autoevolution
 

World's Finest 1970 Plymouth Superbird Survivor Is a One-of-50 Petty Blue Gem

Introduced in 1970, the Superbird was Plymouth's take on the Charger Daytona that Dodge offered the year before. Like its almost identical sibling, the Superbird was developed specifically for NASCAR, so the company had to offer a road-legal version for homologation purposes.
1970 Plymouth Superbird 7 photos
Photo: Jennings Wing Cars/YouTube
1970 Plymouth Superbird1970 Plymouth Superbird1970 Plymouth Superbird1970 Plymouth Superbird1970 Plymouth Superbird1970 Plymouth Superbird
Unlike the Charger Daytona, which was built in 503 units, just enough for homologation, the Plymouth Superbird left the factory in almost 2,000 examples. The actual number is a mystery. While most experts agree with a production run of a little more than 1,900 cars, some sources claim Plymouth put together as many as 2,700.

Regardless, it is believed that more than 1,000 Superbirds exist today, which is downright impressive given how fast and extreme Superbirds were in the early 1970s. But of course, not all of them are road-worthy and in use.

While Superbirds rarely pop up in junkyards, many of these cars have been stored in barns for decades and require restoration to become usable again. On the other hand, quite a few of them have been restored and now live on as Concours-ready examples that win awards at auto shows.

Then we have the rarest breed of Superbirds: the unrestored survivors. I don't know how many of them are still out there, but I do know that this Corporate Blue example is the finest unrestored 1970 Superbird in existence.

Part of the Jennings Wing Car collection, which includes multiple Plymouth Superbirds and Dodge Charger Daytonas, this "winged warrior" flaunts numbers-matching everything and the same paint that it got from the factory more than 50 years ago.

And it's not just any color. This Superbird was finished in Corporate Blue, a special-order hue inspired by Richard Petty's color of choice for his NASCAR racers. Yup, you're more likely to know this hue as Petty Blue, but its official name at the time was Corporate Blue.

And the color alone turns this 1970 Superbird into a very rare classic. That's because only 50 cars are estimated to have been finished in this special paint.

So what's the history of this car and how did it survive unscathed for more than five decades? Well, it was originally sold in Tennessee and changed a few owners in its first years of life, but it then ended up in the Wellborn Musclecar Museum.

There's no info as to how much time it spent as a museum piece until Jennings Wing Cars purchased it at auction, but judging by its condition, we're probably talking about a few good decades. It also shows only 25,000 miles (40,234 km) on the odo, so it hasn't been driven all that much either.

The numbers-matching engine under the hood is of the 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) V8 variety. Yeah, it's the almighty 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) Hemi, but it's the Six Barrel version of the 440. Unlike the base mill, rated at 375 horsepower, the Six Barrel came with 390 horses on tap. That's only 35 horsepower below the range-topping Hemi.

And while it might not be as rare as the latter, the Petty Blue and 440 Six Barrel combo make this 1970 Superbird one of only 20 cars built. And needless to say, perhaps one of only a handful that has survived to this day.

Described by Superbird specialists as the "single finest unrestored" example out there, this Mopar gets a full walkaround in the video below. The footage also includes cool insight on how to read the VIN of a Superbird to authenticate it as an original Petty Blue car.

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Ciprian Florea
Ciprian Florea profile photo

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

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories