Car of the Week: 1971 Plymouth Road Runner

[dodgechargerfan]

For reasons unknown, Paul Stewart’s stellar 1971 Plymouth Road Runner has always been sort of “the car that nobody wanted.”

Maybe it’s the car’s checkered past — it was abandoned by both the man who first ordered it and the woman who wound up buying it, and stolen twice from the dealership where it was originally sold. Later, it languished for years as a project car that never got finished until it changed hands several more times.

Even after it was completely restored and in shape for the showfield, its owner was still more of a “’Cuda guy” than a “Road Runner guy,” and the Plymouth was still a bit of a black sheep.

Read more.

 

[restoman]

I'm definitely liking that one!

 

[68R/T]

It is refreshing to see a Mopar featured.

 

[TheIronSausage]

At first, I thought the Purple was too much.. luminescent, even. Then I didn't like the white gut.. After looking at it, I concede.. I like it. 10/10, would hoon.

 

[Dr.Jass]

I like the hell out of it, other than the awful wheels and the yellow high-beams. Cop wheels simply don't work on musclecars. Get some proper steelies!

 

[Stretch]

I like it a lot although I am NOT a fan of purple! I am finding it hard to believe a 383/3.91 car outran the 440/4.10 car though.

 

[Dr.Jass]

It's not that hard to picture. Production tolerances, test cars often being prepped as ringers, etc. I can see a stock 383 being happier with a 3.91 than a 440 with a 4.10, too--same cam, heads, exhaust manifolds, etc. and a similar bore, but the 383's leetle tiny stroke makes it more rev-happy. The 440 might also have been a GTX (they didn't specify a Six Pack; that the only way to get a 440 in a Road Runner that year) which would tip the scales in the 383 car's favor even further.

Regardless, all the factory guys from that era have long admitted there were no 12-second musclecars despite published road tests, and most 13-second cars were heavily prepped to get that way. Hell, a lot of those magazine results were gotten on slicks, which they openly admitted adding right in the articles.

Personally, I have a hard time believing a stock, pudgy 300-horse '71 Runner 383 broke out of the 15s.

 

[TheIronSausage]

Yeah, 7.2 litres of motor, a four speed and deep gearing with a wild paint job, only to break v6 Camry territory.. Times have changed

 

[thrashingcows]

Yeah I like it as well....not a fan of the Purple though...never have been. Now if it was green...EF8 I mean. I like the fact that it at least isn't sporting Ralleye rims....I like the steelies, even the cop rims.