• There has been a recent cluster of spammers accessing BARFer accounts and posting spam. To safeguard your account, please consider changing your password. It would be even better to take the additional step of enabling 2 Factor Authentication (2FA) on your BARF account. Read more here.

62-66 Plymouth Valiant

RightCoastBias

RightCoastBias

F8TRED
Joined
Jul 1, 2012
Location
Alameda
Moto(s)
'14 F800GS
Name
Ryan
My girl and I currently have 2 cars. My 2010 Civic with the lease up August 2014 and her 2002 Toyota Solara which was recently paid off. I've also got my FZ6, which is what I commute on.

I am hoping to sell her Solara and trade in the Civic for a CRV in 2014 as our family car.

I figured I'd be happy without having a car, as they are utilitarian for me and I've long lost interest in cool/fast/fun cars.

Then I saw a '62-'66 Plymouth Valiant Signet 2 door in the parking lot of Pet Club. Fuck, that thing is sexxy. Really, really, sexxy.

I've done a bit of research on them and they seem to be reliable cars and the slant six is lauded as a great engine. Is there a reason I shouldn't buy one? Well, ya, there is one reason. I want to buy a street legal dual sport that I can set up to run dual sport events like Sheet Iron.

There is no way I can do both, I likely won't even be able to do one. But, a guy can hope.

Neither the dual sport or Valiant would be daily drivers. Likely use the Valiant to get groceries or to go places with friends who don't ride. It would spend most weeks driving from one side of the street to the other for street sweeping. I probably won't take my daughter in it, as the Civic is a better, safer, option. It would also be a nice backup if the bike goes down and I need to get to work. Which is also the reason I want a street legal dual sport, in case the FZ6 needs work, I'll have another means of transportation. Not to mention, I really miss my DRZ and need something to replace the hooligan hole left in my heart when it died.
 
I think your confusing the Valiant with some sort of automobile.

You're buying a hobby. Anything you don't know about the car you will be forced to learn.

Just listening to you I know you've never owned anything that old-if you let it sit for a week between street sweepings, it won't start. Old cars don't sit well.

Heat won't go where you want it (if it ever heats up), power nothing, anemic engine, half the gears your used to, brakes that hate SF hills, everything inside will rattle, forever.

I'd do it.
 
Push button transmission, slant six - what's not to like?

A friend bought one as his first car back in the day. Really nice, truth be told.

I had a slant six in my van. It was between the driver and passenger in the cab. Good times! :)

Slant six's use a quart of oil a month. They don't burn it, it just dissappears. Kind of like a boxer engine. That and they wear like steel. One of Detroits best efforts ever.
 
selling a paid in full reliable car to get into a 50 year old car as backup transportation, from a the bastard child of the detroit automotive juggernaut, in the hands of a guy with a young child and tons of disposable income with a new car payment on top.... i too can't imagine how this is a bad idea.
 
MrIncredible said:
I think your confusing the Valiant with some sort of automobile.

You're buying a hobby. Anything you don't know about the car you will be forced to learn.

Just listening to you I know you've never owned anything that old-if you let it sit for a week between street sweepings, it won't start. Old cars don't sit well.

Heat won't go where you want it (if it ever heats up), power nothing, anemic engine, half the gears your used to, brakes that hate SF hills, everything inside will rattle, forever.

I'd do it.
Click to expand...

Correct. I have never owned an older automobile.

As I said, cars don't really do it for me. But this car has me a little wet. If it will be a project car that requires lots of TLC and love, I'll pass and pick myself up a dualsport or maybe something Tacoma like.
 
RightCoastBias said:
Correct. I have never owned an older automobile.

As I said, cars don't really do it for me. But this car has me a little wet. If it will be a project car that requires lots of TLC and love, I'll pass and pick myself up a dualsport or maybe something Tacoma like.
Click to expand...

Assuming you don't have a place to work on it, either.

It's probably not a good fit for you right now.
 
MrIncredible said:
Assuming you don't have a place to work on it, either.

It's probably not a good fit for you right now.
Click to expand...

Unless it will fit down my 27" alley way opening to my shed, no where to work on it.

That could change in the near future, but I'd rather spend my time wrenching on motorcycles.
 
Suspension, brakes and efficiency are NOT up to modern standards.

Add to this, on a cold night when you get in and fire it up and slide the heater on full to break the chill, prepare to wait until you are almost home for it to kick in. It's a mite slower than you're used to. One of the invisible upgrades in modern cars. I certainly don't miss it. :)
 
And, Mr Incredible, I am glad you replied to this thread. You were the voice I was hoping to hear from, as it seems you know your shit.

Thanks!
 
I've been driving old cars/wrenching on them for years.

I love them. LOVE.

They are not up to snuff compared to anything modern.

They can be, but it's a lot of effort and modifications.

My '62 Falcon operates like a new car.

It also has the transmission out of an '89 Mustang (rebuilt), the motor out of a '94 F150 (rebuilt), new cooling system, new fueling system, new tires, extensive suspension modifications, disc brake conversion, electronic ignition, and been completely rewired.

It's still fucking noisy and rattles. Defrost involves taking off your hat (don't forget your hat!) and wiping it on the inside of the windshield.

Simple to work on.

No one will work on it.

Wipers do nothing.

No one else can probably get it started other than you and six old guys.


It might be worth it, if you haven't had enough to fight with the wife about lately.
 
10 or 15 years ago, you couldn't give that car away. I would assume they want between $1500 and $5000 for it. To me, if you out want a project car, there are a lot of better choices out of there, although Barrett-Jackson has fucked up the prices for the common Joe, the price of this hobby is getting beyond most people.
 
MrIncredible said:
I've been driving old cars/wrenching on them for years.

I love them. LOVE.

They are not up to snuff compared to anything modern.

They can be, but it's a lot of effort and modifications.

My '62 Falcon operates like a new car.

It also has the transmission out of an '89 Mustang (rebuilt), the motor out of a '94 F150 (rebuilt), new cooling system, new fueling system, new tires, extensive suspension modifications, disc brake conversion, electronic ignition, and been completely rewired.

It's still fucking noisy and rattles. Defrost involves taking off your hat (don't forget your hat!) and wiping it on the inside of the windshield.

Simple to work on.

No one will work on it.

Wipers do nothing.

No one else can probably get it started other than you and six old guys.


It might be worth it, if you haven't had enough to fight with the wife about lately.
Click to expand...

Well fuck, I'm sold.
 
corndog67 said:
10 or 15 years ago, you couldn't give that car away. I would assume they want between $1500 and $5000 for it. To me, if you out want a project car, there are a lot of better choices out of there, although Barrett-Jackson has fucked up the prices for the common Joe, the price of this hobby is getting beyond most people.
Click to expand...

I just like the way it looks. I know nothing of it 10-15 years ago, or even a year ago. As stated, I am not a "car guy". They seem to go for $1,500 - $3,500 for cars in reasonable condition, with some going for $7,000+, which is a fucking joke to me.

I am sure the hipster, cool guy crowd has driven up prices. Which is, in part, why I wouldn't want one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top