This car’s restoration story traces back to the Vietnam War era. In 1968, 19-year-old Henry Teixeira was drafted for military service. Despite the circumstances, he maintained a strong interest in automobiles. At the time, he was particularly drawn to the Plymouth Road Runner, a model that had gained attention for its performance following its debut in 1968, and whose name was inspired by a Warner Bros. cartoon character.
Two years later, Teixeira returned home driving a 1970 Road Runner. For him, the vehicle represented more than transportation—it was associated with his time in service, the wait to reunite with his family, and his return home. The Road Runner was eventually retired from roads in 1991. In 2012, a long-term restoration project began, and after 12 years, the vehicle was returned to Teixeira on his 76th birthday.
The Road Runner in the Twilight of Muscle Cars
The Memories It Left Behind
The restoration of this vehicle was made possible through a collaboration between Henry’s son, Aaron Teixeira, and the Mopars5150 YouTube channel. The base model of the Road Runner, produced on June 2, 1970, had a 383-cubic-inch V8 engine. The 4-speed manual transmission was considerably rarer than the 3-speed automatic. Only 8,000 hardtop models were manufactured with a manual gearbox featuring three pedals, and Teixeira’s car was one of them.
The Plymouth Road Runner is an iconic representation of the late 1960s to early 1970s, a peak period for muscle cars. However, by the mid-1970s, the muscle car market declined sharply. Factors like fuel economy regulations, rising insurance costs, and increasing environmental standards led to decreased demand for high-performance vehicles. The 1970 Road Runner is often viewed as one of the last significant models of that era.
In this context, the recent restoration has been described as reviving a generation’s memories and experiences. The car was fully disassembled and fitted with a modern fuel injection system and a race-spec clutch. The Mopars5150 team aimed to maintain as much originality as possible while integrating modern technology with care. The result is a vehicle that blends countless components and meticulous craftsmanship, essentially reborn as a work of automotive art.
Reviving Family History and Love
Restoring Its Value
After 55 years, Henry Teixeira reportedly couldn’t hide his emotions as he sat in the driver’s seat again. Though many years had passed, that moment felt no different from 1970. The reunion with the vehicle—one with memories of war, family, and a lifelong passion for cars—resonated deeply with automotive enthusiasts and a broader audience.
A similar restoration story also drew attention. In Michigan, a man in his seventies restored a 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1, a car he once traveled in with his family during his youth. After sitting untouched in storage for decades, the vehicle was brought back to life with help from his grandson, who sourced and assembled parts piece by piece to return it to its original color and specifications.
One particularly memorable moment came on the final day of the restoration, when the grandson handed over the keys—a gesture that moved many viewers. Like the Road Runner, this Mustang carried the weight of personal history and family bonds. The image of a long-lost car returning to the road and the journey of bringing it back left a lasting impression on those who watched.
