$10,000 for a '77 Roadrunner???

[TruckDriver]

I like these cars, but I can hardly believe they are starting to go for more than what some Chargers are   I know T-Top cars are rare, but still not worth that much to me.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1977-Plymouth-Volare-Road-Runner_W0QQitemZ140098331577QQcategoryZ43921QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[6pkrunner]

Someone is obviously either fishing or hoping that there are still some out there with the Barenut-Jerkson stars in the eyes.

[nh_mopar_fan]

That's steep, even for a clean car. I've seen Super Coupe and Kit Cars go for less.

[71ChallengeHer]

I'm not sure how many of the 77 R.R. were made. But we were offered $5,000 for my daughter's Super Coupe before we even got it running.

[TripleBlackGator]

If what is stated is true then $10,000 isn't that bad a price. An original, one owner, get in and drive to your local cruise or car show Road Runner? Sure it's a '77 and not the most desirable model but look around at the prices rust buckets are bringing and need triple the investment of the car alone to bring many of them to respectable levels. $10,000? If your remotely interested you better start bidding.

[69CoronetRT]

If what is stated is true then $10,000 isn't that bad a price. An original, one owner, get in and drive to your local cruise or car show Road Runner? Sure it's a '77 and not the most desirable model but look around at the prices rust buckets are bringing and need triple the investment of the car alone to bring many of them to respectable levels. $10,000? If your remotely interested you better start bidding.

A rising tide lifts all boats.

As 340-383 A bodies go into the 20-30K range, people will look toward 76+ RRs, Aspen R/Ts, Chargers, Magnums, etc. IF this is what is portrayed as a no work necessary get in and drive car, the 10K seems fair to me. (Maybe toward the top end but fair) I look for the F bodies go up too. They have a profile similar to Dusters and you can swap in a performance small block pretty easy. The are relatively cheap to go fast cars.

[jasonfromIKILLYA]

but that car is SOOOOOO ugly! 

[6pkrunner]

I'm not on the side that its still a road runner. A tape and stripe and interior more than anything. The complete opposite of the idea of the original. Sure the 75s and up were a real kick in the 'nads from the bare stripper idea of '68 and the Volares just carried that tradition. Same as the 1985 O24 and the TC3 didn't have direct lineage to the vehicles whose badging they carried.
Sure its clean and crisp and single owner, but you're buying it for the shape its in not what the tape callout it wants to be.

[Bones68charger]

I would pay maybe $5-7000 for that. I don't mind the looks of them, but I would not invest $10,000 in one.

[69CoronetRT]

I'm not on the side that its still a road runner. A tape and stripe and interior more than anything.

So how does this differ from the original idea? There weren't that many significant differences between a similarly equipped 68 RR and a 383-4 speed Satellite other than a decal or two. You could option out a 68 Satellite to be virtually the same as a RR but somehow those little decals put a premium on the price and do nothing as far as performance. Same basic car but the tape/stripes/decals up the price.

It's all how things get positioned.

[6670charger]

Why shouldn't a clean 77 Volare RoadRunner sell for $10,000?  If it's a clean car, it's a good price, and cheap compared to most of the other generations.  We have to remember that when these cars were only worth around $3000 tops, our cars were worth about $7000 less than they are today too.  Everything is going up.  Even these. 

Most of the early iron is gone, or so expensive even for a basket case that will still cost as much a restored car just to bring it back, that people are turning to the "forgotten" Mopars that nobody wanted.  The early 60's cars went through the same spike about 10 years ago; A-body's about 15 years ago, and E-body's before that.  Next will be the 80's cars.  They are all 20 years old or so by now too.

[TripleBlackGator]

but that car is SOOOOOO ugly! 

Then it is clearly not the car for you.

I'm not on the side that its still a road runner. A tape and stripe and interior more than anything. The complete opposite of the idea of the original. Sure the 75s and up were a real kick in the 'nads from the bare stripper idea of '68 and the Volares just carried that tradition. Same as the 1985 O24 and the TC3 didn't have direct lineage to the vehicles whose badging they carried.
Sure its clean and crisp and single owner, but you're buying it for the shape its in not what the tape callout it wants to be.

It is a "LEGIT" Road Runner. I hate to break it to you but it is from Ma Mopar herself. Maybe a weak cousin but a true MOPAR all the same. I can't say the same for an AMX or Javlin or any of the other red headed step children that were tossed into our happy home. Nothing against the AMC's. They have their own style and a 390 in a 2 seater definitely qualifies as a muscle car to me. I just feel they should stand proud as an AMC product. Condition alone (in my most humble opinion) dictates the current $10,000 bid. I would not be surprised if it went even higher.

I would pay maybe $5-7000 for that. I don't mind the looks of them, but I would not invest $10,000 in one.

Again, not the car for you. Once this car is in the new owners hands it's wash, wax, cruise and smile.

[TeeWJay426]

Given the condition, options, and rarity of it, I don't think 10K is outta line at all for it. Wouldn't think it's worth much beyond that, but I think it's a fair deal. I wouldn't mind having it myself.

[twilt]

Those cars make me wanna     Its value to me is whatever the Tuff wheel is worth    I disagree with those who think the post 74 cars will attain significant value. 

[69CoronetRT]

Those cars make me wanna     Its value to me is whatever the Tuff wheel is worth    I disagree with those who think the post 74 cars will attain significant value. 

The term 'significant' is relative. They will never attain Hemi E body prices but at the current rate of increase, IHMO Clean F bodies will be where A bodies are today in 5-7 years.

Remember the people that bought the 76+ cars as first cars are ~10 years younger than the guys that bought 66-71 cars at the same age so they will be coming into their peak earning years in the 40's very soon, if they're not already there, the kids will be out of the house and they will be looking to buy cars from their youth too. The F body RRs, Magnums, TA 'Bandit" Firebirds, Mustang II Cobras, etc will be the market. Clean examples will bring the $$$ just as today.

(BTW anyone know where I can find a one owner turbo Colt?  )

[The70RT]

I sold mine for 600 about 10 years ago. Needed mostly restored but ran. I think they are pretty much the last mopars that will be colectible. I don't see any 80's era cars being worth anything(what is there?) besides maybe cop cars IMO.

[twilt]

Remember the people that bought the 76+ cars as first cars are ~10 years younger than the guys that bought 66-71 cars at the same age so they will be coming into their peak earning years in the 40's very soon, if they're not already there, the kids will be out of the house and they will be looking to buy cars from their youth too. The F body RRs, Magnums, TA 'Bandit" Firebirds, Mustang II Cobras, etc will be the market. Clean examples will bring the $$$ just as today.

The reason I believe this school of thought to be myth......... is that the demographic group of which you speak is my demographic group. In my teens and early 20`s I knew absolutely no one that "wanted" to have a 75 up Cordoba, Charger, Magnum, Aspen, Volare etc etc. Those cars were considered by my demographic group as a pile of turds owned by people who didnt have the sense to buy a 68-74 Mopar.  The one guy at School who had a 75 Cordoba was laughed at by All. I don`t disagree that they may experience a mild increase in popularity. I attribute that to people who basically cannot afford to buy what they really "want" and settle for something lesser that they can more easily afford. That in itself isn`t a new concept as many 3rd Gen owners that I know really would prefer to own a 2nd Gen but cannot afford to do so. Myself, I have alway been a 3rd gen guy, 100% all the way. If the time comes when they become more expensive that what I can afford, I will simply quit the hobby. I would not modify my tastes and become a 4th or 5th gen Charger fan.

[TruckDriver]

I would pay maybe $5-7000 for that. I don't mind the looks of them, but I would not invest $10,000 in one.

Like I said before I do like the F body Mopars. Every one I had was VERY dependable. They made nice daily drivers and cruisers. But I still don't think it is worth that much.

If they never changed the name of the cars from Duster and Demons, I am willing to bet that a lot more guys would say that a cool car. Yes I know they are not A bodys, but they still are about the same car size and looks wize.

[69CoronetRT]

Remember the people that bought the 76+ cars as first cars are ~10 years younger than the guys that bought 66-71 cars at the same age so they will be coming into their peak earning years in the 40's very soon, if they're not already there, the kids will be out of the house and they will be looking to buy cars from their youth too. The F body RRs, Magnums, TA 'Bandit" Firebirds, Mustang II Cobras, etc will be the market. Clean examples will bring the $$$ just as today.

I attribute that to people who basically cannot afford to buy what they really "want" and settle for something lesser that they can more easily afford.

And this is at the crux of the issue for the demographic I wrote about. I still think you'll see a movement toward the F bodies for the same reason that people that can't afford a 68-70 B body or 71-71 E Body are buying 72-76 Dusters, Demons, Darts and E bodies. They want something cool in their price range, gives them an emotional tie to the brand and to their youth.

I see another trend among current owners. As the price of some cars goes to 75-100K+, they don't come out and play as often as they used to. Yet people will still want a 'cool' driver. I can see cars like this RR being bought as second or third cars and driver 'beaters'. You wouldn't have a lot of money wrapped up in them, they are still novel at shows and cruises, they have a couple more creature comforts than the earlier cars and you wouldn't have your head on a swivel looking out for blue hairs all the time.

You can also drop in a nice drive line in an F body without too much effort. IMHO, there won't be a focus on correct restorations like the earlier cars as much as performance enhancements.

Would I drive an F body (again)? You bet. Sign me up for a nice black Aspen R/T with a stroked 360, A/C, T-Top, Auto and a set of 3.55s. My preference is 69 Coronets but I'm not locked into one body style or era. I can have fun in a lot of cars.

As far as a 'myth'...we'll just have to wait and see what the next 5-7 years brings.

[6670charger]

Those cars make me wanna     Its value to me is whatever the Tuff wheel is worth    I disagree with those who think the post 74 cars will attain significant value. 

I think we need to remember that about 25 years ago, nobody likely figured that a 69 Charger would ever attain any significant value either.  They were just more Mopar junk as far as most people were concerned, and just another 10 year old used car to run into the ground and throw away.

(Gee, sounds like the opinion of some people nowadays about the late 70's Mopars)

[twilt]

Would I drive an F body (again)? You bet. Sign me up for a nice black Aspen R/T with a stroked 360, A/C, T-Top, Auto and a set of 3.55s.
As far as a 'myth'...we'll just have to wait and see what the next 5-7 years brings.

I saw one of those in a Junkyard last year. (aspen R/T 4 speed) I grabbed the tuff wheel,  took a leak in the trunk and kept rollin
You might be right.... A lot of the fellas over on Moparts have real bad taste in cars. 

[nh_mopar_fan]

I've owned a 77 Road Runner and I also had an E58 Super Coupe. I think I'd take either over a 3rd gen any day.

[twilt]

  some people are into Yugos

[6pkrunner]

So how does this differ from the original idea? ..

The original 2 door and trunklid decals cannot be compared to 40 pounds of tape. T-tops, velour, carpeting, all fluff. Yes, 9 years of automotive evolution and performance devolution has transpired since 1968 and the options sheet concept grew in the telling as Tolkien said.

It's all how things get positioned.

Exactly. And that is why people do have different opinions. And yes a tide rises all boats and some of those boats owe their very existance to the older veterans who lead the way and enjoy the uplifting of the current tide from the ocean movement caused by those old pathfinders.


*EDIT* For me if the car was labeled "GTX" it may have been more appropiate than "road runner". This late model would be considered a luxo version in the days when the 1968 version was considered. However even during the dark days of oil embargos, insurance premiums and the industry in one of its many shake ups from the initial assault from the land of the rising sun in the later 1970's, they knew the name "road runner" had deeper and further-reaching roots than "GTX". Hence its useage. But the second coming of the musclecar it never was. As in the early 1980s, pre Omni, the name "Charger" would evoke a thought of a solid liftered hemi or a six pack version than the more current Cordoba based name carriers.

I guess because I remember the original versions on the street in their heyday that is the connotation I have when "road runner" is mentioned. Maybe those that never lived through that are more able to freely assign their thoughts to later versions.

[Ghoste]

Although the F-bodies may get enough of a following to make this one a worthwhile investment, I can't see them EVER getting the feeding frenzy that existed for the muscle era Mopars the last couple of years.  It's an even bigger stretch for me to imagine Gen Xer's someday using their 401K to pay a quarter million dollars for the Turbo Shelby Charger that takes them back to the halcyon days of 1987.  There are a tiny handful of people into the 60's supercars who weren't around then but for the most part, the people paying crazy stupid prices for them are boomers going into their last hurrah. 
All of the supercars were exciting and there was an entire automotive culture at the time.  What was there in the late 70's through the 80's?  A few people bought them sure, and they may someday jump on the nostalgia train too but there wasn't the culture at the time that helped people who weren't even into cars stay aware of them.  How many wicked street racing stories have you heard about 78 Road Runners squaring off with 78 Mustangs?  Or 87 Chargers outrunning the cops after putting on the worlds biggest tiresmoke show at the local burger joint?  How many car mags from the time?  Epic car chase films?
I think that for the most part, the people after the supercar years are just not as goofy for cars.  I don't mean to say that there won't be anyone restoring them or paying more than what they were new, just that I don't think you'll see the feeding frenzy like today.