You’ll see a car with a built-not-bought license plate or window sticker at every car show because most guys believe a built car is a badge of honor.
That philosophy is definitely true, but there are a significant number of owners who prefer to let somebody else play the long game on a tough project and buy it from them.
This 1972 Plymouth Road Runner is that car.
Jerry Sutherland
The ‘Fuselage Era’ began at Plymouth in 1971 when Chrysler debuted a rounder, more aerodynamic body to enter the 1970s. The hardtops had a different profile and smaller wheelbase than the sedans because Plymouth wanted different options for younger buyers.
That’s what sold Doug Greer on this 1972 Road Runner. He found it at an auction, and it drew him in like quicksand. He liked the finish of this ‘beeper’ and the improvements on the car, plus he knew it was a rotisserie restoration. The Sassy Grass paint wasn’t an option in ’72 but it definitely fits within the orbit of a revised ’72 Runner.
For example, the car is a 1972 model, so the factory 440 was the smogger version with lower compression and 280 net horsepower. In other words, the ’72 440 big block was a pale imitation of its former self, but the car still looked extremely fast.
Doug’s car was a different story because its 440 big block pumps out some serious horsepower. There are many tricks found under the hood, and they’re all designed to give this 1972 Road Runner a big jump in net horsepower.
There were a few post-sale revisions in Doug’s car because he wanted it to handle better, so Doug added a quick-ratio steering box to the Road Runner. He admitted it was a huge improvement over the Plymouth’s factory handling because this car was built to drive.
Doug likes the Road Runner power bulges in the hood, but an Air Grabber setup would have appealed to him as another alternative.
This Road Runner has the Slapstick option, so it’s ready to rumble on command and now the power band matches the all-business look of the hefty shifter. The rest of the car’s condition matches the care and attention that went into this Road Runner–after it became a project.
Doug has learned to live with the attention his Road Runner gets every time he stops for gas. Many people ask him what it is and the guys who do know what it is ask a million questions. It’s a time-burner for Doug, but he loves every minute his fuselage Road Runner gets.
The driving experience behind the wheel of his Road Runner is everything Doug wanted– and more because he’s an avowed Mopar guy. They didn’t build many 440-equipped Road Runners in 1972, so he knows he’s also driving a piece of automotive history.
The key word is driving, because Doug didn’t want a long-term project. He wanted to drive it because Doug is a live-for-the-moment guy who believes every day should be an adventure.
This Sassy Grass Green ‘72 Road Runner is a big part of that adventure.
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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