Covalt - "Project 65 Valiant"

[Rick Covalt]

Just unloaded the engine I bought Saturday and pulled the valve cover to see what it looks like. It looks like it is absolutely brand new, with new rocker arms & hardware, new retainers and locks. It was supposedly just rebuilt and it looks like it was. It has a peanut head too.

I got the 8 3/4 bolted onto the springs (no perches welded on though) and took both doors off to begin some work on them. This week I hope to have the right side Quarter panel cut out and prepped plus have the replacement panel stripped, cut out and prepped for my buddy to install. Might have it install in the next 2 weeks.That would be progress.

Rick

[Dart270]

*fans applaud riotously*

Lou

_________________
Return of the 64 Dart. Hang on...

[75customdart]

hey i have a stock trans and converter up here in reading. not sure of there conditions came out of a non running parts car

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75 dart custom, 225, >10.5-1, hurricane, 500holley, erson cam, 904, 8.8 ford 3.55 or 3.91 aussielocked, 17" steelies, and much more.

[Rick Covalt]

I have made a little progress on my Valiant, but not near as much as Greg and Lou have made on their projects. But I will keep at it. Need to remember "Slow and steady wins the race".

I now officially have a large gaping hole out the right side where a quarter panel used to reside. I also took the replacement quarter and stripped it to bare metal on both side as requested by the body man. It takes some time to cut away the outer skin from all the inner structure. I need to take it over to the friends house and we will lightly sand blast the lower quarter and the trunk extension so it is good and clean before he starts welding. It has some minor rust but that will be welded up also once it is in place on the car.

Picked up another 8 3/4 housing from Bigslant6fan and sent it and my C body axles out to Moser to be narrowed to place my wheels where I need them in the wheel openings. If Moser's turnaround time is correct then I should have it back at the end of next week. I already have the backing plates and brakes to go with the new axles.

I knew what wheels I wanted on the car and was going to wait to later since they are not really "essential" right now. But I bought a set of the 5 star Summit racing wheels in a 15 X 8 in the correct offset for $127 for the pair. I just couldn't pass them up. They were on a car for 3 months and looks 100% like new.

Picked up a new Slant 6 flex plate off E-Bay for $5 and Lou is giving me a great deal on a automatic transmission that I will pick up at the banquet in 2 weeks.

I did find 2 new door weatherstrips in the bottom drawer of one of my tool boxes right where I hid them from myself 20+ years ago!

As a side note. I am still looking for a decent truck with a slant 6. I found one 3 hours away up in Allentown,PA. and I took a day off work and drove up to see it. It was exactly what I wanted. I bid what I thought was plenty to get it and guess what. Someone else thought the same and bid just a bit higher. Oh well I'll keep looking.


Rick Covalt

[Rick Covalt]

Well, I had a big day today. Progress was made in a serious way today with my car. My friend came to the house with his Mig welder and a whole supply of body materials to work on the quarter panel. Let me just say, that it is quite nice to see a real craftsmen do his work. He showed up at 7:30 this morning and at 3:30PM we were done. Done, as in, the full quater panel was welded on, roughed in, straightened, blocked and re-blocked and it is now ready for some high build primer. All the seems were sealed as well. I was very pleased. Hat's off to all you "real" body men.

Also he brought along a gallon of paint (base) that he had in his cabinet that he said was about $400/ gallon. He said it is yours if you like the color! Oh yeah, I liked it. It is a dark teal color. I had actually thought of painting it a similar color so I guess it now going to be dark teal. I like it!

Also my new Moser rear end & axles are painted and in the car with all new brake hardware, backing plates painted and e-brake cables working like new.

Picked up my 904 auto from Lou at the banquet and he just happened to bring along a high stall speed converter, just in case I was inclined to take it home with me. Yes I did!

One other thing since the car is going to be Teal and since everyone else seems too have named their projects. Mine will now be called "Project Teal Terror" If someone is already using that name let know and I will change it to some else like " Project long time gettin done"

Talk to you later,

Rick

[Dart270]

Rick,

That is truly cool. Maybe I can stop by and see it on the Hagerstown weekend, IF that is, you don't bring it to the race!

Lou

_________________
Return of the 64 Dart. Hang on...

[Rob Simmons]

Hey Rick,

You are an inspiration! You are seriously "Gettin' Her Done!"

I like the name too.

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Rob
I have no idea what I'm doing....
But I'm having fun anyway!

[Rick Covalt]

Lou, Of course you are welcome to stop by and see the car.

Rob, I don't know that I'm an inspiration, but thanks. I know this though. If slow and steady wins the race then I'm in 1st place! Hope to actually get this thing done soon.

Rick

[Rick Covalt]

I was looking through my parts stash in my basement that I put in the corner in 1997 when we moved to this house. Guess what I found? A very nice tinted windshield with no fog at all. Woo Hoo! Now I don't have to shell $260 for Cindy Rowe to install a new one. BAd news, now I have to install it.

Rick

[Rob Simmons]

[Rick Covalt]

Yep that's right. I was looking for a trunk lid and I had a hood and a trunk lid I knew was there but I forgot I had put some things behind them when we moved to our new house. Since my Valiant did not recieve any attention until last May after the Hagerstown race, I had no need to look for anything.
I'm glad I found it!

Rick

[Greg Ondayko]

Good Job Rick.

you seem to be moving along on your car now.

I am sure that you can get it togther for the Hagerstown Race!

Greg

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Greg Ondayko
69 Dart www.youtube.com/hyperpack

[Greg Ondayko]

Can you Bring the car to the hagerstown race at the end of the month??


Greg

_________________
Greg Ondayko
69 Dart www.youtube.com/hyperpack

[Rick Covalt]

I have been wanting to update for a while but just haven't taken the time. So first off, no the car is about where it was a couple months ago. I did get a few little things done but nowhere near ready. The truth is I had to buy a truck to drive every day when I lost my company truck, and I had to put my money into it. Some of that was going to be car money. But as you know when it rains it pours. So of course the central air went out in the house when it was 90 degrees and my wife had an emergency stay in the hosptital. Everything costs money. So until I save up a little and pay off some bills, I will just have to race my truck. On top of that, those at the rained out Mason Dixon races probably saw me limping. Yeah, that surgery (Torn cartlidge in my knee) is schedule for right after our race. So who knows what that will cost.
The Dr. says I can go back to work after a week or so on light duty, but the company says you must be 100%. So I may have 5-6 weeks to tinker with the car. As long as I don't do any squatting or jumping I can do most anything else. So hopefully I can get the rest of the outside stripped of its 2 coats of paint during that time. Then my buddy said he would stop over and shoot it with some high build primer and get it ready for paint. The paint part will cost some $$ but I will keep at it , slow and steady. I also have the aluminum to seal off the trunk area from the drivers compartment and I have the frame connectors to put in. So I have some things on hand that I can work on.

Thanks for asking,

Rick

[ryandcovalt]

Here are a few pictures to show the progress on Dad's valiant. Most of the hard work is done now, the major body work is finished, frame connectors are in, rear end is in, suspension is mostly done. basically now it just needs primer/paint and re-assembly. I remember "helping" to sand this car down when I was 5-6 yrs old almost 20 years ago! Dad let his car sit for a long time to help me build mine. Now it's his turn to have a slant six race car! Hopefully we will see this car at a few races next season!

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Ryan Covalt
72' Dart Swinger
4 speed, 3330# (w/me in it)
14.061 @96.58 mph 1/4 mile