Finding just about any Chrysler equipped with a 440 and painted Moulin Rouge is enough to get most Mopar fans excited, and the star quality only increases when that vehicle happens to be a first-year Plymouth Road Runner. However, the question sometimes arises regarding how much value, if any, these factors add when the car wasn’t originally equipped that way, as is the case with this 1968 Plymouth Road Runner here on eBay. This B-Body is currently turning heads in Plainfield, Indiana, but this one’s sure to draw plenty of attention wherever it’s located. $34,900 can buy it today, but the seller is also open to considering the best offer. Curvette, thanks for sending in another fun tip here!
Chrysler paint code FM3 is one of the wildest colors ever to adorn a Mopar, or any other automobile, for that matter. Known as Moulin Rouge at Plymouth or Panther Pink for Dodge, it was one of the short-lived High Impact paint offerings, first available in early 1970. Obviously, there’s no way this ’68 Road Runner could have come from the factory looking like this, and the seller reports that the original color was red. The finish appears decent in some areas, but a close inspection reveals a few touched-up blemishes, plus a couple of areas where light rust is starting to show through as well.
The base engine for the Road Runner was a 383, which is how this one is said to have originally been equipped. The seller states that roughly ten years ago, it received a 1967-dated 440, which was rebuilt at the time and bored .030. A few aftermarket parts found their way inside, such as Keith Black pistons, Wolverine heads, and a Purple cam. Later, an aluminum intake was added with a 750 CFM Edelbrock carburetor on top, and while all of this sounds exhilarating, the original 4-speed manual transmission was swapped for an automatic.
Things inside have also been refreshed, with new components including the headliner, a floor-mounted shifter that replaced the original stick, and seats, which aren’t the correct bucket style. Thankfully, the underside appears to be in good condition, so hopefully, it will need little or no attention in the future. My biggest concern here would be having to explain to spectators over and over again that the pink paint isn’t the original color, and since it could use a redo anyway, I might even consider going back with the factory red presentation outside. What would you do with this 1968 Plymouth Road Runner?
Very nice RRunner!! Love the color. Not many in this color also>
There were zero in ’68.
Swapping the original 4 speed manual for an automatic was, IMHO, a sad mistake. It would be much more interesting, and valuable, with the 4 speed stick.
What does it say about the man who drives a pink car?
He’s Elvis?
I’d be scared of rust, it looks like a fuse has been lit and it’s just a matter of time until it goes off. The color and many other modifications are subjective and won’t appeal to a lot of potential buyers. It would have been nice if it still had a 4spd, but that ship has sailed.
If someone is concerned about originality, this Road Runner is not for them. The price might work for someone looking for a flashy car they can drive and enjoy, as is. You could easily pay more for something that looks more original, but is hiding sub-par restoration work.
Steve R