New car and first mopar

[B&Kroadrunner]

Hi guys, my girlfriend (Kellie) and I brought home our 1969 Roadrunner. This is my first mopar ever and I’m excited to get it back on the road.
Some back story on the car…..
The car was my girlfriend’s father that he had in his 20’s, he sadly passed away in 2007 from brain cancer when my girlfriend was just 14, and he left her this car. It has been in a shipping container for 15 years and then has sat under this barn for just over a year now. Kellie and I are going to start putting the car back together to get it driving again and eventually restore it to how her dad wanted the car.
With all that being said I don’t know much about mopars.

I mainly want to see what everyone else think of the condition of it, and if someone can maybe decode the fender tag for me.I have a Mopar buddy and he said it was in good shape for its age and how long it has sat, I know that the hood is not original to the car but was told it is a factory style hood to the car. I don’t so much care about it being “original” we are fixing it up how Kellies dad wanted it.

I am a welder/fabricator by trade so I’m not worried about tackling floor pans or other welding/body work. But do want opinions on do/dont’s for replacing the floors, and adding some bracing to stiffen up the chassis, or other tips and tricks that anyone has. I have no clue if the slapped bars and shocks are a factory thing or not. The car seems all complete to me and seems like it’s in over all good shape.

 

[B&Kroadrunner]

Sorry all the photos didn’t load the first time.

 

[ckessel]

Welcome from the central coast of Cal. It's a good thing you already have some metal skills. You will for sure be needing them by your pictures. First order of bizz will be gutting the car till you have a shell, probably get it blasted or dipped, then see what's left and go from there. Or find a shell in better shape and transfer useable parts over.

 

[HD539]

Welcome from Washington State.

 

[Cranky]

Cool!! Welcome to the site.....love the coupes! Also, if you like the traction bars, do what you have to do to make the rubber bumpers contact the spring eyes and not contact the actual spring.

 

[65Bel]

Thanks for sharing your story & pics. A very worthy project! From Illinois . . .

 

[Outsider]

Getting it back in shape will be a nice tribute to her dad and you'll have a cool and valuable car. Good thing he didn't like Pintos.

Looks like it's going to be a big job. I've done a few big projects and I known lots of people that have taken on such. It will be expensive and take hundreds of hours of labor to make it real nice. It's been sitting and rusty for 20 years? If it's not so rusty that it's unsafe; I use a screw driver in hand and try to poke through the frame rails and structure to check. My advice to someone that has not done one before follows.

Don't take it all apart first, I believe that more cars have been stripped down for a "full restore" and left years, and then later sold as a basket case, than completed by the one that tore it down. If you can get it running and drive it even a little, it keep your interest up and you'll get a taste of the portion of work to come, but still have a little fun.

Before trying to make run, first redo the brakes, check the wiring and connections, if the motor will turnover by hand with a ratchet, assume it can be made to run in place, otherwise, pull it and try to find a running motorhome or truck 440 and trans for a get it running short-cut, and rebuild the original motor later. After sitting that long, you should pull the fuel tank and flush it and the lines going to the motor. If the original motor can be left in place, pull valve covers and make sure all the valves look like they are working as expected when you turn it by hand, change the oil and filter, then change the trans fluid and filter. With the brakes, motor, trans, wiring, fuel system done, try to make it run.

 

[polywideblock]

G'day from Australia

 

[Don Frelier]

Welcome from NY!

Keep us posted on your progress

 

[4speed68rt]

Clean it up and get it running...should only take a few years. Enjoy the car.

 

[B&Kroadrunner]

I use to work at a restoration shop for a few years so the overall task of getting it done I know takes time and money. I planned on getting it running and driving after poking around with a screwdriver, provided it’s structurally sound, we were going to do as you said and check and replace stuff to get it reliable and drive it until the winter of 2024. There is a big car show (Ol’ Marais river run) in my home town that I’d like her to be able to take the car to for her first official year of having the car. After the show we are going to work. That will also give me a year to gather parts that I know for sure I will need

 

[Outsider]

Once you start working on it, start a new thread and update us with the condition and what have to do. Hopefully you might find a build sheet under one of the seats, under carpet or on top of glove box.

 

[B&Kroadrunner]

Once you start working on it, start a new thread and update us with the condition and what have to do. Hopefully you might find a build sheet under one of the seats, under carpet or on top of glove box.

Her mom kept every little scrap of paper from the car in a plastic container. It has everything from all the services that have been done to the car. I’m sure there is a build sheet in one or still under the back seat

 

[DeltaV]

Welcome from Georgia.

Nice story!

 

[padam]

Clean it up, tune it up, drive it.

 

[PlymCrazy]

Sounds like you have all the right reasons to bring that Roadrunner back to life. Love the story. Now go get it!
Greetings, and welcome from NY!

 

[Outsider]

I didn't see if anyone answered your question at the end of your first post. No coil over shocks or traction bars from the factory, '70s era add-ons.

 

[B&Kroadrunner]

I didn't see if anyone answered your question at the end of your first post. No coil over shocks or traction bars from the factory, '70s era add-ons.

Cool thanks for the info

 

[Jerry Hall]

Welcome from Alabama, nice project. I have seen much worse. That being said, body wise the structural integrity of the unibody frame structure is the most important. Drivetrain wise, I have taken a few tools, electrical parts, battery, gas container, and hose along with maybe some tires or air, to junk yards, and driven them out. You will need a little technical knowledge there, but who knows someone here may be close enough to help. Best of luck getting it back on the road.

 

[440 4 speed]

Welcome, nice project!