FAST FACTS: '74 Plymouth Road Runner
Rodney Knight Jr.• New Middletown, Oh
Mopar Power
Engine: With 17,800-plus miles on the odometer, Rodney dropped the oil pan, pulled the crankshaft to have it polished, and replaced the rod and main bearings without needing to extract the factory slugs from their cylinders. He also tossed in a new gasket set for safe measure.
Transmission: With a stock Pistol Grip shifter, the rpm's are spun through a stock clutch and 833 manual four-speed gearbox.
 The previous owner didn't...  The previous owner didn't care for the factory JA5 Winchester Gray Metallic with a black stripe, so he went for PPG black; Rodney had the red highlights added. |  |  It would be the last year...  It would be the last year of the second-generation B-Body Road Runner. Strangled by insurance rates and emission laws, the Road Runner's performance was a mere shadow of its former self. |
Rearend: A Chrysler 9-1/4 rear sports a Sure Grip wrapped in 3.55 gears.
Horsepower & Performance: Though Rodney didn't provide any quarter-mile timeslips or dyno printoffs, he did boast an impressive 22 mpg on his way to the '06 Mopar Nationals
Sure Grip
Suspension: Using all original equipment available from the factory, Rodney reused the heavy-duty torsion bars and police-grade front and rear sway bars, along with HD police rear leafsprings.
Brakes: Power disc brakes up front with 11-inch drums.
Wheels: Chrysler Rallye rims; 15x6 up front and 15x8 out back.
Rubber: Firestone Firehawk treads; 215/65/15 fore and 275/60/15 aft.
High Impact
Body: long before Rodney purchased the Road Runner, a relative had disassembled the B-Body down to a rolling shell and stripped the body of its factory JA5 Winchester Gray paint. The panels were all straight and painted by the time Rodney picked up the Plymouth in February 2003. He took the time to strip off all the aluminum trim to polish the brightwork to its original luster.
With a LA 360 small-block...
With a LA 360 small-block and a four-speed turning the 3.55 Sure Grip out back, this B-Body makes a surprising 22 mpg.
Paint: PPG Black. The red accent stripes on the hood, roof, and C-pillar were added later by Troy Willoughby at Brad's Towing in Petersburg, Ohio, who also did a little touch-up work where needed on the three-year-old paint job.
Interior: In addtion to new seat covers for the buckets, a headliner, and new black carpet, the interior is all original, including the factory vinyl on the rear bench and door panels. The dash is untouched, still showing its solid state AM radio and single speaker mounted deep in the dashboard.