SOLD on Jun 15, 2026

Elite Dealer

1973 Plymouth Road Runner

Michigan

$40,995

Vehicle Details

Make

Plymouth

Model

Road Runner

Year

1973

Mileage

87,000 miles

VIN

CBL01072

Body Type

Coupe

Transmission

Automatic

Engine

440 Big Block V8

Description

1973 Plymouth Roadrunner – Big Block 440, Restored, Driver‑Quality Originally a 340 4‑speed, now upgraded to a strong 440 big block with 727 automatic and posi rear locker. A fully sorted driver with authentic Roadrunner details, fresh mechanical work, and the right upgrades for reliability and fun. Turn‑key and ready to enjoy.

Powertrain & Drivetrain 440ci Big Block V8 – strong, responsive, and properly set up 727 automatic transmission Posi rear locker New SureGrip 3.23 gears in the 8¾ rear end New automatic tunnel welded in with slapstick shifter & console New distributor, plugs, wires, coil, alternator, hi‑flow water pump New rear differential & new front/rear wheel bearings New transmission cooler lines New radiator & large fan for big‑block cooling Suspension & Handling New Gabriel Hi‑Jacker rear air shocks All front‑end components replaced Tires in great condition Drives tight, tracks straight, and handles well for a ’73 B‑body Exterior Finished in Plum Crazy Purple – driver‑quality paint with great curb appeal Factory hood pin kit installed Front chin spoilers added New 15' factory‑correct Rallye wheels Authentic Roadrunner emblems, decals, horn, trim, and accessories Interior Seats redone by previous owner Dash harness intact All gauges and lights work Triple gauge setup Retro Bluetooth audio with new speakers Spare tire & original jack included Maintenance & Reliability Upgrades New oil pan gasket New ignition, door, and trunk locks Everything works as it should Fully sorted and dependable for cruising or daily enjoyment Highlights Driver‑quality, fully functional, and authentic build Classic Mopar big‑block performance with modern reliability upgrades Turn‑key and ready for cruising, shows, or weekend fun A great blend of originality, upgrades, and drivability

Classic Plymouth Road Runner Buyer's Guide

Full guide

Mike Sullivan

Muscle Cars

1968–1980

~4 min read

Updated Apr 2026

Definitive buyer's guide for classic Plymouth Road Runner 1968-1980. B-body authentication, fender tag verification, Hemi and 440 Six Pack identification, current pricing.

This guide covers

✓ 10-point inspection checklist

✓ Common issues & what to avoid

✓ In-person inspection guide

✓ Market pricing by year & condition

✓ 5 FAQs answered

✓ History & fun facts

Read the Full Road Runner Buyer's Guide

Plymouth Road Runner Market Overview

Based on 29 Plymouth Road Runner listings currently on ClassicCarsArena.com

Listed Now

$69,069

Avg. Asking Price

1968–1975

Year Range

Price Position on Our Site — Below Average

This car: $40,995

Low: $12,495 High: $193,995

Transmission Distribution

Automatic 45% ◄

Manual 52%

Condition Distribution

Excellent 41%

Good 7%

Fair 3%

Data from ClassicCarsArena.com listings Browse all 29 listings →

Classic Plymouth Road Runner Buyer's Guide

The Plymouth Road Runner launched for the 1968 model year as Chrysler's budget muscle car — minimal trim, basic interior, but serious performance equipment under the hood. Plymouth licensed the Road Runner cartoon character from Warner Bros. for $50,000 and used the bird's "Beep-Beep" sound as the actual horn on early cars. Across thirteen years of classic-era production (1968-1980), the Road Runner became one of the most iconic Mopar B-body muscle cars ever produced — particularly the 1970-only Superbird (the NASCAR homologation special with the 19-inch nose cone and 24-inch tall rear wing). The 1968-1971 Road Runners are the muscle-era icons; the 1973-1975 cars represent the bargain entry into B-body Road Runner ownership today. This guide covers what every buyer should verify before paying premium money for any Road Runner variant.

What to Check Before Buying

✓

Inspect fender tag rivets and stamping style — Original 1968-1974 tags use dome-headed rivets. Re-stamps are common fraud vectors.

✓

Locate and verify broadcast sheet — Check under rear seat, inside front seat bottom springs, behind rear seat back panel, in heater box.

✓

Verify VIN engine code matches block partial VIN — 5th digit of VIN identifies engine. Block partial VIN stamped on front pad.

✓

Get Galen Govier inspection for $80K+ cars — Recognized Mopar authentication expert. $200-$500 inspection mandatory for Hemi and 440 Six Pack claims.

✓

For Superbird claims (1970), demand specialist authentication — Only 1,920 Superbirds built. Every chassis documented in marque registry.

✓

Inspect B-body unibody at torsion bar mounts — Front torsion bar mounts and rear leaf spring mounts are critical structural areas.

✓

Magnet test rear quarters and trunk drop-offs — Body filler is non-magnetic.

✓

Verify 1968 horn (the actual Beep-Beep horn) — Original 1968 cars came with a special "Beep-Beep" horn that mimicked the Road Runner cartoon character.

✓

Check rear window channel rust on hardtops — Water gets trapped under rear glass. Invisible rust until glass removed.

✓

Compression test all eight cylinders — Should read 145-185 PSI uniformly. Hemi cars run 165-195 PSI.

Common Issues

Road Runner rust patterns follow the Mopar B-body convention. The 1968-1974 cars rust at the lower fenders, rear quarter panels, trunk pan, trunk drop-offs, rear frame rails, floor pans, rocker panels, and the rear window channel on hardtop coupes. The 1975-1980 F-body cars rust at the front strut towers, lower quarter panels, floor pans, and rear shock towers. Mechanically, the Mopar 383 Magnum, 440 4-barrel, 440 Six Pack, and 426 Hemi big-block V8s are bulletproof when maintained. The 426 Hemi requires specialist setup. The A727 Torqueflite automatic and A833 four-speed manual transmissions are essentially indestructible. The 8.75-inch rear axle is strong; the Dana 60 (in 426 Hemi and 440 Six Pack cars) is even stronger. The B-body unibody is structurally lighter than competitors of the same era and prone to flex damage on hard-driven cars. Push down on each corner and watch the doors. Front torsion bar mounting points and rear leaf spring mounting points are critical structural areas. Electrical issues are universal classic-car concerns. Original wiring is brittle 50+ years on. Voltage regulators on 1970-1972 cars commonly fail. Ammeter wiring on dashboards has caused fires in some cars — always check the back of the gauge cluster for heat damage. For 1968 cars, the original "Beep-Beep" horn is increasingly difficult to source if damaged. Reproduction horns are available but sound slightly different from originals.

What to Look For

Fender tag and broadcast sheet are the gold-standard authentication for any Mopar B-body. The fender tag is a coded plate listing all factory-installed options. Original 1968-1974 tags use dome-headed rivets and specific stamping fonts. For Road Runner claims, verify the Road Runner-specific RPO codes on the fender tag. The 5th digit of the VIN identifies the engine code: H=383 4V, L=383 Magnum, U=440 4V, V=440 Six Pack, R=426 Hemi. Cross-reference all three (VIN, fender tag, engine block partial VIN). For Hemi Road Runner claims, demand Galen Govier inspection ($200-$500). The Hemi engine has unique casting numbers, special engine mounts, and specific stamping codes. Re-stamped 440 blocks are well-documented forgeries. For 1970 Superbird claims, verify against the international Superbird registry. Only 1,920 cars were produced — every chassis number is documented. The Superbird package included specific equipment: 19-inch fiberglass nose cone, 24-inch tall rear wing, vinyl roof (mandatory), aerodynamic body modifications. Documented Superbird cars must have all original equipment present and verified. For 1968 cars, verify the original "Beep-Beep" horn. Original 1968 Road Runner horns mimicked the cartoon character's sound and add value when present and original. Body alignment is the second non-negotiable for B-body cars. Push down on each corner and watch the doors. Door movement relative to the body indicates chassis flex damage. Document the car. Photograph every panel, every fender tag, every chassis number stamping, every engine bay component, and every identifying tag.

Price Guide

1968 Road Runner: driver-quality 383 cars run $35,000-$60,000. Documented original-paint, low-mileage cars: $55,000-$95,000. The 1968 Hemi Road Runner (only 1,019 built) commands $200,000-$450,000+ documented. 1969 Road Runner: driver-quality 383 cars run $35,000-$65,000. The 1969 Road Runner with the 440 Six Pack: $55,000-$120,000 documented. The 1969 Hemi Road Runner: $250,000-$500,000+. 1970 Road Runner (regular hardtop or convertible): driver-quality 383 cars run $40,000-$70,000. 440 Six Pack: $70,000-$140,000. Hemi: $300,000-$650,000+ for documented numbers-matching cars. 1970 Superbird: driver-quality 440 4-barrel cars run $200,000-$400,000. 440 Six Pack: $300,000-$650,000. Hemi: $700,000-$1.5M+ for documented numbers-matching cars. 1971-1972 second-generation Road Runner: driver-quality 383/400 cars run $32,000-$55,000. 1971 440 Six Pack GTX: $80,000-$160,000. 1973-1974 second-generation Road Runner (post-Hemi era): driver-quality 318/360 cars run $25,000-$45,000. 1975-1980 F-body Road Runner: driver-quality cars run $14,000-$28,000. The 1975 final B-body Road Runner is more desirable than later F-body cars. Convertible Road Runners (1969-1971 only) command 30-50% premium over equivalent hardtops. The 1970 Hemi convertible (only 4 built) is the rarest factory Road Runner ever produced. Project Road Runners start around $20,000-$40,000 for B-body cars. Stripped roller candidates: $10,000-$22,000.

Did You Know?

The Plymouth Road Runner was conceived in 1967 by Plymouth product planner Jack Smith as a deliberately-stripped budget muscle car — the goal was to undercut the GTO and other premium muscle cars by hundreds of dollars. The original 1968 Road Runner launched at $2,896 versus the GTO's $3,253 — a $357 difference that was significant in 1968. Buyers responded enthusiastically: the Road Runner sold over 44,000 units in its launch year, dramatically exceeding Plymouth's sales projections. Plymouth licensed the Road Runner cartoon character from Warner Bros. for approximately $50,000 — a then-significant marketing investment. Chrysler engineers spent considerable time tuning the special "Beep-Beep" horn to mimic the cartoon character's sound exactly. Original 1968 horns are increasingly collected by enthusiasts and add 5-10% value to documented original cars. The 1970 Superbird was developed specifically to lure NASCAR star Richard Petty back to Plymouth from Ford (where Petty had moved for 1969). The car's aerodynamic modifications were extreme — 19-inch fiberglass nose cone, 24-inch tall rear wing — but they made the Superbird capable of 200+ mph on superspeedways. Petty drove the Superbird in 1970 NASCAR competition and won 18 races. Federal regulations required Plymouth to build a minimum number of street-legal Superbirds for homologation; the 1,920 production figure dramatically exceeded the minimum requirement and represents one of the few times Plymouth built more "homologation specials" than NASCAR rules required.