1970 Plymouth Roadrunner

The 1970 Plymouth Road Runner stands as one of the defining muscle cars of its era, a car created to deliver unfiltered performance with a brash personality that matched its cartoon namesake. Plymouth introduced the Road Runner in 1968 as a straightforward, budget-friendly muscle machine, but by 1970 the formula had reached a new high point. With its redesigned front and rear styling, wild high-impact colors, and a reputation for no-nonsense horsepower, the model quickly became a street legend. This example takes that same foundation and pushes it further, the product of a no-expense-spared, five-year rotisserie restoration completed by StripMasters, Inc. of Miami, Florida in 2023. The work elevated every detail while upgrading the drivetrain to serious street-and-strip specification, resulting in a Road Runner that blends iconic looks with modernized muscle. Visually, this car makes an immediate statement in Code J5 Limelight Poly, one of the most famous high-impact hues from Chrysler's palette. It was applied using premium PPG products, and the finish highlights the crisp bodywork and clean restoration throughout. Black performance hood stripes with a blackout treatment frame functional hood pins, while Road Runner graphics on the quarters and trunk lid recall the factory look. Dust-trail decals sweep down each side, a playful yet period-correct touch that underscores the car's identity. Underneath, the body was finished in original-style dip primer with undercoated wheel wells for protection, while a powder-coated and clear-coated fuel tank gleams between dual chrome exhaust tips. Bright trim, a fresh grille, and 15-inch Rallye wheels wrapped in BF Goodrich Radial T/As complete the exterior, giving this B-body the stance and character enthusiasts expect from a properly restored 1970 Road Runner. Under the hood, the original 383 was set aside in favor of a 440 Magnum block stroked to a stout 499 cubic inches. This big-inch motor was carefully assembled with performance in mind, featuring Indy EZ aluminum heads, an Indy intake, and dual 650cfm Edelbrock carburetors feeding the cylinders with more than enough fuel and air. Spent gases exit through TTI headers into a new 2.5-inch aluminized dual exhaust system, giving the car both the bark and the bite expected from a Mopar of this caliber. A Ram clutch transfers power through the A833 4-speed manual transmission, long revered for its durability...while a reinforced 8.75-inch rear axle with Sure Grip and 3.23 gears manages delivery to the pavement. Power front disc brakes provide confidence, and a 4-core radiator keeps temperatures in check, rounding out a drivetrain built for reliable, big-block performance on the street. Inside, the cabin retains the feel of a classic Mopar muscle car but benefits from a complete restoration. Fresh white bench seats with new padding contrast sharply against the black dash and trim, providing a period-correct atmosphere Mopar fans appreciate. The long-handled Hurst Pistol Grip shifter rises prominently from the floor, an unmistakable feature that adds to the car's driver-focused attitude. In front of the driver, the Rallye gauge cluster has been fully restored by Redline Garage Works, including the famed Tick-Tock Tach that combines a tachometer and clock into one clever dial. A solid-state factory radio fills the center stack, while details like the reverse indicator light, 3-spoke steering wheel, and a trunk fitted with a fresh mat underscore the quality of the work. For many enthusiasts, the 1970 Road Runner represented the purest form of Plymouth's performance promise: bold styling, straightforward equipment, and maximum horsepower per dollar. This example sharpens that formula with more than 100 additional cubic inches, dual quads, and carefully chosen aftermarket parts, all brought together in a first-rate restoration. The result is a Road Runner that looks the part, sounds the part, and lives up to its reputation every time