Found a project car- pretty far gone…
Warbirds
Member Posts: 16,919 ✭✭✭✭
Things have been a bit crazy & Im living in PA full time now, but I haven’t closed. So we’re staying in an AirBnB up in the Poconos and I’m commuting to work until we close on the new house.
Way off the beaten path I found what I believe is a 69 Plymouth Road Runner 383 4 speed car- very basic, No AC, no power brakes, etc. Needs a bunch of body work, a bunch. But everything is there.
The last thing I need a something to take my time but this thing is “for sale” with a phone number and I think I’m inclined to call.
Maybe I get a new money pit for the next few years with the boys.
Overall- w/o knowing if it runs or drives I’d call it a 4/10.
The “good”:
The Bad:
The Ugly:
The lack of air cleaner had the Holly stuffed right up against the hood. Which could be the intake or it could mean maybe there’s a 440 sitting in there but at tire kicking distance it’s tough to know.
Comments
Lord have mercy, better you then me!! I don't have that much time or patience.
or money , good luck if you get it . About 50k to get it right?
Love it.... She's a beauty. Keep us posted. My 50 Stude was to go in the shop last week...
"Independence Now, Independence Forever."
John Adams
Great find
So many people searching for such cars
My 2 cents I will wager you could flip it if and make money if it's too big a project to take on based your time
If you can do the work your self even better and would be a great project
if hired out its cheaper to buy one already done being honest
Does it have a spare??
Green
I see lots of potential, with a decent base to start with…..
I wonder what the vise grips are doing?
Don't get better than that today. Flat machined square behind the thermostat housing would make that a 440.
they look new based on the thumb screw so not been there long ? I will guess breaking a brake like loose
another trend just get it road worthy like brakes tires and safety issues and drive as found as in barn find
very popular as still a head turner classic with out spending 10 or 20K in doing it as a nice driver or 50k + to
restore it
drive it as you tinker with it pick a problem for a weekend like a fixing a panel or similar untill its done and still drive it
like the old days when us kids only had limited funds and time to fix our cars ( at least me now older I still no funds but have time now )
I wonder how deep the "ugly" corrosion, at the door sill area, really goes. The cracked apart bondo looks pretty thick.........or I'm wrong……hopefully.
A while back......PowerNation did a custom rebuild of a RoadRunner. The build videos should still be on their website.
Love the car. If that is your thing restoring cars you have a treasure, there. It will take some time and money, but worth it.
You'll lose your *, looks like that car has already had a ton of body work a long time ago.
I love those Mopars. I had a 63 Plymouth and later a 65 Plymouth. I would suspect you will need to replace the clutch assembly, possibly the differential, and maybe the U-joints. A car like that will have had a lot of abuse during its lifetime. But if you have the time and money, it will make a great car.
GOOD LUCK!
Joe
Yes, the 383 ID pad was on the left, and the 440 had that ID pad on the right side. Both had the displacement size stamped there, as well as the HP mark for high performance.
Since that's a four-speed car, there's a pretty good chance it has a Dana rear end instead of the 8-3/4
When I got out of the army the first car I bought was a 1969 Chrysler GTX with a 440. It had the automatic hydromatic transmission I believe they called it. Nothing like the old muscle cars of the past. It’s when we tried to see how much horse power we could get out of a gallon of gas rather than how many miles we could out of a gallon of gas.
Today muscle cars remind me of comparing, a P-51Mustang or a an F6F Hellcat to a piper cub.
I can say I lived when we had the best cars.
The window channels under those chrome trim pieces will be a major concern if I was looking at the project. If they are rotten and need new metal it will be very labor intensive to repair. The flat stuff on the sides are easy to replace for an experienced metal guy.
Cool car.
Short story
When I was freshman in high school a kid I grew up with ,3 years older though this was 1972
I road to school with him my freshman year as he was senior he had a old vauxall some mini British car , i have never seen another one,
he got cheap and was his first car and of course made fun of by classmates
That All changed one weekend he.
he Bought a 70 roadrunner 383 4 speed and with air grabber hood Dark green and black stripes
we circled the school parking lot at least three times that morning with the "ohhs and ahhs" and thumbs up By all the guys
The Smile on his face as we drove by the other kids was priceless
You got to learn that song, "just good ole boys, straight'en the curves, flat'en the hills, one day the mountain might get'em but the law never will"…….😜
"Never do wrong to make a friend----or to keep one".....Robert E. Lee
If i had the money and the time and the price is right I would jump all over that
Found it........but kinda long.
Enjoy......
Called the seller no answer. I’ll keep trying this week.
Sorry, not for me, I'd just go buy a new hot Nash Rambler.
Rust on the A and C pillars are a concern: replacing metal where the glass fits is a job for a skilled sheet metal man, as Gregor62 has already alluded to. Other places on the car are not so tricky. AMD repops some of the sheet metal. Bumpers are nice & straight if that is any indication of general body condition (which is always the major consideration, and expense, in a collectible). Mechanical parts are readily available. Basically a pretty desirable car.
I hope you've called a few times. It's growing on me. 👍👍
"Independence Now, Independence Forever."
John Adams
Like some on here i am sure
sadly I would consider my self a dreamer on such things ,i see a old car and see what it could be In my by passing reality of the real work andmoney needed LOL
When I w as younger my wife would tell out friends just spray a little primer on it my husband would go crazy for it
when we would go on any tripno matter if just short or long haul trip like vacation I would be scanning back yards or open barns for old cars
And Yes my wife drove and still does 98% of the time maybe because of my distraction ability she worried i was not watching traffic bit more car sestching .
Any way not sidtracking Let us know how it goes what you decide
Looks like a lot of body work to me, not something I'd want to tackle. The old black and white Chevy sitting on the drivers side of the Roadrunner looks pretty interesting though!
Seeing rust & bondo around the window seals is a bad omen unless you have the equipment and ability to make and weld window channels from scrap. Exfoliation is evident under the bondo and uncoated bondo holds water making things worse.
If the floor & truck pans are toast, I would avoid. Would have to be a frame off.
Yes, I have done total restos.
Mopar used unibody construction for those, so the undercarriage is something else to inspect if you plan to purchase. Reconstruction of the underbelly would be major, requiring complete disassembly and possibly the use of a rotisserie.
don't take it the wrong way Warbirds, but I remember a few posts a while back where you didn't have time to do things because of your schedule and the kids schedules, How are you gonna find time for a car in this bad a shape?
Man, I love those old MOPARs and always entertain the idea of acquiring one then reality hits.
If its me, I buy one that is already done for pennies on the dollar, because once you start digging into a project like that it gets expensive real quick.
If you can do all the metal work yourself and enjoy doing it, then maybe.
Get it running and drive it like it is.Being pretty is over-rated.
That seems to be the trend. Just drive and enjoy countless you tubers have found and post projects just fun to drive just make them safe and back on the road
With out putting tens of thousands of dolars and countless hours in restoring or referbing it
Check out Uncle Tony's garage web site he loves Mopar, but all cars in general low budget and just have fun
He has years of experence in hot rod style magazines and drag racing fun guy to watch
I had a 69 roadrunner convertible with a 383 with a 4 speed when I got out of high school. Only thing I could say is buy it and hold on for the ride of your life.
@hillbille I think this is the reality. & as such, I quit trying to chase the seller down.
I did some rough numbers and even without one dollar of labor It would be north of 50 grand to make right.
& I just don’t think I have the time to make something like that THE priority.
It's easy to get bit by a old car in need of repair or restoration I was always a sucker / dreamer when I would run across one but age and of course money have changed my mind
I still get excited to see one in the wild as they call it
JHHO for wht its worth
you made the right decision Based on your work load and time
I know it was a lot bb to think over
Doing it your self is a huge undertaking and money pit even doing it yourself, if hiring it out 100x times more
It will make some one or father son / daughter a good project
Chrysler called their 3-speed auto transmissions TorqueFlites
Joe
I have a 1989 F150 that belonged to my best friend before he passed away, I bought it from his estate.
Bob (my friend) worked for the FAA and took a position in Anchorage Alaska he bought it new in 89 to take to his new job.
He signed up for three years but ended up staying for eight years because he loved it there.
The truck is beautiful and I seldom drive but every time I do, I have to drop at least a hundred bucks on it ...... new a/c, new radiator, t-stat, brakes, starter, solenoid, wiper motor,door and window rubber, clutch, battery, mufflers, tires, valve gaskets, paint job ........… and on and on and on.
I love the truck and it's in excellent condition (now) but if it hadn't been my best friend's truck and my son wasn't begging me for it, I would have sold it a long time ago.
Do they sell sheet metal for them like 'Cudas on Graveyard Carz? 'cos you gonna need it. Run the vin and fender tag while you're waiting.
I like the vice grip mod.
make sure the vice grips are in the sale