Tech Question
John Self, Mount Vernon, MO, 1975, Plymouth, Valiant 318
Dear Rick,
this is more Resto, than tech, so here goes. Is there any guide or manual I can buy that will tell me what body panels will interchange between 2 and 4-door valiants? My 4-door is rusty and most of the repop parts are for 2 doors (and most of the guys that sell those parts laugh at me).I’ll be doing trunk, floors, rocker panels, and rear quarters (along with frame connecters and torque boxes).
Also a note that may benefit your readers, Harley-Davidson dealers have DOT5 Brake fluid and the high-grade electric grease in a nice big tube for about 8 bucks.
Thanks for your help!
John-
The only book that tells this tale in detail is the factory parts catalog. You’d need each year that you’re contemplating swaps between. You can get ’em as cd-roms from www.moparmanuals.com, tell ’em I sent you for a special price (probably more!)
However, I can tell you that most “invisible” panels are the same. The OEM floor pan differences were mostly wheelbase related, i.e., 108 vs. 111 in. The important thing to remember is that a significant change in the A-body model lineup occurred in 1973. Prior to that, most Dodge-badged cars were 111″, while all Plymouths were 108″. From ’73-up, however, wheelbase was body-style dependent, not nameplate. So your ’75 Valiant 4-door would be in the 111-inch family – what we used to call a Dart! Therefore, most body pans from a 1967 Dart 2-door sedan would swap.
In many cases, the aftermarket tin is simply made extra long, assuming 111″, you just trim to fit 108s.
Rick
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