My Wifes 62 Valiant

[andrew e]

It started at valentines day last year, i bought my wife the most romantic present of them all. Its somthing she always wanted, complete with pushbutton auto and bench seats.

It was last regoed in 1991, and has been in storge since. Heres what i know of the history. It was owned by an elderly lady, till the mis late 80s, who wouldnt allow anyone to sit in the rear seat.Then a fellow bought it (his handwriting is looks like my grandfathers, so i'm assuming he was elderly too). He was the last registered owner. It then sat until last year (under a tarp i think), before it was bought by someone wanting to make a quick buck. It was purchaced by a father and son team in melbourne, who planed on restoring it, but lost intrest before they picked up a spanner. which is where i come in.

The car is in very very good condition for its age, and still has its origional duco and chromework.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/12/680.jpg
the seats and door trims are all origional, the only thing not origional about the inside is the 80s radio in where the center grill is meant to be (centre grills are available as a repro).

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/12/681.jpg

The duco on the roof has very bad crowsfeet, all the way to metal. I dont know what to do there, as the rest is presentable. I might just give it a coat of penetrol.

The front floor pans are very bad, but the outside skin is almost perfect rust wise.

First step in the restoration, is to work out what it will look like when its finished, so i purchaced some mags and whitewalls, which p38a paul kindly picked up, and remy delivered to sydney.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/12/682.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/12/683.jpg


Anyway, this is pretty much where its at ATM, as i have been busy with p38s and my sisters 130, however i have just started a new job 3kms from home, so it will get lots more progress in the next few weeks.


Andy

[Narangga]

Our cousins had a white wagon with the push button auto - many, many moons ago.

Will watch with interest - all the best.

[Bearman]

Great old machine. A mate of mine had one back in the late sixties in a small town in SW Qld and MAN could that thing go. The poor old coppers had 144ci Ford falcons and didn't have a chance of catching him. Pretty sure it had a 165Hp slant six. It really was a novelty back then (and a chick magnet).

[hodgo]

This one is in a wrecking yard not far from where I live has been for some years now, There was only about 1006 R Ser ever sold in Aust. This one is a manual The owner wont sell it.

Hodgo

[101RRS]

The R series are now very rare and very valuable - don't you just hate people who collect cars and do nothing with them - sounds like a few landie owners I know.

Garry

[clean32]

1 hook the steel bits out of a 318 auto box and stuff tyem into your box, get rid of the brass bits

2 get a set of heaters made up 71/2 inches then 3 inches 3inches 2into 3 into 1

3 the hard bit, make up an inlet manifold for 3 1 5/16 SU carbs, ( ill try to remeber the jetting) 2 1/4 face to face.

4 i have the cam regrind specks some where.

5 send me the head, there will be big dags of casting in the ports to start with.

that should give you a bit over 200 HP

[dobbo]

Somewhere in my shed of crap I have the original Chrysler AM radio from my CL ute, wrong vintage but your welcome to it.

[lardy]

It started at valentines day last year, i bought my wife the most romantic present of them all. Its somthing she always wanted, complete with pushbutton auto and bench seats.

It was last regoed in 1991, and has been in storge since. Heres what i know of the history. It was owned by an elderly lady, till the mis late 80s, who wouldnt allow anyone to sit in the rear seat.Then a fellow bought it (his handwriting is looks like my grandfathers, so i'm assuming he was elderly too). He was the last registered owner. It then sat until last year (under a tarp i think), before it was bought by someone wanting to make a quick buck. It was purchaced by a father and son team in melbourne, who planed on restoring it, but lost intrest before they picked up a spanner. which is where i come in.

The car is in very very good condition for its age, and still has its origional duco and chromework.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/12/680.jpg
the seats and door trims are all origional, the only thing not origional about the inside is the 80s radio in where the center grill is meant to be (centre grills are available as a repro).

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/12/681.jpg

The duco on the roof has very bad crowsfeet, all the way to metal. I dont know what to do there, as the rest is presentable. I might just give it a coat of penetrol.

The front floor pans are very bad, but the outside skin is almost perfect rust wise.

First step in the restoration, is to work out what it will look like when its finished, so i purchaced some mags and whitewalls, which p38a paul kindly picked up, and remy delivered to sydney.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/12/682.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/12/683.jpg


Anyway, this is pretty much where its at ATM, as i have been busy with p38s and my sisters 130, however i have just started a new job 3kms from home, so it will get lots more progress in the next few weeks.


Andy

Andy id ya get stuck on parts my mate here in perth has a Valiant that he is totally rebuilding so if you ever need numbers of parts people give me a hoy and i'll get the info for you regards Andy

[andrew e]

Thanks, my plans.... i mean her plans.... for the slant were a cam, headwork, headers, long runner intake with a 350 holley, EI and a few offenhauser bling parts. Tripples are too hard to keep in tune.

As for the auto, if it aint broke....

I just want to get it driving nice and stopping (did i mention it has no brakes?). Make up some rear reatbelt and kiddie seat mounts, fix the rust in the floor etc etc, then, when all thats done, tickle the driveline.

That R series is in much worse condition than the wifes S. I know they are rarer, but that makes the parts harder to find.

I am not a fan of concourse or show cars. If you fix up somthing to a perfect show standard, someone will look at it until they find a fault, and then highlight it. If you leave all the faults there, people will admire the car for its details a not notice the faults.

An example is at the castle hill LR show this year. There were heaps of S1s. People pretty much walked past the restored ones, and spent ages looking at the ones with the paint all worn off.

[Narangga]

however i have just started a new job 3kms from home

Andy

Sorry mate I missed that last night - Congrats. What is it?

[loanrangie]

Very nice, i love the R and S series Vals, first thing i'd do is remove the toyota door mirror quick smart and fit some correct era ones, ebay has them for $20 each.

[Disco44]

Great old machine. A mate of mine had one back in the late sixties in a small town in SW Qld and MAN could that thing go. The poor old coppers had 144ci Ford falcons and didn't have a chance of catching him. Pretty sure it had a 165Hp slant six. It really was a novelty back then (and a chick magnet).

On that you are so right they went like the clappers.
Cheers,
John ( disco 44 )

[Disco44]

This one is in a wrecking yard not far from where I live has been for some years now, There was only about 1006 R Ser ever sold in Aust. This one is a manual The owner wont sell it.

Hodgo
Thats an original the spare in the boot tells that.The next model up got rid of the spare inprint,but still had the slant 6 motor.Word has it that the slant was designed by Chrysler to fit under the bonnet as the straight 6 was too high.I owned one years ago and later on the hemi 265 , both motors pushed those two machines at a very fast rate of knots.The only thing that was against the Valiants was the rust problem but that was endemic to all makes of that era.
Cheers,
John

[Shonky]

My dad used to have one like that when he was a younger lad...

I know that because everytime we visit my grandma in his old family home, we drive through a roundabout. With a tear in his eye (well, not really - but you get the point) he retells (yet again...) the story about how some stupid woman wasn't paying attention and T-boned him and wrote off his beloved valiant. :(

He then replaced it with... a Toyota Celica. :eek2:

(which then met with a mob of Kangaroos just outside of Northam - another "yes dad" roll eyes story... :D )

[hodgo]

The torqueflight transmission used by Chrysler during the 60/70 was the only auto to my knowledge that you could run or tow start, this as enabled by the use of a second oil pump in the rear of the box, A mate of mine had a 1964 dodge push button auto that was often run started in winter months as it had a 12/1 compression ratio you had to get up to about 20mph then turn the ignition on. Tow starting could be a bit dangerous if one did not know how as it was easy to run up the back of the towing vehicle.

Hodgo

[hodgo]

Very nice, i love the R and S series Vals, first thing i'd do is remove the toyota door mirror quick smart and fit some correct era ones, ebay has them for $20 each.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++
A lot of vehicles of that period were not fitted with wing mirrows or were optional extras.

[nice1guv]

What an awesome project!! :D I love the old Vals.

Only a few years back I sold my daily driver Val. :(

A 1969 VF VIP 318 904 auto duel fuel.

I drove that beast everday everywhere.

The sound from the 318 with twin system was intoxicating. :p

I still miss that car. :(

[101RRS]

We were a Valiant family. When I was a kid our neighbours had a S series and then an AP5. My dad then bought a new AP6 and my uncle bought a VC. We upgraded to a VE and then a VF Regal which I learned to drive on.

10 years later I pranged it - after my Mum pranged it twice - so my Dad sold it. The day after it went through the side of a bus and was finally written off. My Dad who was then retired then stayed with Chrysler (sort off) and bought one of the first 2.6 Chrysler Sigma Station Wagons. Unlike Sigmas that were made in Australia the first 2.6 wagons were actually made in Japan so quality was much better.

Back to the topic - I agree with getting it to good drivable condition and using it - if you take it off the road for a restoration there is a chance it will not get going again. There is a lot of improvements you can make while still driving it.

Good luck with it.

Garry

[loanrangie]

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++
A lot of vehicles of that period were not fitted with wing mirrows or were optional extras.

Yes but at least fit correct vintage not jap crap ones, besides its a requirement to fit at least a drivers side mirror regardless if originally fitted or not.

[Bigbjorn]

The torqueflight transmission used by Chrysler during the 60/70 was the only auto to my knowledge that you could run or tow start, this as enabled by the use of a second oil pump in the rear of the box, A mate of mine had a 1964 dodge push button auto that was often run started in winter months as it had a 12/1 compression ratio you had to get up to about 20mph then turn the ignition on. Tow starting could be a bit dangerous if one did not know how as it was easy to run up the back of the towing vehicle.

Hodgo

Early BW's had two pumps and could be tow started.

[Bigbjorn]

Early BW's had two pumps and could be tow started.

Get the steering knuckles, brake rotors and calipers from a CM and the master cylinder and booster complete. CM's had better calipers than previous models. The knuckles are are bolt up conversion. All Valiants used the same ball joints. The master cylinder will need a bit of plumbing but not difficult. You made need to find a smaller diameter booster, can't quite remember.

[LandyAndy]

They are nice valiants Andrew.
The guy who runs the Shell roadhouse in town has a neat one.
It does 11 sec quater mile runs:eek::eek::eek::eek:
He has just had to fit a rollcage to compete as he has broken the 11sec pass.
Street registered,worked 360V8,auto and nitros.Its his daily driver too!!!!
Andrew

[clean32]

Ah, rememberd, there is a longer pitman arm on a later model. fit that and its less turns lock to lock

[Jordos D2]

swetty ride mate when i was growing up my uncles were all into vals there was a vc 318 auto, centura 318 auto, centura 265, chrysler by chrysler 360 auto with all the electrics,and a s series with the slant 6 they were the best 1`s there was also a few other regals and even a ute in there and to my knowledge the centura with the 318 still gets around campbelltown kicking ass

[LandyAndy]

Dare I admit.
My first vehicle ever purchased was a VF VIP with a 318 Fireball,AC and power steer.I was 17 at the time.
We had a mate with a farm,we went thirds in it for $750 unlicenced from a caryard.It went like the sting,had a ball trashing around the paddocks in it for a long weekend.
When we went back a few weeks later some lowlife had stolen it and the diesel genset that powered the camp:mad::mad::mad::mad:.
Andrew

[andrew e]

Sorry mate I missed that last night - Congrats. What is it?

Its a mobile service tech for Aussie weighing systems (formally Avery scales). We do everything from calibrating tiny scales to building B-double weighbridges. I have a work ute, laptop, phone etc. The people are friendly and profesional (all 8 of them!), so i hope to be there a while. The best bit is that its 3 kms from my house, so i'm home in a few minutes.

The worst thing is its dayshift, so i'll be a while getting into a routine before i start selling parts again.



Andy

[dmdigital]

Avery, haven't dealt with them in over 12 years but they were a pretty descent mob then. Have fun with the B-double bridges. I'll let you find out for yourself what happens when 65t of B-double enters a weigh bridge too fast (say 10kph) and hits the brakes:o

[andrew e]

Avery, haven't dealt with them in over 12 years but they were a pretty descent mob then. Have fun with the B-double bridges. I'll let you find out for yourself what happens when 65t of B-double enters a weigh bridge too fast (say 10kph) and hits the brakes:o

Nothing. I saw it happen yesterday as a bit of a demo on a brand new bridge. The bridge has a maximum of 15mm gap at each end, aswell as bumpstops, so it cant go far, and doesnt have the chance to get momentum when a truck locks it up.


Andy

[Narangga]

Its a mobile service tech for Aussie weighing systems (formally Avery scales). We do everything from calibrating tiny scales to building B-double weighbridges. I have a work ute, laptop, phone etc. The people are friendly and profesional (all 8 of them!), so i hope to be there a while. The best bit is that its 3 kms from my house, so i'm home in a few minutes.

The worst thing is its dayshift, so i'll be a while getting into a routine before i start selling parts again.



Andy

Good to hear and sounds good. Routine needs to include the Valiant too remember!

[Grumbles]

An iconic amd desirable car. All angles and edges - just got to love them. Hve you ever been to Chryslers on the Murray at Albury? A great event with bundles of early Valiants on display as well as parts suppliers etc. Worth a thought maybe?

[Sprint]

gorgeous bit of gear!

[nice1guv]

Dare I admit.
My first vehicle ever purchased was a VF VIP with a 318 Fireball,AC and power steer.I was 17 at the time.
We had a mate with a farm,we went thirds in it for $750 unlicenced from a caryard.It went like the sting,had a ball trashing around the paddocks in it for a long weekend.
When we went back a few weeks later some lowlife had stolen it and the diesel genset that powered the camp:mad::mad::mad::mad:.
Andrew

:eek2: Was it blue bodied and white vinyl roofed?

[dmdigital]

Nothing. I saw it happen yesterday as a bit of a demo on a brand new bridge. The bridge has a maximum of 15mm gap at each end, aswell as bumpstops, so it cant go far, and doesnt have the chance to get momentum when a truck locks it up.
I've seen them snap every load cell under the bridge so it sounds like design has improved a lot. Where I worked in Albury we had the only B-double capable, certified, weigh bridges between Melbourne and Sydney.

[LandyAndy]

No mate
White with the black vinyl roof.
Andrew

[Bigbjorn]

No mate
White with the black vinyl roof.
Andrew

and bobble fringe around the front and rear screens, black velvet cushons with pyramids and palm trees on them, and a camel toy on the back shelf with eyes that lit up with the stop lights?:angel:

[Redback]

Hey Andrew, this will probably be looked at as not good to some here and I've been following this for the short time it's been going, so here's my opinion:angel:

Just clean it up and leave it standard, they are a great looking car just the way they are and you have a bloody fine example of an R model Valiant (some say S model;)) I've seen in a long time, It's not every day you find one in original condition as this one is, I know it's tempting to do work on the engine but, a lot of guys I knew never bothered to hot them up as they went bloody great standard.

I say restore it, but leave it standard.

Just my opinion, Baz.

[andrew e]

If it is to get engine modifications, they will be all period aftermarket accessories, or hidden from view. It would be silly to go and source another cast exhaust manifold, when a set of headers cost the same. Why rebuild the stock carb when a holley looks the same with the air cleaner on. When you look at the car with the bonnet up, i want it to look like a car that was mildly modified in the late 60s, early 70s.

No interior mods are planned, apart from a few under dash period gauges, and seatbelts.

External mods will be a slight lowering and the wheels in the pic. I'll be keeping the drum brakes - it wont be used for racing!

Remember this car is too good to be restored. It only needs a tidy up and preserved in its current state.

Andy

[VladTepes]

Nice car mate. I suppose I could probably be called a "Ford" man if we are talking the Big 3, but that is a VERY nice shape and I loved the old push button autos !