72 Roadrunner or 72 Satellite?

[MoparGoneWow]

Greetings everyone. I have an interesting story and would like the opinion of everyone.

When I was younger, about 8 years ago, I enlisted into the military and recieved a nice little chunk of change for an enlistment bonus. I decided to follow in my father's footsteps and purchase a Roadrunner that I could restore along my military career so I could have a nice car when I got out.

So I purchased a 1972 RR with the RM tag (as he said) from St. Louis and had it shipped to NC. When I got the car, I started looking around and it looked just like he said with everything stamped Roadrunner; however, the title (once I got it a couple days later) and the vin tag on the dash had RH codes for a Satellite. At this time, I was irrate and calling the seller to find out what was going on because I purchased a Roadrunner and not a Satellite. Come to find out, the guy found this "Roadrunner" in a friend's garage who he had done some work for. The guy could not pay him so he gave him the Roadrunner as payment. The roadrunner didnt come with a title so he purchased a dash board from a junk yard that came with a clean/clear title BUT.. it was a Satellite dash and title. So he put it on the Roadrunner and called it a day.

I have the original dash (I believe) with RM codes. All the stamps throughout the car were checked out as a Roadrunner. Would you keep it the way it is? Swap the dash out and try to get a salvage title? I am curious to hear what people think.


Disclaimer: I purchased this car almost 7 years ago and it has sat in my garage ever since.

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[moparmarks]

So you do have the original RM vin tag? If so then put it back in the car and get ahold of your state.
It is too bad that some people have to jack with the legal aspects of a car.

 

[djais1801]

x2 as seeing it is a restoration candidate (no offense), you won't be worrying about damaging a newly done interior. If you ever fall on hard times and have to unload the bird, that is not a conversation you want to have with anyone else...and it will affect the value.
good luck

 

[MoparGoneWow]

I am going to do some more research.. I don't THINK the RM coded dash I do have actually came with the car. I believe it came out of a junk yard but I am not sure. Therefor the codes on the dash would not match the rest of the car. I am between parting it out and selling it that way and just keeping it to restore later into a car thats simply fun to drive.

I have a 68 Roadrunner (True Original Car) that I am restoring and taking up all my time at the moment.

 

[moparmarks]

If you don't have the original RM vin tag but the car has all of the original RM #'s then get ahold of www.datatags.com and jump through their hoops for a reproduction vin tag with the original RM numbers. Then call your state about a title.
Or call the state about a state issued vin number and tag.
Right now it is a bogus car because of the vin swap. Hate to see it parted out. Too bad this happens.

 

[Bruzilla]

My experience has been the best thing to do is go to your county's tag agency, ask to see a supervisor, and run your situation past them. I've done that up here in Clay and Duval County a couple of times and it has saved me a lot of time, trouble, and money.

Another option for you might be to just keep the car as it is. The market these days isn't what it used to be, and there's not a huge premium between a Road Runner and a Satellite, especially in that condition. If I were doing a full restore I would work with the tag agency folks to get this cleared up, but if not I would just sell the car as a Satellite if I was going to sell it.

 

[moparmarks]

Actually the market on the 71/2 B's is as strong as ever. Seeing many of them selling for 30-50K for the nicer more desirable cars. At BJ the plain janes are bringing stupid money.

 

[MoparGoneWow]

If I could not get the VIN situation right, the best thing for me to do is take the 440 I have which was recently rebuilt and throw it into my 68 Roadrunner and then part out this car. Its a shame... but it would be worth more that way than to sell as is.

 

[old tired rebel]

It might be a little work but you can always write the vin number down and have a relative near the state the car was last registered and try and find the last owner to get the correct title and have a new vin made.

 

[73runner]

If the dash vin doesn't match the cowl and yoke numbers, its not the original.... If it does, then your good.

I would first run the rm vin you have with the yoke/cowl sequence number to make sure its not stolen or was once totaled. If not stolen or totaled, then go to the title agency and title it with the yoke and cowl number. Tell them that the original vin tag was lost. If you can get the previous owner to give you a bill of sale with the yoke and cowl number, most states will issue you a title for a car that old with a bill of sale.... That is, if they issue titles for a car that old... Not all states do.

I had a similar problem once and a mechanic friend was able to get a title for my car on a storage lien.... That might also work if the car is clean... But check it first!

 

[YY1]

Hmmm, of course you saved all the contact info of the seller, in case you get charged with receiving stolen property, right?

Sucks someone took advantage of a serviceman, while on active duty.

x2 on matching the VIN on the dash, to the VIN on the rad support. Depending on if that matches, the next step is different.

The first thing that went through my head on the backstory was-

I did work for a guy. He didn't pay me, so I took his car.

 

[71airgrabberRR]

Just sent you a PM.

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I have a good running 72 SSB car with a clear FL title registered to me. I bought it to use for parts, but after a close inspection it is too nice to cut up. After I pull the sheet metal body parts off it that I need for my RR, it will be for sale. I'm only 3 hours away from you at most. The old parts from my RR will be back on the car before I sell it so it will be a complete car.
I haven't listed it anywhere yet. The body is in really good shape. But the bolt on parts I will be putting back on it will be rusted / dented. Possibly between your parts and my car you can make something that is both legal and nice.

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But I still hate the fact that someone took advantage of a service man. I've seen it happen quite often though. Prior service Army myself.

I also hate to see another Mopar get scrapped out. But you need to definitely be up front with all legal paperwork and VIN numbers . If your not to could end up in jail and your property taken away. That's why when I purchase a car I always check the numbers and paperwork before handing over any cash. If the person can't hand you a clear title personally registered to him or her with the matching appropriate numbers, then run !!!!

 

[71airgrabberRR]

You can see some photos of the car I'm talking about on the very first page of my restoration thread, posts #7 and #19. Thanks

 

[43tutor]

As mentioned in the previous posts verify the VIN number from the "original" dash that you have match the body stamping locations. The last 6 numbers of the VIN should match the body stamping locations on the cowl and the radiator support. If you need help with the locations for the body stampings let us know and we can direct you to the correct spots. Maybe a long shot but by chance do you have the broadcast sheet for the car? This will also show the VIN #.

So the guy you bought the car from, purchased a dash from a junkyard and was given the title for the junkyard car with the purchase of the dash? That doesn't sound right to me. Why would the junkyard give him the title for purchasing the dash? Maybe in that state is how it is done....

Verify the car is not stolen or has been totaled before putting any effort or money into the car.

 

[71airgrabberRR]

Verify the car is not stolen or has been totaled before putting any effort or money into the car.[/QUOTE]

He nailed on the head.

 

[YY1]

I was having a hard time finding the body stampings on one of my 73's.

Ony a "W23" on the trunk rail, a number that didn't match anything on the cowl brace above the wiper motor, and finally, the matching VIN stamp on the "engine" side of the driver's side radiator support, partially hidden by the radiator.