While today we openly roast stuff like “donks” there was a time when jacking your stuff up was cool and that time was the 1970s and the whole street freak movement. This 1969 Road Runner was built during the height of that trend and it was then put away and recently pulled back out. As crazy as it sounds, we kind of love this thing. To clarify that, we love LOOKING at this thing. With the massively arched leaf springs front and back it probably drives like an unloaded cement truck. The paint job is era perfect as are the Cragar wheels and the car still wears its 1970s spec Goodyear rubber as well.
Outside of a wooden rimmed steering wheel the interior looks just about factory stock. The seller claims that the car is still powered by the 383 it left the factory with as well as the four speed transmission that was bolted in on the production line. Garaged for a claimed 24 years before seeing the light of day again, this is street freak perfection. Note the ladder bars that look more like bridge girders under the car and again, the arch of the rear leaf springs is just jaw dropping. Any ideas where the beam front axle would have come from or perhaps it was made and or modified as part of a kit to convert a plain Road Runner into street freak territory. Maybe it is a van axle. We’re totally guessing at that. The era of the street freak was a short one, but they do have a retro appeal. Is this the next trend? It is certainly even further away from pro touring than even pro street cars are. Hell, a pro street car would look like a damned McLaren F1 as compared to the Road Runner on a slalom course!
Thanks to Mike Stolfi for the tip!
Scroll down to see more photos and the CL ad link to buy this street freak!
CL AD: AUTHENTIC 1969 ROAD RUNNER STREET FREAK BUILT IN 1970S
Holeeeee Jeebus. MY EYES! Good gawd Lohnes, you need to seek immediate attention, this is everything that was wrong about the 70’s. The damn thing is taller than the snow plow behind it!!!
Actually fairly understated, from a paint perspective. If anyone from the 70’s remembers the “Circus Wagon” Road Runner from Simsbury CT you’ll know what I mean
Hey, I bet its got a bitchen 8 track tape player!
Why am I reminded of the elderly Spanish woman that “restored” the fresco (painting on plaster) in the church next door?
I can’t stand the whole “donk” thing, and this is worse since it’s a roadrunner and not a clapped out 81 impala.
If you haven’t heard the story about the fresco, take a look at this:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/9555526/Elderly-woman-who-botched-religious-fresco-demands-royalties.html
I remember a ’69 green Road Runner in Newburgh, N.Y. that sat just about that way. Tunnel Ram, 383, staraight axle. Yes, they really were that way back then.
Wow.
I am amazed that one of these things still exists. For the younger readers out there, this is not a joke. Cars like this one were built (and driven!)
I remember a few in my town.
Ah, yes, the ’70’s… A time when prudent judgement and taste were secondary considerations.
Thanks for the flash-back!
Hell yeah I remember that era and we were not slamming our rides….the higher the better.
I still want to get the front end higher on my shoebox.
Good article.
Dang, Monk, just because it was what happened in the era doesn’t make it right! lmao. Stinkbug was happening too, all you need to do is take 20 or 30 feet out of the front end and you have… Halyomorpha halys.. which still sounds like a bad weekend in Tijuana with a girl you’ll never forget.
I would offer/pay no more than $22,000 and take the rest to have it “resto-modded” into a drivable car.
Though I have to admit it does look like it just drove off the pages of “CAR-Toons” magazine. Something Trosley would have drawn.
I photographed this car at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals this year. On the doors, just behind the Road Runner cartoons are “426 Hemi” emblems. I don’t understand why the rearend is above the leaf springs, instead of below like a pickup. Wouldn’t need such a huge arch. The owner had a shot of the car from about 1980 of the car at World Of Wheels, and I seem to recall the car racing at Oswego in the mid-70’s. It’s been around Chicago it’s whole life.
I would put the Road Runner down to its stock ride height and make it more driveable,leaving the rest vintage 1970’s.
Wow that looks horrible!
IT ROCKS!!
Beauty is in the eye of the beholer! Of course, if your old Lady weighs 450 lbs., you need suspension like that!