A Canadian enthusiast transforms a 1969 Road Runner shell into a rare HEMI tribute with five years of dedication.
When Terry, a passionate Mopar enthusiast from Canada, couldn’t afford to buy a genuine HEMI-powered Plymouth Road Runner, he did what many dream of but few attempt—he built one himself. And after a painstaking five-year restoration, his tribute to one of muscle car history’s most iconic names is turning heads with a distinctive Plum Crazy paint job and a roaring 426 HEMI under the hood.
Originally rolling off Chrysler’s Lynch Road Assembly Plant in Detroit in 1969 with a 383-cubic-inch V8, the Road Runner Terry found was little more than a rusted-out shell when he purchased it from the U.S. for $10,000. Determined to turn the carcass into his dream car, he sourced a 1967 426 HEMI engine from a Montreal shop and began the extensive rebuild in his own garage.
The car, originally silver, was transformed into a bold Plum Crazy purple with a black vinyl roof and classic Road Runner cartoon decals on the doors and trunk. Terry also installed a period-correct Mopar A833 four-speed manual transmission and a Dana 60 rear end, mirroring the factory setup found in the rarest of Canadian HEMI Road Runners—of which only about 17 or 18 were imported, he says.
Inside, the Road Runner retains its black vinyl factory seats and minimalist 1960s design. Terry added a temporary oil pressure gauge for the engine’s initial start-up but plans to return it to stock appearance. “It’s loud, it’s raw, and it’s everything a HEMI should be,” he says.
While the value of his car continues to rise, Terry has no intention of selling. “It’s not about money—it’s about the passion,” he adds.
And with its unmistakable beep-beep horn and thunderous exhaust, Terry’s home-built Road Runner is more than a car—it’s a tribute to American muscle, Canadian perseverance, and a love that no price tag could ever capture.
