FEATURE – 1971 Plymouth Road Runner
Words: Mike Ryan
Photos Ben Hosking – Hosking Industries
In 1968, a car company naming one of their vehicles after a cartoon character was a pretty ballsy move, but that’s exactly what Plymouth did when they released the ‘Road Runner’.
Taking its name from the Warner Bros. cartoon character that was a staple of kids’ TV back then (and continued to be for decades afterwards), the Road Runner was the perfect moniker for a car designed to appeal to young buyers. But there was more to the Road Runner than just a cool name.
Budget Ball-Tearer
Like most of the Detroit automakers in the 1960s, Chrysler Corporation had seen the emerging “youth market” but didn’t know the best way to appeal to it. At the time, Chrysler had something of a “dad’s car” reputation amongst young buyers and Plymouth was even less cool.
What young buyers were interested in were muscle cars, but most of these were priced out of their reach. The solution, Chrysler believed, lay in combining the sort of high-powered drivetrain that young buyers were looking for with a basic “intermediate” (mid-sized in US terms) bodied car they could afford.
There are a lot of opinions over what was the first muscle car, but you can make a strong case for Plymouth producing the first “budget” muscle car in the form of the Road Runner.
With some muscle cars running close to US$5,000 when options were added - at a time when the average annual wage was less than US$7,000 – a lot of cash-strapped 20-something drivers were being left out of the market, so there was definitely a market for something powerful, but affordable.
Plymouth’s solution was to produce a muscle car that combined the high-performance the younger market were looking for (reportedly, a goal was being able to hit 100mph in the quarter mile) with a retail price under US$3,000.
Based on the same Plymouth ‘B-body’ intermediate platform used for the Belvedere, Satellite and new-for-1967 Belvedere GTX, the Road Runner would feature a powerful V8 engine and 4-speed manual as standard, but luxury and comfort appointments would be minimal.
Launched in late 1967 as a 1968 model, the Road Runner was offered as a pillared coupe (the cheapest and lightest body style available) and powered by Chrysler’s proven 383 V8, enhanced with parts from the 440 Magnum V8 to produce 335hp and 425lb/ft. A heavy-duty four-speed manual with a floor shifter was the standard transmission.
The only engine option was a 426 Hemi producing 425hp, but selecting this added a hefty premium – around 25 per cent of the car’s purchase price. Similarly, the 4-speed could be swapped out for a 3-speed Torqueflite auto, but this also upped the price significantly.
Other standard heavy-duty parts included the front torsion bar suspension and rear leaf springs, as well as the brakes, which were still drums at each end. To keep the car under the US$3,000 barrier, features like front disc brakes, power steering and a ‘Sure Grip’ limited slip diff were on the options list.
The same ethos was behind the Road Runner’s spartan interior, with a vinyl-trimmed front bench seat standard, but pretty much everything else was an extra-cost option, including air conditioning, foam seat cushioning and even a radio.
Upon release, the Road Runner listed for US$2,896.
A Triumph of Marketing
Apart from is low price, what also set the Road Runner apart from the pack was its quirky name. Thanks to the Warner Bros. cartoons, every American under the age of 50 knew who the road runner was, but Plymouth nevertheless reinforced the connection, with Road Runner decals and badging inside and out, as well as a note from the horn that was supposed to mimic the cartoon character’s “meep, meep” call.
Thanks to the cartoon connection, the car carried instant recognition with the target market and the name undoubtedly contributed to its stellar debut.
Plymouth had only expected to sell 2,500 Road Runners in the first year, but young buyers were snapping up the car in droves, leading to a pillarless hardtop coupe body version added early in 1968. That proved to be a smart move, as by the end of the 1968 model year, Plymouth had sold 44,599 Road Runners, of which 29,240 were coupes and 15,359 the hastily-introduced hardtop. By comparison, the GTX (a Belvedere based intermediate with a hot V8, but more standard features and a higher trim level) shifted only 18,940 units in the same period.
This “fast, fun and affordable” approach served Plymouth well in 1969, too, when an additional 84,420 Road Runners were sold. The following year, a convertible body style was offered, along with an options list more focussed on interior appointments, but muscle car sales had peaked and were about to go into a downward trajectory.
Come 1971, and squeezed from all sides by emissions regulations, demands for improved fuel efficiency, increasing insurance premiums and more competition in the muscle car market, Road Runner sales were taking a hammering, but at least Plymouth had something new to talk about in the form of an all-new body
Fuselage Style
The “fuselage” body that had been introduced to Plymouth’s intermediates for 1971 was a world away from the boxy shape of the previous year. The curvaceous shape was similar to the all-new Barracuda body that Plymouth had released a year earlier, as well as their ’71 Duster compact coupe.
The “loop” grille treatment that had appeared on the ’70 Road Runner was made bolder on the new shape and now incorporated the bumper, with a similar treatment at the back end.
Pillared coupe and convertible bodies were deleted for 1971, with only a pillarless hardtop offered. The standard drivetrain was still a 383 (but now producing only 300hp and 410lb/ft), with the 426 Hemi, 440 V8 and a 340 V8 optional, while a 3-speed manual was now the standard transmission.
A benefit of the fuselage body was that interior comfort and driver ergonomics were improved, but neither this nor the new look exterior could address the slide in Road Runner sales. After only 14,218 units sold for ’71, sales tanked even further in 1972 and by the end of 1974, the Road Runner was discontinued.
In the decades since, 1971-74 Road Runners have been mostly ignored by collectors, but they do have devotees, like the owner of the car featured: Elliot Redwin.
“It has a simplistic beauty, as well as an aggressive stance that screams tyre-turning torque,” Elliot explained, adding that he gets some amusement from the bewildered response this car draws from onlookers, even enthusiasts who claim to know their makes and models.
“I get comments like ‘Is it a Charger?’, ‘A ‘Cuda?’, ‘A Camaro?’.”
Young Determination
Fittingly for a car aimed at the youth market, Elliot bought his Road Runner as a young man. He only turns 32 this year, so he’s still young by most definitions, but was only 26 when he bought this car back in 2014.
By this stage, the Bathurst native had already done the ‘hot Commodore’ thing with VLs and VNs and had also owned a CV8Z Monaro.
For his first American car, a ’71 Road Runner was an unusual choice, but it’s one Elliot had settled on from the start.
“When it comes to the Road Runner, everybody usually thinks of the early models (but) I particularly love the round, flowing lines of the ’71 as well as its imposing grille, continuous front bar and no fuss, tough rear end,” Elliot explained.
The rarity of Road Runners in Australia and the ’71 body shape in particular meant three fruitless years passed before a suitable car was found in the US.
Rick Cooper, an aircraft engineer based in Washington State, had purchased this car back in the early 2000s, with a view to restoration. Its full history is unknown, but the car is believed to have been sold new in the Pacific Northwest, which explained its rust-bucket state when Rick got hold of it.
“Rick had originally envisioned a street machine or resto-mod that would be loud and proud.”
Of the three distinct generations of Road Runner, the ’71-’72 shape was produced in the least numbers, so finding good replacement metal was a problem and Rick eventually had to purchase a ’72 Satellite to get the required panels and repair sections.
Challenges like this saw the project drag on for close to ten years and it was still unfinished when Rick decided on a last big push to get it done.
“Rick told me he began to lose interest in the project some time ago. Nevertheless, he was determined to see his vision become reality and got motivated to finish the project.”
By this stage, Rick had enlisted the help of Steve and Colleen Mills from North American Muscle Cars (Mopar) in Portland, Oregon. Specialists in Mopar restorations and sales, NAMC applied the finishing touches to the car in late 2013, then advertised it on Rick’s behalf.
“The car was listed a few times over a period of about six months,” Elliot recalled. “I followed the car and, when our dollar was at parity, bought it for a bargain price in early 2014.
“When all involved found out it was coming to Australia, they were stoked - nearly as stoked as I was when I received the car!” Elliot laughed.
Juicy Orange
The restored Road Runner that Elliot had bought wasn’t a matching-numbers example, but that wasn’t a concern – all that Elliot wanted was a ’71 that was tough, reliable and could serve as both a weekend cruiser and handy drag strip weapon.
From the factory, this Road Runner carried the least powerful engine for 1971 in a 340ci V8 that produced 275hp and 340lb/ft. The US restoration saw that replaced with a 440 that runs the stock crankshaft but has been enhanced with Keith Black pistons, custom pushrods, a Comp cam and Edelbrock Performer heads.
Induction is now via a single Holley Speed Demon 750CFM 4-barrel carb on an Edelbrock dual plane manifold, while the exhaust system is made up of TTI ceramic-coated extractors with 1 7/8-inch primaries and a 3-inch collector.
A Mopar Performance water pump, oil pump, distributor and mini starter were also fitted, as well as MSD 6AL ignition.
A TCI Street Fighter auto ‘box replaced the original Torqueflite and runs a Mopar Performance 1000-1200rpm stall convertor. At the back end, the car runs a 3.41:1 diff ratio, with upgraded ring and pinion gear.
On the dyno, this package runs in the region of 400-425hp and Elliot’s best time on the strip so far is an ET of 13.6 done at Eastern Creek.
Surprisingly, the suspension is stock Mopar, just lowered a little. Elliot says he hasn’t found replacement to be necessary, adding that lower, firmer suspension might improve strip times but wouldn’t make the car cruise-friendly.
The brakes were upgraded in the rebuild, though, with discs added to the front end, while the rear drums are 11-inch “police” spec. Rolling stock is now made up of Centerline Telstars in 15x8 front and 15x9 rear, with BF Goodrich Radial T/A tyres.
The “loud” part of Rick’s vision for this build was met by a colour change from the original Thor Red to Hemi Orange, enhanced by the factory option strobe stripe and engine callout decals.
Inside, the stock black vinyl seat upholstery was retrimmed with orange inserts, with the headliner, carpeting, dash cap and door cards either refurbished or replaced.
A tacho was still an option on these cars when new and not fitted to this car originally, so an aftermarket gauge has been added, along with a US Custom Auto Sound retro-look radio, Hurst Pro-Matic 2 shifter and Grant steering wheel.
Runner on the Road
As already mentioned, Elliot bought this Road Runner to cruise, so immediately after it came off the boat in October, 2014, he got behind the wheel.
“I drove it to Bathurst on race weekend - still on its Washington number plates!” Elliot laughed. “The cops gave it a lot of attention, but only to appreciate and admire the car.”
A lot more miles were covered in the months that followed, including a three-week run down the south east coast in the summer of 2014-2015, then a cruise to Wodonga for Chryslers on the Murray.
“It cruises beautifully, with 12 miles per gallon if you’re gentle on the right foot.”
As treasurer and rally co-ordinator of the Bathurst Historic Car Club, Elliot’s had the car out on many club runs, too, including to shows in Sydney and beyond, scoring trophies and racking up close to 15,000kms at time of writing.
“It hasn’t skipped a beat - testimony to the reliability of Chryslers. It’s safe to say the build has been a 100% success,” Elliot enthused.
Since getting the Road Runner, Elliot’s added to his fleet, with a 1959 International AA150 tray truck, ’85 Jaguar XJ-S and ’74 Harley Sportster amongst a collection that continues his quirky choices when it comes to vehicles, but the Road Runner is still the jewel in the crown, and will continue to be for some time yet.
“In the future, I’m hoping to squeeze high 12-sec quarters with slicks and some tuning,” Elliot said. “Away from the strip, I just want to road trip the car to more and more places around Australia and meet more Mopar fanatics!”
For this young Mopar fanatic, a car designed for a young audience has been a perfect match.
Thanks To:
In getting his dream car, Elliot extended thanks to the following:
- Rick Cooper
- Steve and Colleen Mills from North American Muscle Cars for finishing touches and organising shipping (“the import process was made easy by Colleen, whose help getting the car safely to port was invaluable. For this I am very grateful.”)
- Justin Fowler for all his help
- And my partner Emily Kitchen, for letting me buy it!
