Hello form Bend Oregon

[bentmopar]

I'm going to look at a 69 RR next weekend at my parents a couple hours from home. I heard about it from some friends and figured it would be nice to see my parents and look at a car. The owner is asking 4500 and i haven't seen any pictures but I'm not committed to the car.

The reason I'm bringing this up is that i would love to get a nice B body car. Is there anything I need to know or look out for that could be a deal breaker. I'm not looking to do a full resto or anything just have something i can work on and have fun with. I'm 24 and on a budget. Any pit falls or advice I should be aware of would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[rickster1959]

Hello from Tennessee! Good luck on your trip Home and search for B-Body.

 

[aldal]

Welcome from Minnesota and I'm sure some of the guys here will give you good tips and advice (a lot of sharp folks here). I would try and help you out but I seem to let my emotions over rule my better judgment sometimes and tend to get scruuuled over once in awhile.

 

[Budnicks]

Welcome from sunny NorCal.... $4500 is pretty cheap... If it's a real RR it will have a RM23 {for a HT} or RM21 {for Post Coupe} in the Vin #, if not it's not a real RR, there are corresponding #'s on the rad. support & on the truck drip rail area too... I Hope it's in the high dessert, not in the snow country or by the ocean in Oregon, less chance of rot/rust bucket... Hopefully it will have all the trim pieces, bumpers, grill/bezels, mirrors, dash & gauge cluster, interior etc., some of the smaller things can really add up too... Rot areas the front & rear windshields bottom corners for leaks {tell tale signs directly under them wet/rot/rust}, in the trunk floor, interior floors rust issues when window seals are bad, rear quarters & wheel houses behind rear wheels, front fenders just behind the wheels because of cowl vent leafs, dirt & pine needles, clogged up drainage areas, also the transmission cross member where the rear torsion bars mounts area is & front frame sections & rear frame sections where the suspension attaches, upper rear shock mount supports, are all common problem areas... Under the battery tray rot/rust from acid & the main bulkhead wiring connections corroded have cause many problems/fires melting wires & under-dash wiring/fuse box in the glove box, all main wires going thru the bulkhead connectors on the firewall, then thru the Amp meter {mainly the large black wires all spliced together & connected to the Amp meter & pink feed wires, to the fuse box, for all the gauges etc.} check to see if any melting or bad connections etc., the larger Black wires supply all the power to engine bay & inside car, long run/lots of load, critical wire can cause issues... Good luck

 

[super-bee_ski]

Welcome aboard and thanks for joining!

 

[jfreakofkorn]

welcome to the show ...

 

[snakeyes]

hi and welcome to the site :headbang:

 

[Dako]

bentmopar,

Welcome, and I hope for the best on your possible new investment! Since we don't know your technical/ mechanical skils, it can be a bit tricky in telling you what to pass on. Sounds like you don't have deep pockets...with that being said, I would look closely at the areas Budnicks mentioned.

Unless you have experience with structural and body pieces, they can cost you a pretty penny to repair. If you are mechanically inclined and know your way around a tool box, most of the mechanical stuff can be done yourself...saving big labor costs. Same goes for interior work...when you break it down, it's really mechanical work.

To add to that:
If it has a vinyl top...look (feel) for signs of rust through underneath the vinyl. Areas prone to this are:
- the A-pillars
- along the windshield
- around the rear window
- the bottom along the C-pillars

Get underneath the car...look at:
- Frame rails for significant rust
- Frame rails for signs of buckling (significant accident damage)
- Floorboards for rust through
- Exhaust for holes/ significant damage
- Uneven tire wear...could be simple alignment, could be worn out parts...could be damage

Bring:
- A piece of cardboard. Even a medium sized box opened at the seam covers a lot of ground, making a difference how long you spend looking under a car
- A strong light of some sort...and a back-up light. Lights seem to fail when you only have one.
- Extra batteries for the light
- A pair of safety glasses. One piece of dirt falling in your eye can end the inspection
- Rags/ shop towels to clean something off/ verify numbers/ verify a leak/ etc.
- Hand cleaner

If the owner says it doesn't run/ doesn't know if it runs, and you are wanting to try (and they allow it) you can bring:
- Jumper cables
- Carb cleaner or starting fluid
- Basic hand tools...screwdrivers, pliers, adjustable wrench, battery post cleaner, etc.
Note: If you get it to run, they may hold harder to the asking price!


If you think the owner will allow you to raise the car, you can bring:
- A jack
- A piece of wood big enough for the jack to sit/ roll on if the car is in the dirt or on an asphalt driveway (it can sink on either surface)
- A jack stand (preferrably 2)
- Wood pieces to provide pads for the jackstands (they'll sink like the jack)

Seems no matter what discrepancies you find (bad radiator, worn out front end, interior shot, set of tires, busted windshield, etc.), they average out being a couple hundered bucks...more if you are paying someone else to do the work. With that said, be sure to keep a mental tally of what you know it would need prior to you 'enjoying the car'. Add that to what you are willing to pay. If you are okay with that total...pull the trigger! If not, walk away.

 

[paladin06]

Welcome from the East Valley in AZ. Good luck on your trip.

 

[Outlaw525]

Welcome form Prineville- 30 miles away!