It is common for a particular model or genre of car to gain additional safety features, and optional extras as buyer tastes evolve. The muscle car sector wasn’t exempt, with many offerings becoming heavier and more expensive by 1968. Plymouth aimed to recapture the hearts and wallets of those seeking a genuinely affordable muscle car devoid of the “bells and whistles” that add cost and weight. The fruit of their labor was the Road Runner, and this 1969 example looks like it could be a diamond in the rough. The seller is candid about its condition, admitting it needs a total restoration. However, it is far from a lost cause and represents a potentially rewarding project build. Located in Omaha, Nebraska, you will find this Plymouth listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has raced to $11,100, but this remains short of the reserve.
The seller admits that they bought this Road Runner as it currently stands, but they feel that they will never reach the point where they will tackle the restoration. Therefore, they would rather see it head to a new home than sit in a workshop deteriorating. They believe that it wears most of its original Code R4 Performance Red paint. It is heavily faded and oxidized, and a repaint will undoubtedly form part of this project. The Plymouth originally featured a White vinyl top, but this disappeared many years ago. Rust can be a major drama with these classics, although this car looks surprisingly good. The floors are sound, and the worst problems seem confined to the trunk pan, drop-offs, and rear quarter panels. The seller includes a pair of new quarter panels to give the buyer a starting point in this build. They mention a small area of rust in a passenger side frame rail, which is visible in the supplied photos. The buyer will probably face the expense of sourcing some replacement trim pieces, but it appears that whipping this classic’s panels and paint into shape should not be a tough assignment.
The interior shots tell a fair bit of this Plymouth’s story. As with the exterior, it needs plenty of TLC. However, the lack of carpet helps confirm the solid condition of the floors. The original owner ordered this classic trimmed in White vinyl, but someone later added Red cloth upholstery. It’s pretty trashed, and with a headliner also finding its way onto the shopping list, the buyer faces a total retrim. It is with noting that although it isn’t loaded to the brim with optional extras, it has some of the more desirable ones. These include the original bucket seats and the factory AM radio/8-track player. It is common to see the 8-track disappear in preference for more modern alternatives, so this one remaining intact is a genuine bonus.
The 1969 Road Runner was one of those rare models with no genuinely slow offering within the range. This car features an entry-level 383ci V8 producing 335hp, a three-speed TorqueFlite transmission, and power steering. If the original owner had pointed this classic at a ¼ mile, it would have despatched the distance in 14.7 seconds before winding its way to 130mph. The seller admits that this Plymouth doesn’t run, but it may not be all bad news. It is a numbers-matching classic, and the motor turns freely. They removed the fuel tank but haven’t attempted to coax the V8 back to life. That is a positive from my perspective because that allows the buyer the chance to inspect everything thoroughly before hitting the key. It may only take some rudimentary maintenance and fresh fuel to have the 383 singing, but the buyer will probably elect to pull the motor to detail everything as part of a high-grade restoration.
Launching a new model into any crowded market segment is a risk, but that was what Plymouth elected to do with the Road Runner in 1968. It was a calculated risk but was one that paid handsomely. First-year sales were more than double the company’s original projections, with 44,599 cars finding a home before the model year ended. The upward trajectory continued in 1969, with the sales total climbing to an extraordinary 84,420 vehicles. More than 50% were the Hardtop version like our feature car, and many have since succumbed to the double whammy of hard living and significant rust issues. This Road Runner has avoided those perils, and returning it to its former glory should not be difficult. If the buyer achieves a high-quality finish, the car could generate a potential value of $40,000. Depending on the price when the hammer falls, this could be a rewarding project from both a motoring and financial perspective. It could be worth watching this auction if a Mopar muscle car is on your Wish List.
Nice but to much work for my budget.
Clean it up real good, do whatever it needs to be mechanically sound, which shouldn’t cost too much, and drive it. They don’t ALL need to be show cars that never get driven, especially a plain 383 auto RR.
I agree, this would be a great for a anyone that grew up watching The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show & has always wanted a beep-beep horn car.
First car I bought on my own was a 1970 Plymouth Road Runner. Yellow over black with the Daytona stripe. 440 6 Pack. It was 13 years old and I was 17. The perfect car for a high school kid in 80s Los Angeles. My cheerleader gf loved it. Her father not so much. Sold it when I moved to Knoxville for university. Still miss it sometimes lol
Why would your old man let you buy a car like that to use as a teenager? My old man hemmed and hawed when I wanted to buy a 217 flat head six in an old Plymouth. Besides, how does a 17 year old in the 80s pay for insurance with a 440.6.? Back then they were not collectable cars that Hagerty lets you insure for 300 bucks a year, they were an insurance agents wet dream. I know I didn’t let my son go any where near a performance car as a teenager, just to dangerous. And by the time he was around used performance cars actually handled pretty good. A big block 69 Plymouth?
Maybe he was a hard working, level headed ,responsible kid ? And Insurance companies dont ask how many carburetors your car has , so that comment isnt even relevant , they ask how many cylinders and judge from that. When I was 18 I had a 318 Duster totaled by a drunk driver and I replaced it with a Duster 340 – my insurance rates didn’t change . True , a car called a Road Runner was going to be more money insurance wise, but it wouldn’t matter if it was a 383 or a 440 car.
Bone, more likely he lied about the engine. Can’t lie about the VIN, that says RR. Responsible? A 17 year old kid who is responsible isn’t going to own a car like this. But, my biggest point is about his old man. What kind of father lets a young person own this much temptation. I know, a lot of young people had cars like these, but I also remember many of my generation going to the great hereafter because of them. If Nam didn’t get you, something like this often did.
Had a lot of experience with these cars,better buy a gas station to go with it. Used to watch the needle on the Guage drop to empty while driving. ⁹
That rr looks like a great project,body is good,floors are very nice. Its even got orignal drive train-a rebuild ,if it dont need any thing major. I agree put together and drive it ,take it to a show and shine,