With the holiday season behind us and arctic temps settling in around Hot Rod Chassis and Cycle in Illinois, work has resumed at a feverish pace on Project Violent Valiant. In this update we’re going to take a look inside the car to see what Kevin has been up to. We’ll see how he surgically removed the pristine factory floor and how the rear section of the roll cage has started coming together. If you own stock in a steel tubing company you may be in good shape after you see how much is being burned into the back of the Valiant for safety, structure, and stiffness.
This is the part of any build that is so vitally important and normally does not get the spotlight shined on it like other, more sexy parts. The work that is being done here to both add safety for the driver is also integral in terms of chassis integrity to make sure that the suspension is going to be the only factor in controlling how this thing handles, not a flexy weirdo chassis. Kevin uses both the SCCA and NHRA rule books to insure that the cage meets all of the necessary standards and then he goes above and beyond, which we will show you below. Kevin is hoping to have the car out and rolling by the time Power Tour rolls around so he will surely be hustling hard from now until then.
Without further adieu, here’s our latest update on Project Violent Valiant –
This Roto-Broach tool was a big part of the floor removal operation. After center punching the spot welds, Kevin used this guy to drill them out. How did he do?
Here you can see some drilled spot welds. Kevin said that it is important to pay attention to how deep you are plunging the tool A screw driver becomes a good tool to see if stuff is free or if more drilling is required.
Drill our enough spot welds and soon you’ll be pulling the whole floor out in one piece.
The floor was so clean and free of holes and rot that Kevin decided it was only right to save it in one piece. He listed it on a Chrysler A-body site and it was in the processed of being scarfed up when we talked.
With the Flintstone Flyer look in full effect, Kevin then turned his attention to the back of the car and constructing the roll cage.
Note the second crossmember and note that it is flat with no hump in it. Eventually the center of this crossmember is going to be cut out but not before it is sistered with another piece of steel to keep everything in place. The second cross member will air in stiffening the car and will in some ways work as a fixture to help locate stuff and keep everything true. It will be an interesting process so stay with us to see how it is going to work.
Even the most elaborate roll cages all begin this way with some straight lengths of round steel tubing.
The main hoop was the first piece to go in. You can see the nice tight fit of the bar. This takes time, patience, and experience.
It is a post car now…kind of.
It didn’t take long for this to escalate, huh? Here you can see the main hoop, the X-bracing inside it per NHRA and SCCA rules and then the down bars which are also mandatory per the rule books.
Most roll cages you have seen use the X-bracing at the top of the cage angling down toward the back of the car, but note the second X-bracing down low. This was an addition to the design after conversations with European road racing car builders. They use this design and Kevin said that it will really heap to make the chassis very stable and free of flex in the rear.
Here’s another look at that European road racing car inspired lower X in the roll cage. Because this is not required equipment, it does not have a tubing spec. Kevin went smaller, lighter 1.25″ diameter .058 wall thickness tubing here to manage the additional weight.
So we’re going to leave you right here for this update. We’re actually going to double your pleasure on Violent Valiant content this week because we’ll be back with another update on the fuel system and cool parts before the end of the week. Stay tuned!
CLICK HERE FOR THE WHOLE VIOLENT VALIANT SAGA!
What Valient? Oh, you mean the paint carrier…I get it now. Shit why don’t you just finish the deal and go get a fibrglass Nova or Camaro body for it?
Wow Gary Smrtic, if that’s your red Dodge on your FB page, it’s really just a paint carrier. Back halfed, giant slicks. The spare tire well is gone from the trunk. It’s obviously got a ‘glass deck lid. Geez. Why didn’t you just build a fiberglass Nova instead of ruining a perfectly good ’65 Dodge. I’ll bet you even cut up the floor to put in frame connectors. What a waste.
Oh, wait, was your intention to build a RACE CAR to handle more power and do more than Chrysler intended it to do?
If you don’t like this build, don’t follow it. Geeeeez.
Those aren’t ‘glass bumpers on your car too are they Gary? You’ve taken away everything that made it a Dodge.
LOL
Points. You get points.
This build is awesome! Can’t wait to see it finished. And to the post above, dudes like this are the reason (in my mind) why more MOPARs aren’t built. When someone builds a Ford or Chevy, there are legions of fans that jump on board and are happy someone is building their favorite car. MOPAR guys see a car being built, and if it doesn’t fit the “MOPAR religion” version of a dragster or restored car, they crap on it.
You guys look like you do awesome work. Keep it coming!!
Joe-NY
As a Mopar guy speaking for myself, I am enjoying seeing this build as the metal fabrication work is awesome. I am hoping to see this Valiant in person at the Street Machine Nationals and to speak with the builders once they have their car done.
Thanks 75Duster. Lots of comments on this installment. WOW! We’ll see what we can do about being at the Street Machine Nationals. Are we talking about Du Quoin IA or Springfield MO??
I’ll be at the DuQuoin, Ill. Street Machine Nationals at the end of June.
This is great, I like different and the Valiant is just that too me. I enjoy watching and reading these build updates. Looking forward to the next one and of course the finished product.
Thanks, keep up the great updates.
Johnny
Great build!!! Looking forward to some more pics!!!
Paint carrier, yes. Awesome, yes. The reason for Mopar religion is that there ain’t a lot of them out there. So another, cut up, hacked up f***** up Mopar signals the death nell for us. Ever try to purchase a/6, 4 door, 3speed Valiant/Dart for under $7,500
Wow. You haters would really lose your cool if you checked out the Pro Touring MoPar site. They don’t “hack” A bodies over there, they f**k up B and E bodies by the dozen. Stop acting like Ma MoPar only built ten cars a year. Restored cars, dragsters, road race cars, hill climbers, they’re all cool. And when it’s odd ball it’s even cooler!
This is probably my favorite build on this site. I do hope the old slant-6 gets put to good use in somebody else’s rig, that engine deserves another shot at life.
That said, a pro-mod Valiant is just such a great idea because you almost never see any kind of earlier Mopar on the track.
Stump Chunkman, yep. It’s living in a MoPar in Indianapolis. True to form, it ran like a Swiss Watch when we bought the car. Those engines are legendary. Longevity, durability and torque. As the saying goes, “Leaning tower of power.”
top work guys .enjoying the build ,64 valiant owner