Wicked Wednesday: This 1971 Big Block Road Runner Has Had More Engines Than Owners
Current owner bought this car when he was a senior in high school. He raced it, blew it up, and restored it into this big block Road Runner.
You gotta love the Plymouth Road Runner. And that 1971 body style is so distinctive. Such a cool car, we can understand why someone would want to keep it for a long time. A gentleman named James is the owner of this particular Road Runner. And he has owned it since 1975. What makes that long term ownership extra cool is the fact that James was in high school when he bought it. A big block Road Runner is a boss ride for a high school kid. And he drove it like a boss. He raced it, blew up a few motors and finally rebuilt it into what you see today.
This week’s “Wicked Wednesday” is all about this 1971 big block Road Runner. James stopped by AutotopiaLA to show off his ride and go over all the details that makes this car so special. A video posted on the AutotopiaLA YouTube channel gives us the opportunity to learn all about this car. And we get to see and hear it in action. So, without further delay let’s jump in.
High School Car
James bought the car in 1975 when it still had the original 383 motor in it. That was eventually replaced with a 440. He drag-raced it on the street, like any 17- or 18-year-old kid would. He pushed it hard for a number of years. But finally in 1980 the party was over. The engine blew up and the car was parked, and it sat. And sat and sat. For thirty years it sat motionless in the garage. But then in 2010 James met a friend who had a Road Runner. Once he saw that car running it got the juices flowing and he decided it was time to bring his car back to life.
Rebirth
The rebirth of this car began with installing its third engine. James got in touch with Russ Bishop from Bishop-Buehl Racing Engines. The goal was to make the car streetable but still able to deliver on the track. With that in mind the engine installed is a 400 stroked out to 467 cubic inches. It has a big cam, a forged bottom end, and a host of other upgrades. That is enough to get it to dyno at 650 horsepower. And that is an all-motor number. This power is handled by an A-727 3-speed transmission.
Mechanical Upgrades
The engine is the star, but other areas of this big block Road Runner were upgraded as well. The suspension is beefed up from stock but still dialed in to be a straight-line car and not a corner carver. Out back you still find leaf springs. Stopping duties are handled by a manual Wilwood braking system. The wheels are 15×7 up front and 15×10 in the rear. They are wrapped in ET Street S/S tires from Mickey Thompson.
Interior
The inside of this car looks almost brand new. And it remains very close to stock. The seats have all been re-covered but have the original pattern. Although originally the car did have a front bench seat. The biggest change inside is the dash and the Auto Meter instrumentation. Because James owned this car almost from new, he didn’t want to go all crazy cutting it up and making huge changes. It is a bit more modern but still looks like it came from 1971.
Drive Time
Enough talk, it is time to hit the road. The car fires up and you hear that big cam, and you know you are in for a special treat. The car looks great on the road, but it is the acceleration runs that are where the fun is at. A push on the throttle and everyone gets pushed back into their seat. What a machine. Checkout the video below for all the details. It is a kick ass car with a kick ass story.
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