During the late 1960s, Chrysler wanted to go back to the basics with some of its mid-size performance cars. Thus, the iconic Plymouth Road Runner and Dodge Super Bee were born to fight the likes of Chevrolet’s Chevelle SS396 or the Pontiac GTO.
The GTO is credited by many with starting the muscle war. Meanwhile, the Ford Mustang will forever remain instilled in popular culture and automotive history due to its pony-car contribution. But classic car aficionados will also give due praise to Chrysler’s bold move to allow Plymouth to create the Road Runner.
And it’s not because of the expensive royalties paid to Warner Bros. for the animated character’s likeness and iconic “Beep-Beep” sound alone. Also, it was the high-power credentials associated with a budget-oriented muscle car premise that settled this Plymouth’s legacy into the automotive hall of fame.
Now, years have passed, and great Road Runners won’t be as friendly as before with the owner’s bank account. Of course, on the flip side, the performance might also be on par with contemporary sports cars while keeping intact the same vintage atmosphere.
This 1969 Plymouth Road Runner has the slapstick animated character’s appearance thanks to its B5 Bright Blue paint scheme, which is said to present itself in show quality condition. But the folks over at Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Garage Kept Motors are also asking an arm and a leg to secure the bragging rights to Wile E. Coyote’s fast-paced nemesis automotive counterpart.
So, the Road Runner goes for no less than $104,900 but it also comes with a lot of goodies in return. Aside from the cool paintjob, there’s a horizontally pleated black vinyl upholstery for the seats, as well as a few hints that we are dealing with a proper restomod. Those include the Wilwood brakes sitting behind the staggered 18-/20-inch front and rear wheels, or the B&M floor-mounted shifter, among others.
Of course, the main highlight sits neatly tucked inside the engine bay: a contemporary Hemi 5.7-liter V8 crate engine that churns out 425 horsepower. This is also where the unique “Beep-Beep” horn resides, and this bespoke sound touch should bode well alongside the TTi headers and full-length dual exhaust setup!
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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