Finally Bought My Dream Car. 1969 Roadrunner Project

[Stevo427]

Hey Steve, any luck on finding the previous owners? I, like you, grew up with a 68 Road Runner and have been obsessed with them ever since. I actually found my dads old Road Runner. I am really glad the car is getting saved. I actually bought the car for my 1 year old son but I got stuck with a really clean N96 69 Runner and figured I would give that to him instead and your car was sold to the Alpine guy.

http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/showthread.php?3855-The-Runner-that-started-it-all

I found the lady(Atleaast I'm dead sure I did since she lived in Colton during the years the car was registered down there.. Have her new home address ( Or last known current at least ) and a phone number. Still haven't tried calling her. Probably try that tomorrow. If she doesn't answer I'll send her a letter.

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I wish my dad still had the vin number to his roadrunner. I know it got pretty much totaled but it'd still be pretty cool to see what happened to it.

 

[wingcarenvy]

The funny thing is that all I had was the guys name, which was a really common one, and did a zabba search and checked out every lead. It took me ten years. But I found it. I hope to own it one day.

 

[Basket case]

The funny thing is that all I had was the guys name, which was a really common one, and did a zabba search and checked out every lead. It took me ten years. But I found it. I hope to own it one day.

good luck Chris

 

[Stevo427]

Well I measured up the frame on the front. Everything is pretty straight up until past the K member where the rad support is. The frame is pushed in 9/16-7/8ish. But the K-member held the rest of the frame in spec.



I'm thinking I might go the torch and big hammer route and try and straighten it out. Not sure yet. It's kind of a lot to bend back. Frame shop maybe? Not to sure what you guys think

 

[Basket case]

frame shop

 

[99ss]

great thread/project

 

[Stevo427]

frame shop

Yeah I'm emailing around trying to get some estimates. Hopefully it's not to much cause I wanted to get started on other stuff. But I want to get the frame sorted out before I start putting new metal on.

 

[Stevo427]

Just glad its localized to the one lil part of the frame rail. This is right in front of the cross member and it's a perfect 34".

Also saw this in my travels today

 

[Basket case]

how did the sheetmetal line up?

 

[Stevo427]

how did the sheetmetal line up?

Decent when it was together. But there was some fat gaps on the bent side. Hood rubbed a little when it shut. But that could of been the hinges for all I know. Sheetmetal was off a satellite. But I'm going with new amd metal unless I come across some real nice Original fenders/hood.

 

[wingcarenvy]

Well I measured up the frame on the front. Everything is pretty straight up until past the K member where the rad support is. The frame is pushed in 9/16-7/8ish. But the K-member held the rest of the frame in spec.
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I'm thinking I might go the torch and big hammer route and try and straighten it out. Not sure yet. It's kind of a lot to bend back. Frame shop maybe? Not to sure what you guys think

Take it to a good frame shop. I know of one in Orange County. I think the one of the rails is pushed up as well. A good frame shop will measure it all aspects.

 

[Stevo427]

Take it to a good frame shop. I know of one in Orange County. I think the one of the rails is pushed up as well. A good frame shop will measure it all aspects.

What's the one in Orange County? I'm looking around right now but I used to live in Anaheim + have family there. So wouldn't mind taking it there for a weekend or so to get it taken care of the right way. I'll measure the up down of the frame tomorrow.

 

[747mopar]

Personally I would fix it myself, you say the frame is straight then you are just getting the bumper mounts back to where they belong and making it look better. I've straightened alot of issues like this, a good heavy peace of metal I beam-box tube whatever mounted on the inside of the frame securely at the point where it's bent and then on back, put a hyd. press out at the end and with a little help from the torch it should go right back. That's just me, I like doing everything myself but on the other hand if a frame shop will do it for a reasonable price then go for it. Good luck

 

[rev.ronnie]

Great post. Good to see some young blood in this dying hobby. You have a great car to work with. While all the other guys your age are playing video games and driving ricers, you are building a kick *** car that they will some day tell their kids about, wishing it was them.

Anyway, get that thing soda blasted. There are guys who will come out and do it on site on a rotisserie or somewhere that you can get it in the air. It will make the whole process much more enjoyable and preserve the car better once it is sealed up with an etching primer.

Once you have a clean carcass, it seems that you are moving forward instead of the long drawn out tears own stage.

I still have a 1970 Charger R/T I bought when I was 17. It took 5 years, 50k and thousands of hours to restore, but it is worth it every time I drive it.


Keep up the good work.

 

[Stevo427]

Personally I would fix it myself, you say the frame is straight then you are just getting the bumper mounts back to where they belong and making it look better. I've straightened alot of issues like this, a good heavy peace of metal I beam-box tube whatever mounted on the inside of the frame securely at the point where it's bent and then on back, put a hyd. press out at the end and with a little help from the torch it should go right back. That's just me, I like doing everything myself but on the other hand if a frame shop will do it for a reasonable price then go for it. Good luck

I'd love to do it my self. I hate taking anything I own to someone else. I just don't have the means to be able to tackle this. If I had a hydraulic press of some sort I'd go for it. Think if I did this it would work? I have a hyd bottle jack

I would think since the frame is held in place by the k member that the heated/bent side of the frame would just bend back into place. Since it's bent pretty much right after the k member I'm sure that would act as my jig to keep it in place

 

[Stevo427]

Well got to work removing the inner fenders and when I couldnt find any spot welds I started getting a little frustrated. That's when I looked and saw the whole piece had a bunch of weld beads holding it together. Somebody did some shotty *** work on this front end. They didnt even clamp the metal together tight when they welded it together.

So off to work I went with a pry bar and grinder.



I dont know what to do with this piece above. It's obviously been taken off then rewelded on judging by the big gap in the metal. Guess I might have to remove it and put it on the right way? any insight on how.

Also dont really know what to do about this yet. Someone hacked it up
Since the other side looks normal

Also attempted to straighten out the front of the frame rail. Got it more less where it needs to be. But I think I might just replace both sides about 6 inches back. Do they make replacement frame rails for the front?

 

[Basket case]

it sucks when you find half assed work like this, but...at least now you'll now it will be done right.

 

[Stevo427]

cleaned up the excess welds and metal. I'm going to wait to pull off the fender to cowl mount and the one over the shock until I know what to do with it. Tomorrow I'll start on the drivers side which looks untouched so should just be spot welded.

 

[Stevo427]

The more I think about the more I just want to cut the frame rails back 6-8 inches to where it's straight and just graft in some new pieces. The rails themselves are dented in the area where it was pushed in so even if it's perfect the bolt holes wont line up. Would this be a good way to go about it as long as I made sure it was all measured perfect. All I got to do is find just the fronts of both frame rails. Cant see myself buying 2 $500 frame rails just to cut 6 inch pieces out of both. Could the frame shop even fix the part I mentioned with frame being dented.

 

[Superfreak]

Personally I don't believe in grafting of stock frame rails and I would replace it but that is just me. I would try and find some factory originals. I have one for the passenger side you are welcome to have but the shipping cost would be high.