Spotting a Plymouth Road Runner-or any blue-chip muscle machine-in the junkyard is sad and exciting at the same time. The sad part is realizing that a once-proud tire burner is a step closer to the crusher. The exciting part is the simple thrill of discovering a diamond in the dust. Either way, hope springs eternal that some savvy hunter-never us-will end up catching the prey and saving it for restoration before things get too far out of control. Unfortunately, for the '69 383 Road Runner coupe shown here at Desert Valley Auto Parts in Phoenix (dvap.com; 800/905-8024), any hope of resurrection is highly unlikely. But we can still dive in for a last look.
Groovy Factoids
• In 1969 Motor Trend magazine awarded its Car of the Year award to the Plymouth Road Runner, saying, "The basic concept of simplicity and low price is what makes it a winner."
• The special Road Runner beep-beep horn was painted black in 1968, then light purple in 1969.