In January 2023, we saw a massive collection of Dodge Charger Daytonas and Plymouth Superbirds cross the auction block. It included no fewer than 12 "winged warriors," and it raised no less than $6 million. It remains the largest collection of Mopar aero cars I've seen to date, but the stash you're about to see here is just as impressive.
Uncovered by Ryan Brutt of "Auto Archaeology," this collection is nowhere near as fancy. As in most of the cars are awaiting restoration, and only a few are in Concours condition. But the warehouse keeping them safe from the elements is home to over 20 aero vehicles. And I'm not talking only about Dodge Daytonas and Plymouth Superbirds. The stash also includes Ford Talladegas and the Mercury Cyclone Spoiler IIs. It's probably the most extensive aero car collection in the US right now.
The footage begins with the car that led Dodge to develop the Daytona, the Charger 500. A green example awaiting restoration, it has a 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) V8 under the hood. It's sitting next to a blue 1969 Charger Daytona, also fitted with a 440, but the rest of the row comprises four 1970 Plymouth Superbirds.
There's an orange example that's running and driving and a B5 Blue car that was rescued from a barn. This one's having its nose rebuilt and packs a four-barrel version of the iconic 440 RB. Next up, there's a white Superbird with two desirable features: a Six Pack version of the 440 and a bench seat. The fourth Plymouth, also of the B5 Blue variety, is getting rebuilt as we speak.
The next row includes six Ford Talladegas. Based on the Fairlane Cobra Sportsroof, the Talladega arrived in 1969 to homologate the nameplate for NASCAR. The race car went on to win the 1969 season and prompted Dodge to design the radical Charger Daytona. About 750 road-legal cars were built, which makes the Talladega notably rarer than the Plymouth Superbird (1,935 units).
The six cars parked in this row need restoration, but they're still in one piece and retaining their V8 engines. One of the white examples was reportedly about to get crushed when it was rescued. Four more Talladegas are parked on the other side of the warehouse, including three examples in excellent condition and ready to be driven. In all, the collection includes ten examples: five in Wimbledon White, three in Presidential Blue, and two in Royal Maroon. Yes, the Talladega was offered in only three colors.
The Talladega wasn't the only NASCAR homologation special built by Ford Motor Company in 1969. Mercury also got a piece of the action and developed the Cyclone Spoiler II. A beefed-up, more aerodynamic version of the Cyclone, the Spoiler II project reportedly spawned 503 units. Unofficially, however, Mercury may have built only around 350 units. Regardless, this collection includes four examples, two of which are almost pristine.
Unlike the Talladega, which was equipped with the 428-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) Cobra Jet V8, the Cyclone Spoiler II left the factory with the smaller and milder 351-cubic-inch (5.8-liter) Windsor V8. Unfortunately, there's no info on how many cars from this collection are still equipped with their numbers-matching mills.
Finally, our host takes us through a darker warehouse section that hides spare parts and a 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI V8 engine. The latter was sourced from a real Superbird that burned and was then turned into a stock car. Saved from the crusher, the Mopar is in terrible condition but stored inside the warehouse. The stash includes yet another Superbird in rough shape. You can check them all out in the video below.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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