71 Road Runner Restoration Started

[tallhair]

Man you have a nice shop and I knew I should have clicked stainless instead of original finish when I ordered the gas tank straps.

 

[71airgrabberRR]

R & R for a day.............

I needed to take a break from everything yesterday. I've been burning the candle at both ends for several months lately, and was starting to get run down. So I took some R& R for a day and we visited with nearby relatives.

Tomorrow will be filled with other things that I have to take care of.

One thing on the list tomorrow is to get some new glass and gloves for the blast cabinet. I cant see through what I have on the cabinet now. This needs to be done before I can use it effectively.

Hopefully on Wednesday I can remove the fuel tank and experiment with the different size pressure washer tips to see what works best.

Will keep you updated. Glad you all like the Mopar banner. I've had it for about 10 years or so. My local dealership buddies took care of me and gave it to me after a local car show.

 

[Ron 73]

Well deserved break! Hope you really rested, so many times ive done the same thing but my mind was always back here, whats next, should i try that, on and on..

 

[Budnicks]

I needed to take a break from everything yesterday. I've been burning the candle at both ends for several months lately, and was starting to get run down. So I took some R& R for a day and we visited with nearby relatives.

Tomorrow will be filled with other things that I have to take care of.

One thing on the list tomorrow is to get some new glass and gloves for the blast cabinet. I cant see through what I have on the cabinet now. This needs to be done before I can use it effectively.

Hopefully on Wednesday I can remove the fuel tank and experiment with the different size pressure washer tips to see what works best.

Will keep you updated. Glad you all like the Mopar banner. I've had it for about 10 years or so. My local dealership buddies took care of me and gave it to me after a local car show.

hey now no rest for the weary...LOL...

 

[roadrunnerman]

hey now no rest for the weary...LOL...

Bud, that's no rest for the wicked, and I think this will be one wicked bird when he's done with it.

 

[71airgrabberRR]

Wicked Bird............

Bud, that's no rest for the wicked, and I think this will be one wicked bird when he's done with it.

That's too funny !!!!!

Yes even when I'm not in the shop, my mind is there........... So I guess it was a physical RR more that a mental one........

I'm constantly thinking about different things and how to go about doing them.

Today I made some good progress on the "Wicked Bird". ( I like that name, I might just have to steal it from you all !!! LOL)

Removed the gas tank, vapor canister and shields, fuel and brake lines, original muffler and tail pipe hangers, rear rubber brake line bracket, all of the rubber and plastic body plugs, and trunk lid torsion bars. It may not sound like much, but I photographed every inch of how the lines were installed and how the clips secure everything to the car body. I also took a bunch of detailed pictures of how the original hangers were installed too.

Then I started blowing out the inside of the frame rails.

Once this was done I had a big mess to sweep up. Years of road dirt and some of the undercoating came off the car.

It still doesn't look like too much was done. Here are a few photos of how the "Wicked Bird" looks now......

For now it probably should be called "Dirty Bird" instead................

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Hopefully on Friday I can start experimenting with the different sized pressure washer tips to see what works the best.

I'll keep you all posted !!!!

 

[tallhair]

Seems like just last week we were seeing this on the rotisserie

 

[old tired rebel]

That's too funny !!!!!

Yes even when I'm not in the shop, my mind is there........... So I guess it was a physical RR more that a mental one........

I'm constantly thinking about different things and how to go about doing them.

Today I made some good progress on the "Wicked Bird". ( I like that name, I might just have to steal it from you all !!! LOL)

Removed the gas tank, vapor canister and shields, fuel and brake lines, original muffler and tail pipe hangers, rear rubber brake line bracket, all of the rubber and plastic body plugs, and trunk lid torsion bars. It may not sound like much, but I photographed every inch of how the lines were installed and how the clips secure everything to the car body. I also took a bunch of detailed pictures of how the original hangers were installed too.

Then I started blowing out the inside of the frame rails.

Once this was done I had a big mess to sweep up. Years of road dirt and some of the undercoating came off the car.

It still doesn't look like too much was done. Here are a few photos of how the "Wicked Bird" looks now......

For now it probably should be called "Dirty Bird" instead................

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View attachment 143864View attachment 143865

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Hopefully on Friday I can start experimenting with the different sized pressure washer tips to see what works the best.

I'll keep you all posted !!!!

Thanks I am looking forward to see how well that works.

 

[roadrunnerman]

That underside looks solid as well as the frame rails. I hope you don't find anymore holes other than what we can see on the driver floor.

 

[71airgrabberRR]

Dirty Bird..........

That underside looks solid as well as the frame rails. I hope you don't find anymore holes other than what we can see on the driver floor.

The frame rails look to be pretty solid. The front floor pan section is the worst area and it will be replaced as a complete unit with a one piece floor from AMD.

I noticed a few very small pin holes in the trunk floor and in the section under the rear seat. ( other that the holes someone made to use the floor as a muffler hanger support).

The real truth will be revealed after the car has been blasted down to bare metal. I'm sure I will have my work cut out for me.

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The cowling is going to be a challenge too. Here again a complete AMD section will be used because it is just too far gone.

Luckily for us, our 71-72 B body cars share a lot with our E body brethren.

 

[tallhair]

I presume you are blasting it yourself?

Anxiously awaiting those photo's!

 

[old tired rebel]

The cowling is going to be a challenge too. Here again a complete AMD section will be used because it is just too far gone.

Luckily for us, our 71-72 B body cars share a lot with our E body brethren.

Would this be true of 73-74 B Bodies?

 

[71airgrabberRR]

Would this be true of 73-74 B Bodies?

Not as much so for the 73-74 B Body cars. There are still some parts that interchange though. I think the main problem is in the way the K Frame bolts to the frame rails. This causes the inner front fender wells to be different and so on.

With the 71-72 model year B Body cars the majority of the inner sheet metal interchanges with 71-74 E Bodies from the front floor pan and A pillar posts all the way forward to the radiator support.

Im not 100% sure about the cowling area with your car.

I know the E Body cowling can be used on 71-72 model year cars after you slightly modify it by removing the rear upper fender mounting stud and bracket assembly from your original and welding it into position on the new part.

The front floor pan and console brackets may interchange as long as you use one from a 71-74 E Body. The 1970 E Bodies used a one year only floor pan that was flanged along the outer edge.

The same may hold true with the radiator support but any E Body year should work.

I would recommend talking directly to an AMD sales rep as well as consulting their catalog.

Some other small parts mainly in and around the cowling area may also interchange too.


Hope this helps.

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[old tired rebel]

Not as much so for the 73-74 B Body cars. There are still some parts that interchange though. I think the main problem is in the way the K Frame bolts to the frame rails. This causes the inner front fender wells to be different and so on.

With the 71-72 model year B Body cars the majority of the inner sheet metal interchanges with 71-74 E Bodies from the front floor pan and A pillar posts all the way forward to the radiator support.

Im not 100% sure about the cowling area with your car.

I know the E Body cowling can be used on 71-72 model year cars after you slightly modify it by removing the rear upper fender mounting stud and bracket assembly from your original and welding it into position on the new part.

The front floor pan and console brackets may interchange as long as you use one from a 71-74 E Body. The 1970 E Bodies used a one year only floor pan that was flanged along the outer edge.

The same may hold true with the radiator support but any E Body year should work.

I would recommend talking directly to an AMD sales rep as well as consulting their catalog.

Some other small parts mainly in and around the cowling area may also interchange too.


Hope this helps.

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It does help thanks.

 

[71airgrabberRR]

I presume you are blasting it yourself?

Anxiously awaiting those photo's!

Yes I will be doing the blasting too. I did the Duster with a small pressure pot system. It sucked and took almost a full month to do on my off days.

Ive been talking with Donny and got some great advice. He's a great guy and I wish he was closer.

I've been toying around with the idea of starting up a small portable business in which I would be blasting car bodies and other things too.

The main drawback is the start up costs. Im looking at spending at least $20K to get it started properly with insurance, licensing etc and that doesn't include a diesel powered compressor that would put out a minimum of 195 CFM.

Honestly I just don't have the money to do it.

I would have 5 cars to do right now from some local businesses, but I'm worried about a constant check coming in afterwards. Sometimes people tell you that they will give you a shot at doing something, but never follow through with it. Right now I just can't take that risk.

But I have a plan "B" that I'm working on......

 

[Ron 73]

i presume you are blasting it yourself?

Anxiously awaiting those photo's!

x 2!

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Would this be true of 73-74 B Bodies?

This kind of peeked my curiosity, so i did a search and thought id share a little if it may help you.. Isint to much and more of dash work i guess but thought maybe you could get some insight on what you may be doing! I have info ive saved in the past for body differences and rails, torsion crossover ect.. but cant seem to find it but when i do, ill see you get it..


"71-4B's 2 and 4 doors share the same dash and heater parts. Some minor changes here and there but nothing that won't work for the most part.
Rallye and standard clusters have different switches and harnesse.
72-4 wiper switch won't fit a 71 cluster frame.
74 has it's own cluster and 71 has it's own cluster frame and wiper switch.
Dash pads are the same but theres an a/c and a non-a/c dash frame. Also 71/2 is different than 73/4."

Moparts came up in my search tonight, not to much there but ill leave the link..

http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=A12&Number=7566777&Searchpage=1&Main=7566777&Words=+440gtx6&topic=&Search=true

 

[tallhair]

Yes I will be doing the blasting too. I did the Duster with a small pressure pot system. It sucked and took almost a full month to do on my off days.

Ive been talking with Donny and got some great advice. He's a great guy and I wish he was closer.

I've been toying around with the idea of starting up a small portable business in which I would be blasting car bodies and other things too.

The main drawback is the start up costs. Im looking at spending at least $20K to get it started properly with insurance, licensing etc and that doesn't include a diesel powered compressor that would put out a minimum of 195 CFM.

Honestly I just don't have the money to do it.

I would have 5 cars to do right now from some local businesses, but I'm worried about a constant check coming in afterwards. Sometimes people tell you that they will give you a shot at doing something, but never follow through with it. Right now I just can't take that risk.

But I have a plan "B" that I'm working on......

Have you seen those water based blasting systems? Maybe someone in your area is doing it or perhaps it would be cheaper for you to get into ??

 

[71airgrabberRR]

Plan "B"

Have you seen those water based blasting systems? Maybe someone in your area is doing it or perhaps it would be cheaper for you to get into ??

Yes that is exactly what I checked into. I was considering buying one of the green ones on the market now. I did a lot of research and went to several contractor's forums and snooped around a little bit. (love the internet, it's a great tool)

That is when I found out about possible problems with clogging of the line etc. that some persons were having. Don't know 100% if it was operator error or equipment design. So I decided that if I was going to get into this, I would go with a more adjustable unit, which of course always costs more.


By having a more precise setting available to you it costs less to operate and makes less mess too, which means quicker turn around times and more jobs.

If I were to purchase one of these mounted on a trailer with a compressor I would be spending anywhere between $35 - 40K. Then when you factor in costs like insurance for auto, health, and liability, licensing, and setting aside money for maintenance of your equipment, fuel costs etc., it gets kind of scary. Parts for these machines are not cheap and there are wear items that need regular replacement. The sand blasting pressure hose is very expensive as are nozzle tips and valves.

Looking at the big picture I simply can't afford to start up right now. If the economy was better I might consider it, but I don't want to give up my current job just yet. Most people don't want to pay a premium price when they can have a lesser quality job done for less money. (but you really do get what you pay for in most instances) Lowest bid can cost you money in the long run. But if your priced too high, no one will offer you work. It's a Catch-22.

If I did start up a business, I can promise you it would have a very high standard for quality of work. I'm a perfectionist, but reasonable minded.

 

[Deanfitz27]

Hey I've been following your post, great work. I have done several restorations, but never a mopar. I have a 69 roadrunner, the previous owner did some poor floor patches, so I am putting in a one piece amd, I am also putting the body on a rotisserie. Would you recommend to replace the floor pan before it goes on the rotisserie and then finish it underneath on the rotisserie. Or would it be ok to replace on the rotisserie, either way should I use supports in the door opening? As well I want a really nice clean finished job, I have a set of sub frame connectors, would you recommend to use them? Are they really needed? My goal it to have a similar finished product as your duster, it looks awesome.

 

[ct71rr]

Hey, you have the same stain on your left side rear floor pan as I do .