With nearly 200,000 units sold from 1968 through 1971, the golden-era Plymouth Road Runner is decidedly rarer than most midsize nameplates sold at the time. At the same time, it's common enough that examples are still popping out of long-term storage more than 50 years later.
Granted, barn-found examples with HEMI and 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) engines are rare. Most Road Runners that have been neglected for decades are usually fitted with the more familiar 383-cubic-inch (6.3-liter) big-block V8. The Dark Burnt Orange example you see here is one of those cars.
Described as a classic that was "recently pulled from a garage for some maintenance," this 1970 Road Runner spent a few good years off the road. It's unclear whether it's been repainted or not in the past, but it sure looks like an unrestored survivor on the outside. The dark orange paint still shines in places, but it also shows battle scars front to rear. It's not rusty, but the body panels aren't exactly straight, a sign that it's been driven a lot at some point.
The interior is not as mysterious. The wear and tear on the seats and the weathering on the steering wheel are solid hints that the cabin hasn't been restored. And it contains a couple of nice surprises: a finish that matches the exterior and a bench front seat. I don't know about you, but I love bench seats in muscle cars and color-keyed upholstery.
Somewhat uncommon for a 383 car, this Road Runner sports an Air Grabber hood. The latter hides a big-block engine that was altered at some point. It includes parts that were swapped many years ago and an Edelbrock carburetor that looks like a more recent job. There's no info on whether the V8 runs or not, but it will fire soon because the owner wants to get it back on the road.
I have no idea if the 383 block is a numbers-matching unit, but I do know this Road Runner is a factory 383 car. You can tell by the fifth digit on the fender tag, which shows the letter N. It stands for a 383 four-barrel. The RM21 sequence also confirms it's a post car (coupe).
So, while it's one of nearly 37,000 Road Runners built for the 1970 model year, the coupe body style makes it one of 14,782 pillared coupes. The 383 engine narrows it down to 14,057 units, while the four-speed manual turns it into one of 5,839 vehicles built with this body/drivetrain setup. Interestingly enough, it's a bit rarer than the hardtop version with the same powertrain combo.
Sure, it's nowhere near as scarce as the HEMI- and 440-equipped coupes built that year (74 and 651, respectively), but these 383 rigs are not as common as they used to be. But the greatest news about this Mopar is that it will return to public roads soon. Hurray for yet another "bird" saved!
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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