Hi everybody and thank you for the invaluable info you all help to provide. Especially for us that are still in the early learning stages.

I have the opportunity to buy a -62 Valiant. The idea is crazy considering my present health, but spending day after day in bed and waiting for old age and death isn't very appealing either. Besides, I've pretty much fallen in love with this one...

Anyway, the previous owner had started restoration of the car but died before he got to finish it. As far as I could tell, he had done a pretty good job. It's not showroom quality (I can't do that either), but still, it seems he hasn't cut corner too badly. There's still a lot to do, and it's quite possible I will never be able to finish it. But I'd like to try... Apart from bad health I have limited tools and space (and money) available so it would be important to get it moving under its own power, so I could move it around. This brings me to my question:

The previous awner had removed the original 170 and replaced it with a 225 from an Aspen parts car he had. It seems this wasn't originally planned, he did it because he couldn't get the original engine to work. I'm not sure the 225 works either but it probably does. Now the problem for me is that with the 225, he also installed the automatic transmission that was attached to it (don't know if it works, but I suspect it does). The -62 Valiant is a manual one originally.

The idea of a pushbutton automatic is very appealing, but apart from the transmission I have no parts for it, nor am I sure this Aspen gear box can be used with a push button system. I'm not interested in a non-pushbutton automatic, I'd like to keep the car as original as I reasonably can. The obvious solution would be to remove the automatic and reinstall the original manual gear box. The problem is, it is missing.

Is it possible to reinstall it, if it can be found? Or, I have an extra -65 manual gear box, would that fit? Or has the engine changed by Aspen time, so that installing these older manual gear boxes is not possible? And is there a difference between 60-62 and 63-66 manual gear boxes?

Also the drive shaft is missing. There is one that has been cut (probably for the Aspen automatic), but never finished. I could perhas get a 64-65 shaft, but it seems they are a little shorter (or was it longer)

I hope this is not too confusing. In the first hand I'm looking for an "easy" (yeah, I know, there are no easy ways) and cheap way to just make it work so I can move the car around the yard. later, a permanent solution, of course.

Any info on interchange/compatibility issues and any thoughts are welcome. I haven't bought the car yet and it's a long way from here, so I can't really go and check for details either. I have to make decisions on what little info I have. Note: I've have my -65 Valiant since 1988 and done some work on her, but the (manual) transimission is original, so I've never done anything there and are not very familiar with the subjec, unfortunately...

I could show you a few pictures, but I don't remember how it works here on the board. I'll try to figure it out.

Thanks
Maurice

I can't comment on the standard shift issues, but if you don't have the required parts with the car, it could get expensive to get them. The easiest/cheapest way to get it movable, would be to use the Aspen engine and automatic trans. Install the engine and trans, get a floor shifter. Measure the required length for the driveshaft, and get one fabricated. Do not forget a trans cooler, either one in the radiator, or a stand alone unit.

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Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225

More importantly, Where is the 170/A833 combo?

The Aspen engine and transmission are in place already (not 100% sure they work, but they probably do), also apparently the Aspen radiator. The cooler lines haven't been attached though. Is it necessary for justa a few meters? Running the engine for 60-120 seconds? I don't know much about transimissions and even less about automatic ones. Is it possible to use the column-shifter for manual gear box temporarily? Just to move the car a few meters in the yard. Do they use similar linkage systems?

I agree, the push-button system will probably prove too expensive and difficult as I have no parts for it. Re-installing an original type of manual gearbox (A903 I believe) is the most likely long term solution. I just wonder if a later -64 or -65 A903 will work if the original cannot be found, or is there a difference between first and second generation manual Valiant gear boxes.


"Dan-o" mentioned the A833. I understand that is a floor shifter so it won't be an option. In general, I prefer to keep things orignal-like, if possible. And personally, I've never been a fan of "floor-sticks" (yes, I belong to the crazy minority that feels so).

Thank you for the input so far. Anybody know about if the A903 interchangeability early 60's - mid 60's?

The Slant 6 crankshaft design changed in 1967 or '68, so matching up engines and transmissions across that line is not a bolt-in job. Depending on which way you go, you either have to machine the back of the crankshaft or use an adapter plate. I forget which is which, to be honest.

Unfortunately, I don't think you can make a pushbutton shifter work with a later automatic transmission. It would have to be a cable-operated transmission at least. I think the easiest way to get it driveable in the short term will be to rig up a temporary floor shifter for the Aspen's A904. Then you can at least move it around while you plan out the manual transmission installation.

I would think the trans cooler wouldn't be necessary for just moving it around the yard, but I'd wait to hear from one of the guys who know more than I do before you plan on that. At a minimum, you'll have to connect the two cooler lines to each other or you'll just be dumping trans fluid on the side of the engine block when it's running.

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Somehow I ended up owning three 1964 slant six A-bodies. I race one of them.
Escape Velocity Racing

Thanks, that was valuable info. I didn't know there was a problem with the engine+transmission combination. I always thought the "improvements" to the engine were minor interior ones. Live and learn.

I guess the push-button transmissions were cable-operated. What system is used in the Aspen automatic? The car sat so low on the ground I wasn't able to see much under. I could just see a dipstick sticking out on the passenger side and saw the cooling lines (good point about connecting the cooler lines. I would have thought about it eventually, but....).

I'm beginning to wonder if it is worth the hassle to rig up the automatic for temporary moving the car between garage and yard at all. Might be easier to try to sell the Aspen engine+transmission combo and rebuilt the original engine right away. IF I can find the original manual transmission and driveshaft. It's hard to believe they could have been misplaced, when there are so many smaller part that are loose and still there.

Still looking for info on whether a later (-64 or -65) A903 will work if the original cannot be found, or is there a difference between first and second generation manual Valiant gear boxes.

You can swap in any of Mopar's A or F body manual 3 speeds regardless of type, as long as you have the linkage (so that allows for the A745, A903, or the synchro A-230 that will allow shifts back to 1st without stopping the car), and the fly wheel matches the crank (i.e. if you have a pre 1968 motor/crank you need the small center bore pre-1968 flywheel, for the aspen engine it needs a 1968-1987 flywheel)....

If you have two different A903's you are intending on parting into one good box, you will have to open them up and check bearing sizes and count gear teeth to see how compatible they are to each other.

Thanks. So an Aspen flywheel would make the Aspen engine compatible with an early (early-mid 60's) A903?

I believe I saw somewhere that the 62 drive shaft was something like 1-2mm (sorry for the metric) shorter or longer (forget which) than a 65 drive shaft. If I remember it correctly, would such small difference matter? There is the ball&trunnion front join that allows front-rear movement. Shouldn't that be able to take care of it (a bit like lowering or raising the rear end will change the length. Or is there something else to be considered? Does the difference in length affect he balancing or cause other problems?

Can't wait to get the car home, so I can take a proper look. Have to wait minimum 2 weeks more though.