“Car just needs to be put together!” The enthusiastic phrase graces the eBay listing for this 1972 Plymouth Road Runner in Miller Place, New York, and it may well be true. Despite a layer of dust, the blue paint certainly looks fresh and shiny. Born a factory 400 four-speed car, the Road Runner currently packs what’s described as a 440 V8 bored and stroked to 499 cubic inches. Oh, and by “packs,” I mean sitting on the garage floor waiting to be packed into your trailer. At least nine bidders have gambled on this Plymouth’s potential, raising its market value about $6500.

The original C56 Bucket Seats and C16 Console (currently removed) suit the sporty Road Runner well, and the factory black vinyl has given way to white seat covers, a tasteful contrast to my eye. In fairness, though, I own a blue car with a two-tone black and cream interior, so color me biased. Interesting options include N85 Tachometer, R11 Music Master Radio AM, J52 Inside Hood Release, G37 Left and Right Chrome Mirrors, and L31 Hood / Fender Mount Turn Signals. Thanks to StockMopar for some details.

Originally painted TX9 Black Velvet, this Plymouth looks fine in the current blue paint job, apparently done with all trim and glass removed, which is always better than simply masking those items. Of course that means more fun re-assembling this classic, but hopefully it’s priced accordingly.

A web search details one 499 cid (8.2L) Mopar V8 combination that begins life as a 400 block, so the monster mill might have recycled this car’s original P-code 255 HP (net) four-barrel 400 (6.6L) block. Maybe our Mopar engine experts can help decode the possibilities in the comments below. The 400-based 499 Street Thumper made 657 HP and a neck-snapping 642 lb-ft of torque. Maybe this motor didn’t follow that recipe, but anything with 499 cid will get you down the road with twin black snakes left behind.

An A-833 four-speed comes with the car, which I believe corresponds to the fender tag code D21 “Heavy Duty 4-Speed Manual Transmission.” Functional upgrades included N31 Optional Compression Ratio, N23 Electronic Ignition, and N41 Dual Exhaust w/o Tips. The seller states the body is “mint,” so a buyer with intimate knowledge of these cars and their disparate parts may have this puzzle assembled into a beautiful picture in short order. Would you take a chance and turn this pile of Plymouth parts into one shiny Road Runner?