One of just 658 Road Runner convertibles built for 1970 is loaded with factory extras.
When Plymouth introduced the Road Runner in 1968, the company created an affordable muscle car that quickly became a hit with performance enthusiasts. By 1969, the model had reached its peak, with more than 80,000 examples leaving dealerships. That same year also marked the arrival of the Road Runner Convertible.
Unfortunately, convertible muscle cars were falling out of favor by then. As a result, only 1,890 drop-tops were sold in 1969, accounting for roughly one percent of total Road Runner production.
Plymouth brought the convertible back for one more year in 1970, but overall Road Runner sales dropped sharply as rising insurance premiums began taking a toll on the muscle car market. With the glory days of high-performance machines already beginning to fade, Plymouth managed to sell just 658 convertibles before discontinuing the body style for good.
More than half a century later, surviving Road Runner convertibles have become highly sought-after collector cars. Their rarity is compounded by the fact that convertibles historically had lower survival rates than coupes and hardtops, with many examples eventually ending up in salvage yards.
The rarest examples command staggering prices today. Earlier this year, an unrestored 1970 Road Runner Convertible equipped with the V-code 440 Six-Barrel engine sold for $220,000, setting a record for the body style.
That car was one of just 34 built with the 440 Six-Barrel V8 and one of only 20 paired with the four-speed manual transmission.
At the top of the hierarchy sits the legendary 426 Hemi. Only three Road Runner convertibles received the 426-cubic-inch engine in 1970. Two came with TorqueFlite automatics, while only one was equipped with a four-speed manual gearbox, making it one of the rarest Mopars in existence.
The FJ5 Limelight Green example shown here isn't one of those ultra-rare Hemi or Six-Barrel cars, but it still has plenty going for it.
Powered by its original numbers-matching 383-cubic-inch V8, the car has been restored to factory specifications and retains its eye-catching green paint, accented by a black performance hood stripe and a beautifully finished black interior.
Although the transmission was replaced at some point, the car still uses a TorqueFlite automatic. That combination alone makes it one of only 429 Road Runner convertibles built with the 383 V8 and automatic transmission. Plymouth also produced 179 four-speed cars and just 13 examples with the three-speed manual.
Perhaps the biggest selling point is the option sheet.
The original buyer checked many of the right boxes, giving the car an impressive list of features for its era. Among the highlights are the highly desirable N96 Air Grabber hood, bucket seats, center console, wood-grain steering wheel, and an AM eight-track radio with a three-speaker dashboard setup.
Power steering and power brakes further enhanced drivability, making this one of the better-equipped Road Runners available in 1970.
All of those features help explain its six-figure asking price.
Currently offered by American Steel Classics in Celeste, Texas, the beautifully restored convertible carries a price tag of $109,500. For Mopar fans dreaming about top-down cruising on warm summer evenings, this rare Road Runner might be just about perfect.