1971 Road Runner Help & Questions

[71ChallengerSE]

So you could put 5K to get the car and start working on it and building it the way you want. While saving up money over time to do it right.

OR

You could put 15K into one of these bondo buckets running around on moparts or ebay and still have to have it shipped (it'll get damaged in shipping) you'll have no history on the car, its parts, the engine, the bodywork etc. And still have to replace a bunch of parts to make it nice and the way you would want. A guy I knew had a 71 383 Road Runner that was real nice and he was in a really bad wreck with it. He got it fixed and sold it for $20K. Did the new owner know about the accident? No.

Either spend less and know what your getting or spend more and get burned even harder.

 

[rrTor-Red]

I'll say this: If you can get it done and up and running, great. All you have to do is look at the restoration page "Family tradition" here on FBBO for inspiration. I'm sure Prop has had days where he said "What the heck did I get myself into?" Maybe, maybe not. Or, "this is gonna look AWESOME"
It all boils down to this....time, patience, and ALOT of $$$$. I personally have been living by those three words since my car has been in our family for 27 years now. Man, time sure flies.

 

[CoronetRTguy]

I think one thing a lot of you guys have to look at and its one that I'm coming from a back ground of having a father who did body work and I know what it takes do get a car to a high dollar standard.

I'm not looking at a car being a show field car but one that if I chose to do that it wouldnt take much to do it in short order. I'm not looking at putting paint splotches here and there like the factory that is not who I am anymore.

My dad and I could get the car ready to paint, have a few shops in the area that have guys who take on small jobs of painting and will do it for me. They know my dad and remember him and are willing to do some small jobs on their own. I also have shops in the area that if I get the paint they will paint it for not a lot of money.

When it boils down to paint its not the just the paint that makes or breaks the car its the work done to the metal.

I will do the wiring, interior, putting vinyal top on, decals and stripe on and I will even do the rear end of the car. The only thing I will not do is paint it, prime it (may if I can do it in my garage or outside as long as the neighbors dont get pissed) motor and trans is one that I will also not do.

I have a rally dash already in a 73 Charger that is mint so that part is something I wont have to hunt down.

I also have a few shops in the area that will put it on a rotissier and do the under side of the car.

The only thing I can not do is metal work I have never welded before and I wouldnt start on this car. My dad is legally blind and is unable to weld. Its hard to explain how he can and can not see. I still would have him do metal work if he would say he would do it.

This guy with the Road Runner and my dad are a lot a like, they both do what others say can't be done and do it. I have seen my dad redo a wrecked car that all others say its not worth doing and do it and make a profit off of it.

I've seen him take one car and cut it in half and put it over onto another car and be back to factory on it. They have an allowance on what you can and cant be off and my dad always went above and beyond to put it back to exact numbers on a cars frame.

This is and will be the last MOPAR I buy and I want something that I can take and go to local shows, mopar shows and what ever but the main thing is I want to drive it and enjoy it.

 

[old tired rebel]

I feel the same with my Charger. I hope it all comes together for you the way you want.

 

[CoronetRTguy]

I feel the same with my Charger. I hope it all comes together for you the way you want.

Thanks and if this one doesnt work out it just means it wasnt meant to be. I do know even if I went and bought a 30-100 thousand dollar car I would drive it and enjoy it.

I really and I can't stress this enough no matter what I do now in life after getting sick and one thing it taught me is to enjoy things and life to the fulliest.

I dont mean parting and drinking but taking a minute looking around and enjoying that for what it is.

I had a 70 Torino 429 4spd SCJ drag pack car that my dad and I did. We fixed the car up to about 90% at that time there was no parts made and the quarters you could get were junk. I bought them and we ended up cuting them and redoing them. To bad I didnt keep it a few more years as they started making parts and the money they are going for now. I think I paid 2K for it and put another 3-5K in it and made money off of the car about 4500. The car still had its original interior when it left and it didnt need to be done except I did the carpet.

If I do go for this car and the metal work is done I will take my time at and yeah I might bitch about something from time to time on it but I'm going to enjoy bitching and enjoy it when I do have it done.

If you see it going down the road and its on a roll back its ither 1) broke down or 2) stolen lol.

I think I get more excited seeing a car on the road that is a driver then I do the one that is way to clean that you know it gets driven so little.

Who knows I may see if someone will teach me to rebuild motor and trans and work with them. I always wanted to learn that.

 

[old tired rebel]

Watch for a update on my Charger soon. It will be after this weekend.

 

[CoronetRTguy]

Watch for a update on my Charger soon. It will be after this weekend.

Sounds good and can't wait to see it.

 

[old tired rebel]

Sounds good and can't wait to see it.

Mostly it will be a engine build and putting a 8 3/4 in for a test fit, and lots of pictures of the parts that are arriving.

 

[CoronetRTguy]

My dad just looked at the pics of the car and asked the price of it. When I told him the price he said thats just for the metal work right? I looked up at him and said no that is for car and metal work.

He looked at me then looked at the pics and said "If that is done to that car we can finish it no problem." he looked at me and I said how about paint "As long as we get some one to shoot the car no big deal." He then looked at the pics some more and said "That is the original paint on it" and I'm like yep.

My dad said if it all works out and you can get that car get it and we will finish it. He looked at me and told me that it wouldnt take long to put it in paint as long as all the metal work is done.

My dad then asked I guess its missing the motor and I'm like no dad its with it and the trans. He still just looked at me and shook his head and said "I've never seen a car with the metal work done and a motor let alone the original #s matching motor for that price"

So now if it all works out and I can get into my class that I need to take and I can also get my book into the editors hands and then on to the printer with out touching the money from the sell of my Corvette....This Road Runner will be coming home to my garage.

I also have one more book that I'm working on and if I can get it done by the end of summer it will be going to a publishing company and I hope into print. I wont have to worry about using my own money to print my work.

So the story keeps going and if all works out I will own this beautiful Road Runner. I dont see a car that is a parts car, I dont see a car that is to far gone, I dont see it as being ugly the way it sits now. I see how awesome and beautiful the car was, is and will be when done.

 

[Ron 73]

Well, Ill say good luck to you and your dad! Hope it all works out as you have planned, to be honest, i figured about 10 or so posts back you were going to get this car. lol I was just waiting on the final decision so please, do keep us updated, take photos of the restore for us and you later down the road.. Its always nice to look back at all you did to get to the point your at when done... With the very noticeable enthusiasm you have im sure it will turn out great!

 

[71ChallengerSE]

Who knows I may see if someone will teach me to rebuild motor and trans and work with them. I always wanted to learn that.

The guy I told you about who does engines, he is the one who showed me how to rebuild a torqueflite and I have two engines down there now that he is going to show me how to do. He is actually the guy who trained our local engine builder.

 

[CoronetRTguy]

Hey guys thanks, and if it all works out this Road Runner will be mine. I still have a ways to go before I say yes it is mine but I have stopped looking on craigslist, ebay and all the mopar sites.

I do have a few against me right now as far as school and work but the meeting I have set up tomorrow I hope helps get me the class I need. If the meeting falls through well me buying the Road Runner will fall off for a while.

This class will put me in a job that has a good (really good) starting pay and fits with my disability as well. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it works out. I have stopped looking so I set on this Road Runner.

Also the guy who owns it will have his 66 Charger done soon and will be heading to Mecum when done. It is a bad bad Charger.

Oh yeah my writing as well I hope to get a few books out there and I do have a film maker looking at my romance novel for a film for Sundance Film Festival.

I have a few zombie, end of the world, vampire and some great stories about justice being served.

I'm also going to be doing a youtube page I did make partner (gives you cash for adds) on one of my channels but I didnt it for that one. I just lost interest in that channel and there is only so much I could do with guns in my area.

My new channel for youtube is called Grabbing Gears I will be doing things about online adds for cars, parts, parts cars and restoration. I will be talking about anything and everything, if it has a gear I will talk about it.

So I think a few of my first videos will be on this Road Runner and I will see what happens with that channel. Its crazy of how much people make off of youtube there is a guy that makes 300 and some thousand a year just in videos.

Stay tunned more to come one way or the other.

 

[70RR]

Texas Mopar Dealer

Have you ever heard of BOB WEST MUSCLE MOPAR out of Lewisville Tx ?
Thanks Rick :eusa_think:

where in texas, if its any where near Ft worth I can look at it.
And I'm pretty sure there are members here from Houston, San Antonio and Longview. Make dam certin to stay away from Texas toybox.
I cruise Cl every day and do not recall those cars

 

[CoronetRTguy]

Have you ever heard of BOB WEST MUSCLE MOPAR out of Lewisville Tx ?
Thanks Rick :eusa_think:

No tell me more please. I will google the name as well.

 

[Ziptang]

You did Ask for others thoughts. They aren't meant to be an insult (at least I don't think they are). My thoughts? If it was free, it would still be a lot of money and work. It May be worth the money and trouble to you.
I don't think I would pay $1700 for it like it sits. However, I just went with a friend to pick up a 1966 Coronet that was in similar shape and he paid $1100.00. I'd pay the $1700 for the 71 RR before $1100 for the 66 C.
These projects can cost A LOT. I've been working on my 74 Roadrunner for quite a while and it's $100.00 here and a $1000.00 there. $25K comes up Very Quick. I blew right past the $25k mark.
My sons and I just bought a 1968 Barracuda with no engine and no Drive Train. We paid $900.00 for it. Other than no Drive Train its in very good condition. Some would say we wasted our money. We hope to spend less than $15K to make it a good driver (Using the Engine and Drive Train from my Roadrunner). I am not optimistic that we will stay in budget. That said, its something that my sons and I want to do.

Point is, if you like the car and want to work on it, everything else is just someone's opinion.

Good Luck

 

[CoronetRTguy]

You did Ask for others thoughts. They aren't meant to be an insult (at least I don't think they are). My thoughts? If it was free, it would still be a lot of money and work. It May be worth the money and trouble to you.
I don't think I would pay $1700 for it like it sits. However, I just went with a friend to pick up a 1966 Coronet that was in similar shape and he paid $1100.00. I'd pay the $1700 for the 71 RR before $1100 for the 66 C.
These projects can cost A LOT. I've been working on my 74 Roadrunner for quite a while and it's $100.00 here and a $1000.00 there. $25K comes up Very Quick. I blew right past the $25k mark.
My sons and I just bought a 1968 Barracuda with no engine and no Drive Train. We paid $900.00 for it. Other than no Drive Train its in very good condition. Some would say we wasted our money. We hope to spend less than $15K to make it a good driver (Using the Engine and Drive Train from my Roadrunner). I am not optimistic that we will stay in budget. That said, its something that my sons and I want to do.

Point is, if you like the car and want to work on it, everything else is just someone's opinion.

Good Luck

Thank you and I have taken everyones input and wanted that. I keep looking at what some of the cars are on other sites that I see them. I found a 71 Road Runner on another site for $5000 and some change and I see where its had some work in the quarters and I can see its just been bondo up and no real metal work. The car may run but not sure how good.

I think its a catch 22 when you find a running car it needs a lot of metal work at the 5K mark and even at 10K you can find nice drivers needing work.

I'm come from looking at it as a body mans point of view and looking at the pics with my dad he was shocked that the price of the car is with the metal work being done already. My dad said if he was to do the metal work plus the car I would be closser to 10K invested.

I know there is a lot of work to it yet and if things work out and I can put it in the garage and restore as I go then I think I will.

How hard is it to do a 73-74 car? I keep looking at this 73 RR that I have known about for 20 years at least. It popped up for sale finally and I keep thinking of making an offer on it. They want $2500 and its to me to much I would be 1k to $1500. I'm not sure as of yet what all it needs besides paint and interior work. They are not car people and when I asked for fender tag they had no clue what it was I was asking for.

 

[RustyRatRod]

I agree I love the 71 Road Runner and GTX and the 72s and I also have a thing for the 73 and 74s. I keep looking at a 73 in my area that if I were to get it I would mod it and make it something different, look stock but no way near stock.

Yeah the 73 and 74s have really grown on me too. I used to not like them much but they are cool.

 

[CoronetRTguy]

Yeah the 73 and 74s have really grown on me too. I used to not like them much but they are cool.

Yeah same here and I have always liked them back years ago because they were odd to me and only seen a handful around.

If I were to get that car I would mod it a little not stock and maybe do a T/A or AAR car style of side pipes. I even thought about NASCAR looking side exaust. The guy with the RR doing metal work could build me a set of one off exaust.

I will wait and see what happens with the 71 and with this 73 as well. I just have a history with the 73 car so that is the only reason I really want that one.

 

[RustyRatRod]

I think maybe the reason I like them now is because, looking back, everybody else was wussin out in the 73 and 74 model years. I mean....Chrysler still had to smog um up, BUT, you could still get big blocks, 4 speeds and awesome lookin paint and stripe packages. They were STILL makin performance. You gotta love it.

 

[CoronetRTguy]

I think maybe the reason I like them now is because, looking back, everybody else was wussin out in the 73 and 74 model years. I mean....Chrysler still had to smog um up, BUT, you could still get big blocks, 4 speeds and awesome lookin paint and stripe packages. They were STILL makin performance. You gotta love it.

I agree and its funny to see a 4spd pistol grip in them and not be an early model. The car that is local to me is a 318 car with an auto, need to look I'm guessing its a 727 auto.

This one is yellow, black stripe, off white bucket seats and console. The car is I think numbers matching as well and if I would pick that one up I would hot rod the car a bit. I'm told it runs but after talking to them on the phone its been two years sinces its ran and it says new tires but it needs new tires.

I asked about the grill (not like I cant find them) and what kind of shape it is in and how the quarter panels are. They have no clue and havent looked at the car in a few years and they are not car people. I see restored 73 to 74s or really good drivers going for 9s to 10K except one went at mecum for 12,500 over the weekend. That was a numbers matching 340 and I think 4spd.

I'm still stuck on this 71 and seeing what happens. My meeting today went good and I got part of what I needed but I will have to dip into my car money a little for school. So I'm going to see what happens.