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Technical Plymouth Valiant question

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by hotrodzmartin, May 24, 2020.

  1. Rusty O'Toole
    Joined: Sep 17, 2006
    Posts: 9,657

    Rusty O'Toole
    Member

    May I suggest you go over the front end and replace any worn parts especially rubber bushings, get a new set of heavy duty shock absorbers and a front end alignment? With some good tires like Goodyear Eagles ? You will be impressed with how well the car handles and how nice it is to drive. You don't need big tires or fancy wheels but of course, that is up to you. As long as you don't get those hokey Dub wheels and rubber band tires.
     
  2. There is an OT (but not new) car in St Jo, MO that runs Dubs. Every time I see it my *brain shouts "Circle the wagons!!!!!"

    *I have been accused of actually saying that out loud. I am sure that I did not. :D
     
    MO54Frank and hotrodzmartin like this.
  3. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,828

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

    if changing the points on a slant six seems difficult you must be doing something wrong.... maybe there is less room in a Valiant engine compartment than my 61 Dart..?? o_O
     
  4. Rickybop
    Joined: May 23, 2008
    Posts: 9,605

    Rickybop
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I had a 63 Valiant with a 225 6 back in the 70s. It was an ugly old thing LOL. But the previous owner had the head milled. That engine actually had some balls.

    I was young and stupid... and believe me... I beat on that car pretty hard. It didn't seem to care. LOL

    Good luck!
     
    stillrunners likes this.
  5. I had one it was my dad's car 64 valiant 6/170 automatic Ran Great
    when he passed I bought it from
     
  6. This is the first time that My message went south.
    I had a 170 & commuted with it for 15 years, even Toad my Race
    Car to the Race Track a 100 miles away form the Shop
    I also would Change Engines from170 to 225 like most people change spark plugs
    the Only diff. is the Engine Pipe,
    The 225 is Longer than the 170.
    Other it was a Great Car.

    Just my 3.5 sents

    Live Learn & Die a Fool
     
    hotrodzmartin likes this.
  7. hotrodzmartin
    Joined: Jul 26, 2016
    Posts: 128

    hotrodzmartin
    Member

    I appreciate the input.

    Rusty O'Toole - thank you for the suggestion, I will definitely check it out
     
  8. And there's as good a reason as any to pull the distributor to change the points. Check the plastic driven gear, make sure the vacuum advance is working and lube up the advance weights and breaker plate. ;)
     
    loudbang likes this.
  9. no55mad
    Joined: Dec 15, 2006
    Posts: 1,956

    no55mad
    Member

    Don't lose the gas cap; they are hard to find and expensive!
     
    Rickybop and loudbang like this.
  10. hotrodzmartin
    Joined: Jul 26, 2016
    Posts: 128

    hotrodzmartin
    Member

    I will remember that!
     
  11. jaracer
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 2,419

    jaracer
    Member

    The drive gears were plastic and broke when someone dropped one of the distributor screws inside the distributor.
     
  12. jaracer
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 2,419

    jaracer
    Member

    FYI, the slant 6 has solid lifters and the valve need to be adjusted every 30 or 40 thousand miles.
     
  13. GTS225
    Joined: Jul 2, 2006
    Posts: 1,244

    GTS225
    Member

    Excuse me? All three engine sizes of the slant use the same bore and spacing, so one is not longer than the other.
    The 198 and 225 is taller than the 170, by roughly an inch. Chrysler played games with deck height, crank throw, and rod length to get the different displacements.

    Let us not be spreading incorrect info.

    Roger
     
    Hnstray and stillrunners like this.
  14. GTS225
    Joined: Jul 2, 2006
    Posts: 1,244

    GTS225
    Member

    Correct, from 1960 to 1980. In 1980, the slants got hydraulic valve trains, and a slightly different valve cover.

    Roger
     
  15. sdluck
    Joined: Sep 19, 2006
    Posts: 3,185

    sdluck
    Member

    They had a hyper pack kit from the factory,I believe 4 barrel carb and intake,headers and a cam, I believe.I saw a full size mopar run 14 with one back in the 1970's @ Fremont.
     
    loudbang likes this.
  16. KenC
    Joined: Sep 14, 2006
    Posts: 1,045

    KenC
    Member

    the /six is almost indestructible. My first idiot son-in-law as driving my daughter's Dart, (valiant w/dodge badge) when it blew a radiator hose. He called for a ride. When asked how far he drove it after it got hot, he said ('til it stopped!). I pulled the head and pan, hit the cylinders with a hone, ground the valves, new rings and gaskets. It ran for more years without a problem.
     
    Truckdoctor Andy likes this.
  17. upspirate
    Joined: Apr 15, 2012
    Posts: 2,299

    upspirate
    Member

  18. ... I worked on the slant six line back in the 70's where they built a shit load of those engines for 20 years ...
    ... I also hopped up a 225 slant six for my '62 valiant with a race cam ... 2 barrel carb ... electronic ignition and headers ... It would run with any stock small block V8 in my neighborhood ...
    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: May 26, 2020
  19. jaracer
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 2,419

    jaracer
    Member

    1980 and I believe 81 or 82 was the last year, pickups only.
     
  20. YES !
     
  21. Okay - there's been a nice brown 1963 convert on CL in Dallas - actually Grand Prairie - nice with Cragars - for a year - off and on - it's a runner that looks priced right.
     
  22. GTS225
    Joined: Jul 2, 2006
    Posts: 1,244

    GTS225
    Member

    You've been mis-informed. The last year was '87. '81 or'82 was the last year for a slant in cars. Pickups and vans got the slant until '87.

    Seems kinda suspicious that the (3.7 L) slant was dropped about the same year the 3.0 V-6 came out, but I digress.

    Roger
     
  23. GTS225
    Joined: Jul 2, 2006
    Posts: 1,244

    GTS225
    Member

    Was a good option, available only in '61 & '62. Mopar came out with it to compete in the then-new "Compact" Nascar class. The class was created to highlight the then new compacts available from the big 3. Ford had their Falcon, Chevy had their Chevy II, and Chrysler had the Valiant.
    The Hyper-Pak consisted of a cam & lifter package, a long ram, single four intake, (that hung the carb way out over the driver's inner fender), a Carter 4-bbl carb, and true split dual exhaust manifold(s). Anybody could order it, but the parts came in the trunk of the car. It was a dealer installed option, so not a true "factory" option.
    Chrysler took 7, (I think), of the top 10 spots for the class in the first year.

    Roger
     
  24. Rusty O'Toole
    Joined: Sep 17, 2006
    Posts: 9,657

    Rusty O'Toole
    Member

    Smokey Yunick said the slant six responded to a few bolt on modifications, more than any engine he ever saw. In reference to the hyperpak kit which increased the HP of the 170 slant six from 101 to 148, nearly a 50% increase . GTS225 describes it, but it also included a heavy duty clutch and pressure plate.
    In the NASCAR compact races the slant wiped the floor with every domestic and imported compact sedan. Typically they came in 1 -2 - 3 with the others trailing behind. So naturally they cancelled the series after 6 races.
     
    Fitty Toomuch likes this.
  25. Rusty O'Toole
    Joined: Sep 17, 2006
    Posts: 9,657

    Rusty O'Toole
    Member

    Their torsion bar suspension was state of the art for the times with the best ride and handling of the bunch. They are still nice driving and handling cars, light weight and fun to drive, if everything is right. A 60 year old car can be transformed from a klunk to a sweet ride just by putting everything back the way it was supposed to be, plus some really good shocks and tires.
     
  26. randydupree
    Joined: May 19, 2005
    Posts: 667

    randydupree
    Member
    from archer fl

    I always removed the distributer to replace the points,thats the easy way..
     
    Terrible80 likes this.
  27. hotrodzmartin
    Joined: Jul 26, 2016
    Posts: 128

    hotrodzmartin
    Member

    Thank you guys, I really enjoy reading all your inputs and valuable information, and it is much appreciate it!

    I checked it out on CL, you are right it looks like it is pretty decent car and closer to me than the one I am looking at...I may consider at looking at that one too.....:D
     
    Last edited: May 27, 2020
    1935streetrod likes this.
  28. upspirate
    Joined: Apr 15, 2012
    Posts: 2,299

    upspirate
    Member

    Seems like I remember that they responded well to a turbo off an Oldsmobile or Corvair also back then
     
  29. Rickybop
    Joined: May 23, 2008
    Posts: 9,605

    Rickybop
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I believe a50merc was correct... referring to the "engine pipe"... not the length of the engine.
     
  30. jaracer
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 2,419

    jaracer
    Member

    Not mis-informed, just bad memory. I worked at a Dodge dealership from about 75 - 84. Although it doesn't seem like it, that has been 36 years ago. But I do remember the slant 6 as being almost indestructible. Only saw one fail and it threw a rod.
     

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