Wes Eisenschenk's (69HurstSC's) 1969 Road Runner

[Xplantdad]

Hey guys and gals, here’s my 69 Plymouth Road Runner. I just passed 10 years of ownership. The story goes a little something like this...


As a young tike, my friend and I used to flip through my dad's issues of Peterson's Muscle Car Review (or whatever that was called). I remember each of us holding separate issues and flipping to a page where I would challenge him to find a car with a bigger motor, then lets say, a 396. There wasn't much interest in body styles or rarity, it was simply a game of This motor is bigger than yours . We were around 10 years old then. Fast forward 6 years and I was driving to school in a 74 Nova. This was around 1993. I was definitely catching the bug around this time.

After graduation it was time to get serious about purchasing a muscle car. My interests spanned from a 69 Mach I, to a 74 401 Javelin, to a 70 Super Cobra Jet Torino. All were slightly out of my price range.


Sitting at home one night my dad came in to tell me (he was a cabinet installer) about a guy at the job site that drove in with a 68 Chrysler conv. They were talking cars and the Chrysler owner mentioned that he has a 69 GTX and 69 Road Runner for sale. That weekend we drove down (from St. Cloud) to St. Paul, MN to have a look. The cars were wedged in between a detached garage and a fence. The House sat adjacent to the garage blocking views of these 2 Mopars biding there time. It was March 1996.

I decided on the Road Runner mostly because my budget allowed it. The next week my dad, his buddy and son drove down to pick it up. Where was I? SPRING BREAK Of course a storm had to blow in that weekend and I was told tales of the car (on the car trailer) weaving back and forth, and at one time going down the freeway at 90 degrees with the pick up The car was a non-runner wearing Bahama Blue and 2 toned paint to appear as a GTX. With help from some friends we got it running and then it got parked until I could afford a restoration.


Fast forward to the fall of 2000. 4 years of research and parts accumulated, it was time for the body shop. I had stripped the car and decoded it. It was originally a Q5 Seafoam Turquoise car with Performance Hood Paint, Black Vinyl and Red Sports Stripe. That is exactly what it was going back to Over the winter of 00/01 the car was fitted with new quarters, and had some rust removed from the A pillars, and some repair work to the hood. The rest of the metal is original.


The car made its show debut at Mopars in the Park in Shakopee, MN. The journey didn't start out as planned, because as I was filling it up with gas, I hadn't sealed the filler neck to the tank properly, and we gave the gas station attendant a scare We waited 45 minutes for the tank to leak out and then it was back on jack stands to re-secure that locking device. Well, I did make it down there and I would have to say that driving over the lip of the racetrack at Raceway Park in Shakopee, and to have thousands of people see my Mopar has been the highlight of ownership. Knowing that this car probably hadn't been driven as a stock appearing Road Runner, and that perhaps this was the first time anyone in MN had ever seen this car put a huge grin on my face. I was 24 and the proud owner of a 1969 Plymouth Road Runner.


The car has a host of options but none more odd than the A14 Plymouth Spring Special . released on the exact day as the A12 440/6 barrell Road Runners, this lesser known option combined other options into one option. codes:

D91 Sure Grip Differential
M31 Body Belt Molding
T87 F70x14 BSW Tires w/White Letters
V1- Vinyl Roof
V21 Performance Hood Paint
V6- Longitudinal Tape Stripe
W21 Chrome Style Road Wheels w/Trim Ring
(all these codes are part of the A14 Spring Special package.)
also code A36 combined the following:
D56 3.55:1 Ratio w/8.75 HD Axle
D91 Sure Grip Differential
S15 HEMI Suspension w/Front Sway Bar
N51 Maximum Cooling Package-less fan
26 Width Maximum Cooling Radiator w/fan Shroud and Power Steering Cooler
S25 Firm Shock Absorbers

The Raised White Letters were only available on 69 A14 Road Runners of that year. I was unaware that Road Runners wore Raised White Letters and haven't gotten around to removing my Redlines to make the car appear back to being visually stock.

Also, the car (when purchased) was and is still a 440. I have dressed the 440 to appear as a 383 (I know, I'm a cheater).

I have been unsuccessfull researching the ownership. I have got the name of the previous owner but have been unsuccessfull in locating him. If anyone remembers a 69 Roadrunner running around Anoka, MN wearing Bahama Blue 2 tone GTX paint I would be interested in hearing from you.


Enjoy,
Wes Eisenschenk
69HurstSC

[kwhizz]

Wow!!!.......Nice car Wes........Love that color combination

Ken

[Z-11 396]

<< WES >>> YOU HAVE ONE FANTASTIC LOOKING CAR...GREAT STORY...SHARP PAINT COLOR AS WELL...THANKS FOR SHARING...KASEY

[Bill Pritchard]

Oh, man, the 69 RR and Super Bee have got to be two of my all time favorites. That is a beuaty, Wes Love the option list. FWIW, with those red accent stripes, I would forget the white lettered tires and leave the redlines on

[Mr70]

Nice Plymouth..

[Xplantdad]

Hey Wes...What a cool car

I, too like the redlines on the car. Thanks so much for sharing your car with all of us

[mockingbird812]

Wes-nice looking RR. You did a nice job! That turquoise is a terrific color. Enjoy

[musclecarjohn]

Very sweet indeed...!

[MosportGreen66]

Your car's twin sister roams the streets of upper Westchester NY.

Nice Mopar... BBC with a 4 speed...

What kind of rear?

[Xplantdad]

From above....

[ QUOTE ]
D56 3.55:1 Ratio w/8.75 HD Axle

[/ QUOTE ]