Yes, that is our car. It had rallye wheels with G60-15 Goodyear Polyglas tires when delivered new. It was purchased at Normandin Chrysler Plymouth in San Jose, California (now Normandin Chrysler Dodge). The salesman took us to a back lot before the special order was finalized to offer us a leftover 1970 lemon twist yellow Superbird.
More trivia:
I recently found the current owner after joining the 1971-1972 Road Runner Group on Facebook. A very short time after my first comment describing my parent's old vehicle, the current owner posted a comment that his vehicle was similarly equipped. This was probably within about 24 hours after my post. It was hard to believe that in the photo he sent me of the rear bumper, the original California license plate was still attached.
I suggested the purchase of the RR to my parents after reading over and over again the Road Test Magazine edition that named the 1971 Satellite/Road Runner model line their choice for "Car of the Year."
The Plymouth dealer had an air grabber equipped Bahama Yellow RR demonstrator on the lot, probably why we ordered a similar vehicle. The salesman explained to us that the hood scoop was not for engine cooling, but rather to provide fresh are to the intake.
Before ordering the vehicle, I suggested to Mom that she substitute backlight louvers for the spoiler option. She asked me how we would clean the rear window with that option? I didn't know, so the order went through with the spoiler option. When the vehicle arrived with the front spoilers as well, I was surprised because we did not realize that was included in the option. I have since installed some reproduction louvers on my '72 Satellite Sebring Plus project vehicle. Project:
https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/mopa...project-odyssey-a-1972-super-satellite.91765/
We have no family pictures of the RR during the two or three years we owned it. Neither Mom nor Dad were much into photography and I have no idea why I didn't take a few shots.
I drove the RR on my initial DMV driving skill test at the Los Gatos DMV office on or about my 16th birthday. Scored in the 90's, just a few points off for not waiting longer while making a right turn onto a busy boulevard.
When the vehicle was delivered, the first week we found a combination wrench under the driver's bucket seat.
In '71-'72 I drove the RR every day to Palma High School in Salinas, CA as a junior (50 mile round trip) averaging 12.5 MPG with the 383 auto and 3.23 open rear end. At 70 MPH (my cruising speed) the factory tachometer was reading 3,000 RPM.
In '72-'73 I drove the RR every day to Gonzales High School in Gonzales, CA as a senior (10 mile round trip).
When I was a junior, this classmate named Steve was bragging about his quick Mercury Cyclone. One day I challenged him to a race. I suggested ten dollars to the first one to hit 90 MPH. He hesitated but finally gave in. I was a nervous wreck as we drove out to a paved road (Armstrong Rd. in Salinas) surrounded by lettuce fields (probably a string of power poles on the side). It seemed like half the high school must have followed us out there in broad daylight. My passenger was a heavy, buff varsity football player and the Cyclone owner had an equally heavy owner of a '55 Chevy with him. Another male student was the starter. I jumped ahead about a half a car length off the line and maintained the lead until the finish. Collected my ten bucks and swore never to race on the street again. Promise kept.
After the plastic center console would not stop vibrating at idle, I removed it. I drove with the slapstick rods exposed after that time.
The only girl I ever had in the RR with me was my little sister (took her to school with me). After it was sold, I found myself in the RR back seat with Melissa (my girlfriend at the time) when I double-dated with the second owner one evening. He was in the front seat with my sister (he dated her for a very short time).
The RR ran low 15 ET's at Fremont Raceway, shifting the torqueflite at 5,500 RPM. The first time there, I won first place trophy in the "amateur bracket" class for newbies. Anyone winning that trophy was obligated to participate in regular bracket racing thereafter.
The ET's were the same with the air grabber open or closed.
One day Dad drove us to Monterey from Salinas on Hwy 68 (one lane each direction) he stepped on the accelerator to pass a slower vehicle, the torqueflite downshifted automatically and took off. Dad said something like: "My, this car has some get up and go!"
The second owner was a friend of the family and purchased the vehicle for $2,000.00 circa 1973/74. He smashed the front end when another vehicle was reversing up an onramp to US 101 in Salinas. They blamed him for the collision. He suddenly passed away some years ago. He drove a Ford Falcon with leaf spring shackles before the RR purchase.
I had a muffler shop install Thrush straight through mufflers. These were not packed with fiberglass. At Fremont Raceway, a bystander told me he could hear the exhaust even when I was running alongside another vehicle that had open headers.
The second owner received a ticket for noise shortly after purchase and re-installed the stock mufflers. I was never cited for anything, but remember approaching some high school girls in Catholic uniforms walking home from school, then popping the slapstick into neutral, and blipping the throttle. They jumped three feet into the air. Dirty looks followed.
I installed the Superbird "Plymouth" decal on the rear quarter panels which the second owner removed soon after purchase.
The first replacement air filter I ever purchased was made at the dealer.
I installed some JC Whitney fire injector spark plugs, which advertised more efficiency and even a faster idle speed. The idle speed did not change after installation.
I installed chrome rear shocks which were advertised to run cooler than factory stocks. I don't think so. At the same time, I installed one of those helper springs which raised the rear end a slight amount.
I installed mini-chrome mud-flaps all around which turned out to be too small to stop the splash from the G60-15 tires.
I drilled holes in the two access covers used during wheel alignment to provide an exit for hot, underhood air. My crazy idea as a teenager.
I installed a Stewart Warner vacuum gauge and oil temperature gauge in the dash. The vacuum gauge always wiggled at idle. The oil temperature would take much longer to normalize than the coolant temperature and ran higher than coolant temps (maybe 230-240, I forget).
I had our local mechanic use Penzoil 20W-40 racing oil, not realizing at the time that racing oil was non-detergent.
I changed the coolant once, purchasing a product labeled "Goodyear" at the local auto store. A year later, the radiator was all rusty. Should have used Prestone?
The Polyglas tires on the front wore out very fast on the edges, very uneven. I figured it was from the "S" curves on the way to the ranch home where we lived at the time. Never had a flat tire.
Someone asked if I planned on replacing the factory Holley carburetor. I replied if I ever made a change it would be to go with a dual four-barrel setup. I must have been a little delusional. Still am.
I removed the factory spoiler "Go Wing" for a period. It was not lining up right and left and seemed slightly bowed in a way. Since I was so "****" regarding things being perfectly symmetrical, it had to go. Later on, it went back on.
When I graduated from high school, I went right to work in a Chevron Station for the next year and a half while attending Hartnell Community College in the mornings. When I purchased my first car, a used 1965 four-door Valiant for $125.00, Dad sold the Road Runner. Dad drove a 1968 Cadillac Fleetwood Broughman at the time. The Valiant was eventually transformed into a serious bracket racer by me.
