There is still enough warm summer weather left to embark on an extended road trip, but what car should you take? A sensible family sedan or a station wagon might seem the obvious candidates, but classic enthusiasts might find the activity unsatisfying. This 1971 Plymouth Road Runner could be a contender because it is in excellent health. It features a meticulously rebuilt engine, and the seller claims they would drive it anywhere. Therefore, with the wide open road beckoning, this Road Runner would make the journey enjoyable. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Mitchell G. for spotting this fantastic classic.
Plymouth released its Second Generation Road Runner for the 1971 model year, adopting the corporate “fuselage” styling for its latest muscle car. The company offered a solitary body style, retiring the Convertible variant at the end of the previous Generation’s production run. Plymouth possessed a broad palette of paint shades, but the Sassy Grass Green coating this car is anything but subtle. It is loud, proud, and appropriate for a muscle car that wishes to broadcast its credentials. There is little to fault with its presentation. The seller admits it isn’t show-quality, with a close inspection revealing minor flaws and defects. However, it is an exceptionally tidy driver that has been sheltered from the elements when not prowling the streets. That makes its rust-free status welcome, with the underside shots revealing no issues with the floors or rails. The stripes are crisp, and the chrome and badges are in good order. The wide steel wheels and hubcaps add a sense of purpose to a car that will provide performance to satisfy all but the most hardened enthusiasts.
The first owner teamed the entry-level 383ci V8 with a three-speed TorqueFlite and power assistance for the steering and front disc brakes when they ordered this classic. The 383 generated 300hp and 410 ft/lbs of torque, making it a genuine muscle car. This Road Runner is no longer numbers-matching, although most readers will forgive that when they discover what they could receive for their money. The 383 made like Elvis and left the building. The seller slotted in a 440ci powerplant, but not before treating it to a huge birthday. They stripped it, honed the cylinders, polished the crank, and reassembled it using new pistons, rods, and bearings. The entire engine was balanced once the flex plate and harmonic balancer were in place. The list of new parts is extensive, but it is a sure bet that power and torque will be significantly higher than when it left the factory. It doesn’t end there because the A-727 transmission features a high-stall converter, feeding the ponies to an 8¾” limited slip rear end with 3.55 gears. It is sometimes said that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, which is undoubtedly the case with this Plymouth. The seller holds over $10,000 worth of invoices verifying the work. They describe the Road Runner as a car they would drive anywhere confidently, making it a turnkey proposition for its new owner.
This Plymouth’s interior continues the “tidy driver” theme. It is unlikely to score the owner any show trophies, but it will not earn criticism on the street or at a Cars & Coffee. The Black vinyl trim is in good order, with no rips or tears. The seller recently installed a new carpet set and mats, while the console and dash are excellent. There is visible wheel wear, but rectifying that won’t cost a fortune. The gauge cluster features a factory tachometer, and the new owner will welcome the retro-style Bluetooth stereo.
The seller listed this 1971 Plymouth Road Runner here on Craigslist in Buffalo, New York. It is a turnkey proposition offering excellent performance, and it could be yours for $45,000 OBO. It might not be totally original, but the photos and listing text suggest it needs nothing. The company only produced 14,218 Road Runners that year as the muscle car segment contracted. Are you tempted to give this one a new home?
While limiting my comments due to, I’m not sure what, but does anyone else see the irony of one of the last musclecars in a cemetery? Case closed,,,
Yes.
When my sister took my mother to decorate Grampa’s grave one Memorial Day, while they were at the grave, her unattended Dodge Challenger started itself up and settled into an idle.
The keys were in her pocket.
They were freaked out, and never took that car to cemetery again.
Ever since “Christine” I wonder …
thats complete horsesh***t alright pal
Wild colors in those days. Never have been a fan of black wheels and I think this car could use some chrome or silver wheels to go with the bumpers etc. Nice to see one in such good condition.
“Graveyard Cars” I get it. Mark is pretty funny.
Great idea for a first date. I wonder how many 2nd dates the owner got? Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo is the current home of President Millard Fillmore and Rick James. I assume many BF readers are fans of both. And if you are chilling on the 4th, the inventor of air-conditioning units, Willis Carrier, is also a resident.
Engine should have been painted hemi orange not corporate blue. Also has dodge hub caps. Mopar did have color key rims and mid year went black.
First new car was a 71 Road Runner. 383 4spd in Walnut. White interior. Loved that car. Not a fan of the spoiler.
Was this the last ride ending at the cemetery? Love the car and the color. Some nice wheels would be great.
Our favorite year Roadrunner. We’d put nicer period wheels on it, but otherwise it’s great as is!
I’m not saying No but a 4 speed pistol grip would make me say Yes a lot faster.
I prefer a 72, the grille and rear bumper were way more attractive. I’m tired of Sassy Grass Green, black wheels and dog dish hub caps.
Very informative ad, for C.L., with maximum number of photos allowed. Does it justify the asking price? I’m not in the market so not exactly sure, but it sure looks nice.
I could take or leave the spoiler. I would keep it if it came from the factory and is placed properly.
No one has commented that the hubcaps are for a Dodge, it’s a small thing, but plain and Plymouth dog dish hubcaps are readily available and inexpensive. I look at this as an unnecessary corner to cut and is usually based on saving a few dollars. When a finishing touch is treated this way it’s a sign that the work on the rest of the car was done that way too. The car is in Buffalo, it would be wise to go over the rest of the car with a fine tooth comb.
Steve R
@SteveR- So you’re saying there might be chicken wing bones under the driver’s seat or a box of prematurely printed Bills Super Bowl t-shirts in the trunk? Go easy on my hometown.
Yep. One of my best friends in high school moved from Buffalo to the San Francisco Bay Area the summer before 9th grade, his dad brought an old muscle car with him. He didn’t realize the quantity of rust free muscle cars that were available. Remember GM built muscle cars in Fremont, Ford built Mustangs a Fairlanes in San Jose. His dad soon realized he was better off replacing his existing car with something local.
All I knew about Buffalo prior to that was the OJ Simpson plated for their football team.
Steve R
Be a warm cruise with no AC.
This is a cool ride(after the AC gets installed) cruising in a sassy green roadrunner. I would try to get the original rear window louvers it really sets off the car really well with everything else on it. Definitely stand out at the cruises that’s for sure. But I wonder what year that 440 came from? Is it stamped HP next to the distributor? Also it’s should be Hemi orange. 71 was the last year they use that color . 72 and up went with corporate blue. I wonder what the compression ratio is….. But I’m pretty sure this roadrunner screams when you punch it! That’s a fair price for a turn key and go to a cruise. Somebody is going to be lucky getting this sweet ride. 🐻🇺🇸
Must be the std/base steering wheel here.