1968 Plymouth Road Runner

[bill dedman]

Originally Posted by Jim Wahl

As I posted before I wanted a Road Runner, but when it came time and I could afford a new car I bought a 1971 340 Demon with and auto and 3.91 suregrip. It took some driving finesse but bone stock with headers and E70/15 Goodyears it ran 14.11 @ 99 . I still own this car which served me well as a bracket racer, a Stocker and a Super Stocker for many years. It has 15,003 original miles on it. I love that car! Jim

.

In early 1972 I was driving a 1964 Valiant 2 door sedan, bone stock 273 car and wanting more beans. I couldn't afford a new car, but spied a rolled-over 4-speed '71 Demon 340 in a junkyard that they were pulling the powertrain out of. I bought everything from the fan to the 3.91 Sure Grip 8.75" and it all went into my unsuspecting, sad-looking '64 Valiant.

Now, I had my 340 A-body...

With the the addition of a 3,000-pound clutch, a 4.56:1 limited slip, headers, slicks, a "Riddler" Stock eliminator Lunati cam, and blocked heat-risers, I now had a 12-second street ride that was still the saddest-looking sleeper you ever saw...

The only car I've ever owned that was never outrun...

Here's a picture of the "Trojan Horse".... and the "business office... hee hee...

[Paul Ceasrine]

Bill,

Didn't they call those camshafts 'VOODOO',,,,,,,,

On the subject of the 1968 Plymouth Road Runner.
Despite it's 1968 success,,,,,,,the 68' Pontiac GTO won out as
the 1968 Motor Trend Car of the Year.

The 1969 Plymouth Road Runner was the 1969 Car of the Year.
Motor Trend Magazine, February 1969.

[bill dedman]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

Bill,

Didn't they call those camshafts 'VOODOO',,,,,,,,

On the subject of the 1968 Plymouth Road Runner.
Despite it's 1968 success,,,,,,,the 68' Pontiac GTO won out as
the 1968 Motor Trend Car of the Year.

The 1969 Plymouth Road Runner was the 1969 Car of the Year.
Motor Trend Magazine, February 1969.

The camshaft I had was actually the camshaft that was in the 'RIDDLER" Oregon-based 340 car that had won the Winternationals, a couple of years before. Mark Colleti's dad owned a chain of performancxe Mopar shops, and was apparently getting some help from Chrysler at the time. Gary Ostrich (20 miles from my house) did contract machine work for Chrysler at that time (the godd ol' days) and the Colleti clan had sent Mark's engine to Gary to change it over to a Super Stock confuguration, and the cam and lifters were sitting on a shelf, one day, when I was visiting the shop to see my friend, Charlie Malyuke, who worked there for Gary. I mentioned that I needed a cam, and Gary offered to sell me the used, but still fresh, "Riddler" cam and lifters for $60.00, and said he'd throw in a new set of new valve springs, for good measure. The deal of a lifetime.... lol!

Subsequently, Lunati (who had ground the cam, originally) came out with a line of camshafts called "Riddler" cams for small block Mopars, so I assumed that it was the same grind, but I don't know that.

It picked my car up 3-tenths from the stock 340 automatic cam. The bonus was it idled like a Gasser, now... nasty-sounding! LOL!!

Dunno about the VOOODOO cams...

Sorry for the blatant hijack...

[Paul Ceasrine]

Bill,

No worry on the 'hijacking',,,,,,,,anything is allowed for a Mopar owner.
This thread is open to all who can contribute something.

Do know about the Coletti's out of Hillsborough, Oregon,,,,,,,
Mark and his dad 'Smokey Joe'.

Lunati did have a 'special grind' out for the 340's,,,,,,,back then
Thought the 'Riddler' camshaft came out in 1969,,,,after Mark won
the 69' Winternationals Stock Eliminator with the 68' 340 Barracuda (F/SA).

pc

[Dennis P Chapman]

Originally Posted by bill dedman

In early 1972 I was driving a 1964 Valiant 2 door sedan, bone stock 273 car and wanting more beans. I couldn't afford a new car, but spied a rolled-over 4-speed '71 Demon 340 in a junkyard that they were pulling the powertrain out of. I bought everything from the fan to the 3.91 Sure Grip 8.75" and it all went into my unsuspecting, sad-looking '64 Valiant.

Now, I had my 340 A-body...

With the the addition of a 3,000-pound clutch, a 4.56:1 limited slip, headers, slicks, a "Riddler" Stock eliminator Lunati cam, and blocked heat-risers, I now had a 12-second street ride that was still the saddest-looking sleeper you ever saw...


The only car I've ever owned that was never outrun...

Here's a picture of the "Trojan Horse".... and the "business office... hee hee...

Bill
That would of been a good street race make some money with it.

[bill dedman]

Originally Posted by Dennis P Chapman

Bill
That would of been a good street race make some money with it.

Never raced for money, but I DID outrun a lot of unsuspecting motorcycles with it. It was just a tick faster than the 4-cyl. 900 Kawasakis, which were new at the time... They, of course, never saw it coming... lol!