An American 1970s muscle car, basking in the Florida sun, is on the hunt for a new home. It’s a 1971 Plymouth Road Runner, a coupe with the fuselage-era styling that was already defining the look. Under the hood, it has swapped its original 383 for a big-block V8 440, considerably more muscular on paper. And most notably, this Mopar coupe has just surfaced on eBay in a No-Reserve auction.
The principle is simple: the highest bidder gets the car, no matter the final price. Here, the seller from Lehigh Acres, Florida, has a starting bid of $10,000. He also offers a Buy It Now option at $14,000 for those in a hurry. With two previous owners, an engine that’s been sitting, and visible rust, the picture is already telling. This 1971 Road Runner for sale is initially aimed at a collector who’s ready to take on a major project.
A 1971 Plymouth Road Runner big-block, formerly a 383, in need of a full restoration
The 1971 model year marked the second generation of the Plymouth Road Runner, with a rounder, more aerodynamic silhouette. That year, the coupe started at $3,147, roughly $2,900 in today’s money, with a 383 V8. Its power was dialed back to about 300 hp to appease insurers and new emission rules. A 440 Six-Barrel producing around 385 hp remained available for an extra $262, i.e., about $240. The 426 Hemi at 425 hp carried a surcharge of $884, about $810.
This car was born with the 383, but now wears a V8 440 big-block and comes with two replacement doors. The seller notes that this 440 hasn’t been started in years. He adds: “It will run with a little work,” according to his eBay listing cited by autoevolution. In its current state, it’s best seen as a project to bring back to life, even if described as complete. The worn interior and the rust noted in the “usual spots” confirm this status of a major teardown.
No-Reserve eBay auctions: $10,000 for this Road Runner project
On eBay, this Plymouth Road Runner 1971 up for sale is listed in a No-Reserve auction by user eduar_3227. In plain terms, the highest bidder takes the car, even if the final price doesn’t meet the seller’s expectations. The starting bid of $10,000 has, so far, drawn no bids. The most eager buyers can bypass bidding with the Buy It Now option at $14,000. Regardless of the route, you’ll need to add shipping from Florida, which can be a hurdle for buyers outside Florida.
To place this car in context, you can compare it with other Road Runner 1971 No-Reserve sales, whether they’re projects or restomods. A similar project listed on Barn Finds, stored for a long spell and later modified, changed hands around $11,300. Higher still, a 1971 Road Runner restomod with a 6.4L Hemi sold for $41,730 on Hagerty. Between these extremes, preserved originals that have been restored can fetch prices at Barrett-Jackson, well above what a basic project would. For a buyer, the entry price of this 1971 Road Runner is only the opening line of a budget that needs careful planning.
