US man manages to find 1973 Plymouth Road Runner that had been missing for 45 years using just one photograph
Published on Mar 02, 2026 at 6:52 AM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Feb 27, 2026 at 2:32 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
An American man did something truly remarkable, finding a 1973 Plymouth Road Runner that had been missing for decades, thanks to just a single photograph.
That might sound like the work of fantasy, but Tim Fabrizio, The Barn Find King, revealed the story on a recent episode of VINwiki’s car stories series.
Having found the Victoria’s Secret Lamborghini Diablo SV, a VINwiki viewer got in touch asking if he could help him find an old car of his from the 1970s.
Cue a fascinating search for an amazing muscle car, and one aided by just a single photograph.
DISCOVER OUR SUPERCAR AUCTION SITE – View live auctions on SBX Cars
Why this 1973 Plymouth Road Runner needed to be found
The viewer, named Todd, wanted Fabrizio’s help in finding his old project car.
It had been rescued by him from a junkyard in the 1970s.
A photograph revealed that it was a massive wreck even back then.
There were no fenders, no doors, and the chassis was in really poor condition.
Even his dad said he didn’t think his son could rebuild the car.
However, that didn’t stop Todd.
He was able to turn it into a drag car thanks to a custom tube chassis.
Under the hood was a 440ci V8 engine, and he had also proved to his dad he could fix the car.
Sadly, financial pressures in the 1980s forced Todd to sell it.
But he did so without recording the VIN, so he assumed he had lost the car forever.
Click the star icon next to supercarblondie.com in Google Search to stay ahead of the curve on the latest and greatest supercars, hypercars, and ground-breaking technology
A single photo led to the rediscovery of the muscle car
That is where Fabrizio came in.
He was tasked by Todd to track down the car, but there was a catch.
Just a single photo from an advert of the car in the 2000s was all Fabrizio had.
That photo recorded the VIN, or so they thought.
Frustratingly, the VIN was linked to a different car, making the search even more complicated than it already was.
But after a lead in Michigan went cold, Fabrizio found a very similar-looking muscle car in Indiana.
It looked the same, but some cosmetic changes raised doubts.
But after being sent photos of the car and seeing the custom firewall, Todd was overjoyed to confirm it was his old car.
Incredibly, Fabrizio had found his 1973 Plymouth Road Runner.
In an even more satisfying conclusion, its new owner decided to sell it to Todd, and it is now heading home after 50 years away.
A brief history of the Plymouth Road Runner
1968: Debuts as a budget muscle car, featuring the official Warner Bros. cartoon bird and ‘beep-beep’ horn
1969: Wins Motor Trend’s Car of the Year; the legendary 440 ‘Six Pack’ engine option is added
1970: The NASCAR-focused ‘Superbird’ version launches with its iconic nose cone and massive rear wing
1971: Second generation introduces rounded ‘fuselage’ styling, but new emissions standards begin killing horsepower
1975: Downgraded from a standalone model to a trim package on the Plymouth Fury.
1976: Shifts to the compact Plymouth Volaré, becoming a sporty appearance package rather than a performance car
1980: Production officially ends, and the Road Runner name is retired
DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie
Henry joined the Supercar Blondie team in February 2025, and since then has covered a wide array of topics ranging from EVs, American barn finds, and the odd Cold War jet. He’s combined his passion for cars with his keen interest in motorsport and his side hustle as a volunteer steam locomotive fireman at a leading heritage steam railway in England.
