By 1972, interest in muscle cars had waned and Plymouth only built 6,860 Road Runner that year, including the more upscale GTX, no longer a series of its own. So, finding one of these cars is getting harder to do, much less two. But that’s what we have here, two for the price of one. Both autos have been in storage for years, one indoors and one outside. The assumption here is that you could rebuild one good car out of the pair. Located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, these ‘Birds are available here on eBay where the bidding holds at $7,150.
The seller says he’s had both these cars for “longer than he can remember.” Fortunately for one of the ’72 Road Runners, it’s been inside at least part of this time. We’re guessing the one indoors, referred to as the “purple car,” is the better of the two as the one outside looks to have fared poorly over time. One of them has a clean title whereas the other will come with a bill of sale.
INSIDE CAR
This is likely the purple one, but years of dust and dirt have covered up the color. The body looks decent except for a rust hole by the rear window. The seller has a spare trunk lid for that car, and we’re told the grille on this vehicle is nearly perfect. It should have the 440 cubic-inch V8 that the seller mentions, and it was new at the time it and the transmission went into the car (sometime after 1996, we guess). However, a 440 motor wasn’t an option for the Road Runner in 1972, so this powerplant is not original to the car. We’re also told it has a Dana 60 rear differential that has been narrowed and set up for mini tubs.
OUTSIDE CAR
Only 2,360 Road Runners were built with a 340 engine in 1972, so if that motor number-matching, it would be one rare ‘Bird today. We’re told this Plymouth is a high-optioned car, still has its fender tag, and is the machine with the title. The interior of this car is far worse than the other one and looks to be a total mess. A bunch of parts will go with the deal and the seller will help sort them out and assist in loading the cars onto a trailer, estimating it will take most of a day to get done.
Do you agree with the seller in that you could end up with one good car out of two, or do you just have two parts cars here at best? Given the bidding, it looks as though the interested parties see it the same way as the seller does.
The 440 was an option in ’72, if you got the GTX option on the car. You mentioned it earlier in the listing. It also came with some beefed up suspension and I think 3 small GTX emblems
Correct, and the only way you got a 440 with a Dana was with an 18-spline Hemi 4-speed…or “Track Pak” as it was called. This was the last year that you could get a 440 with a 4-speed in any car. For ’73 and ’74 the U-code 440HP was available only with the 727 Torqueflight automatic.
I don’t think the interest ever waned as much as Detroit got scared. Anyway, what a shame the way this RR/GTX was left to rot/ I don’t think a guy could ever recoup from the amount of money it would take to get the unique package back into a “bragging rights state.” Maybe Graveyard Cars could do it.