A4 69 project

[Moparnut]

Here's a couple of pics of my 69 Road Runner project. It has 35,000 original miles on it! From what I understand, this car was ordered by a guy who raced it for a few years and blew the motor. He sold it and the new owner put in a 440 and drove it on the street until the late 70s when he blew the motor. It hasn't been driven since.
My plan is to do a fairly complete resto. I am currently checking out as much as I can before I tear it apart. I figure I'd rather troubleshoot electrical problems now while it's a mess. The fiberglass hood nis already in the dumpster, a correct hood will be going back on with an air grabber.
I'm sure I will have a ton of questions for you guys! I will post pics when progress is made.

 

[69hemibeep]

Looks like you have some help there And I agree with you, sort out as many gremlins as possible, looking forward to more pics

 

[A31PKG]

Love those A31 cars!

Was this car on ebay not too long ago?

 

[Moparnut]

Yes, I bought it on ebay a couple of weeks ago. Believe it or not, the car is exactly what the seller said it was! No undisclosed rust or rot, no surprises. He even sold me the airgrabber airbox and air cleaner he had at a decent price.
My plan is a complete repaint in A4 with the black hoodstripes, put a 4 speed back in, body color steelies with dog dishes, and basically refurbish everything I can. I ordered a bunch of stuff from YearOne today- 20%off until midnite!

 

[A31PKG]

I brain farted :loco: (happens when you've been sniffing exhaust fumes as long as I have).... I just realized that we covered this in another thread. Everything I said still applies! Awesome score! Keep us posted on your progress!

 

[moparchris]

Awesome! I saw it on Ebay and thought that it was a great buy! Well done I look forward to more pics along the way.

 

[ACME A12]

That one will be a real head turner when done. No question!

 

[Moparnut]

I've spent the last couple of weeks trying to sort out what works and what doesn't work before I begin the teardown. Someone previously wired in electronic ignition, but used the 2 prong ballast. They also put in a newer alternator with 2 field terminals but only 1 of them was wired. The lower pulley was a 4 groove, the water pump pulley was weird (probably not mopar) and the alt pulley was a 2 groove with a/c brackets mismatched. It kept throwing belts, so I rummaged up the right set of single groove pulleys and that's all set. I bout a harness from year one converted to electronic ignition and newer alt/voltage regulator and she's charging now!
Headlights work, horn works now, turn signals work, heater blower works now, flashers don't work yet. Radio doesn't work, I have a spare I'm gonna try this weekend.
I have decided to go with my 440, I'm gonna start tearing it down this weekend. The 906 heads will get stainless valves and new spring and retainers. The guy at the machine shop wants to put larger valves in, any input on this? I still haven't decided on a cam, any input on that would be more than welcome as well!
I have bought a 69 bellhousing, and have a fresh 4 speed. I will buy a flywheel and clutch soon and put everything into the car in a month or so to work the bugs out.
My goal is to have the bugs sorted out and the car stripped to a bare shell by spring so I can haul it off to get soda blasted. I will then make any necessary metal patches, epoxy prime evrything, and paint the undercarriage, trunk, and floors. I will then turn it over to a pro for block sanding and exterior paint.

 

[69hemibeep]

Sounds like a good plan. That 2 groove alt pulley if it doe's not have a center snout that sticks out past the pulley maybe a hemi pulley! Is so I can give you dimensions.

 

[glhcarl]

I love A4 cars, that is why I ordered one in April 1969.

Reading how you are going to paint yours begs for a story!

When I ordered my car they said it would take six weeks for it to be delivered. Will five and a half weeks later, on a Saturday, I got a call that my car was in. Since I was working about 90 miles away I would not be able to pick it up until Monday. But the salesman said he would put my car on the lot so I could look it over on Sunday. Sunday morning I call a friend and we headed to the dealer to look at my new Road Runner.

We get to the dealer and wait, I order a A4 coupe, on the lot was a A4 hardtop. I ordered an automatic the car on the lot was a 4 speed. I did not order the hood stripes, this car has hood stripes, but everything is just what I wanted, road wheels, ps, pb, I was sick. My buddy say it might not be the car you ordered, but a check of the window sticker had the "Y14 Sold Car" code?

Since this way before cell phones, I had to drive home to call the salesman and find out how they could get my order so wrong. He answers the phone and the first thing out of his mouth was: "Carl are you home already I will go to the store and take your car out, I have it in the parked in one of the service bays".

It was delivered exactly ordered!

 

[A31PKG]

I love A4 cars, that is why I ordered one in April 1969.

Reading how you are going to paint yours begs for a story!

When I ordered my car they said it would take six weeks for it to be delivered. Will five and a half weeks later, on a Saturday, I got a call that my car was in. Since I was working about 90 miles away I would not be able to pick it up until Monday. But the salesman said he would put my car on the lot so I could look it over on Sunday. Sunday morning I call a friend and we headed to the dealer to look at my new Road Runner.

We get to the dealer and wait, I order a A4 coupe, on the lot was a A4 hardtop. I ordered an automatic the car on the lot was a 4 speed. I did not order the hood stripes, this car has hood stripes, but everything is just what I wanted, road wheels, ps, pb, I was sick. My buddy say it might not be the car you ordered, but a check of the window sticker had the "Y14 Sold Car" code?

Since this way before cell phones, I had to drive home to call the salesman and find out how they could get my order so wrong. He answers the phone and the first thing out of his mouth was: "Carl are you home already I will go to the store and take your car out, I have it in the parked in one of the service bays".

It was delivered exactly ordered!

I'm guessing you no longer have it? You don't have any pics of it do you?

 

[ACME A12]

Carl always has great RR stories.

 

[69hemibeep]

I love A4 cars, that is why I ordered one in April 1969.

Reading how you are going to paint yours begs for a story!

When I ordered my car they said it would take six weeks for it to be delivered. Will five and a half weeks later, on a Saturday, I got a call that my car was in. Since I was working about 90 miles away I would not be able to pick it up until Monday. But the salesman said he would put my car on the lot so I could look it over on Sunday. Sunday morning I call a friend and we headed to the dealer to look at my new Road Runner.

We get to the dealer and wait, I order a A4 coupe, on the lot was a A4 hardtop. I ordered an automatic the car on the lot was a 4 speed. I did not order the hood stripes, this car has hood stripes, but everything is just what I wanted, road wheels, ps, pb, I was sick. My buddy say it might not be the car you ordered, but a check of the window sticker had the "Y14 Sold Car" code?

Since this way before cell phones, I had to drive home to call the salesman and find out how they could get my order so wrong. He answers the phone and the first thing out of his mouth was: "Carl are you home already I will go to the store and take your car out, I have it in the parked in one of the service bays".

It was delivered exactly ordered!

:toetap: Carl pay phones were cheap back then but so was gas :yesnod: Good story

 

[Basketcase]

looks like a great project steelies huh?hatcha gonna do w/ the slots.......

 

[Moparnut]

@Basketcase-Slots are sold already.
Had some garage time today; front and rear glass and trim removed, drip rail trim removed, vinyl top removed, sillpltes, kickpanels, and seats removed. Basically, everything not needed to mock up/test the new drivetrain is getting removed and tagged.

 

[Moparnut]

I've gotten the entire interior out now, everything bagged and tagged. I have only a couple small things to troubleshoot before the drivetrain comes out, but they shouldn't take long.
I tore down my 440 today- it's out of a 68 Fury. I'll be taking it to a machine shop in Gasport NY, a guy named Ron Farley, anyone here know of him? He will be freshening up the 906 heads, going through the shortblock, and wants to use the Extreme Energy 275 cam. I hope to drop the motor off in a week or so.

 

[Moparnut]

Got a call that my motor is finally done- I hope to pick it up soon. I plan to break in the motor along with my fresh 11" clutch and 4 speed between Christmas and New Years. I also want to work out any bugs with the disc brake conversion before I break the car down to get soda blasted. I found a local painter that I plan to use; I've seen his work and his price is fair. My biggest issue with painters is trust, and this guys comes well recommended and seems like a straight shooter.
I will post pics and details on the motor when I pic it up!

 

[moparchris]

Got a call that my motor is finally done- I hope to pick it up soon. I plan to break in the motor along with my fresh 11" clutch and 4 speed between Christmas and New Years. I also want to work out any bugs with the disc brake conversion before I break the car down to get soda blasted. I found a local painter that I plan to use; I've seen his work and his price is fair. My biggest issue with painters is trust, and this guys comes well recommended and seems like a straight shooter.
I will post pics and details on the motor when I pic it up!

Painters that are reasonably priced and trustworthy is an oxymoron. Talk to a bunch of his customers if you can. Only pay for what is done after its done. I like to visit weekly with a camera and a checkbook. :cents:

 

[Moparnut]

Got a call that my motor is finally done- I hope to pick it up soon. I plan to break in the motor along with my fresh 11" clutch and 4 speed between Christmas and New Years. I also want to work out any bugs with the disc brake conversion before I break the car down to get soda blasted. I found a local painter that I plan to use; I've seen his work and his price is fair. My biggest issue with painters is trust, and this guys comes well recommended and seems like a straight shooter.
I will post pics and details on the motor when I pic it up!

Painters that are reasonably priced and trustworthy is an oxymoron. Talk to a bunch of his customers if you can. Only pay for what is done after its done. I like to visit weekly with a camera and a checkbook. :cents:

He runs the collision shop at the local Dodge dealer and he did some very nice work on my truck there. He does restorations at his shop at home, then paints the cars in the booth at the dealer. I looked at a couple of restos that he did and the body and paint was very high quality.
I guess when I said his price was fair, I should have said that I have come to terms with quality work not being cheap. I have tried going the cheap route in the past and ended up regretting it.
I will visit often with my camera, but this guy says part of the deal is me giving him a memory card and he will take pics every step of the way for my piece of mind, and to shop the quality of the work being done. He will even lead the seams that had lead from the factory.
I will definitely check him out a little better before I drop the car off. I know there are a few guys on here from Western New York, any suggestions on a reputable shop for body and paint??

 

[440Kilmartin]

so the real question is why did the fiberglass hood go into the dumpster