For many enthusiasts, the '70 version of the Plymouth Road Runner is considered a high watermark for musclecar styling. With new options galore-led by the Air Grabber hoodscoop and radical paint colors-the car maintained the squared-off style that had been the hallmark of Chrysler's budget musclecar. The following year, this body style, based on the Belvedere, would become a four-door model (as would Dodge's Coronet), while the Road Runner, the GTX, and Dodge's Charger and Super Bee would be radically restyled.
Matt Delaney's Viper-powered '68 Charger R/T was a featured monster here in Mopar Muscle a few years ago. In fact, somebody liked that Charger so much that Matt accepted an offer he couldn't refuse, which resulted in a nice pile of cash, but the need for another ride. So, being a tried-and-true Mopar fan, Matt immediately began to make plans for a special Road Runner to replace the Dodge.
While Matt wanted to use as much modern hardware as reasonably possible, he wanted the car to maintain the appearance and sound of 1970. at first glance, this car looks like a nicely restored '70 440 6BBL Road Runner. However, as you begin to look at the details, it becomes more and more obvious that this Shreveport, Louisiana-based Mopar has spice to spare. One part of the project that was important to him was using off-the-shelf hardware rather than a lot of custom fabrication such as the Charger entailed.
Matt was no stranger to building cars having owned "about every '68-'73 type of Mopar made." in addition to his real estate business, he owns Delaney Auto Design, and it was there that a solid 58,000-mile Road Runner body was taken down to bare metal and put up on the rotisserie. Subframe connectors were welded-in, the body was completely epoxy-primed (including the wheel-wells), and Mike Harris laid down the Ultra Orange Pearl covering on the panels. The only graphics are the factory black hood treatment (and the partial strobe stripe from the cartoons on the front fenders), aided by a Go-Wing on the trunk and '73 Duster outside mirrors.
The trick suspension work included a 1-inch drop all the way around, Hotchkis sway bars at both ends, Edelbrock shocks, and 12-inch Master Power disc brakes that feature calipers adapted from '77 Road Runner pieces. One big braking improvement was the use of Hydroboost (made by Hydrotech) hydraulic power in place of the factory's vacuum assist. Handling was further benefited through the use of a '70 T/A-type quick ratio steering outfit coupled to four fat Nitto low-profile tires (245-45-17, front and 295-45-18, rear) on Intro Vista rims. This final change is the one major visible shift from a nearly-stock appearance.
Inside, the hot peppers continue. The seat coverings are a combination of leather and black-and-white cloth done by ProTrim, also in Shreveport, using '71 Road Runner buckets. Next seen is a Grant steering wheel, '68 GTX door panels, a suede leather headliner, and the cooling effects of a Vintage Air A/C outfit. But the real trick is the stock shifter coupled to a B&M mechanism that handles the four-speed automatic transmission. Also inside, there is a complete Alpine stereo mounted in the '70 GTX dash and side panels. Matt gave the dash cluster to Redline Gauge Works in Newhall, California, who added the Stewart-Warner and Auto meter mechanisms to look like the stock units. The 21st-century gauges feature an electronic speedometer with a digital odometer driven by a sensor in the transmission.
That transmission is a prototype installation '88 700R4 four-speed automatic built by Harrel Lamkin for Keisler Transmissions-the production version to be offered will use the more modern 4L65E coupled to a Mopar pattern bellhousing. Between it and the engine is a 2,400-rpm Hughes Performance converter. Behind it, power goes through a custom driveshaft to a '67 vintage Dana 60 with a 3.54 Sure Grip setup.
Musclecars are about horsepower, and building a replacement for a Viper-powered ride sounds like a tall order. To that end, Matt entrusted AMS in nearby Bossier City to mix up the last and hottest part of this Cajun dish. The base was a standard '69 440 block, performance prepped and now displacing 520 inches courtesy of a 4.375-inch bore and an offset Eagle crankshaft (from 4.15 to 4.32 inches). Mounted on the Eagle stroker crank are Eagle 7.1-inch big-block rods. Venolia 10.25 compression pistons live happy on pump premium, while a Hughes hydraulic roller cam (split design with .544/.568 lift and 228/236 duration) smoothes out that big-inch idle. Hughes also supplied the double springs, the rockers, and did the port prep on the Edelbrock Performer heads. The lung was topped off by a matching Edelbrock Six Pack intake and a trio of ProMax-prepped Holley carbs with billet bases and annular discharger boosters. The fuel and air are fired by MSD's new all-in-one distributor and an Optima battery, and the exhaust fumes return to the atmosphere via a set of Airborne Coatings-prepped Schumacher tri-Y headers. Keeping the engine cool is a Griffin aluminum radiator and a Milodon water pump in a Mopar housing. other accessories include Xtreme Billet A/C mounts (that place the Vintage Air compressor below the engine) and March pulleys. This package spits out a very fat 572 horses at just 5,200 rpm (and 630 lb-ft of torque at 2,900) on the dyno, but still gave Matt a sweet 17 mpg on the highway during the Hot Rod Power Tour last June.
We can't tell you how much the car cost. Matt simply stated, "if you have to ask...." to that query. What we can tell you is he has a big-inch, big-bodied Mopar that handles great, is a pleasure to ride in, can roast the tires at will, and doesn't require a mortgage to keep in fuel. Just like the food that comes out of the Louisiana bayous, this car has just the right amount of spice.
Fast Facts
Owner: Matt Delaney, Shreveport, LA
Car: 1970 Road Runner
Engine: 1969 RB 440 casting
Heads: Edelbrock Performer castings prepped by Hughes Engines with 2.19-inch intake/1.81-inch exhaust valves, Hughes shaft-mounted rocker arms, Hughes valvesprings, Smith Brothers pushrods
Camshaft: Hughes Engines hydraulic, .544/.568 lift and 228/236 duration
Crankshaft: Eagle stroker, reground 4.15 to 4.32 (creating 520-inch displacement)Rods: Eagle 7.1-inchPistons: Venolia forged with .990 pinsCompression Ratio: 10.25
Induction: Edelbrock Performer Six Pack with ProMax-prepped Holley 2bbl
Headers: coated Schumacher tri-Y style, Airborne CoatingsTrans: Mopar-adapted prototype GM 700R4 four-speed automatic, stock gear ratios, Hughes Performance 2,400-rpm stall converter
Differential: Dana 60, 3.54 SureGrip
Wheels/Tires: Nitto tires (245-45-17, front on Intro Vista 17-inch rims and 295-45-17, rear on Intro Vista 18-inch rims)
Paint: House of Kolors Ultra Orange Pearl, painted by Mike Harris, Delaney Auto Design
Best Performance: 11.90 at 117 via G-Tech meter