The one-that-got-away plot is all too familiar to car guys.
You never really forget that first new car, but in most cases that new car gets old and sold when it’s done its time.
Fortunately, this 1975 Plymouth Road Runner never suffered that same grim fate.
Jerry Sutherland
Dave Eamon special ordered this car and picked it up in April 1975 from Renfrew Chrysler-Plymouth in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He ordered it with the 400 four-barrel V-8 because he wanted the most powerful smog-era car he could buy. He paid $5832.25 for the Road Runner.
Dave wasn’t picking up a future collectible at the time—he was picking up a family daily driver. That’s why this ’75 Road Runner saw the real world from Day 1—including duty as their wedding car.
The Plymouth did everything for the Eamon family and it saw winter every year until 1985–when Dave retired the Road Runner and parked it. Dave is an auto tech so he knew he had to start it regularly or time would do a big number on the factory 400 engine.
The mechanical side of the Plymouth was maintained, but there was nothing to save the Plymouth from years of winter use and outdoor duty on salty roads. Dave did store it inside after that, but you can’t reverse rust any more than you can reverse aging.
Dave’s buddies were harassing him about the Road Runner’s future, and his wife was totally onboard with a restoration, so he ran out of excuses. Dave said he’d, “had it so long I had to do something with it”.
He started by finding a parts car—something Dave said he’d be “dead in the water without it”, because the parts car had everything he needed to resurrect the Road Runner.
The donor car provided fenders, hood and other body parts that saved Dave’s original car. He said he received massive amounts of help from buddies in his car club (Northern Mopar Auto Club) to get it to the point where it is now.
There were other details like the Rear Tunnel Deck Stripe (a $19.00 option) and the Sundance interior (cloth seats) because Dave wanted this car to be as mint as the first day he drove it home. The Challenger exhaust tips were also part pf the original Runner package.
The cloth seats option was important because Dave didn’t want vinyl seats in winter—now it’s a piece of the car’s heritage.
Dave went underneath the Road Runner and replaced everything he could in the suspension and brake system. He left the original torsion bars and rear springs because they’re impossible to source, plus his Road Runner’s were in decent shape.
The engine was in great shape after 110,000 miles so Dave simply replaced the seals because he’s a firm believer in the “If it ain’t broke, don’t mess with it” philosophy.
The net result is a spectacular 1975 Plymouth Road Runner. Dave set a goal with this project, and he saved it because, as he explained: “It would have been a different ending if I had a garage back then to keep it inside”.
It doesn’t matter—the Road Runner has a garage now.
Jerry Sutherland
By: Jerry Sutherland
Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post, Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.
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