TotalPerformanceDesign
New Member
I own a shop that specializes in frame off restorations and when I run across a good deal on a builder, I will buy it and hold on to it till I can find the proper owner for it. The proper owner being someone that is more concerned with having a car done right and not in the cheapest manner possible so that can make the most money off of it. Someone that actually has a car built because of their love for the car.
Last spring, my neighbor was moving and offered me the 68 Roadrunner that had been sitting in his garage for the past ten years. The price was good, but I just wasnt sure about it because I had never really been into Mopars. I got busy with work and didnt give the car much thought over the next few weeks.
One day, a friend was telling me about of two people that were seriously interested in the car. One was known for taking buildable cars and completely screwing them up in the process of making them shiny enough to sell. The other person was only concerned with how cheap he could get it fixed and how much he could make off of it. The only difference in the two people was that one would screw it up himself and the other would pay someone to screw it up.
Later that day I was having lunch with my wife and telling her of what I had heard and what I thought about it. While I wasnt sure I even liked the car, I knew that it deserved a better future that either of the two it was heading for. After a few minutes, she tells me to shut up, call our neighbor and tell him that I wanted the car. Who is going to argue when their wife tells them something like that.
A few days later, the car was sitting in my shop while I tried to figure who would give it the best home. As I spent the next few weeks walking around the car everyday, a strange thing began to happen. I began to like the car more and more. Its stance, the body lines, and especially the horn. Sure it was rough, but I had fixed worse and finding a better home than my own would be hard. Turns out, my wife was hoping that would happen all along.
Originally, it was a green 383 4-speed car with two tone green interior. Over the years, the car had been painted yellow, then white. The bench seat was removed and replaced with a set of buckets out of a 70 charger R/T. Later, the seats were covered in black and white vinyl and the rest of the interior was painted and dyed black. The original engine and trans were removed and replaced with a 440 and automatic. The pedal assembly was swapped to auto pedal set up that Im pretty certain didnt come out of a B-body since isnt bolted to the firewall through factory holes, the master cylinder was moved up two inches and slightly to one side so that it would be in line with the brake pedal and the brake pedal is four inches shorter than the one on the clutch pedal assembly that I bought. And at some point, someone installed a standard b-body drum assembly on one side. So it has a bigger brakes on one side than the other. It has had many more atrocities committed against it than I have time to list.
Despite all that is wrong with it, after a new fuel tank, lines, pump, carb, brake lines, brake hoses, master cylinder and a hot battery, it did crank and does move quite well. It has been years since I did a serious build for myself and I think Im long over due to get one.
It wont be finished anytime soon, since customer cars have to be done first. So I will be doing it a little as I go and try to keep it drivable for as far into the build as I can. Not only does it make it easier to move around the shop, but the old car is really fun to drive and I dont think I could go that long without it.
--Mike
Last spring, my neighbor was moving and offered me the 68 Roadrunner that had been sitting in his garage for the past ten years. The price was good, but I just wasnt sure about it because I had never really been into Mopars. I got busy with work and didnt give the car much thought over the next few weeks.
One day, a friend was telling me about of two people that were seriously interested in the car. One was known for taking buildable cars and completely screwing them up in the process of making them shiny enough to sell. The other person was only concerned with how cheap he could get it fixed and how much he could make off of it. The only difference in the two people was that one would screw it up himself and the other would pay someone to screw it up.
Later that day I was having lunch with my wife and telling her of what I had heard and what I thought about it. While I wasnt sure I even liked the car, I knew that it deserved a better future that either of the two it was heading for. After a few minutes, she tells me to shut up, call our neighbor and tell him that I wanted the car. Who is going to argue when their wife tells them something like that.
A few days later, the car was sitting in my shop while I tried to figure who would give it the best home. As I spent the next few weeks walking around the car everyday, a strange thing began to happen. I began to like the car more and more. Its stance, the body lines, and especially the horn. Sure it was rough, but I had fixed worse and finding a better home than my own would be hard. Turns out, my wife was hoping that would happen all along.
Originally, it was a green 383 4-speed car with two tone green interior. Over the years, the car had been painted yellow, then white. The bench seat was removed and replaced with a set of buckets out of a 70 charger R/T. Later, the seats were covered in black and white vinyl and the rest of the interior was painted and dyed black. The original engine and trans were removed and replaced with a 440 and automatic. The pedal assembly was swapped to auto pedal set up that Im pretty certain didnt come out of a B-body since isnt bolted to the firewall through factory holes, the master cylinder was moved up two inches and slightly to one side so that it would be in line with the brake pedal and the brake pedal is four inches shorter than the one on the clutch pedal assembly that I bought. And at some point, someone installed a standard b-body drum assembly on one side. So it has a bigger brakes on one side than the other. It has had many more atrocities committed against it than I have time to list.
Despite all that is wrong with it, after a new fuel tank, lines, pump, carb, brake lines, brake hoses, master cylinder and a hot battery, it did crank and does move quite well. It has been years since I did a serious build for myself and I think Im long over due to get one.
It wont be finished anytime soon, since customer cars have to be done first. So I will be doing it a little as I go and try to keep it drivable for as far into the build as I can. Not only does it make it easier to move around the shop, but the old car is really fun to drive and I dont think I could go that long without it.
--Mike
