1968 Plymouth Road Runner

[Paul Ceasrine]

Cheech,

This month's Muscle Car Review (October 2011) has a reprint
of Motor Trend Magazine (December 1967) general review of the
1968 Road Runner.

With comments from then Editor, Eric Dahlquist.
The editors took turns racing the car,,,,,,,,a Coupe with an
automatic transmission and 3.55 gears.

A Best E.T of 15.01 @ 93 MPH.

Only options, Magnum 500 steel wheels (14" x 5.5") and
rocker trim molding.

At first, they thought the marketing of the Road Runner name was
some kind of joke, but after testing the 383/335HP B-Body, they
were impressed with its performance.

Soon after, 'Car & Driver Magazine' labeled the car an 'Econo-Racer',
a $3000 'bare bones performance car'.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Ron,

In the 1967 Motor Trend Magazine 'Super Cars' of compartive new Model 1968 cars,
considered 'mid-size performance cars', with a weight/horsepower factor of 10.00 and up.

1968 Road Runner 383/335HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3424 (10.22 wt/hp)
1968 Dodge Super Bee 383/335HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3440 (10.26 wt/hp)
1968 Dodge Charger 383/330P,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3581 (10.85 wt/hp)
1968 Chevelle SS396 396/350HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3549 (10.14 wt/hp)
1968 Buick GS 400 400/340 HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3512 (10.33 wt/hp)
1968 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 400/350HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3510 (10.03 wt/hp)
1968 Oldsmobile Cutlass 350/325HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3271 (10.06 wt/hp)
1968 Pontiac GTO 400/350HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3504 (10.01 wt/hp)
1968 Pontiac Lemans 350/320HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3498 (10.93 wt/hp)
1968 Ford Fairlane 390/325HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3429 (10.55 wt/hp)
1968 Ford Torino GT 390/325HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3487 (10.73 wt/hp)
1968 Mercury Cyclone 390/325HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3487 (10.73 wt/hp)
1968 American Motors Rebel SST 390/315 HP,,,car weight #3443 (10.93 wt/hp)

Motor Trend (December 1967)

[Jim Carter]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

Ron,

In the 1968 Car Review Magazine of compartive performance cars,
considered 'mid-size performance cars'

1968 Road Runner 383/335HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3424 (10.22 wt/hp)
1968 Dodge Super Bee 383/335HP,,,,,,,,car weight #3440 (10.26 wt/hp)
1968 Chevelle SS396 396/350HP,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3549 (10.14 wt/hp)
1968 Buick GS 400 400/340 HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3512 (10.33 wt/hp)
1968 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 400/350HP,,,,,,,,,car weight #3510 (10.03 wt/hp)
1968 Pontiac GTO 400/350HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3504 (10.01 wt/hp)
1968 Ford Fairlane 390/325HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3429 (10.55 wt/hp)
1968 Mercury Cyclone 390/325HP,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3487 (10.73 wt/hp)

Wow: GM intermediates weighed more than Super Bee or Road Runner!!
That unibodyconstruction must be the difference.

Jimmie C.

[Dan Bennett]

Originally Posted by Jim Carter

Wow: GM intermediates weighed more than Super Bee or Road Runner!!
That unibodyconstruction must be the difference.

Jimmie C.

It is a bit surprising that the Chevelle was the heaviest of the bunch.

Sometimes it helps, sometimes not. If you want a real shock, check the weight on a 70-71 Hemi Cuda or Challenger. I was astounded until I realized that the whole front clip (cowl, fenderwells, etc) was basically the same as B bodies like the Roadrunner.

[Paul Ceasrine]

June 1968 Popular Mechanics
An evaluation of current owners of the 1968 Plymouth Road Runner,
by Bill Hartford, Associate Auto Editor.

'It Goes Great Guns'

After 6 months in the automotive market, Popular Mechanics printed an article, on the evaluation of the Plymouth Road Runner by their owners.

The general review for the 'mechanical' part of the car received very good responses, listed below in order of satisfaction.
Specific Likes:
* Great Handling (#1 response)
* Style
* Performance
* Power
* Mechanical Workmanship

Mechanical problems, listed in order of required service;
* Carburetor (Frequent idle re-setting)
* Brakes (Drum brakes, inadequate)
* Transmission (Automatic, needed kick-down adjustments)
* Electrical (Voltage Regulator and Interior Lighting)

Recommended options, in order of preference;
* Power Brakes
* Radio
* Power Steering
* Sure-Grip Posi Rear






'

[Paul Ceasrine]

Matt,

The 1968 Road Runner (standard car) had;
* Egg-crate design front grille w/black accent color
* Power-bulge hood w/383 emblems installed on each horizontal vent
* Road Runner emblems on each door
* Road Runner cartoon character on each door
* Road Runner cartoon character on trunk deck lid (right side)
* Road Runner cartoon character (center of steering wheel, horn)
* Road Runner nameplate on the dashboard, above the glove box.

Otherwise, everything else was a Belvedere.

[Jeff Teuton]

We have been the Mopar dealer since summer l968, but all our orders were for 69 models. Interesting thing in l969 the insurance industry missed the Super Bee, but classified the Road Runner as a Symbol 5 HP. So we sold optioned Super Bees to everyone because the Hemi did not offer air cond., (we live 30 miles from the Gulf), and was a almost uninsurable, the 440 was almost as bad, but you could get a/c, but uninsurable, same for the GTX (any motor) and the Road Runner (any motor), so we took advantage of it. In l970 the insurance people caught up. The air conditioned models (super bee and road runner) had the small cam and a Holley @ 330 hp, and the non air cars had the avs and big cam @ 335. A Super Bee with bucket seats, console, air, p. steering, road wheel upgrade, Polyglas tire upgrade, am radio, rear speaker, & a few other things (wheel opening mouldings, belt line mouldings etc) listed about 3900. Vinyl top put it over 4k. That car (along with the 340, R/T & such) kept us in business until we learned the word truck, station wagon, etc. Started on a side street in Houma, LA with a one car showroom and 7 people. We are now in our 44th year. It's been quite a ride.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

Ron,

In the 1967 Motor Trend Magazine 'Super Cars' of compartive new Model 1968 cars,
considered 'mid-size performance cars', with a weight/horsepower factor of 10.00 and up.

1968 Road Runner 383/335HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3424 (10.22 wt/hp)
1968 Dodge Super Bee 383/335HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3440 (10.26 wt/hp)
1968 Dodge Charger 383/330P,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3581 (10.85 wt/hp)
1968 Chevelle SS396 396/350HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3549 (10.14 wt/hp)
1968 Buick GS 400 400/340 HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3512 (10.33 wt/hp)
1968 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 400/350HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3510 (10.03 wt/hp)
1968 Oldsmobile Cutlass 350/325HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3271 (10.06 wt/hp)
1968 Pontiac GTO 400/350HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3504 (10.01 wt/hp)
1968 Pontiac Lemans 350/320HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3498 (10.93 wt/hp)
1968 Ford Fairlane 390/325HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3429 (10.55 wt/hp)
1968 Ford Torino GT 390/325HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3487 (10.73 wt/hp)
1968 Mercury Cyclone 390/325HP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,car weight #3487 (10.73 wt/hp)
1968 American Motors Rebel SST 390/315 HP,,,car weight #3443 (10.93 wt/hp)

Motor Trend (December 1967)

Ron,

This is the list you asked to be re-posted.
1968 Classes
10.00 - 10.49 Wt/Hp = E/S
10.50 - 10.99 Wt/Hp = F/S

As of February 1968;
Class Records
* E/S,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,12.90 @ 107.01 MPH
* E/SA,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,12.93 @ 109.09 MPH

You can take a guess at which cars were the 'best' performers in 1968
off this list.

[Hemi Moose]

A few more shots of some street & strip and super stock '68 Road Runner's.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Hot Rod Magazine,,,,,,,,,,,,November 1967

One of the first performance tests of the new 68' Plymouth Road Runner.

Quietly, Plymouth Road Runner representatives wanted to also have
a 383 'Special HP Option' for the car, but the GTX marketing representatives
at Plymouth shot down that idea. Nobody at Plymouth wanted a 383 Road Runner
to be quicker than the 440 GTX.