ntsqd's Valiant

[ntsqd]

Reposted from my Intro thread:

[ntsqd]

Some progress made on the air filter system and it now has a functioning parking brake!







This last one probably needs a little explanation. The filter can is the previously mentioned V6 Fiero part. My plan is to bend the 16 ga. sheet shown to fit the fender liner at the ledge where the battery tray used to sit and down below that ledge. This will mount the filter assembly. A ~3" hole will be poked thru the sheet at an angle and the port on the side of the filter can will be fit part way thru this hole. A matching hole will be cut in the fender liner. Then a piece of mandrel bent 3" "muffler-moly" will be fit into the side port and pointed forwards to the opening in the core support near the turn signal. A water/grime baffle at the front of the opening of the bent tube is all that is planed for now. I may eventually enclose this for more ram-air effect.

On the other side of the filter assembly flexible ducting from McMaster.com will be used to get the clean air over to the intake. The filter sitting on the carb is intended for a Holley 4bbl or similar and does not fit. I am only using it to keep junk out of the intake.

_________________
Thom

Cross-threaded is tighter than Lock-tite

[DadTruck]

lots of potential with that car!

what are your plans for it? street car, racer or both

[ntsqd]

At least to start it will be a DD and a cruiser. Might casually Auto-X it, but that remains to be seen.

_________________
Thom

Cross-threaded is tighter than Lock-tite

[ntsqd]

Some progress on the air filter assembly today. Used a remnant 3" elbow for the intake tube. Still need to make a brace for the tube where it passes the front vertical of the fender liner and weld in the bead rolled 3" stub for the flex ducting between the filter assembly and the carb hat.

_________________
Thom

Cross-threaded is tighter than Lock-tite

[Matt Haskell]

Probably the first Ram-Air, Fiero airfilter ever mounted in a A-body mopar.

Looks good. Glad you are giving the old girl a new lease on life. Remind me to get those header flanges to you.

matt-

[Dart270]

Hey Matt,

Hope all is well for you these days. Sounds like your ol' Valiant is in good hands.

Lou

_________________
Balancing out the driver's weight for more than 50 yrs

[ntsqd]

Matt, you can probably guess where that elbow came from. I like the irony of using it on a slant.
EDIT: Oh yeah, do you recognize those phillips head screws?

Air filter assembly is finished and installed. No pics of that yet.
Started running the battery cables to the trunk. 1/0 might have been a little over-kill, but at least the voltage drop will be tiny....

_________________
Thom

Cross-threaded is tighter than Lock-tite

[Matt Haskell]

Lou,

I am doing well, thanks for asking.

I'm sorry to see the old valiant go, as I had high hopes, but in analysing the pile of projects and the amount of time and attention each would require, I came to the realization that something had to go. NTSQD had been looking for an interesting DD project car for a while, and this fit the bill. It should be an interesting evolution to whitness over the comming weeks/months.

I still have a '49 Powerwagon that keeps me connected to the Mopar world. In fact, the flathead 230 will soon have a modified electronic SL6 distributor, which will provide me enough SL6 street cred to visit this site from time to time.

mh-

[Dart270]

Slant on. Sometimes the best thing is to set something free...

Lou

_________________
Balancing out the driver's weight for more than 50 yrs

[ntsqd]

Need to scare up a protective boot for the positive junction. Those that I have are intended for a battery clamp and are too big. Also need a couple cable clamps to secure the cable to the firewall.


A clearer view of the plan for air filtration. Ducting and a serious adjustment (lots of chips!!) of the carb adapter remain. And painting the filter canister lid.


Battery connections yet to be made.


Got delayed, again, on the front brake hoses. Orme Bros apparently had to order the screw-together hose ends. Seems no one makes up hoses much any more. Not sure what to make of that, I used to consider those finger-tip punctures a Rite of Passage.
So finally got those and find that I'm out of adhesive lined heat shrink in the size that fits over braided SS hose. I need some more 1/0 crimp lugs anyway, so I'll get those at the same place.
I was able to mock up the hoses and the 90° hose ends are looking like the answer. Final determination will be when I am able to put weight on the front suspension again, but the clearance looks promising.

_________________
Thom

Cross-threaded is tighter than Lock-tite

[ntsqd]

Got all of the brake plumbing done. Converted to a tandem m/c & added a P-Valve. the car now has braided SS brake hoses all the way around.

Also finished tidying up the clutch plumbing. I re-used the existing Swagelok braided SS hose on the clutch plumbing (thanks Matt!), but changed the bleeder to a wilwood caliper bleed fitting and moved the bleeder into the inner fender area where I suspect that I can reach it while pumping the pedal with the other hand. Still needs a vacuum cap over the nipple to keep it clean. -4 Swagelok hose is a different ID than 'regular' -4, it was more work than usual to get the hose ends in place.









A friend works at a paint & body shop. He frequently harvests usable items that the Ins Co. says needs to be replaced. So Scooter now has a 2.25" SS muffler from a Nissan donor. Only significant damage is to the zoomy looking tip, which on the Valiant looks way too "ricer" for me. Part of the assembly is a small resonator. Am very tempted to include it in the system. I just need to get off the pot and order the bends so that I can build the exhaust system. The muffler itself is slightly thicker than a typical "turbo" muffler, but other-wise is about the same size as one.
Had been thinking that a Monza tip might be just the ticket for this car, but good grief those have gotten expensive! Might have to re-think that part.

_________________
Thom

Cross-threaded is tighter than Lock-tite

[ntsqd]

Trans tunnel work:





Not sure, but I'm thinking that for the bench seat to clear the revised shape that I'll need to add some spacers under the mounting feet. I know that it's close, but with the seat at the upholstery shop I'm having to guess where it it which is why I left the rear of the enclosure squared-off.
The patch over near the throttle needed to have a bulge in it. flaring our more at the rear. Without a shot-bag my attempts to form a bulge were pretty sad. Since this isn't the sort of work that I've done much of, I'm not sure that having a shot-bag would have made much difference. My solution was to use the bead rolling dies in the Pexto and make them work like a small English Wheel. It worked, but anything more complex than a shape like this would be real effort.

I think that I've read that there is a kit for this swap out there? Any idea how that handles this issue?

_________________
Thom

Cross-threaded is tighter than Lock-tite

[Matt Haskell]

Looking good.

Regarding the seat to shifter clearance, why not place the seat another 1" back? Only down side (if you can call it that) is any back seat activity becomes a little cozier..

[Dart270]

Clean!

Lou

_________________
Balancing out the driver's weight for more than 50 yrs