daves66valiant
68 Dart 340/727:66 Signet Vert 340/5spd: 68 D100
I'm at work right now doing an all nighter and just got to thinking about how excited I am about my Dad coming out to visit. He rarely gets a chance to vacation out here in California. I think he's been here twice in the last ten years that I've lived here. We talk all the time and he's always interested in how the car restoration is going. I can't wait for him to see the work I've put into this epic project. If it was not for him I would have never been a Mopar nut.
Back when I was 14 my parents bought a little 66 Valiant 100 just like Memike's. It was a second car to get around in and to take fishing. A year or so later I bought it off my parents for $300 bucks. I loved that little three-on-the-tree /6 car. My dad always made me do all the work on it. He had plenty of auto repair manuals and forced me to read them and "figure it out" when I needed to fix something. If I ever got into something I could not fix he was always there to help out and point me in the right direction. I owned that car until about 3 years ago when I parted it out for the 66 convertible. I've ended up using many parts from my original 1st car on the convertible. So "Ruby" lives on. That's the name we gave her after my uncle and I painted her red when I finished high school. Many of my college friends back home still remember the old "Ruby" Valiant.
I always dreamed of doing to "Ruby" what I've done to the convertible 66. You know a kickass 340 small block, headers, sick paint job, nice interior, etc. Sadly, I did not have the same skills I now have because I "figured it out" So, fast forward 22 years and I'm almost there. A long time dream realized and my Dad will be helping me put on the final touches. We have some work cut out for us but it should be awesome fun. Lots of two person jobs. Install all the body panels, interior, windshield, bleed the brakes etc. It's a tall order in a week, but I'd be happy just having it drivable around the block.
So I just wanted to give a BIG shout out to all the Dads out there in Mopar land who have passed on the proverbial Mopar torch to their sons or daughters. It really does form a long last bond. Thanks Dad.
I'd love to keep this thread going by hearing some other FABO stories about how your Dad influenced your Mopar (or another car) addiction.
-Dave
Back when I was 14 my parents bought a little 66 Valiant 100 just like Memike's. It was a second car to get around in and to take fishing. A year or so later I bought it off my parents for $300 bucks. I loved that little three-on-the-tree /6 car. My dad always made me do all the work on it. He had plenty of auto repair manuals and forced me to read them and "figure it out" when I needed to fix something. If I ever got into something I could not fix he was always there to help out and point me in the right direction. I owned that car until about 3 years ago when I parted it out for the 66 convertible. I've ended up using many parts from my original 1st car on the convertible. So "Ruby" lives on. That's the name we gave her after my uncle and I painted her red when I finished high school. Many of my college friends back home still remember the old "Ruby" Valiant.
I always dreamed of doing to "Ruby" what I've done to the convertible 66. You know a kickass 340 small block, headers, sick paint job, nice interior, etc. Sadly, I did not have the same skills I now have because I "figured it out" So, fast forward 22 years and I'm almost there. A long time dream realized and my Dad will be helping me put on the final touches. We have some work cut out for us but it should be awesome fun. Lots of two person jobs. Install all the body panels, interior, windshield, bleed the brakes etc. It's a tall order in a week, but I'd be happy just having it drivable around the block.
So I just wanted to give a BIG shout out to all the Dads out there in Mopar land who have passed on the proverbial Mopar torch to their sons or daughters. It really does form a long last bond. Thanks Dad.
I'd love to keep this thread going by hearing some other FABO stories about how your Dad influenced your Mopar (or another car) addiction.
-Dave
