Except for the Pontiac GTO, Plymouth’s Road Runner may be the most memorable mid-size muscle car of the 1960s. Both automobiles took the market by storm and outsold their manufacturer’s original projections. The Road Runner was conceived as a budget-minded entry, one where things like carpeting cost extra. This ’69 Road Runner has only had two owners and is numbers-matching, though the engine is a more recent rebuild. Located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, this powerful Mopar is available here on eBay for $54,900.
Who doesn’t remember the Road Runner’s Warner Brothers cartoon graphics and the “beep beep” horn? Chrysler got a great return on its investment of $50,000 for the Coyote tie-in and the $10,000 it cost to develop the noise maker. The 44,000 units built in 1968 quickly turned into 81,000 in 1969, the performance car’s best outing. Dressed up as a 2-door hardtop with a 383 cubic inch V8 and a 4-speed manual transmission, Plymouth dealers sold more than 21,000 units that year. That includes the seller’s beautiful example, one he/she has kept guard over for the past 48 years.
This doesn’t look like an automobile that’s original with 90,000 miles. The body and paint look great, and the interior is tidy everywhere you look. The featured Plymouth retains its build sheet so you should be able to verify every number and option on this Mopar. Apparently, the motor was getting a bit tired, so the seller treated it to a rebuild within the last 3,000 miles and the car’s performance should be enhanced by the presence of the Air Grabber hood/air induction.
The Road Runner was a derivative of the B-body Belvedere, which was redesigned in 1968, the same year the Road Runner was born. The mid-size auto had its last outing in 1975, though it returned the following year as a trim option of the compact Volare. If you’re in the market for a first-generation Road Runner, it might be hard to find one that’s any nicer than this one.
Love the 383. What a bang for the buck motor. Works beautifully w the 4spd or Torq-flite.
Ahh no pistol grip shifter! no go for me.
They weren’t that popular. My roadrunner has a plain ball knobs. Factory original. Have a pistol grip sitting on the shelf since 1986 when I pulled it out of a 72 Cuda. Gave 20.00 for it. Don’t know why I bought it. Had it in my car for two days. Couldn’t stand it. Don’t ask for something unless you’ve tried it first.
I only wish that I still had my 72 Roadrunner. It had the Pistol Grip shifter. I loved it. All the races I had, I Never Miss a Gear.
I’d like to buy that pistol grip, I have a shifter knob collection and I’m missing that one..
Its a joke…
If you HAVEto have one I’m sure I could possibly trade you for a original pistol grip shifter. It’s complete and in perfect condition. What ya got to trade? I’m sure it would look snazzy in a sure. LOL By the way my 70 roadrunner still sets in my garage 35 years. Driven on weekends will never see it on this site. Maybe after I’m dead.
Refer to Uncle Tony pistol grip shifter on Youtube. Tells the difference between pistol grip in the A body vs the E body. Plenty of other info.
came out in 1970
Pistol grip came in from 70 on
Not available until 1970. You could easily install one. Beautiful car. My first car was a 69 RR. 440 had replaced the 383. 4 speed, 4:10 Sure Grip. Zero option car. Manual brakes, manual steering, rubber floor mat. Had an AM radio but unsure if it was an option. It was a bit rough to look at but I loved that car. You could easily take off in 3rd gear.
Pickle Worthy?
When I was in high school’76 you could buy this car for $3000.00 all day
One of my brothers had a ‘68 and a ‘69 model. The ‘69 he bought new and paid $3200 dollars. Both 383 bench seat cars.
My stepdad paid $1300 in 1983 for his,2nd owner…
I was in high school 79-82 and bought one the same year and color for $2200. It wasn’t quite as clean as this one and had the bench seat column automatic, but it did have fresh paint.
I bought my 69 in 1974 for $1,300.00 with 51,000 one owner miles.
Exactly. They were barely $3000 brand new.
In 68, a new high school was built in Hampton VA . The new students were asked to come up with a mascot. It came down to two names,and believe it or not, one of them was the Roadrunners. Didn’t happen. They ended up being the Bruins. The Bethel Bruins. The Roadrunner was very popular in it’s day.You knew someone that owned one . I voted RR.
The coyote duster sticker is missing on the air cleaner.This Road Runner is very clean,cleaner than my stepdads.His is a 383 “B” block auto,red with black interior.Drag raced it for several years,building a 426 low deck using a 440 crank and dome pistons making it 12:5.1 cr.with the setup he had,was running 11.80 1/4 miles,stock curb weight.
Purchased a 1968 RR in 1969 from a Clearwater, FL Chrysler Plymouth car dealer for $2400.
It was darker red, matching interior and a factory painted white roof.
I had the hood and trunk painted white and bottom painted plum crazy.
Looked like a purple car with snow on it. Crazy days.
Than a Tampa custom motorcycle shop hand painted fierce art work on the hood and trunk. Double Crazy days.
Wish I could find that 383 automatic Road Runner.
Burgandy
Former glory :-)
The pistol grip did not come out until 1970.
Beautiful Road Runner!!
It was a option don’t remember what the cost was. Believe it was pricey. When I first got the car I thought I would search junkyards to find all the dealer options for it. After a couple of years I quit and just enjoyed what I had. My dad knew the first owner a true gearhead. Made me promise to only burn premium gas from shell. And to only use Castro oil. Still use shell premium but switched to synthetic Mobil one ten years ago.
According to MoparConnection Magazine, every 4 speed equipped B and E body car had a pistol grip from the factory.
From 1970-up, that is true. The E body didn’t debut till 70.
Thanks, you’re correct. I forgot to include the dates.
I had a gray 69 Road Runner 4-speed with console factory tinted windows and I liked it more than any car or truck I have owned since. And like others said about there past car they liked should have kept it. The pistal grip did not come out until 1970 and I prefer the woodgrain ball shifter
Me too
Beautiful car and probably worth every penny. A rebuilt 383ci ? Sign me up. However – me, personally – I’m not spending $54,000.00 on ANYTHING. Maybe in a year (or two) when the economy PROVES to me , that we’re not going into (or in) a recession, then and only then – will I be ready for my next classic car. This one is beautiful, no doubt. And I would love to have it, especially with the 383 AND a FOUR speed ! BUT, until next year (or so) I’ll have to wait. But good luck to everyone ! Great article.
Although this car shows very well, it lives in Pennsylvania. Pensy Hwy Dept uses rock salt on their roads, so I’d give a very good (crawl under that car) exam UNDER that car to seek out the tin worm, ya know?
Have you even looked at the eBay listing? 90k miles on a 54 year old car that’s been owned by the same person and garage kept since 1975. There’s not even a spec of dirt or sign of wear anywhere, let alone any corrosion.
Beautiful car and kudos for hanging onto it for this long! That’d about be like giving up one of your children after this long together! GLWTS!!!
— Fellow I was in High school with bought the near identical car in May of 1969 in this green. It was a bench seat, very base model 383 but did have carpeting, 4 speed with round ball shifter, AM radio, these wheels as shown, and the standard hood without the cold air intake. His was a 4 bbl car with a mere 4 delivery miles on it and he paid $3200 cash. There was a convertible in B5 Blue, white interior, automatic, buckets sitting next to it as a dealer demonstrator and he thought long and hard on getting that instead for like 800 bucks more. The only other Runner our local dealership got that year was a 2 door coupe with solid B pillar, flip out rear windows and a 440. By the end of that week all were gone……
First thing Mike did after getting it home the 40 miles was prowl around looking for the local red, white, blue AMC with 390. And he lost, and lost, and lost again. The other hot car locally was a ’67 – 427 Vette and he had a tough time with that 390 little Rambler as well, but he did get more victories against him than Mike with his Road Runner.
Ahhh the good old days when ETHYL was around 32 cents; I was paying around a quarter a gallon for regular on delivery out to the farm in 200 gallon fills.
Beautiful Runner here for sale, I hope it goes to someone who appreciates and cares for it the way the last owner has …..
Great story, sounds like great memories.
What’s great about a post like this, is the memories it triggers for so many. Even non-Mopar fans bought old Road Runners, just to beat the crap out of. They appealed to a wide range of buyers, mostly single men, living at home with a so-so, if any job, but wanted to go fast on their budget, and they did. Many conned the old man into saying, “but pop, it’s just a Plymouth Belvedere with a stick shift”. In the 70s, I worked with a guy, his name was Bill, had a green ’69 RR very similar to this, only bench seat. It took an enormous amount of abuse, and why so few exist today.
In my usual demeanor, you guys posting your fading memories have GOT to admit, whether you like my views or not, we never in our wildest dreams thought this car would ever be worth $50 grand. It was a tin can, a $500 Belvedere tops, Plymouths lowest offering, that had poor heat, iffy brakes, dangerous handling, plastic door buttons and such,, but boy howdy, it went in a straight line, and back then, that’s all that mattered.
In December 1967, my parents traded in our ‘66 Barracuda for a 1968 silver Roadrunner (I have pics). It had the stock 335-horse 383, with a Torqueflite Auto, (blue bench seat interior (taxi-cab)), pop-out rear windows, and no arm rests in back. It also had a 3:23 rear end (w/posi), factory mags and disc brakes up front. The only other RR on the dealer’s lot that day was canary yellow (think Tweety-Bird), with a 4-speed and black interior (my mom couldn’t drive a standard). Our RoadRunner was a great handling car, but it went through tires every 25-30k (nylon tires, anyone?). I can still hear the starter (Mopar whine), the heat-riser, and that stupid meep-meep horn. I miss that car.
Finding out my cancer is spreading 1Aug23. I want to restore my 68’ RR ASAP. If you can offer any suggestions. Please contact me. Thanks
I can’t believe a person said they would rather have a ball knob shifter instead of the pistol grip in a 4 – speed Mopar muscle car but each individual has their own preference. I’ve been a Mopar fan for 50 year’s and I’ve owned 9 Plymouth Road Runner’s and I have 2 Road Runner’s in 1 of my garages now. I have a 1970 that I’ve owned for 22 year’s and a 1971 that I’ve had for 19 year’s. Both car’s have the short pistol grip shifter and I like them more than the long pistol grip. This 1969 that’s up for sale seems to be a nice car and if it’s what the owner is stating it’s worth the$55000.00 Great article and a great ride. By the way I do like the T – handle shifter in this car.
Agree with you 100%. Pistol grip was the coolest shifter handle ever and made Mopars a legend from 70-up as it was so unique.
I own 22 manual cars. They all have ball shifter handles. For me I shift quicker with the ball. Learned to drive on a 66 ford pickup with a ball shifter. Everybody is different. I APPRECIATE the pistol grip. That’s why I still own it. Just don’t want it in my roadrunner. Looking for a 66 Plymouth fury to build that’s where it will live. Just found a clean 400 block. Going to build a 440 rn block up. I already own a Nash 5 speed for it won’t be original but it will be what I want. A car born the same year as me with what I consider the perfect car. What do you think
I agree with you Trent and to each his own. Love the ’65-’66 Furys as well and kudos to you! I have a 67 Dart myself and that is the year I was born too! Good luck with your search!
My car is far from original, mini-tubbed, frame connectors, etc. Installing the 4-speed hump now and going to install a 408 small block with big and Littles all around.
Holy crap!!!! What you running in quarter. We should definitely get together sometime. You sound like a guy I should get to know. Did you do the work yourself? I’m a good mechanic a lousy bodyman. Do you like mitsubishis working on a 99 sypder right now. Bout finished. Don’t know if I’ll sale it for the fury what do think
Good morning folks,
I am wondering if the person that has this car and if it’s still for sale would they send me a email. All the best everyone.
Dale