Finding a true holy grail Mopar has become increasingly difficult. Survivors are scarce, and untouched cars are rarer still. Most enthusiasts spend more time talking about what they would do if they ever found one than actually expecting to.
In 2023, Al Peine was searching online sale forums when he came across a listing for a 1969 Plymouth Road Runner. At first, it looked promising. After a closer look, it became clear this car was something different. It was a 1969½ A12 Road Runner, still wearing its original paint and retaining its original engine. After a phone call and a trip to see it in person, Al put money down and, a week later, returned to trailer it home.
On the way back, Al stopped at my shop, Noel Automotive, to show me the car. It was clear right away that it needed work. But more importantly, it needed restraint. From the beginning, this was never going to be a full restoration. The goal was preservation. Once the paperwork and title were sorted, the project began.
The car is a 1969½ Plymouth Road Runner equipped with the A12 option. That means a 440 Six-Barrel engine topped with a fiberglass lift-off hood.
These cars earned the “half-year” designation because production only ran from March 10 through July 11 of 1969. That short production window is part of what makes them so desirable today.
While the Road Runner still had its original paint and engine, it was far from road-ready. The engine was sitting on a rolling stand and had not been installed for decades.
Dust covered nearly every surface, and the interior showed signs of mold from long-term storage. Time had not ruined the car, but it had left its mark.
The first step was a full inventory. We needed to know what was there, what was missing, and what could realistically be saved. I had Darren Stanke of the A12 Registry decode the fender tag and broadcast sheet to confirm the car’s original configuration. That gave us a clear starting point and helped guide every decision that followed.
As I began cleaning components and rebuilding critical systems, I shared progress photos with Al and on social media. That visibility ended up unlocking the car’s history. Troy Bray from California reached out after recognizing the Road Runner. He offered insight into the car’s past, which led to a series of phone calls that helped piece together a remarkably complete ownership history.
The car was sold new on June 26, 1969, at Five Points Chrysler Plymouth in El Monte, California. Its first owner, Fred Parks, spotted it sitting on the dealership lot. From the window sticker and broadcast sheet, we know the Road Runner was delivered with the California noise emissions package and dual exhaust with turn-down tailpipes.
Ownership passed to Richard Beasley, who became a key part of the car’s early story. During Richard’s ownership, headers and chrome tips were added. By the time the car reached approximately 40,000 miles, it was already experiencing drivability issues.
Richard eventually stored the car in Ladera Heights, California, where it sat unused for an extended period. While driving by one day, Chris Goldstein noticed the Road Runner and left a note under the wiper blade. In 1989, Chris purchased the car for $1,500. Chris understood what the car was and treated it accordingly. He got it running well enough to drive and enjoy, but never used it as a daily driver.
A few years later, ownership changed again when the Road Runner was sold to Shawn Brennan. It was during Shawn’s ownership that the transmission failed. An electrician by trade, Shawn bartered with a transmission shop for a replacement 727 TorqueFlite, which is when the original transmission was lost. Around the same time, ongoing issues with the three-carburetor setup led to it being replaced with a four-barrel.
During this period, Chris, Shawn, and Troy were all members of the Chrysler Performance West Car Club and involved with the Spring Fling Chrysler events in California. The car made several appearances and caught the attention of well-known Mopar figures, including Galen Govier and Ken Burbach. Galen was aware of the car’s mismatched transmission and helped source another Lynch Road–built transmission. While it was not the original unit, it was as close as possible.
Ownership later passed from Shawn to Ken, who brought the car back to the Midwest before selling it again, this time to Mr. Schell in Florida. Unfortunately, poor storage conditions and Florida’s humidity began to take their toll. The interior became moldy, engine components corroded, and bare metal began to rust.
After Mr. Schell passed away, his son Todd, who lived in Illinois, became the owner. Todd moved it from Florida to Illinois, where he ultimately sold the car to Al, placing the Road Runner back into the hands of someone willing to take the long view and preserve its history.
With the car back at Noel Automotive, the preservation work moved forward deliberately. The interior was removed, the headliner and carpet were replaced, and the original seats and door panels were cleaned and retained. The dash was sanitized and repaired where needed. Brake and fuel systems were rebuilt only where necessary, preserving original components whenever possible.
The transmission was rebuilt by Fountain Transmission in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I handled the engine and carburetors, which were 1970 replacements. The original heavy-duty H wheels were fitted with new Redline tires, and the Dana 60 rear end was serviced with fresh seals and fluid.
The paint required special attention. It was thin, but it was original. Paint thickness was measured throughout the car, and the finish was buffed by Chris Stoner in the body shop only enough to bring back a natural shine. Original paint only exists once, and it was handled with the reverence it deserves.
Once assembled, the Road Runner was ready for its first drive. Everything worked, right down to the idle stop solenoid. The timing lined up perfectly with car show season. The car debuted at the Mopar Happening in Belvidere, Illinois. From there, it went on to the 55th Reunion of A12 cars at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals, where it received a special pick award from Lee Hodge of Hodge Restorations.
Since then, the Road Runner has been driven and enjoyed. Al has even tracked down an original set of 1969 carburetors, which I plan to install in the summer of 2026. The plan from here is simple: drive it, maintain it, and preserve the history that makes this car what it is.
Special thanks to Troy Bray for making the call that connected all of the previous owners, to Shawn Brennan and Chris Goldstein for lengthy phone conversations and detailed recollections, to Darren Stanke for technical guidance, and to Al Peine for trusting Noel Automotive and me to bring this Road Runner back to life.
