68 valiant signet 2 door

[Mossy68]

Love this thread. Great work , and so interesting

[mygasser]

thanks mate,
with a lack of funds i always try to find cheap..... i mean cost effective solutions to sourcing parts. usually it means making my own
if the money was there i'd have just called speedway motors and ordered one of their gasser axle kits, they are very good value. instead i make my own with what i already have
neil.

[ScottyDave]

Nice work your doing there, very interesting watching the solutions

[Blue]

Interesting, not ever done anything like this. I assume the cast iron Transit axle is made of a decent quality metal that Mig welds OK? So a bit of heavy wall tube and that's it sorted for next to nothing. I would imagine the Mopar steering box set up is ideal for this kind of conversion. Are you using Leaf springs or coil overs?

[mygasser]

Interesting, not ever done anything like this. I assume the cast iron Transit axle is made of a decent quality metal that Mig welds OK? So a bit of heavy wall tube and that's it sorted for next to nothing. I would imagine the Mopar steering box set up is ideal for this kind of conversion. Are you using Leaf springs or coil overs?

the axle's are actually cast steel so they weld just fine mate. i have the tube already that i bought when it came up cheap (can you see a pattern emerging? ), it's 2" with 3/8" wall thickness which is kinda the standard for a tube axle. i've got to raise the front of the car to see if i can retain the k member, not sure if there'll be enough clearance and i don't want it too high (can't have it looking too mad ). if i keep the k member yes the stock power box stays, if not i'll make a motor plate and add a simple crossmember under the motor with a suzuki jeep box mounted to it. then a drag link across to the o/s and a track rod side to side, all 'rose' jointed. the same setup as i made up for my anglia gasser. i'll use coilovers and make some hairpins and a panhard bar for location, again like my anglia as i know it all works good .

[mygasser]

this afternoon dawn (the wife) was tidying cupboards in the loft and found some old photos. i had a look and here's some of the 74 challenger and the 65 dart i had.
the challenger was i guess an old race car when i got it, very 70's with radiused rear arches and jacked up all round. i used mk2 escort estate front arches on the rear, made lower 1/4's from sheet and cut a mk1 cortina sill for the rear valance. i lowered it stupid low and had to fit a 1/4" skid plate under the driver side header as it was only 1 3/4" off the ground (skid plate reduced that to 1 1/4" but it was sacrificial). the 14" wheels didn't help either. i carpeted all the inside as it only had the 2 front seats. it was a 318 car with some tuning bits, 340 heads, cam, victor inlet, double pumper holley, headers and a full gold moroso dress up (it was the 80's). it had the full gauge cluster, was a console bucket seat car with factory ratchet shifter (slap stick?) and lsd and the vented hood. again, it was the 80's so excuse me the heartbeat graphic stripes i painted on it in cellulose as was the orange itself (lots of flatting and buffing by hand ).
next the 65 dart, originally a /six car i fitted a 440/727 and went for a super stock vibe. i spent 3 days making the fenderwell headers which had 36" long 1 3/4" primaries. the rrear axle was from a dodge diplomat and the rear arches were from a 90's transit. the body was very rusty so we spent weeks after work replacing the rot before i gave it an off white paint job and burgundy stripes with gold lace over them. not forgetting the name, a race car's gotta have a name right? i had the bench seats retrimmed, i made new door cards and fitted all new door/boot rubbers which made it a lot quieter.
i don't know about scanning pics so took pics of my pics so excuse the grainy quality

[MattH]

What was the reg of the Challenger? I remember a Cuda with very similar paint job and graphics in 95 at Brooklands.

[mygasser]

What was the reg of the Challenger? I remember a Cuda with very similar paint job and graphics in 95 at Brooklands.

Hi Matt, I'll see if I can see it on any of the other pics.

[mygasser]

I stripped and machined the other side parts for my tube axle yesterday. I've got studs today from work so I can get the wheels, hubs etc mocked up and measure how long the axle tube needs to be.

[mygasser]

i ordered a motor plate yesterday from dave b. i'll be removing the k member, torsion bars etc anyway when i install the tube axle so i need somewhere to hang the motor from. it'll stop me worrying about the rubber mounts breaking too so win win.
neil.

[autofetish]

Love this tread doing a great job

Keep the pictures coming !!!!

[mygasser]

I stripped and machined the other side parts for my tube axle yesterday. I've got studs today from work so I can get the wheels, hubs etc mocked up and measure how long the axle tube needs to be.

pics on previous page mate

[mygasser]

it's been a while and lots has changed re the valiant. firstly the 383/727 has been sold.
i need to get the garage up over the road from my house on the land i bought from my neighbour. this needs a slab of concrete to stand on and selling the engine will pay for that. my thoughts were i can always buy another engine later on but i need the 2nd garage to store my wedding car so.....
anyway friday i'm collecting a 318 small block from leighton buzzard and on the way home a toyota supra 5 speed manual box from ilford. the mopar bellhousing, flywheel and clutch will be collected once it's out of blue's valiant. i'll need a toyota centre plate for the clutch but i'd rather that was new anyway. it goes without saying i'll also be making an adapter plate for the toyota box to bolt it to the mopar bellhousing.
all of this still leaves enough left over for the concrete slab as i have a cement mixer and can do it myself with only the ballast and cement to buy (already got 5 bags of cement for £10 the wife found me on faceache.

[MattH]

318 will fit much more easily!!

[mygasser]

318 will fit much more easily!!

no arguments here mate. not sure about the supra gearbox though, we'll have to suck it and see
neil.