1971 marked a new beginning for the Road Runner, as Plymouth unveiled the second generation with massive changes in almost every regard.
The 2-door coupe was available throughout the generation with massive engine choices, starting with the 318, the base unit in 1973 and 1974, and ending with the 426 Hemi, available only in 1971, and the 440.
As a result, it’s no surprise that those who wanted a Road Runner in 1970 decided to wait until the next model year came out. Sales of the Road Runner collapsed in 1970, going down by more than 50 percent. Only 43,000 units rolled off the assembly lines, with 824 examples shipping as a convertible. Few people were brave enough to order the 440 Six-Barrel, so Plymouth produced only 34 units.
A 1970 Road Runner recently made its way to eBay, trying to prove to the world that despite its horrible shape, it still has a strong desire to return to the road.
The vehicle has been sitting for God knows how long in what looks to be a junkyard, surrounded by other piles of metal, waiting for a second chance, too.
The Road Runner is a real RM21, the folks at American Steel Classics (eBay user americansteelclassics5867) explain. The garage in charge of finding a new owner claims the vehicle left the factory painted red, and you can still see the original finish on the car. It doesn’t look good, though, so no matter what option you eventually embrace – using it for parts or trying an ambitious restoration, you’ll still need a complete respray.
The engine is no longer under the hood, but this isn’t a surprise, as the Road Runner looks like it has served as a donor for another project. It came from the factory with a 383 V8 paired with a 727 transmission. The 383 was exclusive to this model year, so consider this if you intend to bring the car back to factory specifications.
The VIN and body stamps are in place, but the fender tag is gone. The car will also sell without the front suspension, so it’s now sitting on caster wheels to roll around and get it on a trailer.
The 1970 Road Runner remains a great car, and petrolheads will be sad to see it in such a horrible shape. Unfortunately, that’s what humanity occasionally does to iconic models, so the only hope is that someone sees it and travels to Allen, Texas, to see it in person and maybe take it home. The owner won’t give up on the car for cheap, as they expect to get $6,400 for it. Fortunately, the Make Offer button has also been enabled to discuss other potential deals.