New Guy! Wild Bill

[wild bill]

I have arrived! I go by the name of wild bill. I am restoring (going on the 7th year) a 1969 Plymouth road runner. My "Rajer" has a 383, auto trans, and is R6 Red. It has the air grabber hood, with air grabber. I talked to Jack Smith (formally of Chyrsler Road Runner Manager of RR program) and he told me that not many 4 barrel 383 RR were ordered with the air grabber option. It must be true because he was (is) the man! I got to meet Jack Smith at the Detroit Auto show. I asked him if chrysler gave him any awards for selling so many RR, or brought him before the board of Dir to give him an atta boY! He laughed and said no he got bonus though like everyone else. He said he bought a swimming pool with his! just fun facts. I am currently putting the front suspension on my Rajer. I want to keep the front drums (11 inch) and am having trouble installing the auto adjusters. I was told that these were options in 1969. So I thought what the heck, lets get that option. I need pictures of what auto adjusters look like installed (front and back) so that I can install them correctly. Hence, my arrival to the Forum. Glad to be aboard. I hope to get better at the use of the forum and communicate with other mopar people. Thanks!

 

[eric383]

Welcome to FBBO. You might want to post a question in the brake forum. Good luck.

 

[Car Nut]

aboard!

 

[Bb70charger500]

Welcome to the site . Let's see some pics ,we love pictures.

 

[wild bill]

ok will try to do that (pictures). just learning to navigate this forum. I need to upload restoration pictures from my phone and camera. Not good really at any of that. will try to get some pictures on. She was really rough when I brought her home from Indy in 2008.

 

[Sonny Black]

hey, Wild Bill!......eeeEEEEehhHHAHAAAAA!:3gears::yes:

 

[super-bee_ski]

Hi Wild Bill!
Welcome aboard and thanks for joining the forum!

 

[Xp29h]

Welcome!

 

[aldal]

Welcome from Minnesota, Wild Bill. :headbang:

 

[Photon440]

Hi wild bill, welcome:wav:

So, what ELSE did you talk about with Jack Smith?

 

[ZR9B]

welcome home!!! From sterling heights MI

 

[MikeyT]

Welcome wild Bill!

 

[Runner 68]

Welcome William. A little too far North and East for that name. I hope you live up to it. Looking forward to the banter with you.
Get those pics posted as soon as possible.

 

[cryplydog]

Welcome Wild Bill, good luck with the RR. I had a 68 post when I was a kid and I tell everyone still today it was the best car I ever had and it turned me into MO-head.

 

[Car Nut]

ok will try to do that (pictures). just learning to navigate this forum. I need to upload restoration pictures from my phone and camera. Not good really at any of that. will try to get some pictures on. She was really rough when I brought her home from Indy in 2008.

Easy to post pictures.

 

[wild bill]

well Jack Smith was in a wheel chair and he was just surrounded by people. He was just getting mobbed! He signed by Nitro Fish hat. It said "Beep Beep forever, Jack Smith". Jack talked to me, and many others, about the RR program when he was heading program up for Chrysler. He said that the development program for the RR was very short. I think he said 2 years? Jack talked about changes being made to the RR in development. He said after a certain point, no changes could be made unless, test track people said a safety issue was present. I asked Jack if he ever thought Plymouth would sell so many RRs (I think he said 80,000 + not sure. might be for 1968 and 1969). He said never did chrysler think that they would sell that many RRs. Jack was just a really nice guy, and one heck of a representative for his former employer. if you ever get a change to talk to him take the time he is a super, supre guy.

 

[wild bill]

phonton440. memory fades over time and as you get older ah!!! i remember standing next to a RR, and a guy said do I want to meet Jack Smith. I said I didnt know him. and the guy told me who he was. I said kool!!! YES. I also remember Jack Smith saying that the Chrysler front office gave his department a directive on the RR. I think Jack said that front office said to build a car for the younger car market and price it at around $3000.00--Also put the asap on it. I believe he said thats all he got from the front office ,and He then took it from their and got the design people working on it. I asked Jack if he, personally, ever thought that the RR would be this popular after so many years. He looked at me and shoot his head no--then he smiled. I told jack what i paid for my RR $7,500.00 (and showed him a picture of it being restored). My RR was so dismantled that he asked me what year it was. I told him 1969. I then asked him about the air grabber system. At that point I had to stop asking questions because their were many other people waiting to ask him questions.

 

[Budnicks]

welcome to FBBO

maybe post this story in the general discussion forum section or the year specific section
more people will see it that way
this is the welcome wagon, not anywhere near as many viewing it

interesting stories

you may want to check out & share the info on the sister site too
http://www.69roadrunner.net

I've owned 1/2 a dozen 383 4bbl 69 RR's
with the N96 "airgrabber" option...

maybe it was more common option in Calif. ?

good luck & happy Moparing