Anyone who has done a car project knows the biggest challenge is a correct restoration because the attention to detail is what sucks up time and money.
That’s the story behind this 1969 Plymouth Road Runner.
Jerry Sutherland
Trevor Yates is a self-described Plymouth guy, and he had a 1973 Plymouth Cuda with a 340 when he spotted a 1969 Plymouth Road Runner for sale. It was a Tulsa, Oklahoma car so he knew it was probably in decent shape thanks to the dry climate.
He learned the Road Runner was an all-original car and the last owner got it from his dad. The factory 383 had been yanked and replaced with a 440, but the 383 was still around and came with the sale. Brian pointed out the 383 only had 40,000 miles on it thanks to the transplant, so that helped him define the scope of the project.
This is a bench seat car with a factory column shift—that was the basic setup for the Road Runner package. The invoice showed a list of options that drove the price up another 1000 dollars, but it was still a basic two-door post Road Runner.
Brian’s decision to bring his Road Runner back to factory-correct status set off an earthquake of events. The car had been undercoated originally, so the metal was in mint shape—Brian said they sanded it down to metal and found “zero rust on any panels”. The body was in great shape thanks to a lifetime in a dry climate, so Brian sent it off for a rotisserie restoration.
The body work went well but the ending was an adventure because the shop went into receivership. Fortunately, the owner called Brian before they locked up the shop because the Road Runner was done and ready for pickup—before legal action kicked in.
He rescued the car, but that was just the beginning of the challenge because factory stock means NOS parts and correct details. For example, the carpet had to be the exact cut, and the interior had to be factory stock—right down to the seat buttons. The exhaust system is also NOS correct. The Magnum wheels were also on the option sheet.
The only departure from factory specs was found on the hood because this car came with black stripes on the hood. Brian admitted he was “not a fan” so he deleted them because sometimes you stray from the spec sheet—that’s the only thing he didn’t recreate. Essentially Brian unticked that option.
The driving experience is pure 60s muscle. Brian said the car chirps going into second because of the sure-grip rear end and he’s had to explain to police that it’s part of the Road Runner’s acceleration process—not showing off.
Brian described the driving experience as “rough and solid”—that is a great summary of a 1969 Road Runner.
He’s glad he went the extra mile on this car even though attention to detail comes with a price. Brian was glad to pay it to save Mopar history.
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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