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World's Rarest 1970 Plymouth Superbird Comes Out of Storage, Flaunts Psychedelic Livery

Plymouth's take on the Dodge Charger Daytona, the Superbird was developed with NASCAR racing in mind. And thanks to the series' regulations at the time, it also spawned a road-legal version. A wild yet streetable Road Runner with a nose cone and a massive rear wing.
1970 Plymouth Superbird dragster 6 photos
Photo: Jennings Wing Cars/YouTube
1970 Plymouth Superbird dragster1970 Plymouth Superbird dragster1970 Plymouth Superbird dragster1970 Plymouth Superbird dragster1970 Plymouth Superbird dragster
Plymouth built almost 2,000 units for the 1970 model year, which turns the Superbird into a rare classic. But not all Superbirds are equal. Because Mopar offered three different engines, some Superbird are harder to find and more expensive to buy than others.

While more than 1,000 were fitted with the entry-level 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, only 716 examples left the factory with the Six Pack version of the same mill. In addition, only 135 got the mighty 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) Hemi V8. Naturally, the latter is also the most collectible, but the Superbird you're about to see below is a bit more special.

While it started life as a regular Hemi Superbird in B5 Blue, this winged warrior has a unique story to tell. Because as soon as it reached its original owner back in 1970, it was stripped of its original 426 Hemi to get a Sox & Martin racing V8. Yup, it's one of a handful of Superbirds that were turned into Super Stock dragsters.

Not only that, but it went on to win the Super Stock class of the 1970 NHRA Summernationals with Tim Richards behind the steering wheel, which makes it the only Superbird that won an NHRA title. But wait, there's more.

Shortly after it won the championship, the winged Mopar disappeared and spent more than four decades in hiding. It didn't resurface until 2015. And get this: its current owner managed to reunite the car with its original 426 Hemi V8, which he miraculously found for sale on Facebook Marketplace. It happened in 2021 and we wrote about it.

The owner is obviously planning to reinstall the numbers-matching Hemi under the hood, but he's keeping the car's current livery. Which is a lovely shade of purple with psychedelic motifs. I don't know about you, but I think it's more than fitting for a rare Superbird with a solid racing background and a story worthy of a book.

But the reason why I'm here to talk about this Mopar is that the folks over at Jennings Wing Cars, who own various Superbirds and Charger Daytonas, decided to take the beast out of storage for a few burnouts in the rain. And I think that's fantastic. Watch it rev its race-spec Hemi V8 and spin its rear wheels in the video below.

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About the author: Ciprian Florea
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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.
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