Dustin Wilson admits that...
Dustin Wilson admits that he absolutely enjoys looking at automotive ads on the local Craigslist, which led him to a great deal on this rare '72 Plymouth Road Runner.
We all dream of striking it rich one day, and to Mopar enthusiasts that desire generally means wishing we could find a rare car for a great price. So we spend countless hours looking through classified ads, hoping to one day find the deal of the century on a new project car, but more often than not we only see ads for more modern iron. These days it takes more than just thumbing through the newspaper to find a good deal, as more and more items are being advertised on Internet sites like Craigslist, and it can be just as fun to look for a great deal on a Mopar there.
Dustin Wilson (of an undisclosed location) was recently checking out the ads on his local Craigslist when he came across an advertisement for a '72 Road Runner. The ad wasn't very detailed, so Dustin called the gentleman who placed the ad but didn't get many more specifics about the car. What he did get was an appointment to see the Road Runner in person, so he drove the 20 miles or so to where the car was stored.
After seeing an ad on Craigslist,...
After seeing an ad on Craigslist, Dustin Wilson had to check out the car. What he found was a somewhat rare U-code '72 Plymouth Road Runner.
Arriving at the house, Dustin was amazed to see in the yard a Tor Red '72 Plymouth Road Runner which showed its age, but was nearly complete except for the missing engine. Wondering what engine the car came with, Dustin quickly checked the VIN, seeing the U-code indicating the 440 engine. Even better, the owner showed Dustin a shed full of parts, including a '70 440 and another 400 big-block, both of which were disassembled. Discovering the owner wasn't really into Mopars, Dustin took down the fender tag information and exchanged contact information with the owner.
The next day, Dustin received a text message from the owner of the Plymouth, indicating he was really anxious to sell the car. Dustin made what he calls "an unreal offer" for the car and all of the parts, which was quickly accepted by the Road Runner's owner. Knowing he'd scored a deal, Dustin says he asked his wife for her thoughts (didn't you already buy the car?), and then went to the bank, rented a trailer, and went to retrieve his purchase with the help of a friend.
The fender tag gave more insight...
The fender tag gave more insight as to the rarity of this Plymouth, confirming that it had the rare GTX option (that's right, Plymouth dropped the GTX as a separate line, making it an option for the Road Runner in '72), Tor Red paint code, and automatic transmission.
Along with the car, Dustin...
Along with the car, Dustin acquired a plethora of Mopar engines and parts, including the car's original exhaust, console, and many of the missing interior pieces. Stating that he got the car and parts for an "unreal" price, we must admit we're a little jealous.
Dustin plans to fix the Roadrunner...
Dustin plans to fix the Roadrunner up but can't decide whether to begin this project or his Duster of the same color first. Either way, he'll end up with a cool Mopar when he's finished, so it sounds like a win/win situation.
Getting the Road Runner home, Dustin ran all the numbers and found the car actually has the somewhat rare GTX option along with the 440 engine and automatic transmission. The buildsheet was found in the rear seat but was too far gone to be of any use. So far Dustin has stripped the car of its interior and has all of the parts stored along with the items he acquired with the purchase. He says the Road Runner will eventually get a proper restoration but may have to wait until he gets his Duster finished first. Having two cool Mopars to restore sounds like Dustin is in a pretty good position if you ask us.