The height of the muscle car market was probably 1969. That’s when Plymouth produced the greatest number of Road Runners at more than 84,000 copies. Just three years later, in 1972, fewer than 7,000 units left the assembly line. That may have been the biggest drop for any of the performance brands. The seller has a 1972 edition with a 440 cubic inch V8 and a 4-speed transmission. It’s been tucked away in a barn for who knows how long, and the buyer will get it without the tranny. Located in West Topsham, Vermont, this well-used Mopar is available here on craigslist for $11,000.
Besides rising insurance premiums in the late 1960s, the detuning of fire-breathing engines was another coffin nail for performance cars. By 1972, compression ratios were down so they could run on unleaded fuel, and automakers began stating horsepower in terms of SAE net, which were lower numbers. So, a 440 V8 that produced 375 hp in 1970 now measured 280 on paper. The final blow came a couple of years later when gasoline prices jumped thanks to the OPEC oil embargo.
We don’t know much about this Road Runner. The seller says it’s in “excellent condition,” but the photos suggest otherwise. Digging it out from its perch in a barn and then cleaning it up would make it much more marketable. It may be wearing Vitamin C paint, the equivalent of Hemi Orange, or it could be Tor Red. We’re told the odometer reads 23,000 miles, but the counter has turned over. No mention is made of numbers matching or why the transmission is excluded from the sale.
Though the photos are far from great, corrosion or other damage doesn’t seem to be here. And we can’t tell about the interior, which is probably black vinyl with bucket seats. One steel wheel appears visible, so no sport wheels are likely included. This car should be considered a project, but how much of one will it be once you source a transmission and get the engine running? The Road Runner would soldier on through 1975 and then become a trim option on the Volare (why?).
No transmission is dumb!! Some people…
Yep….and not a 440……
The pros:
any MoPar fan with a penchant to redo a Road Runner of this vintage might be interested.
The cons:
any MoPar fan with a penchant to redo a Road Runner of this vintage should be skeptical.
This is a crapshoot.
It’s in Vermont-home of the great VTrans truck mounted salt shakers I’m told. There’s no way to get a real idea of its worth without a firsthand exam by a knowledgeable person with what there is showing. Maybe moving the busted up Camaro behind to bring it out of the shed into the daylight is too challenging-or too telling. No outside photos, no underside photos, no interior photos, no close up engine photos, no history listed and no transmission. IIRC, even the base 440 came with color matched or black rims with dog dish hubcaps.
If it’s halfway decent it might be worth bartering for but Caveat Empor.
Most Road Runners in this era did not come with “dog dish” hubcaps.
The new body design came in 71.
Unless someone had a time machine and brought a 1973 RR back to 1972 before the new body change, this listing is a mistake.
Nice catch.
Steve R
I had to look at it several times, I see what you mean now. The side stripes are different as is the hood.
This is not a 440. The distributor.would be in the front and not in the back that might be a 340
Good eye.
It also has a 2bbl carb, which suggest 318 or some other non-performance engine.
Steve R
The missing 440 might explain the missing transmission..
not with a 2 barrel
Another reason on why i do not own a barn.
Horrid photos but it looks like this one has the ’73-74 Road Runner stripe kit. The ’72 had a few different stripe options. One was dual vertical stripes down the trunk and hood. Another was a multi-segmented horizontal stripe treatment across the hood. Then there was of course the “hockey stripe” over the C pillar area. Someone correct me here if I’m wrong. I nearly bought a ’72 way back in the day with the 340. That one had no stripes and a black vinyl roof.
Not “Hockey Stick” stripes…they were “Roof Strobe” stripes. “Hockey Stick” stripes came on ‘Cuda 1/4-panels.
Thanks! That’s what I meant to say. Like the stripes on the car Moparman posted above.
There’s no clear view of the front or rear but as I look closer at the rear side window, I think this is a ’73 that the seller is calling a ’72. Maybe it has a September-December 1972 build date, but it’s a ’73 (or ’74) model.
Between the strip and the hood bludge and what i can see of the front thats not a 72, that looks like a 73 or 74 and thats not a 440, looks like small block with a two barrel im guessing 318. Still cool car and I actual perfer this body style of the 71/72.
First thats not a 440 its a 318. Someone put 440 decals on the hood. I dont think this the color on the body is what ir came with. Seeing the firewall it looks green to me. I just wish people tell the truth when it comes to selling Mopars!! No interior shots ! It could be missing seats for all we know. Do the job right pull it out and take 25 shots to show us what it really is. 🇺🇸🐻
It’d not even a ’72 so I don’t think it even matters.
Anyone that knows 70s Mopars can tell this is not a 72 right off the bat…wrong stripes, totally different body, it is definately a 73-74.
Anybody else notice that this is a small block,not a 440.
Anybody else notice that this is a small block,not a 440.
Anybody else notice that this is a small block,not a 440.
Anybody else notice that this is a small block,not a 440.
Strange ad. Seems like someone stumbled on a car in a barn, took a few pics and put it up for sale. I wonder if they actually own it.
what a lame ad. guy does not even know what he is trying to sell. need better pics if you really want to sell it and the correct info. sounds fishy to me.
I find it hilarious that the author wrote an entire BF article on a 1972 Road Runner 440/4-speed car when this is, clearly, a 1973 or 1974 with a small block.
I live one state over, and most of those cars were pretty rusty by 1976. This one looks good, body wise, but not enough pics to know for sure. Getting a straight, rust free car with an intact interior for $11k is tempting, but you can’t prove it from the scant pics provided with the listing.
If this car comes with a 440, it must be in the trunk or on a pallet beside the car.
Total misrepresentation!
’73-’74 for damn sure. Someone needs to get their act together.
That is a 73-74 not 72, the engine is a 318 2bbl
The one picture shows the nose from a overhead side view and it’s a 73-74, the roof is different and
The rear side of the roof is too straight. I wouldn’t touch this thing with a ten foot pole. I owned a 72 and this is not one.
You are correct!
If you look at the photo where the hood is up, look up towards the front headlights. About 8 in from the outside of the quarter panel you’ll see a ridge in the sheet metal on both sides. Those ridges are the insides of both pairs of headlights which are only on the ’73 or ’74 roadrunner, this is definitely not a ’72.
Looks like It’s a bench seat column shift by looking in the windshield blown up and a small block 2 bbl and wrong year nothing about the listing makes sense
Out of curiosity I emailed “Peggy” who ran the ad and she confirmed what you guys are saying. Here’s her reply: “Hi sorry for the confusion. It is a 73 and it has a 318 motor it is a Manuel transmission but the car does not come with the transmission. We will take 9500.00 for it.”
One word – Craigslist! The person doesn’t even know what year the car is, nor what is equipped with. the rear side windows are a dead giveaway. And a smogged down ’73 or ’74 (my guess is a ’73 because the rear bumper doesn’t look too heavy). I wouldn’t touch it.
I would take a 76-80 Road Runner/Aspen R/T just to have something different, plus I remember seeing them new in dealer show rooms, might have something to do with it, plus they were faster than their direct competitors, Nova SS, AMC AMX, Maverick Grabber/Mercury Comet GT, don’t rember the BOP clan having any competition in the compact class( correct if wrong) just my reply to the question “(why?)”
It’s a 1973, you can tell by the hood and front end, you can see the headlight bulge on each side