1971 Plymouth Roadrunner NASCAR tribute

1971 Plymouth Road Runner NASCAR Description

If this classic has you flashing back to the 70's you obviously spent allot of your time at the speedway! This car was built for promotional purposes by the owner of Micro Sleeve Corporation. Originally designed to also race the car in the “Silver State” highway run!

In 2000 with the aide of archival pictures and technical details, Sputnik Motor Sports began building this vintage NASCAR clone like none you've ever seen! With detailed NASCAR references, they were able to put together a very accurate chassis, roll cage and suspension combination. The ten point cage is made utilizing 1-5/8"/.134 wall steel tubing that extends from the front of the frame rails all the way to the bright chrome front and rear bumpers. It wouldn't be a NASCAR clone if it had stock suspension. All this work included adding heavy 1.1" torsion bars, heavy duty front and rear sway bars, moving the rear springs, using all polyurethane bushings, and adding dual heavy duty racing shocks over each wheel. The rear end is a 742 casting 8-3/4 unit and in true stock car style utilizing 12" Chrysler drum brakes all around. It rides on a set of 15x10" Bart Racing wheels with never run one year old 275x12x15 Goodyear Eagle tires! If you’re trying to recall the team that ran with Orange and White you won’t come up with anything. In fact, it was a conscious effort to avoid any colours that were used on circle track cars during this era. It makes the car much more of a tribute to the sport than to a specific driver.

Following the plan of the original racers the same body modifications were done to this car. The side marker lights were covered, door handles and mirrors removed, front wheel openings opened up, gas filler port fabricated, plus the headlights and taillights removed. Pop the hood and you will see a 440 block with low hours. Underneath the custom NASCAR style cowl induction air box is a Holley intake with a 850 cfm Holley double pumper. The Mopar Performance transistor ignition system utilizes dual cockpit mounted modules which was standard practice for stock car racers. An old school custom aluminium shroud covers the Griffin four core radiator with dual cooling fans. Since the car was intended to be driven off the track as well, a Torque Flite transmission was used with a manual valve body. A stock clutch pedal is in place and the vintage Hurst manual shifter has custom linkage to power the transmission.

The interior is finished out in matching orange with custom aluminium panelling that finishes it very nicely. Black faced gauges line the dash with a polished tach on top. The racing steering column was custom fabricated and is topped with a removable stock car padded steering wheel. The original side quarter windows were fitted with Lexan replacements. Retaining straps are in place to reinforce the stock front and rear window glass. The single NHRA Kirken racing seat utilizes a five point racing safety harness that is approximately a year old and window safety net. This is a professionally built, thoroughly researched and planned, rotisserie restored race car tribute with receipts to prove it! This car would do well in any car show and would make an amazing addition to any private or museum collection! Or if you are not into only showing it, put it back on the street or track where this car will really shine!

No racing log book.

This beauty is currently licensed (Non-Op) in the state of California with a clean title.

Technical and Build Specifications:

BODY CONSTRUCTION

· Full cage made of 1 5/8” x .134 tubing. It is attached under the hood, in the cockpit, and in the trunk. It is also covered with padded foam.

· No inner fenders.

· Fenders Radiused for wider front wheel openings.

· Firewall has been smoothed to a flat piece.

· All lights have been covered, horn, lights and wipers removed, etc.

· The doors are not welded shut they actually have electronic poppers; driver’s side has locking swing bar on roll cage.

· It has a Kirken all aluminum racing seat, Simpson 5 point belt, and a window net.

· Windshield and rear window safety hold-down straps.

· Aluminum covers inside front bumpers and tail lights.

· Air foil on the rear deck lid and a 4” air dam across the front.

· The battery is custom installed on the left side in the trunk.

· Period correct 22 gal. fuel cell, with an over-flow can and steel tubing surround.

· Dry brake with fuel filler neck that comes from the same supplier who provides the parts to current NASCAR teams.

· Bright chrome bumpers, front and rear.

· Plexiglass ¼ windows.

· Roll up side windows, which can easily be removed.

· Stretched rear wheel openings.

· Exhaust fan for the cockpit that also cools the transmission.

· Three pins hold the hood and two hold the trunk.

· Aluminum air flow panels under the hood, windshield post, rear windows and the rear bumper.

SUSPENSION

· The front has tubular upper A frames and std. lower control arms.

· Two shocks per wheel.

· HD hemi torsion bars.

· HD Rear leaf springs.

· Pan hard bar.

· HD anti-roll bars, front and rear.

· 15” x 10” Boyd race wheels –steel.

· Tires are NASCAR 12”Goodyear’s

· 8 ¾” Chrysler rear end with 2.94-1 gears.

· 1968 Roadrunner 12”drum brakes in the front and 12” police drum brakes in the rear.

· STD, 1971 B-body front spindles.

· Power Steering.

· Shaft and U-joints type of steering column with a removable steering wheel.

· Dual reservoir master cylinders with heat shields.

MOTOR & EXHAUST

· 440 engine.

· Four row radiator with high flow water pump.

· Custom “NASCAR” air cleaner. (metal)

· Hooker coated headers.

· 3” pipe, 2 chamber Flowmaster mufflers & tail pipes that exit in front of rear wheels.

TRANSMISSION

· 727 automatic with a shift kit and a Hurst 4 speed type shifter handle.

· Clutch Peddles installed so car can be converted to a 4 speed with tunnel opening installed.

· Interior oil cooler behind the driver’s seat. This system pulls air out of the cockpit and cools the automatic transmission fluid.

PAINT

· Acrylic enamel was used in the engine compartment, cockpit and trunk.

· DuPont base/clear was used on the exterior of the car.

· Graphics such as Plymouth, 426 ci, 007 are stuck on units with clear shot over graphics.