Inherited 1972 Roadrunner/GTX 440

General Mopar Related Conversation

Moderator: Site Administrators

csilko
Road Runner (RM)
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Nov 14, 2011 5:25 pm
My Cars: 72 Roadrunner/GTX, 440-6pk

Inherited 1972 Roadrunner/GTX 440

Post by csilko » Tue Nov 15, 2011 5:08 pm

Hello,
Obviously I am new to the forum. I recently inherited my Uncle's RR and am trying to gather some information on how to go about restoring it. There are a lot of unknowns for me, but here is what I gathered so far. Unfortunately, my Uncle was estranged from the family for many years before he passed, so I only had a few conversations with him about the car before he died. Here is what I know:

About the history:
He bought it around 1974, and I believe he was only the second owner. He used to race is and beat it up pretty bad when he was younger. The car was last driven in 1978. It has been in pieces in various places for the past 30 years under the guise that "someday" he was going to fix it up and drive it. The components have all been indoors in garages, houses, and most recently, an outdoor storage unit over that time frame.

In speaking to my Uncle, he claimed that everything "worked" on the car except that the engine needed to be rebuilt because it was "blown," whatever that means. The block and heads don't have any cracks, and I assume that he just started to lose compression or power in 1978 when he took it off the road for good. That's all I know about the engine.

About the car:
1972 Roadrunner/GTX, 440, 4-speed, airgrabber, hard top, red with black stripes.

About the condition:
I made a preliminary visit to his house when I was up there for the funeral. It was tough to get to the body and the parts because they were crammed into his garage (he was kind of a pack rat) and an outdoor storage unit (PODS-type thing) that had most of his belongings after his house caught fire. The body seemed OK in that there was no obvious rust or corrosion on the outside of it. I was able to stick my hand underneath in a few areas, and it felt pretty solid. It was locked, but the inside really looked like it was in very nice condition, minus a hole in the roof liner about the size of a medium sized rat.

I physically laid eyes on the block, the heads, the drive shaft, the transmission, the gas tank, and the hood - all of which where in various locations (garage, basement, and storage unit). So it seems that all of the major parts are there and in decent shape as far as an eyeball assessment goes.

About me:
I have very limited experience working on cars. but I like to think of myself as fairly handy around the house and pretty quick to figure things out by reading directions or just tinkering around (I am a mechanical engineer by education). I was thinking that I would have to get the major stuff professionally done - engine rebuilt, body work, etc., but I would like to do as much of the other labor as I can reasonably expect to do.

So I guess my questions are as follows:
1. Where do I start? I assume I will have to send the engine out to be rebored, decked, rebuilt, dynoed, etc. I also assume the body will have to be sent off as well. My friend knows an engine rebuild shop and local body shop that can possibly help with this.

2. What about the transmission, driveshaft, and axles? Do they need to be sent off to be inspected and possibly repaired/rebuilt?

3. What is the process and sequential order for doing this if I am going to try and do most of it myself? I will obviously need the body back before putting the components back in. What order would I work on everything else? Engine, tranny, driveshaft, brakes, fuel lines, electrical?

4. What type of documentation/manuals are available that could point me in the right direction and give me both general and specific guidance on this type of project?

5. What parts would have to be replaced as opposed to reused or rebuilt - radiator? fuel pump? master cylinder? etc?

6. Finally, is this realistic for me to try and take on this type of project with my limited experience, or will I rapidly be up over my head?

I guess I am just looking for some general direction on how to handle this project. His literal dying wish was for me to have this car and for it to run again. And ever since I was a little kid, he had told me stories about it and would show me the body of the car. I have been dreaming of getting this thing running ever since I was a young teenager, it was just that other things in the family prevented anyone from acting on it.

Finally, I am not sure about my budget. If it is just me, then my budget will be very limited - probably less than $10K - and I would like to just see if I can get it running. If I am able to coordinate getting some money out of his estate to be put toward the car, perhaps I can fund a higher quality restoration. There are many uknowns at this time.

I am scheduled to head up to his house later this week, and from what I was told, a lot of his stuff have been moved and there is a more clear path to the car and parts. I will try and take pictures and get a better assessment on the condition of things when I get home. Is there anything special that I should look for or inspect while I am up there?

In the meantime, any information you guys can provide would be great. Thanks!

CtownRunner
GTX (RS)
Posts: 587
Joined: Wed May 05, 2004 9:48 pm
Location: Cleveland, the North Coast

Re: Inherited 1972 Roadrunner/GTX 440

Post by CtownRunner » Tue Nov 15, 2011 8:08 pm

Get everything U can out of the house,garage, storage before someone else throws it out as junk.
U may need a Mopar friend to go hunting for all the stuff u do not even know is part of the car.

Sounds pretty neat over all. A Mopar shop manual is a must. A CD copy is OK but a paper copy really brings the parts to life so to speak.

Find a local Mopar club or any car club. u will make friends with sage advice.

Where are U from. Go to Mopar shows, swap meets and start getting the stuff organized.

Subscribe to a Morpar mag or two preferable one that actually shows you how something works and how to do a project. Not just pretty pictures of some car that went into a shop and came out $35000 later looking show room new.

this site and others For B Bodies only FBBO.com Moparts.com have many member build threads that follow what they did with there cars.

Check out the forum on Dave's BlueBird build.
Image

User avatar
471Magnum
GTX (RS)
Posts: 534
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2007 5:16 pm
Location: Evansville, IN

Re: Inherited 1972 Roadrunner/GTX 440

Post by 471Magnum » Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:17 pm

Cool story. Welcome aboard.

Very cool car. A 72 GTX 440-4spd is arguably the last great Mopar muscle car of the era.

As stated above, get on the forums and lurk. Read... read... read.... Don't get in a hurry. Invest your time in research before you invest a dime in parts or labor.
-Jim
"I can fix it... my old man is a television repairman... he's got the ULTIMATE set of tools... I can fix it."
Image

72Satellite440
GTX (RS)
Posts: 166
Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2010 1:13 am
My Cars: 1972 Plymouth Sebring plus
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: Inherited 1972 Roadrunner/GTX 440

Post by 72Satellite440 » Tue Nov 15, 2011 11:27 pm

congrats on your inheritance and sorry about your loss- Welcome to the site-
Go ahead and ask all the questions you need to- Only dumb question is a unasked one-
72-SaTeLliTe440-Dan

gcoupe72
GTX (RS)
Posts: 147
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:14 am
My Cars: 1972 Road Runner originally equipped as lemon twist,400,4spd,air grabber,performance axle pkg.,bk. interior.
Location: North Carolina

Re: Inherited 1972 Roadrunner/GTX 440

Post by gcoupe72 » Wed Nov 16, 2011 11:52 am

Great advice from everyone, totally agree with Clownrunner. Try to find someone who can help you I.d. parts,

that might be tossed by a non Mopar person. Look carefully at the engine parts, if the block is original to the car, save it. Even if you need to find a substitute it to get the car running.
"Blown engine" means different things to different people. If the engine just had a rod knock, the crank may be repairable. You may just be looking at replacing the crank and bearings and re-assembling the engine.

This is weird, last December I bought my own '72 Road Runner, from the nephew of the dead uncle. The car was about half disassembled. I'm missing many parts, including the original engine and rearend. The guy that sold it to me remembers last seeing it run in the mid eighties, when he was 5! He's been no help to me finding the missing parts, hope you have better luck.
Don't be overwhelmed by this, you can learn to do most of the work.
As always, don't be afraid to ask for help, many have been down this road before you. Not every question will be answered here, but it's a great resource.

User avatar
Smellslike1974
GTX (RS)
Posts: 2024
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2007 9:12 am
Location: south new jersey

Re: Inherited 1972 Roadrunner/GTX 440

Post by Smellslike1974 » Wed Nov 16, 2011 1:16 pm

I agree with all of the above. If you need ANY help.This is the place. If you go any wheres else you will most likely not have a good experience.


I'd take a lot of pictures.Takes pics of the parts you know,and the parts you don't know. Upload them and we can help you out. You will learn a lot faster then trying to google information yourself. Dedicate a binder/notebook/folder to any information you already have and for future info you will come across.
Label all of the parts when you find out what they are. Bolts are a different story,if your uncle had everything in different places,bolts,nuts,clips etc: are most likely in coffee cans all together not labeled.<-Another thing that we can help you with.

Just like what was already said,It's a lot to take in but don't get overwhelmed. :beer:
"Sunny D"-1974 Plymouth Satellite Sebring With Sundance Packaging

User avatar
bruce
Site Admin
Posts: 2123
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2003 5:21 pm
Location: North Carolina
Contact:

Re: Inherited 1972 Roadrunner/GTX 440

Post by bruce » Wed Nov 16, 2011 1:20 pm

Welcome! Like Ctown said, find a car club in your area and JOIN it! No better place than to find guys who are restoring cars and people you can learn from. They can put you on to the best vendors and companies to use in your area and may become one of your best sources for the inside track on local j-yards and parts...

Don't get overwhelmed! Find some like minded car buddies who share the disease and soon you'll be out there turning wrenches and getting it done.

Finally, as usual, post up some photos! We love to see them and the response you get will help get you jazzed about the project. Do the car and it's going to be INCREDIBLY special to you--left to you by someone who evidently thought very highly of you AND accomplished on your own...

The "blown" engine could be a spun bearing. There would be no cracks or holes in the block or head as a result of a spun bearing.
Bruce Anliker

User avatar
471Magnum
GTX (RS)
Posts: 534
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2007 5:16 pm
Location: Evansville, IN

Re: Inherited 1972 Roadrunner/GTX 440

Post by 471Magnum » Wed Nov 16, 2011 4:27 pm

Let us know where you're located. I'd love to be of assistance if by chance you're somewhere in my neck of the woods.
-Jim
"I can fix it... my old man is a television repairman... he's got the ULTIMATE set of tools... I can fix it."
Image

User avatar
bruce
Site Admin
Posts: 2123
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2003 5:21 pm
Location: North Carolina
Contact:

Re: Inherited 1972 Roadrunner/GTX 440

Post by bruce » Wed Nov 16, 2011 5:16 pm

471Magnum wrote:Let us know where you're located. I'd love to be of assistance if by chance you're somewhere in my neck of the woods.

Yeah, what he said! :beer:
Bruce Anliker

NOrrTH
GTX (RS)
Posts: 208
Joined: Sun Aug 16, 2009 2:46 pm
Location: Nanaimo, BC, Cda

Re: Inherited 1972 Roadrunner/GTX 440

Post by NOrrTH » Wed Nov 16, 2011 6:21 pm

First off, as others have said, its a very desirable car.

You say you have a $10k budget, where do you hope to be with the car ie: reliable driver or show and shine?

We dont have enough information/pictures to give you an informed opinion as to wether or not you'll be wasting your money. Depending on the condition of the car and its originality, you might be better off just to store it and restore it when you have more funds. Because of the economy, that $10k goes a long ways towards buying an already done car.

Mopars are VERY espensive to restore. For instance, my wipers dont work so I just sent off the motor, switch and linkage arms to get restored...$600. Like you, I have very limited mechanical knowledge but have learned a LOT thanks to this site, Moparts, For B Bodies Only, MyMopar, meeting fellow enthusiasts and numerous other mopar sites. I bought my '71 GTX 2.5 years ago off Ebay for $21k - rust free, straight, older restoration. Today I have $15k in parts and $21k in labor into it for $57k :cry: Keep in mind this did not include a new paint job, body work, engine, rear end, brakes or tranny rebuild as they were all fine. Knowing what to look for and finding good quality parts has been a challenge that you need to immerse yourself in. We will be glad to help you. The car is worthy.

If I was in your shoes, knowing what I know now, I'd id the engine, tranny, body, decode the fender tag, look for a build sheet, post many photos here, then go from there.

Cheers :)
'71 GTX N96

User avatar
sdweatherman
Site Admin
Posts: 795
Joined: Tue Sep 14, 2010 2:36 pm
My Cars: 1971 GY8 Plymouth Satellite Sebring Plus
1971 GB7 Plymouth Satellite Sebring Plus factory Sunroof
1972 EV2 Plymouth Satellite Sebring Plus factory Sunroof
1974 KB5 Plymouth Road Runner GTX Dealer Announcement car
Location: Rapid City, SD
Contact:

Re: Inherited 1972 Roadrunner/GTX 440

Post by sdweatherman » Thu Nov 17, 2011 3:10 am

There is nothing like restoring a classic on a low budget. It makes you appreciate the end product when it is done, and you learn a lot doing most of the work yourself. Check out my low budget resto sometime on my cardomain page. And like everyone else has said, join a local car club - you gain an instant network for locating parts and tapping into expert knowledge on restoration techniques. You have made a wise choice in joining the nest my friend. :D Good Luck!
1971 GY8 Plymouth Satellite Sebring Plus
1971 GB7 Plymouth Satellite Sebring Plus w/factory Sunroof
1972 EV2 Plymouth Satellite Sebring Plus w/factory Sunroof

User avatar
bruce
Site Admin
Posts: 2123
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2003 5:21 pm
Location: North Carolina
Contact:

Re: Inherited 1972 Roadrunner/GTX 440

Post by bruce » Thu Nov 17, 2011 9:17 am

What's become of the OP? 1 and done?
Bruce Anliker

User avatar
Eric
Site Admin
Posts: 2597
Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2003 12:45 am
Location: Central Ohio
Contact:

Re: Inherited 1972 Roadrunner/GTX 440

Post by Eric » Thu Nov 17, 2011 1:00 pm

bruce wrote:What's become of the OP? 1 and done?
Hasn't been back on since his post...
AKA Butterscotch71....the road runner nest is out to win you over this year!Image

csilko
Road Runner (RM)
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Nov 14, 2011 5:25 pm
My Cars: 72 Roadrunner/GTX, 440-6pk

Re: Inherited 1972 Roadrunner/GTX 440

Post by csilko » Sun Nov 20, 2011 8:40 pm

Hi guys,
I am still here and wrapping up my trip up North. I currently live in Birmingham, Alabama, but the car is up in New York. Add transportation logistics to the litany of questions I have for you guys. I don't have a car transporter or even a truck with a hitch, so I guess I would have to look into a shipping company to get it down to me? I will also look into a local motor club or something to start networking and getting ideas, etc.

Unfortunately, I was not able to make the trip to look at the car again. My cousin has not made the progress we thought he would in clearing out the other stuff in front of the house, and I was caught up with other family business at my parents house. I left off that I would plan a trip up there in late December when I am up for Christmas, so that is when we can expect some more pictures and details.

I did, however, get the registration information and the keys. The VIN is as follows, which jives with the specs that I put in the first post:
RM23U2R19xxxx

It does not have a title, because I guess cars did not get titled back then. Does anyone know the process to get the thing in my name or get a title for it? I assume I won't actually register it since I won't be driving it for a while.

Yeah, if my budget is only $10K or so, then my hopes would be to just get the thing running - obviously I won't be able to make it show-worthy. I have mentioned to my Uncle's kids and sisters (my aunts and Mom) that I would love to fulfill his wish of restoring the car if there were funds made available from his estate (which definitely has some money in it). We shall see about that - plus that stuff will take months to settle out anyway. I will keep you guys advised.

So, hopefully I will get back with you guys in a few weeks with some more pictures and a better update on the condition of the parts, etc. Thanks again for all of the information again.

CS

User avatar
Smellslike1974
GTX (RS)
Posts: 2024
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2007 9:12 am
Location: south new jersey

Re: Inherited 1972 Roadrunner/GTX 440

Post by Smellslike1974 » Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:57 am

You could always get the drive train and suspension work taken car of until the funds are available to actually have the bodywork and paint done.
"Sunny D"-1974 Plymouth Satellite Sebring With Sundance Packaging

Post Reply