If you’re a Road Runner fan, this time capsule from 1975 is right up your alley. With only 22k original miles, it looks to be in awfully good shape cosmetically. Even better, every penny of your purchase will be donated to Rawhide, a non-profit that offers residential care and outpatient mental health services dedicated to helping at-risk youth and families.
Now, let’s take a trip down memory lane – to 1975 – when the Road Runner species was on its 3rd generation. As we know, the first and second families had made their place in history – beasts with classic lines, more muscle than brain, and 1970 Superbirds could be seen rumbling around big cities and small towns. Suddenly (and this is my opinion) the 1975 Bird appears – and it’s obvious that it’s the beginning of the end for this lineage. The newly restyled body was big, a bit bloated, and more “formal” than its predecessors.
Don’t get me wrong, this thing still packs a punch – with the title info stating it’s got the 318 cu in (5.2 L) V8 under the hood. That’s the smallest block they made, but with only a few miles on it, you’ve got to believe it’s still got some get up and go. Like all mid-seventies cars, packing on the pounds was popular, and this gem is no exception. Its big. Big. And unlike today’s almost magical creation of space that modern designers have conjured up – this example, found here on eBay, is big in the front and big in the back, with an expansive trunk that makes the full-size spare almost disappear in a corner.
The mustard inspired color looks clean on the outside, with just enough rust underneath to cause a pause. The interior plays off the same color card (the stylists were into yellow and mustard that month), but other than carpet wear, it’s in great shape and has all the plastic faux originals. My favorite touch is the surviving rear Road Runner logo on the back right. If this was my project, I’d have that bad boy tattooed on my left arm (I’ve never had the guts to get one), so I could hang it out the window of my shiny ’75!
Not a survivor IMO, over spray inside the engine compartment (both blue and yellow) tell a completely different tale.
Judging by the firewall and the fresh repaint I would guess this has seen 120K miles, not the 20K as advertised.
Lipstick on a pig…sad to say.
I agree and no AC compressor. I suspect lot going on here and already way over priced.
Does not have the period correct decals either. Should have rear trunk center large road runner decal.
That 22,000 miles must of been all on salt roads….the chassis sure looks rougher than top side and interior….
I think this is a survivor, I cant see anyone hanging new sheet metal and repainting it baby sh@t yellow. Maybe an estate donation. A few hard lines, a floor pan, soak the under carriage with lube. Could be a respectable driver. I know you cant stop the tin worm, but you can slow it down and enjoy it for a few more years.
I think you are right. It’s not being sold by a dealer, it’s a charity. If you look at their current, as well as completed, they move a lot of cars, motorcycles and boats, most at reasonable prices. If I lived closer, I’d scan their eBay listings on a weekly basis.
Steve R
The bottom of the car can be cleaned and Por-15 http://www.por15.com the entire bottom of the car in Black which is an epoxy based rust stopping preventive paint. This stuff works awesome and this car may have been sitting in a damp environment which will begin rusting on any model vehicle. Cars need to be stored on jack stands in a dry environment with cardboard or plywood underneath to absorb moisture the elevated vehicle allows ample air flow to keep it dry.
I think you’re right, Chris. that rust is too bright. There’s no road grime mixed with oil and things like that. Like it’s been steam cleaned recently and new rust has formed while not being driven.
The interior is too good unless it’s been redone. Not a mark on the driver’s seat.
But that firewall ! Totally crusty and shows a lot more road time than the rest of the car. Something’s
A Road Runner fan, but this is no where near my alley. Let’s just call the 3rd gens “alley oops”.
Mike it is no different than a Torino or Monte Carlo of the area it was a bulky two door but still very solid car
DECALS do not make a ROADRUNNER….the 318 was never in the Roadrunner….it should be a 360…..my guess is that the guy who donated the car took a lot more off his “taxable donation” (via income taxes) than what was really legitimate !
QUICK…..call the IRS on that liar !
Uncle Al, I ordered a 1973 Roadrunner with the 318 with dual exhaust. It did not come in quickly and I was tired of waiting, so my Dad let me chose from the cars already in inventory. I picked a Duster 340 automatic, forest green with a white interior and spacemaker pack. I was quite pleased with my demonstrator that year.
That decal was called the Roadrunner Tunnel and IIRC, was optional. Then in 1976, the Roadrunner moved to the Volare line and came with the 225 /6, 318, or 360.
I wish these guys would just write descriptions of the cars instead of posting their pointy little checklists.
Had a buddy his grandfather owned the Chrysler garage had one. His was a 360 with a four bbl. It ran pretty good too. Nothing like the earlier mopars. His had a real cool road runner design on the back of the trunk.
Its missing the tunnel on the trunk. A friend of mine had a 75 sport fury. Pretty much the same as this road runner. This was a one year wonder and a rare bird. Could do without the 318. Most had it though. 360 would be better but they are hard to find. To find one thats rarer than hens teeth would be to find one with the 400 BB in it.
Very true the 400 would be rare. Did they have a four bbl carb on the 400?
400 and 440’s were available with a 4 Barrel Carter thermoquad through 1978
400 and 440’s were available with a 4 Barrel Carter thermoquad through 1978. These were good carbs as long as the throttle shafts are checked to make sure they don’t need to be rebushed and is tuned properly.
Because the car was basically a Fury, the A38 Police Pkg was available on this Roadrunner via special order. Checking off the A38 box plus one other got you a well-smogged 255HP 440/727 combo (final year was 1975). Only 7 A38 RRs were built for ’75. These 7 cars were the last B Bodies to get the 440, I believe.
A total of 7,194 Roadrunners were built for 1975. Of the total, over half of them received the standard engine, the 318.
The report clearly says the 22k is not actual, and that it’s beyond the mech limits.
Whoever bought this in 75 shoulda bought a older hemi instead I’m sure I’d woulda been way cheaper and a way better investment.
Hemi engines in this era were only available through 1971
Those old 426 hemi’s were never meant for everyday street driving like this car was intended for. Totally different in terms of use.
No one buying one of these in the mid 70s was thinking about an investment, Jimmy.
They were just new cars with go fast trim that aped the muscle car look because the engines could no longer cash the check the former great names were writing.
Plus obscene insurance rates and smog controls had killed the market by 75.
Remember the Ventura based GTO ? The Mustang II Cobra ? The Hornet and Gremlin/Spirit AMXs ? Same thing here.
The 400 was still pretty common in 75. We had a 76 Fury wagon with the 400 and a 2 barrel. It stalled out every time we drove down the hill we lived on where the road evened out at the bottom.
Sounds like the carburetor floats were out of adjustment that will cause stalling on elevation changes
That insulation on the firewall looks scary.
This car really excited me then I got to looking closer. Pity the guy pays 8000 + for this with a 318. This isn’t a muscle car.
Yes chris I understand they coulda bought two or three used hemis for the same money.
Had a Cinnamon brown unmarked police Intercepter with the 360, the torque in that thing was insane! It ended up rusting out where the rear spring shackles mounted up and it ended up poking up into the trunk. The rest of the body looked very solid so that might be a spot a prospective buyer might want to look over.
I like the plain interior with the bucket seats, that’s keeping with the roadrunner tradition! It begs for some real streetable power under the hood, 318 two barrel just doesn’t make it for me, not in a cool old Mopar like this.
Troy, compared to the original Road Runner, the seats and fabric would have been Satellite grade.
The whole point of the Road Runner was to have the most basic vehicle with a big engine and only the essentials in the interior. Even a bench seat.
This 75 RR looks like a low line Cordoba inside.
Wondering if there is much of a difference in gas mileage comparing 318 with a 2 barrel vs. 360/ 4 bbl, especially for everyday driving/cruising?
Fun rig. Brings back memories of my 70s childhood.
Not known for their economy, either of ’em, at least you have would the added power in certain situations with the 360.
Cars defiantly not original! Has a ok repaint. If it really was, it would have that wild road runner graphics on the trunk that was so ugly it was cool. Besides a small road runner emblem on the left of the grill it was the same as Fury. As for the 22,000 miles…. Could be but, id say no becouse ive seen low milage original engines and that one dosnt look the part.
That sure is a funny decal. I don’t remember seeing any of those, but now I know what folks here are talking about.
My first new car was a ’76 Plymouth Sport Fury, black with black buckets and tinted glass, 360 and console. Drove it for 6 years rear springs broke through the trunk, reliable except for the ballast resistors, wish I had it now.
It is apparent that the valve covers and air breather have been repainted at some point in the past. However, you can see that the manifold is pretty grime free. Now, how many here have done an easyoff oven cleaner degreaser treatment on an engine? Yup, I heard this did a wonderful job. Unfortunately I was sloppy on the application and hit most of the firewall, then drove into the carwash. So 25 minute heated soak and then pressure washed. The valve covers peeled instantly as well as all the engines painted surfaces it touched. The breather and firewall looked like this one after a month. Just saying.