The Roadrunner. Unlike some sports cars (such as the Corvette), this muscle car is not fragile. It was built for serious street work. The Roadrunner was reportedly a favorite of moonshiners, faster than almost any police car and tough enough to take practically any bump, with good ground clearance to boot.

Offered For Sale by the California Automobile Museum

A rare 1972 Plymouth Roadrunner GTX. One of 453 equipped with the automatic transmission, and one of the 672 made in the 1972 model year, this car just might make you the most popular person at your local Mopar club show. Powered by the biggest engine available, 440 cubic inches of Detroit muscle sits restlessly at the command of your right foot. The Plymouth starts and idles very well. It drives true and straight shifting properly through all the gears and stops properly on demand. The drive train is all original and unmolested. It has been well cared for and maintained by its two owners and it is claimed that the odometer has not rolled over, showing its true and original mileage. The 440 engine retains its factory intake & exhaust manifolds, dual snorkel breather, power steering, and Mopar electronic ignition. It is also equipped with air conditioning. The air conditioning system is currently disconnected but it appears all of the parts are there to reassemble, repair, and get functional. There is some fluid seepage visible under the car, possibly from leaking valve covers or a leaking oil pan. The 727 torqueflite automatic transmission also has some evidence of fluid seepage but operates as it should.  The car handles very well for its size and still retains its factory rear end with rear sway bar. It stays attached to the road by vintage aluminum slotted mags wrapped in newer 235/60/15 Futura GLS Super Sport tires. The center caps are missing unfortunately and are not available in this sale. The car also includes what is thought to be the original spare tire and rim. There is a very faint intermittent click from the front end while driving. The source is unknown. The brakes operate very well on this car and the car stops at all speeds straight and true with no pulling, shimmying, or shaking. There is also new rear brake parts included in this sale. This Roadrunner is a clean California owned car, re-painted in the factory (TB3) Basin Street Blue or "Petty Blue". The body is nearly laser straight and is very presentable. The paint is a decent quality base coat clear coat application but has some small surface preparation flaws visible beneath or through it. The Plymouth originally came with a full black vinyl top but that was deleted when the paint was done. The car has good glass all the way around with the rear 3 tinted. There is a very small chip on the driver's door glass at the top front section and the glass alignment is not perfect as when it is rolled completely up, it touches the rear quarter glass. All of the exterior lighting is good and functional and the lenses are all in good shape. The panel fitment is very good. The doors, hood/bonnet, and trunk/boot open and shut as they should and all of the locks operate properly. The doors are in need of very slight adjustment to get the body lines perfect but it is barely noticeable. The only real flaws to the exterior painted surfaces are a small chip on the upper leading edge of the passenger's door and a very small dent on the passenger's side corner of the trunk lid. The chrome and stainless trim are all in decent shape for being 40 years old. It all still shines well but there are some small blemishes and signs of patina beginning to show.  The Roadrunners interior is a nice combination of original and refreshed materials. The black vinyl seats are all in good shape with the exception of a small blemish on the passenger's side lower seat portion. The carpet is new but could use some minimal stretching to get it just right. The door panels are all nice, neat, and clean with no significant signs of wear. The headliner is clean and rip free but could use a little stretching as well to get it perfect. The only areas truly in need of a little help are the dash and rear view mirror. The dash has some signs of wear and some cracking visible and the mirror has the typical cloudiness they get at this age. The accessories and options inside the car are all operational with some exceptions listed below. The factory gauges all light properly with the headlights on and the turn, brake, and high beam indicators work as well. The am/fm stereo works as well as the cigarette lighter and wipers. The items that could use adjustment/repairs are the glove box door, the dome light, the horn, and the H.V.A.C. system. The glove box door does not shut flush but does shut and latch. The dome light does not illuminate but could just need a simple bulb replacement. The horn when depressed makes a clicking noise possibly from a relay or solenoid but there is no signature meep meep audible. Lastly, the controls for the H.V.A.C. will need some attention. The fan operates on all speeds and the heat gets good and warm but the air only blows from the dash registers, not the floor or defrost registers. Overall, the issues on this car are very minor. This car is in fantastic driving condition and is sure to turn heads and get thumbs up almost anywhere you may take it. It is truly a nice car and a tribute to 1970's styling and muscle. The stance is very nice, slightly aggressive and if seen from the rearview mirror of a hybrid, could be quite menacing. The car has been kept very close to original and has only been refreshed as necessary. This car would make a nice addition to any collection or a great first for those getting into the car collecting hobby.

Body Tag Information

V.I.N. RM23U2G150873

Line 1) N85 N95 R35 26 END

Line 2) M21 M31 N23 N41 N76

Line 3) G11 G36 H51 J25 J45 L31

Line 4) V1X U B41 B51 C16 C56

Line 5) TB3 D6X9 TX9 C16 259989

Line 6) E86 D34 RM23 U2G 150873

*No broadcast or build sheet is available with this car.

*The reason for the 1971 grille is as follows. When the current owner purchased the car, it was in decent original shape with a few issues. One being the paint, one being a split rotten vinyl top, and the other being a badly cracked and damaged grille. During the cosmetic restoration, the vinyl top was removed for proper body work and paint. The car was completely repainted and the owner liked the look without the vinyl top so chose to not have one reinstalled. The grille was beyond repair so it was removed and disposed of. The owner searched for a replacement with no success. He found a 1971 grille in great shape and settled for it as a suitable replacement until a correct one could be found.

Technical Specifications

Engine/Driveline

Number of cylinders/type: V-8, OHV.

Displacement: 440 cu. in.

 4.32 in. bore x 3.75 in. stroke.

Induction: Single Holly four barrel carburetor.

Horsepower: 280 @ 4,800 RPM.

Compression ratio: 8.2:1.

Transmission type: Torqueflight 727 automatic.

Chassis

Wheelbase: 115 in.

Weight: 3,495 lbs.

Brake type: Front disk/rear drums

Production Information

Original list price: $3,095 (base price)

Production: 672 (GTX option)

The History

By 1968 product planners at Chrysler Corporation believed that muscle cars were getting too expensive and laden with options.  They wanted to build a more basic performance car that would be based on a mid-size sedan, sell for no more than $3000 and be capable of 14 second quarter mile times.

The Plymouth Roadrunner was the result.  The Roadrunner was named for the popular Warner Brothers cartoon character and Chrysler paid Warner some $50,000 for the rights to the image of the character.  Every Roadrunner was also equipped with a unique horn that replicated the well-known “Beep-Beep” sound of the character.

Available with 383, 426, and 440 cubic inch engine options, choice of automatic or manual four speed transmissions, and two-door post or hardtop sedans, the Roadrunner was a very popular, and affordable, way to enjoy the muscle car experience.

The Roadrunner would be built in three generations of styling between 1968 and 1980.  Sales were strong from the start and the Roadrunner quickly claimed 3^rd place in muscle car sales, behind the Pontiac GTO and the SS-396 Chevelle.

Our featured car is a second generation Roadrunner with a “fuselage” style body that arrived in 1971.  This car is also a GTX model which was the top trim level for the Roadrunner and came automatically with the 440 cu. in. engine.  The car came with a 3.23:1 rear axle ratio and contemporary reports recorded 0-60 times of 7.8 seconds and quarter-mile performance of 15.5 seconds at 90 mph.

Here is a commercial from 1971 for the Roadrunner. The quality isn't great but it's still fun to watch.

This vehicle is being sold as is, where is with no warranty, expressed written or implied. The seller shall not be responsible for the correct description, authenticity, genuineness, or defects herein, and makes no warranty in connection therewith. No allowance or set aside will be made on account of any incorrectness, imperfection, defect or damage. Any descriptions or representations are for identification purposes only and are not to be construed as a warranty of any type. It is the responsibility of the buyer to have thoroughly inspected the vehicle, and to have satisfied himself or herself as to the condition and value and to bid based upon that judgment solely. The seller shall and will make every reasonable effort to disclose any known defects associated with this vehicle at the buyer's request prior to the close of sale. Seller assumes no responsibility for any repairs regardless of any oral statements about the vehicle.

This vehicle was either consigned or donated to the California Automobile Museum, a non-profit organization and licensed California dealer located at 2200 Front Street, Sacramento, California, where it is available for inspection. This vehicle, and all vehicles sold through us are sold AS-IS with no warranty intended or implied by the California Automobile Museum or its consigner/donor. All sales are final, and in there is no cooling off period in California.

This Vehicle's mileage is subject to increase as it may be test driven or inspected during this auction. 

All sales will include a California Bill of Sale and a Warranty Disclaimers to be signed.

Your bid, winning or not, signifies you agree to these terms and conditions and you agree to make all payments within the alotted time. All purchased vehicles must be removed from the museum within 2 weeks from auctions end or storage fees of $10.00 per day will be applied. (unless written arrangements for additional time have been agreed to by the Vehicle Sales Department)

If you are the winning bidder and back out of your obligation to purchase, or fail to pay within the time alotted, (unless written arrangements with the vehicle sales department have been made) you WILL receive negative feedback and be reported to Ebay. REGARDLESS of your reasons. 

The Museum is open 7 days a week, 10 AM to 6 PM (excluding major U.S. holidays) and we welcome you or your representative to inspect the vehicle prior to purchasing or bidding. If you have any questions regarding the vehicle or would like to schedule an inspection between 10 AM and 6 PM, you can contact us through Ebay messaging, or call Art directly at 916-442-6802.

The California Automobile Museum is formerly the Towe Auto Museum (1997-09) and formerly the Towe Ford Museum (1987-97) Visit our website at http://calautomuseum.org/

Thank you for bidding on our items and for supporting the California Automobile Museum (a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization).

We require a deposit within 72 hours of the end of the auction and full payment within a week (7 days). 

We try our best to clearly describe the condition of the vehicle, but please note that we are often selling cars that are either donated to us, or are on consignment and we may not have a complete history.  

We reserve the right to end this auction early. We are a Brick and Mortar Dealer, this vehicle advertised is also advertised for sale in our Museum located at 2200 Front Street, Sacramento, California, 95818. Because of this, this vehicle is subject to sell prior to the auctions end.

The mission of the California Automobile Museum is to educate and entertain while preserving and promoting the automobile and its influence on our lives.

The California Automobile Museum in Sacramento, California, is the oldest non-profit Automobile Museum in California. We are both a registered non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable corporation, and a licensed dealer in California. We sell cars that have been donated or consigned for sale through our vehicle program. All proceeds directly support cultural and educational activities provided by the museum to the Northern California community.

Would you like to donate to the Museum?

Do you have a vehicle you would like to consign with us?

Please contact Art for additional information regarding donating or consigning your vehicle for sale.