Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

Thanks Tiptoe!  We are really looking forward to it.

Off-Kilter Racing
'62 Plymouth Valiant "ToadRacer" - Organizer's Choice, IOE...
'86 Toyota MR2 (needs engine)

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

Dudefladge wrote:

Thanks. They are just run of the mill Ford Explorer take offs. 16”.


what tires are you running?

"get up and get your grandma outta here"

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

Falken Azenis 225/50/16

Off-Kilter Racing
'62 Plymouth Valiant "ToadRacer" - Organizer's Choice, IOE...
'86 Toyota MR2 (needs engine)

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

Dudefladge wrote:

Falken Azenis 225/50/16

we like those....good luck. Love the car, but I'm a Mopar guy. If you blow up the leaning tower of power, go get ya a 5.9 magnum.

"get up and get your grandma outta here"

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

Looking good Rob! Can't wait for the Slant-off at Sebring.

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

We won’t be able to keep up with your turbo Dart running at Escape Velocity speeds, but it will be fun racing together again Frank!

I’m pretty determined to keep this car a Slant 6 Mr. Yuck. We will add a little power to it, but I think it will stay Slanted.  I’ve got a ‘59 Studebaker Silver Hawk that might get Hemified though... ;-)

Off-Kilter Racing
'62 Plymouth Valiant "ToadRacer" - Organizer's Choice, IOE...
'86 Toyota MR2 (needs engine)

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

Dudefladge wrote:

We won’t be able to keep up with your turbo Dart running at Escape Velocity speeds, but it will be fun racing together again Frank!

I’m pretty determined to keep this car a Slant 6 Mr. Yuck. We will add a little power to it, but I think it will stay Slanted.  I’ve got a ‘59 Studebaker Silver Hawk that might get Hemified though... ;-)

I bet if you went with a 4 speed you'd pick up some time.. and Gen I Hemi? Very cool. I had a 51 Dodge Pick up I was thinking about dropping a Gen I in, but sold it sad

"get up and get your grandma outta here"

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

Well, Sebring was a blast!!

The car ran great all weekend with just a couple minor teething problems.

We were out on track turning laps for almost 15 hours. Only two cars were on track longer (by 5 and 20 seconds).

We finished 34th out of 60 with 182 laps (about 673 miles).

We even won Organizer’s Choice!

The car passed tech with flying colors.

The simple approach with slightly thicker torsion bars, front sway bar, decent used shocks and a good alignment made it well balanced and it handled well. Very neutral and predictable. The stock small rotor disc brakes up front with EBC yellow stuff pads worked fine all weekend.

The only issues were a leaky oil pan gasket, leaky rear axle seal and a melted shifter cable. We made a diaper out of a gallon oil bottle and shop towels and left it in drive.

Next up is a little more power (head work and cam) and maybe bigger brakes.

We are signed up for NCM in Bowling Green, KY 25-26 September.

Off-Kilter Racing
'62 Plymouth Valiant "ToadRacer" - Organizer's Choice, IOE...
'86 Toyota MR2 (needs engine)

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

Dudefladge wrote:

Well, Sebring was a blast!!

The car ran great all weekend with just a couple minor teething problems.

We were out on track turning laps for almost 15 hours. Only two cars were on track longer (by 5 and 20 seconds).

We finished 34th out of 60 with 182 laps (about 673 miles).

We even won Organizer’s Choice!

The car passed tech with flying colors.

The simple approach with slightly thicker torsion bars, front sway bar, decent used shocks and a good alignment made it well balanced and it handled well. Very neutral and predictable. The stock small rotor disc brakes up front with EBC yellow stuff pads worked fine all weekend.

The only issues were a leaky oil pan gasket, leaky rear axle seal and a melted shifter cable. We made a diaper out of a gallon oil bottle and shop towels and left it in drive.

Next up is a little more power (head work and cam) and maybe bigger brakes.

We are signed up for NCM in Bowling Green, KY 25-26 September.

will late A-body disc's work? I have used them on several 67-70 body's. Cheap and work very well. You might also want to consider c-body ball joints, they are longer and heavier. They will give you some more adjustment. look up Scott Brown at Competition Components for your cam. He will grind you something exact. Good luck, love the car. Have you put it on a diet yet?

"get up and get your grandma outta here"

60 (edited by Dudefladge 2021-05-23 12:34 PM)

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

Late A body discs is what I was referring to. We just used the stock stuff with good pads. We have the smaller 10.87(?)” rotors. Not the larger 11” ones. We might be going with 13” rotors and nice calipers for even better braking.

I haven’t gutted the hood or trunk structures, but it has lost a couple hundred pounds since I got it. Glass, rear door skins, mechanisms, and lots of undercoating.

Off-Kilter Racing
'62 Plymouth Valiant "ToadRacer" - Organizer's Choice, IOE...
'86 Toyota MR2 (needs engine)

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

I wonder if the police package diplomat brakes will bolts in??

"get up and get your grandma outta here"

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

Mr.Yuck wrote:

I wonder if the police package diplomat brakes will bolts in??

We upgraded to the larger rotors before NCM. Same calipers with the larger mounting brackets. We even stepped up to slotted rotors. Brakes are more than adequate now for our power level.

The upgraded shortblock is together. The cheaty head is at the machine shop. We hope to have it in for CMP in late April.

I'm now at Fort Bragg, NC... the car is still back in KY... the engine is in VA... Yeah,... that's gonna work... LOL

Off-Kilter Racing
'62 Plymouth Valiant "ToadRacer" - Organizer's Choice, IOE...
'86 Toyota MR2 (needs engine)

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

Dudefladge wrote:
Mr.Yuck wrote:

I wonder if the police package diplomat brakes will bolts in??

We upgraded to the larger rotors before NCM. Same calipers with the larger mounting brackets. We even stepped up to slotted rotors. Brakes are more than adequate now for our power level.

The upgraded shortblock is together. The cheaty head is at the machine shop. We hope to have it in for CMP in late April.

I'm now at Fort Bragg, NC... the car is still back in KY... the engine is in VA... Yeah,... that's gonna work... LOL

hahaha good luck

"get up and get your grandma outta here"

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

Latest upgrade is a gas filler tube and Lemons approved cap running up to the C pillar area for easier refueling. That job is almost complete.

A team member from NC plans to go pick up the car from KY and take it to another team member's place in VA next week.

We have an engine swapperoo weekend planned for early March.

I crawled around a salvage yard this weekend looking for a Ford 8.8 with limited slip for a future axle upgrade. Other folks beat me to the good 8.8s.

Looking forward to the Block Party and race at CMP in late April. The team member in VA is determined to drive ToadRacer to the race. It's about a 4-5 hour drive. FUN!! :-)

Off-Kilter Racing
'62 Plymouth Valiant "ToadRacer" - Organizer's Choice, IOE...
'86 Toyota MR2 (needs engine)

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

The factory clutch type lsd is garbage and wont hold up well with road racing. You can find a used spring type for an 8.8 for fairly cheap as long as you match the axle splines.   They are usually $100 ish on facebook marketplace.

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

Thanks. I need to get smarter about the 8.8. Maybe I should just grab one with the right gear ratio and add my own LSD….(?). The open diffs are fairly plentiful. Prices range from $150-$350 from what I’ve seen so far.

Off-Kilter Racing
'62 Plymouth Valiant "ToadRacer" - Organizer's Choice, IOE...
'86 Toyota MR2 (needs engine)

67 (edited by OnkelUdo 2022-02-17 08:15 AM)

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

Dudefladge wrote:

Thanks. I need to get smarter about the 8.8. Maybe I should just grab one with the right gear ratio and add my own LSD….(?). The open diffs are fairly plentiful. Prices range from $150-$350 from what I’ve seen so far.

If you have a PnP, the Explorers had about 30% LSD's...I think all the V8's, all the Eddie Bauers, etc.  It is actually on the door tag as a code.  The Explorer 8.8 is I think the narroest but it is an offset pumpkin (one axle tube is shorter than the other).

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

Dudefladge wrote:

Thanks. I need to get smarter about the 8.8. Maybe I should just grab one with the right gear ratio and add my own LSD….(?). The open diffs are fairly plentiful. Prices range from $150-$350 from what I’ve seen so far.


i have a bunch of 8.8 gear sets.   2.73, 3.27, 3.55, and 4.10    I have no use for any of them except for maybe the 4.10 down the road. If you want to come pick one up you can have it.

69 (edited by Dudefladge 2022-02-17 08:54 AM)

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

Thanks.  I have the axle codes and tag information to help find what I'm looking for, but all of the ones with LSDs were already picked. I found several 3.55, 3.73, and 4.10 open diffs though. For the early A body we grab another short side axle and shorten the long side of the housing.

For this car we think 3.55 or 3.73 will be about what we want. We hope to upgrade to a 5 speed eventually...

Right now we are running the little Mopar 7 1/4 with a 3.55 Sure Grip and a 904 automatic trans. The rear diff is probably one of the weaker links in our set up. It has done fine for two races so far, but probably better to plan an upgrade.

Off-Kilter Racing
'62 Plymouth Valiant "ToadRacer" - Organizer's Choice, IOE...
'86 Toyota MR2 (needs engine)

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

hkerekes wrote:
Dudefladge wrote:

Thanks. I need to get smarter about the 8.8. Maybe I should just grab one with the right gear ratio and add my own LSD….(?). The open diffs are fairly plentiful. Prices range from $150-$350 from what I’ve seen so far.


i have a bunch of 8.8 gear sets.   2.73, 3.27, 3.55, and 4.10    I have no use for any of them except for maybe the 4.10 down the road. If you want to come pick one up you can have it.

Funny because we actually had to buy a 3.55 set off ebay (new takeoff) because we found the 3.73's too steep for our low-reving torque monster of a car.

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

I would have went with wider tires.    We have 270 ish torque from our 4.6 and the only reason i have 3.73 instead of 4.10 is gearing and rpm.  If i switch to taller tires and get more rpm out of the motor we can make 4.10 work.

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

hkerekes wrote:

I would have went with wider tires.    We have 270 ish torque from our 4.6 and the only reason i have 3.73 instead of 4.10 is gearing and rpm.  If i switch to taller tires and get more rpm out of the motor we can make 4.10 work.

'47 Plymouth only has so much space for taller tire with the enclosed fenders.

73 (edited by Dudefladge 2022-02-17 10:13 AM)

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

The '62 Valiant has nice wheel arches in the rear. As long as you have a stiff enough suspension you can run wider tires/wheels. No way we could do that on the 64 Valiant. Those wheel wells are very restrictive.

We have been running Explorer and Mustang 16X7 wheels so far. For CMP we have a set of Mustang 17X8s.

Off-Kilter Racing
'62 Plymouth Valiant "ToadRacer" - Organizer's Choice, IOE...
'86 Toyota MR2 (needs engine)

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

OnkelUdo wrote:
hkerekes wrote:

I would have went with wider tires.    We have 270 ish torque from our 4.6 and the only reason i have 3.73 instead of 4.10 is gearing and rpm.  If i switch to taller tires and get more rpm out of the motor we can make 4.10 work.

'47 Plymouth only has so much space for taller tire with the enclosed fenders.


Ahh, im fairly lucky that i made a 285/35/18 fit with no issues.   I can fit a 295/40/18 in the rear really cheap with used rims, but getting rims for the front isnt so easy.   The swaybar is in the way of the tire.  It needs about a -25 offset on an 18x11 to work.

Re: Off-Kilter Racing - '62 Valiant Slant 6 in Kentucky

Dudefladge wrote:

The '62 Valiant has nice wheel arches in the rear. As long as you have a stiff enough suspension you can run wider tires/wheels. No way we could do that on the 64 Valiant. Those wheel wells are very restrictive.

We have been running Explorer and Mustang 16X7 wheels so far. For CMP we have a set of Mustang 17X8s.

Im serious about those gears, you can have a set if you need it.    Im just over in Raleigh.