New members, father and son team

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prorac1

prorac1

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Hello all. I have been a Valiant owner for over 20 years. Mine has, "strayed" quite a ways from a typical restoration, and is a 1963 signet 200.
Me and my 10 year old son just picked up a 1965 valiant, (he paid for half because I promised to help him pay for half of his first car.) It needs some lovin, but he is more than ready to start cracking on it. We have been slowly been picking up parts as we go. We bought it for $450 and had a great time road tripping down to Indiana to go get it.

We brought it home and I showed him how to clean out a carburator and get it running. Than we learned the finer points of cleaning and adjusting wheel drum brakes, lol. It has really put the FUN back into working on cars for me, kinda brought it back to basics.

Now that the cars are out of the way, a little about me. My name is Eric, im 36, and a truck driver for a grocery company. I have been happily married for 15 years and have 1 son. My 1963 Valiant was my first car, and has gone through many changes. It ran 9s a couple of years ago with the race gas big block chevy. I wanted to put my "girl" back on the streets.................but not be a total cruiser, so im swapping in an LS.......yeah, I know, that should still run mid 10s on pump gas and still be on the cusp of technology for a few more years.

I also have a 1997 Camaro SS, (yeah, yuck, lol) Its mostly stock with bolt ons and runs 12 on a good day, lol. Its cheap, "pretty" fun and reliable. And a little peppy. Fun daily driver and the wife loves it.

Im looking forward to me and my son learning a lot, teaching a little, and becoming contributing members of FABO. Thanks for reading. Eric and Jason L

P.S. :coffee2: I like Coffee........a lot, lol.
 
Heres some pictures. Enjoy.

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Wecome to FABO!

There's a ton of good information to be had here, and I'd say the best damn crowd you could ask for anywhere online. Tons of good-hearted, helpful members here.

You might catch some flack for putting the chevy heart in a perfectly good Mopar lol, but to each his own. As long as you're keeping the Mopars alive, I suppose nobody can fault you for that.

Enjoy!

-Mike
 
Thanks for the welcome Mike. Yeah, I plan on taking some flack, lol. But in my defense heres a little back story before the flame wars begin, lol. First it had a stock slant six, than I built a very HOT little slant 6 that ran high 13s low 14s. Eventually valve spring pressure, and the lack of a cam button took its toll on the cam gear driven oil pump and toasted the bottom end. At that point I bought the schumaker mounts when they first got popular, and swapped in a mild 360 and back halved the car when the rear frame rails got weak and ran low 12s high 11s with it. Than when the front torsion bar mounts got weak I used it as an excuse to round tube chassis the WHOLE car and since I had engine plated, I could mount any motor in it I wanted. At the time fastest street car racing was popular, and the look and "thump" was alurring to me, so in went the BBC and soon after came the 9 sec time slips.

Well life happens, kids, jobs, etc, lol. I got sick of buying parts, race gas, etc, and wanted to get back to my street roots, so now im goiing with a milder combo. They are developing parts everyday for the LS motor and it has a lot more after market support as of now than the GEN 3 HEMI. Ill still get flamed, but its all good.

I do have to admit, that im REALLY enjoying getting back into the idiosincrocys of the early A bodies, and the leaning tower of power. Watching HIS enthusiasm for the hobby has really put the fun back into it for me. Thanks again FABO. Eric L
 
Thanks for the welcome AdamR. So far im digging the vibe on here. Eric L
 
Welcome to the best damn Mopar site on the web!! Cool cars, can't agree with the Chev engine but hey, its hot rodding!! That picture of your son is awesome, you can see how happy and proud he is, great first car, you guys will have so much fun and bonding time!! Hopefully your son can be swayed to run a Mopar mill :glasses7:
 
Welcome!

my 67 Dart is my first car too... That '63 looks wicked. I cant wait to see pics/progress of the LS swap. good little motors, don't let the purists get under your skin. As for your sons car, and the quality time workin together, AWESOME!

JOE
 
Welcome to FABO.......Hope you don't get chased off by the folks that are going to attempt to crucify you over your powerplant....
 
Thanks for all the welcomes. Im not to worried about people getting under my skin, lol. Jasons car is staying Chrysler powered. I tried to sway him into an LA V8 swap, but hes pretty hung up on the slant. He says thats the coolest looking motor hes ever seen, lol. So I asked him if we could put a chrome valve cover and air cleaner on it and he said OK, so I guess its a good comprimise, lol. He keeps telling me that its "Not a race car DAD, its a cruise car.", lol. Thanks again for all the welcomes. Thanks, Eric L
 
My favorite task so far was the brakes, lol. I showed him the left hand thread lug nuts on the drivers side, and said to him, "Lets see where they started taking the lug nuts off." He said what do you mean Dad? I told him the standard story on the left hand thread lug nuts and that most peoples first instinct is to put the impact on, slip it into reverse, and FLOOR IT, lol. We popped off the front hub cap and it had all its studs. Than I popped off the rear and two were broken off, lol. My son now thinks im psycic, lol. The good news is that someone put on new shoes, hardware, wheel cylinders, etc. We have 1 thin drum but its good enough for lot driving for now. But with the brakes adjusted up and bled, its the best manual drum pedal ive ever had. Ill start a build thread in a little while as to not mix it up to much with the welcome thread. Thanks again everyone for the warm welcome. Thanks, Eric L
 
Enjoy the time spent with and teaching your son. My Dad has been gone for several years now. Most of my child hood memories are of us being under the hood of something or out "test driving" one of our recent fixes......
 
That was how I got into the hobby. My dad and I restored my 63 together originally, and I have many fond memories together. Heres some interesting tid bits if you believe in syncronicity. We bought my 63 in october of 1992. We bought Jasons 65 on the last day of september in 2012. We paid $687 for my 63, when you figure out the gas it took to go down and pick it up, we paid almost the exact same ammount for Jasons 65. My dad taught himself how to do paint and body work and has gotten pretty good at it, so hes excited to show his son and grand son how to do paint and body work...................in the SAME barn that we did mine in. Thanks again for all the warm welcomes. So far my time at FABO has great. Thanks, Eric L
 
Heres some more pics we took today after washing it and getting ready for winter. Enjoy. Eric L

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Oh yeah, and we put some speed stickers on the quarter windows.............so now its oficially cool, ,lol. Yeah, thats the 10 year old in ME coming out, lol. Eric L
 
Oh yeah, and some pics of the Camaro SS. Yeah, its a chrysler website, but its still a side to me, so I will share it with the gang. Thanks for looking. Eric L

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Welcome to FABO. Looks like your son will be enjoying the build with his dad. Best of luck you two...BTW: nice Camaro
 
2darts said:
Welcome to FABO. Looks like your son will be enjoying the build with his dad. Best of luck you two...BTW: nice Camaro
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Yeah, im really enjoying doing this project with my son. My plans for this winter is to finish the wiring in my 63, (im rewiring the ENTIRE car while im redoing the firewall and front half.) and finish putting it back together. Than come spring all MY projects will be done, (well, as done as they ever are, lol) And we can slowly and surely put the 65 back together. Than I need to build a bigger garage to house all this crap, lol. Eric L
 
Welcome to FABO!

You will enjoy it here. Great people and information.

Enjoy the ride!

We love pictures - Really enjoyed yours, even with the off brand distractions...

Ma Snart
 

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Welcome. You will get lots of help here from some great people. Look forward to seeing your progress with this project!
 
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