This Road Runner sat for 30-years following the death of its original owner. It has now been revived and is looking for a new home where someone will restore it to its former glory. It will require some restoration work, but it is a car that appears to have solid bones. Located in Molino, Florida, it is listed for sale here on eBay.
Rust in this Plymouth is actually pretty minimal. There is plenty of surface corrosion, but actual rot is fairly limited. There is a small amount in the floors, along with a small amount in the hood and in the very bottom of the quarter panels. There are plenty of photos showing underneath the car, and while there is a coating of surface corrosion, things actually look fairly reasonable. One thing that may have assisted in this area is the fact that it looks like the car had some form of long-term oil leak, and this may have inadvertently offered some protection. The car is also fitted with Centerline wheels, and nearly new Mickey Thompson tires.
Apart from the door trims, which look to be pretty good, the rest of the interior will require restoration. The radio fitted isn’t original, while I’m also having some difficulty working out one aspect of the gauges. Where you might expect to see the tachometer on the right side of the cluster, there’s a gauge that I can’t identify. I’m trying to work out whether it is an aftermarket tach, or if it is something else. Any ideas?
It’s amazing how well, and how relatively easily, some cars are to revive after a long hibernation. The owner dragged this Road Runner out after it had been sitting for 30-years. He fitted a new gas tank, a new pickup, new filler neck, rebuilt the carburetor and changed all of the fluids. That mighty, numbers-matching 383 then kicked into life and is said to run like a dream. There is a mystery with this car though. One of the photos shows an engine block that appears to have been freshly honed and is fitted with shiny new pistons. I’m not sure whether that is an additional engine that comes with the car, because judging by the paint on the block, it is not the engine that is currently fitted to the car.
Yes, this Road Runner needs a full restoration, but it is a car that seems to be worth the effort. As a complete, solid, numbers-matching car, it has attracted its fair share of attention. Bidding has been extremely strong and has pushed up to $7,400, with the reserve having been met. Do we have any other bidders out in our Barn Finds community?
My Favorite “Meep,Meep” ! Next up would be the 68 R/T.
Body is surprisingly good. I grew up in this area, and between the nearby beach and the even closer “paper mill”, car bodies and paint jobs really suffered. If I were still there I’d be all over this one, at least at the present price.
On the gauge in the dash, it might be an oil pressure gauge, someone put one in a 69 I owned, it for quite nicely.
Pretty rare to see factory A/C on a RR
Certainly worthy of a restoration…
I’m not a resto expert,but it looks like this RR has no factory a/c.just someone put the compressor on it,I only see heater hoses,no provisions for a evap core…ijs
You may be correct, the controls look wrong for an air car, I grew up in an air conditioned 69 bird.
In the eighties I saw more Super Bees than Road Runners, heard more old stories of street racing about ‘Bees, and almost bought a Super Bee off a classic car lot back then. The few Road Runners I do remember were full on quarter milers that roared down the track with open headers or .,.cars like this in rough shape. That was back then when these werent even twenty years old yet.
These just looked like a problem child, start throwing in the 440 six pack or Hemi and you had some serious muscle! Like the centerline’s by the way.
The gauge in the instrument panel look to me like an oil press. gauge. I feel that it could have been a factory air cond. vehicle. If one looks at the under hood photo, note the 2 holes under the voltage reg. slightly towards the drivers side. Also the a/c comp. seems to have the “right” amount of dirt and rust as the rest of the engine compartment.The seller seemed to make a point of showing a close up of the a/c comp as well. However I see no sign of the a/c condenser in front of the rad. Other odd things are seller states “383 # matching” yet could not show the engine # stamp pad or the “trim tag”. I would think a seller named “moparisking” would have a clue or 3, especially after 600+ e-bay listings