How's it going folks. I am new to the website and learning about mopars basically. Well I scored big and found the mopar I've always wanted. I found a 1971 roadrunner that was taken off the road in 77'. This RM23 roadrunner is origionally a california car and I talked the guy down from 10k to 7.5k . Has numbers matching 383 4 speed and the car is origional to the point of having the factory exhaust . What I'm trying to figure out is the differences and specs between a regular 383 and the "N" code HP 383. Mine just so happens to be the "N" code. Another question I have is how often did 71' roadrunners that had the 383 4 speed come with AC? This car has the AC as well. Finally, this car has what I believed is called a Dictephone (cassette recorder) and had the black bikini vinyl top, origional color curious yellow. Are these options rare on roadrunners?
There's just a lot of things on this car that shows that it was special ordered and not part of a bulk order made by the dealerships. Case and point, its a 4 speed with the bucket seats, console, etc. but has AC and has a Clock instead of the RPM Gauge. I'm not sure how rare the bikini vinyl top is either. But with the options this thing has, along with the dictAphone, I believe the origional owner was a doctor or something along those lines. He wanted to look badass in this thing with all the racing options but at the same time have the lucturies such as the AC, vinyl top, etc. As we all know, these things ordered in bulk were nothing but bare bone cars, and if any muscle car guy from back then ordered one of these, he wouldn't want the AC or other luxuries.
Unfortunately, this car did have the build sheet but a rat or mouse made a home underneath the back seat and made some nesting out of it. I saved whatever scraps were legible. Here's the fender tag codes:

first 7 vin # RM23N1G

V8X 26 END
M21 N41 N97 R36 V21
C55 G11 G36 H51 J45 L31
V4X U A01 A87 B11 C16
GY3 M6X9 TX9 610 040964
E65 D21 RM23 N1G

Basically I'm trying to get an overall summary and outside opinions of this car.

Hey Pat. Welcome to the site I have a '71 RR, buckets, Tor-Red, A/C, AND a cassette as well. Half vinyl roof as well. No stick tho. Anyway here is what I can tell you:

"N" Is the engine size in the car, nothing more- If the block has a "HP" on the pad near the disributor and/or a symbol with it, then it is better than the standard 383. Not sure about the spcifics on the engine as to why. I think a better cam etc. Someone will chime in and clearify this better.

E65 383 4BBl magnum engine
D21- Stick shift
RM23N1G-VIN number and the rest of the numbers would be the sequence(number what ever of what ever)
GY#3"Paint color-Curious Yellow
M6X9- Interior
TX9- Black trim?
610-Build dat- Not sure when
040964 Order number I think
V4X-Not sure
U-Built to US specs-Not a export car
A01-Light package
A87-Roadrunner decor group
B11-Heavy duty drum breaks
C16-Not sure
C55-Bucket seats
G36-Not sure
H51- Air conditioning
J45-Not sure
L31-Hood mounted turn signals
M21-Bright drip moulding
N41-Dual exhaust
N97-??
R36: Thats the radio. If you have a cassette player, then the player is 1 of 137 made for that year, from what I've been told.
V21-Hood performance treatment
V8X-Strobe stripe reflective, black
26-26" radiator

The ones I don't know about someone will decode for ya. I don't have all of my numbers with me right now. Post some pictures also. If your restoring her,, progress will be appreciated. Also, become a member of www.roadrunnernest.com. Thats a site for '71-'74 B-Body cars. A lot of info there as well Congrats on the car

You found a nice car there. I just sold this one last summer. Also a 383, 4 speed with A/C and cassette deck although no vinyl roof. I added the spoilers and Air Grabber.

Sheldon

I want to put on the front louvers and spoiler as well but other than that this car is going to be restored to factory specs, maybe a lil bigger cam. I won't convert mine to an air grabber just cause of origionality purposes and its expensive to convert. I believe with the options this car has, factory restoration would be worth my while.(I won't be selling this car, stays in the family)

That is a very cool find! I'd say you scored big! I love 71's. I've had 3-71-GTX's and still have one with a 440/auto/airgrabber.

I think the 1/2 canopy top is a 1/2 year only addition that was added late in the year.

C16-Console
N97-California emissions (turn down tips more than likely)
J45-hood pins

It is very unusual to see a 4spd with air, but I've seen several. Console cassette is fairly rare too.

Looks like you have a fairly easy resto. I suggest a body on if its nice and solid, which it looks to be, and make it a super nice driver. In this economy, a rotissery resto isn't a good idea and takes away from doing what that car is meant to do.....

Shifting them gears!

Finding exact #'s on the options will be pretty tough, but you could mail your info into GG and hope you might get an answer.

I've ran the numbers on everything in this car and it was born on June 10,1971 which means this was a late bloomer since production of 71' cars stops in july of that year, as do most autos in the industry. The motor, tranny, etc. is all numbers matching. So if your prediction about the vinyl top is true, well then this car is proof of it.

After owning so many 71-X's and all having full tops, I was told you coudn't get a 1/2 top on an X. Wrong..wrong..wrong. I ran across a couple of them and one was an original owner car that was built late.

High Performance Mopar magazine had on going segments called 'broadcast news'. When they did the story on the 71-plymouth B-body's, they had the info on the 1/2 top. If I could find that issue, I could tell the date it started production.

Well any info on these cars would be greatly appreciated. This particular RR has remained a mystery for a bit while I've been trying to run the numbers and fender tag. Does anyone know if a company out there is able to print out build sheets for these cars once you give them the vin etc.?

Why not look for the original build sheet in the car? Could be in the front seat springs or under the back seat or in the back seat back.

I did find the build sheet, or what was left of it. It was in the back seat but a rat or mouse used it as nesting. I kept what ever bits and pieces that were legible.

There are blank ones sold on Ebay and a PDF of one here on moparts, but isn't quite right. Once its gone....its gone, unless you find another in the car.

I found the article and its in a May 1992 High Performance Mopar mag. I'd scan it, but my scanner doesn't work anymore. The date on the roof is for GTX's only. It states that on Feb 1st, you could get the V4- 1/2 vinyl roof in green, gold, black or white. V4X being black.

I guess I'm gonna end up looking under the front seats to see if there is an extra build sheet put in. It was just a rumor that there was a company out there able to pull up build sheets from the Chrysler archives.

Great find and nice car it seems so original but I wonder why it had a full paint job with-in 7 years???? You can see the brake lines,wiring harness,kick panel etc... has alot of yellow over-spray. Any word from the guy you bought it from?

welcome to the site fellow road runner owner. that car looks great. If it's as nice in person as it is in the pics, I would only do what's absoulty necessary to make it safe to drive, and things like the tore seats, etc. These cars are only original once. keep the pics comming!

First of all, Great Find!!
Don't forget to check behind the glove box.
Jim

Hey Pat, very cool find! Look around, it's not unusual to find multiple build sheets, check the front seat backs too, under carpet or above glove box. I found 4 sheets in one of my cars once, but one sheet was from another car down the line. My 71 is an unrestored ragged out driver, but I still like it, here's a pic.

Nice car. I had one built on June 18, so I'm guessing your VIN sequence number is in the high 220's.

Interesting that the original owner sprung for all those options, but it has manual brakes. At least he ordered power steering...

Also, if the vinyl top is in good shape, try not to replace it. Last I knew, you couldn't get correct reproductions. The repros have seams down each side and the originals didn't.

The paint job on this car is not the origional paint. Some jackass paint over the car with yellow spray paint and the other side has a lot of primer. The main problem is that I'm going to need to replace the passenger quarter. The previous owner mentioned it got into a wreck at some point and looks like it was t-boned, but with all the bondo on it you couldn't tell. The worst spot i found is right in front of the rear tire. THe filler there had to be at least 1.5in thick. I'm going to paint it back to the origional curious yellow and keep it as origional as possible.

A few more random things:

G36 is body-color racing mirrors - left & right

18.3% of Road Runners had the canopy vinyl top, which was 2501 cars. It was available all year on RR's and after Feb. 71 for GTX's. Your car has the canopy roof and the roof strobe stripe, which is pretty cool.

I'm not seeing A36 on your tag, which was the only axle package available for 4-speed and AC together.
So you most likely have the standard 3.23 ratio. It could be open or Sure-Grip, because a standalone Sure-Grip won't show up on the fender tag.

N97 means your car has the California noise reduction package, which means turn-down exhaust pipes. However, most RR's came with turn-downs anyway, because the chrome tips were an option. (My 6-bbl. car didn't have them)

Don't forget to put the black stripes on the rear bumper. Many people aren't aware that they were included in the Road Runner Decor Group (A87)