What started life as a mild-mannered, inline-six-powered Valiant has turned into one beautiful beast. The Hemi power is enough to melt the tires, yet it's tame enough to drive. Don has no trouble driving it down the street or around town. With the car completed, he actively participates in any Mopar event he can make it to.
Fast Facts
'69 Plymouth Valiant
Don Monroe
Clearwater, Fl
Five-thousand rpm comes effortlessly...
Five-thousand rpm comes effortlessly to the Hemi and is passed regularly.
Mopar Power
Engine: The factory Slant Six was tossed for something more unconventional-a Hemi. Inside, you'll find a 236/242-degree duration, .569/.548-inch lift Comp Cams Extreme Roller camshaft. The 4.250-inch bore Ross pistons bring the compression to 10.6:1 and are connected to 6.865-inch Manley H-Beam rods. To complete the rotating assembly, Don uses a 4.150-inch stroke Eagle forged-steel stroker crankshaft.
Fuel, Air, Spark: A pair of Holley 770 carburetors sit on top of an A&A Magnesium cross-ram intake manifold with Kramer fuel lines. Air and fuel are pushed through the CNC'd aluminum Mopar Hemi cylinder heads. Taylor 8mm wires and MSD Pro Billet distributor, 6AL controller, and Blaster II coil provides the spark.
Transmission: The 727 TorqueFlite transmission has a forward manual valvebody from Turbo Action. It also uses a Cheetah shifter and a 3,500-stall converter. It was built by Scott Schlemmer at Midpoint Transmissions in Tampa, Florida.
Rearend: A Chrysler 8¾ 489 case with Yukon axles, 3.91 gears, and a Sure Grip rear.
Sure Grip
Suspension: A Control Freak front suspension setup with coilover QA1 shocks and Flaming River rack-and-pinion. The rear uses Gas Adjust shocks with Super Stock Mopar springs.
Brakes: Slowing this 2,800-pound Valiant are SSBC disc brakes, 11-inch four piston fronts, and 10-inch two piston rears.
Wheels and Tires: The rolling stock consists of American Racing Torq-Thrust wheels and BFGoodrich tires. They measure 15x7-inches in the front and 17x9-inches in the rear, wearing 205/65ZR15 and 255/50ZR17, respectively.
High Impact
Body: Don and his friend Skip Rizzo completed all the bodywork, using panels supplied by Frank Parks of Mopar Restos in Summerville, Georgia.
Paint: Matrix System Red Metallic Pearl paint was sprayed on by Don and Skip.
Interior: Front seats out of an '89 Turbo LeBaron fit nicely. They were covered in white vinyl by Upholstery Etc. in Largo, Florida. Upholstery Etc. also restored the rest of the interior and replaced the carpeting.