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Rolling Project: 1970 Plymouth Road Runner

By 1970, interest in the muscle car market was starting to wane, thanks in part to the insurance industry. Demand for the Plymouth Road Runner was also affected. Sales would peak in 1969 and then fall by nearly half the following year. This ’70 Road Runner was one of 6,888 built – a pillared coupe with a 383 V8 and TorqueFlite automatic. But the car is now a rolling project with no motor or transmission. That leaves the buyer with a clean sheet to work with. Located in Austin, Texas, this bird is available here on eBay where bidding has reached $5,145.

The Road Runner was a budget muscle car phenom in the late 1960s. If you didn’t have the money to spring for the more upscale GTX, the Road Runner was a great Plan B. They could be ordered with any Chrysler engine from the 383 and larger, including the potent 426 Hemi. Though production was off in the car’s third year (and it’s last in the first generation), Plymouth built 43,404 of the beep-beep machines in ‘70. Of that 14,057 had the 383 V8 and half of those were the coupe with an automatic, like the seller’s car.

Though this Plymouth is mostly primer grey now, the seller tells us it was originally finished in F8 Ivy Green. The seller bought it intending to do a restoration, but COVID got in the way and it’s no longer a priority. Some bodywork has no doubt been performed, including the right rear quarter panel which we’re told was handled poorly and should be redone. The interior is mostly bare, and the floors are nice and shiny, suggesting that new floor pans have been installed.

The original 383 and transmission are long gone, but the car should roll nicely onto a trailer. The buyer can opt to source a period-correct drivetrain or go in another direction. We get the impression that the seller has more in this car than he’s likely to get out of it, i.e. “my loss is your gain.” A top-drawer ’70 Road Runner can tip the scales at $70,000 according to Hagerty. How much would have you to spend on this one to get there?

Comments

  1. Ralph

    Have we not seen this one already?
    Not interested in this car or seller. At this asking price, I hope “his loss” stays his loss.

    Like 3
  2. Todd

    Read the ad, no reserve. Still too much. Sorry.

    Like 4
  3. Chris M.

    When you consider some of those bidders might have the rusted hulk of a complete V code 70 Roadrunner this car might be a bargain to “revive” said rusted hulk. Not that I condone such action.

    Like 1
  4. Gary

    How about a full resto except when you pop the hood at the show, there lays a cute little slant six? I wish I had the money for such foolish fun. The old car culture has gone crazy, both with values and ideation. It needs to be knocked down a few pegs for its own good.

    Like 4
  5. George Mattar

    Total pile of crap. Why must you so called writers at Barn Finds talk about values of cars when restored. Cars were meant to be driven. Any tangible item is only worth what someone is willing to pay. Hagerty is a Johnny Come Lately insurance company and his prices are way over inflated. Concours 70 RRs struggle to reach 70 large.

    Like 1
  6. wsauerhe

    total piece of CRAP-price is too high!!!

    Like 0

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