1973 Roadrunner

[Dieselholic]

Well I'm moving my project thread up to the project forum to get some more exposure. Long story short, I bought this car off eBay when I was either 14, or 15. I can't exactly remember. I was originally a 400 auto car, but when I got the car it had a well worn late 70s 440, and an A833 out of a late 60s A body. At 14 I thought I was going to completely tear the car down and restore it back to factory original, and then there it sat for quite a number of years. Maybe you have heard of Ratty Muscle Cars on either YouTube or Facebook, but when I first saw their stuff it gave me the idea to put mine back together and enjoy it until I can restore it later. Having never driven the car before, I just want to get it on the road and actually enjoy it.

So here are some of the eBay pictures and one of the interior when I got the car. It hadn't run in 20 years or more by the look of it.







So then it sat in my shop like this for a number of years.



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So then in the fall of 2014 I started putting the car back together, replacing what needed to be replaced and whatnot. The first thing I did was degreased the K member and painted it. Then I installed it back on the car with new Prothane bushings.








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I ordered new rear springs and all the necessary parts from ESPO Springs N Things, all new wear parts for the front end. Then I finally got it up on 4 wheels and out of the back of the shop.

 

[Charger72]

Looking good, enjoying the progress.

 

[Dieselholic]

Looking good, enjoying the progress.

Thanks!

Since the 440 that was in the car was a late 70s block and needed lots of machining, I found this used 1973 440HP out of an old mud truck, mostly stock with a Comp 280H magnum cam. Took the heads in and had them redone, and replaced the spread bore intake with the 1968 intake I had on the shelf.

 

[mopar73dge]

Looks great nothing like working on a car and then driving it to the max, same interior as my Charger SE. I have a NOS set of seat covers I installed in 2000. I used Springs N Things two Summers ago, changed the leafs, feels like the car did when it had only 70000 on it.

 

[Basket case]

great project. get that thing done and enjoy it. they don't have to be perfect to enjoy. a '73 340 4 speed was my first mopar.

 

[Dieselholic]

Looks great nothing like working on a car and then driving it to the max, same interior as my Charger SE. I have a NOS set of seat covers I installed in 2000. I used Springs N Things two Summers ago, changed the leafs, feels like the car did when it had only 70000 on it.

That's good to hear! I'm pretty happy so far with the new springs, so hopefully the ride matches.

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great project. get that thing done and enjoy it. they don't have to be perfect to enjoy. a '73 340 4 speed was my first mopar.

That looks like a fun car! Theres something about the darker green Mopars that I love. I have more pictures to post, just sorting through them. There's a guy thats about 2 hours from me who has a stock pile of Mopar stuff. I'm going there this weekend to pick up some more stuff from him.

I was planning on rebuilding the 23 spline A833 but once I tore it down the transmission was actually nice and tight so I just simply resealed it with a gasket kit from Brewers. I bought the correct tailshaft housing from my source to replace the later 60s tailshaft housing. I also picked up a 741 case and 3.23 open gears from him since my 8 3/4 was missing the case and gears.

 

[Basket case]

yeah, I'm a 100% mopar greenie....it was a fun car. and the blonde I was dating at the time helped with that....:grin:

 

[747mopar]

Great project, looks like you've got a nice starting point with a solid car.

 

[Dieselholic]

yeah, I'm a 100% mopar greenie....it was a fun car. and the blonde I was dating at the time helped with that....:grin:

I know how that goes haha.

 

[Dieselholic]

Great project, looks like you've got a nice starting point with a solid car.

Thanks! I really did luck out with a solid car, at 14 that was the least of my concerns but now at 24 I'm glad. It will need lower quarters but that's about it.

 

[Dieselholic]

I bought a new Ram muscle car clutch, and put on some Mickey Thompson ET Drags that I had laying around

 

[Dieselholic]

I started putting the car back together in the fall of 2014 and finally put the engine and tranny back in the car in the beginning of January 2016

 

[71airgrabberRR]

Looks good !!!!!!!!!!! You have made some progress for sure !!!!!!!

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Those Mickey's look MEAN !!!!!!!!!!

(I like it)

 

[Dieselholic]

Looks good !!!!!!!!!!! You have made some progress for sure !!!!!!!

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Those Mickey's look MEAN !!!!!!!!!!

(I like it)

Thank you! Hopefully they look a little better after I paint the wheels black

 

[Dieselholic]

Now this is the nicest part on the whole entire car

 

[Dieselholic]

I finally broke down and bought a new radiator. Also scored a floor shift steering column with a good set of keys. Mounted the radiator, fan, and power steering pump. Found some hoses for it, and JB welded my fan shroud back together. Once it finishes setting up I'll sand it down some.

 

[idrivemopar]

That aftermarket radiator looks too skinny, and like the one I had originally got for my RR, but I ditched it and was lucky enough to have Glen Ray build me a new original with more cores than what was stock. Just wondering how many cores that one is you have and if it will be enough to handle the cooling for your motor.

 

[Dieselholic]

That aftermarket radiator looks too skinny, and like the one I had originally got for my RR, but I ditched it and was lucky enough to have Glen Ray build me a new original with more cores than what was stock. Just wondering how many cores that one is you have and if it will be enough to handle the cooling for your motor.

I haven't compared it to my stock radiator yet. The one that came out of the car leaked like a sieve with pressure in it. This one was cheap so I figured I would try it out and I could always re-core my original radiator. I'll let you know how it works out haha.

 

[HawkRod]

Great progress on the car! My first car was a 1973 Road Runner also, but with a 340, Slap-Stik and 3.55 rear. I kept it all these years, restored it and then later gave it to my son when he turned 16.

Keep up the good work on yours - you'll have a smile a mile wide when you start driving it!

 

[furryfrog]

I like the car. Engine looks sweet. How does the engine sound with the magnum 280h cam? Thinking of going with that cam or the 270h in my 440. going to be a fun car when your finished.