Plymouth Superbird: From NASCAR Race Car to Iconic Muscle Car

To get legendary NASCAR driver Richard Petty back on the Plymouth NASCAR Racing Team, the Chrysler production brand built a race car just for him. Thus begins the story of the Plymouth Superbird.

A modified version of the Plymouth Road Runner and the follow-up stock car racing model to the Dodge Charger Daytona, the 1970 Superbird was designed after Petty switched to Ford’s NASCAR racing team for the 1969 season.

The King had wanted a winged car, and though Plymouth had initially pushed back (which caused Petty to move to Ford), the company started the Superbird program to get Petty back for the 1970 season.

The rear wing and wind-tunnel shaped nose cone actually made the Superbird slightly less aerodynamic, but styling flaws aside, Petty ended up winning eight races in 1970 and placing in many others.

As far as engine specs go, the Superbird had three different engine options: the 426 Hemi V8 engine with 425 brake horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 490 lb⋅ft at 4,000 rpm of torque (which only 135 models were fitted with), the 440 Super Commando Six Barrel (also known as a six pack V8) with 3X2-barrel carburetors producing 390 horsepower, and the 375 horsepower 440 Super Commando with a single 4-barrel carburetor.

The Plymouth Superbird is still considered to be one of the most iconic American muscle cars, and it holds a prime place in NASCAR and classic car history.

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