Satellite vs Roadrunner

[jonny0666]

Not sure if this goes here...

So I am a recent Mopar convert. I am a young hobbyist with beginner to intermediate mechanical experience. I have always wanted a 71 roadrunner. However do to funding restraints I was never able to purchase one. About a year ago I happened across a 71 satellite for a more then fair price and thought of making a roadrunner clone. However I have approached a point with the body work where I am well out of my comfort zone. However I have a ton of parts. So I am on the hunt for a body to work with. I was wondering how the masses thought of roadrunner clones vs. a true roadrunner car for a Mopar beginner. It seems getting satellites with body work done are more plentiful then roadrunners. I was just wondering if settling for a satellite body would be sacreligious or should I just buck up and go all in... Opinions? Thanks.

[DixieSatellite]

Hi

This is what I think. Always been a Mopar fan and especially like the ‘71~72 Herlitz-body Satellite / RR coupe with the loop grille as this epitomizes early ‘70s muscle (to me, anyway). This B-body is not everyone’s cup of tea which probably explains why it is still possible to them up relatively cheaply compared to a low-optioned ‘68~70 Charger etc.

I originally wanted a purple ‘71~72 RR or a triple-black ’72 RR. I budgeted OK but did not have the time to wait for the exact car to appear (pre-Internet days) w/ cross-country trip to do and school. It was really the body-style I was attracted to anyway and when I saw a nicely optioned original Satellite Sebring Plus 400 in a TN car yard, picked it up and own the car to this day (23 years). Since owning it, have been through every incarnation possible (Metallic Teal / White w. black roof / dark blue Sport Satellite (1 of none) / RR clone / every colour exterior /interior combo under the sun / Hemi crate engine vs. original etc. ). In the end decided to keep it an original Satellite, as 1/ so many Satellites were being cloned to RR with differing levels of skill / success and 2/ as time goes by, you just don’t see many nice Satellites around, making them almost more of an oddity than the RR. It is entirely possible somebody knows what an RR is, but not know what a Satellite is. The number of Satellites produced greatly exceed RRs, share so many common parts yet Satellite parts don’t seem to command premium $ RR parts do because it is an RR. To a most non-enthusiasts, these cars are just old cars now as well, with little value.

Am finishing up the restoration of my SSP and this is the only / last car I will do. It's taken a spectacularly long time to do the car, but am happy with the way it is and if the new paint is done in time will try to take it to Carlisle 2015 to see if anyone knows what it is.

To my 20-something self-of-the-time looking to buy my Mopar, I would offer the following advice:-

1/ Buy the best car you can for the money you have.
2/ Accept the fact you will likely spend 2~3 times your budget by the time the car is finished.
3/ Be realistic and accept your limitations with what you can and cannot do yourself.
4/ If you really, really want a real Roadrunner, find a way to get a real Roadrunner, as a clone will always be a clone and you will know it.
5/ If you are not worried about a clone / original go for it as you can easily make the Satellite the car you want it to be in terms of trim / drivetrain.
6/ It doesn’t really matter what anyone else thinks, as it is your car. Satellites will never have the following of the RR, but are still a beautiful car.

Good luck with your car and don’t forget to post lots of pics.

Ian B.

[71bird]

Let us see some good pictures, and tell what it has in the way of options. Is it a SSP? Does it have numbers matching motor, trans, rear end? That may have a lot to do with which direction you go. Like Dixie said, a good looking SSP is a beautiful car if done right.

[Magnes]

I agree with the others. I would like to see your car and hear a bit more before I say what I would do if in your shoes.... If you decide to buy something else there's a few thing to keep in mind.

As far as the whole Satellite or Road Runner decision, that is one that is left up to you. But more likely, that is a decision that your wallet is going to make. The expense of the car build is going to basically be the same no matter what you go with so if you want a real Road Runner, you better spend the extra and get yourself a real RM car. When it comes to the VIN deciphering "Mopar purist", it doesn't matter how nice your build is, if your VIN doesn't have that "M" code as the second letter of the VIN, they are going to shake their heads and walk away (usually talking smack about it "just being a Satellite" as they go).

I get it. Some guys are all about those codes. It's a HUGE thing in the Mopar community and "clones" are nothing but a red headed step-child. The thing about that is, Satellites are really just a bastard child of sorts as well. I personally love Satellites but the value and demand for restored versions of them is not very high. So if you are wanting to build a car that appeases the purists and everyone else alike, you had better spend the money and get a real RM car. Just know that even if it is real RM car, adding anything to it that it didn't come with from the factory will be disapproved of almost as much as if you had just built a clone. If you're building it for yourself, because you love the cars and don't care what anyone else really thinks, then just get a Satellite and do it how you want.

The only time it should really even matter, to anyone other than you, if your car is a real Road Runner is when you go to sell it.

Having said all that, I am a guy who likes to build "clones". I don't even like to call what I build a "clone" because I think it's an inaccurate description of the circumstance. A "clone" is an exact copy of another car, and I have yet to build a car that's an exact copy of another. I'm not swapping out VIN's or removing/changing fender tags to make my car into a Road Runner. All the original information is there for people to decode and disapprove of if that's what they want to do.

When I was a kid, I read Hot Rod magazine religiously as soon as I could read. I will always remember what got me into Mopars was when they started doing editions that were themed "Dare to be different". All my buddies wanted Camaros and Mustangs, and I saw the value of being the odd guy out and I wanted a Road Runner. So, to this day, I build exactly what I want.

I will say this: 95% of the people who check out my car have no idea what they are looking at anyway. They appreciate the car for what it is... A bad ass car that you almost NEVER see because there is a sea of Mustangs and Camaro's in the way. The other 5% are quick to point out that the car is a just a Satellite. I never get offended by that though, since I think Satellites and Road Runners alike are bad ass. "Bastard child" or "pig in lip stick" or whatever you want to call it. If you don't like my car... Get to stepping.

Anyway, that's just my take and something to keep in mind. Post up some pics of your car and what areas have you worried. Maybe we can give you some better direction.

[Mr Gorsky]

I have no issue with clones. I love them, in fact.

New 1971 Hemi Cuda ragtops lost their full OEM status at their first oil filter change. From then on in, originality is a matter of degrees. Non 1971 headlight bulbs? Non factory balljoint?

A clone is as awesome as an original car, but better. It's a hell of a lot cheaper, a hell of a lot less stress, and just as fun to drive.

[jonny0666]

Thanks all. Great help! I really do love the car. The style and lines. It was my fathers first new car and unfortunately he died trying to find one. Unfortunately I am on a budget, but don't feel that should hold me back from enjoying a great car. Thanks again all and Merry Christmas.

[71440 gtx]

i love 71-74 Satellite road runners gtx 318 340 360 400 440

[71440 gtx]

is 383 car all can say is wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww0wwwwwwwwwwwwww

and is not road runnner is 71 ssp

you can get in71 a 71 ssp 383 4 speed

in 72 you can get a Satellite with a 400 4speed

is not sh or ssp car

[71Beeper]

I agree with Mr Gorsky...."I have no issue with clones. I love them, in fact." When I started looking for a decent 1971 Road Runner, the prices for a decent one were too much for my budget, but when I came across the 1971 Satellite I have, the price was right, now I just need to finish her.
It will be a Clone runner done the same as a real Road Runner. Here it is when I found her.

I'm still a long way from finishing her.....

[moparite]

Well everybody has an opinion on clones. I frown at them but if it suits you go for it.
The definition of "clone" as per the Websters dictionary:
1 An individual grown from a single somatic cell or cell nucleus and genetically identical to it.
2 One that appears to be a copy of an original form.
Well since your build sheet fender tag and vin# DON'T say RM23 it's NOT a identical copy or clone but more of a representation of the original. Clone, copy or represent all the cars you want! It only makes the original real deal left the factory with the RM23 code more valuable. I was lucky and stumbled upon mine. Back in the day before the internet i was looking thorough the classifieds(news paper, remember them?) and seen an ad for a 71 Road Runner for parts. It wasn't pretty but the body was in fairly good shape. No motor and rear out of a different B body(wider spring perch). No hood or any identification to identify what it was(stripes,badging) other than the exhaust tips and black stripes under the tail lights and the birds head on the dash. After i got the #'s off the fender tag and did some research i found out that it was a 1971 Road Runner 4 speed air grabber car that was originally painted FJ6(sassy grass) with black strobe.
Well i made a vapor trail over to it and gave the owner his full asking price of $250! Yes $250!!!! So i guess i'm lucky??? Found three build sheets to prove it was the real deal. My guess back in the late 70's someone repainted it(maroon) and took off the birds head off the grill to make it less noticeable. Sort of in reverse of cloning making it look like a plain Jane Satellite. Doubt there are many stories like this out there today. Seems plain Jane Satellite to Road runner/GTX is popular.

[jace]

I say make it the way you want, My 71 slant 6 RL will probably end up as a Roadrunner clone - economy streetrod for my daughter since my son took the 59' Belair. I finished the bodywork and did a quick matt black, fake stobe stripe and clear coat to store it for the winter, We haven't decided on a final color yet though I want it B5 blue and she said yellow.
The fake ferrari Fiero kit car is my daily driver.


My 72 Satellite Sebring Plus will be a B5 blue Satellite. It was B3 blue with silver on the botton and half white vinyl top, I had the holes for the trim on the lower half welded up a a local custom car shop as I wanted a plain one color body.


Good luck, post pics and ask more questions.

[dangina]

i picked up a roadrunner that had the dash vin but the owner lost the fender tag, no build sheets, Not sure if I like it or not, but the fact that I didn't have the fender tag or build sheets made me go in a direction I always wanted to go with the color I wanted on my favorite car - EL5 car with fiberglass air grabber hood, 400 stroker, and full of today's suspension bits and stiffening braces and some extra bits on there as well. If I had the fender tag I probably would have done a more factory restoration and in the end probably not as happy as I am with the car today!
This is an easier direction to go if you get a satellite because its cheaper to buy, you can build what you want, options/colors you want because in the end it is just a satellite and most of the mopar community will see it as such.

[mopardog]

I tend to agree with the concensus.... Build what you want the way you want it. I have owned both a Clone, and now my RR. I love them equally. I wish i could find my first one. To be honest, I would buy her back in a heartbeat. I am now working on my 72 RR, she isn't going to be numbers matching because the original motor and trans were yanked out long ago. I am going to be putting in a 400 which is what she originally had, but it's not going to be stock. I am happy with that.

Build what you can the way you want it, it's YOUR car. To hell with what the purists think, it's your baby.

I will say this, be selective about what you get. Don't get the first thing that comes along, unless you are totally sure that's what you want. I sold my 72 clone back in 2003 and looked for 10 years before I found my 72 Road Runner. And when I did find her, I was very fortunate (blessed) that the owner was very willing to sell her for an awesome price( $3,000 which is roughly what I sold my clone for...needed the money then). Good luck. Hope this helps.