Plymouth produced 81,105 examples of the Road Runner in 1969, but only 787 buyers paid the hefty premium for the legendary 426ci Hemi V8. This Road Runner isn’t one of those cars, but a previous owner made up for lost time on that front. Its engine bay now houses a Hemi, but it is no mere mortal. It generates significantly more power than the factory item and should provide more than enough performance to satisfy most enthusiasts. It needs a new home and is worth a close look to see what it offers.
This Road Runner could be considered a family project, with the seller purchasing the vehicle in its current form from his father-in-law. He created the monster you see before you but took his time to bring the entire vehicle to a high standard. It came to him as a former drag car that had been mini-tubbed. He left that aspect of the car untouched, but the panels and paint received a refresh in 2014, with a professional shop applying stunning Scorch Red paint. It has barely clocked any miles since, making the lack of paint and panel flaws unsurprising. It shines like a mirror, while the underside shots confirm it is as rust-free and solid as the day it left the factory. The trim is as spotless as the paint, and the glass is crystal clear. The seller includes an embedded video in the listing which shows the Road Runner sitting on Weld wheels. They aren’t included, with the car rolling on the steelies visible in these photos. That is all well and good, but all of this merely serves as an entree for what comes next.
The entry-level engine in the 1969 Road Runner was a 383ci V8 producing 335hp and 425 ft/lbs of torque. As base engines go, that isn’t a bad starting point. The VIN confirms that was what the original owner selected when they ordered this classic, but the seller’s father-in-law wanted more. Much, much more. The 383 was dispatched to a destination unknown, and its place is occupied by an Indy Crate 528ci Hemi. The factory 426ci Hemi was no slug, placing 425hp at the driver’s disposal. This engine ups the ante by churning out 660hp! There’s no point in having a ton of power if the car can’t apply it effectively to Planet Earth. This Road Runner does so via a four-speed Hemi manual transmission and a 4.10 Dana 60 rear end. If a standard Hemi delivered a 13.5-second ¼-mile ET, we can only speculate about the potential offered by this Plymouth. Under ideal circumstances, a low 12-second pass should be within reach. The seller’s father-in-law bolted in the Hemi in 2003 but treated it to a refresh in 2014. It has done virtually no work since, and the car is in excellent mechanical health. The embedded video allows us to hear the engine starting and running, and they don’t sound much tougher than this beast.
I typically prefer my classics unmolested, but with the attention the previous owner lavished under the hood, it is unsurprising that there are a few interior changes. However, these were designed to monitor the health and performance of the Hemi, and are reversible if the buyer prefers a more stock appearance. These include the column-mounted tach and under-dash gauges. Otherwise, it is standard Road Runner fare. The buyer receives a bench front seat, Black vinyl trim, and an AM radio. The presentation is first-rate and is consistent with the exterior appearance. There are no signs of wear or abuse, and no evidence of UV damage. It might not be luxurious, but it perfectly reflects Plymouth’s desire to market the Road Runner as an affordable muscle car.
The seller listed this 1969 Plymouth Road Runner here on eBay in Lake Charles, Louisiana. They set their auction to open at $45,000, but have received no bids. There is also a BIN option of $54,950 for those who find this classic irresistible. That begs the question of whether either figure is justified, which is a hard call to make definitively. It would be borderline if it were a numbers-matching example, but modified cars write their own rules. However, a few recent sales results for similar vehicles suggest it is. Do you agree, or do you have a different price in mind? It will be fascinating to gauge your feedback on that question.
Not inexpensive, but a lot of car for the money when compared to a lot of other 68-70 Roadrunners. Not a race car, but good for local cruises and shows.
Steve R
More must be better, the author is a bit shy on the 1/4 mile times. One source says a guy with a 528 RR ran a 9.88 at 141 mph. This car as is, should get into the high 10s, which is no easy matter. Either way, make sure your passenger goes to the bathroom before the ride. I got a chuckle, they hide the gauges, important ones too, oil pressure and temp. with a corny tach and shift light, then add those same gauges under the dash. I guess they did it their way. Cool car.
If someone was actually racing this car, the shift light tach is the smart choice. With a regular tach the driver spends a lot of time watching the tach, not what’s in front of them, with a shift light tach you never have to look down, the light is bright enough to be seen as soon as it comes on, then you shift. Almost every car at the track where the driver shifts for themselves will use some sort of shift light. At night, if you are looking at cars as the go down track you can see the interior light up every time they need to shift.
Steve R
Cool, never knew that.
Hi Steve, well, technically yes, but a shift light really isn’t needed in this application. This car is horribly uncompetitive anyway. It would never hook up, as is. Shift lights are for ProStock cars and bikes, where the driver literally cannot take their vision off the track. Racing from 13th Ave to the next stoplight on 12th, not needed.
This car is about -500 lbs and a decent 4 link away from low 11s
I see the nice wheels on the car in the video must not come with the car, no sale then.
Lake Charles, LA is mentioned in the Band’s song, “The Weight.” Wonder if they saw the car when they were there.
Close Steve. Up On Cripple Creek was the tune..
Right you are!
A new Indy Cylinder Heads 528 Hemi is about $30,000. Makes that $54,000 look a lot better.
Oh my I think I’m in love. The idle on this one alone is worth the price of admission. It’s the muscle car that ticks all the boxes for me. I don’t even care about whether it is a good deal or not. Sometimes you’re just smitten. My desire is strong but unfortunately my discretionary finances are not up to the task. This may actually be a blessing in disguise. Because if I could get behind the wheel I think I’d have to be really careful not to get this beast sideways. Runs in the mid 10s? Maybe. But I would want full slicks on this earth pounder if I was drag racing it. I wonder if it still has the factory drum brakes on all four wheels. If so, I think an upgrade the front to disc brakes might be wise because I wouldn’t be able to resist stomping the loud pedal every chance I got. Oh well back to reality but thanks BF for the chance to dream for a bit.
Compelling. Adding pie plates and knocking that exhaust strap “weld” off on day 1.
If I had a car with a aftermarket shinny top radiators first thing I would do is paint it black
Lots of noise is made about driving the mighty 426 Hemi, never mind a 528. Not many of the people who speculate ever actually drove one. If the 528 is anything like the 426 in terms of the leg weight and strength it takes to push the clutch pedal down, I’d pass. You need a good strong leg to push the clutch pedal down and if you get stuck in traffic, good luck. One of my friends had a copper coloured 426 Hemi Road Runner. When he got stuck in traffic, he said, he used to pull over and wait. It was too hard on his leg and knee. This was back in 1971-2. He didn’t have it long.
When we first met we went for a drive in his car up the 400 out of Toronto. We drove at 150 mph from the 401 to Highway 7 and then back to Harvey’s (hamburgers, french fries and a Coke). When I got out, I checked his tires. If I’d checked before we left, I wouldn’t have gone. They were completely bald, front and back.
When I let him sit in my Rebel Machine, he nearly put his left foot through the floor. He learned respect for my Machine that night. It wouldn’t do 150, but what it did do, it did in utter comfort and was no slouch.
Most of my friends who had those big block cars sat at home watching TV.
Like Ralph Kramden used to say..humana humans humana..sick car..glwta up to 47k..50k cash I would think would do it but they might just let the auction run
Looks like a pretty nice car. You couldn’t duplicate it for that money.
I knew someone who had a ’69 A12 car. It was this nice because it was only raced. Doors shut nicely, mechanicals correct, etc. I had a chance to buy it in the early 80’s for $4500. That was a lot of money then, but he reconsidered. I’m glad he did, because when he sold it years later (for a LOT more), it helped him with unavoidable financial problems. This car looks to be that nice.
But, retirement cash versus nice ‘Runner; I’ll have to keep my cash.