To Clone or Not to Clone?

billzilla · Post by **billzilla** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 1:12 pm

That is the Question.

You guys have seen my '71 Satty... I'm thinking one of three pathways to restoration (listed in order of my preference at the moment):

1). 'Badgeless' Satellite, leave them wondering. Maybe a hood stripe and strobe decal. If people ask, it's a Satellite.

2). Roadrunner clone with badging/decals/trim, but with a 318 under the hood. If people ask, it's a Roadrunner clone.

3). Satellite Sebring, keep all the emblems and stick them back on after the repaint (although the vinyl top will be gone and the interior changed to black so the trim codes won't match).

I know there's nothing 'wrong' with a Satellite, but aesthetically, I really love the RR's and clones. I might even go for the wing and skirts if I find some at a reasonable price.

Post by **Eric** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 1:21 pm

Just my 0.02...I'd keep it a Satellite, badges and all. There are plenty of clones out there but very few restored Satellites. It's refreshing to see them!

71440 gtx · Post by **71440 gtx** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 2:29 pm

Eric wrote:Just my 0.02...I'd keep it a Satellite, badges and all. There are plenty of clones out there but very few restored Satellites. It's refreshing to see them!

i agree with eric keep it as Satellite

Satellite, are cool too

linemup · Post by **linemup** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 2:51 pm

I thought about leaving mine with SSP badging. I have got the wing, chin spoilers and the air grabber and am putting those items on for certain. So far, I have sprayed 2 coats of epoxy primer, 4 coats of 2 k primer and am blocking it now. Then I will spary 3 more coats blcok with 320, 2 more coats and wet sand with 400-600. Saying that, I had better start making some decisions. I still don't know if I want to white, GoMango or Sassy. I know some of those are 71 colors but hey, I love em.

Smellslike1974 · Post by **Smellslike1974** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 4:08 pm

I hate clones....

lol

I dont understand why someone would make a rr clone,satellites are underated

linemup · Post by **linemup** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 4:11 pm

so you don't have to worry about messing up an 84000 miles, 2 owner matching numbers, orginal sheetmetal 69 RR.

Smellslike1974 · Post by **Smellslike1974** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 4:22 pm

But then again you cant enjoy your vehicle just dusting it everday,never hearing it run in your showcase of a garage,mine as well withdraw the amount of money the cars worth and throw it on the garage floor,same exact thing..

Dont these people understand that the car wont stay original forever,all these times driving it off a trailer,or pulling into barret jackson with it,thats gonna add mileage to it,and pretty soon they will add up,and it wont be as "rare" or "unique"as it once was,because everythings about money these days,and no one will care.

luvmoparz · Post by **luvmoparz** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 4:36 pm

You all kill me.....It doesnt matter, if you want a trailer queen, go for it, if you want to clone it, go for it, it is YOUR car!!! If you want to put it in a vault and bury it for 50 years, guess what, you can, know why, cause its YOUR car!!

Do what you want to!! I like mine as a Satellite, but have thought of cloning too. I will probably keep them as Satellites though, the normal Joe doesn't know the difference, and quite honestly, they really don't care.

linemup · Post by **linemup** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 4:43 pm

Yep. I just have always wanted a show car and also have a nice looking car with maybe 425 horses or more. NOt going to messup my 69 RR. That is where a clone comes in. I would hate to buy a nice original GTX or RR and mess up the engine or someone run into it......A satellite would be less stress on my heart. That is the only reason for me to clone. My 69 is not quite BJ quality. I drive it 500 miles a year.If it ever gets to the point of being worth nothing, then fine, I have a practically brand new car to drive everyday. I am adding things to my 72 RR clone that were only available in 71. Well, I like those add ons. So, I am putting them on for me........I guess. I am not trying to clone it to make money.....I guess I am trying to say. I get too attached to cars. I just want to build one the way I might have ordered it if I would of had the chance back in 72. Satellites are cheaper than the real thing. I do understand your point as well. Heck, if it is Mopar, I like it. The way I see it is that I saved this SSP from the crusher.

fourforty6pac · Post by **fourforty6pac** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:23 pm

First of all you are the only one who will make the ultimate choice. I am making a 72 clone from a high optioned ssp I got with out a motor or trans. If it was a big block car I would have kept it a ssp. I was going to clone a GTX but I found a 72 400 block that will be perfect for a stroker. So I guess I will go the RR route with this one. I dont think it matters what you do with it, they all look cool. If you clone it do it right. I see too many so called clones that maybe have a RR hood on and a big block thats it. And these guys are asking top dollar for them. There is one on the bay now starting at around 15,000. Some people are so full of themselves. Only a Mopar guy will know it's a clone but they will have to look at the vin if you do it right. Whatever you do to it I know you will enjoy it, Trust me!

billzilla · Post by **billzilla** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 11:26 pm

The way I look at it is, after a while these cars tend to not be original, anyway (my engine has been tweaked to hell, different rims, etc). If this was a nice survivor or cherry SSP loaded and all that, I'd say sure - go for the Nice Satellite Look.

However, my car needs paint, maybe some engine work, suspension work, new interior and no longer has the original wheels (not sure if the engine block matches, but it probably does).

Restoring this to true 'factory original' would be a major undertaking, require stripping the motor back to a 2bbl and finding original 14" steel wheels. IMHO, just not worth it. Might as well make the car into what *I* want with black interior, deleted badges, body color roof (removing the chrome trim for the vinyl roof), black grille, Rallye cluster and maybe strobe decals and hood stripe.

DixieSatellite · Post by **DixieSatellite** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 9:32 am

Hi,

Haven't posted for a long time. This is a subject I have thought about a lot. It is a difficult choice, to clone or not. 1 am sure you wil come to the correct decision re. what to do for your Sat.

I have an original '72 SSP 400-4BBL which has been in my in-laws garage for years (I work overseas and can only play with it when I am 'home'). My SSP has all the original gear / all badges / original interior - everything, but the guy who first ordered the car was just not very imaginative / creativ with the colur combos. The car is a white on white w/ white interior over Argent Silver. The car looks like a wedding cake.

I would not have chosen Ermine White (or whatever the color is), but without a complete stripdown and recolor, Ermine White or Ivory is the color I have to work with (I don't like the idea of painting the car Metallic Green, pulling back the carpet and still seeing white). The car has practically zero rust and I just don't have the time for a complete rebuild, unfortunately.

Staying close to the data plate as possible is best, but the paint has to change. It does not do the B body lines justice in its current form. It will most definitely remain an SSP tho, just with a little more lipstick.

Finally got my act together after a long time tho. The 400 goes to Hensley Performance this summer.

Brgds,

Ian B.

aerodynamic · Post by **aerodynamic** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 9:38 am

Well, in the FWIW department, at the local annual Mopar show three weeks ago, there were two 73 B-bodies, my roadrunner and a roadrunner clone. My runner is black with no stripes, rather low-key. The stickers are there. The clone was painted bright yellow with 71 style black stripes,very flashy. Guess which one got more attention??

moparmodeler · Post by **moparmodeler** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 9:52 am

My Satellite is probably the least desired configuration possible. Slant six, rubber flooring, fixed quarter windows, and so on.

But after all the attention it got at the Nats, I feel that is cool different! Because of the undesirable options it is very hard to find replacement parts. And because of previous owners there is some Weird stuff going on I need to address.

Anyway, keep as close to Original as you can, but put in your personal touch. Let other people spend big dollars on OEM restorations.

I know a guy,...who has had his car featured in a magazine. Cool huh!....Well it seems to me that he does not really enjoy his car as much as I do mine. You will never see it driven through the drive thru!!!

general · Post by **general** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 10:05 am

I like it when the car is kept close to original. I wish more people would do that. It would make car shows a lot more interesting if there would be different models of Sattelites in various forms instead of all looking the same. Just my opinion.

Road Runner Nest

To Clone or Not to Clone?

To Clone or Not to Clone?

satellite

yep

To Clone or Not To Clone