Plymouth’s Road Runner Superbird no doubt captured the imagination and fancy of kids back in the early ’70s, but it was a tough sell for the consumer. Synonymous with Richard Petty and the aero car wars in NASCAR, the Superbird was built specifically for race day without much thought of demographics and practicality. The Chrysler wing cars (including the 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona) were limited in production, but over 1,900 Superbirds were produced. Many were unsold at the time, thanks in part to a price that was $1,200 above a Road Runner hardtop coupe. The Superbird’s appearance was certainly distinctive, and the car would fly with its aerodynamic shape and the vaunted 426 Hemi engine (fed by a pair of Carter four-barrel carburetors), but more frugal shoppers could also choose from two 440 V-8 Super Commando engine options.
This Superbird appeared in the June 1977 issue of Hemmings Motor News, page 2,422. From the seller’s description:
1970 Plymouth Superbird: like new condition, 14,000 miles, famed 426 Hemi engine. Automatic transmission, ps, pb. Hemi orange exterior with black vinyl top, black interior. Original throughout. A sound investment. Offers over $6,000.
Of course hindsight being 20-20, “sound investment” is an understatement assuming the Road Runner was truly original and that the “offers over $6,000” ($23,500 today) didn’t climb ridiculously high. Top concours examples today easily hit the mid-six figures, while low-end versions can still be worth over $80,000.
NASCAR would eventually put the brakes on the aero cars, and the Superbird was only available in 1970. Prototypes were designed for 1971, but the rule changes clipped the wings of this ‘Bird, reducing the allowable engine size on race day to level the racing field and increase safety. We’ve featured several articles and blog posts on the Superbird; to learn more, visit Hemmings.com and search by Plymouth Superbird.
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