There Is Always Another Pretty Girl

Another Road Runner or two I can't stop thinking about. 
I really need more space or maybe the lack of space constrains my compulsions. I think a lot of us deal with this in some form. There is always another car. It can be eBay, Fakebook Market Place, Craig’s List or one of the big auction houses having a weekend event on TV, there is another car I want. Nay, another car I need, often times it is some form of Plymouth Road Runner. I’ve had many cars but never a Road Runner or ‘Cuda. Too many good times were had in a 1973 Road Runner, the 1971 Road Runner is arguably a Top Five best looking muscle car, the Volare Road Runner is all sorts of malaise muscle cool. Then there is my irrational obsession with the 1980 Road Runner, especially in black with a red interior and T-tops. There is something about the 1980 Road Runner’s clean, simple, light look. Without the louvers, doo-dads and loud stripes. Like a Road Runner ready to conquer a new decade, that car should have survived till 1985. Too bad Lee Iacocca didn’t seem to agree with me.

There was the black 1980 Road Runner on West 186th Street always parked across from the building where I bought weed. There was the black 1980 Road Runner for sale online for like ten years, I dragged my mother in law to Chicago in the dead of winter to try purchasing that one. Now there is a black ’80 with a red interior and supposedly 13K original miles on eBay. Listed for a second time at a slightly lower price of $17.5K, that's a bit steep IMHO. The problem is my 1978 Super Coupe and 1999 Trans Am currently occupy the garage space, while my wife’s car sits out in the driveway to suffer the elements of weather. 

It should be easy to talk my self out the 1980 Road Runner. Did you know in 1980 you could no longer get the 360 4-barrel in the Road Runner? The 318 and Slant Six were the only available engines*. Yeah you read that right, Slant Six in a Road Runner.  A 318 2-barrel, 904 transmission and little 7 ¼ rear end don’t sound very stout and brutish. Damn, it’s kind of sexy, you could treat that 318 to a performance rebuild and a four-barrel carburetor. Plenty of people swear by the 904, slap a Gear Vendors on the back, yeah sweet. When the 7 ¼ grenades on the track replace it with an 8 ¼ rear that is easy to find, dude... If it winds up listed with “make an offer” and the dude is willing to take $12K I might buy first then worry about garage space. 

The next bird to distract me is a clone, which I have no issues with and will cover that subject in another post. This Satellite Sebring Plus is dressed as a 1973 Road Runner. Supposedly on a five-year-old complete restoration. Equipped with the 400 4-barrel, 727 Torque Flite and 8 ¾ rear axle, A/C for comfort during car show season. The seller includes reassuring statements like “new wiring harness for the dash and engine” and “this car could be driven anywhere”. Good I’m a road trip guy. The F1 Mist Green and white stripes make for a sharp looking car, although green isn’t really my thing. Too many of these 1973 Road Runners at the $17K price point are POS waiting to frustrate. This car seems well sorted out, just get out and enjoy it. 

Both of these cars are a nice road trip south that can be done in a day. Then there is the California museum car…

*Some claim the 360 4V was available, proof being 1980 Volare 360 cars in super stock.