doctordodge
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I have a `68 road runner with the fender tag rusted off. Is there any way to determine the build date from the broadcast sheet? When was the road runner introduced? What would be a vin on an early one?
Build date from Broadcast sheet
- Thread starter doctordodge
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BeepBeepRR
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The earliest of the 1968 models were available only as 2-door pillared coupes (with a B-pillar between the front and rear windows), but later in the model year a 2-door "hardtop" model (sans pillar) was offered. The Road Runner of 1968-1970 was based on the Belvedere, while the GTX was based on the Sport Satellite, a car with higher level trim and slight differences in the grilles and taillights.
The interior was spartan with a basic vinyl bench seat, lacking even carpets in early models, and few options were available — such as power steering and front disc brakes,[1] AM radio, air conditioning (except with the 426 Hemi) and automatic transmission. A floor-mounted shifter (for the four-speed) featured only a rubber boot and no console so that a bench seat could be used.
The standard engine was an exclusive "Roadrunner" 383 cu in (6.3 L) B-series V8 engine with a 4-barrel Carter Carburetor rated at 335 bhp (340 PS; 250 kW) at 5200 rpm and 425 lb⋅ft (576 N⋅m) at 3400 rpm of torque.[4]Its extra 5 hp (4 kW) rating was the result of using the radical cam from the 440 Super Commando and a .25 raise in compression to 10.5:1 (vs. 10.25:1 with the 330 hp (246 kW) 383). When air conditioning was ordered, the cars received the 330 hp (246 kW) version, as the radical cam specs of the 335 bhp (250 kW) version did not create enough vacuum to accommodate air conditioning. A $714 option was the 426 cu in (7.0 L) Hemi with 2X4 Carter AFB carburetors rated at 425 bhp (431 PS; 317 kW) at 5000 rpm and 490 lb⋅ft (664 N⋅m) at 4000 rpm of torque.[5]
The standard equipment transmission was a 4-speed manual transmission with floor shifter and the three-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission was optional. Early four-speed 1968 Road Runners featured Inland shifters, which were replaced by Hurst shifters during the course of the model year.
Plymouth expected to sell about 20,000 units in 1968; actual sales numbered around 45,000. This placed the Road Runner third in sales among muscle cars with only the Pontiac GTO and Chevy's SS-396 Chevelle outselling it. Dodge debuted the Road Runner's cousin, the Super Bee, as a mid-1968 offering after seeing Plymouth's success with the Road Runner.
The interior was spartan with a basic vinyl bench seat, lacking even carpets in early models, and few options were available — such as power steering and front disc brakes,[1] AM radio, air conditioning (except with the 426 Hemi) and automatic transmission. A floor-mounted shifter (for the four-speed) featured only a rubber boot and no console so that a bench seat could be used.
The standard engine was an exclusive "Roadrunner" 383 cu in (6.3 L) B-series V8 engine with a 4-barrel Carter Carburetor rated at 335 bhp (340 PS; 250 kW) at 5200 rpm and 425 lb⋅ft (576 N⋅m) at 3400 rpm of torque.[4]Its extra 5 hp (4 kW) rating was the result of using the radical cam from the 440 Super Commando and a .25 raise in compression to 10.5:1 (vs. 10.25:1 with the 330 hp (246 kW) 383). When air conditioning was ordered, the cars received the 330 hp (246 kW) version, as the radical cam specs of the 335 bhp (250 kW) version did not create enough vacuum to accommodate air conditioning. A $714 option was the 426 cu in (7.0 L) Hemi with 2X4 Carter AFB carburetors rated at 425 bhp (431 PS; 317 kW) at 5000 rpm and 490 lb⋅ft (664 N⋅m) at 4000 rpm of torque.[5]
The standard equipment transmission was a 4-speed manual transmission with floor shifter and the three-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission was optional. Early four-speed 1968 Road Runners featured Inland shifters, which were replaced by Hurst shifters during the course of the model year.
Plymouth expected to sell about 20,000 units in 1968; actual sales numbered around 45,000. This placed the Road Runner third in sales among muscle cars with only the Pontiac GTO and Chevy's SS-396 Chevelle outselling it. Dodge debuted the Road Runner's cousin, the Super Bee, as a mid-1968 offering after seeing Plymouth's success with the Road Runner.
R/T Boy 67
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The scheduled production date will be on the broadcast sheet. It is on the top row and will be labeled S.P.D. and will be next to the S.O. NUMBER. The S.O. number will also be stamped into the rad. support.
On my 66 BS top row shipping order on mine 3 0 8 in the left side of that box. 3 =March day 8. Your could be different. If your car was built Oct Nov or Dec think they used a letter.
Somebody while wrote so I hope they can help.
Somebody while wrote so I hope they can help.
BeepBeepRR
Well-Known Member
Copied this from another site.
There are some who say (and I tend to agree) that the date code on the k-frame should be the closest date to when the car was final assembled. It is true on both my 68 Chargers. If you are confident that the k-frame is original, it should give you a good idea when it was finished (within a couple of days) the code will be dead center in the front of the k-frame on the vertical surface and should have the 3 digit day and 1 digit year code. For ex., 3547 would be 354th day of 1967 for a 1968 production car.
There are some who say (and I tend to agree) that the date code on the k-frame should be the closest date to when the car was final assembled. It is true on both my 68 Chargers. If you are confident that the k-frame is original, it should give you a good idea when it was finished (within a couple of days) the code will be dead center in the front of the k-frame on the vertical surface and should have the 3 digit day and 1 digit year code. For ex., 3547 would be 354th day of 1967 for a 1968 production car.
33 IMP
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Do you have your broadcast sheet?
I am unfamiliar with 68s, but my 69 bc sheet shows a place on line one, basic car, that says vehicle order number. On my lynch road bc sheet, the first three digits of that number is 426, scheduled production date, April 26.
Next on that line is vin # . I think they started at 100000, so closer to that number, the earlier. My 69 is 293xxx, late production.
Edit: two posts above mine posted while I was typing (slowly). Lots of good info.
I am unfamiliar with 68s, but my 69 bc sheet shows a place on line one, basic car, that says vehicle order number. On my lynch road bc sheet, the first three digits of that number is 426, scheduled production date, April 26.
Next on that line is vin # . I think they started at 100000, so closer to that number, the earlier. My 69 is 293xxx, late production.
Edit: two posts above mine posted while I was typing (slowly). Lots of good info.
Do they use a letter like A for Oct, B for Nov and C for Dec?
33 IMP
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@Fran Blacker , I think that is correct.
69L48Z27
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doctordodge
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Great tip on the K member stamping. I'll check that when I see the car next. The date on the broadcast sheet is C08. Would that be December 8, 1967? When and where did the road runner debut?
Now that the date has been determined as December 8th of 67, when did the decor package add the trunk finish panel? I was of the thinking that the finish panel did not come effective until January of 68. I have a October of 67 Road Runner with the decor package but no finish panel.
It makes sense that Plymouth would bring out the "Petty Blue" Road Runners in conjunction with the NASCAR season. I wonder if you will find that the car was in transition from the early to later items for the 68 model year Road Runners? Does it have the slide down ash tray and Inland shifter?
I wish that I had paid more attention to this car when it was in my back door. But still, you should be able to document date coded items like horns, washer bottle, manifolds, relays, door panels etc that will only answer some of these questions.
From what I am aware of, these cars were built in a batch, so it would be interesting in knowing that time frame. Keep us posted on what you find.
It makes sense that Plymouth would bring out the "Petty Blue" Road Runners in conjunction with the NASCAR season. I wonder if you will find that the car was in transition from the early to later items for the 68 model year Road Runners? Does it have the slide down ash tray and Inland shifter?
I wish that I had paid more attention to this car when it was in my back door. But still, you should be able to document date coded items like horns, washer bottle, manifolds, relays, door panels etc that will only answer some of these questions.
From what I am aware of, these cars were built in a batch, so it would be interesting in knowing that time frame. Keep us posted on what you find.
doctordodge
Well-Known Member
You guys have one of my best sources of information. It does have the décor package with a finish panel which I believe is original. The ash tray is a '68 style slide down version. The shifter was missing when I got the car. It has been replaced with a Hurst model. I have found a few of these cars now with a variety of vins ranging from mine at the earliest to one with over 100,000 numbers later. That one had to be built in June or July of '68. The majority though from December to February.
doctordodge
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This one had carpet. Not much left however.
doctordodge
Well-Known Member
A few pics from last fall.
Did this package add the bright grill also?
All of the 68 Road Runners used the same style dark argent with black accents for the grills. For the finish panel, the Road Runners used a dark maroon color to match up to the tail lamps. The Satellites used the same panel, but the maroon color was black. I cannot tell from the pictures, but does this car have the B-pillars in body color or does it have the stainless trim covers?
doctordodge
Well-Known Member
Here's another pic showing the original finish under a repaint.
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