Restoring an AP5 Valiant

[mickeyVX350]

PICS SOON!

G'day all. I thought I'd throw a thread out there in hope of gathering some info and sharing some.

We are about to start restoring my missuses first car, its a:
1964 Valiant AP5
225 3spd
130k miles
Been in the family since brand new

There isn't a lot of work to do, 3 dents and no rust holes - just surface rust.

It was hit in the ass and pushed into another car, but damage was minimal.

I have most of thent in the bum pushed out and only need to drop the back bumper off to finish.

The intention is to restore it, no motor upgrades or go fast - just a cruiser.

If anyone knows of any bits laying about, I am chasing bumpers, grills, tail light lenses.

Cheers,

MD

[HSVDKB]

My first car was a 1964 AP5 Valiant so I will be keen to see your progress. Unfortunately I rolled mine in the wild days of my youth!

[HSVREDSLED]

Was that the one with the push button Auto?

[mickeyVX350]

Was that the one with the push button Auto?

Yeah they were, this is a manual though.


Thi cool, thing about this car was that it was bought in Sea Lake in 64, it sat in a shed up there for 15 years until 1997 when the missus got her licence. It's been sitting for the last 5 years in the dry in Bairnsdale. I went out with the jump starter and it started first click - on LPG.

The brakes are a concern, it pulls to one side terribly - however it doesn't know what side until you need them!

[cali.ls1]

yep bet shes got all round drum brakes too, had a vg with drums and she handled like a shopping trolley under brakes as well. I installed a set of big discs on the front and she stops on a dime now.
You could try hunting around wreckers for some of those parts but id say i would be slim pickings/top price for ap5 parts

Some places to consider are the val repro places around (add the www to the front of these address)

valiantspares.com.au

pentastarparts.com.au

hemiperformance.com.au/

cheers and good luck with the restoration

[seldo]

From memory VC V8s had disc fronts - they'd be straight swap I think

[PSI 364]

Great old cars, my old man owns two sedans ones a burnout special with a lumpy slant 225 in it and the other one we have just picked up one owner who kept every part he ever replaced in the boot and a set of logbooks.

Just doing a another 225 with some old school tricks like Grey motor pistons atm, have some cool go fast parts collected like triple carbs and the likes.

PM me a list of what you are looking for and will see what we have, also can give you a rundown on the disc brake conversion which gives you a falcon stud pattern and good choice of rims.

Post up some pics !!!!

Mick

[mickeyVX350]

Cheers guys, I intend on picking everyone's brain that has offered.

Here are a few snaps. I am trying to get the shed organised and keep the missus happy while trying to get started on the grunta.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/GIJGtp_VXKLbS-FQXHYzETtSN_lW3PN_xsw83SzbkM4?feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/fI3PYUaachf-vpwuD4kNhDtSN_lW3PN_xsw83SzbkM4?feat=directlink

[HAZRDS]

The old Valiant’s are the best in my opinion. My first car was a AP5 push button auto with the slant 225, painted silver dropped on its arse and installed commodore front seats from a VC I think lol, it went hard had no trouble up against the 202 kingswood etc.
I have been trying to find another one. But not many around Sydney especially in a Regal and push button.
Good luck with the build and would like to see how your progress goes etc
:goodjob:

[NIXON]

Sound like a good project mate, can't wait to see pics of it.

[the big fist]

All the usual mopar shops as listed above.
Quite a few good bits and pieces on Ebay as well.
Are you a member of http://www.moparmarketforum.com/forum/index.php

I am restoring my vf hardtop at the moment. Just got some paint on it.
Clicky! (http://www.iinet.net.au/~pdalla/P2230009.JPG)

Also,
For a cheap brake upgrade to the fronts, research land cruiser conversion.

[mickeyVX350]

Thanks for the links again. Ours is pretty mint, the hardest bit is going to be rubbing it back!

The body is mint and dry, no filler and no rust. The interior is untouched.

So far I think I need to replace one guard as it has a very fine ding - a dead straight crease that looks hard to get out.

If her bloody VT would stop crapping out I would get more time to work on it.

[mickeyVX350]

TBF - that looks great. love the colour

[cams290]

They are reproducing the AP5/AP6 headlight trims in fibreglass now, I saw an ad in Street Chrysler.
I had a AP6 years ago with both the aluminium headlight trims dented, I wish they made these when I had mine.

[GMMAD]

brings back memory's my old man had a AP6 ute converted to 318

[walesy]

TBF - that looks great. love the colour

+1 that colour is awesome! :goodjob:

[the big fist]

Cheers,
Bit different to the "thar she blue" it was in my avatar.

Mickey, does the AP suffer from the same rust in the front rail/chassis around the steering box ? I would check that out as it's pretty much a right of passage to get that repaired on a valiant. ! Worst design ever !

[mickeyVX350]

Cheers,
Bit different to the "thar she blue" it was in my avatar.

Mickey, does the AP suffer from the same rust in the front rail/chassis around the steering box ? I would check that out as it's pretty much a right of passage to get that repaired on a valiant. ! Worst design ever !

I'll check it out when I go down to the shed this arvo.

I have to admit, I am getting keen - trying to get some jobs done on the Monaro and try to clean up the missus' Calais as well. I just had a tonsillectomy and other stuff so have been trolling the valiant sites trying to source some bits.

Tammy now wants a 70's charger - haha. my back shed is 15 x 8, and she's filling it!

[mickeyVX350]

Are you spraying it yourself?

[csv rulz]

I'll check it out when I go down to the shed this arvo.

I have to admit, I am getting keen - trying to get some jobs done on the Monaro and try to clean up the missus' Calais as well. I just had a tonsillectomy and other stuff so have been trolling the valiant sites trying to source some bits.

Tammy now wants a 70's charger - haha. my back shed is 15 x 8, and she's filling it!

Mate I wish Jade was that keen to fill my garage. haha. As soon as your feeling better I will come up and give you a hand to sort out the monaro than we can start on the valiant. I'm guessing many a beer will be drunk while restoring the valiant and im looking forward to it.

[mickeyVX350]

Excellent Brodie - The east Gippsland chapter needs it's bookclub!

So far, all we have done in the shed is drink berr; not that there is anything wrong with that.

[VYBerlinaV8]

So far, all we have done in the shed is drink berr; not that there is anything wrong with that.

Yeah - drinking beer with mates in the garage, what a tragedy!

[csv rulz]

Excellent Brodie - The east Gippsland chapter needs it's bookclub!

So far, all we have done in the shed is drink berr; not that there is anything wrong with that.

We spread 10m2 of dirt in your backyard whilst drinking beer! I rode your ripstick whilst drinking beer, oh and oogled your monaro whilst drinking beer.
I spose your right mick, maybe this valiant will be the first constructive thing done in your shed becides drinking beer! :goodjob:

[muzza]

We had an AP5 Safari wagon as kids, it went everywhere, 200 000 miles without any engine work (turned a bearing now though and has been parked for 10+years), I think your darty brakes are down to the steering idler arm bush (bolts to body under fire wall) and Flogged out tie rods maybe. They are a classic no doubt - hope the rebuild goes well.

[aussiemuscle308]

i've owned a few valiants in my time, but oldest was my brother's VC valiant. he bought it from a wreckers after it'd been dunked in the Nyngan floods (back in the 80s). we cleaned out the motor and it fired right up. he owned it for 8 years and then sold it back to that wrecker. fyi, it was Flynn's Wrecker in Cooma. they have lots of old cars if you're looking for something hard to come by.

[exwrx]

Grew up with a VE Safari, slant 6 with 3 on the tree :goodjob:

Basic engineering at its best, but tried to kill me a few times when pushing it outside its limited envelope. :1peek:

When doing my driving test the Vicroads tester asked me what car I had been learning on and when I told him it was a Val, he said "OK so you know how to drive properly then" :jester:

Old man gave it away in the early '90s without telling me as he didnt want me to have it as it was too dangerous :eyes:

[HAZRDS]

Hey mickey just wondering how your restoration is going? I finally got my hands on an AP5.
The fun begins lol :smilesandbanana:

[pugz]

Go the Vals..My mate been restoring one for a while now..
http://www.pugz.me/images/cobbo1.JPG
My other mates beast(American Charger)
http://www.pugz.me/images/cobbo3.JPG

[mickeyVX350]

Nice mate!

The resto is going very slow due to time commitments. So far I have 1 side nearly right to go. Sadly, the drivers side was up near the hay in the hay shed, and as a result any little rusty chips had stained the metal. I took those areas back to bare metal but had a lot of trouble building them back up.

I have also chemical stripped the bonnet as the paint had crazed through.

The passenger side is looking like being not too bad, just a rub back and primer should do it, and I also have a significant tap in the arse to get out.

Still chasing parts unfortunately too.

http://www.facebook.com/michaeldean78/photos#!/photo.php?fbid=10150516895330847&set=a.10150119187065847.278801.577855846&type=3&theater

[whitels1ss]

We used to call the "AP's" "Ar5e Papers" :lol:


There are also some parts listed on the www.gumtree.com website, (well in South Australia anyway,)
I have been chasing parts for the Charger my son is doing
and AP5 and AP6 parts often come up in the searches.;)

Edit...just noticed the date of the original posting of the thread, think it is a waste of time me posting about the parts now. :doh:

[whitels1ss]

Also the moparmarket site often has stuff.

http://www.moparmarket.com/classifieds_list.php

[sjhugh]

Good stuff.

My son is a mad Mopar fan and has a couple he’s built over the past few years.

He spent many long nights sourcing parts from the US.

I’m looking forward to seeing some build photos.

.

[the big fist]

Nice mate!

The resto is going very slow due to time commitments. So far I have 1 side nearly right to go. Sadly, the drivers side was up near the hay in the hay shed, and as a result any little rusty chips had stained the metal. I took those areas back to bare metal but had a lot of trouble building them back up.

I have also chemical stripped the bonnet as the paint had crazed through.

The passenger side is looking like being not too bad, just a rub back and primer should do it, and I also have a significant tap in the arse to get out.

Still chasing parts unfortunately too.

http://www.facebook.com/michaeldean78/photos#!/photo.php?fbid=10150516895330847&set=a.10150119187065847.278801.577855846&type=3&theater

What parts are you still chasing ?
I thought pretty much everything was still available for these beasts.

[mickeyVX350]

In am chasing a front and rear bar, grill and headlight surrounds.

I really need to get off of my bum and finish this!

[the big fist]

In am chasing a front and rear bar, grill and headlight surrounds.

I really need to get off of my bum and finish this!

Yep pentastar parts has those. You might die at the price of the surrounds though !
Don't worry about the time frame, my hardtops in it's 3rd year approaching 4th. Engines taking over a year to build :doh:

[whitels1ss]

Here is a link to a gumtree ad where the guy says he has heaps of early bits

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/peterborough-area/other-parts-accessories/ap6-valiant-regal-parts/1002011751

[pugz]

Yeah spend ya time mate doin up mate..it'll be a wicked cruiser when yr finished...Had a really nice roadrunner i was doin up but some really nice bloke decided to steal it on the day of my father's funeral...If i find him going postal is not even close to what i'm going to do...:machinegun:

[mickeyVX350]

I'm going slow, because I want it to be right. It'll be having an alarm fitted with a kill switch for sure!

Pentastar... hehe! yeah the parts are dear as poison. Realistically I could possibly roll the alloy surrounds but the bumpers are out of shape :(

I'll check out that ad thanks!!!