Introduced in 1968 as the company’s entry-level muscle car, the Plymouth Road Runner sold more than 44,000 units in its first year on the market. Sales took off in 1969 when 81,105 customers took a Road Runner home.
1969 turned out to be the Road Runner’s best sales year, a feat that makes it the most common iteration of the nameplate more than 50 years later. However, this edition also includes a few models that are genuinely rare. The HEMI Road Runner is perhaps the most legendary.
While overall deliveries nearly doubled, sales of HEMI-equipped cars decreased in 1969. This was due to the expensive insurance rates associated with such a powerful mill. While 1968 saw 1,009 HEMI Road Runners leave the assembly line, deliveries dropped to 787 examples in 1969. That’s 2.2% versus nearly 1% of the total production, a significant gap.
The 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) Six-Pack engine is also rare. Available for the first time in 1969, it found its way into only 1,412 vehicles. But the 440 V8 wasn’t the only new feature for 1969. Plymouth also offered the Road Runner in convertible form for the very first time that year. The body style wasn’t exactly popular, with just 1,890 units sold. This drop-top is rare regardless of the drivetrain combo.
Of these, 1,880 cars were equipped with the standard 383-cubic-inch (6.3-liter) V8, and 10 were optioned up with the 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI (four manuals and six automatics). Yup, we’re talking about holy-grail status here. Finding one of these muscle cars is not only difficult, but you also need to fork some serious cash to take it home.
I haven’t seen one cross the auction block in years, which makes it difficult to ballpark a value. However, with HEMI coupes going for as much as $200,000, a highly original and numbers-matching drop-top could exceed the quarter-million-dollar mark. If you don’t have that kind of dough, you could look for a tribute. The red example you see here is perhaps the greatest 1969 HEMI Road Runner Convertible replica out there.
The result of a two-year restoration, this Mopar is muscle car perfectioon. It’s flawless from every angle and packs all the correct HEMI features, including the Air Grabber hood. The latter used to guard a base 383-cubic-inch engine when the car was new, but the original mill was ditched for a 426 HEMI. And I’m not talking about a crate engine. This Road Runner packs an authentic unit that’s also correct for the 1969 model year.
Unless you look at the VIN or the fender tag, there’s no way to tell it’s not a fully-fledged HEMI. It’s like Plymouth built an 11th HEMI drop-top we didn’t know about. And as much as I appreciate authentic classics, this one’s pretty cool. I’m not a big fan of the Scorch Red paint, but hey, beggars can’t be choosers.
The Road Runner is for sale as we speak, but the video below doesn’t include pricing information, and the dealership doesn’t have a website. This means you’ll have to call them to get a sticker. How much would you pay for this HEMI tribute?