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Did The Coyote Catch It? 1969 Plymouth Road Runner

“Road Runner…the Coyote’s after you! Road Runner…if he catches you you’re through!” I know many of the rest of you woke up on Saturday mornings waiting for that theme song as well; some of you may have even hoped that the Coyote caught the Road Runner at some point. Well, if the Coyote had an ACME Severe Rust Machine, I think he must have used it! This Mopar is listed for sale here on eBay, where bidding is up to over $3,700 and there’s no reserve. It’s located in
Menomonie, Wisconsin.

From some angles, it really doesn’t look that bad. The missing bumper is included in the pictures, and as the seller points out, reproduction panels are available for almost anything you see here that’s an issue. This is an original car, with a lot of documentation including the window sticker.

You don’t have quite as much metal as it left the factory with, though. The car was special ordered, and the seller claims to have purchased it from the original owner. I’m hoping that based on the documentation, someone decides to return this car to stock. I certainly wouldn’t want to drive it as-is!

There is REALLY extensive rust around the battery area, which the seller theorizes could have come from an exploded battery. I can attest to what damage can be done by one, because even after washing the area carefully and trying to neutralize the acid properly, the inner fender on a family Pinto rusted right through in less then two years after a battery explosion.

The interior isn’t really good for much apart from patterns, but at least it’s mostly complete.

If this is indeed the original engine/transmission combination, we’re looking at a 383 connected to an automatic. There would also be a limited slip differential in the back. What do you think? Can this car be saved as-is, or is it due to be re-shelled or parted out?

 

Comments

  1. Avatar Mitch

    $3700 is already way too much for it in this condition. ’69s are the most common, I saw dozens upon dozens of them at the Mopar Nats.

    Like 1
    • Avatar Billy

      Too much? No kidding. I live about ten miles from Menomonie and I have never seen this beast. What swamp did he pull it out of? These were mostly crushed 30 years ago. (I PAID to have mine hauled away and crushed in 1981……..I know, I know, who knew?) If someone makes buck on this rusted heap, well good for him I guess, but will he give a cut to all those who for decades had to drive by its rusting hulk and have the scenery ruined? Often these days it is the people who have had years of eye sores in their amateur salvage yards who are now cashing in, doesn’t really seem fair to me. Hopefully this one was behind a fence or in a shed where that wasn’t a problem for innocent others.

      Like 0
      • Avatar Jerry HW Brentnell

        i’d lay money on it this is a flood car that the kind of car katrina did a fine job of reducing to scrap metal! lets get real here where do you start? you can buy a running car cheaper than tearing into this heap!

        Like 0
  2. Avatar stillrunners

    Like the Vette…..Grab those numbers……!

    Like 0
  3. Avatar Jeffro

    The reaction after you get bill from machine shop, body shop, upholstery shop, etc….

    Like 1
  4. Avatar JW

    Oh boy the lost days of Saturday morning cartoons, how I miss those days gone by. This Mopar is Nocar but rust.

    Like 1
  5. Avatar JW454

    I’ve seen worse in terms of rust but, this one has it’s share. Fairly low optioned car when new. It is a very popular color and it is a Road Runner…. That’s something.

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Rocko

    Rear bumper most likely fell off. Great car to practice restoration. Your apprenticeship should just about cover everything on this one. Another fine example of a good deal costing way too much to finish!

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Tom Member

    I am in Illinois and a rust expert. The rust on this car has to have a story. Parked on damp gravel = lime = this kind of rust. Salt in the Midwest certainly was a contributor but not the only contributor at this level. Extreme moisture in the air carrying lime, salt and other corrosives is the only way you get rust like this, an entire engine that is a ball of brown rust, the scaly nature of that trim tag. This entire car is infested with rust. Not good. Too bad for sure. Wisconsin automotive swiss cheese!

    Like 0
  8. Avatar Sam

    Call that Guy that owns GRAVEYARD CARZS ………He can even tell you the last time some on farted in it………( M ) opar (O) ld ( P ) arts ( A ) nd (R ) ust

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Daren

    I own a 69 roadrunner A4 silver body black vinyl roof with green interior bucket seats console floor shift automatic 383 post what a fun car! And I have actually seen worse myself went to an auction a few years back the only reason I went was on account of a 70 roadrunner on the sale checked it out just a shell all rust everywhere no drivetrain just the rearend no interior basically just a fender tag and vin car sold for 1200 it was a complete basket case the hood was leaning up against the front fender back bumper was laying on the ground!

    Like 0
  10. Avatar RoughDiamond

    A column shifted 383 bucket seat Road Runner with extensive visible rust which will mean extensive non-visible rust. Some individuals seem really desperate for MOPAR ownership these days. More power to them.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Mike

    Limited slip (Sure-Grip) was an option, not standard.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar milotus

    There’s a Yellow one of these driving around here,
    stock,with some rust,& the guy daily drives it! To me,it’s so cool
    to see,after all the mega-buck ones that only show up at car shows.

    Like 0
  13. HoA Howard A Member

    When they drained the lake, we finally found that stolen Road Runner. Clearly, too far gone, but just about everybody has a Road Runner story. They were the hottest, cheapest stick at the time. A paperboy could almost afford one. In the mid 70’s, I worked with a guy that had a very tired ’68, 383, 4 speed. Seen many a powershift. Still, it delivered reasonable performance, a testament to Chrysler products of the era. I remember, it was a tinny, cheap car, pretty basic, but most ended up like this, trashed. And btw, I’m a huge fan of Looney Tunes, and no, the coyote never did catch the Road Runner.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Moparmann Member

      Actually, the Coyote DID catch the Roadrunner, but was in no condition to eat him:

      “He did, however, catch the bird in one cartoon, produced in 1980 by creator Chuck Jones. That film, Soup or Sonic, was part of a TV special called Bugs Bunny’s Bustin’ Out All Over. In that film the Coyote shrinks to tiny size but manages to grab the Road Runner’s giant (to him) leg. Unfortunately the Coyote is like a tiny insect to the bird. He holds up a sign to the audience: “Okay wise guys, you always wanted me to catch him. Now what do I do?”

      Like 0
  14. Avatar Johnni B

    Howard I had a dream once that the coyote DID catch the Roadrunner.

    Like 0
  15. Avatar irocrob

    Too much money. Recall there being lots like this for 500 to 1000 dollars in the mid 1980s in better shape

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jesse Staff

      Unfortunately, there’s none in better shape for that kind of money today.

      Like 0
  16. Avatar Jay E.

    Those old 383’s really woke up with 440 heads installed.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Stacey. spitler

      I. Agree. It. Does. Have. A set of. Factory. Magnum. Maifolds. On. It that. Makes. It. Better. If. I. Had. The. Money. Id. Fix. It. Up. Myself.

      Like 0
  17. Avatar racer99

    I agree that it’s too much money but you have to give the seller credit for taking extensive pictures (top and bottom) so you can’t blame him for trying to hide anything.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar Alex B

    I think this Roadrunner will never run at a canyon race again. :(

    Like 0
  19. Avatar Jeff

    Does anyone remember Ford’s Cobra on wheels commercial where it goes over a hill and you see Road Runner feathers fly?

    Like 0
  20. Avatar Fred W.

    It’s a long way down! Don’t do it!

    Like 0
    • Avatar milotus

      ….and it had the line “Eats birds for breakfast”,
      if I remember.

      Like 0
  21. Avatar Billy

    You know, for what this car is going to cost to restore, you could buy a new Challenger with a nice warm hemi and have 50K to spend on gas, insurance, and speeding tickets. I recall my youth with great happiness too, but when we owned these cars, they were affordable, even practical to a small extent. This is going to end up some rich boys play thing that he will put in a large collection and rarely if ever drive. If its preserved, I suppose that’s worth something, but I will never lust over this or its ilk because this will not bring back my long lost youth, and that youthful recollection was with rose colored glasses anyway. These were never well balanced cars. I recall almost killing myself more then once in mine in the late 70s. A modern car is so much better in all respects. Let the rich boys have their boastful objects of desire.

    Like 0
  22. Avatar Dan

    Are those wooden blocks holding the engine in?

    Like 0
  23. Avatar Loco Mikado

    I don’t know, probably the torsion bar bar frames are gone. Seen it happen on Mopars that weren’t even rusted this bad.

    Like 0
  24. Avatar Mark

    I might pay $370 for it, but no way in hell $3700! Some dummy will pony up the cash, though, for sure!

    Like 0
  25. Avatar Angrymike

    I bought a over priced 69 Road Runner 383 4 speed full of mud at the tender age of 19, with in 2 months the bumper was smacking the body on throttle, I beat it till it was unbeatable any more. I still have a chunk of mud about an inch thick hanging in my garage that had fallen off. This was probably what it looked like before wacking and packing… 😊

    Like 0
  26. Avatar Mark

    I think there is alot of stupidity going on in the asking prices of anything ’69 to ’71 with MOPAR attached to it. Not that there is anything wrong with loving MOPARS, as they were the quintessential Muscle Cars of the day, but just because it is a MOPAR, that doesn’t make it invaluable. It reminds me alot of the C2 Corvette craze of the early to mid-90’s, where total basket cases were bringing 20 grand, and nice drivers were north of $100K….Now you can get a very nice, restored (non-concours) C2 for around $50-60K on average. 20 years ago, you couldn’t have touched one of those for twice that money. It’s all about what’s hot and what’s not….unfortunately, the unschooled are parted with their money way more many times than they should be.

    Like 0
  27. Avatar Mark

    This is my baby…..BTW

    Like 0
    • Avatar Cattoo Member

      Nice Baby.

      Like 0
      • Avatar Mark

        Thanks Brother!

        Like 0
  28. Avatar Rustytech Member

    Tin worm can out run the coyote!

    Like 0
  29. Avatar Craig

    sad ! :-(

    Like 0
  30. Avatar David J

    Now, that stupid song is stuck in my head. :)

    Like 0
  31. Avatar John H

    It needs new trunk weatherstripping, I’ll pass … ;-)

    Like 0
  32. Avatar David Miraglia

    After sticker shock with that gorgeous E. This car is a come down. Way too much moola…

    Like 0
  33. Avatar Rolf Poncho 455

    Mark what a nice baby just want to have it here is my baby
    and yes nothing wrong with a mopar , ford , chevy

    Like 0

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