New member, New Car 73 RR

[Meangene83]

Hi everyone, my name is Gene.

I recently bought this old car from a man in RI. Retired cop.
Previously I owned a 1972 Roadrunner which I had to sell when I was 21. Now 10 years later at 31 I decided it was time to get my *** back in a Roadrunner...

I settled on this 1973 Plymouth Roadrunner with 383, automatic engine. Bit of a backyard mechanic special... self paint by previous owner. Weird screws used in weird places, nothing was ground properly.
Reasons I bought it:
It is bad-***!
Body is very solid
Floor pans and trunk SOLID
Engine - recently rebuilt (crossing fingers!)


Long story short I am looking for help with the fender tag... I used a website to decode it for me, but some of it is non-specific...

See questions in GREEN below.
===

Fender Tag Decoded
RM21:
Plymouth Belvedere,Satellite
Medium, Road Runner
2 Door Coupe

G3R: 318 150HP(net) or 170HP(net) 1-2BBL 8 CYL
1973
Windsor, ONT, CAN

166018: Sequence number

E44: 318 cid 2 barrel V8 230hp
D34: Light Duty Automatic Transmission
FE5: Bright Red Exterior Color BRIGHT RED?????
C2L3: Trim - Charger, Vinyl Bench Seat, Parchment
HL4: Parchment Int. Door Frames PARCHMENT????
B14: Build Date: November 14
176640: Order number What is the order number exactly?

FE5: Bright Red Top Color TOP COLOR?
U: USA Specifications
22: Unknown
J52: Inside Hood Release

R11: Radio Solid State AM (2 Watts)
END: End of Sales Codes


====
I would like to know what the car originally was... so that I can make decisions on how I want to fix/change her up.

Thank you everyone.

 

[barnfind]

paint chart

Cool car, heres a chart from 73
FE5 = Rallye Red

some info on VON
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=50890.0

Yours has a red top= meaning it was produced without a vinyl top.

 

[aldal]

Great car and welcome aboard.

 

[Meangene83]

Thanks guys.

Any guess at the "Parchment" interior color? Does that mean it was basically a white interior originally?

 

[plumgtx]

Yes like off/ dirty white or maybe a real light tan color

 

[BumperMan]

Cool ride buddy, looks like a awesome ride

 

[Car Nut]

aboard!

 

[HawkRod]

Welcome aboard! I have (or had - gave it to my son) a 73 Road Runner. It is Lemon Twist with a black interior.

I think the original colors of your car are great. Red with a white interior looks fantastic. Then put a white stripe on it and it will look fantastic! Best of luck with it.

Hawk

 

[Meangene83]

Thanks for posting the Red 73 with White interior! I dig it, I have decided that the Original Rallye Red color is the way to go on this. I dislike the Burnt "Dukes" Orange... Not my style.

I have some questions about the 383 Engine, and its markings.

I found the following...

If you are under the car, looking up...Passengers side, on the block, Just below the headers. Stamped the following...
2468130 * 10
N D

It also had what looked like Time Clocks on it. Two of them.

Also on the Drivers side, at the most forward part of the engine, just below the headers was the following
8 * 4 * 68? or 8 * 4 * 6(last digit is painted over quite a bit.)

See attached pictures for help. Any ideas on what this means?
I am sure these are rookie questions, but I appreciate your guys sharing the knowledge.


Also include is a quick pic of the Tranny while I was down there. Not sure what it is other than an Automatic... Any clue?
^ Passenger side view (above)
====

Drivers side (above)



- - - Updated - - -

Also forgot... For the life of me, I could NOT find a serial number anywhere.

I searched the forums while under the car on my iphone, I looked in all the usual places. Based on peoples posts I could find nothing. Is this normal???

I love researching the history of this thing. Totally cool!

 

[Ron 73]

It is totally cool and welcome aboard the Mopar madness!!! hsorman, ya scared me for an instance!!!

 

[HawkRod]

If I remember right, the casting 2648130 is the casting number for a 383 block. 10 signifies the casting mold update, as the castings wear out, so this is the 10th iteration.

Your transmission is a 727 automatic transmission. It is a great transmission design, and can handle a lot of power when built right.

Since your car was originally a 318 car with a 904 transmission, you won't find any of the car's serial numbers on this drivetrain...

- - - Updated - - -

It is totally cool and welcome aboard the Mopar madness!!! hsorman, ya scared me for an instance!!!

LOL. You can probably supply him with lots of great pictures of that color combo!

 

[ZR9B]

looks "tuff" sitting there like that....in the early 80s I had a 71 and a 72...I love those cars

 

[Meangene83]

Thanks for the Engine ID and compliments.

I am beginning to understand this stuff the more I read. I feel like every questions I ask at this point is a dumb one.


Here is another one,

Is there a way to trace the Sale History/owners of the car?
Or what dealership it was sold from?
(without any orig paperwork)

If you have to ask, you already know the answer...

Thanks Guys.

 

[Basket case]

no dumb questions, we all had to learn sometime, and I still am. great road runner.

 

[73RedRunner]

Thanks for the Engine ID and compliments.

I am beginning to understand this stuff the more I read. I feel like every questions I ask at this point is a dumb one.


Here is another one,

Is there a way to trace the Sale History/owners of the car?
Or what dealership it was sold from?
(without any orig paperwork)

If you have to ask, you already know the answer...

Thanks Guys.

There are lots of knowledgeable folks on here. I am sure some have ideas on researching the history of your car. I tried it, and even with titiles and public records the trail goes cold. Managed to go back 4 owners on my 73 roadrunner, then lost the trail. People move from town to town and from state to state, folks pass away from natural causes or accident and it gets tough. Forty years is a long time in car years.

Congrats on the new ride! I am a bit biased, but I like that FE5 rallye red. Good luck with your search.

 

[Bruzilla]

Welcome to the group and to the wonderful world of owning a 73-74 Roadrunner. They've been my favorite car since 1975. One of the great things about our cars is they'll likely never be a hot item in the collector market, so prices for them are based on what enthusiasts want to pay rather than what collectors and investors will pay. This keeps the prices for our cars reasonable and reduces the concerns about changing cars from their original state.

Your car looks like a great starting point to build on.

 

[73Bitterbird]

Welcome to the forum lots of very nice people with some very nice cars here.as I have learned anything you need to know you will find here. Can wait to see more of your bird!

 

[Meangene83]

My thoughts exactly! I was chit chatting with a Chevy Bel Air nut in my city. He was going on and on about keeping it as original as possible.
As he was saying this, I kept thinking... "for what? My car isn't a super hot collectible year" and ya know what... I am fine with that.
She definitely ain't a perfect gal, but she's mine!

I will do some leg work on my own researching owners. I guess I can start with the good ole snail mail letter and see what the previous owners know and as far back as they can get me.


Here is another question for you guys...

These decals. What are they and what car are they for specifically? If any?

These decals came with my new car purchase. The older timer said he was gonna stick them on the car when he finished painting it.
They look Very Old and original.

I want to make sure these old decals end up on the proper car, and I am ok with that if mine doesn't qualify. I would feel rotten if these belonged on say, a 69 RR and someone was killing themselves, looking for these as the final piece of their puzzle. Know what I mean?



- - - Updated - - -

I just noticed... The bird has 4 Legs!!

 

[HawkRod]

Yeah, that's not for any Plymouth Road Runner that I am aware of...

 

[Basket case]

agreed, not Plymouth