1969 Plymouth Road Runner

Rotisserie Restoration by Steve Atwell | 15 Miles Since Completion | Third Place, 2025 Detroit Autorama

Introduced in 1968 as Plymouth’s answer to the escalating muscle car wars, the Road Runner embodied the brand’s return to pure performance. While many competitors pursued luxury and ornamentation, the Road Runner focused on raw speed and mechanical honesty—delivering maximum horsepower with minimal frills. Its lightweight construction, aggressive styling, and availability with Chrysler’s legendary 426 Hemi engine made it an instant icon of American performance.

For 1969, Plymouth refined the formula while preserving the car’s unfiltered character. Beneath its unassuming exterior lay the 426 cubic-inch Hemi V8, a powerplant born from NASCAR competition and capable of propelling the Road Runner to near-supercar levels of performance for its era. Coupled with a four-speed manual transmission and a Dana 60 rear axle with Sure-Grip differential, the Hemi Road Runner became one of the most formidable street machines of the late 1960s. Only 234 examples were built in 1969 with this engine and gearbox combination, cementing its position among the rarest and most desirable Mopars ever produced.

This example was originally delivered as a factory Hemi four-speed car, finished in its original shade of green (as noted on the original fender tag), and retains its original sheet metal. The car was built in California and remains numbers-matching in all critical VIN stampings, with its original fender tag present and correct.

The car underwent a full rotisserie restoration under the direction of Steve Atwell, one of the foremost authorities on Hemi-powered Mopars. Completed approximately one year ago, the restoration returned the car to concours standards, with meticulous attention paid to accuracy, finish, and mechanical integrity. Both the engine and transmission feature period-correct castings, ensuring the car remains authentic to its factory configuration. The body was refinished in a deep, mirror-like black, a striking contrast to its original color and a finish that accentuates the car’s muscular lines and purposeful stance.

Following completion, the Road Runner made its public debut at the 2025 Detroit Autorama, where it achieved Third Place honors, a testament to the craftsmanship and precision of its restoration. Since then, the car has covered just 14 miles, effectively presenting as freshly completed.

Representing the height of Chrysler’s performance engineering and the enduring appeal of the American muscle era, this 1969 Plymouth Road Runner Hemi 4-Speed combines rarity, provenance, and concours-level presentation in a single package. With its expert restoration, documented authenticity, and award-winning finish, it stands as an exceptional opportunity to acquire one of the most coveted Mopar configurations ever built—an example as exhilarating to behold as it is significant to the heritage of American performance.