1972 Road Runner/GTX restoration

[rr6pak]

Nice looking radio. I like the digital. What all did you do to the radio?

[72RoadRunnerGTX]

Basically, I took a later Mopar electronic tuning am/fm cassette 4 channel high power head unit apart and installed the internals into a chassis of one of the am radios I have that fits this dash. I did have to take some additional parts from a pretty rare yet well used original am/fm stereo with a cassette din plug as well. The older and newer potentiometers were mechanically morphed together to retain the original knobs and the newer radio's full functions. The florescent display was relocated off its original circuit board and bush buttons needed to be installed to control the rest of the radios functions. Not enough room to mount the tone control/clock set buttons on the front panel so they will protrude out the bottom of the radio. I should be able get to them under the dash. All that is left now is to add an Aux input to it so that I can run an Ipod or something through it. I started out trying to restore an original radio for this car but I just couldn't get past how antiquated they are.


Update 2/10/2009, back in the dash

Update 2/28/2010
Finally finished up the sound system this week-end. In another example of theoretical bench top engineering not working out perfectly in the real environment, the line-out taps I added to the later radio proved to be a miss-match with the true line level IPod adapter. As well it appears the radio has a passive cross-over of some kid built into the front/rear outputs, not getting full range from either. Mid/highs out the front and mid/lows out the rear. The solution was to revert back to the speaker level outs and using a AudioControl signal processor/OEM interface. Front/rear speaker level Input frequencies are summed together to provide a clean full range line level output with an auxiliary input (IPod), remote switching/level control, and full level adjustments for all pre-outs.
Adding an amplifier required fabing up some brackets to mount up and out of the way, retaining the full size spare tire. I then needed to set up the amp's (Sony 70wRMS x4) high pass filter on the front side to keep the bass away from the JBL 3½" two-way dash speakers, full range to the rear JBL three-way 6x9's

[DeLorean00]

Basically, I took a later Mopar electronic tuning am/fm cassette 4 channel high power head unit apart and installed the internals into a chassis of one of the am radios I have that fits this dash. I did have to take some additional parts from a pretty rare yet well used original am/fm stereo with a cassette din plug as well. The older and newer potentiometers were mechanically morphed together to retain the original knobs and the newer radio’s full functions. The florescent display was relocated off its original circuit board and bush buttons needed to be installed to control the rest of the radios functions. Not enough room to mount the tone control/clock set buttons on the front panel so they will protrude out the bottom of the radio. I should be able get to them under the dash. All that is left now is to add an Aux input to it so that I can run an Ipod or something through it. I started out trying to restore an original radio for this car but I just couldn’t get past how antiquated they are.

Dude, you are down right dangerous!! Its there anything you can't rebuild and make better??

[dragman440]

I agree!!

[bryanhes]

I was looking at your restoration and noticed you had a rotisserie that looked like it was one from US Car Tool. Is that where it came from? If so how did you like it and did you build it from the kit. I just bought the kit getting ready to build mine for a 73 RR resto.

Thanks

[72RoadRunnerGTX]

Yes it is a USCartool kit and I am very pleased with how it worked out. I saved a boat load of money not having to pay the freight to have their finished product shipped across the country. Not having done any welding since high school metal shop, building the rotisserie was a good way the bone up on my welding skills before attempting my patch work and the installation for my sub frame connectors. Due to an assembly error ended up slightly deviating from the plans in regards to the vertical supports. The gusset plates intended there were inadvertently welded to the cross support. I welded in some angle stock to support the verticals.

[bryanhes]

Thanks for the response. I am kind of the same way and have not done a whole lot of welding since high school. I luckily have a friend that is a very good welder and fabricator to help. I just do not want to bone up on my welding skills building a rotisserie that I may be under! Thanks for the info I received my kit from them last week and John there seems real helpful. Your car is looking great! I like the Lizard Skin idea. Have you noticed a big difference while driving as far as the noise?
Thanks,
Bryan

[72RoadRunnerGTX]

Never had the chance to drive this car prior to this restoration as it was far from roadworthy when I acquired it several years back. I do have extensive experience driving these cars when they were new years ago and do believe, after putting about a thousand miles on this car so far, it is overall the best driving Mopar I’ve ever driven. With the sub frame connectors and the additional sound deadening insulation it does have a pretty solid feel to it.
I currently have the car prepared for a return visit to my paint guy for final paint. I should be posting pictures from the paint both in the next week or so.

[rr6pak]

I currently have car prepared for a return visit to my paint guy for final paint. I should be posting pictures from the paint both in the next week or so.

Can't wait, Doug.

[Ron_M]

Very nice car! Thanks for keeping us up to date.

Can you please descibe the radio alittle more? Particulary the radio push buttons and the display setup? I would like to attempt a similiar project. The simularities between the radio's is pretty good. The modern chassis with the vintage front and reworked controls.

Thanks!!

[72RoadRunnerGTX]

I have started another thread on the radio mod here, Good luck.

[72RoadRunnerGTX]

Back to the body shop for final paint.

[rr6pak]

Keep us posted, Doug. Can't wait to see the car!

[ryangtogtx]

Doug, could you post some close up pics of where the car attaches to the rotisserie? I just ordered one and would like to see how you attached yours. Thanks. Keep up the good work.

[RS23-71]

Doug, could you post some close up pics of where the car attaches to the rotisserie? I just ordered one and would like to see how you attached yours. Thanks. Keep up the good work.

Yeah I would be interested in that as well. The car is looking awesome.


BTW Ryan you got another car to work on for the rotisserie or is the shop your GTX in just taking to long to finish it?