70 road runner buying advice?

[Hell Ride]

Hi guys, I have had a project in mind for a long time and it may soon be time to do it. I am looking for a 1970 Road Runner, manual, doesn't matter about motor. I plan on putting a 370 cu.in (5.7L based stroker), built A-833 4 speed or something along those lines, and a big turbo with other goodies. My questions to you guys are, when buying the car what problem areas should I look out for? For example, I know that the early f-body camaros are prone to rush in the door jambs. Are there areas like that on these cars where water settles? I know to look at the floor pans and trunk, as well as the frame. What advice do you guys have?

Thanks in Advance
-Hell Ride

 

[MoparBill]

Rear window- bottom corners often have rust underneath the gasket. Lower quarters and trunk extensions are commonly rotted. Rocker panel where it meets the quarter is also common to have rot. Check the seams along the bottoms of the doors for swelling, and check the seams on the trunklid as well.

 

[moparstuart]

great choice of body style

 

[Lighthorseman]

Sounds like a cool project. Don't overlook a decent Satellite as a starting point - that way, you wouldn't get lynched for cutting up a Road Runner. Might be less expensive, too.

 

[70Fish]

Well, if you're new to Mopars, you'll soon realize they're often found with rust issues worse than what you'd see on a GM. Check out the bottom of the car carefully, particularly, the back half like the frame rails, pans, wheel cans, extensions, etc. Further, check out the cross member that holds the trans in, the cowl, front inner fenders, and hood hinge area, too.

 

[moparstuart]

Well, if you're new to Mopars, you'll soon realize they're often found with rust issues worse than what you'd see on a GM. Check out the bottom of the car carefully, particularly, the back half like the frame rails, pans, wheel cans, extensions, etc. Further, check out the cross member that holds the trans in, the cowl, front inner fenders, and hood hinge area, too.

really ?? I have tons of GM stuff here at the salvage yard and GM rusts as bad or worse ????

 

[70Fish]

moparstuart, having lived most of my life up in northern IL, the climate here with all the snow and tons of road salt put down each year, takes a hard toll on all old cars. Why I mentioned Mopars was the weird places I've seen local mopars rust through, like holes on top of the fenders, through sail panels, non-vinyl top roofs with holes, tail panels, etc... It was vertical surfaces with holes in em or places where water wouldn't pool, right? Don't remember seeing that on my friends' GM piles along the way. That's not to say they didn't have rust issues, though. A friend's '68 Firechicken Poncho one day had a rear shock poke through the trunk.

 

[Darius]

easy....DO NOT buy one that has been EAST of Nevada. That way you might only have to replace HALF the body panels and doors instead of ALL of them.
When you get your car have it media blasted to make sure. I THOUGHT mine was in good shape until it came back from the blaster looking like swiss Cheese!

 

[moparstuart]

moparstuart, having lived most of my life up in northern IL, the climate here with all the snow and tons of road salt put down each year, takes a hard toll on all old cars. Why I mentioned Mopars was the weird places I've seen local mopars rust through, like holes on top of the fenders, through sail panels, non-vinyl top roofs with holes, tail panels, etc... It was vertical surfaces with holes in em or places where water wouldn't pool, right? Don't remember seeing that on my friends' GM piles along the way. That's not to say they didn't have rust issues, though. A friend's '68 Firechicken Poncho one day had a rear shock poke through the trunk.

we get lots of road salt here also , maybe not as much at you but all the GM's i have here in the salvage yard especially the 70's camaros , firebirds chevelles and blazers and trucks are all swiss cheese , I think the metal is much thinner then any of my mopars . But all cars rust and mopars for sure do alot .

 

[moparstuart]

I have a very nice 70 RR project 4sp 383 car , rust free been in my family since 1977 . I just cant convince my self to let it go .

 

[MoparBill]

easy....DO NOT buy one that has been EAST of Nevada. That way you might only have to replace HALF the body panels and doors instead of ALL of them.
When you get your car have it media blasted to make sure. I THOUGHT mine was in good shape until it came back from the blaster looking like swiss Cheese!

I have lived in Western New York my entire life, and I have seen some pretty darn nice cars that have always been in the area. Don't get me wrong, I've seen plenty of rotboxes, but there are cars that have been well taken care of in the northeast.

 

[RubyredSavoy]

I have lived in Western New York my entire life, and I have seen some pretty darn nice cars that have always been in the area. Don't get me wrong, I've seen plenty of rotboxes, but there are cars that have been well taken care of in the northeast.

I agree... Actually, the cleanest car I evern owned came right out of Buffalo, NY. In fact, out of the 100 plus Mopars I have owned, the cleanest ones were from right here in NY/NJ. Of course, I have lots of rust buckets from here as well. The one car I got hosed on, was straight from Phoenix, AZ (sold brand new at Bill Luke, CP in AZ) More rust and damage than I bargained for for a "desert car". All said, it all depends on how the car was taken care of and stored through its liftime.

 

[RubyredSavoy]

Trunk floor of the lifelong Buffalo, NY (THE RUST BELT capitol) '70 'Cuda I owned. You won't find them nicer, that's fo' sho! Oddly enough, the car is now in SoCal!

 

[RubyredSavoy]

Back on topic, also look for sneaky rot in the lower door hinge boxes, the front and rear rails, especially the torsion bar crossmember ends by the rockers.

 

[RubyredSavoy]

Here is a super nice, rust-free trunk floor and left extension (whole car was rust-free) from a bought new in MI, then to PA and finally to me in NY (AAR 'Cuda). Point is, don't discount any car because of the region it is located in:glasses12:

 

[MoparBill]

@RubyRedSavoy- that was my point exactly- each car is taken care of differently by their owners and will age differently. I know Buffalo is the rust capital, but I have seen pristine condition survivors in this area. Lots of people put their muscle cars away and had winter cars to drive in the salt.