Plymouth Superbird
Manufacturer	Plymouth
Parent company	Chrysler
Production	1970
Class	Muscle car
Body style(s)	2-door coupe
Layout	FR layout
Platform	B-body
Engine(s)	426 Hemi 440 Super Commando Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2304x1728, 439 KB)Source: flickr Picture taken by Matthew Brown File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Automakers, also known as carmakers, automobile manufacturers, motor manufacturers, or the automobile industry are companies that design and manufacture automobiles. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, including the Chrysler Brand, see Chrysler (disambiguation). ... Car classification is subjective since many vehicles fall into multiple categories. ... The Pontiac GTO is a classic example of the muscle car. ... Cars can come in a large variety of different body styles. ... 1995 Buick Riviera coupe A coupé (from the French for cut) or coupe is a two or four-seater car with a fixed roof and two doors. ... In automobile design layout is the place where both the engine and driven wheels are. ... Sketch of FR layout In automobile design, an FR, or front-engine, rear wheel drive means a layout where the engine is in the front of the vehicle and drive wheels at the rear. ... An automobile platform is a shared set of components common to a number of different automobiles. ... Chryslers B platform was the basis for rear wheel drive cars from 1962 through 1979. ... Early Hemi in a 1957 Chrysler 300C. A Chrysler Hemi engine is one of three different internal combustion engine families from Chrysler that are Hemi engines; in other words, they utilize a hemispherical combustion chamber. ... The RB engine is a big-block V8 engine from Chrysler. ... 440 Magnum Six Barrel
Related	Plymouth Road Runner Dodge Charger Daytona

The short-lived Plymouth Road Runner Superbird, a sister design to the Dodge Charger Daytona, was designed to beat the Ford Torino Talladega at NASCAR stock car racing and to lure Richard Petty back to Plymouth. Both cars famously featured a protruding, aerodynamic nosecone and a massive rear spoiler. The RB engine is a big-block V8 engine from Chrysler. ... Plymouth dealers gave away this promotional windbreaker in 1970. ... Dodge, an American automobile brand, has produced three separate vehicles with the name Dodge Charger Daytona, all of which were modified Dodge Chargers. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Dodge, an American automobile brand, has produced three separate vehicles with the name Dodge Charger Daytona, all of which were modified Dodge Chargers. ... The Ford Torino Talladega was a car produced by the Ford Motor Company during 1969 only. ... Jeff Burton (99), Elliott Sadler (38), Ricky Rudd (21), Dale Jarrett (88), Sterling Marlin (40), Jimmie Johnson (48), and Casey Mears (41) practice for the 2004 Daytona 500 The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States. ... NEXTEL Cup drivers practice for the 2004 Daytona 500 Stock car racing is a form of automobile racing found mainly in the United States and Great Britain held largely on oval rings of between approximately a quarter-mile and 2. ... Richard Lee Petty (born July 2, 1937) is an American former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver. ... This Ford F-150 pickup truck has two spoilers one on the roof and another on the tailgate. ...

History

Plymouth Superbird

Developed specifically for NASCAR racing, the Superbird, a modified Plymouth Road Runner, and the Charger Daytona, a modified Dodge Charger 500, were among the first American cars to be designed aerodynamically using a wind tunnel and computer analysis. The Superbird's smoothed-out body and nosecone with retractable headlights added nineteen inches to the Road Runner's original length. A rear wing (spoiler) was mounted on tall tail-fins that put it into less disturbed air thus reducing the car's lightness by keeping the rear tires firmly on the ground at at high speeds. The extreme height of these fins was also gave clearance for the trunklid. The rear-facing fender scoops were used for releasing trapped air from the wheel wells. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 428 pixelsFull resolution (1978 × 1059 pixels, file size: 466 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 428 pixelsFull resolution (1978 × 1059 pixels, file size: 466 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Plymouth dealers gave away this promotional windbreaker in 1970. ... For other models using this name, see Dodge Charger. ...

However, NASCAR's homologation requirement demands that vehicles to be raced have to be available to the general public and sold in sufficient numbers. In 1970, NASCAR raised the production requirement from 500 examples to one for every 2 Manufacturer's dealers in the United States; for Plymouth, that meant having to build 1,920 Superbirds. 1970 would be its only production year. Plymouth Superbird. ... Plymouth Superbird. ... Homologation is a technical term, derived from the Greek homologos (ομόλογος) for agree, which is generally used in English to signify the granting of approval by an official authority. ...

"Superbird" decals were placed on the outsides of the spoiler's vertical fins featuring a picture of the Road Runner cartoon character holding a racing helmet. A smaller version of the decal appears on the driver side headlight door. All Superbirds used for racing were fitted with the 426 Hemi engine. Street models used the 440 Super Commando with a single 4-barrel carburetor, the 440 Magnum Six Barrel with three two-barrel carburetors while only 135 models were fitted with the 426 Hemi. As the 440 was less expensive to produce, the 426 Hemi engine was homologated by producing a minimal number that was optioned in several different Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth vehicles. Wile E. Coyote (also known simply as The Coyote) and the Road Runner are cartoon characters from a series of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons, created by Chuck Jones in 1948 for Warner Brothers. ... Early Hemi in a 1957 Chrysler 300C. A Chrysler Hemi engine is one of three different internal combustion engine families from Chrysler that are Hemi engines; in other words, they utilize a hemispherical combustion chamber. ... The RB engine is a big-block V8 engine from Chrysler. ... Bendix-Technico (Stromberg) 1-barrel downdraft carburetor model BXUV-3, with nomenclature A carburetor (North American spelling) / carburettor (international spelling), colloquially called a carb (in North America and the United Kingdom) or carby (chiefly in Australia), is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. ... The RB engine is a big-block V8 engine from Chrysler. ...

On the street, the nosecone and wing made quite an impression, but the aerodynamic improvements hardly made a difference there or on the drag strip. In fact, the 1970 Road Runner was a slight touch quicker down the quarter mile. At 90 mph or greater, though, things were quite different.

NASCAR

Petty's famous Roadrunner Superbird, on display at the Richard Petty Museum, courtesy of flickr contributor

In Fall 1968, Richard Petty left the Plymouth NASCAR Racing Team for Ford's. Charlie Gray, director of the Ford stock car program felt that hiring Petty would send the message that "money rules all". However, the Superbird lured Petty back to Plymouth for the 1970 season. Petty did reasonably well against strong Ford opposition on the NASCAR tracks that year, winning eight races and placing well in many more. It didn't hurt, of course, that Richard Petty, known as one of the greatest NASCAR drivers, was behind the wheel of a Superbird that year. A recent tribute Petty's Superbird was seen in the 2006 film Cars with Petty voicing "The King", a stock race car bearing a strong resemblance to a Superbird. Image File history File links RichardPettyRoadrunner. ... Image File history File links RichardPettyRoadrunner. ... Richard Lee Petty (born July 2, 1937) is an American former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver. ... Richard Lee Petty (born July 2, 1937) is an American former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver. ... This article is about the animated movie. ...

NASCAR's rules implemented for the 1971 season limited the "aero-cars" to an engine displacement of no greater than 305 in³ (5.0 L) or they had to carry much more weight compared to their competitors. While they were still legal to race, the extreme loss of horsepower which would come with the smaller engine or the increased weight rendered the cars uncompetitive. This was the start of a trend of rules slowing down NASCAR, because the races were exceeding the technology of tires and safety over 200 mph. Ford in response also designed a 1970 Torino with a 240Z-like nose, but it was abandoned. A 1971 Superbird was designed around the new Sebring body complete with its famous nose and wing; only a few prototypes now exist. Richard Pettys Superbird at the Petty Museum Aero Warriors is a nickname for four automobiles, also called aero-cars, developed specifically to race on the NASCAR circuit by Dodge, Plymouth, Ford and Mercury for the 1969 and 1970 racing seasons. ... The Ford Torino was an intermediate sized car produced by the Ford Motor Company for the North American market between 1968 and 1976. ... 1973 Datsun 240Z 1970 Nissan Fairlady Z The S30 Nissan/Datsun 240Z (known in Japan as the Fairlady Z and later in other markets as the 260Z and 280Z) are sports cars produced by Nissan in the 1970s. ...

Market Impact

The 2006 Hot Wheels car First Edition `70 Plymouth Superbird

The Superbird's styling proved to be a little extreme for 1970 tastes (many customers preferred the regular Road Runner), and as a consequence, many examples sat unsold on the back lots of dealerships as late as 1972. Some were converted back into 1970 Road Runners to move them off the sales lot. In recent years, however, the Superbird has become quite valuable. A Superbird can fetch anywhere from $80,000 to US$300,000. On eBay, bids for original Superbirds crossed $800,000. Some manufacturers produce Superbird conversion kits for 1970 Road Runners and Satellites. Kits are also available for unproduced 1971 and 1972 bodies for the Superbird. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... USD redirects here. ... This article is about the online auction center. ...

The Superbird and the Dodge Charger Daytona were each built for 1 model year only (1970 and 1969 respectively). Appearing at the peak of the muscle car era, it is certainly one of the rarest and most desirable of muscle cars.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Plymouth Superbird

• Plymouth Superbird
• 1971 Superbird
• Superbird and Daytona aerodynamics and history

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Plymouth Acclaim was a mid-size sedan produced from the 1989 to 1995 model years. ... The Plymouth Arrow was an extension of the Mitsubishi Lancer/Dodge Colt known as the Mitsubishi Celeste in Japan. ... The Barracuda is a two-door coupe/convertible muscle car that was manufactured by the Plymouth division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1964 through 1974. ... The Plymouth Belvedere was an American automobile produced from 1951 through 1970. ... Categories: Automobile stubs | Dodge vehicles ... The Plymouth Cambridge, was a full-size automobile, produced by the Plymouth division of Chrysler, from 1951-1953. ... The Caravelle was Plymouths version of the Chrysler E-Class luxury car in the 1980s. ... The Dodge Colt and the similar Plymouth Champ and Plymouth Colt, were compact cars sold by Dodge and Plymouth from 1970 to 1994. ... The Dodge Colt and the similar Plymouth Champ and Plymouth Colt, were compact cars sold by Dodge and Plymouth from 1970 to 1994. ... The Plymouth Concord, was a full-size automobile, produced by the Plymouth division of Chrysler, from 1951-1953. ... The Mitsubishi Starion is a three-door, turbocharged four-cylinder rear-wheel drive four-seat sports car that was in production from 1982 to 1990. ... The Plymouth Cranbrook, was a full-size automobile, produced by the Plymouth division of Chrysler, from 1951-1953. ... The Plymouth Cricket was a subcompact automobile sold by the Plymouth division of Chrysler Corporation in the American market from 1971-1973. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The first Plymouth Duster was a semi-fastback version of the Plymouth Valiant automobile, produced in the US from 1970 to 1976. ... The Plymouth Fury was an automobile made by the Plymouth division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1956 to 1978. ... The Plymouth Gran Fury was an automobile manufactured by the Chrysler Corporation from 1975 to 1977, and again from 1982 to 1989. ... The Plymouth GTX was introduced as the Belvedere GTX in 1967 by the Plymouth division to be a gentlemans muscle car. ... Plymouth Horizon The Dodge Omni and the similar Plymouth Horizon were front wheel drive subcompact cars introduced by the Dodge and Plymouth divisions of Chrysler Corporation in North America in 1978. ... 3 Plymouth Lasers, showing an all around view 1992-1994 Plymouth Laser 1992-1994 Plymouth Laser rear view The Plymouth Laser was a sports coupe made by Diamond Star Motors. ... 1997-99 Dodge Neon coupe The Neon was a compact front wheel drive car introduced in January of 1994 for the 1995 model year by Chrysler Corporations Dodge and Plymouth brands. ... The Plymouth Plaza was an automobile produced by the Plymouth division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1954 through the 1958 model year. ... Chrysler Prowler The Plymouth Prowler is a retro-styled production car built between 1997 and 2002; however, no 1998 model was offered. ... Plymouth Reliant sedan with second facelift The Plymouth Reliant was one of the first two so-called K-cars (the other being the Dodge Aries) the Chrysler Corporation introduced for the 1981 model year. ... Plymouth dealers gave away this promotional windbreaker in 1970. ... The Mitsubishi Galant Λ (Lambda) was a two-door hardtop coupé built by Mitsubishi Motors from 1976 to 1983. ... The Plymouth Satellite was an automobile introduced in 1965 as the top model in Plymouths mid-size Belvedere line. ... The Plymouth Savoy was an automobile produced by the Plymouth division of the Chrysler Corporation of Highland Park, Michigan, (USA). ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Plymouth Sundance was a compact car produced from 1986 (as a 1987 model) to 1994. ... There have been a number of vehicles bearing the Dodge Charger nameplate, but the name has generally denoted a performance model in the Dodge range. ... There have been a number of vehicles bearing the Charger nameplate, but the name has generally denoted a performance model in the Dodge range. ... The Plymouth Valiant was an automobile manufactured by the Plymouth division of Chrysler Corporation in the United States from 1960 to 1976. ... The Plymouth Fury was an automobile made by the Plymouth division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1956 to 1978. ... The Dodge Aspen (model years 1976–1980) was a midsize car from Chrysler Corporations Dodge division; its badge-engineered counterpart was the Plymouth Volaré. It was launched as a two-door coupe, a four-door sedan, and a unique-for-the-segment station wagon. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A fourth-generation (2006-) Ford Explorer, the best-selling mid-size SUV in the United States. ... The Dodge Sportsman was a full-sized passenger van built by Dodge. ... The Plymouth Voyager and Plymouth Grand Voyager were minivans marketed by DaimlerChrysler (they were sold by the Chrysler Corporation until 1998). ... 1970s Dodge Ramcharger The Dodge Ramcharger was a large sport utility vehicle built by Dodge from 1974 to 1993, and based on a shortened-wheelbase version of the Dodge D Series/Ram pickup truck chassis. ... For other uses, see Truck (disambiguation). ... The Mitsubishi Forte was a compact pickup truck produced by Mitsubishi Motors from 1970 to 1986. ... The Plymouth Backpack was a front wheel drive concept car, released in 1995. ... The Plymouth Belmont was a 1954 concept sports car. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The first Plymouth Duster was a semi-fastback version of the Plymouth Valiant automobile, produced in the US from 1970 to 1976. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... 1994 Plymouth Expresso concept car The Plymouth Expresso was a 1994 compact concept car by the Plymouth division of the Chrysler Corporation. ... The Plymouth Howler is a convertible, roadster concept car developed and built by Plymouth and presented at the SEMA show in 1999. ... 1997 Plymouth Pronto concept car The Plymouth Pronto was a small concept car released in 1997. ... The Plymouth Pronto Spyder was a 2-door roadster concept car revealed in 1998. ... Chrysler Prowler The Plymouth Prowler is a retro-styled production car built between 1997 and 2002; however, no 1998 model was offered. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Plymouth Speedster was a 1989 2-seater concept car. ... 1989 Plymouth Voyager 3 concept vehicle The Plymouth Voyager was a minivan concept car revealed in 1989. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...