World's Largest Collection of Dodge Daytonas and Plymouth Superbirds Raises $6 Million

While built in limited numbers, these race-bred muscle cars weren't particularly popular at the time. Sure, Dodge managed to sell 503 units over a model year, but Plymouth struggled to move about 2,000 cars until as late as 1972. Come 2023, and these "winged warriors" are getting a lot of love as classic cars, with unmolested survivors and restored examples fetching six-figure sums regularly.

And I'm not talking about a little more than $100,000. Nope, the more mundane versions usually fetch more than $250,000, while HEMI-powered cars change hands for more than $500,000. A couple of Charger HEMI Daytonas, which are the rarest of the bunch, have already broken the $1 million mark. It happened most recently in January 2023, when the lowest-mileage HEMI Daytona known to exist was auctioned off for a record $1.43 million (including fees).

But it wasn't the only "winged warrior" that crossed the auction block at Mecum's Kissimmee 2023 event. The record-breaking Mopar was part of a larger collection that included no fewer than seven Dodge Charger Daytonas and five Plymouth Superbirds. Yup, that's a total of 12 winged classics under the same roof, which was, at least until the auction split them up, the largest "winged warrior" collection out there.

The $1.43-million HEMI Daytona was arguably the most expensive, but the other Daytonas also changed hands for impressive sums. The "Duke and Duchess Daytona," previously owned by "Big Willie" Robinson of the "Brotherhood of Street Racers," was the most affordable, fetching $247,500. That was about $50K below Mecum's estimate.

The only known Daytona finished in yellow over saddle brown was also auctioned off at the event. Powered by a 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) V8, this "winged warrior" found a new home for $308,000. Another collector paid $357,500 for a rare Daytona in R6 Red sold new at Mr. Norm's Grand Spaulding Dodge dealership, while a low-mileage example in Turquoise changed hands for $387,750.

Two Daytonas went into $400,000 territory thanks to their fabulous condition and rare features. A special-order example in Omaha Orange crossed the block for $407,000, while an R4 Red car with Kelsey-Hayes recall wheels went for a whopping $440,000.

The Plymouth Superbirds weren't exactly cheap, either. Even though they usually go for less compared to their rarer Daytona counterparts, this collection included no fewer than three HEMI-powered Superbirds. And these are highly desirable.

The most affordable Plymouth, an Alpine White 440 V8 car with the A36 Performance Axle Package, sold for $258,500, which was a tad more than Mecum's maximum estimate for the auction. The Petty Blue example wasn't that lucky, though, despite featuring the 390-horsepower, six-barrel version of the 440 engine. Though originally estimated to sell for more than $350,000, the hammer fell at "only" $291,500.

As for the HEMI-powered Superbirds, they also fetched below their expected stickers, but all three sold for more than a half-million dollars. A Lemon Twist example, one of only 135 HEMI cars built, crossed the block for $517,000. A similarly equipped version in Orange got a little bit more at $561,000. Both cars were estimated to go for at least $700,000.

But one Superbird broke the $700K mark thanks to its four-speed manual gearbox (one of 58 made) and Limelight Green paint which is the lowest-volume Superbird color known (applied to only 11% of total production). Also fitted with the A33 Track Pak with the 3.54:1 Dana rear end, this Mopar found a new home for $742,500.

Overall, the pack of seven Dodge Charger Daytonas raised $3,577,750, while the five Plymouth Superbirds raised $2,370,500. That's a grand total of almost $6 million, a figure that speaks volumes of how valuable these once-unloved "winged warriors" have become in the 21st century.

But the Gary Edwards Wing Car and Mopar Collection included a few other interesting gems too. The family also sold a 1970 Plymouth Road Runner with a 440 6-BBL for $101,200 and the only 1970 Plymouth Barracuda four-door known to exist for $121,000. Yes, the latter is a custom-built project, but it's based on an idea that Plymouth had on the table back in 1969. And it sold for cheap, given its one-off status and fantastic craftsmanship.

The auction also included two more rare HEMI cars. A black-painted 1970 Plymouth HEMI 'Cuda restored by Dave Walden changed hands for $302,500, while a 1971 Dodge HEMI Charger R/T sold for a somewhat unexpected $550,000. What made collectors throw serious cash at this one? Well, it's one of only three HEMI Charger R/Ts ordered with the factory power sunroof that year. And it's also a low-mileage rig with only 35,738 miles (57,515 km) on the odo.

In all, this incredible 16-car collection raised a little more than $7 million.