The 40th / project car issue of GRM has inspired me to finally start a build thread here for this car.
I bought it about a year ago and have been working on it on and off, certainly not the 10 hours per week that was recommended in the magazine.
Anyway, it's a 1970's FiberFab Valkyrie. Mid engine Chevy small block, tube frame, fiberglass body, looks kinda like a famous race car, what more did I need to know? I fell in love and bought it. A few more details: The frame is made by Fiberfab of 2" x 5" x 0.120" rectangular tubing. No VW floorpan in sight. The transaxle and most of the running gear is Corvair. The car hasn't run in many years, I bought it from the widow of the owner. Here are some photos.
So of course I started doing research. Found the GT40s forum where the Valkyrie is kind of a red-headed stepchild, but there are bunch of great and very knowlegable people there. I started a build thread there, but I'll probably be doing more here. Right now I need practical low-bucks advice. That thread is at: https://www.gt40s.com/threads/erikks-valkyrie-rebuild.57507/
I also found several FB groups about Fiberfab, found the original build manual, and etc. So I've gathered a lot of information. And as I work on the car I think I am beginning to know the original builder. He did a pretty good job, except maybe the wiring. He was a good welder, but steel only. He liked his 1/4-20 threadforming screws, which are at least better than sheet metal screws, and he knew to use them in shear not tension. And he was not in the habit of over-tightening fasteners. A welcome change from many old cars I have worked on!
It's also clear the car has been through a few hands and rounds of revisions. It was red once, I do wonder why somebody painted it brown.
So the first thing I did last fall was not on the car at all, but to allow me to store it and work on it indoors. Those projects are stacking up...!
That's the view from my desk, hopefully it will inspire me. The Valkyrie is up on casters, that's why it looks so tall. Normally it is 40" high, true to the original.
It Runs!!
In late February I made an important bit of progress. I rebuilt the Quadrajet carburetor, that was fun. And hung a temporary gas tank and fired it up. Yay! This helps a lot with keeping me motivated for all the long hours this project will need. I also drained the coolant and gas, flushed and bled the brakes, and a bit more. Amazingly the drum brakes :-( are not stuck and the pedal now has reasonable feel.
My plan is to get the car running as directly as possible. If I can at least drive it around the block that'll help my motivation immensely. Then I can start the process of deciding whether I really love the car, and fixing / improving / modifying things. I don't want this to become another stalled project. My project goal is to drive it to the Woodward Dream Cruise next summer. That's a nice low bar - it has to run for 100 miles and it has to look and sound good at 20 feet and 20 mph. Seems attainable...
The engine is a Chevy 350, probably from a '73 Camaro or truck. It appears stone stock except for the valve covers.
This month I wanted to flush and fill the coolant and fuel system so I could maybe drive the car. Oh yes, and an oil change and bleed the clutch and free up the rusty throttle cable. So of course I got some surprises:
- The throttle cable turned out to be easy, a little WD40 and working it back and forth. Somewhere I have a special motorcycle cable oiler dingus, but I didn't even need it. Good thing as it would probably take hours to find it.
- When I pulled off the radiator hoses I got a green bath. Turns out the radiator drain cock was clogged, it wasn't empty as I thought. But at least it was antifreeze not water.
- The fuel tank leaks, which would explain why the fuel system was empty. I thought maybe the PO had drained the fluids in preparation for winter storage... but no.
- I had been concerned about the lack of access in the front, the front clamshell does not open, there is no frunk lid, it's all one piece. But it turns out this car is so simple, there are so few parts, that it was not a problem. four bolts and one wire to remove the radiator, two bolts and one wire to remove the fuel tank.
So after evaluating the situation I decided to install a modern fuel cell and all new rubber lines. This is not the place to cheap out and it looked like just a little more work than fixing the old tank. Oh BTW the old tank was not bolted down, just sitting on some flanges rattling around in there. Maybe it was Corvair, who knows, it's in the dumpster now. Some removed parts I would save but this is not one of them.
So that brings us up to date. Then I got a virus and couldn't work on the car for a few weeks. Hopefully I'll get back to it next week and make some progress. Smells like a test drive around the block isn't too far out of reach. I hope...
That has been my #1 favorite kit car, since I fell in love with them in 1982!!! Have loved many kit cars since a neighbor started a Bradly GT ("ugly is only skin deep") in '72, but never pulled the trigger on one.
Looks like a good start, went to a good home!!!
I will be watching this. Thanks
Gid i love this. No way my fat behind would fit, but they are just so rad.
Ill be watching!
Also, please dont do rubber lines the whole way. The new rubber is not nearly as good as old stuff, amd its just nit the best solution. Grab a roll of 5/16 nicopp amd make it mostly hardlined. Also, get the green writing efi rated rubber hose, as thats the stuff that lives the longest these days.
