1974 Roadrunner Re-Paint

[DeltaV]

A handy item to snake those drains on any car is weed whacker trimmer line.

 

[68BabyBlue]

Unfortunately, I have found that once you start digging into these old cars, you discover lots of things you didn't want to see.

When I bought my 70 Road Runner it was yellow - it had been changed from the original Limelight. Under the paint was a crease on the passenger side all the way from the front of the door through the quarter panel from someone hitting something. In typical fashion, holes were drilled every 1.5 inches and then the crease was "sort of" pulled out and then bondo did the rest. That cost me a door skin and quarter panel where otherwise the minimal rust could have been patched. In the end, my "minimal rust" California car ended up with 2 new door skins, 2 quarter panels, trunk floor, extensions, and more.

I am sorry to see all this damage, but the only way to address it is the way you are doing it. Make the proper repairs and move on. You will have a harder time that I did since replacement metal is hard to find for a 74.

Good luck and keep moving forward!

Hawk, thanks for sharing your experience with your Road Runner. Back in the 80s, a California car, even with bondo might have been a better bet than a northeast salt victim. Maybe not so much today. When I was negotiating to buy the Demonstrator, I had a few folks on this site advise me to run from the car, based on the fact it had rusted during daily driving in five Pennsylvania winters. I've had this discussion with @eldubb440, and of course both you guys have seen the car in person.

What was rough back in the day can be a gem by today's standards. The wild card was the GTX's ownership by a Plymouth dealer. It ended up with NOS fenders, quarters, trunk floor, floor pans, trunk drops, and deck lid. Doors and hood were original, with two small dent repairs. No vinyl top left the rear window channel and dutchman panel pristine. All this work took place prior to 1982, when nobody was doing ground up sheet metal restorations of B bodies. My magnet verified the status of the body when I bought the car, and the paint is still nearly perfect after over 20 years.

Seven years before I bought the Demonstrator, I rejected a similar GTX, with a rust free California body. That car dropped a magnet the length of the body on the passenger's side. After reading this thread, there is no question a magnet is your best friend, and I'm glad I made the choice I did.

 

[RR Fan Dan]

Hawk, thanks for sharing your experience with your Road Runner. Back in the 80s, a California car, even with bondo might have been a better bet than a northeast salt victim. Maybe not so much today. When I was negotiating to buy the Demonstrator, I had a few folks on this site advise me to run from the car, based on the fact it had rusted during daily driving in five Pennsylvania winters. I've had this discussion with @eldubb440, and of course both you guys have seen the car in person.

What was rough back in the day can be a gem by today's standards. The wild card was the GTX's ownership by a Plymouth dealer. It ended up with NOS fenders, quarters, trunk floor, floor pans, trunk drops, and deck lid. Doors and hood were original, with two small dent repairs. No vinyl top left the rear window channel and dutchman panel pristine. All this work took place prior to 1982, when nobody was doing ground up sheet metal restorations of B bodies. My magnet verified the status of the body when I bought the car, and the paint is still nearly perfect after over 20 years.

Seven years before I bought the Demonstrator, I rejected a similar GTX, with a rust free California body. That car dropped a magnet the length of the body on the passenger's side. After reading this thread, there is no question a magnet is your best friend, and I'm glad I made the choice I did.

Let this thread help those wanting a 73-74. Nothing available for metal repairs.

 

[Some Car Guy]

I have avoided the 73-4 due to metal not being available. I like those a lot. I do think the tin grille truck patches for over the wheels might be a possible thing to try if needed.

I keep getting the itch for a different car. Then I see stuff like the inch or more of bondo that was used and appreciate my CA car more every day. I’ve wasted many many days going to look at “solid” cars only to be let down.