1972 Roadrunner Restoration

[plymouthman72]

The shop has been busy working on the car. The rust repair is all but complete and they will soon move on to body work and then paint. They have had the car about a month and have gotten so much done. I am very excited about the whole process. Here are some pics for some enjoyment: The previous shop was kind enough to leave it outside for me but was easily taken care of it.

 

[moparnation74]

Well it's about time you posted Brian, lol...jk

Did you find replacement fenders?

 

[plymouthman72]

The did a great job fixing the frame rail issues and all of the rust. They have done so much so fast, I am in awe of how they work.

 

[plymouthman72]

Well it's about time you posted Brian, lol...jk

Did you find replacement fenders?

Unfortunately not, they are going to look at them tomorrow and give me an assessment of what they can do. Steve thinks they fix them though. A special thanks to Moparmarks for the front valance, that will save me some time and money in the long run.

 

[moparnation74]

Unfortunately not, they are going to look at them tomorrow and give me an assessment of what they can do. Steve thinks they fix them though. A special thanks to Moparmarks for the front valance, that will save me some time and money in the long run.

Well in any event, top notch metal work completed there! Looking very good!

 

[plymouthman72]

I am still working bit by bit to finish all of the other loose ends (still a million it seems) while the car is out of the garage. I had all of the front end components powder coated with the exception of the LCA's as I have to weld on the sway bar brackets. My welder pooped out so I may just end up buy tubular LCA's for the extra strength since I will spend that much on a new welder.

 

[yalpngulp]

Great work on the restoration, you have a good eye for detail. I'm glad you didn't throw in the towel, I'll be watching anxiously to see this car get reborn.

 

[plymouthman72]

Great work on the restoration, you have a good eye for detail. I'm glad you didn't throw in the towel, I'll be watching anxiously to see this car get reborn.

Thank you for the kind words. I am glad I didn't either although I was pretty darn close! I am just as anxious to get her back on the road haha.

 

[plymouthman72]

I have not been doing lately due to work and a few other things. It also didn't help that I was in a small fender bender when a 17 year old kid ran a stop sign and hit me. Thankfully I was able to avoid most of the damage by turning hard to the left but still got me pretty good. I wouldn't have been so mad but the kid seemed put out from hitting me. Thankfully a US Marshall witnessed the wreck and it was a cut and clear case. There was not to much damage to the car so I ended up going to junk yard and fixing the car myself. I took the extra money I saved and got me a rear bumper for my real car so I guess I should be thankful! The parts are not perfect but the car only has 70,000 miles on it so I at least wanted it to look better than a wreck. It really helps to be a car guy!

Before:

During:

and after:

 

[moparnation74]

Brian

Glad to see you back and that you are ok from the collision....also, great news a Marshall witnessed it happen....

I see Tf has been busy on the bird... looking very nice!

 

[plymouthman72]

The shop has been super busy on the car and it just got its first primer this week however, I won't have pictures until this weekend. They have done a fantastic job on everything but I could not believe how well they worked the fenders and the frame rails. I could not be happier! I am starting to get into all my boxes now and clean everything up so most of it will be ready to go back on when I get it back. I am thinking sometime between Halloween and Thanksgiving.

 

[plymouthman72]

Brian

Glad to see you back and that you are ok from the collision....also, great news a Marshall witnessed it happen....

I see Tf has been busy on the bird... looking very nice!

Thanks and they really have, I just posted some pictures from them too.

 

[plymouthman72]

While it's not much, I am in the process of cleaning up the windshield wipers and did have a question about the drivers side. Does anyone know what the clasp looks like that holds on the smaller bar? I think mine came off and it looks like a simple clasp but not sure what to call it. The passenger side is now done.

 

[rrTor-Red]

Brian

Glad to see you back and that you are ok from the collision....also, great news a Marshall witnessed it happen....

I see Tf has been busy on the bird... looking very nice!

I agree. It could've been worse than that. Hope you didn't get hurt

 

[rrTor-Red]

Brian, are those bumpers the original or repop? I have a '71 and not sure if I want repop or re-chrome my originals. My front has a "bump strip" on it. It is just a thick piece of rubber that, back in the day, "prevents" grocery carts from running into it

 

[plymouthman72]

Brian, are those bumpers the original or repop? I have a '71 and not sure if I want repop or re-chrome my originals. My front has a "bump strip" on it. It is just a thick piece of rubber that, back in the day, "prevents" grocery carts from running into it

The back bumper for 72 is not reproduced yet so mine is a rechromed original.

The front is a repopped piece an the difference is night and day between the 2. The rear is show chrome and the front has several imperfections in it. So many that I will still have to have it rechromed. The rear is dang near perfect and looks like metal glass. I liken the difference to a nice paint job vs one that is nice but had the top layer of clear cut for the extra mile. Just that extra deep shine to it.

Depending on the shape of your bumpers, you can get repops fairly affordable and have those rechromed or not depending on how good they come to you. I say that because they will already be straight and you don't have to worry as much about it having "distortion" areas from being straightened. As nice as my rear bumper is. You can see distortion in the areas that had to be straightened in some reflection angles. The guys at my body shop said it's almost impossible to get it perfectly straight and what I had was top tier. Iapid 750 bucks for it which was cheaper than straightening/rechroming mine.

If you not looking for show chrome, I think repopped ones are very nice. Since I am going this far I might as well redo the front. I will take some really close ups of the front this weekend and post them.

 

[rrTor-Red]

I'd consider a re-chrome for the rear, Brian. BUT the front is specific because of the front "bump strip" which most companies don't carry them. YES, I'd want them to be good as well too

 

[plymouthman72]

I'd consider a re-chrome for the rear, Brian. BUT the front is specific because of the front "bump strip" which most companies don't carry them. YES, I'd want them to be good as well too

Ah, I think I see what your saying now. If not having the bumper strip is important to you than I would recommend buying one finished one without the strip or buying a repopped on and have it rechromed if it needs it. My car didn't have the strip. Mine new one is AMD and I bought it online for 350 Shipped. It would have most likely cost more than that just to have mine stripped straightened. Most places were quoting me 1000-1250 since it was bent. I think the quote on my new one is 750-850 so it will be about a wash but I KNOW my new one is straight so I think its the better option.

 

[rrTor-Red]

That's cool. Both the front and rear of mine has a couple of dents, figures through the years. I'm looking at Tri-City plating to do my front at least just because of the "bump strip". I actually found an NOS NEW strip for the front because mine had a couple of the studs that broke off. If I didn't find one, I'd weld in a new stud and re-used the old. YES, it came with my car and is specific to it.

 

[Basket case]

looks like you found an actual body shop, not an insurance shop. they're doing great work.
you might think about an orange stripe, there was an orange '70/'71 Challenger R/T in MCG years back with the orange stripe and it looked great. Hope you put the slots back on, really gives it the Day Two look.