One more Roadrunner for the road
During his youth, Todd Montgomery was able to drive thousands of cars, albeit for “15 feet at a time.” In 1976 he worked at a car wash in Glen Ellyn and was exposed to all kinds of makes and models.
Despite this wide exposure, when a buddy told him about a 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner for sale, he had never seen one or even heard of this car before. The vehicle was nearby in Glendale Heights.
“The car had big tires and a really wide footprint. It had a great look,” Montgomery said.
After a quick test drive, the teen bought it on the spot. Montgomery was a junior in high school and life was good.
“Everyone had hot rods: ‘Cudas, GTOs, a buddy had a souped up Nova. It was just like ‘American Graffiti,' ” he said.
Montgomery's favorite area spot to cruise was the A&W in Glen Ellyn. Despite the motoring bliss, the costs of ownership accumulated quickly.
“It broke often and cost a lot to keep going,” Montgomery said. It also wasn't the most practical of vehicles.
“Those massive Mickey Thompson tires slid around in the snow. It handled like a toboggan going around corners.”
Just before heading off to college, Montgomery sold it for $650. He replaced it with a humble 1966 Plymouth Valiant that he drove through his campus years. Despite “never putting a penny into it,” the Valiant failed to overtake the affection he still harbored for the Roadrunner.
When his 30th birthday was right around the corner in 1989, Montgomery decided to rekindle his romance with this Mopar. The enthusiast found a 1970 Roadrunner located in Silver Spring, Maryland. He pursued it and brought it back to the Midwest.
“I wasn't going to restore it, just tinker a bit and drive it around,” Montgomery said. When storage became a problem at his downtown Chicago residence, he relocated the vehicle to his mom's garage in Wheaton — the same driveway where he parked his high-school ride.
Realizing his car was still a keeper after 10 years of limited use, Montgomery had the Roadrunner fully overhauled and returned to showroom glory. Klaus Zimmer of Zimm's Kustoms in Lakemoor handled the build.
“It came out better than new,” Montgomery said. “Although, I wasn't driving it because it was just too perfect.”
To remedy his predicament, the Plymouth aficionado went on the hunt again. This time he purchased a 1968 Roadrunner in 2008. It was powered by the famed Hemi engine and the seller lived in Mesa, Arizona.
“It was an older restoration and just perfect for cruising around,” Montgomery said. He was able to chat with the previous owner who informed him the car had been found in a barn in Nebraska in the late 1990s. It was relocated back to Detroit and restored.
Both cars are equipped with four-speed manual transmissions, which is Montgomery's favorite aspect.
“There's nothing better than shifting gears in a muscle car. You let the clutch out and instantly feel that powerful engine grab.”
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