NASCAR legend Richard Petty is selling off eight cars and three motorcycles from his museum collection, and the one we want the most is this 1971 Plymouth Road Runner. It’s a replica of the 426 Hemi-powered No 43 car that he drove after NASCAR rules changes spelled the end for the Plymouth Superbird aero cars. It was built for car shows and promotional events in period-correct 1971 NASCAR livery, from the signature Petty Blue paint and lettering right down to the houndstooth low-back bucket racing seat, taped steering wheel and chrome-handle Hurst shifter. Oh, and the dash has been autographed by the man himself too.
It’s coming up for sale at Mecum’s huge 11-day sale in Kissimmee, Florida on January 3-13, and offered at no reserve, though it’s estimated that it will sell for $125,000-150,000; a fraction of the value of the real thing. It’s got all the bits, with that Mopar small block V8, pinstriped custom air cleaner, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, Hooker header, Stant aluminum radiator, Stewart Warner instruments and full rollcage and fire extinguisher system.
There’s more too: Petty is selling the 1951 Pontiac Streamliner station wagon bought for his 60th birthday in 1997 by his wife Lynda, a 1949 Buick Roadmaster, a 2004 Dodge Charger that was raced by Bobby Labonte for Petty Enterprises, a modified 700bhp 2016 Dodge Challenger in Petty livery, a 2018 Chevrolet Camaro SS and a 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon. There’s also a 2002 Dodge NASCAR cup car that was bizarrely transformed into “The World’s Fastest Street Sweeper” on an episode of Monster Garage shot on location at Petty Enterprises in North Carolina in 2003, and raced against a real road sweeper at Atlanta Motor Speedway (yes, it won…).
The sale will feature 3500 classic and collector cars, making it the world’s largest collector car auction. Some of the other highlights include the only 1965 Ford GT Competition Prototype Roadster to race at Le Mans, two LaFerraris, the Benny Parsons 1973 NASCAR Cup Champion car and the 1932 Ford McMullen Roadster from the cover of Hot Rod magazine, and the Harley Earl and Bill Mitchell Corvette Styling Cars produced by the GM Styling Department.
Images courtesy of Mecum.
