New 73 roadrunner

[norbe5]

Hello everyone,

Just purchased a 73 roadrunner to join the mopar family. This forum has helped so far! I look forward to reading more threads!
Just two quick questions that maybe can be answered.
1.) If I have a bench seat with manual Transmisson can I convert it to bucket seats with no issues?

2.) where does everyone find parts for their cars? Specific website or catalog store?

Thanks!

 

[KiwiKid72]

Welcome from New Zealand.

Pics please.

 

[hacksaw]

Welcome from PA.....
Got some pictures of this fine bird?

 

[polywideblock]

G'day from Australia

 

[Mopar Hunter]

Welcome to FBBO!

 

[Jerry Hall]

Welcome from Alabama, good to have you here. First search the different parts forums here. Then there are Mopar parts vendors all over the internet, and some even on this forum.

 

[Some Car Guy]

Mopar Collectors Guide has a lot of vendors in it. Other than that, Classic Industries and Year One.

 

[T2R9]

Welcome!

 

[norbe5]

Thanks for the replies! Here’s my new to me roadrunner

 

[#41]

1.) If I have a bench seat with manual Transmisson can I convert it to bucket seats with no issues?

Yes, kinda: The bench seat shifter is farther forward than the bucket seat shifter location (to clear the bench seat). You can add the buckets and the shifter will work fine, but it will not be in a location where you can also add a factory shift console. If you wanted to go full monte and make it look like a bucket seat car, you'd have to modify the floor shifter hump and get the correct bucket seat shifter mechanism, rods, and handle.

I would personally leave it as is. You see far fewer bench/manual cars than bucket/manual cars.

 

[Builderguy]

Welcome aboard Sir, from the middle of the mitten. Nice car. Owned a few of those 73's. Parts are all over the place, unless you want a full quarter panel (no one that I know makes them yet). Regular parts from all the bigger names (AMD,Rock Auto, Classic, Summit, Advance Auto, and on and on). Mechanical parts are not that hard to find, it is the body and interior parts that can be tough. Facebook and Craigs List for some of those. You would be surprised where you can find a random RR part.

 

[ckessel]

Welcome from the former home state of your new neighbors. You should have a look at the roadside of your floor to see it there are reinforcements welded to the floor. The previous owner of my 65 added factory correct buckets to a bench car and over time the floor cracked/tore the sheetmetal where the buckets were mounted. There were no bucket units welded to the backside.

 

[1969VAGTX]

Welcome from Fredericksburg, VA.

 

[HD539]

Welcome from Washington State.

 

[moparker]

To do it right and safely you need to add floor bracing for the buckets. Better off leaving it alone.

 

[PlymCrazy]

Welcome to FBBO from NY

 

[YY1]

I will answer your first question-

Yes

It's true that a console equipped car used a different, shorter shifter and it was closer towards the rear seat.

However, bucket seat cars with the "buddy seat" or center arm rest also used the bench seat shifter location.

Trust me- having an arm rest is nice.

Reinforcing the floor for the inboard seat track mounts is what the factory did.
However, they changed this in the 80's on cars like the 5th Avenue.
If you install buckets without doing this, you can use later, 1980's nuts which have MUCH larger captive washers.

However, the seat tracks are made to accommodate the additional height of the reinforcement plate, and the seats will tilt in towards the center slightly.

 

[Photon440]

 

[WileERobby]

View attachment 1627045Thanks for the replies! Here’s my new to me roadrunner

Damn, that's a nice car !! Love it !! Welcome , and hope you enjoy your time with us here ! A lot of great knowledge here, and good people, too.

 

[norbe5]

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome!

Also thanks to those who chimed in on the seat issue. I’ll definitely look more for the bench seat with the buddy seat to give it a different look. Don’t wanna mess with having to reinforce the floors lol