Gosh, yet another new guy; thread help?

[Valiant100SM]

Well, not exactly new here, but haven't posted much. Mopar content is kind of low, but I keep my eyes out to see what's going on in the rest of the world. Seems like Mopar folks are always the last to get on the bus...

Anyhoo, enough bellyaching, here's the interesting stuff: 1969 Plymouth Valiant 100 (2-door post sedan), being set up for daily driving and occasionally playing in SCCA SM autoX. Going for the best bang for the buck, using a smattering of new and used power & speed equipment. Currently the car is in the middle of an EFI upgrade using GM electronics, running a low-compression 340 engine, through a close-ratio 4-speed trans. Chassis has SFC's, torque boxes front and rear, ADDCO sways, Mopar Perf torsion bars and ESPO leafs. Brakes are Mopar B-body police rotors & 2000 Viper calipers up front, 10x2.5" drums out back, on a 67 B-body axle (wider). Wheels are 17x8" 96 Mustang Cobras, with BS Potenza RE-010's in 245/45-17.

That's the meat of the matter. Now on to the ??

I posted a question about some wheels I'm looking at in the Wheel/Tire section, and I can't see the post when I click on the link.

Here's what I posted:

Preview Primax Wheel Quality?
I searched here and on CC, got squat about this manufacturer. They appear to be out of SoCal, made in USA, but their web site SUCKS, and I can't find anything meaningful about them. That said, their Sport Max series looks nice, pretty simple and sort of generic, just the kind of thing that would look at home on a Plymouth Valiant. I'm needing a 17x9 in the 35mm offset range to sneak 275's under all four corners, and these are cheap enough to play with:

They're pretty much all over ePay for $500/set +/- some shipping, but I just can't find anyone actually USING them. I can hold off and find a used Ford wheel for a bunch less for testing purposes and I know the Ford wheels clear the calipers, but these might look good for keeps if they won't drop a center on the autoX course. That's the only track time Elvira will ever see.

Thoughts? Opinions? Options?

Thanks in advance,

Clair

Any idea what gives? When I submitted the thread, I got a 404 error, clicked "back", resubmitted, and all looked good. Since then, I haven't been able to see the thread...

Anyone?

Thanks again,
Clair

[derekf]

Looks like the thread went off to lala land. I've only seen that happen a couple of times over the past year or so.

I can't reply to the thread, and I can't edit the thread to put your text above in it; but I can delete it and suggest you try reposting - so that's what I'm doing

Welcome to the site, Clair. You should be receiving posts with the "this thread is worthless without pics" smiley soon, so if you've got pics of your Valiant now would be the time to post them.

[Valiant100SM]

Will-do... here's the most current photo of the old girl:



Not bad for nearly 37-year-old paint. She's been my reliable old girl since 93 or so. She's been getting more attention lately, and some day will have shiny paint & new carpet.

Clair

[Ralph LoGrasso]

Welcome to the site, Clair, glad to have ya-- we need more mopars around here.

[bowtieguys]

I like the 2 dr sedan body style. We are getting ready to build a 66 2 dr sedan chevy II that I bought for my dad. Good luck , and nice ride.

[derekf]

That's wicked cool. Don't think I've ever seen one that didn't have the "altered" wheelbase treatment. Glad to have you.

[Valiant100SM]

Yeah, I fell in love with the little post car when I saw it... to me, they always just screamed "race car" because of the super stock and max wedge factory race cars of the early-mid 60's. The Valiant is even better (IMHO), because it's a tad smaller with a 108" wheelbase, like the Cudas. Sometimes I call her my Boxacuda.

I like the little ChevII sedans, too. I don't know how many times someone has asked me what year my Chevy II is...

Clair

[70Dustpan]

What's your backspacing on the mustang wheels and are you running stock type upper control arms?

I have a 67 2 dr post Valiant that I want to run 17 X 8 bullitt mustang rims on the front, but I have tube upper arms and with the 5 3/4" backspacing on them at full turn/ full extention the rim hits the upper control arms. With a 3/4" spacer the rim just clears the upper. But that's now putting the tire really close to fender lip.

Thanks Brent

[Valiant100SM]

Brent,
I'm running the OE UCA's with poly bushings and the short UBJ. No clearance problems here. The 95-96 Cobra wheels on the car now are the garden-variety 5.72" BS parts, that SHOULD be functionally identical to the Bullitt's, or several other wheels. I did have to bore the hub out to the Mopar size, though. It's just a few thou larger than the Ford, so you could do it ugly with a file...

Note though that a friend of mine with a successful 68 Valiant SM autoXer and nearly identical front end parts has interference problems with the outer tie rod ends and Bullitt wheels. I'm not sure why, beyond just plain old manufacturing differences between cars, years, and aftermarket suspension parts. The OTRE interference can be fixed by top-loading the joints, but that'll require a heim end, and may do strange things to bump steer...

Who made your uppers, and have you driven the car with the 3/4" spacer up front? I'm trying to nail down just how much "frontspace" a wheel can have before it starts getting eaten by the fender. I know I DIDN'T like how the 16x8x4.5" BS wheels fit up front (4.5" FS). Another friend of mine is running 16x8's with 5.25" BS (3.75" FS), and it works great on his 71 Dart Swinger with 255/50 tires. Now you're saying essentially 5" BS (4" FS) fits but is close... that's good to know, especially if it works. I can MAYBE squeak in a 6" BS wheel and not top-load the OTRE. I need ~6.4" BS to center a 275/40 tire in back. (Note, again, I'm using the wider 65-67 B-body rear axle) A 0.4" spacer up front is totally do-able IMHO, and will allow for rotating the tires. Hmmm...

Clair

[70Dustpan]

Hi Clair,

My upper arms are from Reilly Motor Sports. I was looking at a set of stock arms yesterday and my tube arms are just a bit wider at the middle then the stock ones and that is where they touch. I'm still building the car now so I haven't driven it yet.

I have 11/16" C body tie rod ends with solid adjusting sleeves and they clear the rim without the spacer.

I also talked to my buddy that is going to be doing the body and paint at his shop and he said the he should be able to pull the front fenders out 1/2" to maybe 3/4" for more tire clearance so I should be fine with these rims and the spacers.

The rims have a centering lip inside of them too that was to small for my rotor that I had to cut out to fit. And with the spacer I can run the dust cap on the rotor and still fit the center cap on.

For the rear-end I should be able to run a 67 B body 8 3/4" with the springs moved in 2" per side to center the wheels in the opening. I'm planning on 255/45/17s in the back.

Thanks Brent