True Road Runner/Worked 383ci V8/NM A833 Manual.4 Wheel Disc Brakes/Rally Dash

1971 was a pivotal year for muscle car production, the end of an era if you will. Between upcoming pollution control and insurance companies raising rates to be borderline unaffordable for most, 1971 was the last year for truly masculine muscle. Leave it to the White Hat boys to keep things going strong at the end, not only did they keep the big muscle car engine options available, the B-body styling for '71 had gone full sexy and sultry coke bottle. For consignment, a first year body style and last year true muscle car in the form of a 1971 Plymouth Road Runner, add in large cubic inches, a 4-speed manual, a subdued paint scheme with a black vinyl top and you have eye candy in steel form.

Exterior
In 1971, the bodywork was completely changed to a more rounded "fuselage" design in keeping with then-current Chrysler styling trends, including a steeply raked windshield, hidden cowl, and deeply inset grille and headlights. Laser straight steel panels with well minded gaps are found all over this fuselage body and are drenched in a deep smooth Dark Bronze Metallic paint. A shiny ovalesque chrome front bumper surrounds the quad headlights, grill assembly and iconic Warner Brothers Road Runner character. Signal markers are mounted down below on a valance sans twin chin spoilers. A large flat Bronze hood wears not only hood pins but call outs denoting the cubic inches in black and white. Smooth rounded body sides with a small Road Runner decal lead up to the full black vinyl roof and the flat rectangular trunk lid is devoid of a spoiler. On the back is a large chrome bumper with combination tail and reverse lights integrated within. Down below are a pair of correct turn down exhaust tips. 15-inch highly polished Torque Thrust wheels on all 4 corners are wrapped in Goodyear raised white letter rubber with a slight size stagger, 235/60R15 in the front and 275/60R15's for the rear.

Interior
A swing of the doors and we see very nice black tuck and roll upper door panels then some molded vinyl below in black. A shiny door actuating paddle and window crank are also in this differing field of texture and surfaces. Upfront we note the split front bench in black vinyl with charcoal gray inserts is in nearly perfect condition. In back is a pattern matching bench which is also presenting very nicely and perfectly clean. Some extra wood appliqué is on the dash and frames the rounded rally gauges, radio and black knobs and sliders while down below the AM radio resides in its factory location. In front of the passenger seat is a large glove box door and moving slightly left we note a trio of gauges to monitor engine vitals. On the steering column is the highly sought after Mopar Tuff Wheel. On the hump and offset toward the driver is a Hurst Pistol Grip shifter perfectly within the driver's reach. The is within a field of black carpeting and above is a tight black headliner and nice B pillar coverings with some embossing in back.

Drivetrain
Under the long hood resides a non original orange 383ci V8 of 1968 vintage. Topping off this engine are a pair of aluminum Indy cylinder heads and a Mopar Performance 4bbl intake manifold and 4bbl carburetor. Capping this big block off is a chrome open element air cleaner assembly and a pair of black crinkle finish Mopar Performance valve covers. On the back is a numbers matching A833 4-speed manual transmission that sends power back to a 8 3/4 rear axle assembly. Everything is looking good here with shiny paint, supple hoses and attention paid to every detail.

Undercarriage
The underside of this car is just as nice as the top. With the unibody and floor pans done in the black no rust or corrosion is seen. All suspension parts are either painted black or left in a natural finish also. Torsion bars are up front while leaf springs are on the rear. Hooker headers snake their way down from the mill and connect to dual exhaust that runs the length of the car and has Flowmaster mufflers mounted before sending spent gasses out of the turndown tailpipes. Power disc brakes are noted on all four corners for stopping power.

Drivability
I left my partner in crime and crack decoder to take the wheel for this test drive. The car started easily and idled with a sound letting the competition know that this sedate bronze muscle car means business. Blistering acceleration, tight steering and bias free braking was noted. He wouldn't, however, fall for my trick when I asked him to stop in the X I marked off in the parking lot....I think we watched the same cartoons growing up. A few functional frowns reared their head while driving, the radio didn't broadcast the AM band, the heater blower does not function, (the heater core is bypassed), the turn signals were functional but dim and the hood mounted signal markers didn't flash, but otherwise the car is a solid performer.

With the muscle car era dying off due to EPA regulations and rising insurance rates the powers that be at Plymouth gave one grand hurrah with a new body design that still had the oomph of a muscle. A big block engine, 4-speed transmission, and a subtle paint job will have you the talk of the cruise nights. Hurry on down to the Classic Auto Mall and take this bird home before that pesky coyote gets a new contraption from Acme that will put this runner in his garage.

RM23N1R205355

R-Belvedere/Satellite
M-Medium Price Class
23-2 Door Hardtop
N-383ci V8 4bbl 300hp
1-1971
R-Windsor, Ontario, Canada Assy Plant
205355-Sequential Unit Number