You've probably heard the word "survivor" thrown around a lot lately. It's usually used to describe classic cars that have soldiered on for decades in pretty good condition. However, the term is often wrongly applied to vehicles that have been repainted or had significant repairs.
What exactly is a proper survivor? Well, as Bob Jennings of Jennings Wing Cars explains in the video below, a survivor is a classic that hasn't been altered in any way. It should still have its original paint, while the engine and transmission shouldn't have been rebuilt. And it's even better if they run.
Sure, we could also use the term "survivor" for vehicles that have been touched up here and there. But I can definitely understand why Bob insists on using "survivor" to describe a thoroughly original and unmolested car. His newly acquired 1970 Plymouth Superbird is the very definition of an unrestored survivor.
One of around 2,000 Superbirds built in 1970, this "winged warrior" is anything but fancy spec-wise. It's not a super rare HEMI car, and it doesn't have a beefed-up 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) Six Pack either. It's a bare-bones 440 four-barrel version with a column-shift automatic. However, this Superbird has been babied since day one, and it's as original as they get.
Yup, the Tor Red paint is 53 years old as of 2023 and still looks the part. The same goes for the vinyl roof, which is damage-free and as black as the day the car left the assembly line. More importantly, the engine and transmission are numbers matching and haven't been rebuilt. And they still run as they should.
There's more good news displayed on the odometer. This Superbird has only 29,000 miles (46,671 km) on the clock, an amazingly low figure for a classic built over five decades ago. Bob doesn't provide a lot of additional info on the car, but based on the way it looks, this "winged warrior" spent most of its life in a garage.
So, how rare are 440 four-barrel Superbirds? Well, this version is the most common. Even though specific production figures remain a mystery, the consensus is Plymouth built 1,935 Superbirds for the US market. About 135 were fitted with the 426 HEMI, and some 716 vehicles were ordered with the 440 Six Pack. This leaves 1,084 "winger warriors" with 440 four-barrel V8s under their hoods.
Then there's the automatic gearbox, which narrows it down to 618 units. The Tor Red paint likely reduces this number significantly, but I have no official figures to run by. All told, this Superbird is far from being a one-of-one gem, but it's decidedly rare. And it's safe to say you won't see another one in this condition very soon.
Speaking of which, Jennings Wing Cars will display this NASCAR-spec muscle car at the Muscle Car And Corvette Nationals (MCACN) Show in Chicago on November 18-19. If you want to see it up close, it's your best shot. The Mopar is also supposed to get certification by Chrysler at the event.
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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