Growing up, one of the many “kid-friendly” car books that my grandfather gave me had a kind of “spotter’s guide” deal that showed the up-and-coming youngster how to tell the difference between a traditional hot rod, like a well-done Deuce, against a gasser, a custom van, and a street machine. All I remember is that the “street machine” in question was basically an outline drawing of a Mopar B-body, painted red, with early 1980’s graphics, a blower through the hood and wheels like a Centerline Auto Drag or a Cragar SS/T on it. I don’t know how old the book itself was but this was the early 1990s…Pro Street cars were it. If you didn’t have an Art Morrison-style four-link and 33″ Mickey Thompsons out back, you just weren’t cool enough. Tweed interiors, more airbrushing detail than the Kardashian’s makeup team could handle, and no real need to do much more than lope around a show, that’s all that was needed. 

Don’t mistake all of my tone for dripping sarcasm…you can’t deny that seeing a car cruising down the road with that kind of rolling stock isn’t awesome, I’m still a sucker for an engine coming through the hood if it’s got enough guts, and some of the paintwork out there is spectacular. My beef with it all is the whole “Pro Fairground” deal: too much time parked and pretty, not enough miles being put on the clock. And that’s where this 1973 Plymouth Road Runner sits: Someone back in the day sank some serious coin into this beauty, and whoever painted it nailed the look, no matter how period-correct (read: old-school) it is. Some things have changed over the years, but a 440 with dual quads sticking through the hood will move the car along, the interior can be sorted, and nothing looks too far gone, except for maybe the driver’s side floor and some minor spots here and there. It is a Michigan car, after all. But compared to building another ‘Runner or a Satellite to this condition, buying this car and fixing the minor details would be a bargain. At the time of writing, it was sitting with a $7,500 bid on eBay. Would you be ready to make a deal for a Pro Street Road Runner at that price, and more important, would you drive the wheels off of it?

eBay Link: 1973 Plymouth Road Runner