Frame Up Restored Bluefire Road Runner 383 4 Speed

It's that time of year again: everyone is looking for this summer's new toy. If you're the kind of guy who likes to drive his Mopar muscle, but also one who appreciates a car in its factory form, then you should definitely give this 1969 Road Runner a close examination. Restored in 2009 to original specifications with no questionable modifications or significant deviations from original, this car is perfect for the purist who likes to exercise his hardware. The car spent most of its life in South Carolina where the sheet-metal was spared the ravages of our northern winters and it features original panels that were nicely refinished in original B5 Medium Blue Metallic.

So if you're a purist, here's the fender tag information I'm sure you'll want to see:

E63: 383-4 Barrel
D21: Heavy Duty 4-Speed Manual Transmission
RM23: R = Plymouth Road Runner, M = Medium, 23 = 2 Door Hardtop
H9G: H = 383 330HP OR 335HP 1-4BBL 8 CYL, 9 = 1969, G = St. Louis, MO, USA
177389: Sequence Number '177389'
B5: Paint Code: Medium Blue Metallic
B5: Paint Code: Medium Blue Metallic
M6B: M= Medium trim grade, 6= Vinyl bucket seats, B= Light blue
B7: Upper Door Frame: Medium Blue Metallic
B27: Date Built: 11 / 27 / 1968
212670: Order Number: 212670
C16: Console w/ Buckets
C55: Bucket Seats
L31: Hood / Fender Mount Turn Signal
R11: Music Master Radio AM

Our CEO found and purchased this one himself and spent a weekend on vacation in South Carolina driving it 50-60 miles. He reports that it is one of the tightest and nicest-driving Road Runners he's seen in years. Like you, he loves these cars and knows what to expect when he gets behind the wheel. There's little question that he's a true expert on these cars, so when he says it “drives like a dream” (that's literally what he wrote in his E-mail to me when describing this car before it arrived), that's not just sales-speak. He was genuinely impressed with this blue cruiser.

The blue paint is better than your average re-spray; the panels look original throughout and everything is extremely straight. Panel gaps are good, and the 2-stage urethane was applied in a professional environment so there are no dirt nibs or other detritus in the finish. After the car was sprayed, the paint was wet sanded and buffed to a high shine, eliminating almost all traces of orange peel and leaving a beautiful, flat, smooth, glossy surface. The performance hood treatment is well done with just the right amount of gloss, and the tape lines are sharp and crisp.

Trim and decals are all nice reproduction units and the bumpers, mirrors and door handles are new reproduction items. The hood-mounted turn signal indicators are original, and the grille is in outstanding original condition. The sharp-eyed readers out there will note that this car did not originally come with a vinyl top—it was added when the car was restored. There are no issues with any of the glass, and all the lenses throughout are clean and undamaged.

This sweet-running blue beeper features the standard 383 Super Commando V8, topped by a 4-barrel carburetor. Cranking out 335 horsepower, it's a sweet-running engine that moves this relatively lightweight car with authority. Not long ago, this well-sorted engine received a stock-type rebuild that included a .030 inch overbore and it runs flawlessly today. Key it up and it fires immediately, idles nicely, and pulls like a freight train from any speed. It sounds awesome and is perfectly happy trundling along in stop-and-go traffic. Detailing under the hood was done with originality in mind, and it wouldn't take much to make it a contender at many shows. The block and heads are dressed in the correct HEMI Orange paint, the hoses are correctly labeled, and the air cleaner is authentic with the proper '383 Road Runner Engine' decals on the lid. All the wiring, including the spark plug wires, is correct and there's a 26-inch radiator up front keeping it all cool. Unique to the Road Runners, the 'beep-beep' horn is intact and functional, and the washer fluid bottle looks brand new. Show it off or drive it, this engine compartment is ready for the summer.

According to the fender tag info this is a real 4-speed car, and that's what you'll find living behind the big block 383. This one is tight and quiet, with no signs of abuse or neglect—it chops through gears effortlessly and the engine note encourages you to use the shifter as often as possible. The rest of the chassis is original and restored to original with original sound-deadening undercoating on the floors. The front and rear suspensions have been rebuilt, as have the manual drum brakes at all four corners to include the signature red brake drums. There's a fat sway bar up front and a new gas tank out back, with new lines feeding the carburetor. Wheels are 15-inch Magnum 500s, with 255/60/15 BFGoodrich T/A radials at all four corners that really fill the wheel wells and give the car a very aggressive look. If I pulled up next to this car at a stop light, I'd think twice about revving my engine for fear of being embarrassed.

Inside this Road Runner is an extremely nice 100% stock interior. Obviously everything was replaced or restored at the time of restoration, from the bucket seats and their new blue covers, to the carpets and headliner. The two-tone door panels are correct and look terrific and the center console has been refinished to new condition. In fact, the console in this car is one of the nicer ones I've seen recently. A correct and functional R11 Music Master AM radio sits in the dash above the factory 4-speed. The shifter from that factory 4-speed pokes out of the console with its unusual shifter handle that positions the knob closer to the restored steering wheel where a quick tap of the rim horn button triggers the trademark “beep-beep!” horn. The trunk features a new mat and matching spare tire with jack assembly.

If you're looking to prowl the streets and hit some cruise nights this summer, there aren't many better ways to do it than in a lightweight big block Mopar with a 4-speed. This Road Runner has been restored to a level that will make you proud enough to show it off anywhere. The paint is above average, the engine is highly detailed, and the interior is a place where you'll be happy to spend a lot of time. It runs even better than it looks and its tight body and chassis suggest that someone has taken very good care of this car all its life. Well done 383, 4 speed cars are nearly impossible to find and they sell faster than bottled water at Disney World. If you're a purist who likes his hardware to be accurate and original, but still wants to get out and drive, this is your car. Call today!