Presented is a beautiful SuperBird finished in desirable High
Impact Lemon Twist. Powered by it's original numbers matching 440
Super Commando, this Bird has been verified by Galen Govier as one
of 626 Birds produced with a 440 Super Commando and Automatic
Transmission.
One of the most recognized Mopar of all the time, The Superbird
ruled the track and has been a highly coveted collectible on many
Mopar enthusiasts' list.
This NASCAR legend is autographed by the king himself, Richard
Petty, on the Air Cleaner and presents very well.
Great lease rates and Financing also available on any of our
inventory!
Buy Sell Trade Consignments Welcome!
Please email
[email protected] or call
1-818-773-8181
About the SuperBird:
The Plymouth Superbird was a highly modified, version of the
Plymouth Road Runner with well-known graphics and horn sound. It
was the factory's follow up stock car racing design, for the 1970
season, to the Dodge Charger Daytona of 1969, and incorporated many
engineering changes and modifications garnered from the Daytona's
season in competition.
It has been speculated that a motivating factor in the production
of the car was to lure Richard Petty back to Plymouth from Ford. It
famously featured a protruding, aerodynamic nosecone, a
high-mounted rear wing, and a horn which mimicked the Road Runner
cartoon.
Developed specifically for NASCAR racing, the Superbird was
Plymouth's follow-on design to the Charger Daytona. The Superbird's
smoothed-out body and nosecone were further refined from that of
the Daytona, and the street version's retractable headlights added
nineteen inches to the Road Runner's original length. The rear wing
was mounted on tall vertical struts that put it into less disturbed
air thus increasing the efficiency of the downdraft that it placed
upon the car's rear axle. For nearly 30 years the mathematic
formula used to determine the exact height of the enormous wing was
thought to be a highly guarded Chrysler secret. The rear-facing
fender scoops were to hide cutouts to allow wheel clearance due to
the taller, wider wheels and lowered the height of the vehicle for
NASCAR competition. For standard road going Superbirds the covers
or "air extractors" were cosmetic.
NASCAR's homologation requirement demanded that vehicles to be
raced must be available to the general public and sold through
dealerships in specific minimum numbers. For 1970, NASCAR required
that 1 car be built for every 2 Dealership locations, in the case
of Plymouth, that meant having to build 1,920 Superbirds.
"Superbird" decals were placed on the outside edges of the spoiler
vertical struts featuring a picture of the Road Runner cartoon
character holding a racing helmet. A smaller version of the decal
appears on the driver's side headlight door. Superbirds had three
engine options: the 426 Hemi V8 engine producing 425HP at 5000 rpm
and 490 lb�ft at 4000 rpm of torque, the 440 Super Commando Six
Barrel with 3X2-barrel carburetors producing 390HP and the 375HP
440 Super Commando with a single 4-barrel carburetor. Only 135
models were fitted with the 426 Hemi. As the 440 was less expensive
to produce, the "street" version of the 426 Hemi engine used in
competition was homologated by producing the minimum number
required.
On the street, the nose cone and wing were very distinctive, but
the aerodynamic improvements hardly made a difference there or on
the drag strip. In fact, the 1970 Road Runner was actually quicker
in the quarter mile and standard acceleration tests due to the
increased weight produced by the Superbird's nose and wing. Only at
speeds in excess of 60 mph did the modifications begin to show any
benefit
Production figure generally accepted is 1,935 SuperBirds built and
shipped to United States dealers. The engine option is believed to
be 135 Hemi cars,716 440ci. cars and 1,084 440ci. 4bbl. cars. It is
estimated that about 1,000 SuperBirds exist today.
The Superbird's styling proved to be extreme for 1970's tastes and
many of the 1,920 examples built sat unsold on the back lots of
dealerships as late as 1972. Some were converted into 1970 Road
Runners to move them off the sales lot.
Whilst Fusion Motor Company make a sincere effort to supply
information that is accurate and complete, we are aware that errors
and omissions may occur. Therefore, we are not able to guarantee
the accuracy of the information and we cannot accept liability for
loss or damage arising from misleading information or for any
reliance on which you may place on the information contained on
this website or our advertisements. We highly recommend that you
examine the vehicle to check the accuracy of the information
supplied. If you have any questions, please contact us at
[email protected] or by calling 818-773-8181
