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Super Survivor: 1970 Plymouth Superbird

Lately, it seems like Superbirds are coming up for sale everywhere. That said, I have no problem with it! As rare as they are, these collector vehicles change hands somewhat often though this particular one hasn’t recently. These cars have been a hot item for quite sometime now, holding steady in the $100,000-$300,000 range depending on condition and show no signs of stopping. This particular 1970 Superbird is a low-mileage survivor, with the original dealer title as it was never actually sold to anyone. With just 7,964 miles on the odometer, this Plymouth is sure to find its way into a collection. Find it here on eBay in Ohio with a $350,000 price tag. 

Sitting behind that beautiful nose cone is a 440 Six Barrel (Six Pack for Dodge), and for those reading who do not know about these cars, that means it is carbureted by three two-barrel carburetors tuned in sync to create a six-barrel engine. This engine puts out 390 horsepower and 490 foot pounds of torque, and with a 0-60 time of 5.5 seconds, this Superbird will really move! I would say 5.5s for 0-60MPH isn’t that good by today’s standards, but frankly it’s still pretty decent! For a car of 3,800 pounds to be able to move that fast is impressive, not to mention the well-known capability of high top speeds.

Equipped with a 4-speed transmission and pistol grip shifter, this car is meant for driving enjoyment and speed. When I say driving enjoyment, I don’t mean the feeling you get cruising through the mountains on a nice day in your daily. I mean the feeling you get when you can’t stop smiling from ear to ear while you bang gears, spinning tires between shifts with your passenger screaming at you to slow down! Unsurprisingly, the interior of this car looks like it has never been sat in, and that will do nothing but help the seller get the asking price.

The bold styling of this cars wasn’t and isn’t for everyone. While I love everything about it, as this represents everything Chrysler products stood for in the 1970s, others find it hard to believe these cars are so highly sought after. Unfortunately, it isn’t the 1980s anymore and these cars can’t be had for “used car” prices. With less than 2,000 Superbirds made in 1970, and only 308 made with a Six Barrel 440 4-speed, this barely used survivor is one of the best examples I have seen and possibly the nicest currently on the market.

Comments

  1. Avatar Phil

    Truthfully I would rather have the 69 Caprice 427 even if I had that kind of disposable income…

    Like 0
    • Avatar KEN TILLY Member

      I would rather have just about any Yank Tank than one of these. Why anybody would want to drive such an abomination, apart from the obvious get up and go, is beyond comprehension.

      Like 0
      • Avatar Michael

        Agreed. Never liked these. I don’t mind the wing so much but the nose is awful.

        Like 0
      • Avatar glen

        You do understand these were offered to the public this way, for homologation reasons, right?

        Like 0
      • Avatar Chris

        Nothing runs like a big block Mopar. You would be asking the driver to slow down if you were in it. Capable of Easy 12.8 @ 105-107 qtr mile times when tuned properly.

        Like 0
      • Avatar Chris

        Ken it is the very first car to EVER break 200 mph at NASCAR. GM and Ford wish they had the engineering Chrysler had at the time. The design was fully tested in the wind tunnels and is one of the very first aerodynamic cars built.

        Like 0
      • Avatar David montanbeau

        These cars never ran 12s. Been there, done that.

        Like 0
      • Avatar Tom Justice

        A lot of people agreed with you at the time. Many of these, the Plymouth and Dodge versions, sat on lots for a couple of years and were sold at big discount prices to get them off the lot. Cudda, wudda, shudda?

        Like 0
    • Avatar MikeH

      One if the, if not THE, ugliest cars ever made.

      Like 0
      • Avatar Chris

        Wrong David. They were more that capable of 12 sec times and did so when tuned correctly. Not sure what you did your driving in in the past maybe a 307 Nova?

        Like 0
      • Avatar Barry

        Beauty was not the purpose, fit,form and function was for 200+MPH at the track.

        Like 0
    • Avatar Billy

      I would rather have the 350K. That is life changing kind of money, but the man who buys this, it is not, probably just chump change. And there lays the problem with our hobby, it is no longer a hobby, it has become a rich mans play thing. So terribly sad. I am sure I have said here before, but again…I could have got one of these in near show room condition in 1980 for 5k with 5000 miles on her, 440- 6 pack, hemi orange. Turned it down, 5 large in 1980 was like flying to the moon for me. But, if someone of means (the kind of person who doesn’t get paid by the hour) picked her up and had the fore sight to hold onto it for 30 years, that person is rich rich rich, or dare I say, richer. Because they probably were already rich to start with. 5k in 1980 was a new car, most people didn’t buy a 10 year old used car for new car money, not practical…and of course, this car never was meant to be practical.

      Like 0
    • Avatar John

      She paid 81k for it at carlisle pa. I think the have 12 winged cars

      Like 0
  2. Avatar MH

    There really neat cars. They used to be my favorite car but my tastes have changed with age. 350K is to much for this car as the market is very soft now.

    Like 0
  3. Avatar Brain Member

    Anyone wanna go in on this? Like, 20 of us?

    Like 0
  4. Avatar Rock On Member

    Nice to see one without a column shift automatic for change!

    Like 0
  5. Avatar Jake

    Not sure about your statement “440 Six Barrel (Six Pack for Dodge), and for those reading who do not know about these cars, that means it is carbureted by three two-barrel carburetors tuned in sync to create a six-barrel engine.” In my 64 years of life, many of it devouted to cars–can honestly say I have never heard a description of a Mopar 6 pack described that way!!!!! Must’ve just made it up, huh!!!!

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jesse Mortensen Staff

      What’s wrong with the description Jake? The Six Pack or Six Barrel option consisted of three two-barrel carburetors. 2 x 3 = 6

      Like 0
      • Avatar T Mel

        Well for me, the term “six barrel engine” sounds pretty goofy. “Six pack/barrel car”, yes. “Six pack/barrel carb”, yes. “It’s a six pack/barrel”, yes. But six barrel engine? No. The engine itself doesn’t have any barrels, it has cylinders. The carb(s) has six barrels. Sounds weird to mix the two. We don’t say six barrel engine for the same reason we don’t say six cylinder carburetor. Besides most ppl don’t care about the Dodge/Plymouth convention and just say six-pack for all Mopar,.. sounds cooler anyway.

        Like 0
      • Avatar Sam

        For me six pack means 🍺!

        Like 0
      • Avatar Governor

        I think we should all get together with a 12 Pack, or two 6 packs, and discuss this topic further.

        Like 0
      • Avatar Rocco

        Jesse,
        Was Andrew trying to say “Six Pack” was the term for Dodge’s, and “Six Barrel” was the term for Plymouth’s?

        Like 0
    • Avatar Tom Justice

      It is proper to call a Dodge a six pack and a Plymouth a six barrel. Plum Crazy was a Dodge color and it was called In Violet in Plymouth. They wanted different names to go with the different makes even though they were virtually the same thing.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Arkie Culverhouse Member

      Andrew is correct in his usage of “six barrel engine”. It’s not just the intake manifold and carburaters that set this engine apart. The engine’s internals are specific to this set-up.

      Like 0
  6. Avatar edh

    Super cool, but I have no desire to own one of these anymore.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Sarah W

    I drove one of these while I was in grade 12. My friend’s dad worked for a local Chrysler dealer and they had a yellow with black roof Superbird that had sat on the lot for a long time. My friend asked her dad if he could bring it home for the weekend. She declined when asked if she wanted to drive it, but I sure didn’t. I had only earned my drivers license a few months before but that didn’t stop me! It was setup like this with the manual transmission. It went like stink but boy were they butt ugly! And I have a polaroid shot to prove it.

    Like 1
    • Avatar Andrew Tanner Member

      Very cool, I am jealous!

      Like 0
  8. Avatar XMA0891

    I do love the ‘birds, and cannot imagine a time when these could serve as a daily driver. I apologize for not knowing: Could these be had with a Hemi and a manual transmission or was the 440/manual “it”?

    Like 0
    • Avatar flmikey

      Yes, they could be had with the Hemi…

      Like 0
    • Avatar whippeteer

      They also came with an automatic with either floor or column shift. The 440 was much more streetable than the hemi.

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      • Avatar Andrew Tanner Member

        As stated above, they were available as automatics and with a 426 Hemi!

        Like 0
    • Avatar RP

      A guy I used to work with back in the 90s bought one at Carlisle Auction because he thought it was neat. 426 Hemi, column shift Torqueflite and the same color Limelight as this one. At the time it had 47K on the clock, and it probably doesn’t have much more on it now. He took it home, parked it in a barn and threw a tarp over it. Last I heard it was slowly rotting away while he plays with his Model T.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Rich Tague

      Hemi & 440 WERE ONLY Options 4 speed & Automatics

      Like 0
  9. Avatar AMXSTEVE

    This one is the HOLY GRAIL of Superbirds! What a pristine example. You Debbie Downers on here seem to forget that this is a Super Car and was never cheap.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Andrew Tanner Member

      You said it!

      Like 0
  10. Avatar Gunner

    I agree that the car market has softened MH, although I am not sure why. A beautiful ‘Bird, but 350 large is a wad of cash better suited for other endeavors. I can think of several pistol grip 4-speeds that I would like to have for a lot less. A super nice ‘Bird nevertheless.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Bobsmyuncle

    I’m not sure it’s correct or fair to consider the car’s “bold styling” it was purpose built design.

    Purely function over form.

    Like 0
    • Avatar SSPBill

      I agree these were “function follows form” cars for the sake of 200mph on NASCAR ovals. But Superbirds and Daytona’s make one hell of a statement rolling at you down the road. A friend has a Daytona (the one from Graveyard Carz) that gets driven occasionally. Love it or hate it they looked wild for the 60’s-70’s. Compared to today’s cars the Daytona looks like it’s from a different planet.

      Interesting footnote. The Superbird came about to win back Richard Petty back from Ford after he left in ’69 because Plymouth wouldn’t build him an equivalent to the Dodge Daytona. They changed their minds for the ‘70 season.

      Like 1
  12. Avatar flmikey

    …a zero owner, well documented, not cut up, stick Superbird for 350 large? If I, or most car guys had the means, this one would be in our multi-level garages right now…

    Like 0
  13. Avatar Barney

    I like these cars. Yes they were bizarre back in the day but remember they were built for NASCAR. They were the first two hundred mike an hour plus cup car. I remember the first time I saw one of these cars. It was actually two of them together flying, and I mean hauling ass down I-10 between Phoenix and Tucson in the early seventies I wondering what the heck was that.

    Like 0
  14. Avatar john fron ct

    I don’t doubt that this could be a high 200’s to low 300’s car.

    As to the 0-60 time, these were not optimized for the drag strip, but rather for sheer high speed and stability. It would be interesting to fit a lesser valuable example with a five or six speed tremec including a low first gear and see the 0-60s with that set up.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Biff Grouter

      …google the one Sox & Martin used to use as a 1/4 mile car to check times and m.p.h.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Jay E.

      It is rather sad to see one of the swoopy cars get pasted out of the hole by a modern 6 cylinder Mustang. They may be fast, but they were never quick. I couldn’t own one, even if I were having a mid-life crisis. You could buy the Hemi versions in the mid 90’s for about 75-80K, which would have been a good investment. i thought those were nuts prices a the time.

      Like 0
  15. Avatar Rob Rose

    I saw this one in Madison Alabama the other night. I love em!

    Like 0
  16. Avatar AMCFAN

    These cars were very cheap until around the muscle car boom in the late 1980’s. A friend had to have one passed on one for $7,000 but then had to pay over $20K overnight in then money for a used up car to get his. It was a crazy time.

    They are nice but at the end of the day the wing and front nose doesn’t add a $100K-$150K value to a bench seat Road Runner in my opinion. If a Hemi may be different but then it should be in a museum.

    If I had the disposable money I wouldn’t be interested. Can you really go on a road trip with one? Park it at the local Walmart for a few quick things and worry if it will be there when you get back? No thanks!

    To find one they are out there. All are over restored and the owners are even older and letting them go (cashing in) for retirement income. If not this car there are many others like it. What color do you want?

    Poor choice this week. NOT A BARN FIND.

    Like 0
    • Avatar AMXSTEVE

      Ugh you don’t buy these cars to run to the grocery store or run errands in, but a Honda. What 300K car would you ever do that in?

      These cars are race cars dude and investment vehicles that are like nothing else.

      Like 0
      • Avatar AMCFAN

        So you take it out on a drive and NEVER stop anywhere in it? Do you buy gas and take it home and pour it in? What is the point of going for a drive? Maybe I should remind my buddy in his Ferrari he cant go to the store. He does.

        The Superbird is only an investment for the person who bought it new for $2500. or those like my friend who purchased his in the late 80’s and has still managed to hang onto it. It isn’t an investment NOW paying $350K for it and hoping that the next generation will pony up. History is that isn’t going to happen. The prices will come down as will the demand. Sorry sadly although a great car the money bubble burst. You can see that in any current auction results.

        Also sorry Dude NOT a race car. It is a passenger car built like any other Road Runner with a NASCAR wing and aluminum nose. It was built for the purpose of then current NASCAR rules to allow the real cars on the track.

        Like 0
    • Avatar Andrew Tanner Member

      If you have enough money to buy this car, then you probably aren’t worried about whether or not you can safely park it at the store….then again you probably don’t shop at Wal-Mart either!

      Like 0
      • Avatar AMCFAN

        The paying of the insurance premium for a year to only take it out a few times isn’t my point Andrew.

        So you stop somewhere could be anywhere. And you come out with a scrape, ding from someones door (no matter if you park alone a mile away some AH will park next to you an unwritten rule). You incur damage to your original car. Do you fix it or leave it alone? Turning it in to your insurance will put a red flag on your Clean Car Fax. Leaving it it is no longer pristine.That is the issue with cars like this. Fresh restored cars not so much as the paint can be repaired quite easy. It is tough taking out your daily driver as most can relate.

        As far as Walmart it was only a reference anyone would know. But again I don’t know of many too good for Walmart. I mean where are you going to get a loaf of bread and your Depends? When you gotta go you gotta go!

        Like 0
  17. Avatar whippeteer

    I once saw a convertible coronet that they added the nose and wing to.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar KEN TILLY Member

    Hi Glen. They may have been offered to the public for homologation reasons but that doesn’t explain why anybody actually bought one.

    Like 0
    • Avatar glen

      Hi Ken.
      It’s definitely a personal decision. It not exactly a practical vehicle as a daily driver! It’s more of a race car on the street, which is kinda cool, but again , not practical.That could be said of other cars as well. I’ve certainly seen plenty of cars that are far less appealing to me than these, with higher sales. That colour may not be to pleasing to some, I like the look of the one that Rob Rose posted, less in your face! I do have a question; did they have to sell them, or just have to build enough of them and hope they sold?

      Like 0
  19. Avatar Bill

    I’ve always wanted one of these since my best friends Dad got one to drive for a couple weeks. It was orange. He was a detective in the Detroit Police Department and a dealership was letting police officers drive cars like these as a promotion. If I had the money, this would be in my driveway. Right car, right options and right color.

    Like 0
  20. Avatar T Mel

    I love these types of cars that we’re so odd or undesirable when new, that eventually become so desirable (due to the rarity caused by their undesirability in the first place) that rising prices alone make ppl with the means want them even more if nothing else just to be different and to show that they can afford them, which in turn, leads to further snowballing values, which in turn adds to their mystique and future perceived value. Is it an incredible body design? No, it’s a basic sedan body adapted as a two-door without any signs it was ever intended to be a sports car, pony car, or sexy car in any way, then further adapted, very effectively I might add, as asthetically unpleasing as it may be, to high speed aerodynamic goals for racing. And, it happens to be equipped with one of several available engines that were and remain some of the best engines ever designed. Does the sweet engine alone make it worth hundreds of thousands? Not at all, but people’s perception and desire to make money, impress others, or be golddiggers, does.

    Like 0
  21. Avatar R.hernandez

    Let’s see here. 350k. You know how many new cars you could buy with that kind of money. Not to mention you would be to scared to drive it thinking someone is gonna bash into you.and to much money just to look at it sitting in the garage!

    Like 0
  22. Avatar Tyler Member

    What’s a range Daytona’s and Superbirds went for new?

    Like 0
  23. Avatar Jonathan Freeman

    I drove a cloned/ tribute Petty blue Superbird every week for 23 years. It served as my daily driver when needed.
    I built it from real original Superbird parts and installed them on a base 383 4 speed Road Runner that I converted to a 440/automatic.
    I drove my daughter to pre k and elementary school, to church, went to the grocery store, loaned it to 2 different car dealerships and 2 Goodyear shops for display.
    I even took the trash to the local recycling drop off as we don’t have county run trash service. Loved to see people’s expressions as I hauled bags of garbage out of the trunk!
    I met hundreds of people – police fire emt servicemen and sooooo many kids. I’d let them hop in and let Mom and Dad snap a few photos. Wives took photos and even video to send to sons/husbands or brothers deployed overseas. I loaned it to friends for an afternoon so they could take their kids to a car show or parade.

    Sadly, I had to sell it about 3 years ago. But I built the car I wanted that I first saw at age 6 in 1970.
    And I DROVE it!! Like they were once meant to be….
    good times!!

    Like 0
  24. Avatar Grumpy

    The dealer invoice show’s power brake’s as an option! Yike’s. Also road wheel’s as an option. Were hubcap’s standard?
    Definitely a nice find in original condition, but much too long to fit in my garage.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Andrew Tanner Member

      I believe wheel covers were standard/otherwise available as I have seen vintage ads for Charger Daytonas with standard Dodge wheel covers on them.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Tony C. Australia

      Hey Grumpy, you could always extend the garage, yeah go on go for it, you know you want to.

      Like 0
  25. Avatar Roy

    Well Jake, you obviously didn’t spend very many of those years around Mopars, because that statement is exactly right. Must be be one of those Chivvy or Ferd guys. Lol. 🤔

    Like 0
  26. Avatar Ron

    I have seen the Superbirs along with it’s six sibling wing cars. Yes they own seven Superbirds and Daytonas. The only flaw with this car is the right rear quarter that got rubbed being backed out the garage. Never fixed left as is. You can see it in the quarter photo. If you are a Mopar nut scroll through the photos. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bob-And-Sharon-Malcoms-Chrysler-Museum/442982015742646 Above is their Cincinnati Concurs Blue ribbon winning one of one Daytona in Silver and red.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Ron

      Sorry for the typos, ran out of time to edit the errors. Terrible typist here. The quarter photo I referenced is the one in the eBay listing.

      Like 0
  27. Avatar rough diamond

    Well, I guess I am the only one who would love to have this beast in my garage after I widened my garage. It nice to see that this one was ordered with the factory N85 tachometer. I could not believe that the last one that collector had was ordered without a factory tach.

    I might drive my ’91 Z/28 to a car gathering and step away from it, but if I am out driving just to drive, I never leave the car. Give someone the means to scratch or dent your ride and they will find a way to do it by opening a door or leaving a grocery buggy loose in a parking lot, etc. No thank you to that.

    Like 0
  28. Avatar Steve N Nichols

    these cars were iconic in their day with NASCAR designed for speed and aerodynamics more than appearance that’s what brings the price they are timeless

    Like 0
  29. Avatar lawrence

    Like my old lady – built for a reason – the wing nose cars were built to win and the wings did !

    And what did GM have – nothing ! Wait did I say nothing…..yes nothing !

    And Ford – they had to sell their mopar beater in a Mustang ! You could check out that Torino nose job that never made it to the speedway.

    Just saying….

    Like 0
  30. Avatar P Wentzell

    I’ve always like these because…well…because! I remember back in the day a suburban Atlanta Chrysler Plymouth dealer had a row of new SuperBirds. Now, where’d I put that time machine?

    Like 0
  31. Avatar jlbucky

    All these comments and nobody has even mentioned the van in the background!

    Like 0
    • Avatar Andrew Tanner Member

      I saw it immediately! I wanted to work it into the write-up but wasn’t able to do so.

      Like 0
  32. Avatar Tony C. Australia

    You guys will have to pardon my Aussie ignorance, but what’s the difference between a Plymouth Superbird and a Dodge Daytona or isn’t there any? They both look the same to me from pics on Google, even down to the wheel humps on the front fenders.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Curtis Mopar Survivor

      The Dodge Daytona was made in 1969. Used the 1970 Charger front-end to allow the fitment of the nose cone. Low production numbers.
      The Plymouth Superbird in 1970 used the Plymouth Roadrunner. This car had higher production numbers.
      Values for both cars are also based on factory options as well.

      Like 1
    • Avatar SSPBill

      Daytonas were based on Dodge Chargers and Superbirds were Plymouth Satellite/Road Runner. Take 2 pictures side by side and cover the nose and wings. You will spot the differences. Both were B-bodies though.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Jonathan Freeman

      The only parts used on both cars were the headlights, front spoiler, inside trunk supports, front jack assembly and dash gauge clusters.

      The nose cone, fender vents, rear window plug and rear wings are different between the two cars.

      The Superbird used modified 1970 Dodge Coronet front fenders and hood. It also used the dash cluster assembly used on the Charger as it had the correct vacuum switch provision.

      While the Daytona used Charger front fenders and hood that was used in the later 1970 production Chargers and a rear plug to help straighten out the aerodynamic properties. This requires a shortened trunk lid as well as different trunk arm/ hinges.

      Like 0
  33. Avatar Billy

    Ya har’ foosh topper iser!

    Like 0
  34. Avatar Jack

    Beautiful cars for sure but having $350,000. us in my bank acct would make me smile a lot more at this point of my life. This is my baby that makes me smile :)

    Like 0
  35. Avatar Jay E.

    This could be the exact one that was in the front window of the San Rafael Ca. plymouth dealership for YEARS. I remember driving past on 101 and wondering who the heck would want a car that looked like that…

    Like 0
    • Avatar Ron

      It was never in San Rafael, it has been in their ownership at their dealership in Ohio since day one. It has never been titled.

      Like 0
  36. Avatar irocrob

    I am 58 years old and have always been a car now and especially Mopar. I have never saw a Superbird or Daytona out being actually driven on the street. I have saw many but only at shows or going to and from. And yes I do get out and around.

    Like 0
  37. Avatar Tyler

    A friend of mine’s father owned a white Superbird, 440 auto, as well as a 69 Camaro pace car, 350 auto, both he bought new. He drove each of them a couple times a year. About 10 years ago, someone made him an offer he couldn’t refuse on both so he cashed out & never looked back.

    Cool car to be sure, but between this & a CTS v, I’ll take the Caddy…

    Like 0
  38. Avatar Ken D

    Or you could always plan carefully and park farther away from everyone else. Seems people are always lazy and they all park together. I park as far away as possible and try to find an end spot so only one other vehicle can be next to me. And to do that, they’d have to be as anal and BAT CRAZY as I am and park way out of the way!

    Like 0

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