1970 Plymouth Superbird - Why Was it Only Sold for One Year?
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- čas přidán 10. 02. 2023
- #Roadrunner #NASCAR #Plymouth
Technical overview & design history for the 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner Superbird. Hear how Chrysler designed the Dodge Daytona for NASCAR. Up against Ford, the Dodge Charger 500 wasn't giving Chrysler what they wanted in the NASCAR world. Here's how the Daytona & Plymouth Superbird were made, and why they look so weird.
The Plymouth Superbird was a limited-edition muscle car that was created for one reason and one reason only - to dominate the racetracks. And dominate it did! With its aerodynamic design and powerful engines, the Plymouth Superbird was a force to be reckoned with on the track.
This is the story of the Plymouth Superbird!
The Plymouth Superbird was designed by a team of engineers and designers at the Chrysler Corporation, which was the parent company of the Plymouth brand. The design of the Superbird was a collaboration between several departments within the company, including styling, engineering, and marketing.
The goal of the design was to create a high-performance muscle car that could compete on the racetrack and stand out on the street. The Superbird was heavily influenced by aerodynamics, as the car was specifically designed for NASCAR racing, where aerodynamics played a critical role in performance.
The Plymouth Superbird was offered in a limited range of exterior colors when it was first introduced in 1970. Some of the colors available for the Plymouth Superbird included:
Alpine White , Vitamin C Orange, Tor Red, Lemon Twist Yellow, Limelight Green, Corporate Blue, Curious Lime ,Sassy Grass Green, and Lemon Twist/Top Banana.
The interior of the Plymouth Superbird was typical of muscle cars of the time period, with basic features and a focus on performance rather than luxury. Some of the key features of the interior of the Plymouth Superbird included:
Simple bucket seats with a vinyl covering. They were designed to be lightweight and provide good support for performance driving. The dashboard was functional and straightforward, with a speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, and oil pressure gauge. There were no fancy electronic displays or gadgets. The Superbird came with a three-spoke steering wheel that was comfortable to grip and easy to control. The Superbird had a simple floor console between the front seats, which housed the gear shifter and provided a convenient armrest.
The door panels were simple, with manual window cranks and basic door handles. There were no power windows or other power features. Overall, the interior of the Plymouth Superbird was functional and stripped down, designed to provide a clean and simple environment for the driver to focus on performance driving.
The Plymouth Superbird was available with a range of engine options, including:
1. 440 Super Commando: This was a 7.2-liter V8 engine that was capable of producing 375 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque.
2. 426 Hemi: This was a 7.0-liter V8 engine that was capable of producing 425 horsepower and 490 lb-ft of torque.
3. 440 6-Barrel: This was a 7.2-liter V8 engine that was equipped with three two-barrel carburetors and was capable of producing 390 horsepower and 490 lb-ft of torque.
All of the engine options for the Plymouth Superbird were powerful and well-suited for high-performance driving. The Superbird was designed specifically for racing, and its engines were optimized for speed and performance on the track.
In addition to the engine options, the Plymouth Superbird was equipped with a heavy-duty suspension and brakes to handle the increased performance capabilities. The transmission options included a 4-speed manual or a 3-speed automatic.
The exact performance numbers for the Plymouth Superbird varied depending on the engine option and the weight of the car, but here are some estimated figures:
The Plymouth Superbird could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 5-6 seconds, depending on the engine option and other factors. The Superbird could complete a quarter-mile run in around 13-14 seconds, again depending on the engine option and other factors. The bird had a Top Speed of about 140 mph, although this could vary based on the engine option, transmission, and other factors. The Superbird was also equipped with heavy-duty brakes to handle the high-performance capabilities, and could stop from 60 mph in around 120-130 feet.
Plymouth discontinued the Superbird in 1971 due to several factors, including changes in NASCAR rules which limited the size of the engines, High Production Costs and consumer demand. The Superbird was seen as a niche car, and Plymouth decided to discontinue the model due to low sales and declining demand. - Auta a dopravní prostředky
I built the 1/24 Monogram kit of the 70 Supervised 30 plus years ago.... I still have it but unfortunately I no longer have the box... It still looks pretty decent after 30 plus years!!
To me Chrysler needs to bring back both the Plymouth and Desoto brands so they can make variety of Hemi powered muscle cars.
It will never happen because of the government push or force for electric cars.
Great car!!! Back in the seventies I had a neighbor that had one of these that he used as a daily driver for years!!! Thanks for sharing this exciting video!!! 🙂🙂🙂
Looking back, what a cool daily driver Christopher!
awesome video love the superbird 😎
Car dealer lived two houses away. . I remember his sons driving them to the house when they came out. Corporate Blue & Lime Green. Love those cars!
Very cool !!
In the early '80s, I'd sometimes see one of these on the road while going to work.
One morning, i see it semi blocking a busy intersection. Looked like it was trying to make a right hand turn and the driver's side front suspension collapsed. I felt sorry for the wounded 'Bird.
This was the last time i saw it.
Great offering, guys!!
My dad was a salesman at a Chrysler Plymouth dealership in 1970. The dealership owner let my dad "demo" the Superbird that was alloted to his lot during the summer of '70. I was 8 years old and my dad did a lot of showing off for me and my brothers that summer. He'd pop that car up to 100 in a flash and then take it back down to turn into our neighborhood. One time someone driving a Mustang Mach 1 taunted my dad when the whole family was in the car. At 38 he still had a little crazy in him and took off to leave that car way behind. I watched the speedometer hit 120. Still a thrill to this day. That car was amazing.
I'm not into American musclecars, but the superbird always stands out to me
Thank you guys !
Thanks for another great video 👍
The Plymouth Superbird is one iconic Mopar along with the Dodge Dayton.
Yessir
I never had any regrets buying my first new car the 383 69, until the Superbird hit the streets in 70. Still alive all these years on, and would still drive the wheels off the pair of them given half the chance.
Richard Petty left Plymouth for the Ford Torino in 1969. In 1969 Dodge had the Daytona and Plymouth wanted him.back so Petty said you build me one of those and I will come back. That is how Plymouth got their Wing car.
that is correct the super bird was billed to or for Richard petty (the king) bas on the Daytona development for the 69 NASCAR cup series
Great video! I really enjoyed it. 👍🏻
Ultra cool car. Wish I owned one.
😍Beautiful!!!👍
HOWDY B.B. BRO'S!!! GREAT VIDEO AND BEEP!! BEEP!! CAR'S,... BUT MY PLYMOUTH BEST HITS THE LIST AND MY COUSIN WHO OWNS ONE IS LIKE YOU SAID IS A PLYMOUTH CUDA!!! AND MY FRIEND WHO OWN'S A PLYMOUTH SUPER BEE!! THAT BEE STICKER ON IT CAN STING YA!!! GREAT VIDEO AND ALL,,KEEP THEM COMMING....THANK''S,,...
Awesome! Thanks for watching and commenting Ronald.
My dad bought a "new" limelite 6-bbl bird in August, 1971 from Freeds Chrysler Plymouth (SLC, UT) for just under $ 3,000. He spent all winter working on it to improve top speed, then drove it to the Bonneville salt flats in September, 1972. He had to do a bunch of low speed runs, gradually increasing the speed. On his first real timed run he went over 150 mph and got booted for not having a parachute and other safety equipment required at that speed. My mom wouldnt ride in it because she said "its so ugly, the astronauts can see it from space". Dad ended up selling it in 1979 for $1,900. After that he would curse at the tv during coverage of the Barrett-Jackson auctions.
Very cool
In order to qualify a new model for Nascar, they required a certain number be produced for sale to the public, In this case it was 1920 Daytonas and 1920 Superbirds. I went through a factory tour with my father at the Linwood Rd. midsize plant in Detriot Mich. where they were building the Superbird at the time. They were not a cheap car for the time, and many sat in dealer showrooms for years, or the back lot deteriorating. If the model has the hemi engine, it can be well over $150,000.00 today. Much Success.
503 Daytona's 1,935 Superbird's
Sweet car
Extremely well done Danny and Michael. Many details. Do not forget the mandatory vinyl top on the bird, not seen on the Charger Daytona.
I cannot wait for your story on the Shelby GT500 up to 2014.....Jacques
They were offered in alpine white, corporate blue aka, petty blue) blue fire metallic, tor red , vitamin c orange, lemon twist yellow and limelight green
I loved plymouth, GTX, roadrunner, dusters,cuda,furrys
Zimmer Plymouth show room , I saw the Super bird $5527.00 sitting next to the Duster 225, $27450.00. I wanted the Bird, but, Mom wouldn't let me buy it, DARN!!!
I should have bought one in the 70's when nobody wanted those "UGLY" cars!!!!!
I want one
You are wrong about Superbirds not having power windows.
My Vitamin C colored 440 4 barrel has factory front & rear power windows.
It was a $75.75 opinion.
I've read of 2 other Superbirds having this option & I have downloaded an invoice from another vehicle with this option on it.
What happened to the good old days
The only good thing I can think of for the wing cars as a daily driver was it was easy to spot in a parking lot, otherwise a completely worthless piece of junk when compare to the ever day Satellite or Coronet. Back in the day it didn’t take long for the novelty to wear off and the dealers were discounting them below their cost just to get them off their lot. Great race car?...yes, great stock car?.... nope, far from it.
Oh yeah 1974 my first car was a Plymouth roadrunner 3:40 is that in the same category on the same family at the super bird or the Toyota Daytona looking for a reply
Same family, built on Chrysler's B platform.
The superbird is unique but was a big competitor to the daytona
You showed a 1970 and 1971 Superbird, so it sold for 2 years, not 1.
I owned a 1971 Plymouth Satellite Sebring - one of the best cars I ever owned.
The 71' Superbird and Daytona that was shown were custom built by Gary and Pam Beineke
@@timothyrobinson1612 I saw one for sale a few months ago, the road runner version.
@@NealVioThat's correct, the '71 Daytona and the '71 Superbird that were shown in this video are /were for sale , I'm not sure if either one has been sold yet
@@timothyrobinson1612 I guess you're right, they sell kits for 1971. The one I remember had a 440, wood grain gauges which is what it would have been, not the silver. If I remember correctly, it was selling in NJ. No AC, again as it should be, that option was not available for 426 and the 440.
Although in great condition, not as pristine as the one selling now.
How is it "One of a kind"?
Dodge Charger Daytona!
We get it but this video is about the Superbird not the Daytona. Thanks for watching.
🐺🖤🐧🐧🐧
Yeah, one of a kind, oh except the Charger Daytona!
the datona was built to dominate nascar
the super bird was built to bring petty back to plymouth.....
I've seen one 😂rare
One year only...because in 1971, it could no longer be 1970.
If my math is right...
For the Superbird to be NASCAR legal in 71, NASCAR required a Very Small engine. Race teams using Plymouth bodies in 71 used Roadrunners with the bigger ( NASCAR legal) engines.
NASA helped design the Superbird