Why a Roadrunner?

[RonLiv]

My first car was a 1959 Ford Fairlane 500 my grandpa gave me when I turned 16. It was his car and had been sitting for about 5-years or so undriven. I put a battery in and it fired up, burned more oil than gas. That summer I was working at a lumber mill, making pallets. Driving home from work some lady ran a stop sign and t-boned me in her VW Bug. You could see the VW imprint in the passenger side door, it was caved in. The Insurance Co totaled my Ford, so with that money and the money I was making at the Mill, I paid $700 for a 1969 Ragtop Roadrunner, it was T7. I hated the color, so my Dad and I prepped the car and had it painted Y2. L60 15 inch on the back, shackled the leaf's. G60 14 inch on the front. That would have been 1974. Drove the car through college and it finally was to far gone for me to sink anymore money into it. Rot everywhere, way beyond my ability to fix. The engine and trans were strong, but the rear differential was going. It would "CLUNK" every time I went from a dead stop. I needed a car for work, so I put it on a used car lot a friend of mine owned, and it sold. Always wanted another one, looked all over for that car but it's never turned up. I found another one in its place about 9 years ago now. This is the only pic I have, 1-day after paint. Lots more stories, but I won't bore you.View attachment 28607

Here's the temporary PA plate from the original car. I have the real plate as well. My Mom saves everything.

 

[Russ69Runner]

My first car was a 1959 Ford Fairlane 500 my grandpa gave me when I turned 16. It was his car and had been sitting for about 5-years or so undriven. I put a battery in and it fired up, burned more oil than gas. That summer I was working at a lumber mill, making pallets. Driving home from work some lady ran a stop sign and t-boned me in her VW Bug. You could see the VW imprint in the passenger side door, it was caved in. The Insurance Co totaled my Ford, so with that money and the money I was making at the Mill, I paid $700 for a 1969 Ragtop Roadrunner, it was T7. I hated the color, so my Dad and I prepped the car and had it painted Y2. L60 15 inch on the back, shackled the leaf's. G60 14 inch on the front. That would have been 1974. Drove the car through college and it finally was to far gone for me to sink anymore money into it. Rot everywhere, way beyond my ability to fix. The engine and trans were strong, but the rear differential was going. It would "CLUNK" every time I went from a dead stop. I needed a car for work, so I put it on a used car lot a friend of mine owned, and it sold. Always wanted another one, looked all over for that car but it's never turned up. I found another one in its place about 9 years ago now. This is the only pic I have, 1-day after paint. Lots more stories, but I won't bore you.View attachment 28607

Yea check the gas and fill up the oil. I think a lot of us when younger has those oil burners. But we got where we where going. I would look for motor cycles in the for sale section. They were cheap and like to ride them. Same with car's when it got cold would go through the news paper at cars for sale. Got some pretty nice one's from older people but being young could not keep my foot out of the gas and yes you guessed it. They did not last long. Russ. Thanks for the story.

 

[RonLiv]

Ha! "check the gas and fill up the oil" that was about it man. Gas was 29-cents a gallon at the Gulf Station in Aspinwall. I was buying oil by the case at Pantone Auto Parts in Etna.

Back in those days there was a big crack down on drinking and driving. The old Ford's floor boards were just about gone where the front bench seat bolted to the floor, it was like a rocking chair. But at the sobriety stops all I had to do was lift up the carpet, place my 40 on the ground, and put the carpet back when the officer came over to check the car with his flash light. When he would leave, just pick it back up and move on.

 

[RKNRLR]

many years ago i saw a real cool GTO in a movie called the punisher, awesome hero car. I searched for ages for one, but theyre pretty rare round these parts.

after a few years had passed, and a few cars had come and gone, I ended up hearing about this car named after the bird that couldn't be caught. I was hooked.
It took me 4 years to save up enough money to buy one (with the banks help), but i finally did it.
Then one day I watched the same movie again, and realised that the bad guy in the movie was actually driving a sublime green 68 satellite. who woulda known?

 

[tom99]

In 1969 I went car shopping with my father, and I found out I couldn't afford a new Roadrunner with
a car payment at almost $100 a month. I ended up with a one year old Ford Fairlane.
At that time, I knew some day I would own a Roadrunner. In 1989, I finally got it!

 

[Rich B]

What I really miss is the small front vent windows, believe rr was last car I ever had with them.

 

[Rapid Transit]

Since you asked.
Shade alert.
Because a Road Runner is only car more cool than a second generation Charger, which has become a cliche anyway.
They should have stopped after Bullitt.
It was down hill after that and there have been reports of celebrities getting a Charger and acting the fool with it.
So it's sort of ruined for me.
Yes, I wanted a 69 Charger since high school.
The other fellow had the 383 Charger and I had a 318 Coronet.
I had always like a Road Runner since my big sister's boy friend scared me in his 68.
Never though about buying one till my son found this one close to home.
All the boxes checked and the car had a strange story connected to my high school and old neighborhood.
Strange things happen in life.
How could I not buy it and fly (run) under the radar?

 

[Dibbons]

Parents purchased a '71 Bahama Yellow RR new special ordered from the dealer. Took my first DMV driving test in that same vehicle at 16 and drove it to high school for two years. Oh, what got us started was the selection of the 1971 Satellite/Road Runner line of cars as "Car of the Year" by Road Test Magazine.

First time I took it to the drag strip (Fremont Raceway) I won a trophy in some kind of "amateur" class they offered for newbies to the sport (anyone winning the first-place trophy like me was prohibited from participating in that class forever hereafter).

 

[dmartin]

Since you asked.
Shade alert.
Because a Road Runner is only car more cool than a second generation Charger, which has become a cliche anyway.
They should have stopped after Bullitt.
It was down hill after that and there have been reports of celebrities getting a Charger and acting the fool with it.
So it's sort of ruined for me.
Yes, I wanted a 69 Charger since high school.
The other fellow had the 383 Charger and I had a 318 Coronet.
I had always like a Road Runner since my big sister's boy friend scared me in his 68.
Never though about buying one till my son found this one close to home.
All the boxes checked and the car had a strange story connected to my high school and old neighborhood.
Strange things happen in life.
How could I not buy it and fly (run) under the radar?

I might have asked you before but I’m getting old but what part of ga you from RT

 

[1969Claw]

As RonLiv has shown above my 69 was the second car I ever owned and it was a dream come true. Love the stick cars. I was in grade 10 when I bought it in '73 for $1,750 and I still own it today.

 

[RonLiv]

As RonLiv has shown above my 69 was the second car I ever owned and it was a dream come true. Love the stick cars. I was in grade 10 when I bought it in '73 for $1,750 and I still own it today.View attachment 28777

View attachment 28778

Lucky man! Incredible you still have it!

 

[Rapid Transit]

I might have asked you before but I’m getting old but what part of ga you from RT

ATL area.
The 69 RR I have was "found" in SW ATL less than a mile from where I took a ride in that new 68 of my sister's boy friend.
Found by someone who went to my HS who I had never met.
The HS we went to was clear on the other side of ATL.
Very odd story.

 

[Russ69Runner]

Since you asked.
Shade alert.
Because a Road Runner is only car more cool than a second generation Charger, which has become a cliche anyway.
They should have stopped after Bullitt.
It was down hill after that and there have been reports of celebrities getting a Charger and acting the fool with it.
So it's sort of ruined for me.
Yes, I wanted a 69 Charger since high school.
The other fellow had the 383 Charger and I had a 318 Coronet.
I had always like a Road Runner since my big sister's boy friend scared me in his 68.
Never though about buying one till my son found this one close to home.
All the boxes checked and the car had a strange story connected to my high school and old neighborhood.
Strange things happen in life.
How could I not buy it and fly (run) under the radar?

Rapid Transit have you posted any pic's of your runner did not remember seeing it. So show us the runner. Russ.

 

[whayden2003]

Only reason I have to why the 69 RR is..... Just because it grabbed me at first glance and hasn't turned me loose yet.

 

[dmartin]

ATL area.
The 69 RR I have was "found" in SW ATL less than a mile from where I took a ride in that new 68 of my sister's boy friend.
Found by someone who went to my HS who I had never met.
The HS we went to was clear on the other side of ATL.
Very odd story.

I live east of Atlanta in Newton County Holla back

 

[Rapid Transit]

Rapid Transit have you posted any pic's of your runner did not remember seeing it. So show us the runner. Russ.

It's nested right now.
I hope to pull it out and start on it soon.
I've been building a Charger for my son for about 6 years and just finished that.
This is basically it.
https://www.69roadrunner.net/mopar/...g-your-383-rr-shipped-with.14077/#post-161332

 

[Russ69Runner]

6 year's is a long time on the restore job but like me that is not the only thing that takes up my time. Hope in 6 more months to be driving the runner and finish it. But who knows what tomorrow will bring. Look's like the runner is another project. Nice looking car. Hope every thing came with it. That was my problem the car was stripped of a lot of interior part's. Wrong transmission. So taking a while to get part's that were wrong or missing. Good luck on the car and post pic's as you are working on it. Russ.

 

[Rapid Transit]

I have no plans for a show car like the Charger I built
Never have done shows. Just like driving them.
Get on the road asap.
I'm thinking more along the lines of leaving it original as much as possible . I wouldn't want to be afraid to drive it.
I'm pulling the matching motor and already have another 69 383 built for it to drive.

 

[Russ69Runner]

Sound's good Rapid Transit. Mine is not number's matching but restoring it as if it was. To me do the job rite the first time and take lots of picture's. Afraid I will have to get a trailer and make it a queen. No not really but know it will go down hill when driving it but will enjoy it while it shines. After all how many year's do I have at 65 to drive a clutch car any way. Russ.