After getting hosed on an eBay purchase, Ronnie Rohde put the past behind him and built one sweet Road Runner.

Somewhere in between rubbing sticks together and landing rovers on Mars, Homo sapien genetics spawned the BS Meter. It's unclear how this tool contributed to the survival of early mankind, but modern man relies -on it to spot good deals floating around in a sea of scams. Too bad it doesn't always work. "I threw out a bid for $17,000 on what seemed like a good deal for a 1970 Plymouth Road Runner on eBay, and two days later I was the new owner. When the car showed up six weeks later, my heart sank with disappointment as the car wasn't nearly as nice as it appeared in the photos," Ronnie Rohde laments. Instead of whining about it like a baby, however, he soldiered on. Through sheer determination and perseverance, Ronnie built the street cruiser of his dreams, and the end product is actually much nicer than what he originally envisioned. As outrageous as it may seem, maybe getting scammed was a blessing in disguise.

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As outrageous as it may seem, maybe getting scammed was a blessing in disguise.

From the time Ronnie went for a ride in his uncle's '67 GTX as a kid, he knew he had to have a Mopar of his own one day. That day came in 1972, when he picked up a '69 Road Runner during his sophomore year in high school. He promptly replaced the original 383 for a 440, and as with most street machines of the era, it saw quite a bit of illicit street activity. "The car was well known around town for its massive 440ci motor that was loaded with a .513-inch lift cam, an aluminum intake manifold, a Holley 750-cfm carb, a Mallory dual-point ignition, and Hooker headers. I put a 4.10:1-geared Dana 60 in it that I pulled out of the salvage yard, and it laid rubber with every shift of the four-speed trans," Ronnie recalls. "On Friday nights after the football game, we'd all meet up at McDonald's and then go street racing. There were brand-new freeways with no cars on them, so we had lots of fun during those wild days."

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"There were brand new freeways with no cars on them, so we had lots of fun during those wild days." —Ronnie Rohde

By the time 1978 rolled around, Ronnie's life began to settle down and street racing was no longer part of the agenda. "After getting a steady construction job, I started gearing up for family life by selling the Road Runner. Getting married and starting a family really changed our priorities," he explains. Three decades, four kids, and 13 grandchildren later, Ronnie wanted to get back into the muscle car saddle. "In 2010, it was time for papa to reignite a faded hobby. My son spotted an ad for a lime green '70 Road Runner on eBay, and since it was a no reserve auction, I thought the time was right to pull the trigger. After studying all the photos and reading through the description of the car, I felt I got a good deal for $17,000. Unfortunately, after unloading the car in my driveway I realized the information in the ad wasn't accurate, and the photos appeared to be taken at an earlier time after the car had just been painted. At the time, solid Road Runners were selling for $25,000 to $35,000, so as the saying goes the deal was too good to be true, and I ended up getting what I paid for."

4/27 Although the paint had seen better days when it arrived at Ronnie's house, the sheetmetal was solid. The only cosmetic exterior items that needed replacing were the bumpers and grille.

"Unfortunately, after unloading the car in my driveway I realized the information in the ad wasn't accurate..." —Ronnie Rohde

The initial shock only got worse as Ronnie inspected the car more closely. "The motor ran rough, the brakes and lights didn't work, the paint wasn't as nice as it was supposed to be, and the A/C was missing. The car was advertised as a nice driver, but hell, I couldn't even drive it," Ronnie vividly recalls. "By learning a lesson the hard way, my options were to sell it or get it back on the road. I figured that since I couldn't sell the car for what I paid, I might as well burn up the tires at least once. Fortunately, I met Paul Gaspard at a car show, and he pointed out that even though I might have paid too much for the car, I still had something really cool to build off of. Since it had been so long since I turned wrenches, he agreed to take the car in and help me remember how to put it back together."

First on the hit list was getting rid of the tired, smog-era 440 big-block. Seeking to build a street-friendly engine combo good for 400-450 hp, Ronnie opted to replace it with a 383. "Yes, I went with a smaller motor, but its shorter stroke allows it to zip through the rpm range quicker," Ronnie explains. The factory block was bored to 4.280 inches, then fitted with Diamond 9.25:1 forged pistons. For Ronnie's horsepower target, the stock crank and rods were deemed suitable for the new combination. Providing the airflow is a set of Edelbrock Performer RPM aluminum cylinder heads that are fed by a Victor single-plane intake manifold and Demon 840-cfm carburetor. A COMP 236/242-at-.050 solid-lifter camshaft actuates the 2.140/1.880-inch valves, while an MSD distributor and ignition box initiate the combustion process. Giving the 388ci combo plenty of bark are TTI long-tube headers, a custom H-pipe, and dual 3-inch DynoMax mufflers. A built 727 automatic and a Precision 3,500-stall converter route the torque rearward to a Dana 60 rearend stuffed with 35-spline Moser axles, 4.10:1 gears, and a limited-slip differential.

5/27 Before hydraulically assisted brakes became commonplace, hot rodders with big cams relied on vacuum canisters. It may be old school, but it's still an effective solution for retaining power brakes when running lots of cam duration.

After rehabilitating the engine and driveline, the long-neglected chassis needed to be addressed. Ronnie overhauled the front suspension with a 1-inch sway bar and Calvert Racing shocks. In the rear, the B-Body was updated with fresh Calvert Racing leaf springs, adjustable shocks, and traction bars. Stiffening up the chassis are custom subframe connectors built by Josh Gaspard, and stopping duties are now handled by Wilwood four-piston discs at all four corners. Firestone Firehawk rubber wrapped around Cragar wheels keep the Road Runner planted to the pavement.

With the major mechanical items now intact, Ronnie and Paul tied up loose ends like patching up the electrical system, and replacing the bumpers and grille. Cosmetically, salvaging the Road Runner's dull paint was the biggest challenge. Ronnie feared the worst, thinking that a new paintjob was in order, but Paul felt that a little TLC would go a long way. He got Ronnie in touch with Dewey Perankovich, who worked his magic to uncover the paint's hidden potential. "Dewey changed the game on the Road Runner with a wet sand and buff that seemed to have never been done originally when the car was painted. That really brought the paint back to life and made the Road Runner look like a completely different car," says Ronnie.

"Dewey changed the game on the Road Runner with a wet sand and buff that seemed to have never been done originally..." —Ronnie Rohde

In 2013, with two years of headaches and heartache behind him, Ronnie was finally ready to let the Road Runner loose on the street. "Finally, after a lengthy and expensive lesson in buying and rebuilding a muscle car, the Road Runner came back to life. After taking it on its maiden voyage, all I could say was ‘wow,'" he recalls. "I had forgotten what it was like to drive a real car, and all the memories from yesteryear came rushing back. Without the help of my friends and support of my family, this car may have never been completed. I need to give a big thanks to Paul Gaspard for orchestrating the work on the car and encouraging me to push on with the build. His help has allowed me to relive my dream of once again owning a muscle car and reliving the hot rodding lifestyle. I also need to thank Dewey Perankovich for his assistance with the paint, and Pat Kotzur for rebuilding the 727 trans. Most importantly, I have to thank my wife, Mary, for having the patience with me throughout the course of the many ups and downs while building this car."

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In 2013, with two years of headaches and heartache behind him, Ronnie was finally ready to let the Road Runner loose on the street.

While few people would consider it a blessing to get scammed, the experience has enabled Ronnie to recalibrate his BS Meter. It's sharper than ever, and he's already putting it to good use to stock up on Mopars. "I've got another Road Runner that I plan on turning into the ultimate street car. I'm also putting the finishing touches on a '67 Dart that's being built to run 9s at the dragstrip," he explains. EBay shysters beware. You're going to have to find yourselves another sucker.

Fast Facts
1970 Plymouth Road Runner
Ronnie Rohde, Seguin, TX

Engine
Type: Chrysler 388ci big-block
Block: factory 383 block bored to 4.280 inches
Oiling: Melling oil pump, Stock pan
Rotating assembly: stock crank and rods; Diamond 9.25:1 pistons
Cylinder heads: Edelbrock Performer RPM aluminum castings with 2.140/1.880-inch valves and 84cc combustion chambers
Camshaft: COMP 236/242-at-.050 solid roller; .535./545-inch lift; 110-degree LSA
Valvetrain: COMP Cams valvesprings, retainers, pushrods, and timing set
Induction: Edelbrock Victor intake manifold, Barry Grant 840-cfm carburetor
Ignition: MSD billet distributor, coil, and 6AL ignition box
Exhaust: TTI long-tube headers, custom H-pipe, dual 3-inch DynoMax mufflers
Cooling system: Mopar Performance water pump, Be Cool radiator
Output: 342 hp and 350 lb-ft at rear wheels
Built by: Ronnie Rohde and Paul Gaspard

Drivetrain
Transmission: Chrysler 727 automatic, Precision 3,500-stall converter
Rear axle: Dana 60 rearend with 35-spline Moser axles, 4:10:1 gears, and limited-slip differential

Chassis
Front suspension: rebuilt stock suspension with 1-inch factory sway bar and Calvert Racing 90/10 shocks
Rear suspension: Calvert Racing leaf springs, adjustable shocks, and traction bars
Brakes: Wilwood four-piston discs front and rear
Wheels & Tires
Wheels: Cragar Street Lite 15x6, front; 15x8, rear
Tires: Firestone Firehawk 235/70R15, front; 275/60R15, rear