There are very few cars that can be called a genuine legend. Certainly the Corvette or the Mustang fit the bill, but the status of Plymouth’s mighty Superbird reigns supreme as one of the fastest and most outrageous cars to ever come out of Detroit. With its shark like snout and tall rear spoiler, the Superbird was a purpose-built car that was capable of extreme speed and incredible agility thanks to its sleek aerodynamic design. Its provenance had already been proven the previous year with the introduction of its big brother the Daytona 500, and Plymouth actually built the Superbird to lure the great Richard Petty back to Plymouth. Petty went on to win eight races in NASCAR that year and placing well in many more.
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This legendary car is truly typified in this stellar example finished in Plymouth’s “Blue Fire,” a color that doesn’t exactly hide under the radar. The Superbird was actually a variant of the Road Runner and carried the cartoon character’s likeness, but it also was fitted with several styling cues that made it stand out from the crowd. Most noticeable was its sleek aerodynamic nose that housed concealed headlamps and an outrageous rear spoiler that stood tall above any teenage boy that stared at it in a dreamlike trance. The Superbird also used a heavy-duty brake and suspension system, dual exhaust, and a 440 cubic-inch high-performance V-8. Underlying it all is the fabulous “Beep, Beep” horn that was the trademark sound of the Road Runner. This Superbird has undergone a full restoration and is not only certified by Mopar specialist Galen Govier, but is also autographed on the rear spoiler by the great Richard Petty.
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In the end the Superbird turned out to be a one-year wonder and just 1,935 were built. Its radical design was not for everyone and many even sat unsold on dealer lots for months. In the present day these fabulous cars are a tribute to an era where unbridled speed was the name of the game both on the race track and the Friday night street fights. This Superbird with its authentic certification and fine restoration is a car that could serve as the centerpiece of any world class performance car collection.
