1969 Plymouth Roadrunner

Let's face it, the 1969 Roadrunner - which had its debut in 1968 as a performance car - was nothing more than a muscle car that was more muscle than it was car. In a straight line, the Roadrunner could beat anything on the road, but, if you tried any real handling, you'd soon find the front-engine/rear-drive box on wheels wouldn't do very much but slip through a turn or corner but it took very practiced hand/foot coordination to achieve that kind of handling. Most of the time, if  you didn't have the training you'd end up spewing dirt, rocks, grass and whatever in a huge circle as the front end tightened up and you ended up in a huge circle.


The 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner, based on Chrysler's B-Body, was pleasant enough to look at. There was a bright surround to a blacked out grille and there were quad headlights up front. The front end was pretty blunt, although it did have a small reverse V in the middle for some style.

Shaped Hood
The hood, which was drop-forged to make room for the engine extras you might want to bolt on, was pretty straight and while the fenders were pleasantly rounded, they were pretty much devoid of any styling other than something that said power. Perhaps the most noticeable note was the rear end that was finished in those two reversed taillights at the corners.  The roof did have some roundness to it and the rear window did rake toward the rear decklid, but that was still straight with a bright center and overhang.

The overriding piece about the 1969 Roadrunner - rumored to be the favorite of moonshiners and others who needed speed - was still its plainness. If it wasn't needed, you wouldn't find it. For example, the one option you would find was either a four-speed with its pistol-grip-style shifter or the console carrying the automatic transmission.

The base engine was the 383 that, when equipped with the right head, intake, cams and exhaust would honk along at up to 400-cubic-inches, that easily cranked 335 horsepower was more likely what you'd find.

Few options
With a three-spoke steering wheel and a single-oval instrument panel where you'd find everything from the tach to the ammeter, plus some switches on a panel below, you can tell the Roadrunner (and its Dodge cousin the SuperBee) were engineered for those who "feel the need for speed."

One last note, these cars were so well made there are still lots of them on the road today.
About the Author

By: Jason Barnham

If you like America classic cars then you really should check out www.carsandstripes.com which rounds up everything from classic car dealers to parts suppliers and articles about old cars

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