1978 Plymouth Road Runner, 34K original miles, 2-owner, like new !

1978 Plymouth Road Runner Volare' Description

1978 Plymouth Road Runner (Volare’)

-318 cubic inch V-8, Automatic, A/C, PS, PB

-Beautiful street cruiser, inside and out

-Like-new condition, 34K original miles

-2’nd owner, always garage kept, never raced

-Never been wrecked, absolutely no rust, ever

-All original engine and drive train, never been modified

-Professional Ziebart treatment when car was brand new

-original chrome, paint, glass, door seals, & all trim pieces

-original MFG stickers all present; door jam, truck, gas cap, etc,

-original interior, seats, seat belts, carpet, dash, instruments, light bulbs, head liner, etc.

-original vinyl interior classic car smell

-original AM radio and speakers fully functional

-original Plymouth ignition, gas cap, & trunk keys; 2 sets

-original bumper jack, spare tire, and tire tool, trunk liner, the spare tire may be the original bias ply

-4 original wheels & hubcaps included with 4 brand new Michelin radial tires mounted (not shown)

Upgrades:

-4 brand new Crager American Racing wheels and Master Craft radial tires (currently mounted on car)

-4 new premium floor mats

-profession window tinting on all windows

-color-match steering wheel cover

-fresh brake pads (original front rotors and rear drums)

Needs attention

-passenger wiper arm needs to be reconnected to have both wiper functional

-driver side armrest has been hand-stitched, can be replaced if desired

-speedo cable needs lubrication; squeals when it’s cold out

History

The car was purchased brand new in 1978 from the Plymouth dealer in Columbia Kentucky by an elderly lady (I’m not making this story up). She immediately had the car professionally Zeibart protected (see photos), which is what people who take care of their cars used to do back in the day. This seals all steel panels from corrosion (door jams, under hood surfaces, wheel wells, interior of doors and interior of trunk lid). When the lady became too old to drive she turned the car over to her daughter who then traded it at the local Jeep dealer for a Durango SUV, of all things. Her loss, my gain. A friend of mine from Columbia Ky who is good friends with the dealer showed me the car and I think I paid cash for it the next day. My friend had the new wheels, tires, and window tinting done to give the car more of a street cruiser appeal.

The car is virtually all original and in near perfect working order with tight steering, handling, and braking as you would expect a car with 34K miles from that era to behave. The shocks are original and should probably be replaced at some point. The engine and power train are all stock and therefore dialed down low to the factory power specification, which is no where near what the venerable 318 V-8 prime mover is capable of. My intention was to eventually upgrade with an electronic throttle bottle carb or an aftermarket performance carb along with dual exhauste, but I’m going to have to sell her instead now to help pay for my daughter’s college education. I’ve really enjoyed just cruising around town in the car the way it basically came from the factory and someone else can do the same, or proceed to unleash the real Road Runner inside of her. The great thing about this car is that it has V-8 power in a relatively lightweight 2-door coupe package with a medium to short wheelbase, which makes for good handling, acceleration, and decent fuel economy compared to the full-size lead sleds of the day. Plymouth marketed the same basic car under a variety of labels and paint themes in the late 70’s such as Road Runner and Volare’, this particular specimen being the latter. The Road Runner version came with a large sticker the full length of the door (of the same name) as well as a small sticker on the trunk lid of the cartoon character named Road Runner, "Beep-Beep". I purchased 3 or 4 of the trunk lid stickers which come with the car, but I have not affixed them on the car. My plan was to replace the 3 Volare’ emblems with the small Road Runner graphics. The larger door stickers can be purchased on E-Bay if desired, but I prefer the classic understated lines of this body style without the fan-fare. The car has subtle beauty and understated power in her lines, and the original off-white exterior and baby blue interior are both classic and invincible, in my humble opinion.

When I decided I needed to sell the car I visited Gas Monkey Garage in Dallas Tx to see if they might be interested in buying the car. In regular fashion they low-balled me on price so I walked away, after buying a Gas Monkey license plate; I love that show, but Richard and the bearded wander missed their opportunity. Anyway, there it is if you’re interested in a classic car, near new condition, perfect body, with great muscle car potential at a reasonable price (I set the reserve at $12,500). If you win the car, you can fly into Indianapolis and drive it home if you like as it’s ready to roll cross-country with original cold A/C and all the AM talk radio you can stand. I prefer you go visit other cars on-line and in person, then come see this car in person and see for yourself before you bid. However, if you live far away and do buy the car without seeing it in person, when you come to pick it up if it does not meet your reasonable satisfaction, you are free to walk away. I think you’ll like what you see and I have been honest about the car’s condition. That’s my gentlemen’s agreement and I ask that you don’t squander my time and money if you’re not serious about owning the car. We'll agree on reasonable terms for deposit (say $500 check in the mail) and pick-up date depending on both our schedules (you are responsible for delivery). If the car sells locally before the auction closes I will naturally have to cancel the auction on-line. For serious inquiries only, feel free to call my cell (812-447-5534) as I may not have regular access to e-mail or E-bay queries while traveling. Thanks, Greg