Rare Plymouth Arrow Pro Stock Drag Car at Motorama 2026 — Billy the Kid HEMI Powered Monster
https://youtu.be/r5XcJMkrHRo?si=WrAcHzUpyoum8rAE
One of the rarest and most legendary Mopar Pro Stock drag cars in existence made an appearance at the 2026 Toronto Motorama Custom Car and Motorsports Expo, and the Mopar Bro YouTube channel was there to capture every detail. This is the iconic Billy the Kid Plymouth Arrow, a HEMI powered Pro Stock machine with deep roots in NHRA and IHRA drag racing history. If you are a fan of classic Mopar drag racing, Plymouth muscle cars, vintage Pro Stock racing, or HEMI engine power, this is a car you absolutely need to see.
Watch the Full Video on the Mopar Bro YouTube Channel
We filmed a full walkaround of this incredible Plymouth Arrow Pro Stock drag car at Motorama 2026 in Toronto. Watch the complete video right here and make sure you subscribe to the Mopar Bro YouTube channel for more rare Mopar content, drag racing coverage, and Canadian motorsports action.
Full Video: https://youtu.be/r5XcJMkrHRo
The History Behind the Billy the Kid Plymouth Arrow
The name Billy the Kid comes from William Elias Stepp, one of the most colorful and notorious figures in the history of American drag racing. Stepp hailed from Dayton, Ohio, and campaigned a legendary stable of Mopar Pro Stock cars from the late 1960s all the way through the mid 1990s. His Billy the Kid racing operation was a fixture on the NHRA, IHRA, and match race circuits, and his roster of drivers reads like a hall of fame of Mopar drag racing talent.
This particular Plymouth Arrow was campaigned by Stepp in 1978 with two of the most skilled Pro Stock drivers of the era behind the wheel. Ronnie Sox, widely regarded as the greatest four speed shifter in drag racing history and one half of the legendary Sox and Martin partnership, drove this Arrow on the Pro Stock and match race circuits. Bobby Yowell, another veteran Mopar racer who made his name in NHRA Pro Stock competition, also piloted this machine to victory. Paul Frost served as crew chief, and his name is prominently displayed on the massive hood scoop of this car.
1978 Plymouth Arrow Pro Stock Specs and Details
The Plymouth Arrow was an unlikely platform for a Pro Stock drag car. In showroom form, the Arrow was a compact economy hatchback, originally a rebadged Mitsubishi Lancer Celeste sold through Plymouth dealerships in the mid to late 1970s. But in the hands of Mopar drag racing teams, the lightweight Arrow body became the perfect shell for a HEMI powered quarter mile weapon.
This Billy the Kid Arrow sits on a Don Hardy double frame rail chassis, one of the most respected Pro Stock chassis builders of the era. Under that towering hood scoop sits a 498 cubic inch Keith Black HEMI engine, a massive aluminum big block V8 that produced staggering horsepower for its time. The drivetrain features a Lenco four speed transmission, and the car ran in both NHRA and IHRA Pro Stock competition as well as on the lucrative match race circuit across the Midwest, South, and Eastern United States.
The sponsor decals on this car are a time capsule of 1970s drag racing. Crane Cams, Cragar wheels, Valvoline, Accel ignition, Champion spark plugs, Firestone tires, and Hardy chassis plates are all visible, each one representing the top tier performance brands that supported Pro Stock racing during its golden era.
Why This Car Matters to Mopar History
The Plymouth Arrow Pro Stock cars occupy a unique chapter in Chrysler motorsports history. By the mid 1970s, NHRA rule changes had added significant weight penalties to HEMI engine powered Mopar vehicles, making the full size Barracuda, Duster, and Challenger bodies increasingly uncompetitive against lighter Chevrolet and Ford entries. Mopar teams responded by moving to the smallest and lightest body available in the Chrysler stable, and the Arrow and its sibling the Dodge Colt became the weapons of choice.
These compact HEMI powered machines were some of the wildest door slammers ever allowed on a drag strip. The combination of a massive HEMI engine stuffed into a tiny economy car body created a spectacle that fans loved and competitors feared. Billy Stepp knew how to market this appeal, and his Billy the Kid Arrow was a crowd favorite at drag strips across North America.
Motorama 2026 Toronto — Canada's Biggest Car Show
The Mopar Bro YouTube channel filmed this Plymouth Arrow at the 2026 Toronto Motorama Custom Car and Motorsports Expo, held March 13 through 15 at The International Centre near Toronto Pearson Airport. Motorama is Canada's largest indoor custom car and motorsports show, featuring over 330,000 square feet of display space, nearly 450 vehicles, and more than 200 exhibitors. The Gulf Racing Zone in Hall 1B is where race cars like this Billy the Kid Arrow were on display alongside dozens of other racing machines from across Canadian motorsports.
Motorama is the official kickoff to the Canadian racing season, and the Mopar Bro team was on the ground capturing the best Mopar content at the show. From rare vintage drag cars to modern Hellcat and Demon builds, Motorama 2026 delivered for every Mopar enthusiast.
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The Mopar Bro YouTube channel is your home for Canadian Mopar drag racing content, rare muscle car features, Hellcat and Demon coverage, car show walkarounds, and quarter mile action from tracks like Toronto Motorsports Park. We cover Challengers, Chargers, Hellcats, Demons, Trackhawks, and classic Mopar muscle from every era.
Watch the full Plymouth Arrow video here: https://youtu.be/r5XcJMkrHRo
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Mopar Bro is a Canadian Mopar drag racing and muscle car YouTube channel covering Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, Hellcat, Demon, Demon 170, Trackhawk, Plymouth Barracuda, Plymouth Cuda, Plymouth Duster, Plymouth Arrow, Dodge Dart, classic Mopar muscle cars, HEMI engines, Pro Stock drag racing, NHRA, IHRA, quarter mile racing, Canadian drag racing, Toronto Motorsports Park, Motorama, Moparfest, and everything Mopar. Subscribe for new videos every week.
