In the ’60s and ’70s nearly all the Muscle car manufactures were in a race to build the fastest and most powerful car. The battle for bragging rights grew even more intense as NASCAR gained in popularity. Chrysler set out to be the fastest with the introduction of the Plymouth Road Runner Superbird in 1970, which had radical new aerodynamics. When these new aerodynamic features were paired with the a high output V8, it allowed for a top speed of 200 mph. This 1970 Plymouth Superbird is a well documented survivor car and is being offered here on eBay with a starting bid of $104,000
This car has been immaculately kept over the years and as a result looks amazing. The original 440 Six-pack V8 is still sitting in the engine bay and also looks great. This engine was rated at 390 hp and allowed the car to accelerate to 60 mph in about 5 seconds. The 440 six pack was the mid-range engine option, with the 426 being the next step up and the 440 Commando being one step down. There were only 135 built with the Hemi, 665 with the 440 Six-pack, and 1,120 with the Commando. These cars were truly super cars in their day and given their weight, are still impressive today.
This car looks just as great on the inside as it does on the outside. The entire interior looks as good as new, but given that the car only has 5,411 miles on it, it’s no surprise. All of the car’s original Road Runner decals and badges look to be in great shape. We would love to take this muscle car out for a spin, if not to experience all that power, at least to play with the Road Runner horn.
This rare Road Runner is in incredible shape and we are glad to see that a few of these cars still remain in original condition. This car has been certified by Bloomington Gold Survivor Collector Cars, Meadowbrook Hall Concours, and FIVA Preservation Award judges as being at least 95% original, so there shouldn’t be any question as to the originality of the car. We only wish we could afford this car, but maybe someday we will come across a long lost example that we can actually afford. Until that day we will just have to drool over this one and keep dreaming.
Very awesome. Too bad about the slushbox…
Remind me again why most of these were automatics?
Somebody told me once, but I can’t recall the reason.
Most of them were automatics? I didn’t know that. Maybe more serious street performance people liked the automatics because you had to be one hell of a stick shift man to beat a Torqueflite of the line or shift as consistently. By then most Mopar buyers knew that. Probably also fewer warranty claims. Mostly for the reason that Torqueflite was the quickest and most reliable way to go, and easier to drive and sell.
Most of those were ordered by unknowing dealers and a staggering number were almost ‘saleproof’…
I know of one that was at a dealer in Ft Walton Beach Florida, unsold and unloved, til mid-72 at least, and had rust streaks on the fenders from the ocean air. Great cars in short doses!
Overheated in traffic, impossibly long to park, lousy outward visibility…and who really wanted to drive something as silly looking as that around? It’s a good thing NASCAR changed the rules for ’71 so Dodge dealers didn’t have the Daytonas to try to sell as well. Don’t remember as big of a deal about the Ford Talladega…
I remember walking through the Dodge Dealership in Ft Walton Beach Fla 1970. They had at least 20 Super Birds lined up on a coverd lot. I will never forget how Cool it was superbirds on one side Demons/Dusters and GTX,s on the other. I was 6 years old and I was Hooked on Mopar ever since.
@J. Pickett, In HS had a C6 in my 67′ Mustang fastback GTA390 and ate up most GM’s, mopars around here (Madison, WI). The only real challenge to me was a 70 1/2′ Camaro LT1, 4spd 350 on the street. I was in auto shop and did improve the beast a lil lol ;)
Cont’ most of the big block 428,429,396,454,383 & 440’s cruisers were jacked up and had them N50’s with air shocks on them (handled like a semi in corners and just spun rubber on a take off even with traction bars lol
In ’72 I bought a ’70 Roadrunner that was a demo, it had 15k on the clock and I gave 1900 dollars for it. It was not a Superbird, but it was super fast. 44+6 with the HD 4spd, and a dana 60 rear end. it was the most bulletproof hot rod I’ve ever owned. I was stationed out in corn country in Ill. and it was a wide open playground. The only thing I disliked about it was the long “Pistol grip shifter. I have long arms and when I shifted a hard second my elbow would hit the seat and bounce me back into neutral sometimes. I swapped out the shifter for one out of a challenger, and never missed a shift after. In 1973 I got married, and was suffering from 8mpg as the gas shortage took over the country. I traded it for a ’71 Vega GT straight up. Man what a difference, lol I went from max power to no power in one trade. that Bird would do the quarter in 12 sec flat with a set of borrowed slicks, I could have gotten better than that but got rid of the car before I could make changes. I still miss the car, but I still have my wife. Now after 40 years I figure it was a good deal. lol
@Foxxy, reminds me of my great uncle who had a factory built (documented) 67′ Camaro RS/SS 427 (bought new-long story) he traded it in for a first year 74′ Mustang II, I just turned 16 and cried, whinned bc the family would not let me have it, thought I would kill myself in it. Uncle was getting old and wanted something slower, if only huh?
Could a car get any uglier? Huge, heavy and ………..did I mention ugly?
It is a proven fact that the majority of people in the world have little or no design taste. The folks that designed the beast is proof.
You never drove one obviously, or you were smoked by one sometime………
Had a stock ’69SUPER BEE 440-4bbl. RAMCHARGER AIR, 4speed…..Ran 24miles in 12 minutes ,never lost a race ,EVER, got a ’70 DAYTONA 440-6pak 4SPEED , ran same 12 mile run in 10minutes, wish I still had both
Saw on of these in Belgrade, ( when it was still Yugoslavia) in 1971, as a 12 year old, fresh from Australia. You should have seen the crowd arround it. All the locals used to sludgy grey& brown coloured Fiat knockoffs. The Plymouth was like something out of this world to them.
Dunno who owned it- a US diplomat perhaps? And where he got decent fuel to run it…….
Maybe an USAF officer who could get Avgas………