Having a V8 four-speed still meant something in 1976, and though Plymouth’s Road Runner wasn’t the bare-bones rubber floored tire-shredding street racer that tempted gearheads in 1968, it held its own in the mid-’70s. This 1976 Plymouth Road Runner in Clarkston, Michigan leaves little to complain about. A rebuilt V8 promises more power than stock and an apparently flawless interior and shiny paint have this claimed 55,000 miles Plymouth ready to prowl. Check out more pictures and details here on eBay, where at least two bidders have the Road Runner’s market value over $2500 with about four days to go. Thanks to reader Curvette for spotting this claimed 1 of 254 classic.
Running and driving condition escaped the listing, but the “professionally built” 318 cid (5.2L) V8 boasts a host of Edelbrock parts including aluminum intake, cam, and heads, plus a four-barrel carburetor. The undercarriage looks clean and shows full-length headers as well. It would be hard to make less than 300 HP (net) with that combination, about double the original mill’s 145 HP rating. Thanks to the library of factory brochures at Lov2xlr8 for some details.
Just like the ’68 Road Runner, this ’76 sports a date-friendly bench seat and Hurst floor-shifter. I learned to drive on a similar powertrain thanks to my parents factory-ordering a ’78 Volare Premier wagon with wood grain, a 318, and a floor-shifted three-speed manual. Ours had the factory black 8-ball style knob with the shift pattern in white. My Step-Dad explained what he was doing with his feet and hands, stopped the Plymouth part-way off the road, and said “OK; it’s your turn.” No parking lot practice, just a verbal description of how to shift and, “Good luck, kid.”
Though not fully explained in the listing, MuscleCarClub counts 8769 Road Runners in 1976, so we’ll assume 254 is the subset with the 318 and four-speed. You could get a 360 (5.9L) but only with automatic. During a time when gear ratios dove numerically to save fuel, this car’s 2.76:1 cogs were snappier than most and probably bring a decent combination of thrust and highway RPM with the (presumed) added horsepower.
Only the chin spoiler and blacked-out grille distinguished the Road Runner from your local Librarian’s slant-six Volare, but that was enough to catch someone’s attention in the rear view mirror. Luckily this one promises some extra ponies under the hood. You could do worse in the world of ’70s American cars, and we hope this turn-key classic finds the right owner for some immediate good times. Would you change anything on this rare four-speed Road Runner?
Fitch, talk about cool parents to order a V8 wagon w stick shift 😎 👍
Featured on the dealers website for $28,900. Even though it’s a 4spd, the price seems aggressive.
Steve R
I have a hard time picturing a Dodge Aspen selling for even the current 14.7k bid price. These were always dirt cheap as used cars and didn’t generate a lot of interest, even in the R/T or Road Runner form, which was basically just a trim package by this point. But I guess scarcity tends to do that. These practically rusted on the showroom floor.
Those 4sp were over drives, awful pattern, and not all that much fun to drive. I believe a 3sp came with a 3.23 axle, much better. Paint is not original for 76, the Magnum wheels look nice, but not original for 76. Cloth seat is nice, but not standard material. Engine work looks good and is nicely done. Nice car, but not worth the ask.
55,000 miles and needing a rebuild already ?? maybe its more like 155k
its had a repaint as the door striker is painted black but yet the listing doesn’t read anything about a repaint
And people laugh at the ’76 Mustang II Mach 1.
Of course it’s a Road Runner. You can tell by the grandma grill.
Incorrect striping package for a ’76. Also never seen a crushed velour bench seat nor that steering wheel in a ’76 Roadrunner. It’s a ’76 Volare’ “Roadrunner Tribute,” maybe? I don’t think this came from the factory as a Roadrunner.
I’d be inclined to agree. And with the ’76 Road Runner being an optional package rather than a model, easily “created”. Someone has grabbed the quarter window louvers in a boneyard, bought some red striping, spent a few bucks on the 318 in an attempt to make an ordinary V8 four speed Volare coupe into something special enough that a potential buyer will think it worth more than the combination of what they started with plus what they spent.
Road Runner? Hahahaha
Same thing I said back in 1976.
Volare
A V8 Volarie with a 4 speed.
Isn’t the 68 Road Runner a Belvedere 2 door with the police package ?
I would defiantly check for hidden rust being a Michigan car . Southern Motors in Mich ??? I had a 1978 Dodge Aspen R/T and got rid of it. That thing was rusting in weird places and it was a Southern N.Carolina car. The sheet metal on these Volaries types was very thin. Be carefull , inspect it in person.
I’d “definitely” be extra c-a-r-e-f-u-l when checking out any V-o-l-a-r-e-s and Aspens. Make sure there’s also a spare ballast resistor in the glove box. ;)
I drove a 78 Volare for 14 years and over 200k on it, and never replaced one – I’ve owned my 73 Duster 340 since 1979 and it still has its original or at least 46 year old resistor in it
They are called Southern Motors because they buy cars from down south..
I’m quite confident that there were more than 254 4speed Roadrunners in ‘76. I suspect that this is one those where they go down the option list until they get to dual vanity mirrors and a heavy duty cigarette lighter, or some nonsense like that. Sold the twin to this car off my lot in the mid ‘80s. No barn burner, but a decent car. The rear differentials on these were pretty much time bombs. We had a nice profit stream going replacing blown up factory units with Spicers out of AMCs.
I maybe wrong but I could swear the only motor that got a 4 speed was the 225slant 6! So either I am off ( which is no doubt) or this car is someone’s creation!
We’re sooo cool! Nice looking car. If you don’t like it buy it. I’d bet it’s a nicer toy car than most of us have. I prefer my Lincoln but this car is worth more.My mom taught me 55 years ago if you can’t say something nice……..
I’ll beg to differ…
It does have A57 on the fender tag and I believe that it shows the trim code for a Road Runner. Interesting that the fender tag has screws that don’t match.
Based on the fender tag, this car was originally built with a 225 slant 6 engine. Not sure if the Road Runner came with a 225 slant 6.