My first classic. '72 Roadrunner.

[scotts74birds]

Friday, I'm really happy for you! I've had a project that has been dragging on, but it inspires me to see someone with a running ride. And a NICE one at that! One tip. What I did on some of my older cars [I don't know if you are going for stock or not], I re-wired the headlight switch and Hi-beam to actuate relays with large wires near the headlights. I'm an electrician, and I know that #14 wire, or less, going from the switch all the way to the lights is a recipe for problems. Heat in the switch, especially on High, can cause lots of problems. This way you can run the latest hi-current draw lights you can find, but the interior electrics are only used as a remote switch. With all the hi-current stuff staying under the hood, and close to the lights for no voltage drop.

 

[FridayGt]

Have fun & enjoy the car. And don't think for a second you need a trailer queen... actually, the "works in progress" cars & the people you meet & talk to are the best part.

I know what you mean! I'm still new as hell to all of this so I get as excited as can be when I see a work in progress. It always seems like they're just so wiling to share what they're currently doing and the problems they've encountered on the way. I always seem to learn a bunch when I encounter those guys!

Friday, I'm really happy for you! I've had a project that has been dragging on, but it inspires me to see someone with a running ride. And a NICE one at that! One tip. What I did on some of my older cars [I don't know if you are going for stock or not], I re-wired the headlight switch and Hi-beam to actuate relays with large wires near the headlights. I'm an electrician, and I know that #14 wire, or less, going from the switch all the way to the lights is a recipe for problems. Heat in the switch, especially on High, can cause lots of problems. This way you can run the latest hi-current draw lights you can find, but the interior electrics are only used as a remote switch. With all the hi-current stuff staying under the hood, and close to the lights for no voltage drop.

That might be something for me to look into. Eventually I want to modernize her bit by bit. Downside is I think I know just enough about electrical to know that I know nothing. I think that's something where I'd try to find a class our something I could take. Well a class or a nearby friend I can bribe with craft beer and pizza after a joy ride! Lol

 

[roadrunnerman]

nice car glad you found what you were looking for.

 

[72Satellite440]

Well, a miserably failed attempt at dropping the gas tank last night after work by myself while trying to replace the inner neck to tank grommet, resulted in at least a small victory. Information! Well, I began to have an idea that the seller was full of it when he said the gear radio in the differential was 2.73 when I was having to cruise rediculously slow to keep the heat in the engine at a respectable level. When I lifted her up last night, I saw the number stamped on the differential 4.57!!! Just a tad different than 2.73 highway gears! Lol, I need to get a tach to show my RPM's. Cant believe he didn't have one in the car with that gear ratio, hurst shifter and fire extinguisher so obviously seeming to be for the track.

Any reccomendations?

Have you decided on new gears to go with yet?
I was lucky to get a low milage 3.55 8 3/4 -alot of people say its a good middle of the road ratio

 

[FridayGt]

Have you decided on new gears to go with yet?
I was lucky to get a low milage 3.55 8 3/4 -alot of people say its a good middle of the road ratio

Haven't made the final decision on that just yet, as I'm still working towards getting her to pass inspection and be as reliable as my current daily driver this weekend. Although, having though about this before, I'm pretty sure I'm going to put in a 3.55 as well. It's a shame though, the differential that's in there right now is in really good shape, it's just a whole lot of gear for my purposes... Lol. Hmmmm, maybe taller tires in the back will help for now.... Lol.

 

[71 GTX]

Nice car!

 

[greenmonsta79]

Do you happen to know what color it came from the factory with?

 

[FridayGt]

Do you happen to know what color it came from the factory with?

I don't actually. I'm going to pull the seats and see if I can find the build sheets, but the fender tag was long gone when I got to it. Either way, the door jambs and engine compartment are all matching. Only time will tell I suppose. Either I'll find the build sheet, or I'll see the rainbow when I strip her to repaint.

 

[greenmonsta79]

Yeah it looks like someone did have it blown apart to do the paint at one point in time also to myself that does not look like actual FC7 Plum Crazy looks too dark and not a lot of metal flake like the original FC7, I like the color! I would pull up a edge of the cardboard on the rear package tray and see what color it was most of the times this area won't get touched BUT if they went to the trouble of painting the underhood and jams and trunk area they may have painted the interior! but I am guessing it would be highly unlikely. Would be awesome if it were a triple black factory car!!!

 

[ChargerRTguy]

Great looking car and good luck with your resto. I had a '73 RR back in HS, was a 340, slap stick, wish I never sold it, but back then was just an old car.

 

[scotts74birds]

Yeah, I didn't want to say, but it does not look like FC7. I kind of looks like jelly bean purple. Maybe thats why I salivated when I saw it!

 

[FridayGt]

Yeah, I'm not certain if it's real Plum Crazy or not, but, that's probably what it'll get sprayed when I paint it again, maybe just a smidge darker.

Well, I went and did it. Cruised it around the block a few times to get the fuel level down to better siphon with and killed the tranny. Sigh. Add that to the list... Lol. Thank god I wanted a project car, because I certainly got it! Lol.

I actually towed it to a tranny/ performance shop. That's a tad more than I'm ready for inside of my first week of learning to work on these cars. The shop is actually called road runners performance and accessories... Lol. So, we'll see what he comes back with, but the guy seemed to pretty trustworthy, so I'm hopefull. He's going to break it down let me know what's wrong and give me my options before he does anything. I'll be sure to let you guys know what he comes back with.

 

[dangina]

im jealous of the white interior! if you want a good idea of what gear ratio to use with rim and tire combo use this:

http://vexer.com/automotive-tools/speed-rpm-calculator

 

[FridayGt]

im jealous of the white interior! if you want a good idea of what gear ratio to use with rim and tire combo use this:

http://vexer.com/automotive-tools/speed-rpm-calculator

Thanks! I love it too! Surprisingly enough, that's the cleanest part on this car. It needs a little work, but it's nice for the price range.
Yeah, I used the spin and count method with my transmission guy when it was up on his lift last week and discovered it's not as stamped. It's a 2.73 geared open differential. Sigh, add that to the list of things that need changing. Lol

Speaking of transmission shop, found out what was wrong with the transmission. It appears as though the previous owner had really done a number on me, and really loved his local hardware store. The trans colling lines were basically the equivalant of surgical tubing, nearly pinched closed by the zip-ties used to mount it. Add to that the fact that he used some sort of construction epoxy and a ballpeen hammer to get the transmission pump into place, and well, bye-bye transmission.

Sadly, this of course begs the act of looking deeper before dreaming of reliably driving this car on the road. I found a lot more hiding. This guy loved epoxy, because he used it along with some other home depot goodies to hide a lot of stuff with the car that I couldn't see until it was up on a lift. Sigh, really hard to not feel completely taken advantage of here, but I'm going to make it all right and fix her up. It'll take me quite a while longer and be a much more serious project and a lot more seriously expensive, but it'll be done the right way this time.

 

[scotts74birds]

That sucks. But ya gotta remember that you didn't tell us how much you paid, so you can still say it was a steal, even with all that stuff wrong! I'm still happy for you! If the body is straight and clean, then the bolt-on stuff is nothing.

 

[FridayGt]

Yeah, all things considered, I was ultimately planning on replacing the transmission and rebuilding the engine later on down the road anyway and it's not like I'm just planning on flipping this car for a profit or anything. I just wound up having to do it sooner... Lol. Now I just need to get a new rear diff and then I'll hold off for a little while to save up for the major stuff again. It's a 2.73 open diff, and it's fine for cruising around right now, but I'm going to have to get a sure grip before I really start fooling around.

I've started doing things most like the "right way" I can think of. First things first, I've made sure to document absolutely everything done to it either by me or the shop since I've gotten it home. Receipts, pictures and a laundry list the length of my forearm already. Transmission, tank grommet, trans and fuel lines, shift kit, torque converter... So on and so forth. Heck, the entire front end's suspension.

 

[Sneke_Eyez]

Well, congrats on picking up the car, it looks really nice!
I am always happy for someone who picks up something they really wanted, my Coronet was and still is my dream car, so I know how you feel!

Good luck bringing it back to what it should be, unfortunately some people don't care enough to do things the right way and they just cobble them together. That is the curse of the musclecar hobby, I think, those guys who are out there doing things just to get them to "look" right, even if they aren't right.
They'd probably never do it to their DDs, but they'll do it to their big $$$$$ muscle cars...

 

[FridayGt]

Well, congrats on picking up the car, it looks really nice!
I am always happy for someone who picks up something they really wanted, my Coronet was and still is my dream car, so I know how you feel!

Good luck bringing it back to what it should be, unfortunately some people don't care enough to do things the right way and they just cobble them together. That is the curse of the musclecar hobby, I think, those guys who are out there doing things just to get them to "look" right, even if they aren't right.
They'd probably never do it to their DDs, but they'll do it to their big $$$$$ muscle cars...

You're defenitely right about that. It's just sad really. I mean, I'm sure it's the case with just about any car out there unless it's a show quality resto that you really paid for. The more and more I dig, the more and more I find, such a shame.

Heck this guy had what looked to be an electrical fire or something, so instead of fixing it, he just bolted a fire extinguisher into the car! Seriously, it has a half melted fuse panel in it! Btw, I'm SOOOO keeping that fire extinguisher there until I can put in a new wiring harnes.... lol. The valve covers looked like they were just beaten with a hammer until they stopped leaking, the oil pan was even worse like someone tried to turn it into an upside down cereal bowl. Trans cooling lines were surgical tubing nearly clamped shut with the zip-ties used to mount them. The fuel line was literally folded over and shoved into a space in the frame. This guy LOVED epoxy... sigh. lol.