This 1971 Plymouth Satellite may have begun life as an ordinary family car. The VIN decodes it as having had a 318 cubic inch V8 from the factory. But today, it wears older Road Runner identification and a 400 engine under the hood. The machine may not have moved in a dozen or more years, but at one time it could be found turning times out at the local drag strip. Located in Broomall, Pennsylvania, this fallen angel needs a lot of help or it could serve as a donor for another project. It’s available here on eBay where the opening bid of $11,000 is elusive.
The Road Runner was quite a hit when it debuted in 1968, but demand declined in the 1970s. Muscle car interest was squashed by rising insurance premiums and engine detuning for lower emissions. In 1971, more than 63,000 Satellite coupes in various trim levels were built, compared to about 14,000 Road Runners in the same body configuration. Since the latter was apparently more available, someone decided to turn this Satellite into a Road Runner clone, complete with black strobe stripes.
To augment the tribute, this car sports a hood with 383 decals and an engine with a 383 air cleaner element. Yet, the seller tells us the motor is really a 400 and the car was capable of delivering quarter-mile runs at 16 seconds back in the day. The paint used to be Hemi Orange, one of Chrysler’s Hi-Impact colors back then. But the undercarriage and external sheet metal are rather rusty from sitting outside for what could be as long as 14 years.
One of the windows was broken years ago, which explains why the interior has deteriorated rather badly. The steering box was removed as part of an earlier restoration attempt that may not have gotten far (but it was kept and comes with the car). Despite its condition, we’re told the Mopar has only had two owners in its 53 years. If you bought the automobile, would you restore it as a Road Runner clone, go back to a Satellite, or try to find useful parts for another endeavor?
Bits of 1972 on the front center between the hood and bumper (1971 had a Plymouth emblem instead of the round one that is there). Sadly, I think this one may be ready to be reborn as Toyota fenders, I am not sure there is enough here to make a whole car if it has really been sitting on dirt for 14 years. Many of these were gone when they were daily driven for 14 years, and for the driven cars at least you had air circulating to dry out the bottom every day.
Restore the old B body and make a tribute! I’d add a 5 speed and third pedal. Loud pipes and some bucket seats.
Why……
Do people let vehicles do this…..
I will never understand….
$11k??????????????? hahahahahahaha!!!!
Decent old piece for what’s out there these days. All the best ones have been scooped up by the modern day money. I am looking for one last project as I’m in my mid 60’s. Had these cars back in the day for much less money and far better shape. I suppose myself and people my age are and have been priced out by the people with sick money. Good for them. But they’ve raised the prices to a ridiculous level, and so many people that just love the classics, can’t get in the game. So I hope the best to any and all that buy these and get them on the road again. Take care my automotive friends.
Even humpty dumpy giving the old side at this one. Pieces parts a boat load of money to end up with what? Upside down and sinking. Error in the price listing maybe? 1100 might be worth it. Nah pass !
11k is a sheep price to pay for a Non RR, albeit a Satellite. If I had this, gut the engine and all mechanicals from the vehicle and make it into a an ev. Is been done by a fellow Texan in the eastern part of the state and is very powerful
Sad to view. SOS Graveyard Carz. Save me!
I’d restore it as mine ! Fresh rust repair and paint maybe a mini tub and a nice set of wheels and tires . A fresh rebuild on the motor and a few mods on the interior nothing crazy but a lot of preformance .
This is sad to see. I had a ’72 Satellite Sebring Plus with a 318 ci 4 brl and although it couldn’t outrun a 440, it had all the power the car needed to go from 0 to 60 in a flash and cruise down the road endlessly. It was loaded with all the goodies available including cruise control. I loved the ’71 / ’72 Satellite body style with the blacked out grille and liked the ’72 taillight style much better than the ’71. I put well over a 150K miles on it with nothing but regular maintenance and then handed it off to a female friend who drove it for many years as well until if finally needed work on it, which she couldn’t afford and traded it in on something else. I wished I had never let go of it. Nothing else I had afterward was as stylish and so much fun to drive. The 318 was so easy to rebuild when it finally came to that, which I did with my ’64 Dodge Polara and is what I should have done with the Satellite and kept driving it. Lessons learned… — This car at auction should never have been gutted and modified and then left to rot. What a crying shame!
Why didn’t they think about selling it years ago before letting it set out and rot down. With the shape its in now I couldn’t see giving more than a couple thousand at most. It’s gonna take a mint to restore it and lots of time.
Ended with no takers and then relisted at the same price.
Seller must want to hold on to this fright pig.
Shame. This car needs everything. You would think the seller would learn. If you don’t get $11K the first time, Why would you get it the second time? You will never do anything with it and it is a clone. Not even real. Throw it out there for reasonable money so someone can afford to save it. Looks like someone did a good job faking it the first time so I would just keep it that way.
No bids… people actually coming to their senses, maybe?