Dad's First Car - '74 Road Runner

[donmodro]

It has been about a month, so time for a little update! Work has been occurring at a relaxed pace over the past month or so. My dad has been plugging away at wet sanding and polishing the car now that it is mostly assembled:

For the first time in 15 years the Roadrunner is wearing its emblem again too!

Earlier today I put the order in for the stripe kit from Phoenix Graphics, as well as a replacement headliner. My next trip out to PA to work on the car with my dad is next month, and we will do the stripes then. We have a few car shows and cruises lined up while I'm out there, and I am really looking forward to getting some seat time in. I'll probably be doing a carb rebuild while I'm at it too. This is how he sits right now:

 

[RR Fan Dan]

It’s looking really good. I can’t wait to finally get mine right side up again. Post some more pictures of the interior when you can. Most of your old photos in this thread aren’t showing up anymore for me. Which motor did you say was in there?

 

[donmodro]

It’s looking really good. I can’t wait to finally get mine right side up again. Post some more pictures of the interior when you can. Most of your old photos in this thread aren’t showing up anymore for me. Which motor did you say was in there?

The plan is to grab a bunch of pictures when I'm out there next month, I'll make sure to grab some interior pics while I am at it! Drivetrain in this one is a 318 with a 4 speed. We'll probably swap the 318 out at some point (it isn't the original one anyways) because I really want to build an engine.

 

[donmodro]

I finally finished editing the YouTube video of the rebuild that I've been working on while my dad and I have been putting the car back together and thought you all might appreciate it!

 

[donmodro]

The video doesn't get us quite up to the present though. I was in town last week and we got the stripes installed, along with a lot of other finish details, just in time for my dad to enjoy peak car cruise season in PA:

 

[Basket case]

Any idea if Dad will be taking it to Hot Summer Nights in Beaver this August? Looks fantastic!

 

[donmodro]

Any idea if Dad will be taking it to Hot Summer Nights in Beaver this August? Looks fantastic!

He absolutely will. I have never seen a man more excited about going to car cruises.

We started my early June trip out by doing a shakedown road trip to the Mopar show in Albion, PA, then did the stripes and a whole bunch of detail work to get it ready for the Beaver Falls, PA car cruise. Pretty sure he's in Brighton Twp at a cruise today and is already talking about Beaver in August.

 

[Lt Shaffer]

I finally finished editing the YouTube video of the rebuild that I've been working on while my dad and I have been putting the car back together and thought you all might appreciate it!

Well done sir!

 

[RR Fan Dan]

That’s a way cool video there Don. You sure got some skills. Seeing how bad your car was, makes me feel better about mine. I didn’t have near the rust issues you have.

 

[donmodro]

That’s a way cool video there Don. You sure got some skills. Seeing how bad your car was, makes me feel better about mine. I didn’t have near the rust issues you have.

That means a lot coming from someone putting together a build like yours! While I was in PA the last time I recorded video of the stripe install, carb rebuild, and finishing up some of the interior. Hopefully I can get that edited together over the coming weeks.

Our Roadrunner is far from perfect, but I am really happy with the end result.

 

[RR Fan Dan]

That means a lot coming from someone putting together a build like yours! While I was in PA the last time I recorded video of the stripe install, carb rebuild, and finishing up some of the interior. Hopefully I can get that edited together over the coming weeks.

Our Roadrunner is far from perfect, but I am really happy with the end result.

I was surprised to see the 4 speed manual with the bench seat since your dad has had the car from when it was pretty much still new. Was that an option? Do you have the fender tag? The base 74 RR came with a 318 and the 3 speed manual. My car originally was a 318 3 speed manual bench seat. It was upgraded to the 4 speed manual.

 

[donmodro]

Well done sir!

View attachment 2054571

I was surprised to see the 4 speed manual with the bench seat since your dad has had the car from when it was pretty much still new. Was that an option? Do you have the fender tag? The base 74 RR came with a 318 and the 3 speed manual. My car originally was a 318 3 speed manual bench seat. It was upgraded to the 4 speed manual.

It is a weird combo, but is a factory 4 speed D21 car. The info I’ve seen suggests there were only about 200 of them with the 318.