rough and overheated. Bazza put-in three different water pumps, multiple thermostats, and a new radiator. But no joy, so he thought the engine was bad (head gasket, etc) and started taking it apart in preparation to removing it. Starter, valve covers, rockers & shafts, the front of the engine (alternator, belts, drives, etc), radiator...all taken out. And then he got sick.

Night before last I tried checking the timing chain "slop" via turning the crank and watching the distributor, but there's no oil film on the crank and I couldn't turn it smoothly enough to get an accurate reading on the balancer (more on this in a second). However, I was able to snake my inspection camera in the fuel pump hole, and while I could see (and feel) some slop, I was REALLY happy to see the cam gear didn't have plastic teeth! So there's hope....

I have my doubts about using the OEM balancer for timing as well. I mean, it's 50+ years old....

What do I need? Need to get the engine spinning over so I can do a compression test, and if that's ok I'm pretty sure I'm going to throw a timing gear/chain set at it, plus a new harmonic balancer, but other than it's still too early to tell. Last night I put the rockers and shafts back-on, and the starter, in the hopes that turning the engine over will get me a film of oil on the crank so I can get a more accurate read on the timing chain slop. But the battery was too tired....

(And another Thank You for the PM!)

Here's the engine compartment as it sits right now (note the battery charger clamp, lower RH corner):

IMG_4193.JPG


A56 said:
By the way, are those Spyder Wheels?
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I have no idea, but the center caps say something else (I forget what it is, unfortunately.)

But this is kinda cool: Last night I found a small photo album of the car in the glove box that Bazza (apparently) took to car shows, and those same wheels have been on the car from dang near Day One, as far as I could tell!

harrisonm said:
When you're done, can I drive it?
Click to expand...
(LOL!) That's kind of what I'm wondering myself, as I'm debating on how much "road testing" I should do with it before it goes back to Bazza! I mean, how cool would it be to drive this thing around?

But it's not mine, so....
 
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ProjectBazza said:
Thank you for the warm welcome, everyone! To be completely honest I'm a little overwhelmed, as I haven't received anything like this on any other forum I've been on, past or present.

You guys/this place is special, so again...thank you!

To answer some questions, and in no particular order:


Apparently the engine ran really rough and overheated. Bazza put-in three different water pumps, multiple thermostats, and a new radiator. But no joy, so he thought the engine was bad (head gasket, etc) and started taking it apart in preparation to removing it. Starter, valve covers, rockers & shafts, the front of the engine (alternator, belts, drives, etc), radiator...all taken out. And then he got sick.

Night before last I tried checking the timing chain "slop" via turning the crank and watching the distributor, but there's no oil film on the crank and I couldn't turn it smoothly enough to get an accurate reading on the balancer (more on this in a second). However, I was able to snake my inspection camera in the fuel pump hole, and while I could see (and feel) some slop, I was REALLY happy to see the cam gear didn't have plastic teeth! So there's hope....

I have my doubts about using the OEM balancer for timing as well. I mean, it's 50+ years old....

What do I need? Need to get the engine spinning over so I can do a compression test, and if that's ok I'm pretty sure I'm going to throw a timing gear/chain set at it, plus a new harmonic balancer, but other than it's still too early to tell. Last night I put the rockers and shafts back-on, and the starter, in the hopes that turning the engine over will get me a film of oil on the crank so I can get a more accurate read on the timing chain slop. But the battery was too tired....

(And another Thank You for the PM!)

Here's the engine compartment as it sits right now (note the battery charger clamp, lower RH corner):

View attachment 1716116691


I have no idea, but the center caps say something else (I forget what it is, unfortunately.)

But this is kinda cool: Last night I found a small photo album of the car in the glove box that Bazza (apparently) took to car shows, and those same wheels have been on the car from dang near Day One, as far as I could tell!


(LOL!) That's kind of what I'm wondering myself, as I'm debating on how much "road testing" I should do with it before it goes back to Bazza! I mean, how cool would it be to drive this thing around?

But it's not mine, so....
Click to expand...
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