It’s a 69 RoadRunner Hardtop that someone else started back in 1992 and by 1994 he had lost interest so it sat until I bought it a few months ago. The car was built in So. California and spent most of its life there until the owner retired in 92 and moved up to Washington State. It came from the factory with the 383, 727 auto, power steering, power drum brakes, A/C, dressed in copper paint with a beige vinyl top. He had the engine and trans rebuilt, sanded down the rust free body, removed the vinyl top then shot it with some leftover paint from a previous project (actually a 70 AMC Rebel color) but he didn’t have enough paint to do the entire job. He also installed a new black vinyl top. He did a 50/50 paint job and it needs to be stripped and redone. My wife prefers I put it back to copper but it’ll probably be something with lots of pop instead of the original color. I am doing the majority of the work myself.
Now to my plans, I have a complete QA-1 front suspension, disc brakes for the front and rear, new stainless steel brake lines, a hydroboost power brake unit, a new Borgeson quick ratio power steering box, U.S.Tool body stiffening kit and their mini-tub kit, a rear spring relocating kit and a freshly built 69′ 440 w/ aluminum heads. I will be purchasing new wiring, a new A/C system, a new interior, a new sound system, an RMS Quick Lynx rear, new exhaust, a Gear Vendors overdrive, heat and sound insulation and other miscellaneous parts as needed. I’m debating on installing power windows and larger, wider tires.
I used to drag race Plymouths in the 60’s and early 70’s at places like Lions, Irwindale, O.C.I.R, Pomona and lots of late night street races (shhh). I had a 64 Plymouth that was the former race car that belonged to the son of a local dealer. It had the aluminum front end, a Stage III 426 Wedge, cross-ram manifold w/ 750 double pumper carbs, cast iron headers with factory cutouts, 4-speed trans, superstock rear springs and a 4.10 Sure-Grip differential. I bought it in the fall of 67 when he took possession of a new Hemi RoadRunner. I paid a whopping $1500 for it (I paid for it in 6 months, street racing). I sure wish I still had it. Unfortunately, my ex-sold it on me while I was out of town. When it became too much to be a daily driver (13.5 – 1 pistons and solid roller cam), I bought a 68 RoadRunner, 4 speed, as my daily driver. It too became built but not to the extent the 64 was. I could eat up most other street legal cars, the only times I lost on the street was to a Hemi Charger and a 69 Camero with an injected 427. A good friend bragged how fast his 340 Duster was until I showed him my taillights several times – LOL.
Vic Stein
Yakima, WA
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