As the 1970s unfolded, sales of traditional American muscle cars began to taper off. Manufacturers faced the specter of trying to comply with emission regulations, while insurance companies made cars like this 1972 Plymouth Road Runner ruinously expensive to own. The situation would deteriorate during subsequent years, leading to the extinction of the genre before the decade’s end. This Road Runner is a promising project candidate, courtesy of the fact that it is in excellent mechanical health and is free from serious rust. The seller has listed it here on eBay in Brownsville, Pennsylvania. Bidding sits below the reserve at $10,002 following some very respectable auction action.

Plymouth continued to evolve its Second Generation Road Runner in 1972, but, as we will see, the most dramatic changes occurred below the skin. The listing confirms that this classic has led quite a life since it left the factory clad in Sherwood Green paint. It underwent a color change to Red at some point before a previous owner stripped it again and applied the existing Gray primer. They then placed it in storage in the 1980s before it emerged from hiding a few years ago. Cosmetically, it remains untouched, although it is now a turnkey proposition that the winning bidder can enjoy immediately. Rust can be a significant problem with these cars, but the news is predominantly positive in this case. The seller replaced a small area of rust near the driver’s feet, and there is a hole in the passenger-side front floor pan. However, that problem isn’t severe, and the seller includes another pan that could be used as a patch. There is a small area of rust in one door and in both lower quarter panels, which will require attention before fresh paint is applied. Critical areas like the trunk pan, rails, rockers, and rear window surround are all clean and sound. The trim looks in good condition, as does the glass and Magnum 500 wheels. Adding to this Road Runner’s desirability is the first owner’s decision to order it with the Air Grabber hood, which the seller says is functional.

The word “serviceable” springs to mind when assessing this Plymouth’s interior. The front seatcovers have split, it appears the kick panels are missing, and the seller incorrectly cut the new carpet set when installing it. The buyer will probably elect to replace those items during their build, but that can happen as time and circumstances allow. Otherwise, the dash looks good, the pad is crack-free, the back seat shows no evidence of deterioration, and there are no aftermarket additions. The first owner did tick a few boxes on the Order Form to make life aboard this Road Runner quite pleasant. These include bucket seats, a console, a Tuff wheel, a factory tach, a pistol grip shifter, a rear defogger, and a rear speaker for the factory radio. The only non-functional item is the defogger due to what appears to be a faulty switch. Some items require maintenance to work at their best, with the seller mentioning the slow movement of the tach needle. Once again, there appears to be little that couldn’t be addressed by a spot of tinkering in a home workshop.

The standard engine offered in the 1972 Road Runner was the 400ci V8. Buyers were also able to select a 340 or a 440, while the Hemi and 440 Six-Pack were both distant memories. The first owner teamed this car’s 400 with a four-speed manual transmission to provide fairly respectable performance. The revival process for this car was pretty meticulous following its hibernation, returning the car to a roadworthy state. Almost every aspect received plenty of TLC, with the brakes updated to four-wheel discs. A new carburetor is among the fuel system changes performed to get the engine running as smooth as silk. The seller confirms that this Road Runner isn’t numbers-matching, having received a new transmission at some point. The engine is more of a mystery, because while it is date correct, the VIN stamps on the car and engine vary by thirty-two. That could indicate another component that was changed, or it could be the result of a factory error. I typically wouldn’t query this, but when the numbers are so close, it probably justifies investigation. The seller admits that while the Air Grabber works, a previous owner swapped out the original air cleaner. Therefore, sourcing a replacement will probably form part of this build. Otherwise, the winning bidder can slip behind the wheel of a classic that runs and drives perfectly.

The mechanical specifications don’t make this the rarest 1972 Road Runner ever built, but with only 906 buyers teaming the 400ci V8 with a four-speed manual, you are not likely to see an identical car every day of the week. Throw in the factory options selected by the first owner, and the desirability factor increases greatly. That will almost certainly explain why this Plymouth has generated so much interest. Do you find it appealing enough to join what is fast becoming a bidding war, or will you sit back as an interested spectator?