1972 Plymouth Road Runner Tribute

Description

Born as a Satellite and descended from greatness, this 1972 Plymouth Road Runner tribute means affordable muscle, complete with a strong-running small block and an awesome Mopar horsepower look. Extensively restored and still true to its original mission of affordable performance, this is a high-visibility Plymouth that will always attract attention.

Wearing fuselage styling that debuted in 1971, the B-bodies took on a look that seems more aggressive and modern when compared to its earlier siblings. And Mopar was still in the performance business, selling the car complete with a racy hood with faux intake nostrils, a full stripe package, and details like hood pins and sport mirrors. Painting it Hemi Orange emphasizes the car's muscular curves and the workmanship is very good in every way, having been repainted only five years ago. Great gaps, a wonderful gloss, and correct decals, including the requisite Road Runner on the deck lid all add up to making this one fantastic-looking piece. Those quarter panels are massive and have complex curves, so getting them straight can be tricky, but fortunately this car never needed major surgery so it was relatively easy to achieve such great results. It does have a few blemishes, which is to be expected from a car that's been driven, but nothing that detracts from the high-impact look. There's also quite a bit of chrome, most notably the big front and rear bumpers, and it all looks fantastic today.

The interior will be familiar to anyone who loves Mopar performance cars, with high-back buckets, a center console that angles towards the driver, and a bit of faux wood to warm things up a bit. The pleated buckets have a high-class look that belied the car's price in 1972, and today offers a retro look at what was cool 40 years ago. The steering wheel is a skinny 3-spoke piece with wonderful patina and the gauges appear to be very nice originals with clear lenses and sharp markings. The door panels are in great shape and the center console will make former Road Runner owners feel right at home, particularly with the T-handle shifter, all of which was added by a previous owner. An AM radio remains in the dash, and heavy-duty carpeted floor mats protect the floor. And in the trunk you'll find an original-style mat and tidy floors covered in proper spatter paint.

Great news for fans of "go-fast" awaits under the hood, where you'll find a 340 cubic inch V8. Still a ton of fun even for the newly ordained Mopar enthusiast, it fires with a seductive rumble from the dual exhaust and idles smoothly. The engine bay is neatly finished with a lot of dress-up, including the finned air cleaner lid and valve covers, as well as a polished alternator. Horsepower upgrades include an Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor and matching high-rise intake manifold, as well as a set of long-tube headers feeding a throaty dual exhaust system. It's backed by the aforementioned TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic and a set of highway-friendly gears, all packed inside a rear end that hangs on leaf springs, traction bars, and air shocks to fine-tune the launch. Handsome 5-spoke Weld Pro-Star wheels have an old-school hot rod look and spin 215/70/15 front and 295/50/15 rear BFGoodrich T/A radials.

This Road Runner tribute is a sure bet to turn heads wherever it goes, and it's an awesome, fun car whip around town. In addition, it's reasonably priced, gorgeous to look at, and with that strong-running 340, it's still a threat on the street. Call now!