1968 Plymouth Road Runner
B-body · First year Road Runner. Concept was no-frills maximum perfor... · The original budget muscle car — stripped down, powered up
Highly Collectible
Production & Overview
Total Production
44,599
Original MSRP
N/A
Assembly Plants
Hamtramck, MI · Los Angeles, CA · Lynch Road, MI
Wheelbase
116 inches
Body Styles
2-door Post Coupe · Hardtop
Curb Weight
3,450 lbs
Notable Packages & Production
426 Street Hemi — Hemi
Optional engine — $714 over base price. 840 first-year Hemi Road Runners.
4-7x base
840
produced
Post Coupe Body — PostCoupe
B-pillar coupe — first year only. Lighter and stiffer than hardtop.
1.2-1.5x hardtop
29,240
produced
Available Engines
L 383ci — V8
Road Runner special 383 — used 440 heads, exhaust manifolds, and cam. Higher output than standard 383.
335 hp
R 426ci — V8
426 Street Hemi — optional at $714 premium. 840 produced.
425 hp
Buyer Checklist
⚠ Clone warning: Hemi matching numbers significant — $80,000-200,000+. Post coupe body with Hemi especially rare and valuable. Non-matching reduces value 30-50%.. Always verify with cowl tag, engine stamp, and registry before purchase.
Decode fender tag — confirm Road Runner specific codes
Verify post coupe vs hardtop body style — different VIN digit
Engine stamp verification on left front block
Hemi — verify dual Carter carbs and correct intake manifold
Special Road Runner 383 — verify correct heads and cam (440 sourced)
B-body floor pan rust front and rear
Rear frame rails and trunk floor
Lower quarter panel rust
Beep-beep horn function — confirm original
Road Runner cartoon decals — verify originality
Known Problem Areas
Floor pan and rear frame rust
Clone Hemi — 383 cars converted
Post coupe body panels harder to find for restoration
Road Runner cartoon decals reproduced extensively
Missing fender tags
What Drives Value
↑ Increases Value
Hemi post coupe with documentation
Hemi hardtop matching numbers
Post coupe body with 4-speed
Original broadcast sheet and window sticker
↓ Decreases Value
Clone Hemi
Floor rust
Missing fender tag
Non-matching engine
Restoration Overview
Difficulty
Medium
Parts Availability
Good — B-body parts widely available; post coupe specific parts harder
Driver Quality Cost
$18,000 – $40,000
Show Quality Cost
$55,000 – $130,000
Key Suppliers
Year One · Mopar Connection · The Parts Place · OE Muscle Car Parts
Pop Culture & Legacy
Warner Bros Road Runner cartoon licensing was groundbreaking for car marketing
Beep-beep horn became one of the most recognized sounds in muscle car culture
Introduced the concept of budget muscle — influenced all subsequent budget performance cars
Motor Trend called it the Milestone Car of 1968
Other Plymouth Road Runner Years