Thread: 1968 Plymouth Valiant 1st Gen HEMI

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Cade wasn’t available a couple of Sundays this month so I pretty much concentrated on the interior and wiring which is now pretty much done.

So far I’m happy with the AC/Heat unit. I got the ducting run (making sure it didn’t interfere with the wiper linkage was kind of a PIA). Although the heater hoses and AC lines have yet to be built/connected, I was able to test the unit and check for the volume of air that would come out of the vents. I’m very happy with the results. There’s good velocity coming out of the under-dash vents and the floor air diverters work well. I’m especially happy with the defrosters, they shouldn’t have any problems keeping the windshield clear (this was the major complaint I had with the last aftermarket unit I installed).

Other than the under dash vents the other visual mod for the AC/Heat unit was redoing the factory heater control panel and using the controls provided with the unit.

Z interior 2 by M Patterson, on Flickr


When I bought the car at a glance the rear seat area didn’t look too bad, but the more time I spent on the inside of the car the less I liked it. On closer inspection it looked like it had been upholstered with whatever leftover black material they had on hand. It was mismatched compared to the front carpet and when we got the rear seat/trunk divider out we found it was just the deteriorated original cardboard piece with insulation glued on one side and carpet on the other.

I started by cutting a new divider from 1/8” masonite (if I was still using a fuel cell or planning on seriously racing it I would have built it from metal).

Z Divider by M Patterson, on Flickr

That was carpeted and insulated and a pair of speakers added (I would have mounted them in the package tray but the rollbar braces now go thru those holes. they’re so close together due to the trunk bracing). Then we put new carpet that matched the front carpet down and called it good.

Z interior 3 by M Patterson, on Flickr

Then it was on to the dash and figuring out where to place all the accessories I wanted and do the necessary wiring. I had to do the wiring for the new gauge cluster, AC, OD transmission, electric fuel pumps, stereo and speakers, satellite radio, GPS, cruise control ect ect.


By the time I had added the control knob for the power steering, cruise control, stereo, Satellite radio, GPS and controls for the floor air, it’s a little busy looking (although the GPS and Satellite radio will likely be removed except for long trips). I had looked at using a double DIN sized unit that would have still provide me the GPS, Satellite radio, FM radio, and a bunch of other features I’d never use (although a backup camera while not really necessary with this car, would have been a neat toy till the novelty wore off). I’m capable of doing the dash mods to do a nice installation (including relocating the heater/AC control panel) but it was more work than I really wanted to get in to and the satellite radio and GPS are set up to be transferable to 2 other vehicles I own, so I stayed with that.

I also added a couple of cup holders to the console (had the top of the console been in better shape I might fell a little bad about cutting those holes).

All in all I happy with the way it turned out especially the gauge cluster. The set up when I bought the car was pretty useless for a street car with the tach and aftermarket gauge cluster locations.


68 Cluster 1 by M Patterson, on Flickr


The new cluster is a lot easier to see and monitor what’s going on.

Z interior 1 by M Patterson, on Flickr


Yeah I know the metal flake steering wheel might not be to everyone’s taste (I actually thought about adding a Tuff Wheel instead). I was working in a Chrysler Plymouth dealership when these cars were new. At that time K Mart was the first big box store and everyone one of them had an automotive section with a selection of the metal flake wheels in various colors. At least where I was they were a popular add on. It just takes me back to a happy time. On the plus side the horn actually works now LOL


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