Following a couple of failed attempts to defeat Ford in NASCAR with the Charger, Dodge developed the most radical rig of the golden muscle car era. I'm obviously talking about the Charger Daytona.
The winged racer broke cover in 1969 and took both the NASCAR series and Mopar dealerships by storm. And it was quickly followed by its Plymouth Road Runner-based twin, the Superbird, for the 1970 model year. Come 2022 and these "winged warriors" are among the most sought-after muscle cars out there.
They aren't extremely rare, though. With a few hundred Daytonas and more than 1,000 Superbirds still around, these Mopars pop up regularly at classic car events, auto shows, and public auctions. However, we rarely get to see more than a couple of them in one place.
In 2022, this rare moment happened at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals (MCACN), which brought together tens of Charger Daytonas and Superbird. The show welcomed unrestored survivors, Concours-ready examples, race-spec versions, and even a restomod. More importantly, it also included rare and even unique gems.
Did you miss the event? Not a problem because YouTube's "DezzysSpeedShop" was there and recently published a lengthy video that documents all the "winged warriors" on display.
You'll get to see a few notable Daytonas and Superbirds that we also featured in the past, starting with the world's only black Superbird. Yes, the car was repainted in the past and it's not 100% percent original, but it comes with a cool story.
It's parked alongside a one-of-56 survivor in Petty Blue, a Concours-winning Lemon Twist example, and the only Superbird out there finished in a psychedelic livery. The latter sports a race-spec HEMI engine and it's the only Superbird that won a Super Stock event in the 1970s. There's also an unrestored Superbird that was driven from Indiana to Alaska and back without major mechanical issues.
As far as Charger Daytonas go, there's a rainbow of "wing warriors" to drool over, ranging from fully restored cars to unrestored examples in barn-found-like condition. Quite a few HEMI cars too, including an extremely rare black-over-white version. The show also welcomed the first Daytona prototype as well as the only unrestored HEMI car known to exist.
The video is quite long at 33 minutes, but it's definitely worth it if you're a Daytona and Superbird nut. Hit the play button below to check them all out and let me know which one would you take home. I'd go with the psychedelic Superbird.
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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