440 Six-Barrel: 1970 Plymouth Superbird

The vehicle manufacturing industry has changed dramatically in the last sixty years. In some ways, it is for the better because technology has allowed companies to develop engines with more power per cubic inch than seemed possible in the 1960s while producing fewer emissions. However, the days of walking into a showroom and slapping down the cash for a homologation special are a distant memory. One such vehicle was this 1970 Plymouth Superbird, a car designed specifically to provide success on NASCAR’s superspeedways. It retains its unique aerodynamic additions, and the engine bay houses a 440 Six-Barrel to provide mountains of power and torque. The buyer must choose between restoration and preservation once the Superbird is safely parked in their garage. The seller has listed it here on eBay in Celeste, Texas. They set their BIN at $185,000 with the option to make an offer.

The list of words used to describe the 1970 Plymouth Superbird definitely wouldn’t include “subtle.” Dodge introduced the Charger Daytona in 1969, and with Ford and Mercury joining the aero war that year by releasing the Torino Talladega and the Cyclone Spoiler II respectively, Plymouth was caught on the back foot. However, the Superbird proved a force to be reckoned with in 1970, with Richard Petty scoring eighteen wins from the forty races he contested during that year’s NASCAR season. Finished in Alpine White with a Black vinyl top, this Plymouth makes a positive first impression. Its exterior carries some non-original stickers, but one interesting aspect is the selection of autographs on the hood and the trunk lid. The owner accumulated these over many years, and all are racing-related. If the buyer decides to restore this classic, preserving those panels might be worthwhile. The reality is that the car needs love because the original aero nose is cracked, and there is rust developing on some lower extremities. The issues aren’t severe, with the floors appearing rock-solid. The vinyl is lifting on the edges, and with obvious bubbles visible in some images, there may be hidden problems requiring urgent attention. One welcome bit of news is that, although the nose requires attention, every aero feature that defines the 1970 Superbird remains intact. There are no reproduction parts on this classic.

Powering this Superbird is the company’s fire-breathing 440ci Six-Barrel. The motor is a beast, and although it isn’t as potent as the significantly more expensive Hemi, its power and torque figures of 390hp and 490 ft/lbs are nothing to sneeze at. The power finds its way to a 3.54 Dana 60 rear end via a four-speed manual transmission, while the Dealer Brochure confirms that power steering and power front disc brakes were standard. To maximize the potential future return on investment, desirable classics typically need to be numbers-matching. Unfortunately, while this Plymouth’s rear end is original, the 440 is only date-correct, and the transmission is of 1968 vintage. The owner has been the car’s custodian since 1971, confirming that the car runs and drives. However, the brakes require attention before the Superbird can be considered roadworthy.

This Superbird’s interior is serviceable, but falls well short of what many would consider acceptable for a classic of this caliber. Trimmed in Black vinyl, it features a purposeful pistol grip shifter and an AM radio/8-track player. The list of faults includes a damaged driver’s seatcover, scuffed seat backs, cracked dashpad, faded carpet, cracked wheel, and split sunvisors. None of the issues is insurmountable, and I don’t think that a complete retrim is warranted if the new owner wishes to preserve as much of the car’s originality as possible. Since the issues aren’t urgent, they could consider their next move while tackling some of the car’s other shortcomings.

The 1970 Plymouth Superbird demonstrated that racing success doesn’t necessarily translate to the showroom. Many potential buyers couldn’t warm to the radical aerodynamic additions fitted by Plymouth, meaning that it was common for new examples to remain unsold as late as 1972. Some dealers removed the additions, offering a Superbird dressed as a “regular” Road Runner. This Superbird has avoided that fate, but it is begging for TLC. That raises the question of whether you would sacrifice the autographs to return the car to its factory form, or if a less invasive approach would be more appropriate. So, it’s over to you.