Why is the Plymouth Roadrunner Superbird so WEIRD?!

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.
Factory FY1 Lemon Twist With Black Interior
Numbers Matching V-Code 440 Six Pack Engine
Numbers Matching 4-speed Transmission
1 Of Only 308 V-Code 4-Speed Examples Produced
Beautiful Nut And Bolt Rotisserie Restored Superbird
Documented In Chrysler Registry, Broadcast Sheet
For just one year, Plymouth produced one of the most storied muscle cars of all time. The short-lived Plymouth Superbird was a highly modified version of the Plymouth Road Runner. This muscle car was designed with one person in mind, NASCAR champion, Richard Petty. A long-time Plymouth driver the Superbird was meant to lure him from Ford back to Chrysler. The Superbird's smoothed-out body and protruding aerodynamic nosecone were race inspired while the street version retractable headlights added nineteen inches to the Road Runner's original length. The high-mounted rear wing was mounted on tall vertical struts that put it into less disturbed air thus increasing the efficiency of the downdraft placed upon the car's rear axle. There was no secret mathematical formula used to determine the exact height of the enormous wing rather simply designed to provide clearance for the trunk lid and by sheer coincidence, the height of the wing was at the optimum level for maximum downforce. A smaller version of the decal appears on the driver side headlight door. The rear-facing fender scoops were to hide cut outs to allow wheel clearance and lowered height of the vehicle for NASCAR however for standard road going Superbirds, the covers or "air extractors' ' were a cosmetic look only enhancement. Superbirds had three engine options: 426 Hemi, 440 Super Commando Six Barrel, and the 440 Super Commando with a single 4-barrel carburetor. Transmission options included a 4-Speed Manual and 3 speed automatics. Only 1,920 Superbirds were produced and sold new for $4,298 or about $1,000 more than other muscle cars of the day.
This very rare and desirable Superbird is finished in its original color of FY1 Lemon twist Yellow, with a black bucket interior. It is nicely equipped with a very rare (1 of 308 produced) numbers matching V-code 440 Six Pack engine and a numbers matching manual 4 speed pistol grip transmission. It has power steering, power brakes, hood hold down pins, tachometer, vinyl roof, ralley wheels, Radio delete and much more. It is listed in the Chrysler registry, and documented with a broadcast sheet, old title and listed on the Superbird Nascar Vin list/shipping document. This Superbird has benefited from a very high-quality full nut and bolt rotisserie restoration, with great attention to authenticity and detail. This is a very unique opportunity to purchase a very rare and highly collectable, documented and fully restored piece of NASCAR heritage.
The popularity, and importance of this Superbird to the muscle car world, as well as NASCAR, is virtually unmatched, making this very special Bird one of the most collectible muscle cars in the world.
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#NASCAR #Daytona #Dodge #Plymouth #Chrysler #Roadrunner #Superbird #PlymouthSuperbird #PlymouthRoadrunner #DodgeDaytona

[@legendarymotorcar]

What's the strangest looking car you've ever seen? Let us know below!

[@troynov1965]

As far as factory cars go , I had a teacher that drove a AMC Matador coupe ( about a 73 ). It was very odd looking/ ugly car to me.

[@gaetanodetorrice5555]

Well first things first all electric cars they're the ugliest to me let me see how about the AMC Pacer you look like a fishbowl but I do like to hornet x with the 360 and all amx's I like except when they got smaller like in 75 76 77 like that I didn't like that too much but like all muscle cars but my favorite is anything with Chrysler

[@gaetanodetorrice5555]

Oh yeah I forgot and I had a teacher in I think it was 8th grade 9th grade and she drove a Pacer x it was like white with yellow stripes tan interior I was downfounded I didn't know what to say 😂😂😂

[@billjamison2877]

@@troynov1965 Don't forget the fastback Marlin! AMC answer to the Charger!

[@troynov1965]

@@billjamison2877 Yeah but I always thought the Marlin looked cool , the Matador did not.

[@tracyerik]

I never thought these cars were weird. I loved them ever since I was a little kid.

[@legendarymotorcar]

Weird or not, it's certainly different, and that is by all accounts a good thing as far as we're concerned!

[@lewisshepard9239]

Me too!

[@robertfrederick4714]

Same

[@anne_n_nimity]

Yeah me too

[@anne_n_nimity]

Especially in Sublime and Go Mango 🥭

[@79tazman]

The Daytona and Superbird is not weird it's Awesome!!!

[@texasrockshillcountry6574]

The opposition must have thought the looks of the tail lights racing away from them was "weird"!

[@bhaggen]

The street cars still look like "ugly ducklings" but back in the day at the track they looked awesome, especially Allison's gold over red livery

[@Cobra428SCJ]

Awesome? More like ugly. The only way these things look good is if they're slammed to the ground with big tires just like they were raced in NASCAR. The street versions are ugly as f***

[@Cobra428SCJ]

Plymouth said, "Damn, Ford is kicking our Hemi ass! We need a six foot tall ski rack on the back and a front nose cone copied from a Fiber Fab Mustang. "

[@bhaggen]

@@Cobra428SCJ.....Agreed, like Ford's Torino King Cobra, these street Mopars actually DO look uglier in real life 3D than in 2D photos & videos; but especially Allison's dropped gold over red NASCAR Daytona looked awesome at the track

[@jamestheredneck7276]

I wouldn’t call it weird… that beautiful machine is a work of art !

[@shelbyseelbach9568]

So is a Picasso, they are both weird.

[@fitfogey]

Something about that road runner cartoon emblem makes me smile every time I see it. Too cool.

[@wjb111]

Exactly! Love it so much, I have it tattooed on my shoulder. 🤙🏻

[@itsbmeGaming]

I think it’s because it’s such an innocent looking character but somehow also comes off sassy like “watch this”.

[@fordkiller_lt1966]

I love the Gran Turismo 4 music in the videos Such a great touch A real car guys channel👍

[@rileymcgillivary6347]

I realized that too. It is nice and calming.

[@check1240]

Me too lol

[@anthonygabriel6035]

Back in February of 1972 during a snow storm I traded a Jeep with a plow for a Yellow Superbird., 440 4bbl 4 speed. It’s on the rotisserie in my new garage as I write this. I worked as a mechanic in several Chrysler Plymouth garages. I feel lucky that I never had to sell any of my 7 Mopar muscle cars. I’m enjoying them now. I really enjoyed your show like everyone else. Toronto is only a 6 hour drive from Pa. I’ll stop by after the repaint.

[@opera93]

Thanks, interesting…

[@gregreed1963]

A lot of people thought they were ugly looking , they weren't built for looks , they were built for speed . Chrysler's intention was to go racing and win races and that's what the wing cars were designed to do and did , my opine was , i thought they were Awesome looking cars . The Plymouth Super Bird was one of my favorite muscle cars in Chrysler's line up . I would give both my Road Runners for a Super Bird . Thanks for the great video !

[@billgoodwin8742]

I agree, except I prefer the Daytona.

[@Deuce_Luminox.]

A guy local to me has one of these. He's the original owner. It has had a recent restoration done to factory new condition. It is a super cool ride. I met him at a car show and asked him how it handled. "Like a lumber truck" was his reply.

[@Cobra428SCJ]

Best handling cars were the Mustangs, winning the 1964 Tour deFrance, 1965 SCCA B, 1966 SCCA B, 1968 SCCA B, 1966 Trans Am, 1967 Trans Am, 1970 Trans Am

[@husky3g]

@@Cobra428SCJ The worst was the 65 Corvair 😂

[@handymatt1970]

b-bodies, great cars but handled like crap, no issue in a straightline though.

[@michaelsholtz6913]

I really miss your TV show. Used to be the highlight of my week.

[@Warrior_Resisting_Colonialism]

They were really good!

[@raymondpauze8801]

And Tom!!

[@stuartb9323]

And the opening music to go with the series!

[@legendarymotorcar]

be sure to stick around, we've got a lot of old footage to release and re-release

[@Y3nk0]

@@legendarymotorcar Would be great for a re-release of the two LMC muscle car shoot outs. Remember seeing them on TV.

[@agoraphobicadam1171]

Around 200 mph on Bias Ply tires. Those were real nascar drivers.

[@stephenhensley7004]

Yep, it is almost like they drove stock cars at the stock car races. I lost interest in NASCAR when all the cars basically became the same other than the drivetrain......which has been some time ago. Don't know what they are doing now, but hopefully moving back towards their roots.

[@4406bbldb]

You know i worked with these cars in development and your right if the engine could stand it you could drive to the store and back.

[@simoneburini4036]

@@stephenhensley7004 they had already stopped being stock, when the Daytona and the Superbird were used: the stock bodies were put on purpose-built chassis.

[@notenoughmemes1847]

@@simoneburini4036 At least they still looked like the actual production car instead of some ugly blob that looks like 20 other ugly blobs on wheels

[@SvenTviking]

The road cars were good for 180, faster than just about anything on the road in 1970.

[@EZ-D-FIANT]

I'm English! When I was younger (my dad died young) I had a Canadian neighbor who was like a dad to me and he showed me pics and told me about this roadrunner car he had he got super cheap because no-one wanted it and then 5 years later he sold it and bought a house and it sorted him for life! I still know the dude he's older now but I'm going to take a trip across the country to see him again now just on the nostalgia your video gave me! Be sure I'll show him this video too, wow his was also yellow it's amazing to hear this story now he told me then but I didn't fully comprehend what I heard until your video and it all rushed back! cheers guys great video...👍👌👍

[@legendarymotorcar]

Thanks for the wonderful story!!

[@michaelhorn4540]

One of my favorite all time cars, I can remember seeing these on the used car lots in the 70s

[@gabrielbravo2212]

Truly one of my favorite cars hopefully I get to own one day

[@shadowknows3882]

Thanks for including in the description that the Superbird was built to lure Richard Petty back to Plymouth, I saw an interview with him where he said to the Chrysler Execs that build a Plymouth version of the Daytona and he would come back, shows the power that the winning drivers had back in the old days. I'm not a MOPAR fan but on most weekends knew which MOPARS in town not to race if I wanted to keep my cash. My 409 was quick but not unbeatable.

[@davidthayer6969]

I would say Richards comments were PR related and not factual...........Richard originally considered moving to Ford in 1968. But he moved there for the 1969 season. The Ford offer was to fund Petty for thefull schedule in both 1969 and 1970. But HFII fired Bunkie Knudsen and immediately announced a 75% cut to NASCAR funding for 1970 and those funding cuts eliminated funding Petty in 1970 for anything more that 19 races.....so facing a part time schedule for the first time in his career, Petty hightailed it back to Plymouth..........he would have gone back to plymouth in a go kart.

[@robertblaney5033]

I knew a kid that drove one of these to high school every day in the early 70’s

[@katiehall5177]

Luckiest kid in the world

[@tl5108]

Imagine having to parallel park one of these things

[@ceisarsrepair7958]

The real ones had the road runner horn that sounded just like road runner bird in the cartoon.

[@minkymott]

My sister had one. We used to bug the crap out of her because we always wanted her to honk the horn.

[@pullyourownpost4159]

There is a 440 Six Pack, 4 speed, B5 Blue, Superbird here in Chilliwack, British Columbia. It gets most of the attention at car rallies.

[@legendarymotorcar]

No doubt, an eye grabbing body in an eye grabbing color. Gotta love it

[@dalelaur2306]

A six barrel....never a six pack with a Plymouth

[@jamesblair9614]

I remember pulling up behind a new Daytona at a traffic light, summer of 69. I was on a motorcycle, and from behind,, that wing looked lethal. Here in British Columbia, the motor vehicle department didn’t buy the story that the nose itself was a bumper, so a local Super Bird had to install a bumper off a Pinto, but after a few years past, it didn’t seem to matter anymore.

[@xNELVKALEN]

From my understanding the “wheel vents” on the super bird are completely fake, however the Daytona has small grates inside the vents that actually allow airflow.

[@Bagel426]

True, but the race versions would've both had the openings and would've been functional. Chrysler just didn't bother to cut the openings to make them functional on the Superbird street cars like they did on the Daytona's.

[@davefieramosca6974]

When cars had personality. now everything is an SUV or the same looking car in a different color.

[@yaswanthraparti8641]

The market gives and the market takes away.

[@plap.]

One man's goofy is another's awesome. Had a afx slot car set with a blue bird I would play with while watching races on a black and white tv. Was devastated when a crash broke the wing on my car!

[@stevejanka361]

Good afternoon, there were a half dozen of these cars and 3 71 hemi cuda convertible sold in our little town Chrysler dodge Plymouth dealer. There long gone, but look at the cars travel through time. Thanks for another informative video. You take care and good luck.

[@legendarymotorcar]

Thanks for watching! Gotta miss how eye grabbing the common Mopar dealer was back in those days

[@gregreed1963]

I have to agree with u on the eye grabbing MoPar dealerships back in the 60's and 70 era , the big Chrysler / Plymouth ( Blue ) and Dodge ( Red ) dealer signs with that big Pentastar sitting on top of them . Chrysler s dealer signs today are a Joke compared to the signs back in the day , sure miss those days !

[@paulmoore4651]

I have a memory from the mid Eightys, downtown Ottawa, watching a family climb into a white Superbird with their groceries, in the middle of winter. White car, snow tires, rusty quarters, in the middle of winter. Clearly,

[@timsullivan9642]

Always loved the winged warriors! I’d love to own one but highly doubt that’ll happen. Thanks for the video and sharing your wisdom with us.

[@legendarymotorcar]

Thanks for tuning in - fingers crossed you get to own one some day!

[@autodidact537]

@@legendarymotorcar When all the Baby Boomers are gone Muscle Cars will be worthless because who will want a car with a huge engine, crappy brakes, terrible suspension & wayward steering.

[@duckduckgoismuchbetter]

@@autodidact537 Yeah...they'll be as unwanted as the Model T's and A's, and all the even earlier cars from the late 19th century. 🙄 Oh wait! They're only getting more desirable and valuable too.

[@nicKz]

@@duckduckgoismuchbetter Because Baby Boomers are buying those now.... no one else

[@duckduckgoismuchbetter]

@@nicKz An absolutist statement that not true of course. The only aspect of that absurd statement is that Baby Boomers comprise the main demographic that actually has the money to buy and maintain them. But, if we as a nation survive the ravages of the Democrat Party, both in the past, and present, and that which is yet to come; Gen X and later generations should have the money, and will certainly have the interest, to enable themselves to grace their driveways with these beautiful classic automobiles, for many decades to come. And another thing, which will distress you considerably. The Boomers will be around indefinitely. Since the cure(s) for the aging disease is rapidly under development right now in various research centers. And will arrive between one and two decades from this date. Cheers!

[@wyliejones8796]

Man, you really missed one of the biggest reasons for that tall wing. Tire pressures were a big deal and how fast you could go around the track. Higher pressure would allow you to go faster on the straights but cause the car to be loose in the corners. The vertical portion of that wing creates a huge amount of lateral stability aerodynamically speaking. As the car would get into the corner and the back end would begin to step out, it would expose the side of that wing to the relative wind and put it right back in line again. This was one of the greatest advantages of having the tall wing on the car and it was skipped over in your video.

[@davidthayer6969]

he missed a lot of things like how many races they won, they did NOT win 38 races in 1970 they winged cars only won 12.

[@fotogmike9695]

12 races? That's a frequent number thrown around by Ford fans. You can look up the NASCAR records and see the truth. Chrysler products won 38 out of 48 races in 1970. Some wins were with standard body Road Runners or Chargers because the wing cars offered no advantage on short tracks. Ford cleaned up in 1969, but 1970 was Chrysler's year.@@davidthayer6969

[@texasrockshillcountry6574]

I would have had one, I don't care how "weird" people thought it was! Performance is BEAUTIFUL!!

[@Cobra428SCJ]

Of the 48 races in 1970: 8 wins Superbird 4 wins Daytona The rest of the 38 wins were won in regular nosed Chargers and GTX's on very, very small and slow tracks.

[@4406bbldb]

I worked in vehical development at Chrysler and did work with these in 69,70. Mostly driving and engine mapping, development . My honorable discharge got me the best job ever.

[@michaelbrinkley9323]

One of my favorite muscle cars ever built. Thanks for a great story

[@4406bbldb]

I am proud of my involvement in the development. I've been door to door with Richard at the Chelsea proving grounds. Great memories.

[@michaelbrinkley9323]

@@4406bbldb . In an automotive world of cookie cutter mediocrity these cars are a refreshing View of individuality and self-expression

[@robertpfuhl2679]

This and the Daytona,the 2 most beautiful cars ever built

[@JimmyMakingitwork]

I’m not a Dodge/Plymouth guy myself, but I always loved these cars...and Dodge Darts for some reason.

[@bigblockjalopy]

It is the other way around for me :)

[@MikeJBlues]

Awsome car for sure. I remember when they were new sitting in the show rooms in 1970.

[@TheGreatest1974]

As a Brit we just think these cars are amazing and wish that we had them over here. All your American muscle cars of the late 60’s - 1980 are the envy of the world. The 68-69 dodge chargers are my favourites of all time. Best and meanest looking car ever. And the 70’s firebirds like smokey and the bandit are just dream cars for us over here. Only one problem- as soon as a muscle car escapes and arrives in Britain it doubles or trebles in price! It’s crazy.

[@jackrowe9807]

They were also incredibly expensive, I talked to a dealer about getting one, insurance and payment were more than I made a month in 69-70. Really great cars.

[@mikeymopar1171]

My two favorite car Plymouth Superbird and Dodge Daytona I will never be able to afford a real one so the next best thing is 1:18 Scale diecast which I collected one in every factory color and that's a lot cheaper than the real thing

[@malcolmhamilton5200]

Excellent Peter This is what you do best and what we love best. Grew up when these were new. Nothing like Mopars for outrageous. Pistol grip shifters, teeth on their air grabber retractable hood scoops, high impact colours, functional exhausts systems that really flowed, rear suspensions that actually planted, engines with earth moving torque and the body lines! Couple that with engineering that came to the knife fight with a howitzer. I remember the tracks paved with parts from grenaded 10 and 12 bolt rear ends. Chrysler shoe horns in a 9 3/4" (take that Henry)Dana 60 from trucks, problem solved. Loved their superior engineering. No two speed automatics, welded on door hinges or press in rocker studs to put up with. By all means continue to feature exotics, but you are the authority on musclecars, and it's what we can't get enough of..... except Camaros(snooze). Malcolm Ottawa Valley

[@robertbeirne9813]

I was trying to repress the memory of my pressed in rocker studs (66’ Le Mans).

[@legendarymotorcar]

Thanks Malcom, we've got lots of muscle and Mopar to come - stay tuned!

[@malcolmhamilton5200]

@@robertbeirne9813 Robert Seen a lot of pushrods through valve covers and even hoods. Also a lot of fan blades, from 305s through hoods. Chevy friend of mine asked if I was gonna buy an aluminum anodized blue flex fan, in the 70s, for the supposed horsepower gain. I asked "why?, I have a stock Mopar clutch fan". Superior engineering. Malcolm Ottawa Valley

[@jeffhagberg6796]

I had a friend that had one, not sure where it is now. This was back in the late 70s , I rode in it a few times. He would only take it out on clear summer days .

[@stevepick9527]

I was 20 years old when they hit the showrooms. There was one for sale in Whittier Ca and it sat there for quite a while. They lowered the price, and one of my friends father who was a car buff bought it. I remember thinking what a weird looking car, boy if we only had a time machine to go back to those years! I’m sure many old car guys are thinking the same thing.

[@legendarymotorcar]

Definitely a missed opportunity for so many, having seen them just sit at dealers for so long back then

[@carloschavez5368]

Thanks to the guys that used to work at the Chrysler red stone rocket program which was closed and then the engineers found a few opportunities in the automotive sector, which one of them had Dodge developed the Charger Daytona for the 1969 race season and in end of 1969 Plymouth developed the Super Bird to get Richard Petty back for 1970 season and combined 37 wins with the winged cars that year. Love those Mopars

[@davidthayer6969]

bs the winged cars only entered 19 races..........they did not run them on the short tracks they only won 12 races in 1970.

[@timsacco6g694]

I almost ran into the back of someone, right up the road from where I live, out of the corner of my eye I spotted a yellow Superbird at a local car show, I'd seen bunches of them in magazines, but had never seen one in person!, fortunately I have ABS in my pride and joy 97 T/A and was able to avoid possible disaster!

[@legendarymotorcar]

Close call! Glad you and the T/A both got out of it

[@ralphquinn890]

When I came back home with a pocket full of money from Vietnam. I went a dodge dealer and bought a Charger. There was Daytona on the show room. I should have bought it. I had a lot of fun with it but it a speed ticket magnet. The speedometer went to 150 miles per hour and would do it easily.

[@ditzydoo4378]

In an acronym... NASCAR was the reason the Superbird's and Daytona's were so, as you put it Weird.

[@deangelo66]

Excellent presentation.

[@legendarymotorcar]

Thanks for tuning in!

[@deangelo66]

@@legendarymotorcar 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@Cj-yw8cs]

Hard to believe that the cars were a poor sale. I love the looks, inside and out

[@janisgore8393]

First time I went to Daytona was 1970...These cars were qualifying at 198-199 m.p.h...they whistled when they went by!!! Because of the wing they were virtually spin out proof!!

[@davidthayer6969]

you are just 10 mph off.......for 1970, CAle took thepole in his mercury at 194.015 MPH and the winged cars were about 5 mph slower.........ah and tell talmadge prince how SPIN PROOF they were.........he was killed when he spun his daytona at daytona in 1970.

[@janisgore8393]

man I was 8 years old...that's my best recollection..It was the firecracker 400 in July!!

[@brixico1404]

Really great video! You do such a great job with everything!

[@alienbutcher666]

Truly miss your show,i am in Australia and always looked forward to your amazing rebuilds,also a massive mopar,Chrysler fan,thank you,LMC

[@michaelhorn4540]

The ultimate muscle car for me, always loved these and remember them sitting on used car lots in the late 60s and early 70s

[@christopherkraft1327]

I have always admired these unique Superbirds, Thanks for sharing all the interesting facts!!! 👍🙂

[@Cobra428SCJ]

Sorry but This video is full of misinformation

[@steveproctor1748]

When I was a teenager we went to our local Plymouth dealer to look at 340 Dusters. There was a Superbird setting in the back that we knew had been starting there for nearly a year. We mentioned it to the salesman and he told us that they couldn't sell them. He said that they had to get 2 a year and that they only got them because they had to. He said that you couldn't park them anywhere, and they wouldn't fit on anyone's carport or most peoples drive way. There was an older guy who lived close to a friend of ours who had 2 Superbird and a Daytona. He hardly ever drove them and they were parked in his yard most of the time. He told us that you couldn't hardly drive them unless you were on a wide road. He said it was almost impossible to make a right turn from a stop sign on a narrow road. Or make a left or right turn into a steep hill or driveway. I remember that those things sat there until they almost turned into junk because he couldn't get rid of them.

[@adeimousragnarok8150]

Weird...no way...it is hands down the greatest machine and build ever to grace the slick blacktop upon the land

[@carterbland7117]

I also wish your show will come back on the TV no plans in the future keep up the good work

[@carguy0000]

Great job Pete, love the detail .

[@legendarymotorcar]

Thanks for tuning in as always

[@archivestereo]

Peter Klutt is the best! Smart, honest and entertaining!

[@bluesfanman1]

When I was in high school there was a guy who’s house I walked past on my way home that had one of each. Both blue and both 440 cars. That was 1984. He would let me check them out. The Daytona was his and the bird was the wife’s. Wonder where they are now.

[@jeffhagberg6796]

That wasn't in Bryson City NC was it? I had a friend who had what you described . But he would never take it to work in the winter or bad weather.

[@jamesvw769]

probably dead.

[@donaldnelson7076]

Or how about in Milwaukee? My ant and uncle had a friend with two

[@ericplaysbass]

There was a guy I knew in New Castle, Indiana that had two of them, also. I’m pretty sure the Daytona was blue. I can’t remember if the Superbird was blue or not. This was back in the early ‘80s.

[@amberchester2244]

I’ve been told they’re divorced now. She owns both of them now.

[@davidladd8821]

Wow, what a great video! Thanks for all of the great facts and anecdotes. I have a soft spot for the Superbird. In the summer of 1970 my dad was selling cars part time at a Chrysler Plymouth dealership in Wisconsin. Ernie Von Schledorn was the largest dealership in the state. Ernie told my dad he hated the Superbird that had been delivered to him so my dad said "I'll drive it if you want." Thus we had a yellow Superbird in our driveway for the entire summer. One day we were driving home from my grandma's house on two-lane Hwy 60 between Lodi and Columbus when a Boss Mustang passed my dad and then slowed down. I think the guy underestimated what a guy with a family in the car would do. My dad, being 38 years old at the time, still had a little crazy left in him. He passed the Mustang and when the Boss driver began speeding up my dad poured gasoline all over that 440 6-pack. I remember my brothers and mom were all looking at the Mustang (my mom very nervous of course) but I kept my eye on the speedometer. He topped out at 120 before slowing. Of course, the Mustang had long since quit the race. Quite the thrill for an 8 year old kid.

[@kdh6588]

Agreed, miss your tv show. A neighbor down the street from my parents had a car very much like that, same color, road runner horn. Just don’t ever recall what the engine was.

[@robertradcliff3254]

I think the Plymouth Roadrunner and the Dodge Daytona are a work of art .

[@whenniceguysretaliate5619]

Really cool video. Thanks for the upload.

[@charlieryan1736]

Thanks for another interesting and informative video

[@kennaaye8596]

Fun video thanks guys!

[@legendarymotorcar]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@minkymott]

I've only seen two of these in my life. Love these cars. You know they are there when you see one. Thanks for the video.

[@bellator3691]

I was 20 years old when these cars rolled off the assembly line. You think they're WEIRD? You don't see them with the eyes of a 60's/70's car guy. Works of art and everyone I knew thought so. You aren't old enough to see them the way my generation did. Sleek, SUPERB design!

[@legendarymotorcar]

Weird isn't always a bad thing - I just mean to say they are different. And for all good reasons!

[@rickhay9782]

Thank you Peter for these fine tutorials, hope you and your boys are well sir ...

[@billgoodwin8742]

I remember back in 1970, the dealership in Nashville had so many of these cars in stock. Even though I'm a Charger Daytona guy, I wish I could go back in time and pick out my favorite Superbird from that Nashville dealership.

[@rcfred_689]

Great Video - keep them coming!! Would love to see a 1968 Hurst/Olds and Buick GS - but all vids are great!

[@kaffeemitkeks2640]

Thank you for this great Video. Keep up the great work.

[@joesmo4919]

Awesome!!!... .Thanks for sharing👍😁😎

[@legendarymotorcar]

Thanks for watching!

[@9876554]

Fantastic as usual with only changing 6bbl for all Plymouth cars. 6pks for Dodge. Hope to see a road test vid before it goes to the futur lucky home

[@mcm95403]

In developing the 69 Charger 500 they found that going from 180 to 185 took 17 more horsepower per mile an hour, so the flush grille and rear window change was equal to about a 80 hp increase in the engine.

[@bearcat283]

Here's a little more trunk and wing info. The trunk lid hinge brackets on a Superbird actually have a metal plate (about a 1" x 2" x 1/8 thick rectangular) welded to them. They act as a bump-stop, as the lid goes up the hinges hit the plates and stops the lid. This keeps it from hitting the wing. Regular Roadrunners don't have these and the lid opens up further. At 2:51 you can see the rectangular plate and hinge (painted body color)

[@burbank46]

In the 1970s in Enfield, Connecticut, a guy in my neighborhood had a panther pink (originally orange) Superbird, Hemi 4speed (pistol grip) that was purchased Artioli on Enfield St.. Seeing it parked in his back yard was the highlight of our school bus ride to and from school. A few years ago; his son told me; that his dad sold the car to a "kid" in the Windsor Locks, CT in the mid 1970s, the kid of course wrecked it and it sat in his parent's yard/garage for some time. Mr R tried to buy the car back but was not successful; and according to his son; the owners father eventually had it hauled to the crusher. Sad ending for the rare Hemi 4sp 'Bird.

[@billmiller7613]

I ALWAYS wondered! Loved these cars!

[@user-kn6sz8ji1j]

They were anything but goofy! When I was 15 years old my father took my younger brother and I to Dover Downs (The Monster Mile) in Delaware for a Nascar race. We were all MOPAR fans and Richard Petty won the race in a Plymouth Superbird. Buddy Baker was Petty's teammate and I remember Bobby Isaac had a winged car along with several other drivers. The Superbird's and Daytona's were awesome! You could close your eyes and were still able to distinguish the winged cars smooth razor-like sound from the Ford and Chevy rattle traps. After the race, we stood at the gate to the garage area and we weren't disappointed. Soon Richard Petty and Buddy Baker arrived in a Dodge Monaco or Polara painted in Petty blue with the Petty Enterprises checker flag logo painted on its rear corner panel. The car stopped at the gate where a crowd had gathered and a smiling Richard Petty got out, took his thermal taped boots off and gave them to a youngster. That's why Richard Petty will always be the King! I believe it was in that season that Buddy Baker qualified a Dodge Daytona at Talladega at over 200 MPH...the first car to do so. Its a shame that NASCAR banned Chrysler's innovations (The Hemi engine, the Wedge engine, and the winged cars just because Ford and Chevy couldn't keep up with the competition. An interesting side note: Years earlier my older brother had spent the summer in Michigan, at my uncle's house. My brother said that my uncle, an executive at Chrysler Corporation, had a Chrysler Turbine car that was loaned to him for evaluation. It was an exciting time to grow up. God Bless.

[@talileali]

Literally one of my favorite cars! Thanks!

[@Cobra428SCJ]

215mph Feb 24, 1970 Cale Yarbrough in a Boss 429 powered Mercury Spoiler II was clocked at 215mph on the straight of Daytona during qualifying for the Daytona 500 were he set the fastest speed and won the pole position. This was reported by Motor Trend magazine and this happened nearly 30-days prior to Buddy Bakers 200mph run at Talladega during a "private test". I have the article. The Buddy Baker run was a lap average and not a top speed captured by a speed device.

[@beatlejuice5951]

Great video and awesome knowledge. Was always drawn to these cars since I was a kid, they had a weird mystic thing about them to me.

[@pietrosal9629]

About to Drive this Beauty in GT7 🔥

[@ZetaVec]

Daytona and super bird is what made me love the charger and roadrunner

[@jamieryall8341]

Back in the late '60's my girlfriend & I were hitchhiking after midnight in a major Massachusetts city. The guy who picked us up had one of these. He had it up to a 100 mph flying through a downtown area. My girlfriend was on the floor in the backseat & I was hiding myself in the passenger seat watching the tops of the telephone poles whipping by. If anyone had pulled out blocks ahead, we never could have stopped in time. The guy was a maniac & we were shaking when he let us out a few miles later.

[@plymouthdie-castreplicas]

Nice and very interesting video, guys. I'm a big fan of Plymouth Superbird. I love the car with Limelight Green. Suits it so well.

[@legendarymotorcar]

Thanks! Limelight has to be the Superbird in its wildest form, no doubt

[@emmanuelmunchies]

Dude I wish I was born during the 70s only because of the cars. They were so beautiful and now I have to be pretty loaded to even get one now. My respect goes out to everyone involved in restoring and maintaining these incredible creations.

[@windronner1]

So cool. Just keep in mind what was going on at the time w lotus. The john player special sponsored f1 were part of that same history of advanced aerodynamics. Great channel. Thanks.

[@legendarymotorcar]

Thank you for watching and for the extra tidbit!

[@windronner1]

I so enjoy how much you appreciate every aspect of the history, technology and impact cars make. Thank you

[@Cobra428SCJ]

@@legendarymotorcar This video is full of misinformation. In the comments I tried to correct your misleading bed time story. You told a story that made people feel warm and cozy. According to you the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus and the Superbird all live together in Fairyland

[@anthonypsomas1183]

My favorite musclecar ever...almost pulled the trigger on one 20+ years ago but it was just out of my reach. Always said one day I’ll get one and they’re still out of my reach! I’ll never forget when they came out and I told my father to get one. There was a Petty blue one that sat in the showroom forever. Maybe that one day will happen one day LOL!

[@legendarymotorcar]

We have our fingers crossed for you to make that dream come true! Good luck

[@SonnyGTA]

Great video!!

[@jeffpierce3436]

I used to ask myself:”do I need to watch the TV show?” No, but I want to watch theTV show!! 😂 (I’m glad you got KZbin going, really enjoying!!)

[@paulleavitt9316]

I was born in ,1960 I remember seeing these when they came out I thought they were ugly but age changes taste I love them now

[@72Dexter72Manley72]

A guy at my local grocery store had a Superbird with a pistol grip shifter. He would eat lunch in it everyday. I would ride my bike up to the store and chat with him every day. Looked at the car and said this is the baddest car I had ever seen. I watched Nascar as a kid and saw Richard Petty win races in them. One day he said bring your mom or dad up and if it's ok with them, I'll give you a ride in it. Man I still grin about that ride when I see these cars and I'm 55 years old now. He drove me down my street so my friends could see me in the that car. 🤤🤤🤤🤤

[@larryg.9187]

..... This was cool to see as when I was just under 18 years old, in the East side of Detroit, I saw these being modified at some shop, there ... It's been too many years, but I think, at least outside of the shop, there were about 20 or so of these cars, and likely another 1/2 dozen inside..... All were in some form of modification... Meaning perhaps the wing / spoiler wasn't yet installed or perhaps the front section wasn't yet installed ... Or perhaps it was near finished and almost ready to be shipped back to 'the factory' ... Wow, who knew they'd be so iconic back then ??? .....

[@2roly2]

Was my favorite 1st Matchbox car when I was a kid . Because it looked so cool and different from any other car

[@duckduckgoismuchbetter]

Was it Matchbox or Hot Wheels? A little bit ago I looked up both and all I found was Hot Wheels.

[@2roly2]

@@duckduckgoismuchbetter to think about it , it might of been Hot Wheels . LoL been so long ago like 45yrs

[@2roly2]

@@duckduckgoismuchbetter think because I said Matchbox is because I had also got a Matchbox Carrying case . I think it held like 24 cars . Lin something . And from all my friends and family my case was almost filled up that day .

[@duckduckgoismuchbetter]

@@2roly2 You would know better than I. All I did was try to look each one up for a minute, to see which one made it, or if they both made a version. I figured one got the license to make it, but who knows, it could have been licensed to both Hot Wheels and Matchbox for all I know. Or maybe the Chrysler licensed to one, and the Dodge to the other? Either way it's one of the coolest cars. When I was a kid I thought they were just made-up cars, because I don't think I ever saw either one in real life. And I thought it was just one car, with & without the wing. I didn't know who made it. I just thought it was a cool looking, but fake car invented by Hot Wheels just to look impressive to us kids in the 70s. I don't think anybody had one around where I lived. Unless I saw it and forgot about it, which is possible.

[@2roly2]

@@duckduckgoismuchbetter lol my neighbor had the Plymouth Superbird which was the yellow one . And he was the one that got it for me . Cause I always kept telling him his car was so cool .

[@josephcabrera6396]

i remember the 1st time i saw a Superbird up close when i was a kid in the city i live back in 1975, it was blue and it stood out from 2 blocks away, i just had to walk over to look at the uniqueness of it. ... awesome

[@jimk7882]

This channel is a hidden gem.

[@stevedeleon8775]

RICHARD PETTY👍 raced one of these in the HEY DAYS of MOPAR & 🏁NASCAR🏁

[@Cobra428SCJ]

@1.52 Damn it! More bad info. Ford owned a full size wind tunnel and owned Ford Aerospace as well. Chrysler had a very small wind tunnel for scale model cars only. They had to rent Lockheeds big wind tunnel for 4-days at a cost of $100,000. This is why Ford dominated NASCAR and won the Manufacturers Championship 7-years straight 1963-1969.

[@joeycoppens1064]

That gran turismo music in the background is so soothing

[@slopedouche5460]

OMG it’s the SuperBird!! What great memories

[@savedin87ify]

Even as a kid this car was my dream car.

[@t3hgir]

GT4 music... legend editor.

[@avman1339]

THAT is actually the, THE Superbird of my dreams. It's my Roadrunner with a wing!

[@quercus5398]

Weird? That car is very unique,and attractive to a lot of people,ahead of it’s time!

[@DS-Turbo]

Never weird just art work