1978 Plymouth Road Runner

[old tired rebel]

1978 Plymouth Road Runner 6 BBL

I feel they ruined the Road Runner in 75 all it was a Fury with decals and in 76 they moved it to the F body. :head_smack:

I want to go into a direction that should have been done with a Road Runner instead of going to the F body line in 76. I would like to do a 78 Road Runner based on the B Body line. Plymouth ended the B body line in 75 with the Fury they should have continued it until 79 they dropped the Ball.

Chrysler picked up the B body for 75 for Cordoba which continued into 79.

Dodge continued the Charger line with the B body in 75 then into 78 with the Magnum which ended in 79.

Now by 1980 these cars were changed into the M body line except for the Fury and Magnum. The Cordoba and Mirada continued for a few years.

So I am thinking a 440 6 BBL/4 speed with a shaker hood. Painted in Burnt Orange, Police wheels in body color with poverty caps.

So what do y'all think?

 

[69HEMICORONETR/TCONV]

It would one of a kind, ....that's for sure

 

[res1vw21]

something like this one? http://www.aspenrt.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=69&t=615

 

[old tired rebel]

something like this one? http://www.aspenrt.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=69&t=615

More of a B body like my Doba

 

[res1vw21]

yha he is going for an A12 look

 

[alleyoopmgv]

1978 Plymouth Road Runner 6 BBL

I feel they ruined the Road Runner in 75

You have a right to your opinion, but I totally disagree:HappyNewYear:

 

[old tired rebel]

You have a right to your opinion, but I totally disagree:HappyNewYear:

They had the decal package down perfectly it looked great. But they dropped the ball in the performance dept. If you wanted to go fast you had to do it yourself no different than the 60's right? Wrong

In the 60's and early 70's you had a stronger performance engine base to start with than a weak 318 or 360 which came in these cars. Very few came with a 400 and they were way down on power.

The only one who tried to keep performance was Pontiac and Chevrolet while their power was down in the Z/28 and Trans Am just a little tweaking and a few cheap mods woke them up.

Everyone told me that adding a 360 intake and a Edelbrock carb would wake my 318 it didn't. These later B bodies are heavy and should all have a 400 Big Block at least.

Even the new Mustang GT,Camaro and Challenger are a big waste as far as performance go. Yeah they handle better get decent gas mileage but they are smaller than my Doba and weigh as much.

 

[KingElvis]

Gotta get the 340 valvetrain rebel!

I've been obsessed with the latter B body for some time. Little remembered was the '75 and '76 240hp 400 - had the 440 magnum heads I think - works out to about 310 'gross' hp. Even the '76 Lean Burn with a mild cam made 210hp - ten warmer than the revived 455 T/A of that year.

To my great regret, I've never been able to track down a magazine road test the era - I'd bet they would e.t. in the 16s with the 3.21 rear - pretty tough for '76.

I think it would be awesome if you created a 'phantom' Plymouth Sport Fury Roadrunner out of your Cordoba. Give it black out grille and window trim - some of those 6.5" color keyed urethane styled wheels. Challenge would be to create different side marker and grille design - maybe use a Magnum trunk and taillights.

I think a 240hp "lean burn" 400 without catalytic converters would actually be cooler because it's more plausible - a real fooler people would think was a bone stock rarity. Get a 3.55:1 axle and it'll be snappy enough. Police spec 440 would be perfectly plausible too, but I vote for the 400.

Man rebel, get started!

 

[old tired rebel]

Gotta get the 340 valvetrain rebel!

I've been obsessed with the latter B body for some time. Little remembered was the '75 and '76 240hp 400 - had the 440 magnum heads I think - works out to about 310 'gross' hp. Even the '76 Lean Burn with a mild cam made 210hp - ten warmer than the revived 455 T/A of that year.

To my great regret, I've never been able to track down a magazine road test the era - I'd bet they would e.t. in the 16s with the 3.21 rear - pretty tough for '76.

I think it would be awesome if you created a 'phantom' Plymouth Sport Fury Roadrunner out of your Cordoba. Give it black out grille and window trim - some of those 6.5" color keyed urethane styled wheels. Challenge would be to create different side marker and grille design - maybe use a Magnum trunk and taillights.

I think a 240hp "lean burn" 400 without catalytic converters would actually be cooler because it's more plausible - a real fooler people would think was a bone stock rarity. Get a 3.55:1 axle and it'll be snappy enough. Police spec 440 would be perfectly plausible too, but I vote for the 400.

Man rebel, get started!

Welcome KingElvis.

400 for these cars are a rarity for sure.But there is no way I would put a stock engine in this car.Which I can get with the K member. I like the 440 6 bbl for the wow factor.

I may use Police wheels or go 17 inch Eagle Alloys 211 I'm not sure yet. here is a Picture of what I have so far. I don't want this exact shade it has more of a candy look to it.

The only way to get rid of the side marker lights for the front is to go earlier header panel or have this one modified with fiberglass.

So KingElvis I doubt this will get built.

 

[69 Runner]

There is no such thing as a 440 magnum head despite their being toted in the ads

 

[old tired rebel]

There is no such thing as a 440 magnum head despite their being toted in the ads

Dang it there goes the new heads for my 310 4 cyl.

 

[69 Runner]

Dang it there goes the new heads for my 310 4 cyl.

those make tons of power even without the special heads:HappyNewYear:

 

[old tired rebel]

those make tons of power even without the special heads:HappyNewYear:

Well I guess that ends my special V-20 swap.:rolling:

 

[KingElvis]

There is no such thing as a 440 magnum head despite their being toted in the ads

Looking at specs from NHRA, the 440 police and 400 with dual exhaust had higher lift cam so it could have been just valvetrain with the same basic heads.

 

[KingElvis]

Welcome KingElvis.

400 for these cars are a rarity for sure.But there is no way I would put a stock engine in this car.Which I can get with the K member. I like the 440 6 bbl for the wow factor.

I may use Police wheels or go 17 inch Eagle Alloys 211 I'm not sure yet. here is a Picture of what I have so far. I don't want this exact shade it has more of a candy look to it.

The only way to get rid of the side marker lights for the front is to go earlier header panel or have this one modified with fiberglass.

So KingElvis I doubt this will get built.

See the appeal of the police wheels - maybe you could find some of those 8" Aspen Super Coupe wheels.

You could just black out the grille vanes and chrome trim - get some roadrunner adhesive graphics and tape stripes and fool everybody. I love it.

I hear you on the 318. Chrysler just never had a 'hot' version of the 318 - 4bbl version of later seventies and eighties was no great shakes.

The 400 was actually standard on the Cordoba I think in '77 - but many came through with the economy option of the 318

 

[ramenth]

Personally, I like this idea. When I was a kid and had my '76 Charger I always wanted to do a "what if" build on it as a Charger R/T. 440/6 4 speed, Dana. Alas, the car was scrapped as it turned into a rolling pile of rust. Can't save 'em all. But maybe one of these days I can relive the dreams of youth. Go for it, I say!

 

[old tired rebel]

Personally, I like this idea. When I was a kid and had my '76 Charger I always wanted to do a "what if" build on it as a Charger R/T. 440/6 4 speed, Dana. Alas, the car was scrapped as it turned into a rolling pile of rust. Can't save 'em all. But maybe one of these days I can relive the dreams of youth. Go for it, I say!

I am I have started gathering parts I will need.

 

[ramenth]

I am I have started gathering parts I will need.

Gonna give us a build thread?

 

[old tired rebel]

Gonna give us a build thread?

Yeah once I get everything together. I will need to get another vehicle to drive before I can start.

 

[rumblefish360]

Theres no 80 Magnum. Mirada? Yes, Magnum, no!
The 400 was never standard, the 318 was, 360 first notch up and 400 being the biggest. P codes were the only other option to the 400's. 360's had 2 and 4 bbl. options and there was a few, depending on where you lived depended on what you could get.

Being the "Smog Years", the power levels sucked on every car produced. Bar none.

Old Rebel, the 318 is an under powered people mover in the B bodies which needed a jump in the comp. ratio (2pt.'s min.) and a reasonable cam to compolment. Just to start along with the 4bbl.

If you just added the 4bbl. and expected anything more than the most mildest gain, you were not on the same page as everyone else.


Just a FYI, My Magnum (79) with a '78 400 is only updated with a orange box and headers and a added 3.55 gear set. It ran a garbage mid 15 at the best. A swap to a AFB 750 didn't help matters at all.

So I am thinking a 440 6 BBL/4 speed with a shaker hood. Painted in Burnt Orange, Police wheels in body color with poverty caps.

So what do y'all think?

Go for it. I know a fella around my way that did just that minus the shaker hood. He actually popped on a , er, crap! I can't remember if it was a Challenger hood scoop or a A body hood scoop.

Dang! I hate when that happens. Anyway's, it's on a Magnum, white with black accents. Nice ride.