70 Road runner Convertible, long time waiting

I have been viewing some of the forums on this site and they seem appealing to me. The work that some of you do is amazing. The depth that some of you go to resuscitated a rust bucket should be commended or counseling should be offered to the individuals. These cars thanks to you are on the road to recovery. So, I will share my story as I work on my Road Runner. I will also post a poll (if I figure it out)for the color that I should paint this bird. I know there are purists among us, but, I am not.The original motor is gone, the data tags etc are gone and there is too much metal work to worry about purity. Restomod is ultimately where I wan to go in stages as money will allow.

I spotted the car in a parking lot near my friends apartment with the cover torn to shreds from the weather. I left a note on the windshield like any self respecting mopar lover would do. The next week the car was gone. I thought it was gone forever. Several months had passed and I received a call from the owner. It was in rough shape when you looked close. I have owned this car since 1987 (now that I really checked how long it has been OMG). The furthest I have driven it was in and out of the driveway. When it was purchased, it ran on 6 cylinders (383) could not shift(bad clutch), could not stop( master cylinder and rear cylinders), noise in the rear(bearings on one side, what bearings) along with the rust, interior and paint was not a pretty sight as you can see for yourselves. :bootyshake:(I miss my 340 Duster)

I had let the car sit in the driveway for about 5 years and 3 car covers until about 1992 when I was able to put some money into the car. Since I did not have much time, space or experience to the extent it needed. I decided to have a shop do some of the metal work for me. It needed a lot. Rear quarters, trunk floor, frame rails around the gas tank, drivers floor and holes all over the place.

I received the car back, stripped it further and proceeded to do the body work and as life would have it the car sat for more time. Got married (car in Dads garage) had two kids, still sat some more (in my garage. (you do the math):eusa_boohoo::puke:

Now I am making the time before I croak or get too feeble to work on it. I got hooked up with some other mopar friends where we share some shop space together (wife wants me home more) and work on our cars together along with some others in between.

Since time has passed and the world is making more and better parts for these cars I have changed and reworked what others have done to my car. (pictures will follow) I installed inner fenders and a rear tail panel, reworked the quarters for a better fit on the extensions. Overall, it is finally in progress.

Now for the poll: I do not like the original colors, just looks blagh.:puke: I do not know if it is because I remember the mess it was or it is just ugly. I would like it to stand out. Everyone has the same mopar colors on their ride. B5 Jamaican blue, K2 Vitamin C, Y1 lemon twist and J5 limelight. They are nice but everyone has them when you go to a show. My friend even has a 70 Road Runner convertible in B5, beautiful car but how many do we need of the same colors. I am not sure if my car was a K3 or K5 burnt orange since I do not have the fender tag or the build sheet. Someone may be able to help?

Here are my choices. I want a bright iridescent color.

original K3 light Burnt Orange
original K5 Dark Burnt Orange
2003 Plymouth Burnt orange seen on a Prowler don't have the color code similar to original but more iridescent.
2009 Dodge snakeskin green
2009 Lexus bright white iridescent metal flake look, don't know code.

more pictures to follow with current work.

thanks

More pictures to follow

wow cool car , I just love it

I had to have lime light on mine

Original 4 speed A/C convertible is indeed a rare "bird."

It is your car so do as you like.

Burnt Orange when a fresh new paint job is actually a nice color. Having the orange interior (dash picture) that will be expensive/time consuming to replace so that would make the decision for my to go with the original color. White will go with anything but I would NOT paint it a pearl iridescent whit or iridescent anything as it just doesn't look right in my way of thinking on these old cars. I don't even like the base coat/clear coat paint on them with the wet look.

My idea of a resto mod is a car that appears to be a factory look on the outside with a modern drive train or stroker engine, overdrive trans, added power windows, A/C, etc. for the modern creature comforts and better drivability.

Remember, this is just my OPINION and as said, it is your car so do what you want.

BTW, I think only one of the burnt orange colors was available on the B bodies and I believe it was the darker with the lighter reserved for the C bodies.

man I had a sport satalite cloned to a roadruner it to was a vert.with a 440 sixpack.355 gears.it was hemi orange white top with white seats with black inserts..god how I loved that car...Im shour what ever you paint it it will look gooooooood.........Artie

man I had a sport satalite cloned to a roadruner it to was a vert.with a 440 sixpack.355 gears.it was hemi orange white top with white seats with black inserts..god how I loved that car...Im shour what ever you paint it it will look gooooooood.........Artie

they are awesome cars

Original 4 speed A/C convertible is indeed a rare "bird."

Having the orange interior (dash picture) that will be expensive/time consuming to replace


The whole car is apart now and everything needs to be painted including the dash pieces. It will only will cost me paint and labor since the work will be done by myself and buds.

I will have to check another car show to find another burnt orange to finalize my decision.

thanks for the input.

My car was originally B-3 but when i got it , it was white

OMG Think about solid Black!!!!

I can't pick a color untill you say what you will do with the inside:sleepy2:

Here is one I picked up for Rich from the LONG ISLAND MOPARS club.:bootyshake:

It's not a vert or a Road Runner, but it is a `70 FK5/FK5 with a black top and it's gorgeous!

Your tale is not all uncommon. I just got around to doing my car after over a decade of doing other cars & other people's cars. Checking an inside, inconspicuous place will usually reveal the original color. In my worthless opinion, the burnt-orange interior (as in the prior poster's car) is the most beautiful of all the b-body's & topped off with the FK5 is absolutely gorgeous. But the only opinion that matters is your own. My 2-cents: with a RM27 car, would be to do it with an original color from that year. So even without fendertag/broadcast sheet, it still maintains an originality.

It's not a vert or a Road Runner, but it is a `70 FK5/FK5 with a black top and it's gorgeous!


How can you argue with that and it`s not a very common color at shows?

As you can see from the above GTX photos, the Deep Burnt Orange metallic is beautiful. It looks even better in the sunlight.:sunny:

I can't pick a color untill you say what you will do with the inside:sleepy2:

Here is one I picked up for Rich from the LONG ISLAND MOPARS club.:bootyshake:

my car came from long island and was in new york all it life untill 97 when i bought it

my car came from long island and was in new york all it life untill 97 when i bought it

Which car STU,you must have a GAZZILLION:bootyshake:

OMG Think about solid Black!!!!

Yes i think it would be great black, and I would be able to get it straight enough to make it look good, but I live in south Florida. super HOT in the sun. you can't touch a black car during the day.

Damn that burnt orange GTX is awesome!

more restoration pictures from the weekend. Progress is long due. The FK5 GTX is very nice and the comment that you don't see that color in shows I would say is correct. I will continue to weigh out my options. thanks

Which car STU,you must have a GAZZILLION:bootyshake:

ya ya ya my 70 convertible satelite

wow!! you've really gone to town on this.

I want a 1970 roadrunner period!

Not that I'm a bit biased, but FK5, Times 2... you don't see it too often, it's subtle enough most kids don't recognize how capable it is, and all in all, it's a beautiful classy color.

http://i697.photobucket.com/albums/vv339/buckneccid/BIGX.jpg
My 70 X, FK5, White top, white stripes.

wow!! you've really gone to town on this.

It is time to get back to work hopefully this weekend. I have been stalled because of a kidney stone and are regretting the time off of work and my Road Runner. Looks so far that all who voted are leaning me towards the original colors.

Does anyone know the latest numbers from any registry on how many of these 1970 Road Runner Convertibles remain?

Thanks for all your input.

Here's a 70 RR painted in 2006 Charger Go Mango. Personally I like the FK5 better but...

I like that, the wing aint my thing but I do like that paint.

Same here.........Color looks great on that car. Vote no on the wing as well.

I like colors that are a bit different from the run of the mill. Original to the car/model but something that will stand out from the crowd.

love the air grabber and the wing

Just letting you know that progress is being made on this 25year project. :walk: little steps are being taken. Welding and patching are almost complete. It is almost time to dig into the priming and blocking of the different panels. I am trying that Rust Bullet product for a base below the primer. Reading some of your posts of your projects makes me think that you all swear by it. Since this car has been in all stages of completion for a long time. I would like to have a good foundation for the paint. I do not want any problems popping up after the paint is on. Here are some pictures of some of the repairs encountered in the past few weeks. If anyone has any recommendations on the use of the Rust Bullet let me know. Thanks

Looking great Jag!

I use rust bullet quite often. I do make sure the corroded metal I cover it with is clean as possible. Even if that means a wire wheel, grinder, sander or blast. I use it on fresh metal as well just to add an extra barrier of protection. Stuff is hard as a rock and almost impossible to get off your skin. Be sure to buy the silver "automotive" stuff. It has a lot more aluminum in it than the black.

I have 3 spots on my 68' Coronet I coved up with rust bullet several years ago. I have seen no issues on that as well as a couple other cars from the past. Be sure to scuff it well before painting/covering. Being it is so hard and dries over with a smooth surface, it is definitely needed. I go over with 220 grit.

The stuff was originally designed for the USAF, in an effort to seal/lock out corrosion and have a coating on wingtips that could withstand the crazy amount of dynamics assosiated with aircraft. It made its way into the industrial word with great results (which i've seen), and automotive to..

Good stuff! Not cheap, but you get what you pay for usually..

Good luck!

Thanks, getting back to my original post on the color, has anyone looked at the new issue of Mopar Muscle? There is a burnt orange GTX painted in PPG Hot Hues Harvest Gold. The car look great in the magazine and the writer says the color really pops. That may be the ticket for my convertible is to substitute the harvest gold for the K5. Has anyone seen the color in person on a whole car?

Your ride is almost the twin of the one in the 06/11 issue of Hemmings Muscle Machines, and that dude also lives in FL, and his, like yours, had some serious rot issues, too. I'd go with the burnt orange and matching interior, IMO.

I discontinued my sub to HMM, I will try to pick up the copy to take a peek. thanks for the heads up. I met someone years ago at the Turkey Rod Run in Daytona with the same colors car as mine except it was an auto\console car. I wonder if it is the same car out of Jacksonville. fortunately mine is a 4 spd which I love. and I hope to use the factory a/c here in south Florida. thanks Fish

His is also a 4 speed, but non-AC/factory air grabber hood car. I thought your car was his looking at the metal work involved, but I remember the HMM car having a factory air grabber, but it's pretty much the twin. Good luck with the rest of the resto work!

Nice car I would agree that the k5 dark burnt orange would be an awsome choice but you are the one who has to be happy with it unless you are trying to sell it.

Your ride is almost the twin of the one in the 06/11 issue of Hemmings Muscle Machines, and that dude also lives in FL, and his, like yours, had some serious rot issues, too. I'd go with the burnt orange and matching interior, IMO.

70Fish, I finally was able to see the pictures from the hemmings article with some poking around online, but not the text. http://www.hemmings.com/mus/stories/2011/06/01/hmn_feature5.html Yes the car is similar but optioned a little differently. Mine has bucket seats, power brakes, FM radio (straight antenna mast) and a/c. His has the air grabber with pins and very stock looking with the bench seat. I still think the color needs a little more PIZZAZZ. I am looking into the formula of the paint with the local autobody supply house. One of the counter workers is a mopar nut. We are going to figure out a change or addition using the K5 as a starting point, we may not change it too much or not at all by the time we shoot some test panels. All-in-all I think I will be going with the K5 burnt orange. :hello2:

I had taken a detour from the body while I wait for some out of stock repair panels from Sherman. I had been repairing the rear interior panels. Someone, once upon a time had installed 6x9 speakers in them using a steak or butter knife. Instead of trashing them I decided to modify them and customize the job to install 6x9 the correct way. The area is not large enough to fit them properly with the grill under the arm rest, so I shaped some wood to use as a base which will be fiberglassed to blend it in. Maybe I watched too many of those Saturday morning shows. Pictures soon to come.

Ok, So I'm one of them with one of the old regular RR's. I have a number matching 70 Lemon Twist Air Grabber RR. I am suppose to have a lead on a 70 convertable so may be I will end up with it. I know what you are talking about on the time it takes, it took me over 8 years to do mine by my self. But I sure have enjoyed it the last year. Now if this heat wave we have going on would go away I could enjoy it some more. Keep up the good work you'll get. Ronnie in sizzling Okla.

My summer '70 RR 'vert project is almost done! Although with me living in the "rust belt", it will only be a couple more months of driving before she's parked for the winter. There's always next year, right? LOL

Fish, I would like to see some pictures of the RR Vert you are working on. and if anyone else has any pictures of their 70 RR or Satellite convertible that has not already posted one in this thread, Please post them. Thanks

Hey jag_mopar, yeah, I get a total FAIL on the pics as I seem to spend every spare min, when I'm not working, wrenching on it. I should have my summer project done in the next two weeks and will post that car and what I did to it then.

Hey jag_mopar, yeah, I get a total FAIL on the pics as I seem to spend every spare min, when I'm not working, wrenching on it. I should have my summer project done in the next two weeks and will post that car and what I did to it then.

yes pictures please :laughing1:

Here are some pictures of the repair\modifications I made to the rear interior panels. All you purists beware these pictures are not for the timid. Considering these panels were modified (hacked UP) many years before I purchased the car. I feel that I saved them from the trash man. I started by gluing the cracks with epoxy panel adhesive and reinforcing the back of the panel with fiberglass around the perimeter. 6x9 speakers did not fit very well below the armrest, so I then built up the area with duraglass and placed a piece of 3/4 plywood on top. That gave me a stable and flat area for the speaker to mount. I then fiberglassed to cover the whole area that I shaped. I will be blending it in tonight to prepare it for final filling to blend it to the rest of the panel. I will be loosing the texture to this area, so if anyone has a suggestion on a way to put some texture back it would be great.

nice save

i like black on these also heres a friend of mines 70

I love black cars and your friend's 70 looks great with the black steels. Unfortunately, I live in South Florida when it comes to black cars. You cannot touch a black car after 5 minutes in the sun without putting burn cream on.

The other night I found some original paint from the car. It was hiding under the marker light lens. I was able to compare the two colors from under the lens to the lip of the housing. I know why I hated the color. the repaint on the lip of the housing is way off. It was dark and did not seem to have as much metallic content. That is why I hated the color, it just was not right.

Attached is a picture of my buddy 70 RR convertible in B5. It is a great looking car with a hemi stuffed under the hood and white\black interior. Sorry for the bad picture.

Nice looking car indeed! I see the TX plates, did you get the car from TX and bring it up north? I gotta say, did you not think about getting the car media blasted before you are where you are now? I must tell you that getting it media blasted is the best money you can spend on the car, the few areas of rust you found and fixed -- I promise you there are more just waiting to come out and ruin the new paint job you are fixxin' to put on it. Yeah, this is what I do for my living now; media blast, but, I too have an overriding theme; my passion for doing the job correctly the first time around; it's always cheaper this way! Send me the car, with doors, hood, deck lid and fenders, I'll do it all for $2,250.00 including a coat of epoxy primer in either black or gray with a sealer in it so you can truck it in the open and rain can get on/in it with no problem. The cost you will incur is shipping the car to me in San Antonio and back.

Nice looking car indeed! I see the TX plates, did you get the car from TX and bring it up north?

Donny, which post are you referring to? The Blue one on the flat bed from Hemi-itis?

JAG

I am working on my quarter panels to get the last bits of rust out of the car. Here are some pictures to bring everyone up to date. I should be working on the final sanding this weekend and put the quarters in prime.

Good show! Keep up the good work and pics coming.

awesome

Looking good Jag. Nice work!

Great work your doing Jag! Looking good...

Beautiful metal work. It wont be long now! :hello2:

I want to thank all for the encouragement. It has been so long coming to this point. I wish I could work on it more often.

Jag, I'm really impressed, that's looking good! Isn't there some ridiculously low number of 70 B-body convertibles made, like was less than 1,000 total?

Getting your texture back: When I was doing my 71, the seat backs I had were both all chalked up and powdering off. Since they were wasted anyway, I decided to try to save them. What I ended up doing was wire brushing every bit of the chalked up areas till there was none left. Wiped it down with acetone, THEN grabbed a can of wrinkle finish paint, remember that? I put two or three even coats on them, laid them out in the sun, and then put them on the seats, in the car. Be forewarned... that paint will smell for a couple months, you want to get it on as soon as possible. I also found that the lighter you can get the paint applied, the smaller and more grain like texture. I sure hope your interior is either black or red, that's the only colors I've ever seen that paint come in. This is the only pic I have left of how they turned out, and it was unintentional. http://i697.photobucket.com/albums/vv339/buckneccid/DSC01091.jpg

Do I see a 70-71 Cuda hiding in the background in your shop? ArrrrrgggggI NEED that car desperatly as a wedding gift to my GF. She loves em, and while I don't love them, I sure like em a lot lol. Think I could talk them into a swap for a 70 vette convertible, both tops even.

Jag, I'm really impressed, that's looking good! Isn't there some ridiculously low number of 70 B-body convertibles made, like was less than 1,000 total?

Getting your texture back: When I was doing my 71, the seat backs I had were both all chalked up and powdering off. Since they were wasted anyway, I decided to try to save them. What I ended up doing was wire brushing every bit of the chalked up areas till there was none left. Wiped it down with acetone, THEN grabbed a can of wrinkle finish paint, remember that? I put two or three even coats on them, laid them out in the sun, and then put them on the seats, in the car. Be forewarned... that paint will smell for a couple months, you want to get it on as soon as possible. I also found that the lighter you can get the paint applied, the smaller and more grain like texture. I sure hope your interior is either black or red, that's the only colors I've ever seen that paint come in. This is the only pic I have left of how they turned out, and it was unintentional. http://i697.photobucket.com/albums/vv339/buckneccid/DSC01091.jpg

Do I see a 70-71 Cuda hiding in the background in your shop? ArrrrrgggggI NEED that car desperatly as a wedding gift to my GF. She loves em, and while I don't love them, I sure like em a lot lol. Think I could talk them into a swap for a 70 vette convertible, both tops even.

Buc, thank you for the praise and tips I will try it on another surface to check the grain and to see if I could cover it with the color of the panels which is called burnt orange in this case. I will also try the seat backs which are bad also.

I have heard different figures on the production from 684 to 7something. It is low, but if you are looking into options this one is lower because of the 4spd and a/c in a convertible. I have not seen another yet. Unfortunatly I do not have the fender tag or the build sheet for the car to determine the true options that came with the car. Only the old pictures of when I received it from the 3rd owner shows what it came with.

Trade, That is my buddy's car that we are also doing. Chevy, I would not even bring up the consideration to him. He is dyed in the wool MOPAR Lover with a few in his stable.

If you like the 70 road runner convertibles he is going to sell his very shortly. He is taking the hemi out of it and installing a 440 so he can sell it for less. You can see a pic of it in this thread. The clean blue one will have a fresh 440 air grabber, auto console and factory power windows. It is a nice car. I wish he would keep it to show them together :angryfire: but, that is the way it goes.

thanks again,
JAG