My 1971 Road runner

[71Beeper]

Thanks 68sprtsat383,
So yesterday was the big day to get the engine started to break in the cam and lifters.
I was able to get a quick fuel supply hooked up (electric clicky clack) & 5 gallon Jerry can in front of the car.

Got it fired up right away and set the rpms to 2000.
Ran like that for 20 minutes.
Sounds real nice thru the Bora exhaust - real tinny sounding but crisp.
I do have some video footage but am not such how to upload it here.

My neighbor (on the right) helped out to make sure there were no leaks and a second set of eyes is always good.

At one point I was fiddling with the timing and gave the carb a stab and "POOF" this happens.

I can't believe my wife who was taking pics got that shot.
BTW I still have my eyebrows and the hair on my arm.....
Next step is to get the fuel line from the mechanical pump to the carb installed and take it out on it's maiden voyage.

 

[RJ Squirrel]

Hey great minds think alike! I did the same thing yesterday with my 440. I put the air cleaner on tho.
Great timing on that picture! And great looking car

 

[ct71rr]

Almost there!! That picture is really cool. Looks like you didn't even flinch.

 

[71Beeper]

Thanks Chad - well you know how those sneezes thru the carb are like a split second in time.
No time to flinch, all I felt was a little heat.

 

[whayden2003]

71Beeper,
I apologize if you have covered this somewhere in this awesome build thread and I’m asking instead of looking. Did you have to do any replacing of your tail light sockets. I have been fighting mine. Being dim. Blowing fuses. Dug in today and my sockets are shot. I found some at autozone. But they are not like what is there. Can I get your advise on what would be the best option of replacing them?

 

[71Beeper]

whayden - my original tail lights were not in the greatest of shape. I had a spare set that were in much better shape, so I cleaned them up and painted them.

Here's a link to the roadrunner nest website where I have pics of them.

Startin to work on the Clone Runner (it's PAINTED!) - Page 20 - Road Runner Nest

Scroll down to near the bottom of that page.

Have a read at this post that was in the electrical section.

Tail light socket replacement

I need to replace all four 1157 sockets and the back up light 1156 sockets on my 72. The factory sockets are crimped in place to a plastic housing. I used a dremel cutter wheel and got them out. I need a socket to replace them. Any ideas on a replacements?

www.forbbodiesonly.com

I would take out the bad sockets you currently have with whatever means, but try not to destroy the housing casting.
Then buy the Dorman ones and glue them in permanently with either JB Weld or construction glue.
You will have to run a separate ground wire from each socket it its own dedicated ground.

Other than that try to find a clean set.

 

[whayden2003]

whayden - my original tail lights were not in the greatest of shape. I had a spare set that were in much better shape, so I cleaned them up and painted them.

Here's a link to the roadrunner nest website where I have pics of them.

http://[URL]http://www.roadrunnernest.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4333&start=285

[/URL]
Scroll down to near the bottom of that page.

Have a read at this post that was in the electrical section.

http://[URL]https://www.forbbodieso...ght-socket-replacement.295386/#post-912887909

[/URL]

I would take out the bad sockets you currently have with whatever means, but try not to destroy the housing casting.
Then buy the Dorman ones and glue them in permanently with either JB Weld or construction glue.
You will have to run a separate ground wire from each socket it its own dedicated ground.

Other than that try to find a clean set.

Just what I needed. Thanks for taking the time.

 

[71Beeper]

So I was finally able to take the car out on it's maiden voyage.
Took it easy, she drove straight, the suspension is good.
I did hear a little rattle of an exhaust pipe that may be too close to the body.
Oil pressure is great and temp is normal.
Other than that, she is ready to go to the alignment shop this week.
So I went and got the gas tank topped up.
Now - I did have just under two 5 gallon Jerry cans of fuel in it. I get to the gas station and fill up with 94 octane.
Man - did I get some sticker shock....

To put this in US measurements that's just under 14.5 gallons.
The gas tank can hold 20 gallons or 76 litres of fuel.
Yeah, us Canucks are getting gouged at the pumps.....

But before the trip to get the alignment done I must put on the remaining piece....the air cleaner housing and air filter.

Here's the FRAM air filter part number...

First, get it installed.

Now, to make sure there is hood clearance.

Upon closer inspection...

Yikes! looks like I have some stud trimming to do. Why I didn't do it way back when I first put the Air Grabber on beats me.
So before any Dremel tool action takes place, I drape plastic over the engine bay.

Here's the before shot.

 

[71Beeper]

And here's the after shot - it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.

Now put it all back on the engine and check for clearance again - but this time this rib is now going to contact the air filter lid.

Crap!!! Now what?
Looks like I have to lower the whole air cleaner housing.
So off I go to the back garage and do some other trimming.
I figure 1/2" of removal should do the trick.
First, scribe the line and tape it.
I can't believe I'm cutting up an actual Air grabber base......

Next, make the two tabs up front that keep it from rotating.

And finish up the cutting.

Next, clean up the burred edges.

Now put it all back together and on the engine.

Now see if there is clearance Clarence..

And it's all good!
Man, what a relief.
It was pretty nerve racking doing that.

 

[71Beeper]

So today was a big day as the last major thing needed to be done is the front end alignment.
So like when the exhaust got done, pull it out first thing this morning (6a.m.)and wait for the tow truck to get a ride to the alignment shop.

Then show up before the workers show up.

Great place - well recommended for front end work.

Once inside, got it on the rack and commenced with getting it dialed in.

After that I drove it for it's first long maiden voyage.
Now that the steering wheel is nice and straight and it goes nice and straight.
I dropped by my local Chrysler dealership as the parts manager is real good with me and I get good deals with them.
No sooner did I pull in when this came thru and parked.

The boys at the dealership liked the car.

So I've been waiting for this day for a long time that my restoration of the Clone runner is complete!!
Of course there will always be little things that need doing, but now its time to enjoy it and drive it for the rest of what's remaining of summer.
That includes driving it to the biggest Mopar show in Ontario - Moparfest.

 

[71Beeper]

So it looks like I'll be keeping this thread going some more.

So since August I've had the car out (when the weather has been good) and put about 300 miles on it.
Yesterday that came to a grinding halt...

Out in the car yesterday with my wife - we were going for ice cream and I noticed while driving in the rear view mirror I was crop dusting behind me.
I wasn't too concerned as I had the rear of the oil pan seal leaking and throwing oil onto the header collector.

What I didn't realize at first that the smoke was not blue but white in color.....

It wasn't until I pulled over and had a look under the hood and heard sizzling noises coming from the engine.
WTF?
I pull the dipstick to find this..

Looking around the engine I notice this on the valve covers...

My day is done - call CAA.

Get the car home and into the garage - pull the oil cap....unbelievable
Drain
.

Drain the oil today - its a milkshake...

Now to investigate and find out what happened.

 

[T2R9]

OOOF. What a bummer! Hope it is something simple like a pinhole in the timing cover.

You will get it sorted, you do good work.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Yup, hopefully timing cover or intake gaskets.... Whatever it is, it's a bummer....

 

[Richard Cranium]

Really, Really, Really Nice!!

 

[71Beeper]

Thanks guys - I really appreciate it.
We've all been thru it - having to take stuff apart after being so careful putting it on with freshly painted surfaces.
I'll have my share of paint chipped stuff....

 

[1 Wild R/T]

BTDT My Green Challenger was on the road less than a year when the impeller fell off the waterpump... If I'd known it was the impeller I wouldn't have had to take much apart.. But I didn't..... All the super clean work got chopped & stained.... The boiling antifreeze did enough damage... Working on it didn't help.... Hours of cleaning & touching it up made it so you could barely tell....

 

[ct71rr]

Man, that stinks! I know you'll get it sorted soon!

 

[71Beeper]

Thanks Chad - Just when I figured I would have nothing to do in the garage this winter.....NOT!
My wife's Austin Mini is gonna have to wait a bit longer for a freshen up.

 

[71Beeper]

So I haven't been too enthused about tearing into this as I just finished it not that long ago...
Today I started picking away at it.
First thing is to see how much water actually got into the crankcase. So lets drain the drain bucket.

BTW I did buy Walmart's cheapest oil and put it in. The plan is to pull the distributor and intermediate shaft and use my priming tool to flush out the rest of the milkshake crap with clean oil before I pull the heads.

so, not as much water got into the crankcase as I thought. I had 5 litres of the Lucas Hot Rod oil in it when it happened. I put back into the Walmart oil container that same amount but there was a skim of milkshake still in the drain pan.

Next on the list, pull the valve covers - passenger side first.....

I pulled the plugs to see if they could tell me anything.
Here they are left to right is cylinder 2-4-6-8.

 

[Nxcoupe]

Looks really rich