The ’68 Valiant boasts unique...
The ’68 Valiant boasts unique creases on the bottom third of its fenders, doors, and quarter-panel. Jon says a metallic paint usually hides these unique character lines.
Ultimately, Jon’s dream of building a 700hp beater didn’t come to fruition and he gets a kick out of calling the Valiant a bastard. Just like an illegitimate love child, however, it proved to be a heck of a lot more fun to make than a legitimate child. As this story is being written, Jon has just returned home from a weekend of autocrossing and 600 miles of street cruising. Not surprisingly, the car performed flawlessly while turning heads in the process. That’s not too shabby at all for what he considers an utter failure.
“The great thing about this car is that you can autocross it one day, then change the shock valving and take it to the dragstrip the next day. That wasn’t even possible 10 years ago.” —Matt Delaney
A great perk of building an...
A great perk of building an A-Body is that trim pieces are in low demand, and therefore dirt cheap. Builder Matt Delaney scored the grille, parking lamps, and taillights for next to nothing at a swap meet.
Surprisingly, the monster...
Surprisingly, the monster wedge motor drops right in without any modifications to the engine compartment. The RMS K-member includes big-block motor mounts, and TTI offers a set of off-the-shelf headers to complete the conversion.
A great perk of building an...
A great perk of building an A-Body is that trim pieces are in low demand, and therefore dirt cheap. Builder Matt Delaney scored the grille, parking lamps, and taillights for next to nothing at a swap meet.
A-Bodies aren’t blessed with...
A-Bodies aren’t blessed with large wheelwells. To address the situation, the RMS suspension pieces were moved inboard, and the Valiant got a mini-tub job.
Even with six forward gears,...
Even with six forward gears, big-blocks don’t get great mpg. Jon’s solution is a 32-gallon fuel cell designed for a Jeep Cherokee that fits between the framerails perfectly. The trick battery box is straight from the street rod world.
Jon Clark, 43 • Grosse Pointe Park, MI
Type: Chrysler 528ci big-block
Block: World Products aluminum bored to 4.500 inches
Oiling: Speed-Pro high-volume oil pump, Milodon pan
Rotating assembly: Barton 4.150-inch forged crank and billet rods; JE 10.0:1 forged pistons
Cylinder heads: ported Edelbrock Victor Max Wedge aluminum raised-runner castings with 2.20/1.81-inch valves
Camshaft: custom Barton hydraulic roller (specs classified)
Valvetrain: COMP Cams valvesprings, retainers, pushrods, and timing set; Crane 1.61:1 rockers
Induction: Edelbrock Super Victor Max Wedge intake manifold, Holley 2,000-cfm throttle-body
Ignition: MSD billet distributor, coil, plug wires, and ignition box
Fuel system: JAZ 32-gallon fuel cell, Holley HP EFI system and electric pump
Exhaust: TTI 2-inch headers, ARCA take-off side pipes
Built by: Ray Barton Racing Engines (Robesonia, PA)
Transmission: Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual, American Powertrain clutch
Rear axle: Chrysler 8¾-inch rearend with Moser aluminum centersection, 35-spline axles, 3.91:1 gears, and limited-slip differential
Front suspension: RMS AlterKtion K-member, control arms, coilovers, sway bar, and spindles
Rear suspension: RMS four-link and coilovers
Brakes: Wilwood 12-inch discs with four-piston calipers, front and rear
Wheels: Forgeline ZX3P 18x7 (4.5-inch backspace), front; 18x9 (6-inch backspace), rear
Tires: Nitto 555; 225/40R18, front; 305/45R18, rear