Franklin Mint 1971 Plymouth Roadrunner

Though many consider 1970 the last hurrah for American muscle cars, Plymouth wasn’t about to give up the ghost, at least in 1971. Basically a Plymouth Belvedere with a police package, the Roadrunner’s standard engine was the 383 cubic-inch big block V-8, with a 4-bbl carburetor, that made 300 bhp (down from 335 bhp). But MoPar’s little secret was that (unlike other manufacturers) they didn’t lower the compression ratios much on their optional engines. The 340 made 275 bhp, the 440, equipped with three 2-bbl carburetors (Dodge called it a “Six-Pack”) made 385 bhp (down from 390 bhp), and the famed 426 Hemi (the last year it was available) made 425 bhp (in reality, more like 460 in the dynamometer!). Alas, 1971 was the last appearance of the famed 426 Hemi in a street car. With the Hemi, you got: low-restriction dual exhausts, a special hood with functional hood scoop, a heavy-duty suspension, bucket seats, a pistol-grip, floor-shift, and a horn that went “beep-beep” like in the cartoons. The 1971 Roadrunner had a wheelbase of 115 inches, with an overall length of 203.2 inches. With a standard engine, it weighed in at 3,640 lbs. Plymouth made 14,218 Roadrunners in 1971, but only 55 were equipped with the legendary 426 Hemi. (The total production of Hemis in 1971 was 512.) For just under $3,000, a young man could purchase a hellacious street machine. Roadrunner was cheap and good-looking. It didn’t have too much in the way of creature comforts but had plenty of raw power. Heck, who needed a luxury car when you could buy a Roadrunner and go like the wind? Moved into different body types (the Fury in 1975, and the Volare in 1976), and progressively de-tuned, the Roadrunner soldiered on until 1980.

Just when you thought FM was doing nothing but repaints and reissues, they come along with this image of the 1971 Roadrunner. I suppose it could be argued that they might have tweaked the ’70 Hemi ‘Cuda dies for this one but let’s give them the benefit of the doubt, especially since it’s a hardtop. So, just what do you get when you order up this Curious Yellow muscle car image? It’s definitely a mix of older and newer die cast technology. Old: dogleg door and hood hinges, fixed antenna, and photo-etched windshield wipers. New: working suspensions, including telescoping rear shocks; tilting front seatbacks with seatbelts (though why they made them out of leather is beyond me); and a spare tire in the trunk, along with a jack (the instruction sticker’s included too). Beyond that, the undercarriage detailing is good, including the color-correct Plymouth Orange oil pan. The rally-type steel wheels look sharp with their chrome “beauty” rings and hub covers. The engine bay hasn’t been neglected either, with full plumbing, wiring, and sticker. The functional hood scoop has been recreated so faithfully in 1:24 scale you can even see daylight through it. The interior detailing is pretty good too, with 3-D gauges, soft-feel plastic seats, and “carpeting.” The pistol-grip shifter seems a tad over-large though, and I can’t find evidence of sun visors, molded in, or otherwise. Moving to the exterior, the finish is smooth and glossy, save for the flat-black painted hood center section and grille inserts. The chrome bumpers, windshield, rear window, and wheel-opening surrounds, mirrors, and door handles look good. 3-D exterior details include the Roadrunner logo on the hood, the side marker lights, the aforementioned door handles, front parking lamps, and flat-black air dams under each front fender. Tampoed-on features include the door and trunk locks, “HEMI” logos over the front side-marker lights, and the “dotted line” racing stripe that starts at the rear wheel openings and arcs over the roof. If you look closely, you’ll even see the tiny Roadrunner logos.

Overall, FM has come out with a decent image of the last of the Roadrunners. It’s a Limited Edition to boot (9,900) and at the right price of $120.00, not the usual $135.00. If you’re any kind of a muscle car enthusiast, you’ll want to add this one to your collection.

-Tom Pine