Three on the Tree, Slant 6 Project(First Test Drive)

I just got home from a recent trip to Louisiana to pick up the Slant 6, 3 on the Tree, 1966 Plymouth Valiant. Now it’s time to check it out, give it its first test drive since getting it, and reveal the plans for the future!
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[@buck546]

The Chrysler slant six was a tuff little engine. I had a 1975 dodge power wagon back in the early eighties with a slant six and three speed column shifter that was so worn out that it would roll in gear when parked on any incline. But that little truck never failed me. She always took me where I needed to go and started up everytime. I was newly married with a baby at the time and got financially strapped and that little truck carried me through until I got back on my feet. She literally saved me in a time of need and although I have owned a lot of new impressive big V8 trucks I never forgot that little beater truck with the tuff little slant six.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks for sharing! This one will get a full performance rebuild and back in!

[@chumleye1112]

That car is a nice piece of Mopar history and what some of us drove as our first cars with a 3 on the tree and a slant. I would take it in a heartbeat.

[@JustMoparJoe]

It’s a fun one. He wants a slant 6 build up. It’ll be my first. Lol

[@Mynextproject_74]

That's a sweet little car! I think I need a 3 on the tree for my fleet!

[@rod426]

My thoughts about the car too. Love it!

[@JustMoparJoe]

Don’t we all! I won’t want to give this one back!

[@rod426]

@@JustMoparJoe I wouldn't either!

[@powellpatterson4928]

This is the car I learned to drive in and it later became my 1st car

[@JustMoparJoe]

Awesome!

[@don66hotrod94]

Joe, This brings back memories for me. My Dad switched from Ford to Plymouth in 1957, following his buddy from the Ford garage to the Chrysler/Plymouth dealer. He had a '57, 63, and 66 Belvidere, all with the slant six and 3 on the tree. IIRC, he almost never used second gear, he'd just wind them up in first and drop right into third.

[@JustMoparJoe]

I found myself doing the same when I drove it through town. Such a neat car

[@318willrun]

what a fun ride! Oil pressure is concerning, but you'll have it all corrected and humming like a sowing machine!

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks Tim! Fun to cruise!

[@mikehager4070]

I had a 1964 Valiant station wagon for almost 4 years. It was a wonderful and dependable car. Slant six, three on the tree. Hauled all manner of things in it. One time there were six of us packed in the Valiant with all our stuff returning to college from West Virginia to South Carolina. The old car made it without complaint. I never had any trouble with it at all. Might be the best car I ever owned. My father was a Ford dealer. He gave Plymouth Valiants to both my brother and me!

[@JustMoparJoe]

Smart Man! Thanks for sharing Mike. My dad instilled the Mopar bug and the ford hate! 😂

[@ClaremontClassicGarage]

Love our 3 on the tree 71. If you can gather up the parts toss the 903 trans and put in a A390 (actually a Tremec T150) 73-76 trans. It uses slightly different linkage so you need the linkage and the trans but it is more robust and fully synchronized. It is a great swap. LUV your car!

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks for sharing! I will keep an eye out. I’m assuming it’ll need to a be a body specific?

[@ClaremontClassicGarage]

@@JustMoparJoe yes mine came from a 75 valiant

[@BuckDOESIT]

Nice car 🚗 lots of potential

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks Buck! It’ll be the cleanest slant 6 build on KZbin!

[@user-oq5bv8ue4c]

Wow. The body looks flawless. Nice little piece of Chrysler history. I'd read that most of the performance problems with Chrysler vehicles came from the fact that Chrysler put champion spark plugs in þhe engine at the factory, and they were basically crap. I remember a tine when champion was one of the biggest names in spark plugs. I remember back in 1974, my best friend's grandfather bought a 75 Imperial LeBaron. He had it about a year when he began having starting, fuel consumption and over all performance problems. He was a die hard Chrysler man, so he took it to his mechanic. He opened the hood, took off one spark plug wire, and said "yep, just as I thought. Your problems are these god d%$#m s%@t champion plugs. So he replaced them with autolights, adjusted the timeing and the car ran better than it did when it rolled off the lot. The 75 Imperial Lebanon was and will always be the most handsom car ever built. That car started a lifelong romance with Chrysler for me. Thats one sweet little Plymouth you got there.

[@jimbo3214]

If I had that car I would make it my daily driver and just take the 72 Charger out on weekends. Love the little cream puff.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Absolutely! I will drive it to town until the slant 6 build starts up

[@edsmachine93]

I love this car. I found myself sitting in the recliner imagining driving the 3 on the tree. Baaaa, baaaaa, baaaa, baaaa! Hehe. The sound going through the gears. Well we can play, if only in our minds!. Take care, Ed.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks Ed. I’ll take you for a ride in it sometime!

[@JustMoparJoe]

After the engine build 😂

[@edsmachine93]

@@JustMoparJoe I will be glad to go for a ride.

[@DuddiesAdventure]

All Right! A Leaning Tower Of Power Build! Great Video Joe, That car is a true Cruiser!

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks Duddie! It really moved better than some clapped out 318’s I’ve driven

[@lilmike2710]

I love that car. Absolutely gorgeous. I owned a 1973 Valiant back in the 90's. All my "cool" buddies thought it was a 💩 box.. and it was I guess. But I loved that car and wish I still had it.

[@JustMoparJoe]

I had a 74 duster slant, auto with freezing cold air. It was an oil burner

[@rickciaburri5722]

I had a 65 V100 2 door sedan. It was great.

[@JustMoparJoe]

That would be nice!

[@musclecarmitch908]

Seems like a sweet little car! Really cool it's a manual transmission!👍

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks buddy. Super fun to drive . Will be more fun when the power hits

[@kevinhawley962]

that trans at 60mph lol its like shoot me xD.... awesome car old 3 on a tree.... u dont see them anymore..... last time i saw 1 i was 8yrs old... im now 32

[@Cannontime]

That is a cool car!

[@JustMoparJoe]

Absolutely! Still have her around to get to as a project

[@ply61]

Ahh yes I have a ´62 Fury with the same engine and three on tree, sweet machine to drive, cruise along and not a gas guzzler, i'm suffering from brakes being not cooperative haha I can tell yours has a different pitch for the engine but overall it's the same as mine, hopefully i'll be able to upload some vid when i can make the brakes work!

[@JustMoparJoe]

That’d be awesome! Thanks for sharing!

[@ericwilson2585]

That car is absolutely beautiful Joe, I'd definitely check out the freeplay in that steering wheel though. Kinda makes me think we're on our way to the Woodstock concert.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Will do Eric! ✌️

[@moparnut6286]

Great little car and well preserved.

[@JustMoparJoe]

It really is. Minus the seats. I believe he wants a bench.

[@bikdav]

That “misfiring” was very common before fuel injection became common.

[@dankonz5177]

With a few minutes of adjusting you can get the slack out of the steering gear box. Get the up/down on the pitman arm tight first, then tighten the bearing preload on the worm gear until the play is gone. They won't be like a new car because the steering ratio is slow, but most of that play can be gone.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks Dan. I will get to it soon. It doesn’t drive terribly to be so old, but I have t messed with the worm gear muchZ

[@rickseeman5679]

I had a 64 Dodge like that once and I loved it.

[@JustMoparJoe]

I’ll come take you for a ride in this one someday!

[@donreinholz8121]

That should be a fun project Joe. I guess if you rebuild it you will put a better cam in it and maybe do some head porting too? Since the brakes pull maybe that LF wheel cylinder is leaking. Do you always use Autolite plugs? Will you put a header on it? UTG has done some slant six cars also. That Valiant probably gets around 30 mpg. Fun rebuild.

[@JustMoparJoe]

I typhoid for NGK v power. Auto lite is good for this sort of thing. Car will get extensive engine work. Cam, 4 barrel, header, block and head milled. It’ll be a screamer. That’s what the owner wants. But definitely keeping the A/C

[@lilmike2710]

You'd want to port the heads on a slant 6 daily driver? I don't see the point myself. To each his own but if your not building a racer or a towing rig then by porting the heads and all that, your literally just causing it to drink more gas. To each his own I reckon. 🤔

[@JustMoparJoe]

@@lilmike2710 the owner of the car wants it to be a screamer. A fun car he can zip around in. It wouldn’t be extensive port work, but there is often easy room for improvement. Every 2-3 gonads up to 10-20 hp. Making an engine more efficient will increase its fuel mileage.

[@JustMoparJoe]

@@lilmike2710 the majority of the head work will be in seats and valve job. Check out 318willrun. He just did a similar job on his van engine

[@lilmike2710]

@@JustMoparJoe Yes, so long as you stay out of that carburator 👍 If that's what he wants then hell yea. In that case... I look forward to seeing what all u do to it. I've never ported a /6 head before but I have seen it done. The old fella lined a gasket up on there where it goes and sprayed spray paint to basically show where all he could port. Like I said, I've never done it but he was saying watch out for the coolant tunnels. Heck, grinding down all the casting imperfections inside the heads helps a bunch. 🤔 I believe custom intake manifolds can be had for those. I'm %100 certain they can be fabbed up. Okay... I'm all in ready to watch this upgrade taking place . Love me some mopar. 🍿

[@Roberto_Garcia_]

My first vehicle that my parents bought me was first a 1970 Yellow two door Cutlass Supreme with 2 doors, a 350, and a trick shifter. I was still in high school, but title was in dad's name. Back in late sixties they (my parents) brought me and gave me title to a 1969 green Dodge 330 four door, with a slant six. It had a three speed column shift and stupidly, I do not own this fantastic built rod with a Mopar Slant Six. I was born in 1950, the last month of that year. I do appreciate this vehicle now, even thou I'm not allowed to drive any vehicle, because of the theft of both my driver license and licence plate we're stolen by individuals that I'm sure will eventually be caught. I really do not want to see other people suffer but I do believe in accountability for one's illegal activity for criminal actions for attempting to make decisions for another person's choice in disrespect towards violations of written or fabricating illegal laws because they think they will never be caught and have to give accountability for their, actions.

[@JustMoparJoe]

We all will answer someday for our sins. Thanks for sharing.

[@BigMikesHooptyBarn]

Love a survivor!

[@JustMoparJoe]

It’s cool as koolaid!

[@timothyballinger6280]

Looking forward to this one👍

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks brother

[@hillbillysportsman5818]

Looking forward to the slant content!

[@JustMoparJoe]

Definitely! It’ll be my first build. Ed at Ed’s machine is helping me with block and head work.

[@PeckerwoodKustoms]

LOVE a good slant 6... both the ones Ive had have been 3 on the tree...cant beat it... Tidy old girl too Joe... keen to see the slant build...Ive got a built slant in my A Body...cant see you going the ARP route though :)

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks Aaron! I am collaborating with Ed. He has a slant recipe that’s hard to beat!

[@PeckerwoodKustoms]

@@JustMoparJoe I’ll be following along .. I’ve got a balanced bottom end and ARP everything .. stupidly large solid cam , ported head and triple 45 mm Webers .. yet to fire it but I’m excited

[@kriseckhardt5148]

My Valiant was a 64 Hurst 4 speed slat six 4 barrel car. What a weapon!

[@JustMoparJoe]

Sounds sweet! This one will get some hefty modifications.

[@carl5536]

Put a new oil pump in it cause trust me, it's worth it cause if I remember correctly I put a new oil pump in the one I had but I think it was like 30 bucks back then and don't 4get to prime it b4 installing it...Dude I love that car cause the side view is exactly like the one I had lol...I just ran original rim's on front and 8" on the rear with a 60 series radials on the rear and it rolled so smooth and so easy to repair. That's 1 of my regrets in life cause I 4got all about it until your video popped up lol...I had to pull the engine for the oil pump but I think I put the oil pump, water pump and all that happy stuff b4 I put the engine in it cause I wanted it to be right and last awhile but I didn't have but maybe 130 bucks in the car. I kept the small hubcaps and put beauty rings on the rim's and it was a head turner that's for sure lol. I also figured out how to keep water out of the distributor cause when it rains the distributor gets wet and they shut down in the middle of the road cause of how dodge put the distributor in em. I put a metal plate under the passenger side of the engine and a piece of inner tube over and around the distributor but I think they have a better idea for that now but I done it the shade tree way lol....Good luck with it and if I had the money I'da just made you an offer instead of talking about the 1 I had lol

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks for sharing! This car is getting a full rebuilt engine. It will be decked, balanced, head work, cam, intake, and headers.

[@bdubz5150]

I had a feather Duster once, it had factory white buckets with the 6 and a 3 on the tree. Car ran like a top and super reliable.

[@JustMoparJoe]

I would absolutely love to daily one. This car is getting some horsepower added.

[@carl5536]

I had a older 61 or 63 4door valiant with slant 6 and the car was like a tank. It came white with original blue interior with a mat instead of carpet. I put fat tires on the rear that wouldn't rub cause I liked the original stance. I put 70s on the front and gray primered the body. I put a different 6 cylinder engine cause when I first got it, it was knocking hard lol and it was a cool looking lil ol car... I have no idea as to why I got rid of in the 80s but I hardly ever kept a car very long cause it was a good side hustle back then. I paid 30 bucks for the car and a guy gave me a slant 6 engine cause he knew nothing about the engine and I'm thinking that I sold the car for 600 bucks cause that was alot of money back then and I haven't seen it since and I'd love to have another one without a ridiculous price tag on it lol...

[@JustMoparJoe]

That’s impressive. Hope this car lasts another 50 years!

[@Scott.Newmaster]

Joe, check your fuel pump first. When I got my 71 sattelite started after a long "rest" (19 years) my oil pressure dropped to zero when it was warmed up but was fine every time you would start from cold. Fuel pump would start leaking inside when it was running for awhile.

[@JustMoparJoe]

That’s an odd one! I’ll check it out. This engine is getting a performance overhaul on the channel in the future.

[@dinadaughtry8993]

Out of the many ole mopars I have had over the years a 1966 dodge dart GT with a 273.4 barrel 4 speed, sure grip rear end no air, heater or power steering was probably the only actual (performance) option car I had it was pretty quick for a small block V8 under 300 cubic inches

[@JustMoparJoe]

The 273’s were screamers. Definitely the stoutest small cubic inch v8.

[@gregtough9055]

Neat little car, needs a carb rebuild, that's where the miss is. Perfect daily driver!

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks Greg! It will get a 4 barrel when it gets the build your my first slant build 🥳

[@harryjohnson8605]

The duel in white

[@JustMoparJoe]

That’s exactly the movie I thought about! Classic!

[@donaldhalls2189]

Decent looking car shouldn't be too much, I'm sure it wouldn't be much to you, all the best to you and your loved ones

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks Donald! Same to you

[@bullfidde]

The Canadian 66 valiant is built on a Dodge dart .

[@8avexp]

I've driven four-on-the-floors (my '69 AMX has a four-on-the-floor) and five-on-the-floors, but never a three-on-the-tree.

[@JustMoparJoe]

This was my first! And it’s fun

[@keithcalitri840]

Very cool joe the leaning tower of power. I would imagine that year it would be a 170?

[@JustMoparJoe]

I believe it should be. This one has been switched to a 68-75 casting number 225. It will be my first slant 6 build on the channel, or ever!

[@lautburns4829]

Haha yup my grandpa would wind her up to 15 mph in first and then shift into third. 😂😂👍

[@JustMoparJoe]

Blow the soot out! 😂

[@RabidTransitGarage]

I have a turbo available that would be nice on there, just an FYI 🙂

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks Jay!

[@tims72demon]

Almost like driving your Cuda !!! Pretty good pickup. Good episode on Road Kill Garage. Dulcich built a slant six and they put it on Engine Masters. Not a bad little project. Had a Volare for many years with a slant six 3spd. Commuter car for 10 years. Great little motor that could !! And did !! Looks like a pretty clean little cruiser. Will enjoy watching the progress on it. How's the Red Beast coming along ?

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks TiM. The AC kit is here for the Coronet. The same owner of both cars!

[@tims72demon]

@@JustMoparJoe He's got an eye for that style of car. Somewhat keeping them simple. Both worth keeping. Good video showing this one & how it runs down the road. Thanks.

[@jacquespoirier9071]

these engines was bullet proof but the 3 speed crashbox was a disaster, the column shift mechanism was flimsy and often stays engaged in first gear while the shift lever was jammed in the neutral position, the shifting mechamism of the early '50 were much better design.

[@bobbyz1964]

This one still in line? Slant 6 is one engine that everyone has a story about, if they're old I guess. Got a few myself, cause I'm old I guess. 😂

[@JustMoparJoe]

Yes sir! The owner of this one is still making a plan for it. It will get love!

[@tattooeddude72]

Hey Joe maybe you can help me out. I'm looking for a distributor for a 1972 318 with manual tachometer drive. Not really finding any thing . Any ideas where I should try to look

[@JustMoparJoe]

Yes sir! Talk to Frank Parks. He is on KZbin. His email is [e-mail]

[@Mopardude]

it will make a decent cruiser I think.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks buddy. I will make it a runner!

[@joshsiegle1229]

Is this slant 6 next in line after the red coronet is done? :)

[@JustMoparJoe]

Yes sir! Will pull it to go to Ed’s machine. My first slant build! I’ve still got to finish my personal 400 build as well. Parking the barracuda after NNN for the winter

[@big3fan916]

FWD Charger / Omni / Horizon seats maybe ?

[@JustMoparJoe]

I think it’s Grenada/ Monarch seats.

[@stannelson2582]

Fun stuff! I just want to know what stylist or engineer thought those itty bitty tires way up under that car looked or performed well Lol. Yuck

[@JustMoparJoe]

They definitely are rubber bands. But that was the times. Better off being radials now at least

[@joshsiegle1229]

@JustMoparJoe did this slant 6 fall off the list or get bumped by the Ramcharger 😎

[@JustMoparJoe]

It’s still here, buddy! Owner told me to pump the brakes for a minute.

[@deanstevenson6527]

🥝✔️

[@JustMoparJoe]

This one has cruised on to a new home

[@lilmike2710]

Heck, you can probably fix that steering wheel slack she has. Don't it got an adjustment bolt down on the steering box?

[@JustMoparJoe]

It has an adjustment for the worm gear. I’d bet it’s never been touched.

[@lilmike2710]

@@JustMoparJoe me too. Even back in the day people had no idea about it.

[@matrox]

She's 56.

[@rickseeman5679]

I don’t see that it needs much.

[@JustMoparJoe]

He’s wanting a hopped up slant 6. It’ll be my first slant build. Still preferred to the 351w

[@joefrieson5100]

It’s a cool little car but ive never been a fan of the three on the tree.

[@JustMoparJoe]

This is my first time driving one. It was fun. Definitely nostalgic

[@johnbecker5213]

scrape that damn sticker off!!!!!

[@JustMoparJoe]

Is it the Louisiana DMV sticker?

[@johnbecker5213]

@@JustMoparJoe yes , don't know why some states still have that , they must be anti classic/antique car. my state 30 yrs old or older no insp. hurrah!!!!!! i don't need a 20 yr old kid who can't change a flat tire tell me (60 yr old) that my car is safe, what crap!!!!

[@Slushdawg]

That's a nice abody..Not a thing wrong with a Champion spark plug either. NGK's are kind of overrated in these older cars.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks Denver. We will have to have a solid disagreement on the champions. The old shop in the background, any Mopar knowledge that I have, and any mechanical ability that I possess can be accredited to my dad. He was a master mechanic and Mopar drag racer. He said Champions are junk. I tried a set to spite him. Fouled 2 in a day at the races. Switched back to NGK’s and won 3 points championships.

[@Slushdawg]

For on street use, Champions are fine. Im a Chrysler tech myself. I've used them since the early 80's with no issues. Autolites also work well for street use.

[@Slushdawg]

I have close to 40 years experience too, and I havent had issues with them. In fact, I have had numerous 2006-2011 Chargers that customers had switched to NGK, and as soon as they did the engine would stall hard on acceleration. Once the Champions went back in, cars ran perfectly. I've been driving my 1974 Dart 2bbl with a 318 since 1984 and Champions have worked perfectly. Sorry if you had a bad experience with them, but they have been reliable. Apparently Chrysler did too, or they wouldnt use them. Autolites also work well. NGK's in street use are fine too, but they arent the only ones. So, what were you using before these NGK's became popular?

[@Slushdawg]

They switched in 2011. My point was every new Chrysler up until that point had Champions in them, and they worked fine. Thousands of people would buy those cars brand new with Champions in them with no issues. For daily use, they do the job. If they didn't the factory would have never used them in the first place.

[@forsaken611]

Can't kill a slant six

[@JustMoparJoe]

Truth

[@cecilkoselke7878]

Got 1 in my daily driver 82 short bed. Motor's never been opened up, and still get 20+ mpg. 833 O/D.

[@Schlipperschlopper]

Sadly soon all combustion cars and trucks including classics will be banned from public streets in entire EU and Scandinavia :-( In Germany the Green Peoples Party gave order to shorten fuel supply from 2025 on by reducing all conventional fuel stations to only one state operated central gas station per city or county. Car washs will be forbidden too because they are climate killers, now they want to slow down all the gas station pumps from 20 litre per minute to 2 litre per minute...From 2027 on in the EU certain car spare parts will be banned too....as exhaust systems, turbo chargers and even some engine and gearbox oils...California and New York will do the same from 2027 on.... So no investments should be done in oil burning cars any longer....They even created a new kind of crime here, called emissions and smoke crime.!!! (BABVVEN & TEBBVEN & BEFVO laws)!!!!!!!

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks for sharing. It is such a sad bunch of trash they are pushing. When it happens here, I will personally run for office.