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http://www.arrowtipi.com/My%20Webs/index%20Valiant.htm
I purchased my 65 Valiant 2dr HT in Nov99 from a couple of kids for $450cdn....the motor was baffed and the suspension was hooped from a long trip into the weeds,,the K-member was bent from pulling it out of the weeds.,,,,but the body was in good shape.I transplanted a slant I had sitting around(69 with an 80? head)tossed in a clutch disc and rebuilt the suspension using junk i had lying around.The factory buckets although in good shape were uncomfortable so I replaced them with front and rear seats from a Toyota Cressida.(We do a lot of winter commuting to snowboard races).A set of CragarSS with 195 14 Import truck snowtires and it was on the road. Feb 2000 on the way back from a Boardercross race in Alberta Canada we hit an Elk broadside at 65 MPH,,,luckily,we were uninjured and our insurance covered this and although we were without the car for a month it was repaired nicely.(gotta love "A"-body safety).My kids were learning to drive and were leary of the 9" brakes and 3-on-the-tree so spring 2000 I bought a donor car and added disc brakes,,10"rear drums..electronic ignition and upgrade alternator,,straightened the K-member and eurathaned/rebuilt the front end,added sway bar,,in July 2000 I added an 82 Mustang 5spd overdrive trans(2days later drove it across Canada with 5 people in it,,,30MPG cdn on the prairies at 75 MPH)
Fall 2000 we painted it 98 Mustang red with white 65 Barracuda stripes and added BFG T/A 235 60 14s on aluminum wheels($100 for all 4). I finished it with 2.25" exhaust and a super6 setup and an electric fan from a Ford Escort .(90% highway driven) since deleted. For winter driving we use a set of older(read ugly) aliminum wheels(14x6) with 195 75r 14 Nokian Hakkapollitta Q s on all 4 corners.I figure I have $2600cdn in the car($25 US).The best part is our 165-168cm snowboards fit in the trunk and it is a great snowboard teamcar.
I used a "RAP" trans from an 82 Mustang 2.3L. My car had a stock aluminum bellhousing which I used as well as the stock clutch arm and throwout bearing.A stock Volare wagon driveshaft adapted to the stock Mustang slipjoint with a combination u-joint(NAPA).I used a clutch disc ( 9 1\4") from a Ford ranger and the stock Valiant pressure plate.I had the input bearing retainer machined down to fit the Valiant throwoutbearing and the bellhousing register(big hole the trans fits into)I had to do a little grinding inside the bellhousing to allow the holes to be drilled for the trans bolts(Mustang bolts through bellhousing into trans)I used Mustang bolts and then "clamped" trans to bellhousing using the stock Valiant bolt holes,total 8 bolts!,,,pretty ridgid. The tricky part was extending the trans input shaft to mimic the Valiant one,,I had an extension machined and then shrunk it onto the Mustang input shaft(heat extension,,,cool input shaft) we used some high temp Loctite to make us feel better. It is a little tricky getting the trans/bellhousing combo into the car,,,but it all fits nicely,,,my car was a 3spd originally so the trans hump is pretty small.I had to modify the trans mount and add my own "cushion mount".
You get 2 more gears,,,,1 lower than stock and 1 (OD) higher, the low gear is really low,,,with a stock super6 i can idle up a good grade in 1st,,,and do one hella burnout even with 235/60 14 BFGs. With 3,23 gears shift points are 20mph 40mph 60 mph 75 mph.
I used a Hurst shifter handle and "T" knob just for fun,,shifter ends up in the perfect spot.
Be warned RAP is a light duty box, however it weighs 15 lbs LESS than the stock 3spd.
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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....
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