Listen, we told you that there would be no moss growing under the Project Violent Valiant stone and we weren’t kidding. After introducing you to the victim starting point of the project last week we’re now going to show that same car getting completely torn down and brought to the fine folks at Redi-Strip to be reduced to the way it first looked after being welded together on a Chrysler assembly line in 1964. To say that Hot Rod Chassis and Cycle is starting from scratch is 100% accurate. As a bonus, some of the great parts and pieces that will be used to make the car into a corner carving terror are also starting to arrive at the shop and we’ll slide you a sneak peek at those, to boot.
If you have ever taken an old car all the way apart, you know there are always some little Easter eggs hidden in it that’ll make you smile, laugh, or shake your head. Sure, there’s loose change and old gum wrappers but we know of guys that have found, ummm, pharmaceuticals, guns, ammo, and all kinds of other contraband tucked in long forgotten corners of old iron. Thankfully Kevin only found a religious idol when pulling this car down and it’s going to stay as a part of the car. We’ll show you in the photos below.
So, here goes! We’ve showed you renderings, we’ve given you the list of build partners, we’ve even showed you the little unassuming Valiant before anyone laid a hand on it. Now we’re getting down to brass tacks and getting dirty at Hot Rod Chassis and Cycle! Scroll down as we tell you the story through photos and captions!
HERE IT GOES…THE VIOLENT VALIANT BUILD IS 100% UNDERWAY!
The 1964 Valiant lived most of its life in California, so disassembly was not hindered by vast amounts of rust and stuck fasteners. The front end practically took itself off the car.
It was not long before the entire drivetrain and suspension were stripped from the Valiant. The next time this thing sits on its own suspension it’ll be a vastly different animal.
We mentioned a religious piece being found in the car and here it is! That’s Mary, chilling out. Since we need all the help we can get when driving something fast, Kevin has decided that Mary needs to stay a part of the car. We agree!
To anyone who lives in a rustbelt state, here’s what a stripped out old California car looks like. No holes in the floor, no missing rocker panels, nothing but some surface patina. A car like this in New England would have fully “ventilated” floor pans.
Organizing stuff during a built is paramount to success. Proper labeling helps, too. Hey, this isn’t the Blues Brothers, so we’re not on a divine mission, but all of it helps!
Seriously, how clean is this thing?!
Yes, even the truck has been spared the torture of the tin worm. That being said, the plasma cutter will do wonders to make lots of what you see here disappear.
Sneak peek! The car will roll on American Racing 200S wheels. This classic look will play right into the Trans-Am style theme of the car. They are going to look boss all tucked under Violent!
Wheel wells full of tire make us giggle like girls.
Taken down to the bones, the body and body panels were brought to RediStrip to be taken down to bare metal.
DANGER WILL ROBINSON! Oh wait, this is a shot of the car in the blasting booth just before the magical process where the paint is shot off the car. Ok, not magical, but still pretty cool.
A good blaster is your friend. Why? Because if done wrong or with the improper media, it’ll destroy the very metal you are trying to save. RediStrip has been around for a long time and the dudes are total professionals. We weren’t worried in the least.
The process is time consuming and requires attention to detail to make sure that every inch of the body is done right.
The smaller items skipped the blasting gun and went straight into the dunk tank. Prepare for a swim, boys!
Thankfully in Illinois places like RediStrip still exist. Several states have made operating a chemical stripping business all but impossible with draconian legislation. You can clearly see from this photo, RediStrip runs a clean and safe operation.
Don’t worry guys, this is going to hurt me a lot more than it will hurt you.
Now, onto the parts! Here’s the Milodon road race style pan that we’ll be using. Stay tuned for more details on these parts and pieces as we get ready to put them to use.
Hotchkis adjustable upper control arms will play a central role in locating the rear end and tuning it for optimal performance.
Their beefy lower arms will anchor the other half of the axle. We run similar pieces on project Buford T Justice and they have performed great on the street, strip, and autocross. Stay tuned for more updates soon!
CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR PREVIOUS PROJECT VIOLENT VALIANT UPDATES!
CLICK HERE TO LEARN ABOUT THE SEMA 2013 VIOLENT VALIANT SCAVENGER HUNT
Car looks to be really clean.
As the owner/restorer of a 1964 Plymouth Valiant, I approve of this project. Nice to see some love shown to the Barracuda’s older sister.
My dad had a 225 Slant Six / 225 h.p.Valiant just like this one, in white with carnation interior.
I’m watching this buildup with interest.
One suggestion-please align the painted stripe rendering on the front fenders with more of a vertical angle to better fit and match the Valiant’s body line.
The current artist’s rendering angled stripe does not complement the Valiant’s “sunflower”-ish body lines, in my opinion.
Always been a FAVORITE, my sister had a 64 with 225/4spd. I loved that car, used to borrow it all the time when I was in HS.