[saltydog]

So it has taken some time to got moving in this, my dad and I are finally making some progress on my Valiant!

In Jan of 2010 I had a slight fender bender in which left my Val looking not so good, also it left me with huge law suit that took a year and half to resolve. Now with all that behind us, the car is on it way back to road worthy condition!

I don't have many pics, but here is what the car looked like after the accident.

I just realized I don't have a pic of my new hood, oh well here is what the 1/4 panel is lookin like

It may not look like much, but that sure has taken some time too smooth out.

This section of the trunk was very crumpled, it looks just about new!

I noticed it looks rusty in the pic, but it's not bad at all.

Also I am looking for ideas for color for repaint. The car was originally gold(ugh!) and is now butter cream yellow. Any suggestions?

 

[chuzz]

Paint that sucker fire engine red, Jaime. It'll really stand out then.

 

[saltydog]

Maybe a dark Red....hummmm

 

[saltydog]

More progress is being made, slow but moving forward.

Here is the quarter panel as of now.

Got the hood aligned and fitting nicely, very happy with my $100.00 eBay purchase. Not easy to find a rust free hood.

After looking for colors, I think the dark red might be a contender.

 

[Bob Lincoln]

Looking much better. Body work is not easy.

 

[saltydog]

Looking much better. Body work is not easy.

Thanks! And yes this old school style of body work is not easy or fast, but it sure has been a learning experience for me. Most body shops just want order a new panel and be done with it, not wanting to take time and really make it look good.

 

[bigbassmann]

Looking good Jaime. As Bob said, body work isn't easy.

 

[68RT]

I had an old school bodyman straighten out my hood on the 53 Chev I had. I had thrown a fan blade and it put a 1" tall bump in the hood. By heating, tapping with the hammer (dolly underside) cooling, and repeating the process, he shrunk it right back to original height and finished it with no lead or bondo. It took him about two hours but you could not find it at all. Pushing all that stretche metal back into itself was very interesting to watch. That is how an old blacksmith would had done it too.

 

[saltydog]

Thanks for all the comments! It truly keeps me motivated, as I generally don't keeps cars very long and have been temped several times to let it go.

 

[saltydog]

More progress! Slowly, but surely.

 

[bgoggans]

Wow! You are really doing a wonderful job! Seeing this leaves my hopeful for my project!

I hope I have the patience when I finally start redoing my Val (see pic). There is not a lot of body work to be done (thankfully), but I do plan on sending all of the chrome and aluminum work to a place in Florence, AL to be redone and while it is all off, I want to carefully and slowly take the rest of the car back to as close to new as I can.

 

[saltydog]

Well I am driving my valiant for the first time since 2009!!! Feels great!!

Will post some more pics later, not easy to do from the phone

 

[saltydog]

 

[saltydog]

 

[saltydog]

Here is some more pictures.

Got my Backup lights working!

Some close ups, sorry it was dark. Long day

 

[saltydog]

I was just reading through my Post and relized that I had indicated the accident happend on the Jan 2010, well it ahppen on Jan 2nd 2009. Jan 2010 is when I got notice of the Law suite pending...long story...

 

[chuzz]

The car looks great, Jaime. Nice decision on keeping the butter cream color. I like it. Happy motoring!

 

[saltydog]

The car looks great, Jaime. Nice decision on keeping the butter cream color. I like it. Happy motoring!

Thank you! For now it will stay the Butter Cream, it seems everybody like the color but me! Oddly taht was not a color choice for 1964, but you would think it would have, as it does look great!

Still not sure for the ultimate plan, I am still leaning to Black so we'll see.

 

[saltydog]

Here is some better close up pics.