Since this isnt Cobra related I thought I would put it in here.
About 2 years ago I dragged an old Valiant Charger from out bush back home, my wife Ronda has been a fan of these for as long as I have known her, so figured the next car I build for us to keep should be one she really wants.
Here is a pic of the Charger how I found it.
When I found it it had no wheels and had been sitting on the desert sand for atleast 12 years that people know off.
I got it home and knew I would not really be doing much to it until Cobra was registered and painted, so I have pulled it apart a little and has sat like this since getting it home.
Over the years I have tried to pass the word around that I am looking for Valiant stuff and been accumulating some cars to use as parts.
Here is a VK sedan, turns out is an x cop car (as plated on id tag) and I have sold some of the cop items on this car.
I bought it for the drive line (318 fireball, 727 auto and lsd diff), it will also donate its brake system (booster and disc front end, inc cross member)
And here is an X-Speedway Charger I bought, initially for its floor and quarter panels (but I am having bad thoughts about returning it to the track so I can have a go, but the thought of wrecking such good rear quarter panels is scaring me).
If this one did not have such bad rust in the plenums and firewall then it would be this car being fixed (even though the roof had been cut off to drop the cage in).
Then recently (on the Saturday at the Nationals) my wifes uncle who lives in Alice Springs passed away (he was not very well and had become a bit of a recluse since his wife passed in 1999), both he and his daughter knew I was looking for Valiant bits and he had said to me I could have his old station wagon (VH model, with hearse racks in the back)(he bought the car with the intentions of starting a funeral service until the franchise changed there mind as Alice Springs was not big enough for 2 funeral services, this was back in 1972), at the time I did not want to take it from him as it is the only car he ever bought brand new and he was attached to it.
Well on Saturday it was time to get the old girl home.
Here is what it looked like Saturday morning.
This is where it has sat since the last time George drove it in 2002.
I organised a permit on Friday to drive it home (probably should have got it running first and checked the brakes but I felt confident)
So I had, fuel, spare battery, air compressor and a heap of tools when I turned up at the house at about 11.00am Saturday (late start due to a bigger night than anticipated at the casino for mates birthday)
I dropped the new battery in and cranked it over, cranked over very well so that was a good start, I added about 15 litres of fuel to the fuel tank and squirted some aerostart down the carbie, cranked over but not a hint of starting, figured there must be no spark.
Removed dissy cap and confirmed the rotor was there and spinning, ignition on and manually trigger the points, no spark, so I took the points out and cleaned them up, refitted and gapped, test again, still no spark.
Checked coil, power in ok but nothing out.
Raced home and pulled the coil of the x cop car, (hope it isnt dead) fitted it up, tested, now I have a good spark.
Refitted the cap, another squirt down the carbie and crank, look out she fired up this time (no fuel in carbie so it stopped straight away, but atleast I knew I was heading in the right direction).
I poured some fuel in the carbie and fired up, did this about 4 times, could see the fuel in the filter, so atleast the pump was working.
On the 5th go , she fired up and settled into an idle like it had been running yesterday.
Smiles all round.
Shut her down and thought I better check all the vitals for the drive home.
Brake fluid is good, clutch works, no water in radiator, top it up, oh no, there is water coming out of the front of motor as quick as I can pour it in.
It is now about 12.30, and I am thinking, if I am quick I can get a trailer and tow it home, so I race over to the hire company, Damn it, I missed them.
So I go back to the car and decide I better see where the water leak is.
Found that the lower radiator hose has corroded off at the water pump outlet, needs a new pump and hose.
Thought I may as well go to Repco and see what a pump will cost me and get one ordered.
I get this old guy and tell him what I am after, he doesnt even look in a manuel, he dissapears out the back and returns with a dusty box and a hose,
I giggle and comment that they must have had that one for a while.
I also grab a couple of large clamps and gasket cement, total price $65.00
So I return to the wagon, out comes the radiator, off with the a/c compressor and alternator brackets.
Water pump out and replaced, refitted everything and fill with water.
All good now, nothing is leaking.
I pumped up the tyres then start her up again and back it out onto the street, check the brakes, all good, so I drive down to the local carwash, give her a quick tub and drive her home.
The tyres are definatly a little second hand after being flat for so long, but the shakes where not to bad if I stayed below 40mph.
When I got her home I cleaned out the inside a bit and wiped the dust off.
Here are some pics, but now I am in 2 minds what to do, it has plenty of great bits for my project, but is it too good to wreck?
There are more pics at .
http://s270.photobucket.com/albums/j...head/?start=20
So what did you do on the weekend?
545Likes
Hybrid Mode
