Words & Photos: Tommy Parry

Most rat rod builds begin humbly, decaying in a snowy field or rusting away in a damp barn; it takes an inventor’s imagination and some fatherly love to get so many of these projects off the ground. However, this build began with an amazing car that took a few tasteful tweaks and became something extraordinary. Already chopped, channeled, bagged, and linked, this Plymouth Valiant had plenty of extra gusto coming from the frenched Bel Air backside. Big, bold, and running the original six-cylinder, the table had already been set, but the spread this build would eventually offer would be fit only for a king. Seeing as this was built in Las Vegas, there would have to be one Elvis reference.

Starting with the interior, the dash was pulled, primed, touched up, and sprayed with a coat of candy green with plenty of flake. The metallic finish gave the dash the appearance of a massive, flattened can of 7-Up.

With the centerpiece clear-coated and the dash installed, it offered a little more color and individuality to the Valiant, and it would not be the only splash of green to grace this classic’s hide.

To add a little more glitz to the exterior, a set of modern HID lights were chucked on. These might war with the purist’s idea of what a rat rod ought to be, but this car was never destined to appease the old guard. This Valiant is a contrarian.

The rear end was treated with a layer of Dynamax for an insulated ride, and new Ridetech shocks plus a relocation kit were thrown on. With the front shocks in place, the Plymouth rode over speed bumps and potholes casually and confidently – the sort of ride you’d expect from a class act like this one.

Ditching the massive fuel cell in the back, a smaller, more convenient gas tank was mounted to the top of the trunk, allowing for a new set of airbags to give a little more compliance.

Turning attention to the exterior, a casual coat of satin black paint would give the car a little more presence on the street. Not that it needed it – this car could turn heads.

The dash and steering wheel then received a coat of the green stuff. Now the interior, silenced by the Dynamax, covered in black suede with green piping, and brightened by the green paint, was a comfortable place to be.

That green paint continued onto the wheels, the emblems and most importantly the roof. A green flame traveling lengthwise down the back of the Valiant, filled with flake, would definitely grab some attention. However, it was the final coat of Mentos-white paint that set this build apart, aesthetically speaking.

The final touch – a few inches sectioned from the rear quarter panels – and the Plymouth sat low and proud. While not the most powerful machine to grace Sin City’s streets, it had an abundance of style and a super-supple ride to boot. With that unique color combination, it had all the character one could ask for.