1970 Plymouth Superbird Barn Find Hides Yellow Surprise Under Petty Blue Paint

While Dodge assembled 503 Daytonas, Plymouth made nearly four times as many Superbirds. Production figures remain a mystery, but most Mopar experts agree that Plymouth shipped 1,935 vehicles in the US and 34 to 47 to Canada. It is believed that more than 1,000 Superbirds still exist today.

While not quite as rare as the Charger Daytona, the Superbird also developed into a sought-after classic. HEMI cars are pushing into million-dollar territory, while the 440 rigs have been changing hands for six-figure sums for years. And because many examples have already been rebuilt, unrestored project cars like the one you see here are becoming scarce.

Showcased by Mopars5150 at the 2023 Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals (MCACN), this Superbird is a proper barn find. It's not a true-blue unrestored vehicle, though. The worn-out Corporate Blue (also known as Petty Blue) is not a factory hue. As seen in some areas under the hood, this Superbird was originally yellow.

The winged warrior was available in just one shade of yellow, so we're looking at a factory Lemon Twist car. Corporate Blue was also on the options list at the time, so the repaint is period correct. Plymouth also offered the Superbird in Alpine White, Blue Fire Metallic, Tor Red, Vitamin C, and Limelight.

Lemon Twist was actually the most common color on the Superbird, with 457 units ordered in the hue stamped as FY1 on the fender tag. Corporate Blue, however, is the rarest as it found its way on only 56 vehicles. But even though it's a somewhat common Superbird based on factory color, this Mopar is a rare gem thanks to its drivetrain layout.

Specifically, it left the assembly line with a 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) Six-Barrel, the second-rarest unit after the iconic HEMI. Only 761 examples got the 390-horsepower V8, and just 304 were fitted with an automatic transmission. And this number can be narrowed down to only 72 units if we also factor in the Lemon Twist paint.

It's unclear whether the Superbird will be refinished in its original hue or Petty Blue, but this Mopar will need a lot of work to shine again. Sure, it's a nice survivor overall, and it still has a numbers-matching unit, but the car had a rough life.

There's plenty of rust around the rear window, which is a typical Superbird issue, while the vinyl top is gone. It also has damage to the nose cone and surface rust on various body panels. Fortunately enough, the white interior is still in one piece.

What makes this car even more interesting is the fact that it's one of those Superbirds that was presumed lost since it never had an owner recorded in the official registry. But it's been found and retains the original and broadcast sheet, so it's as legit as they get. Check it out in the video below.