Vehicle Description
1970 Plymouth Road Runner Hardtop
The first Roadrunners, built for serious roadwork, were lighter,
cheaper, and had better performance compared to other muscle cars
of their time. Plymouth Road Runners were fearsome and pretty, but
don't mistake pretty for fragile because these road demons were
faster than the regular cop cars of their time and could take
serious damage without breaking down. This car prompted other
sports cars back in its era to improve their hardware and deliver
high-speed performance at an affordable cost. The Roadrunner
remains the greatest muscle car of its era, some would say it was
an evolution of the muscle car industry. Despite its fall, the
Roadrunners are still remembered in auctions and promotional tours.
And they still get action at auctions with the correct stats.
For consignment, a converted to 440ci V8 1970 Road Runner with an
Air Grabber hood, some replacement steel, and bathed in orange with
black accenting. We have a classic that was a key right in the
middle of the muscle car era, and created a bar for the other
manufacturers to try to meet as to toughness and reliability with
the power to outrun the Po Po...
Exterior
Screaming Vitamin C Orange paint on this car is pretty much top
notch with just a few areas where filler work is seen on the
rockers and a drip or two is noted along with rear quarter panel
repairs on the lowers. As to the hood, an N96 fresh air version,
also known as the Air Grabber option is on and very straight steel,
well minded gaps and shiny trimmings are abounding on this example,
with its dual round horizontal headlights flanking either side of a
deeply inset blacked out chrome trimmed egg crate grille. Badging
on the hood states 440+6 and that is no dress up, but more on that
later. A wide black stripe runs rearward from the hood to the
windshield and is dressed with outboard thinner black stripes. Up
high is a near perfect black vinyl top that works withthe polished
window molding to highlight the clean and clear glass. One has to
love the detail on the rear glass with its "ogee" bottom window
trim shape just adding some interest to the overall lines of this
pretty much square and rectangle design car. The rear quarter
corners are "canted" inward with a rectangular tail light on each
corner. Also, below is another shiny pristine bumper and dual
exhaust pipes peeking out from below. Polished and chrome laden
15-inch Cragar S/S wheels are wrapped by new BFG blackwall rubber,
225/70's for the front, and 275/60's for the rear yielding a slight
rake to the car's stance. Neat Road Runner cartoon badges are noted
on the front fenders and trunk lid back.
Interior
Options are king on these early muscle cars as at this time they
all cost extra money, which with the original buyer was no object.
So currently, we note black steel sills in the doors that sport
black vinyl in their centers which provide a field of play for the
armrest/actuator, and window crank. More black steel is on the
bottoms of the doors and these have like new rubber seals and no
rust on the edges at the thresholds. The seats up front are bucket
style with black vinyl covering the smooth bolsters and charcoal
black vinyl inserts separated by white piping as well as tall
integrated headrests on top of each seat. For the back passengers a
rear bench in the same black vinyl pattern allows for extras to go
along for the ride in the Fratzog emblazoned glory. An original
dash showing in near perfect condition in black padded vinyl up top
and black textured vinyl for the background of the gauges which
include a factory Tick-Tock-Tachometer. Fronting the dash is an
original 3 spoke wood rimmed steering wheel that has a padded
center with Road Runner central badging. In the dash center resides
a newer aftermarket AM/FM/CD player and just below a single
aftermarket gauge is hanging below the dash. Racing between the
buckets is a black plastic console with an applique dressed insert
providing the home for the Hurst pistol grip shifter before
disappearing under the dash. A like new, tight, black vinyl
headliner is above, and it has a working dome light in the center.
Below all floats some black clean carpeting.
Drivetrain
Getting right to the heart of the matter, we fling open that N96
hood and are greeted by a like new engine which is not the original
engine...its better! We note an orange painted block in 440ci size.
This engine is circa 1973-1978 and has polished chrome valve
covers, a beautiful matte silver intake with a 3 some of 2-barrel
carburetors on top that were rebuilt by Holley in 2020. This fits
neatly under the oval shaped rubber gaskets air cleaner covering
which is badged as a "Coyote Duster". It fits neatly into the
cowlings under the hood taking its air from the outside through the
Air Grabber scoop on the outside in the black stripe. On the back
is a factory numbers matching A833 4-speed manual transmission and
way back the pumpkin weighs in at 8-3/4 inches. We see clean
headers and a Dynomax muffler system, a rust and corrosion free
engine bay with clean supple wires and hoses and a like new
radiator. Just a beautiful 1970 replicated engine bay.
Undercarriage
Not to be outdone by the topside, the undercarriage goes along for
the show too with jet black painted frame, floor pans and rockers.
Just a smidge of surface rust and patina is spotting the
underneath, but is overall showing unremarkable. A newer fuel tank
is now installed, and independent torsion bars are up front
providing the ride, and in back are leaf springs both with new
shocks in 2022. Newly added in 2020 power disc braking is on front,
and power drums for the back. All looking good underneath.
Drive-Ability
A fight nearly broke out as to who was going to test drive this
beauty and I lost! So my cohort decoder and muscle car madman took
the wheel and reported back with a Cheshire cat grin. He rarely
does this, so when I witnessed it I knew he was impressed. He
confided in me that he loved it's handling, acceleration and
overall performance, commenting it was all buttoned up, and all
working and in order as things should be for such a good looker
save for the heater blower not blowing and the Air Grabber hood not
opening.
An orange piece of muscle car history showing very well in this
example. The right color, the right drivetrain, and the right car
from the height of the muscle car era in the Mopar camp. Nice job
folks, right here ready for the Road Runner taking. Beep Beep!
RM23N0A123582
R-Plymouth Satellite/Belvedere
M-Medium Price Class
23-2 Door Hardtop
N-383ci HP 4bbl V8
0-1970
A-Lynch Rd, MI Assy Plant
123582-Sequential Unit Number
FENDER TAG
E63 383ci HP 4bbl V8
D21-4 Speed Manual
RM23-Satellite/Belvedere, Medium Price Class, 2 Door Hardtop
0NA-1970, 383ci 4bbl V8, Lynch Rd
123582-Sequential Unit Number
916-September 16th Schedule Production Date
007654-Vehicle Order Number
FE5-Rallye Red Exterior
V1X-Black Vinyl Roof
P6XA-Premium Black Vinyl Buckets
TX9-Black Upper Door Frames
N96-Fresh Air Hood system
L31-Fender Mounted Turn Signals
C16-Console
Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special
interest automobile showroom, featuring over 850 vehicles for sale
with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle
barn find collection is on display. This vehicle is located in our
showroom in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, conveniently located just
1-hour west of Philadelphia on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The
website is www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888)
227-0914. Please contact us anytime for more information or to come
see the vehicle in person.
