73 Roadrunner Resto Sheetmetal Help needed

[Dougs73RR]

I am at the beginning of a body restoration on a 73 RR and am looking for help on 1/4 body panels and where to find them.

I can find the rear 1/4 patch panels from Restoration Performance,

My question is there anywhere I can find or interchange the front 1/4 panel and the wheel opening ( see photos )

I am working on the car for a buddy and not that familiar with the Mopar cars so assume I know nothing about this car,

Any help describing the differences between the 72 vs 73 would be most welcome, It almost appears to me to be a roof line change but the lower half ( which is what I want ) is the same ? trying to see if I get some 72 stuff it can be modified to work

I don't want to order panels that will not fit
Thanks
Hooter

 

[flypaper]

72 and 73 are 2 different animals
The Roof and some of the inner structure
Is the same and after that not much is
Compatible.
You need to use patch panels or donor metal from another 73 or 74 car or fabricate what you need
Good luck

 

[PP1RT]

I picked up a rust free satellite for a donor car. You will need 73 or 74 donor or fabricate.

 

[Kern Dog]

There is a 74 Satellite at a wrecking yard in Rancho Cordova CA. I just took the disc brake steering knuckles from the car an hour ago. The fenders were not rusty but they were bent a little bit.
I was surprised to see the car in the yard. Often times, the 2 door classics are offered for sale whole in the "rebuilder" section.

 

[YY1]

71/72 and 73/74 are completely different with respect to the quarter panel.

From the pics it looks like the hard part (wheel arch) is still OK.

 

[Dougs73RR]

71/72 and 73/74 are completely different with respect to the quarter panel.

From the pics it looks like the hard part (wheel arch) is still OK.

its not unfortunately, passenger side is worse on arch , I can handle most metal work ok but the arch looks like a bear ,

 

[Dougs73RR]

There is a 74 Satellite at a wrecking yard in Rancho Cordova CA. I just took the disc brake steering knuckles from the car an hour ago. The fenders were not rusty but they were bent a little bit.
I was surprised to see the car in the yard. Often times, the 2 door classics are offered for sale whole in the "rebuilder" section.

Name of yard?

 

[Kern Dog]

http://www.picknpull.com/check_inventory.aspx?Zip=95746&Make=205&Model=4873&Distance=50

I checked their online inventory and the car is not listed. It is a gold 2 door. 318, 904 and it looks like a 9 1/4" axle but is probably an
8 1/4". Cloth seats, nice dash and gauges. Column shift, bench seat, front disc brakes...I don't think it had A/C. The grilled was gone but the car is otherwise complete.
This is a self service wrecking yard. You would need to be there to remove the parts because I don't think that they employ anyone that pulls parts. Try calling....who knows.

 

[moparmarks]

Kern you do know that those spindles are 3/4" taller than all the others ,right?

 

[Kern Dog]

They are 3/8" taller and the difference has been proven to be no problem.

 

[MoparLeo]

Also try Stephens, They stock a lot of good, used sheetmetal.:
http://stephensperformance.com/

 

[moparmarks]

They are 3/8" taller and the difference has been proven to be no problem.

Except if you use them on an A body. I grabbed a set of 73 B spindles out of my stock instead of the 73 A/E ones that I meant to use for my Dart. Got the front end all together and the upper control arms hit the outer edge of the rims. When I saw that the UCA's are actually pointing upwards towards the rims I knew right then what I had done. Now I have the change out the spindles and yes they are 3/4" taller, not 3/8". I just got done measuring them against the A/E ones and E/B ones too.
Also proven by who? Some says that they change the camber so much that it is hard to get them into specs. Have you ever used them on a 72 and older B or an E body?

 

[YY1]

I'll say this again-

Look at a repro fender for a 72-80 Dodge truck.

YES, TRUCK!

The wheel arch is almost exactly the same at the rear arch on a 73/74 Satellite!

...and they are reasonably cheap from truck parts suppliers.

There is a thread somewhere where I posted pics from the same or similar angle

 

[Kern Dog]

Except if you use them on an A body. I grabbed a set of 73 B spindles out of my stock instead of the 73 A/E ones that I meant to use for my Dart. Got the front end all together and the upper control arms hit the outer edge of the rims. When I saw that the UCA's are actually pointing upwards towards the rims I knew right then what I had done. Now I have the change out the spindles and yes they are 3/4" taller, not 3/8". I just got done measuring them against the A/E ones and E/B ones too.
Also proven by who? Some says that they change the camber so much that it is hard to get them into specs. Have you ever used them on a 72 and older B or an E body?

Respected members like Andy Finkbiener has commented on them. Rick Ehrenberg (Mopar Action magazine) was against them until doing a mock up with both types on an A-Body chassis several years ago. Mopar Muscle magazine dispelled the myth over 12 years ago as well, providing data of camber curves with both sets.
The accepted measurement difference is 3/8" although I have not measured them myself. I have an A-body set on my 70 Charger, a FMJ set on a 72 Duster. Both aligned just fine. I don't run 14 inch wheels so whatever interference you mention is moot to me. I have 18 inch wheels on the Charger and temporarily have some 15" wheels on the Duster. Even with stock steel 5 inch wide 14 inch front wheels, there was no interference problems. The Camber on the Duster is currently 1/2 degree NEG, right in the target zone for street driving and more can be had if needed.

 

[moparmarks]

A-body spindles are the same height as E and 62-72 B so those three interchange no problem. I've installed the 73-up A/E ones on several 62-72 B's and E bodies. Same with the 70-2 B/E ones.
The ones on my Dart are from a 73 B and hit my 15x7 Ralley wheels big time. Had to use wheel spacers just so I could roll it. Does't matter where I set the camber they still rub. The UCA's are point upwards, not level. I measured them several times and compared them to the several other cars I have and these are definitely 3/4" taller. I've been assembling these front suspensions for about 40 years now, well over a 100 of them, but have never used the taller spindles on anything but the 73-9 B's.
If you still have the ones that you pulled measure them against the ones on your 70 Charger and see what you come up with.

 

[moparmarks]

Sorry for trashing your thread Doug.

 

[Kern Dog]

I have worked with guys in construction that say "I've been doing this for 30 years" and sorry.... the statement means nothing. 30 years of quality, 30 years of hacked up work....they both exist. This is not a dig against you, just stating that this universe allows both situations to exist. One guy I know is a great person but does some real sloppy work that I would be embarrassed to admit doing.
I looked at 3 A body cars in my backyard. The two with the FMJ knuckle does have an upward angle on the UCA but it is not severe. Also, I have over 1 1/2 inches of clearance between the UCA and the rim....Both have stock steel wheels, both are 15x6. You have something else way off if you need spacers. Maybe your wheels were much wider than stock with a LOT of negative offset? I had a set of 15x8 rallyes made at Wheel Vintiques that had 6 inches of backspacing. They were for my 74 Duster with a B body 8 3/4" axle. They fit the rear great but would not fit up front even on jackstands.
I found the article....Mopar Muscle magazine, March 2005 "Debated Usage". Written by Bill Reilly, the guy that makes the RMS AlterKtion setups. The FMJ knuckle is 3 lbs lighter and 3/8" taller. The only drawbacks are related to extreme use in drag racing where the toe in on acceleration is more than the A knuckle but the camber gain is actually better. No issue with "Over-angling" of the upper ball joint as Rick Ehrenberg claimed for many years but later refuted.
I know that the FMJ knuckle came along to adapt to the rubber bushing isolated K members that all FMJR and later B body cars had. They forged the knuckle taller to accomodate the greater height.
I have nothing to gain here, I just have had good results using a part that is far easier to find than an A knuckle is nowadays.

 

[moparmarks]

I might be and if so have no problem saying so. If you saw my work and the cars I build you would see that I'm very **** about quality. If your not going to do it right then don't do it at all. And I'll agree. Guy says I'm been doing it like this for 30 years. Well you've been doing it wrong for 30 years. LOL.
On the dipping still never got a answer why the 62-5 frames are clearly coated on the inside and the 66-74 are not. That pic of the stack frames I posted was just one of about 15 stacks that I have gone through over the years. Yes they dipped through the 70's but seemed to be a waste of time.
I'm still going to change out the spindles but won't be for a bit. In the middle of moving to my new digs. After I have then out I'm going to check the height again next to other ones than I have.
My wheels are stock with 4.5" BS. Also the work in picture is clearly a hack job, right?

 

[Kern Dog]

Hack job? Of course not. I don't like Sublime but not enough to criticize your work!
Oddly, the left picture seems fine but the right looks as if the suspension is at droop..... and the distance between the UCA edge and the knuckle looks wide as if the ball joint were really long. Maybe an illusion?

 

[moparmarks]

Illusion I guess. Normal ol' ball joint but a urethane boot. I too don't care for Sub-Lime that is why it is Sassy Grass. Looks a little lite in the pics