BARN FIND! Will This 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner 440-6 Barrel Run After 32 Years? 

That’s so awesome. Thank you for watching!

Awesome. This is my first brush with a ‘70, and I really like it. They had so much good stuff available. The 440 six barrel, air grabber, Dana… and all in that handsome one year body. It’s really cool.

Thanks Bob!

Thank you so much. I can’t quite explain how much it means to me to have become someone’s favorite channel. Also I think I’m going to have to have that Danger side made 😅 no pretense here. Just fun, hopefully entertaining content, and a shared genuine love for these ol’ Mopars.

@@DeadDodgeGarage I have always been a diehard Ford guy,. My dad was a Ford parts manager, I was a Ford/Lincoln parts guy from 1970 to 2009. However, I have always been very curious about the other brands/makes of cars and their different engines, technologies and advantages. Your bare bone kinda RAW common sense and excellent editing really makes your channel hard to click away from. That is a significant skill!

Awesome! Thanks for being here. I can’t explain how excited I am that he watches my stuff and likes it. I have watched just about every video he’s ever made and am a big fan.

Oh hell yeah! Sounds awesome. Thanks for watching - I really appreciate it.

Thank you! We’re good with all flavors of classics around here. I just happen to be a complete Mopar nut job. Haha.

Awesome! As you can probably tell I have somehow become a total Mopar nut, despite being born a little late to have been around for the bad old days. I love these cars like some people love their pets. Thanks for being here!

The whisperer of 425 horses

I literally drank gasoline the other day 🤣 welcome to the party!

@@DeadDodgeGarage Hey, I've got a few years on you son, I was drinking gasoline before it was cool. They say it's a acquired taste but I'm not so sure. I'm a Plymouth guy myself but never look down my nose at a Dodge man.

Oh yeah. Nice trick. Yes I’ve decided the ‘70 is super awesome. Thank you!

It’s coming! Up next, pedals that do something, fixing some leaks, and the correct number of carburetors. Haha. Thanks for watching!

As mentioned I’ve uh… I’ve done that at least once. Haha.

I know. It’s… awful. Haha. I have been recording my own voice for twenty years and it has never gotten better. Oh well. It is definitely an acquired taste. Hey, thanks for watching anyway!

@@DeadDodgeGarageI happen to love your voice, but admittedly I’m an oddball

@@leehouston5436 someone once said in an early comment that my voice was “soothing” and I just don’t know what to think of that. Haha. Hey, I’m me. I am what I am, I can’t change it - and when you hear my voice, it couldn’t be anyone else.

@@DeadDodgeGarage if I could speak as well as you do, especially off the cuff, I’d be happy. BTW, I sold my 70 V code Cuda to Marvie Martin in 2004 for 42k and was happy …. I’m a little slow. You keep being you bro, it’s why I watch you

Yes the exhaust leak is atrocious. Haha. I’ve… well, maybe half fixed it now. We need to get back to this. Thank you!

It’s definitely something special. And judging by how solid the drivetrain is, it really isn’t going to be long until it’s back on the road for real. Could only do so much in the one day.

Thanks!

😁

Haaahaha. It’s ok, I got your absence excused already for… car trouble 😅

Two wrong lug nuts per wheel was… probably ok to yard drive at 5 MPH? But more than a little sketchy… wheels and actual lug nuts are definitely in the program. Haha.

Yup, I snapped 3 off of the front drivers side wheel when my Dad came around the corner laughing

Thank you!

That’s interesting. I thought they were the correct B-body HP manifolds, but I have not verified part numbers and don’t know what they really are. I’m thinking the exhaust system is from a different car that had a short deck engine, but I could be wrong there.

Coming right up!

Thank you!

Wow. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

Dang, that sounds awesome. I bet they did... haha.

Totally. The perspective is interesting though. The older I get, the less older than me these cars seem, if that makes any sense at all. Heck, ‘70 was only twenty years before I was born… crazy that this road runner is 53 years old, but was parked for 32 of them.

Really glad it has the HP manifolds and not headers. Really annoyed the pipes seem to have come from a 383 car and don’t fit. I really don’t remember. Somewhere in the vicinity of Minnesota.

I’m in MN. Beautiful find

Headers are usually a mistake

@@kellismith4329 that’s why I said he got lucky.

😅 sorry, I think.

Oh, I just saw the close up on the Appliance wheel. Somebody has been driving without the proper washers. It doesn't take long to mess up the holes. I guess they could be welded up with today's welders.

Yes they’re pretty goofed up. We just have what’s on the car. It will apparently be getting a set of the correct road wheels. 🙂

Wheels are going to be changed just need to find the right ones. The ones on it now are...not the right ones.

Yep, here I am. I think the end of the world is like copalis beach technically, but I’m pretty close. Anyway, they’re all on Facebook Marketplace. Haha.

The original setup is 3 Holley two barrels. I hate Holleys. In fact, I made a video all about that when I installed correct Holley carbs on this car. I much prefer Carter / Edelbrock carbs.

@@DeadDodgeGarage Thx!

I have to say, that was Evan’s idea (as I think you could hear on the video) but I was immediately all about it. Haha.

We did, and it is! I had every intention of showing the fender tag (which is present) but the day was just a real whirlwind of trying to get it together and that didn’t make the cut. Tom is a huge numbers guy, much more than I am. The codes aren’t as important to me as the cars, but it is super cool that this one was optioned the way that it was.

@lowbrass64 it’s my car and yes car has broadcast sheet, fender tag and the engine is numbers (it came with the car but motor in it right now is a 1969 440 HP). TX9 black, burnt orange interior, black vinyl top, hood performance treatment, stripe delete, 440 6 barrel, 4.10 Dana 60, 8 track radio, tach, air grabber, it’s pretty much the perfect Road Runner. Maybe a 4 speed would be better? Love this thing, next up is putting 6 pack back on it, fixing brakes, replacing water pump, lots more to do…but it drives!

I think I usually use 10 gauge. It can be bigger - it just needs to be the same size or larger than the factory charge wire.

@@DeadDodgeGarage copy that , thank you for all the brake down of the Dodge/Plymouth electrical system, very good videos and very understandable

Wow… I’ve seen some ocean rust but that is impressive. I parted out a Scamp last year that was really, really bad - but not that bad.

That’s the plan! It is indeed factory black with burnt orange interior. In the follow up video about reinstalling the six barrel setup, I show the fender tag (like I should have in this one.) Feel free to check that out! While we’re not necessarily concerned with the one-of-how-many this particular set of options may make this car, it’s definitely a rare combination and it will get the restoration it deserves sooner or later. For now? Fun!

You’d have to drag me to Tennessee 😅 I’ll stay right here in rain land, thank you very much!

I actually do have one in my home box, but not in my travel box, so I never seem to actually have it when I need it… so the pliers have been my go to for like fifteen years now. Hacky? Yes. Haha.

I don’t know that! That would be a Tom question.

According to Tom, that is incorrect, and the standard gear behind the 440-6 was still 3.23 open. I do not have extensive knowledge of these options.

I’ve kinda shown it in many videos, but haven’t really explained it. I can’t say I could do a whole video just on that, but I can definitely show it in more detail next time I use it.

Because I have ears, and they work.

Mr. B. Here ! LS not the only engine ; had a 2005 Magnum RT wagon HEMI : loved it & miss it ! 🧰🪛🔧🧰🪛🔧🧰🪛🔧👍👍

It’s not mine, and it’s not for sale. Thanks.

That is the special ‘70 vacuum unit with an electronic solenoid built in!

@@DeadDodgeGarage Wow, never knew or noticed that. Thanks

I believe 71 and 72 big block had similar. They interface with the carb to retard timing.

It’s a factory black exterior, black vinyl top, and hood performance treatment with burnt orange interior. Somebody just sprayed it primer brown with ghost flames at some point.

What Tom said. I didn't get around to showing the fender tag while we were jamming to get the car running. I plan to show it and talk a bit more about the original options in the next installment on the car. I don't usually work on cars with factory options worth talking about. Haha.

The owner (Tom) owns the restoration shop I work at, and has two or three other cars in line first. A big point I want to make with this channel is that exactly what you just described is a mistake for most people. If I didn’t work at a restoration shop, you would never see cars having that done on my channel. Stripping a car down for a complete restoration is not something that the average car guy should attempt. It’s a really good way to end up stalled on a project, with it buried under boxes in your garage, until some dickhead like me comes along and buys it in twenty years. This car was in the process of a simple drivetrain replacement, and that stalled it as a project for 32 years. If doing that is in your means, awesome! And I really mean that. But I will never tell the average car guy that he should attempt a restoration at home. Been there, tried that. Don’t do it. Now, making them run and drivable on the other hand? That’s an achievable goal. It’s huge for the car. Suddenly it’s not a table anymore. It’s hugely rewarding, it takes comparatively very little time, and above all? It’s fun. Tom and I share that vision - this was a thrash, but god damn it was a lot of fun. That’s what I am here to do - have my kind of fun, and *maybe* teach people something along the way. If fun seems like a waste of time to you, I can’t help there.

@@DeadDodgeGarage It will always just be old beater if you don't do it though. A lot of guys look for instant gratification I guess. To me, it's all about the journey, not the destination. I had no problem with tearing my car down and restoring it, so I guess I just can't relate to that. In your case, you got to have fun while making content (working for money) so you wasted nothing, personally. I watched it all just the same too. Cool car. She deserves a restoration. And oh yes, I agree, most people can't restore cars. Most classic car owners shouldn't even mess with them for that matter. I had two previous owners of my classic where I had to undo their shoddy trash before I could restore it correctly. Their frigging just cost me more time and I didn't build no trailer queen either.

I knowwww 😭 I even hooked it up and everything! Next time… when we’re installing the six barrel 🙂