Engine paint colour

[redline337]

All this talk about "correct" or "incorrect" clones and no one said anything about the motor being a 360?

Yes Redline337 the motor will be a 360. I see that 340's are getting harder to find and more $$$ to buy.
And with alot of the other B-Bodies have big blocks I figure I'll build something different.

I agree. My wife was lucky to find one for a good price. It's funny, she's going the other way and putting a 340 in her 74 Duster.

[rradar71]

Hey guys, just wondering. I was looking at the 71 sales brochure in the image gallery and could not find a 340 engine option listed. Were 340s special order or what?

[ILUV72RRs]

The 340 in the Road Runner was an option in 1971. Sometimes they didn't always list all the information in the brochures. Heck, I have a salesman's guide book for 1972 which the salesman would carry with him showing options, so forth that they could try and interest the customer in ordering. It makes no mention in it at all of the air grabber hood option!

[Eric]

The 340 didn't appear to be available at the beginning of the model year. The earliest 340 car I have on record for 71 has a SPD in October 70, a couple months after 71 model year production started.

[ILUV72RRs]

The dealer data book which comes out at the beginning of the year doesn't mention it unless you go to the engine section. In very small letters it mentions the 340 as an option in the Road Runner. In the description section of the car. It only mentions the 383. Doesn't say anything in that part about the 440-6BBL or the 426 Hemi either. You think maybe they were trying to push 383 sales?!!

[74roadbird]

Guys, unless you are either buying or selling, does anyone really care if the car started life as a Satellite, Roadrunner, Sebring Plus , GTX, etc.? It's a great MoPar regardless! I agree that you shouldn't hide the birth certificate (VIN), but enjoy it as you like it. After 30+ years of waiting to get my 74 RoadRunner project back on the road, I'm going to enjoy the "H" out of it. However, the 318 is being replaced with a slighly improved 383; the 904 is being replaced with a 727 and the 8 1/4 is being replaced with a 8 3/4, but she's still my girl and I could care less. Yeah, I'm keeping the original engine, trans and rear, but I doubt I'll ever sell her.

[71 runner clone]

71 clone

rrunner.jpg (76.31 KiB) Viewed 13210 times

When you go to car shows just make on the app its a clone. some will bulk at the attempt making a SSP into a runner. Who cares it your car! have fun and enjoy your hard work! normally the ones who complain, have the money to buy a finished car or had someone do it for them.(my past experiences) I live in WI, its hard to get a clean body up here. I bought mine out or VA for 6400 its half way to becoming a RR. its the way I got it. I have a lot to do yet.
Have fun and ENJOY! life is too short not too!

[71 runner clone]

I have been correcting wiring mistakes, new fuel lines from inline, new alum radiator, ported intake, have a new dash wire harness, cleaned up rally dash, fixed dents in front valance, new E3 plugs and 8mm wires, new fuel vapor separator, new fuel pump with a elec. pump pusher, two fuel filters. no its not stock runner, but its mine! Have stock 71 runner hood, will keep satellite hood for when I can afford air grabber parts. have a complete RR stripe kit. it'll be fun to drive, don't care what anybody else thinks! there are not too many left out on the road, i'm keeping the past alive. also the present with an "08" SRT-4

[porkchop2]

I went through that stage before with my challenger.I stressed so much about it I couldnt really enjoy it.But,it really looked sweet sitting in my garage.Finally sold it.My 71 rr I am fixing up blew its 383 and 833 30 years ago,so in goes a 440 with tremic stick .Besides I cant find all the vinyl top trim,so I am going to paint it to my liking and go with it.Thanks to the big auctions on sp.channel everyone with a 6 cyl. duster thinks its worth 100k...If its an original num. match unrestored gem or hemi car your not going to get rich.I see mopars all the time up for sale for 50k.You can dream all you want but good luck getting the big money on your num. matching redone car.

[moparmike]

The bottom line is that it is YOUR car YOU own it and want to Enjoy it....part of enjoying a car is to make it YOUR own....change the colour...replace the drivetrain....WHO CARES WHAT OTHERS SAY OR THINK about what YOU have done. I never call ANY Satellite a clone unless they ARE trying to sell it as an original RR or GTX. I wanted to enjoy my 72 SSP so I yanked out the tired 318/904 combo and put in a real healthy 440/727 combo and I am glad I did.///the old motor sits in the garage and if I ever sell it the new owner can have it. Here's what I believe when it comes to a cars value.....A car is worth whatever a buyer is willing to pay.....for every guy out there looking for an original SSP with its original 318 there is another guy out there looking for one that is BEEFED up and ready for fun that is the beauty of these cars is you get to meet them all. That is part of the reward of ownership...Next time someone calls it a clone or says HEY that is not the original drivetrain....JUST smile and say YOUR right but she's all mine

[RS23U1E]

I have been working on and off my Mopars since I was 16. Thats about 25 years for me and over the years I have had bouts with 'keeping things original'. Especially since I had an 'original' air grabber car at one point.

There was a time when I looked down upon 'clone' cars and didn't appreciate them for what they were. You know what though? If it wasn't for all the folks building clones, there are a lot of parts that would NOT be available today in the aftermarket. You really think that all those air grabber parts would be available in the aftermarket if clones weren't being built? I wish more could build 71 GTX clones so someone would start stamping out those rocker moldings!

I appreciate any hobbiest who has a passion for the sport. I have the most enjoyment with those who can tell the stories of their resto - regardless of the current condition and whether or not its going to be a perfect numbers match or a cool resto-mod.

[moparmike]

Well said and that is what the hobby is all about.... life is toooo short to not enjoy it especially behind the wheel of one of Our treasures

[71Beeper]

Wow guys!!! 3 pages on this thread, I'm impressed. Alot of good info and opinions on this thread. Even though I am building a clone I would still like it to be as close to what Ma Mopar produced back then. So I'll be going thru the same trials and tribulations that the rest of you guys have already gone thru. Most improtant thing is to enjoy it!!

[beepbeepTyler]

Chrysler 232 Blue for 72's

[pats71]

Yep the 71' 340 was painted the "street hemi orange".

As for the satellite clone topic, its your car and you do what you want. I take a lot of pride though in my roadrunner being a true roadrunner and not a clone though. As long as it is presented as a clone and not a real roadrunner during a sale, I guess its fine.

My 71' Roadrunner is a late production (6-10-71) 383, 4 speed, AC car and spent 7500 on it two years ago. Still has the stock asbestos brake pads and has 100k miles. Unfortunately the second owner was a ford guy who spray painted over the original curious yellow. I'm 20 and worked hard to find and purchase my roadrunner, but that's because I wanted a true RM23.