1969 would be the high-water mark in sales for the first-generation Road Runner. Plymouth sold more than 81,000 of them, but fewer than 800 came with the 440 V8 and 6-Pack set-up (M-code). With this engine and transmission combination – along with a A4 silver paint job from the factory – the seller has identified only four known survivors – including this car. But it’s going to take vision (and a lot of it) to bring this car back from the brink. And a large bank account, too. Located in Lenexa, Kansas, this second-year bird is available here on eBay where the bidding has hit $5,900, but the reserve is still out there. Larry D gets points for bringing this tip our way!
The Road Runner was Plymouth’s answer to the budget muscle car. First generation models ran from 1968-70, before the market started to dip due to rising emissions controls and hungry insurance companies. In 1969, you could get a Road Runner in three body styles (coupe, hardtop and convertible) with three engine choices: 383 4-barrel V8, 440 3×2-barrel, and the king of the performance motors, the 426 Hemi. While 81,105 Road Runners rolled off the assembly line in 1969, 46,847 were hardtops like the seller’s car. 797 of those had the M-code 440 6-Pack engine, but just 375 had the TorqueFlite automatic. Neither the engine nor the transmission are now original to this car, but correct replacements may to be there instead.
The seller provides photos of the VIN plate, fender tag (removed) and block tag. A prior owner of the car blew up the motor and decided to cut the core supports in order to remove the engine (???). That resulted in four hood pins instead of two required to help keep the hood from flying off. A friend had a spare A12 block so that’s what replaced the original. But there are no photos of the engine compartment to show us what’s actually there, which we assume does not run. Instead, a photo is provided of the 6-pack set-up and related parts on a table. The car is said to have a non-matching automatic tucked in there now.
Whoever buys this car is going to keep his body man busy as rust is what’s holding it together in some places, mainly the rear quarters. And the last few inches of the passenger side rear quarter have been cut off entirely (or fell off). The seller says the frame is good, but the supplied photos at least have to make that claim suspect. The rear window has parted company with the rest of the machine. We don’t see much of the interior, but what’s there looks to be either rusty or stripped away. Hagerty pegs top dollar for a stellar example of a ’69 Road Runner to be $66,000, but the rarity of the M-code would normally add a premium. Is this car worth what you’d have to go through to get to a presentable stage once again?
Rough? This dog is ruff.
Likely VIN donor rather than a viable project car.
Steve R
That sounds illegal, you do stuff like that?
Nice to see you back trolling with a new user name.
Steve R
I agree, this one was parted out years ago and has sat in a junkyard for decades. If this car was sitting in New England as long as this one has in Kansas , theres be nothing left of it !
Some lowly Belvedere is going to be a silver Road Runner in the future
Looks like this one has Run its last Road…
Looks like Wile E. Coyote actually caught this RoadRunner.
ACME rust bomb went off inside this car right before it was stored in the Atlantic Ocean…..
“Needs all the normal metal”? More like needs ALL the metal.
Felony to remove the VIN plate here in NY state. You can change a damaged cowl but if a different VIN is attatched you must leave it there. No kidding, even changing the drivers door of a older car or the cab of a pickup you cannot swap the VIN. Technically the state DMV should examine it and issue a new VIN .
Its a felony everywhere I’d bet, but it still happens and if done well , theres a good chance no one would be the wiser.
Still don’t know where the Mopar guys get there weed. Cause damn, got to be good stuff.
don’t laugh, they ‘bring ’em back’. Just not U or I. THOSE are usually Not “for the money”. W a y more than just sales concerns in the the resto crowd ( B it on or off shore makes, muscle or not, etc).
That rear deck has odd shaped holes for speakers. I had a 70 that I put an aftermarket under dash 8-track in and I seem to recall having 2 6×9 holes for speakers in it. Am I recalling that correctly?
That is correct speaker tray, I just did a 70…which all 68-70 are the same
My 1970 Satellite had like you say.
Rough is the first thought, but rare equals someone will bring this back, likely with a donor.
BTW Russ, ALL M-Code cars had lift-off hoods so they came equipped with the 4 hood pins…
Yes this is one for the artificial reef program.Maybe they could sell the idea to a ex Pontiac lover for a upcoming swiss cheese project.
Sadly I like Mopars almost as much as FORDS up to when they too got a severe case of the uglies around 73! but the MOPAR CANCER CASTLES always scared the moths out of my wallet!
No that one is way to gone total junk. 1 or 2k total. Seriously what’s really left?
Um in the barnfind description. All 6 bbl Road Runners used four hood pins not two. Lift off hood.
So sad.
A shame this has turned into
More
Old
Parts
And
Rust
Insane: Someone has bid $13,800 on this crap.
Even more Insane: It hasn’t met reserve yet.
440 six pack car with a 120 MPH speedo?…… My 69 GTX had 150 MPH speedo
I’d check this car out very carefully before I bought it.
Roadrunners were given the taxi cab dash, GTX’s got the deluxe round gauge dash.