New Member, South LA

[Greg68RR]

I apologize for not posting as new member for a while (been lurking). I had a 69 Orange RR, 383 4-speed car back when I was in high school. Bought it for $500 in 1976. I added Direct Connection pistons, Isky cam, holley 800 double pumper, headers, etc... Loved that car! I sold it in 1980 when I joined the Navy parrtly because the recruiter said I wouldn't need a car. Big mistake! The car was totalled by new owner ~1 year later.

The RR bug bit again, and I am working on restoring a 68 Roadrunner. It's a 426, 4-speed car. Orig engine is long gone, but have another one. I got the car from a feller in New Hamburg, Ontario back in 1997, w/o motor. I bought the motor in Phoenix, AZ in 1997, too. I don't think crate motors were available, then. Needed quarters, rear frame rails, floor pan, trunk pan, etc. I was too busy to do the body work at the time, so found a local resto/collision shop. He wanted 65% money, up front. After ~3 years, they went bankrupt. The work they did was crap, so I ended up re-doing everything, myself. Other things have delayed me from getting it done, car accident, new job, etc, but I started getting my tools together and have been working on it myself, really getting after it the last several months. I have orig owners man, certicard, fender tag, & build sheet. Orig color is GG1, Racing Green Metallic. I hope to be driving it by end of this summer! I can't find any pictures of it before resto started. I took 35mm pictures, but can't find them.

MOPARs rule!
Greg

 

[detmatt1]

Hey Greg, welcome to the site from the Motor City! Great to have you, look forward to watching your progress. I am restoring a `68 Road Runner currently as well, favorite year for the B-bodies!

 

[SUPERSTOCKRACER]

Welcome aboard

 

[Propwash]

Welcome to the site Greg....... Like Matt, I'm also part of the Northern Rustbelt Restorations Group on here and am resurrecting a 69' Roadrunner

 

[moparstuart]

welcome , great car

 

[alleyoopmgv]

Welcome to the site!

 

[72Satellite440]

Welcome to the site-
Another Canadian gem gone south --usually the other way around
New Hamberg-thats the smaller city where they have Moparfest in Aug 1 2011
http://www.moparfest.com/

 

[Greg68RR]

Roadrunner Travels

Thanks for the welcome's, everyone! 68 & 69 Roadrunners are my favorite cars (same year Superbees are next)! This 68 RR car sold new in Leominster, Mass. Story from prev owner was that it went to drag racing duty in short order. Motor got sold after getting run hard & a 440 was installed for continued drag racing exploits. The fellow I bought it from found it in a field in Pennsylvania w/ no motor & hauled it up to Canada. I recall the countryside in the New Hamburg area was beautiful rolling hill farm land. The trees were spruce pines, I think, which you don't see down here. I'd like to go to the Moparfest, one year, after I finish the "beast". I've searched for an older digital picture of the car on an old retired PC, but found none. I just took a few older PC's to the recycle depot & one of them likely had a few scanned pic's I captured years ago. Oh well, if I find my pack of prints, I'll make a trip to a shop that can digitize them.

Superstockracer, saw your black 69 Hemi RR and read about how the resto shop screwed you. Same **** happened to me, only I was tipped-off he was going under and went and loaded up the car before the sherrif deputies chained up the place. Lost a bunch of piece-parts, though, which I've had to hunt for/replace. I will not ever hand over a car to a resto shop. Learned the hard way (a lot of $$$'s went "poof").

Anyhow, great Mopar B-Body site!
Greg

 

[shag766]

welcome aboard

 

[Budnicks]

Greg68RR great to have you here. Love them 68 & 69 RR's. I'm on #12 myself. Good luck with your Hemi Beast.

 

[roadrunnerman]

welcome greg,glad you got your car b4 the sheriff put the chains on.i'm working on a 69 vitamin c RR myself.

 

[Donny]

The problem with this 'restoration shops' is they often are just a bunch of know-nothings. John Balow of MCR told me in person to NOT take money for work you DID NOT do. Take a modest amount up front; perhaps 100 hours, mechanic's lien the car/project so if the customer decided to store it there for free they forfeit the car or resume paying for the build, or, take it as is uncompleted.

The Barracuda I just did for this 'friend' is one of these know-nothing types. The check he gave me bounced all over San Antonio, it's for just a few bucks short of $1000.00. He's the same type that took 10K from the unsuspecting customer; spent it thinking he 'earned' it, and when he finally gets smart to get some serious restoration work done; ie see me to Media Blast it, he can't finish paying me the balance! Yeah, I have a sore spot for these types; so-called experts!

However, glad to meet you, and see your car progress. Lately I have been way super busy in my new job to really lurk here and visit/share etc. However, once I get out of my training and onto a 'regular' schedule (whatever that is) I hope to show some serious progress on my GTX as I will have extra play money for such endeavors!