Photo: garcath_agbbvzs/eBay
Produced from 1968 through 1975 (before it became a package on a compact), the Plymouth Road Runner spent four years in the golden muscle car era. Plymouth sold nearly 176,000 units from 1968 to 1971, so the Road Runner is quite the common performance classic overall. However, things take a different turn if we take certain features into account.
The bulk of Road Runners sold during the muscle car era left dealerships with the 383-cubic-inch (6.3-liter) V8, which is far from surprising since the 335-horsepower unit was potent enough and didn't add a premium to the car. The 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) Six-Barrel and the 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI, on the other hand, weren't favored by customers, probably due to high insurance costs.
Road Runners equipped with these optional units are considerably rarer. If you like numbers, only 3,473 buyers went with the 440 6BBL, and just 2,003 purchased the 426 HEMI. But high-compression big-block power isn't the only feature that makes a golden-era Road Runner rare. The convertible is also scarce. And unlike coupes and hardtops, convertibles are rare regardless of the drivetrain layout.
Plymouth did not offer a convertible until 1969 and discontinued the body style after the 1970 model year. All told, the drop-top was only available for two years. And customers didn't rush into showrooms to order them. Plymouth sold only 2,548 examples, which accounts for only 1.5% of the total production over the two model years.
Naturally, most of these rigs were fitted with the base 383-cubic-inch V8: 2,501 units, to be specific. Exactly 34 got the 440 Six-Barrel, and only 13 rolled off the assembly line with the range-topping 426 HEMI. The 1970 HEMI convertible is the rarest of the bunch, with only three units produced. Only one was equipped with the four-speed manual gearbox. It's among the rarest rigs from the golden era and a vehicle that would probably cross the auction block for more than $1 million.
The gorgeous B5 Blue drop-top you see here doesn't have a super-rare HEMI mill to brag about, but it's a decidedly rare Mopar. Even though it was ordered with the entry-level 383 V8, it still enjoys a three-digit production run. Only 658 convertibles were sold that year; all but 37 got the 383 big-block V8. Of these, only 179 had the lump paired to the four-speed manual transmission.
For reference, Plymouth sold 5,839 coupes and 7,993 hardtops, or a total of 13,832 solid-roof units, with the same drivetrain configuration. It's amazing how a seemingly mundane feature like a soft-top can turn a 1970 Road Runner into a rare classic.
Fortunately, this Mopar isn't just about small production numbers. It's a fully restored beauty with a numbers-matching drivetrain and a few desirable options. I'm talking about the Air Grabber hood and the hood pins, features that are usually associated with the 440 and 426 HEMI cars. Oh, and it also rocks a white interior, the perfect companion for a B5 Blue paint job in my book.
Not surprisingly, the Road Runner is getting a lot of attention on the auction block. As of this writing, 46 bids have pushed the price to $57,900. The reserve is still in place, and that's not surprising for a one-year-only body style with matching numbers and rare features. Is this drop-top worth six figures?
Road Runners equipped with these optional units are considerably rarer. If you like numbers, only 3,473 buyers went with the 440 6BBL, and just 2,003 purchased the 426 HEMI. But high-compression big-block power isn't the only feature that makes a golden-era Road Runner rare. The convertible is also scarce. And unlike coupes and hardtops, convertibles are rare regardless of the drivetrain layout.
Plymouth did not offer a convertible until 1969 and discontinued the body style after the 1970 model year. All told, the drop-top was only available for two years. And customers didn't rush into showrooms to order them. Plymouth sold only 2,548 examples, which accounts for only 1.5% of the total production over the two model years.
Naturally, most of these rigs were fitted with the base 383-cubic-inch V8: 2,501 units, to be specific. Exactly 34 got the 440 Six-Barrel, and only 13 rolled off the assembly line with the range-topping 426 HEMI. The 1970 HEMI convertible is the rarest of the bunch, with only three units produced. Only one was equipped with the four-speed manual gearbox. It's among the rarest rigs from the golden era and a vehicle that would probably cross the auction block for more than $1 million.
The gorgeous B5 Blue drop-top you see here doesn't have a super-rare HEMI mill to brag about, but it's a decidedly rare Mopar. Even though it was ordered with the entry-level 383 V8, it still enjoys a three-digit production run. Only 658 convertibles were sold that year; all but 37 got the 383 big-block V8. Of these, only 179 had the lump paired to the four-speed manual transmission.
For reference, Plymouth sold 5,839 coupes and 7,993 hardtops, or a total of 13,832 solid-roof units, with the same drivetrain configuration. It's amazing how a seemingly mundane feature like a soft-top can turn a 1970 Road Runner into a rare classic.
Fortunately, this Mopar isn't just about small production numbers. It's a fully restored beauty with a numbers-matching drivetrain and a few desirable options. I'm talking about the Air Grabber hood and the hood pins, features that are usually associated with the 440 and 426 HEMI cars. Oh, and it also rocks a white interior, the perfect companion for a B5 Blue paint job in my book.
Not surprisingly, the Road Runner is getting a lot of attention on the auction block. As of this writing, 46 bids have pushed the price to $57,900. The reserve is still in place, and that's not surprising for a one-year-only body style with matching numbers and rare features. Is this drop-top worth six figures?
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