UPDATE 08/10/2021: It seems that the owner of this immaculate 1969 Plymouth GTX 440 had no luck selling it last time, so he has taken an unusual approach on his second attempt to find himself a buyer. Last time, he listed it with a BIN of $46,000, but he has upped the ante by increasing the BIN to $46,900. That change hasn’t prevented an impressive 127 people from adding this classic to their watch list. If you find yourself tempted by this gem, you will find it listed for sale here on eBay.
Finding a classic car for sale that has emerged from years of seclusion in a barn is the stuff of dreams for many people. Finding a spotless classic that has spent years on display in a museum could be the next best thing. That is the story behind this 1969 Plymouth GTX, and the time has come for this gem to head to a new home. Not only does it present superbly, but it is ready to hit the road once again with a lucky new owner behind the wheel. If you find yourself tempted by this prospect, you will find the GTX located in Macomb, Michigan, and listed for sale here on eBay. The owner has set the BIN for the Plymouth at $46,000. I’m not surprised that there are already 101 people watching the listing.
It’s hard to know where to start with this GTX, but it is also hard to find anything about its appearance of which to be critical. It wears Ivy Green paint with a Black vinyl top, and both the paint and vinyl appear to be in first-rate condition. There is no evidence of patchiness or inconsistency in the paint, while the top is as-new. The panels are laser straight, and the gaps seem to be pretty consistent across the entire vehicle. The owner makes no mention of rust issues, and there are no problems visible in the supplied photos. The original owner ordered the GTX with tinted glass, which appears to be flawless. The trim and chrome sparkle as magnificently as the paint, while the Magnum 500 wheels and fresh BF Goodrich tires add the perfect finishing touch to the exterior.
Buyers in 1969 had a choice of two engines when they ordered their new GTX, and while many people will focus on the Hemi option, the 440ci V8 was no slug. This one should be punching out a healthy 375hp, which finds its way to the rear wheels via a 3-speed TorqueFlite transmission. The original owner also chose to equip this Plymouth with power steering and power brakes. The Hemi-equipped cars were the fastest of the bunch, but this car’s ability to storm the ¼ mile in 14.2 seconds is nothing to be sneezed at. If the driver is willing to keep their right foot buried, the GTX should eventually run out of breath at 132mph. The owner doesn’t expressly state that this classic is numbers-matching, but that’s the impression you get from the listing. He says it has 56,000 genuine miles on the clock, but he doesn’t indicate whether he holds verifying evidence. However, he does say that it is ready to hit the road for a spot of cruising, which is something for the buyer to look forward to with eager anticipation.
This Plymouth’s interior is original and unmolested, and its condition is in keeping with a car that has spent an extended period as a museum piece. The dark green vinyl upholstery on the seats is perfect, with no signs of wear or physical damage. The carpet is equally as impressive, while the dash and pad continue this theme. It is not an interior loaded to the brim with optional extras, but the bucket seats, AM radio, and the factory tachometer are all worthwhile appointments.
For my money, justice has been served with this 1969 Plymouth GTX. While it is always a wonderful experience to see pristine classics like this preserved in a museum, that was never the intention of the designers or the manufacturers. Those people intended these beasts to be driven and enjoyed. That this car has emerged from a museum and is set to return to active duty seems right to me. Treat it with respect during that process, but the open road is where these classics belong. Do you agree?
The nada book has this car in this condition listed in the 60k range so the asking price isn’t crazy. If everything checks out it may well be a decent investment. My only concern would be that the car has sat around so long. A mandatory going over would be a needed before driving seriously on the road. Wish I had the cake I’d be interested in checking this mopar out. Somebody will get a nice car.
I would rather have a museum car than a barn find. Many (not all) museums start them regularly and give them some level of maintenance. Nearly all keep them clean and there generally isn’t a rodent problem.
“The Gentleman’s Muscle Car”.
I agree with Doug from MD. time to change all the fluids, hoses and belts, plus do the brakes prior to any serious driving.
Curious. Is the Hammer Hamilton,On
Barrett Jackson price. For a bench seat column shift car. Prices are crazy anymore. And nada should just give it a rest.
nada means nothing, afterall…
Actually, bucket seats. No console.
Ya, it’s a bucket seat car, all GTX’s we’re bucket seat cars, I think that’s a buddy seat….
14.2 in the 1/4 mile? That is to slow for 440 road runner is it not? I read some where the 440 RR was a low 13 sec. car and was the quickest mopar in stock form, then in other articles it was the Hemi Cuda was the fastest, so it depends on what road test you read as to what was the quickest, but it was faster than 14.2. If I’m all wrong about this you guys will surely let me know, but realize this comes from the old mind of a chevy guy, so…
Took this off Automibile Catalogue so take it for what it’s worth.
1969 Plymouth GTX 440 Hardtop 4-speed (man. 4) detailed performance review, speed vs rpm and accelerations chart
Complete performance review and accelerations chart for Plymouth GTX 440 Hardtop 4-speed (man. 4) in 1969, the model with 2-door hardtop coupe body and V-8 7206 cm3 / 439.7 cui, 279.5 kW / 380 PS / 375 hp (SAE gross) engine offered since September 1968 for North America . According to ProfessCars™ estimation this Plymouth is capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 5.3 sec, from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.6 sec, from 0 to 160 km/h (100 mph) in 14.2 sec and the quarter mile drag time is 14 sec. Below we present more detailed data of the factory claimed performance and the ProfessCars™ estimation, including all detailed acceleration times, with comprehensive graphic illustration, top speed, accelerations on gears, speed vs rpm and overtaking times.
Looks like a 3-speed TorqueFlite transmission to me, not a 4-speed manual.
The only gear ratios available with the Dana 60, which was standard with 440 4spd cars were 3.54 and 4.10, all equipped with limited slip. It’s likely an automatic equipped GTX would have come with a 3.23 which could have been an open differential. Those are the sort of differences will show up on the time slip.
Steve R
A LOT of the performance figures found online are just computer generated based on car weight and HP. I would trust car magazine reviews from the period a lot more!
The asking price is certainly reasonable. Considering this car was maintained in an optimal indoor storage environment. And with that in mind I’d wager this car is in exceptional condition with a few minor cosmetic items that need addressed. Beautiful GTX.
Why leave the museum? Is it possible there is failing interest in cars like this? If so, what is the long term investment potential? It would have been a nice gesture to sell it for a tenth of the ask to some 60 year old that has been salivating over this car for years. Instead, it will go into someones vast private collection and will only be seen again at the estate sale.
Museums of all kinds routinely rotate their displays, which means they sell off what is now excess. The alternative would be that former displays from that point forward would be condemned to an eternity in a warehouse. What good does that do?
Many items donated are sold as part of their fundraising protocol without ever going on display.
Steve R
Maybe they are selling it to make room for tuner cars
Something a lot of people don’t realise if a car has just been in storage for a long time you will need to do all of the seals, pinion, axels even the steering box and engine seals etc. I bought a Galaxie off of a friend who had had it stored in his big shed/barn and on the test drive the seal actually fell out of the steering box, I had a feeling things like that would happen so if you can’t do that yourself be prepared to have it all done.
This reminds me of being 18 years old and looking at a 7 year old 1969 B-5 blue GTX convertible with white top and interior in absolutely beautiful condition for $2500. I really wanted it but a little voice in my head asked how I was going to pay for all of the gasoline the 440 was going to swallow. (not to mention the insurance) Did I really want to subject such a beautiful car to the indignities of daily commuting to school and work. No way could this be an everyday driver. It would have to be a well tended toy that spent most of its time in a garage. Forget it. I wasn’t living that kind of life.
The point is that a car like this is now a museum piece. It was always impractical transportation even when gas was cheap er. If you have the wherewithall to collect stuff like this, congratulations. Not me.
That 69 GTX convertible was beautiful and I would have been able to enjoy it for about one summer before having to sell it.
I know what you mean Paolo, In 1978 or 79 I had the chance to buy a 69 GTX , Brown with a black venal top and interior. Less then 20k on it and it was a 426/4-speed. Same 2500.00 price tag.
Nice clean GTX that would draw attention and thumbs up wherever it went, local shows, cruise night, Sunday afternoon cruise….or just screaming down some road in a cloud of tire smoke.
Yes, a lot of attention goes to the Hemi powered versions….more nowadays then back then judging by the sales, but the high performance 440 will get things exciting. As for 14.2 in the quarter mile I believe it. That was pretty good for an off the lot musclecar of this size, not a lot of 13 second cars and twelves required some tools and better traction. True, I’ve seen mid thirteens for a stock 440 six pack Road Runner reported, driver skill and track set up of course.
GTX, no, it’s not a gentleman’s muscle car. None of them were.
I think Motor Trend was reporting 14.something second 1/4 miles back in the day for a stock 1971 440 equipped Road Runner with 4 speed and street tires. You can check further regarding the 69 GTX.
The 1971 440 had a bit lower compression ratio, it wasn’t much less, but there was a drop.
Actually there is a legitimate true gentlemen’s muscle car: 1970 Buick GS455 Stage 1. Road and Track clocked a 13.39, their fastest ET that year. Starts up instantly, with no high performance glitchiness, and even with the F41 suspension, it rides down the road nearly as comfortable as a Cadillac!
Well Dad had a 1969 Roadrunner 383 automatic power steering, AC + am/fm 8 track, and a open 3.23 rear gear. I have had it almost hide the needle on the speedo with Dad chasing me in a Chrysler 300 with a 440. He asked how the ***** fast was I going! He said the speedo on the 300 was way past 120 and I had ran off from him! Our cousin owned a Chrysler/Plymouth dealership in 1969 Scottsboro Alabama!! So I think the top speed is way off !!
Top speeds on these were limited by drag and gearing. The amount of power needed to overcome drag increases exponentially as you go faster, and the engine typically runs out of RPM without an extra gear. Around 220 hp to the rear wheels with 3:23’s behind a non-OD transmission is going to put it right in the 130 mph range.
Using a speedometer to tell you exactly how fast you are going is not going to yield an accurate result. I know what people thought they saw with these old cars, but the laws of physics don’t bend to nostalgia.
My last 2 cents about how fast a 1969, 440 road runner/GTX was in the day. Check this sight with road test, https://roadtests.tripod.com/ the only car that made into the 12s was a 440 RR as testes by Super Stock Mag.
The 440 six pac is the Road Runner you’re speaking of, and that article says 13’s. The six pac engine was different than the four barrel engine, and not only because of the 3 two barrels.
I didn’t find the Super Stock 12 second test but I did find the Car Craft test I was thinking of:
1971 Plymouth Road Runner (CC)
440ci/390hp, 3spd auto, 4.10, 0-60 – n/a, 1/4 mile – 13.72 @ 101.2mph
Thanks for that link.
It’s the 5th Road Runner test under 1969.
“1969 Plymouth Road Runner (SS)
440ci/390hp, 4spd, 4.10, 1/4 mile – 12.91@ 111.80mph”
It will vary, the stated acceleration times, from one magazine editor to the next, from back then anyways which became the “known” numbers for years. Not all the cars were always in a good state of tune, some editors desk tested some of these cars due to bad weather or no timing equipment, and of course the rare machine that mysteriously came with header pipes, larger diameter exhaust pipes……..and so forth. Not to mention track set up like removing or loosening certain belts, removing the air filter and lid, just to name a very few.
13.7, I believe Cars magazine got out of a ’69 440 six pack Road Runner with the street tires going up in smoke off the line. That was considerably quicker than any 440 4 barrel test number I’ve ever seen published, usually anywhere from high to low 14’s. Another six pack 390 horse RR was good for low 14’s, one had it down at 13.9 at 105 mph. Nobody had one in the twelves back in the day without real work and traction.
I guess the only numbers that really matter are the owners best times.
Dangit I love this car,,
OK, I might have left out a small detail, Ronnie Sox was driving the RR that made it into the 12s that day, so…
Had a 64 Dodge Polara 426 Wedge 375 hp would run mid 14’s With 323 gears and street tires pure stock .
My two cents, car has been sitting and will need a thorough going over. Second didn’t sell so he raised the price?
Just one question for all the magazine racers, you ever drive a quarter mile? There is more to it than just driving your car in a straight line. Some days are better than others, if you’ve done it you know what I mean.
This is fairly common in the real estate world. Don’t understand it there and don’t understand it here. At 46k, this is cheap for a late ’60s Muscle Mopar, so that could suggest hidden issues are keeping buyers at bay.
The owner/ seller isn’t expressly saying the engine is numbers matching, which could certainly affect the price. If I had a 440 RR and it was numbers matching, I would certainly mention it!
Yes, exactly. It’s not as easy to drive that 1/4 miles than most think !
There’s a definite “art” to drag racing in a quarter or eight mile, two similar cars will have quite different numbers…or outcomes, depending on driver skill and experience,
One screw up off the line, missing a gear, over revving/ shifting too soon or too slow….believe me when I say this my art was more like finger painting.
But it sure was fun.
Where are the headrests?