Hoping for some help from someone who's an expert on 72 Roadrunner/GTX's?

[kellyc]

Hello all - We're a Mopar family and after looking around, I have made up my mind that my dream car is a 72 Roadrunner GTX. I've been looking for one for a long time with with the options that I want (air grabber, 4 speed, not red) and have located one but I would like an expert opinion on a few things. If there is someone that is willing to share some knowledge with me, I would be very grateful...thanks in advance everyone!

 

[flypaper]

why not post up your questions here???
there might not be a single expert here that knows it all
but collectively we are pretty dangerous...
don't tell me its that blue rotted money pit one in fla..lol
opps... that one has no grabber so nix that off

 

[43tutor]

I have a 72 SSP and would be glad to try and answer your questions.

I'll never consider my an expert, the moment you do that someone always proves you wrong.

As flypaper says, post your question here and we'll try to help.

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

A bit of ‘72 RR/GTX experience here.

 

[kellyc]

ok..so here goes (sorry for anything that seems like a dumb question!). Let me preface by saying that my husband is a motor head and mopar fanatic. He has a 71 Cuda and since we've had the car I've been going to car shows with him (I'm a horse girl)..so then I got into these cars as well...so beautiful and body styling is incredibly unique. I love cars that look and feel as original and stock as possible and I'm willing to put some money into preserving these cars for the future.
Now, onto the questions;
Here's a pic of the engine tag. I think I have it decoded properly (using the internet here, so hopefully close). Car seems to be in good shape from lots of pictures but I won't see it for a week or so (it's not in my area). Now for the questions; It's not a "numbers matching car", although it does have a correct date coded 440 in it. Is it worth investing $$ into a car that's not numbers matching? In the pics, the car has a pistol grip shifter, but I don't see that on the engine tag...if that code's not there, does that mean it originally came with a slapstick? If I purchased the car, should I put the slapstick back on it or does this not matter as far a keeping it true to stock. It's a GB5 car (metallic blue)..current owner states it had a respray about 5 years ago. Is there any way to tell if it's the correct blue other than eyeballing it? Engine tag says it had hood pins, but the car doesn't have them now. Is this odd? Why would someone take them off? When I look at the car, I will want to match the engine tag to the body stamping, but for the life of me I can't find the location of the body stamping for this car anywhere. It's it on the inside of the trunk lid? Last - what else should I check for to ensure I'm getting what's advertised and that it's (somewhat) worth the $$ (he wants $45k). Sorry for the long post...thank you in advance for your expertise!

oh butts! Forgot to ask...is there any good resource for me to see things such as details of production numbers for these cars? I know there were 219 of the 72 RR/GTX w/4-speed produced, but I'm wondering about things like how many were produced with the full vinyl top like this one, etc. I see books advertised but I don't know how much detail they go into..?

 

[barnfind]

I've had 5 72, Sat, RRs ask away.

Number will be on radiator support, cowl top, and trunk gutter, usually drivers side, you may have to remove the trunk seal to see it thou. Lots of things happen to cars in the 40 plus years they have been around, including body panel replacement and hood changes, I've have a few cars where I was unsucessful at finding some or all the hidden body numbers. Sounds like a great car, hope you post up some pics so we can help with body color.

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

I've had 5 72, Sat, RRs ask away.

Number will be on radiator support, cowl top, and trunk gutter, usually drivers side, you may have to remove the trunk seal to see it thou. Post a pic on the color, Lots of things happen to cars in the 40 plus years they have been around, including collision and hood changes.

No Trunk gutter stampings in '72, core support and cowl only.

 

[flypaper]

D21 = 4 speed car
it came with a pistol grip
the fender tag looks real
hood pins gone could mean many things
remember these cars are around 50yo
so many things could of happened,hood might of been changed??
as to worth
that would depend of condition and complete/correctness.
lots of one year only expensive parts came on these cars
and if some are missing it can add up fast.

 

[kellyc]

ok, couple pics..sorry for the bad lighting..it's in a garage all covered up.

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

Verify body stampings and the presence of torque boxes in all four corners and shackle pivot box plates.
Should have an 18 spline 4speed, Dana 60, and the unique rear Dana sway bar.

That sequence number is 5 numbers from mine, but St Louis built.

 

[kellyc]

Really? I got this off a mopar fender tag site:

U2R
U = 440 280HP(net) or 290HP(net) 1-4BBL 8 CYL
2 = 1972
R = Windsor, ONT, CAN

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

No, mine is St. Louis built, U2G, but only 5 numbers away from your posted sequence number.

 

[kellyc]

ohhh...ok..thx..just making sure I'm using the decoding thing correctly..thanks!

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

Here is a link to the restoration of my RR/GTX, may find some info here helpful.

 

[flypaper]

here is what i know..

n23 = 70-71 Electronic Ignition System
n41 = dual exhaust
n85 = tachometer
n96 = grabber hood
r21 = 69-71 AM/FM Radio (5 1/2 Watts)
c56 = ?
g11 = 69-71 Tinted Glass (all)
g33 = 70-71 OS LH Remote Racing Mirror
J45 = 69-71 Hood Tie Down Pins
m21 = 69-71 Roof drip rail moldings
m31 = 71 belt moldings?
v1x = vinyl roof black
u = 440
26 = rad support
a33= 69-71 Track Pak w/3.54 ratio
b51= 69-71 Power Brakes
c16= 69-71 Console w/Woodgrain Panel
gb5 = blue body color
d6x9 = black bucket seats
tx9 = black door frames
c10 = ????
E86 = 69-71 440 cid 4 barrel V8 (High Performance) 375hp
(that changed in 72 to less hp)
D21 = 4 speed transmission

 

[kellyc]

that's super cool..I wish I knew more about wrenching on cars...the most I've ever done is change my tires and oil...changed out a radiator once on my '68 Ford and I just recently changed out my spark plugs and air cleaner in my toyota (I watched some youtube videos to figure it out...worked out ok). I'm going to go over your info in great detail...thanks a lot.

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

C56=Bucket Seats
C10 should be the scheduled production date, C=December 10th 1971. If the original safety sticker is still on the driver's door, should be able to verify the month.

 

[flypaper]

one thing that comes to mind is if hood pins are gone,
i would make sure it is a real grabber hood on that car
not some converted over flat hood..

 

[mopar 3 B]

Does the vin # match the fender tag. If the vin doesn't start with RM23U its not a RR GTX.
RR bird would not have been on the quarter of 72.
Are the GTX emblems on the door side of front fenders and passenger side of trunk lid.
Not all 4spd cars had torque boxes. If they are there its a bonus. No one seams to know which or why some cars got them and others did not.
If it had hood pins are the holes still in the core support.
There were 214 GTXs total 114 4 spd cars or something close to that.
Bench seat and buckets seat cars used different floor tunnels for the shifter.
I am not sure you could get hood pins with the graber hood.

Does the owner have the build sheet. It will made deciphering the cars options easier than the body tags.
Also their where a few changes in the 72 production year. Some trim and window moldings and fuel tanks were changed in Feb of 72 are ones I know of
I have never seen a full vynal top GTX. Half vynal and roof belt was common.

 

[flypaper]

I am not sure you could get hood pins with the graber hood.

I believe you could.
my grabber hood has orig hood pin bezels..