Lot 5118

Auburn Fall 2017

1970 Plymouth Superbird

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$150,000 - $175,000 USD | Not Sold

United States | Auburn, Indiana

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  • 425 hp, 426 cu. in. Hemi V-8 conversion (originally a 440 6-pack car)
  • Pistol grip four-speed manual transmission (originally an automatic)
  • One of roughly 2,000 built for NASCAR homologation
  • Includes original build sheet

NASCAR homologation doesn’t get any more quintessential than the Plymouth Superbird. Team Mopar sought to take on the Ford Torino Talladega and to lure Richard Petty back into the Plymouth fold and so it slightly reworked the outrageous, wind tunnel-tested Dodge Charger Daytona’s otherworldly wing and fiberglass fascias.

Starting as the Plymouth Road Runner, the Superbird had its own fiberglass nosecone and retractable headlights for street use. Its signature rear wing, the source of much speculation about its particular shape and height, produced considerable downforce. Much to Plymouth’s chagrin, NASCAR changed its homologation rules to force automakers into building two cars for each of its American-market dealers. Demand was strong and around 2,000 were built for dealers in the U.S. and Canada. Stringent emissions standards instituted the following year spelled the model’s quick demise.

Plymouth’s bid to offer Richard Petty a ride in its outlandish Superbird worked, The King jumped ship back to Plymouth from Ford and subsequently won an impressive eight races at the helm of the Superbird.

The 1970 Plymouth Superbird presented here is painted in a striking white with a black vinyl roof, a look distinctly emblematic of its era. According to the car’s build sheet it began life as a 440 6-pack model with an automatic but has been thoroughly converted to the 426 cu. in. Hemi V-8 with a pistol grip four-speed manual transmission. The car is described as in excellent condition and runs great.