Vehicle Description
The first thing that popped into our heads when we laid eyes on
this sinister Plymouth was: "Some cars just drip presence." Now,
that's all well and good unless 'initial draw' doesn't equal
'ultimate impression'. For a car to be truly desirable, that
presence must be founded on quality mechanicals. Well, we can
certainly attest that this magazine-featured beast has colossal
merit to back up its copious presence thanks to a 900 horsepower
Hemi, a tough 727 3-speed and a roster of updated ancillaries that
includes names like Wilwood, Calvert Racing and Gear Vendors. So,
without further ado, here's our latest world-class MoPar!
ROAD RUNNER GTX
The story of this rad Road Runn..err... GTX's second life begins
deep in Michigan, where the car's professional restorer, an outfit
by the name of Dave Dudek Muscle Cars, executed a body-off
nut-and-bolt restoration that literally turned metal into art. Of
course, if you're a hardcore MoPar aficionado, you've probably
heard of Dave Dudek. And if you're a hardcore MoPar fan, you likely
understand why this Plymouth's owner opted to dress his factory GTX
in arguably more timeless Road Runner aesthetics. To truly be seen
in the octane scene, the enthusiast doused his creation in rich
Black Velvet two-stage. And today, this buff Plymouth rolls as a
brutal Drag Week warrior that's just two radials shy of 10.20
quarter passes!
There's just something inherently cool about late 1960s Detroit
metal. It's almost as if the Big Three had struck a perfect balance
between the lavish, hand-tailored designs of the late '50s and the
ubiquitous, content-driven designs of the early '70s. That resulted
in cars that were equal parts style, power AND presence. At the
front of this clean coupe, a black-trimmed Road Runner grille hangs
traditional halogen headlights between a bright bumper, bright
parking lamps and a requisite "PLYMOUTH" header script. Behind that
lettering, familiar Sport Stripes trace a "HEMI" branded hood on
their way to a stainless-trimmed greenhouse. Sculpted fenders hang
factory door handles between a polished driver's mirror and crisp
marker lamps. And at the back of the car, a second bright bumper
splits factory tails, a frame-mount hitch, polished exhaust and a
big decklid that's sprinkled with both Hemi and Road Runner
signage.
572 HEMI
With an incredible 900 horsepower, and enough torque to drag the
Chrysler Building from New York to New Jersey, this Plymouth's 572
cubic inch Hemi is a high-octane MoPar monster that easily
transitions from flattering to flat out scary! At the top of the
mill, a coy Coyote Duster air cleaner dumps breeze into a duo of
750cfm carburetors that feed a lightweight Ray Barton Stage V
intake. That intake feeds fully ported and CNC machined Ray Barton
Stage V heads, which tilt coated Ray Barton valve covers over Trend
pushrods, Ray Barton roller rockers and bronze lifter bore
bushings. Stout 12.5 to 1 compression is created by Diamond
pistons, a COMP roller cam and a 4.5-inch Crower crank. MSD 6AL
ignition sequences fire between a points-style distributor, hot MSD
Super Conductor Plug Wires and a quality MSD Blaster 2 coil. At the
front of that coil, pliable V-belts spin a lucid water pump and a
proven alternator in front of a tough double-roller timing chain.
In front of those ancillaries, a beefy aluminum radiator makes
excellent use of a traditional pulley fan. Ample lubrication is
provided by a Milodon oil pump and a big Milodon oil pan. And
exhaust duties are handled by two serious bundles of headers.
Professionally freshened in 2019, and logging only 100 miles since
that rebuild, the big Mopar Performance 4.5 block does a great job
of going straight at a very high rate of speed! Silky black
two-stage slinks through the whole engine bay, highlighting a clean
firewall and slick fenders. And overall, everything from the car's
quality ARP bolts and retro Chrysler washer tank to its cool Road
Runner horn and billet Moroso breathers, is well planned and well
executed.
DRAG WEEK 10.20s
Crawl under this B-Body and you'll find a solid factory chassis
that's characterized by a roster of 'no compromises' hardware.
Behind the Hemi, a 3,100 RPM Performance Torque Converter kicks a
tough A727 3-speed that's upfitted with a reverse manual valve body
and a trick Gear Vendors overdrive. That dressed gearbox spins a
tough Chrysler 8.75-inch pumpkin that's finished with a Sure Grip
differential and what feels like big, 4.56 gears. That axle pushes
a thoughtfully upgraded rear-clip, which strings adjustable Calvert
Racing shocks and between aftermarket leafs and CalTracs-style
traction bars. A factory front-clip cages traditional manual
steering. Stops are provided by a familiar combination of discs and
drums, which squeeze modern Wilwood calipers around drilled and
slotted rotors. Exhaust rolls from the aforementioned headers to
large-diameter pipes, which center an X-shaped crossover in front
of throaty Dynomax mufflers. And momentum comes courtesy of old
school steelies, which wear F70-15 Firestone Wide Oval Super Sports
in front of 275/60R15 Mickey Thompson ET Street S/S.
TRADITIONAL DRIVING EXPERIENCE
Between the doors, a simple cockpit seamlessly melds the timeless
good looks of American muscle with a few choice upgrades. Broad
vinyl buckets, complete with a Simpson 4-point harness for the
car's driver, front a factory bench that's been gutted for the sake
of weight. In front of those thrones, a sculpted dash, complete
with factory telemetry, hangs a modern AutoMeter oil gauge and a
modern AutoMeter temp gauge below a massive Mopar Performance
tachometer. Factory side panels frame clean carpet and a tight
headliner. The driver spins a traditional Chrysler wheel around a
traditional column shifter. A 4-point roll bar makes quick rides
safer. And the car's massive trunk hides a small fuel cell that's
primed for race gas.
Featuring charismatic style, excellent hardware and colossal power,
this killer MoPar is a lights out classic that goes real fast and
looks real cool! And if you're in the market for some sweet old
school muscle that's poised to make a lasting impression, it's an
exceptional candidate for your next collector car!
HIGHLIGHTS
Bare knuckle MoPar drag warrior that's benefitted from a
professional, nut-and-bolt restoration
Set up for 10.20 quarter-mile passes
Featured in Hot Rod Magazine
Featured in Hemmings Muscle Machines
Featured in Muscle Car Review
Featured in Mopar Enthusiast Magazine
Featured in Mopar Action Magazine
Featured in Mopar Muscle Magazine
Featured in a Year One catalog
572 cubic inch dual-quad Hemi with 900 horsepower
Engine professionally rebuilt in 2019
A727 3-speed automatic transmission with a 3,100 PTC stall and Gear
Vendors overdrive
8.75-inch rear axle with a Sure Grip differential
Manual steering
Wilwood front disc brakes
Upgraded rear suspension
Black vinyl interior with a 4-point roll bar
Black Velvet paint with Sport Stripes and Road Runner trim
Restoration photos
Magazine feature articles
All RK Motors vehicles receive a comprehensive, multi-point
inspection
We can ship your new classic anywhere in the world
