1968 Plymouth Road Runner

[Paul Ceasrine]

Felix,

At the 1968 'AHRA Winternationals',

Sox & Martin ran a 1968 Road Runner 'Coupe' 426 Hemi, but it was 'not' a 'regular' 426 Street Hemi
that they ran in S/SE {Super/Stock Eliminator}

The Road Runner {#3569 lbs.} was lightened, by installing a Fiberglass 'front-clip' (Fenders and Hood),
and also had few items removed to get down to #3400 lbs.

And the the '426 Hemi' had,
* 12.5 - 1 Pistons,
* Race Hemi Aluminum Cylinder Heads
* Cross-Ram Intake Manifold
* 'Twin' Holley 770 CFM carburetors.

A far cry from the 'standard' SS/C '426 Street Hemi'.

They ran a best of 10.53 @ 132 MPH

[Paul Ceasrine]

Here it is in early-early 1968.........

[Paul Ceasrine]

Felix,

I think the 1968 '383 Road Runner' would have fared much better if Mopar would have offered
the 383 4-Barrel in 'three' different Horsepower Ratings.

The 'standard' 383 4-Barrel............................................ ..............290 Horsepower

{ For the Belvedere, Satellite and Sport Satellite }

* 1968 NHRA Class = H/S
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The 'Road Runner 383'.............................................. ....................310 Horsepower

* 440 Camshaft and Valve Springs
* 440 Exhaust Manifolds
* Oil Pan Windage Tray

* 1968 NHRA Class = G/S
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Road Runner 383 'PSO' {Package Stock Option}.............340 Horsepower

* .484 lift / 284* Duration "Hydraulic Camshaft"
* Special Lifters (.0005 Under-sized}
* Adjustable Rocker-Arm Assembly
* Aluminum Dual-Plane High Riser Intake
* Holley 780 CFM Carburetor
* Dual-Point Distributor
* 11.0 - 1 TRW Forged Pistons
* Chrome-Faced Top Oil-Ring
* 26" Heavy-Duty Radiator
* 18" 7-Blade Fan
* Viscous Fan-Drive
* Fan Shroud
* Trunk-Mounted Battery
* Under-Hood "Air Induction System'
* 3.91 Sure-Grip {as the 'standard' rear-end gear ratio}

* 1968 NHRA Class = E/S

[Paul Ceasrine]

Sox & Martin

Car Craft Magazine {December 1967}

Photo shoot from October 1967.

Sox & Martin received a 'new' 1968 Road Runner '426 Hemi' in
September 1967.

Here is what they did in a 'one-month' preparation,,,,

[mopar68]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

Sox & Martin

Car Craft Magazine {December 1967}

Photo shoot from October 1967.

Sox & Martin received a 'new' 1968 Road Runner '426 Hemi' in
September 1967.

Featuring an Edelbrock #RR-1 Intake

Paul,

I have that issue of Car Craft magazine (which I last read years ago) but don't recall anything in the article about a Rat Roaster intake manifold being atop Sox's Hemi. To the best of my knowledge, it wasn't available 'til 1969 or thereabouts. Please clarify.

Speaking of Hemi intakes, check out this really cool 426 HEMI Six Pack manifold that's now being sold by Mopar Performance:



Product Description

This intake manifold is designed to allow the use of (3) 2-barrel Six Pack carburetors on a 426 C.I.D. Chrysler Hemi engines. This intake manifold has mounting bosses on the drivers side that are the same as the stock style dual 4 barrel Hemi intake. The carburetor pads have the same dimensions and position as a 1969-1971 440 C.I.D. Chrysler Six Pack. This intake manifold can be used with the 440 carburetors, fuel line kit, linkage kit, and air cleaner. be sure to check for hood clearance with the air cleaner.

http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/inmaduplsixp.html

I remember reading once upon a time, some time ago an Larry Shepard or Tom Hoover (I forget which) interview article in one of the Mopar magazines and it was mentioned by one of the aforementioned gentlemen if the 426 Hemi would've made into production for the 1972 model year, a six barrel intake manifold would've been sitting atop the big, bad, 4-2-6 He-Mi engine. Well, forty-plus years later, here it is, except ya gotta do it yourself.

And one more thing, since I've got the microphone: I dislike the Mopar Performance name and logo design. Direct Connection was "da bomb", as far as I'm concerned. The original marketing name of Chrysler Performance Parts (for the masses) and cool-looking logo in its various variations makes the former look drab in comparison. If it ain't broke, don't 'fix' it, I say.

Thank you. (Hands the microphone back over to Paul).

Direct Connection Parts Program

There is a long history of high performance Mopar engines and vehicles. The original Chrysler racing parts program, was known as Direct Connection. At one time, you could order anything from factory racing parts, to complete oval track kit cars, direct from your local Dodge or Plymouth dealer. Mopar Performance eventually became the new name for the original Direct Connection program, as Mopar decided that the Direct Connection name did not put the name of Mopar front and center.

M68

[Paul Ceasrine]

Mr. M 68,

You are correct, my error.

The Road Runner was equipped with an Edelbrock 'casting' that was
supplied by Chrysler....

In October 1967, when building the 68' '426 Hemi' Road Runner, it was to be classed in SS/B,

Until the NHRA 'massaged' the Super Stock Classes for the upcoming
1968 season.

The Road Runner would run in SS/C for 1968, but I don't recall them ever running the car in that NHRA Class in 1968..

[mopar68]

[71Dartman440]

You'll find some very cool circa 68-70 Road Runner picts amongst other cars in the Johathon Russell photo collection.



Link: http://murdercycles.com/v-web/gallery/album66

[Paul Ceasrine]

1968 Road Runner

Model ....'383' .......................Shipping Weight......... 1968 NHRA Class
Coupe ..................................... #3424 lbs. ................... E/S or E/SA = {10.00 to 10.49 Wt/HP}
Hardtop ................................... #3450 lbs. ................... E/S or E/SA = {10.00 to 10.49 Wt/HP}


Model ...'426 Street Hemi' ... Shipping Weight ......... 1968 NHRA Class
Coupe .................................... #3569 lbs. ................... SS/C or SS/CA = {7.00 to 7.69 Wt/HP}
Hardtop .................................. #3595 lbs. ................... SS/C or SS/CA = {7.00 to 7.69 Wt/HP}


This was based on Plymouth's listed Shipping Weight of the 1968 Road Runner with;
* Automatic Transmission
* 8 3/4" Rear-End Housing

[DMann0825]

love the pic of the 69 rr from 69--has the right stance-already has spent some dough on it with wheels and tires -headers-deep pan-looks awesome IMO