Craig Jackson's '71 Hemi 'Runner in MCG

[ryangtogtx]

Craig Jackson's '71 Hemi RR is in MCG this month. Not a very long article, but a nice car none the less.

[bruce]

Nice car, but they ruined it by putting his ugly mug in the article with it...

[Eric]

Wow...some of you get MGC a lot earlier than I do. Mine just arrived today. Ok, here's the quiz (I don't feel so bad about this since it's Craig Jackson). Who can point out inaccurately restored items on the car? Yes there are some visble in the photos......

[Dave]

Wow Eric, just getting yours? Is your mail man a Mopar guy? hehehe... Mine has been here for probably close to a week now. Of course, that doesn't mean I've had a chance to even read anything in it. Did flip through quickly and saw the Hemi RR was in there.

[general]

Ok I'll bite

1. The gray on the front grille looks too dark (in the picture anyway) It should be more of a light argent.
2. No blackout on the rocker sill ( not sure which colors didn't have any) maybe this dark blue was one of them.
3. Looks like a standard interior judging by the door panels. If so, isn't the steering wheel incorrect.
4. Chrome around the rear taillight bezels??
5. This one I'm not sure, with a air grabber hood were you able to get fender turn signal indicators?


OK Eric, what is the right answer.

Norm

[Eric]

MCG usually shorts me an issue or two...just figured this was one of them until it showed up yesterday!
Norm, you're on the right track.
1. hard to tell if the grille is correct
2. use of the blackout seems to be inconsistant on blue cars
3. you're on the right track with the interior, but the steering wheel is correct (hint, think A87 package)
4. I don't see chrome around the rear tail lights?
5. you could get fender indicators with the A/G

another hint, look at stripe detail options and colors

[general]

Ok my mistake on the rear lenses. What I see is the chrome between the light bezel and the decal.
1.As far as the interior, I see the A87 has the deluxe wheel so the door panels are incorrect. Those are not the H2 trim level.
2.Just noticed the trim rings look polished...should be brushed
3. I don't know enough to pick out the stripe detail and colors. What is the story on those.

Norm

[Dave]

Well, the question I have is what's its SPD? From the context clues, I'm guessing it's a later production piece (amber turn signal lenses + the later style bucket seats). If those are correct, then the black, textured trim on the rear of the canopy top isn't right - I've never seen an original car late enough to have the amber lenses that didn't have the chrome trim. Of course, never say never from Ma Mopar.

[Eric]

Ok, here are a few....
-brite wheel opening trim and rear bumper/valance blackout indicates the A87 package. This package also included the 3 spoke steering wheel with the 3 padded horn buttons at the ends of the spokes (as this car has) and the upgraded door panels with the contrasting center inserts. Also, bucket seat cars got these panels regardless of A87 or not.

-the correct color fender decal engine callout on a B5 car is white, not black. If you take a look at the Nov 2005 issue (unrestored photos of the car) it appears that the original was white.

- black seat belts in a blue interior? should be blue....also looking at the 2005 magazine, you can see a blue belt buckle indicating that it originally came with the correct blue belts

- Norm, good catch on the polished wheel rings

- Dave, the 2005 photo shows black trim....I'm thinking the amber lenses are incorrect

- also, I don't recall the bucket seat back release buttons being chrome (I recall they should be black).....Dave, Norm or anyone, do you recall seeing an original car with the chrome buttons?

[general]

I think the chrome button is OK, see attached. I have a few of these pictures, different cars.
I wish there were more pics of the engine and underside.

[71rm23]

Hey Guy's,

I normally do not have time to reply much. I personally went to England to check this car out a year before Jackson wound up with it. It DID INDEED have the low-buck door panels on it. Obviously, a factory screw up. I have a copy of the buildsheet and the fendertag info. Also, somewhere pictures of it when I went to check it out. I believe it was a June build date. Second to the last Hemi Road Runner built. To say that the individual who owned it was STRANGE, is an UNDERSTATEMENT. The car was original and untouched, other than the add on items. The amber turn signals are correct. I can't recall, I would have to find the photos to verify the canopy molding. I am 99% sure the Fender "Hemi" callouts were black when I went to look at it. I am sure I know more about the history of that car than Jackson himself!!

Hope some of this helps!

Jeff

[Dave]

If it is an early build car - the amber lenses are obviously incorrect, however the black trim would be ok.The seats in the car now (and the ones in the white interior pic on this thread) are the later style seats. They have the single piece seat back with the chrome button - where the plastic seat back wraps around the button and all the way down the "arms". The early style seats had a longer matching color button - with a seat back that did not wrap around it. There are 2 metal trim pieces that cover the "arms" and up the side of the seat (including the button).

Jeff, I'm sure Eric and I would love to see the buildsheet and fender tags from this car.

[Eric]

Interesting, I've also seen the black button on the later style seats. I'll have to do some research to see what the pattern was with these.
Jeff, I agree with Dave. I'd love to see fender tag and broadcast sheet photos as well as other detail photos of the car. Curious about the door panels....factory mistake or changed out sometime during the life of the car? Let's see some photos!!!

[71rm23]

Dave and Eric,

It was a LATE Build date-June of 71. The amber lenses are correct. It did indeed have the ONE peice seat backs. I can not remember the color of the release button- I do believe they were chrome. It was the 2nd to the LAST HEMI Road Runner built. When I went to look at it, the car was all original--NOTHING done to it. Believe me, the guy who owned it, would not have changed a thing. He was the second owner of it, he bought it with 3000 miles on it. He definitely did not take care of it. There were soooo many items broken, he had no mechanical ability at all. I could go on and on about the issues the car had, but that would take forever. It only had 19,007 miles on it. NO, not a rolled over speedometer either.

You guys will have to wait a while for me to find the stuff. I was living in Missouri back then. It is buried in a box somewhere. I just started my flight around the world with UPS won't be back until the First of the year.

Jeff

[roelbest]

Here are some pics I took of the car at my house, a few days before it left for the USA