Roadrunner
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Contents
Background:
Plymouth released the Road Runner in 1968 as a low buck stripper Muscle car, by taking a stripped down Satellite and putting its 383ci motor into it. In the truest form, the Road Runner had dog dish hub caps, steel wheels, vinyl bench seat, and "Puke & Wipe" vinyl floor covering. It was designed to be a no-frills, low budget Muscle Car version of the GTX.
History:
Model Predecessor
None -- with the stripper Muscle goal.
Model Successor
The Road Runner rode it out past the Muscle Car era -- so there never was a true successor to it.
Export Versions
None
Related Models
Competition
- Dodge Super Bee
- Ford Torino GT
- Mercury Cyclone
- Chevrolet Chevelle
- Pontiac GTO
- Oldsmobile 442
- Buick Grand Sport
- AMC The Machine
- AMC SC/rambler
- Plymouth GTX
- Dodge Coronet R/T
While the above cars competed for sales, on the streets, and on the race track with the Road Runner, most broke away from the low buck stripper Muscle Car theme that was started by Plymouth with the introduction of the Road Runner.
Body Styles
1968
- 2 door coupe
- 2 door hardtop
1969 - 1970
- 2 door coupe
- 2 door hardtop
- Convertible
- Superbird was a Road Runner in 1970 produced in small enough numbers to make Legal in NASCAR
1971 - 1974
- 2 door hardtop only
1975 - The Forgotten B-Body Road Runner
1976 - 1977 (The F-Body Road Runner)
Technical:
Class
Low Priced Muscle Car
Platform
- B-Body 1968-1975
- F-Body 1976-1977
Engines
1968
- Engine Code H - 383 ci 4V V-8 335HP
- Engine Code J - 426 ci 2x4V V-8 425HP
1969
- Engine Code H - 383 ci 4V V-8 335HP
- Engine Code J - 426 ci 2x4V V-8 425HP
- Engine Code M - 440 ci 3x2V V-8 390HP
1970
- Engine Code N - 383 ci 4V V-8 335HP
- Engine Code R - 426 ci 2x4V V-8 425HP
- Engine Code U - 440 ci 4V V-8 375HP
- Engine Code V - 440 ci 3x2V V-8 390HP
1971
- Engine Code H- 340 ci 4V V-8 275HP (240HP Net)
- Engine Code N - 383 ci 4V V-8 300HP (250HP Net)
- Engine Code R - 426 ci 2x4V V-8 425HP (350HP Net)
- Engine Code U - 440 ci 4V V-8 375HP (305HP Net)
- Engine Code V - 440 ci 3x2V V-8 390HP (330HP Net)
1972
- Engine Code H - 340 ci 4V V-8 240HP (Net)
- Engine Code P - 400 ci 4V V-8 255HP (Net)
- Engine Code U - 440 ci 4V V-8 280HP (Net)
1973
- Engine Code G - 318 ci 2V V-8 170HP (Net)
- Engine Code H - 340 ci 4V V-8 240HP (Net)
- Engine Code P - 400 ci 4V V-8 260HP (Net)
- Engine Code U - 440 ci 4V V-8 280HP (Net)
1974
- Engine Code G - 318 ci 4V V-8 170HP (Net)
- Engine Code L - 360 ci 4V V-8 245HP (Net)
- Engine Code P - 400 ci 4V V-8 260HP (Net)
- Engine Code U - 440 ci 4V V-8 280HP (Net)
1975
1976
1977
Transmissions
1968
1969
1970
1071
1972
- Standard transmission in the 1972 Road Runner was the manual floor mounted 3-speed
- Manual 4-speed Optional
- Torqueflite automatic 3-speed optional
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
Specifications:
Length, width, height, wheelbase
Length - 203"
Width - 79.1"
Wheelbase - 115"
for what years are the above numbers accurate. It certainly cannot be for all four of the platforms (68-70, 71-74, 75, 76-78) the Roadrunner was on. This needs to have the years of the quoted numbers with the numbers quoted
Production Numbers:
1968
- 2 door coupe - 29,240
- 2 door hardtop - 15,358
Total - 44,598
1969
- 2 door coupe - 32,717
- 2 door hardtop - 47,365
- Convertible - 2,027
Total - 82,109
1970
- 2 door coupe - 20,899
- 2 door hardtop - 14,744
- Convertible - 684
Total - 36,327
1971
- 2 door hardtop - 13,046
1972
- 2 door hardtop - 6,831
According to another source: 2 door hardtop - 7,628.
1973
- 2 door hardtop - 17,443
1974
- 2 door hardtop - 9,656
1975
1976
1977
Photos by Year
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1964 Road Runner Concept
Wiki Topic References:
Magazine Article References
- July 2009 Mopar Collector's Guide pages 84-89