First, I tried posting a question in the B-Body section, and it won't let me.
So, here I am.

Ok, I just bought a 1969 Roadrunner clone.
I think it was a deal.
I'll list my questions in order:

1) Where do I find the numbers on the motor? (please be specific)

2) I need front buckets AND a complete back seat. Where can I find one that isn't a million dollars?

3) The motor needs steam/pressure cleaning. It has an MSD system on it. What all do I need to cover in plastic before I start sparying it, degreasing, etc? Should I do it with the motor running?

4) I am building this car for my nephew as a 16th birthday present.
However, the motor is built. It's a 440, 4 barrel holley double pumper, 11:1, steel crank, 502 lift purple cam, MSD, headers, B&M ratchet shifter, etc, etc, etc. It snorts.
It's running 50-70% 93 pump gas and 30-50% C-12.
I don't want him to kill himself, but I don't wanna drop a 225 in it either.
I've been told I can de-tune it or retard the timing to get it to run on just 93 pump, and reduce some HP.
Is this possible? If so, can I do it myself, or do I need to go to a speed shop?

I appreciate the help in advance.

 

I would cover the MSD system the carb and the distributor to be safe you should be able to steam clean with the motor shut off also try to stay away from the firewall if possible the motor should be a little warm when you do it not hot just warm pre soak it with gunk or another brand of degreaser before hand let it soak a little bit should come clean and start right up thats how I do mine I never have a problem hope your nephew loves it when your done.

 

Thanks!
I'll post some pics of it maybe tomorrow.
I am pulling out the carpeting as I type this. Getting it ready for the body & paint shop.
Going from orange to B-5 blue.

 

1- on the side of the block (about a couple of inches above the oil pan)
2- year one or maybe legendary
3- do you mean that the motor is just dirty?
a steam cleaning is qwhen the motor is disasembled
4-does it have iron heads?
retarding will decrease power, but not attomical amounts

thats a lot of power for a 16 year old

 

The motor is just dirty.

Yes, cast iron heads.
Here is what I know about the motor:

440 .030 over
Ross 11:1
steel crank
509 lift cam
Forged mopar rods
Heads ported and milled mopar cast iron
High flow stainless valves
Block decked and align honed
MSD 6 ignition triggered by mopar elec dist.
727 torqueflite with custom torque converter and built by Tru-shift
Holley race carb (?)
Hemi fuel pump

That's all I know about the motor.

Could anyone guess the horsepower? Ballpark?
HD radiator

 

First: I wish I had an uncle like you! Now let's, see 16 year old, ... better get a 3600k rev limiter chip in the msd box. adjust the throttle linkage so it only goes 1/2 way. Make him buy the gas for it.

Horsepower? At least 475-525?

 

Dizzle - first off, welcome!

If you wanted, you could pull the motor and tranny and install a small block set up and keep the motor and drivetrain for yourself, or you could find a stock 383, throw a rebuild kit at it and install that in the place of that 440.

That 440 sounds like it may be a bit much for a 16 year old. We have all been 16 and I doubt that many, if any, of us was a careful, to a certain point, driver.

 

I like the rev limiter chip idea. I'm assuming I'd just contact MSD direct.
And yes, him buying the gas I'm sure will make ALL the difference after the first month...

 

I know the 440 sounds like a bit much. But it came with the car, and I bought this particular car because it was a deal, and after paint and finishing the interior, I wouldn't have a ton of money in it at all, and being a driver-quality car it wouldn't be the end of the world if he got it dinged up, scratched up, balled up, etc etc.
You wreck up a clone, it's one thing. You wreck a true Roadrunner, that's a whole different story.
That all being said, I think swapping the motor is out of the question. Money outlay being the issue.

When I was in high school in the very early 1980's, we had some guys with some pretty amazing cars: 1970 Boss 429, a couple very nice 1970-1973 Camaros, TWO Talladega's, two 1965 Mustang fastbacks, a 1969 Roadrunner, a 1968 Roadrunner, a 1969 Mach 1, a 1970 Mustang fastback, a Ford Galaxy 5 Liter something-or -other, a 1968 Dart with a 383 & fenderwell headers, a 1968 Dart 6 cylinder convertable (restored perfect), a 1968 Charger with a 440 that the guy BEAT TO DEATH every day (yeah!), a 1968 Chevelle, and TWO guys with 1951 Mercury's and one with a 1946, a 1968 Cutlass, tubbed, a Buick GSX, a Hudson convertible, and a 1956 Buick Special that some guys daddy restored to nothing short of MINT condition.
....and that's the honest-to-god truth. That was just what we had IN MY HIGH SCHOOL in 1980-1983. Guy Wood, the Monster Jam driver for Jimmy Cretin's team, went to my high school and had one of those Camaros.
Anyway, the funny thing is that of all the cars, the one that was built up the most was the guy with the 1968 Roadrunner. Not ONCE, ever, did I see him beat the car or even smoke the tires. EVER. But even though I am not a fan of the 68 Roadrunner, and there were other cars there that I liked a whole lot more looks-wise, that was the car I thought was the coolest, because it had a big cam and fairly loud exhaust, and it just loaped around during the day, at night on weekends wherever the gathering was, it just had a mystique, for lack of a better word, because everybody KNEW it had some snot in it, and everybody just waited to see it.....but it never happend. You always knew when it was in your neighborhood, or in the area of where you were hanging out, etc, and you always saw people "noticing" it, even when you didn't see it.
So, if I can get my nephew to "get" that concept, that everybody KNOWS you've got the baddest car and because of that you DONT have to SHOW it, and it's cooler if you DON"T, I think we'll all be alright with this 440 that's in the car now.

Think that there is ANY chance of that happening?

 

I was just kidding about the rev limiter! But maybe it might be a good idea maybe 4000 rpm. Summit,jegs etc. carry the chips. Oh,have him buy the back tires too! Good luck on the project and take some pics when he gets the car,I'm sure he will have the biggest grin!

 

About the numbers on the motor: somebody here said it's above the oil pan. Where? On which side? I have the car up on jack stands now, will I be able to see it from underneith?

And, I need some help on the back seat. Can't seem to find one anywhere.

 

Oh, one more question:

I want to replace the 6 pack hood with a new one.
Where can I get the BEST quality aftermarket hood? I think in the Florida sun is what caused the one corner to curl up, and I'd like to prevent that if I can with a better hood (I'll post pics later).
I'm in Florida, but I can drive to get the RIGHT hood, so a reasonable distance isn't a big deal.

 

x2 on wishing I had an uncle like you! One thing here that has not been mentioned is that someone better go take out a mortgage on thier house to pay the insurance for a 16 year old in that car with that motor. It won't be cheap if you can get it.

 

if you leave the compression up there, probably around 500