The budget-minded Plymouth Road Runner was a muscle car introduced in 1968. Sales would quickly peak at 82,000 units in 1969 as the B-body was a companion to the upscale GTX model. This “bird” is a two-owner car, and it appears the seller had been working on it, removing the engine/transmission, and doing some body work. Located in Auburn, Washington, this once hot Mopar is available as a project for $16,000 here on craigslist. Tipster “Curvette” keeps us busy with great tips like this!
Chrysler stroked a couple of big checks to license the Warner Brothers cartoon likeness of the Road Runner and Coyote for its 1968 extended move into performance cars. And for the development of a horn that went “Meep Meep,” just like the Road Runner said. The first generation (1968 to 1970) attracted more than 167,000 buyers, usually youthful drivers who didn’t have the budget for a GTX. A 383 cubic inch V8 was standard in the 1969 Road Runner.
The seller says he/she has the original engine for this bird, but doesn’t mention its displacement. Nor is the status of its automatic transmission mentioned. We’re told the body is largely rust-free, and the advent of grey primer on the front clip suggests it may have been swapped. We’re guessing the original color of the car was Sunfire Yellow, with a dark green or black vinyl top and matching green interior.
From the photos and limited description, perhaps this car is less of a project than many we’ve seen. Sort out the drivetrain, finish working on the body, and add carpeting to the interior after you sew up the front bench seat. The lack of information about the engine has us curious. We assume it’s a 383, but what if it’s something more potent?
Road Runner arguably the best bang for the buck base model ever offered.🏁🏆
For just $16k, and if you put another $40K into it, (you’re gonna need a lot of pricey parts here, and an expensive paint job, eventually), you’ll have a $30k car.
$16k is a very good buy. Car looks solid and the interior is way above average. I’d dump a used engine/trans in it and drive it.
Mystery motor? The ad says it comes w/matching numbers engine, and the hood call-out clearly shows “383,” so that most likely solves the mystery. The original trans, judging by the shifter, would be a 727 TorqueFlite. The main thing is that he has the original 383, hopefully not greatly overbore or otherwise badly damaged, and hopefully complete. Looks like a bare-bones order: column shift, bench seat, manual steering and brakes. But someone checked the vinyl roof option. Looks like a fairly straight body and clean floor pan. Worth restoring this econo Road Runner.
If the seller has the “numbers matching motor”, why not include a picture of it and the other parts? The upholstery is in good condition, and the body appears to be mostly solid, but there are a lot of questions about what the buyer gets for $16k.