value of a road runner

71 Runner · Post by **71 Runner** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 10:16 pm

I figured I would post this here for some honest opinions. I have a 71 340 RR i'm thinking of selling. I bought it from a friend of my fathers who got it new. It's originally from Virginia, black on black,bench seats,I think the only options it has is factory undercoating,tinted glass, and dual mirrors.

This is the plainest RR i have ever seen. The guy ordered the 340 for better mileage. It has 193,000 miles. The car runs amazingly well (i also have all the maintenance receipts from 1971-2002). It smokes at start-up and runs and drives smooth. It still has original paint that is wearing on one spot on the roof. The stripes are faded also. I also have the original window sticker and all the dealer paperwork from new.

I never got the car with the intention of selling it. Finances might dictate otherwise now. A couple of friends are telling me it's worth $10,000 all day long on ebay.

Just looking for a little input on the real value of the car before I decide to sell it. Thanks

Post by **bruce** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 10:55 pm

Is it a 3-speed or a 4-speed? Plain steel wheels with wheel covers? Any rust? The stripes you speak of, does it have the stripe over the roof? FWIW, a 340 '71 is fairly rare. A 340 4-speed car is even rarer.

With the history and documentation you mention, the car could very well be "worth $10,000 all day long on Ebay", but the condition will be the BIGGEST factor. Is it solid, straight and relatively rust-free? Numbers matching? Having the window sticker is cool. Do you have a broadcast sheet for it?

And like in any other post where someone is asking what a car is worth, photos help IMMENSELY! We have no other way to determine the shape the car is in other than your words. Mighty tough through a computer! If you ARE gonna list it on the Bag, you're gonna need photos. And the more photos the better.

Why not post a few pics here and we'll see if we can help you figure out a ballpark the car should be priced in.

71 Runner · Post by **71 Runner** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 11:03 pm

It's an automatic. I forgot to put that in the earlier post. theres more rust on the roof from the faded paint than anywhere else. The bumpers are pitted pretty bad.

I have the original rally wheels too. They still had polyglass tires on them

71 Runner · Post by **71 Runner** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 11:08 pm

Another pic

Post by **bruce** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 11:12 pm

Not quite as plain jane as you might think, the strobe stripe was an option, the rallye wheels were an option. 3 speed would have been standard, the automatic was optional. Does it still have the fender tag? If so, please post it and we can help you decode it.

From those pics, I tend to agree with your buddies, it may well bring $10k or more on the Bag, but more pics would be helpful. Any other trouble spots other than the roof?

FWIW, I love the combo--black on black with the gold stripe. SWEET!

To temper the price thing, keep in mind that anyone serious about the car is going to spend a lot more than $10k to restore it. But if it IS as solid as it seems, they'll be spending a lot less than they would on some project cars! So far the ONLY negative I can see is the almost 200K miles on the car, but that should be smaller when you consider you need to rebuild everything for a resto anyway... That and the fact that a 4-speed car would be worth more.

It's one of 1,243 340 automatic cars built.

71 Runner · Post by **71 Runner** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 11:38 pm

No other trouble spots. Quite a few door dings (7 or

on it. The floors and trunk look excellent. A couple of the local mopar guys around here say it's not worth as much as a charger or cuda in the same condition. I think thats only because they don't have it. Here is a picture of the fender tag.

Any help decoding it would be appreciated. I looked under the seat last summer and the broadcast sheet was completely gone.

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p46/ ... 270553.jpg

Post by **bruce** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 12:22 am

E55 340 4 barrel

D32 727 3-speed automatic

RM23 Plymouth, Medium Price Class, 2-Door Hardtop

H1G 340, 1971, St. Louis, Missouri Plant

166117

TX9 Black

M2X9 Medium Price Vinyl Bench Seat, Black

TX9 Black Trim

116 January 16, 1971 Build Date

030206

TX9 Black Upper Door Frame

U USA Build

B11 11" Manual Drum Brakes

G31, G33 Righthand and Lefthand Chrome Mirrors

J25 3-Speed Variable Wipers

M21 Drip Rail Mouldings

N41 Dual Exhaust

N42 Bright Exhaust Tips

R11 Am Radio

W8Y ??? Can't find this code in Galen's Whitebook, but a "W" code is for wheels.

26 26" Radiator

Not a THING plain jane about this Runner! Does it still have the exhaust tips and cutout valance?!!!

Broadcast sheets can be found in various places. It's a Saint Louis car like mine--ever had the back seat out? Mine had a perfect one tucked in there. Mine also had one in the driver's side bucket seat--not applicable for you, but MAYBE in the bench seat as you mention. They are also found at times on top of the glove box in the dash and under the carpet.

Any putty in those quarters and lower fenders? Looks like a sweet ride to me, you shouldn't have any trouble selling it! No, it's not a Cuda, or a '68 through '70 Charger, but so what?

Personally, I think a '71 Runner is worth stronger money than a '71 Charger, but I may be wrong. There's no doubt they are MUCH better looking cars than the '71 Chargers!

Post by **bruce** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 12:41 am

BTW, in order to maximize the return on your investment, you should be looking for that broadcast sheet and checking the numbers. Check the cowl stamping to make sure it matches your VIN, check the radiator core support for the VIN number there. Check the engine and trans for the stamped pads that will have the VIN stamped into them.

Matching numbers will be deemed more valuable by the guys who are into that, and they'll want documentation of those matching numbers.

Good luck!

71 Runner · Post by **71 Runner** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 1:01 am

Thanks for decoding the tag!
it still has the tips and cutout. The original spare is still in the trunk. No bondo or anything loke that on the car. On the window sticker it was undercoated. All of that is still on there. One spot on the rear there is a paint just starting to bubble.

The guy is in his late seventies who bought it new. all of the ## do match. The original thermoquad even works pretty good.

I really don't want to sell it, but it would free up some $$

Thanks again for the input

Post by **Eric** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 10:09 am

bruce wrote:W8Y ??? Can't find this code in Galen's Whitebook, but a "W" code is for wheels.

That should be V8Y, correct code for a gold (y=yellow) strobe stripe. Very cool color combo that I've only seen one other time.
The original paint, #s matching, and short owner history should all benefit its value IMHO. I would LOVE to own that car!!!

Post by **bruce** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 10:14 am

V8Y, of course! These old eyes were having a hard time reading that last code!