1970 Plymouth Superbird - $363k

1 of 308 V-Code Superbirds produced with the 4-speed manual transmission. Broadcast sheet. NASCAR Program VIN list. Rare factory bucket seats and center console. 440/390 HP 6-BBL V-8 engine. A833 4-speed manual transmission. A33 Track Pak with 3.54 gears. Power steering. Power brakes with front discs. Hurst Pistol Grip shifter.

The 1970 Plymouth Superbird was a one year only, NASCAR-homologation version of the Plymouth Road Runner. It was offered with powerful engine options, including the 440 CID or the top dog 426 CID Hemi V8, and was designed to dominate NASCAR racing.

The Superbird's smoothed-out body and nosecone were further refined from that of the Daytona, and the street version's pop-up headlights added nineteen inches to the Road Runner's original length. Superbirds had three engine options: the 426 Hemi V8 engine producing 425 bhp, the 440 Super Commando Six Barrel with 3X2-barrel carburetors producing 390 hp and the 375 hp 440 Super Commando with a single 4-barrel carburetor. Only 135 units were fitted with the 426 Hemi. It's believed that over 1,000 Plymouth Superbirds exist today. This example appeared at Mecum.

1970 Plymouth Superbird - $176k

Built date November 30, 1969. Code J97285 order number. Matching numbers code E87 440 6 BBL V-8 engine. 4-speed manual transmission. Code EV2 Hemi Orange. Pistol grip shifter. Hood tachometer. 150 MPH speedometer. Superbirds had three engine options: the 426 Hemi V8 engine producing 425 bhp at 5000 rpm and 490 lb⋅ft at 4000 rpm, the 440 Super Commando Six Barrel with 3X2-barrel carburetors producing 390 hp, and the 375 hp 440 Super Commando with a single 4-barrel carburetor. 135 examples were armed with the 426 Hemi.

Figures say as many as 2,783 Superbirds were built. 1,935 Superbirds is the long accepted number. The Superbird and the Dodge Charger Daytona were each built for one model year only (1970 and 1969 respectively).

Values for top examples have been doing extremely well. This example appeared at Mecum in 2021.

1970 Plymouth Superbird - $203k

21,838 original miles. Original engine, transmission and interior. Four-owner car. Original 440/375 HP V-8 engine. Original 4-speed manual transmission. Pistol Grip shifter. Alpine White exterior. Black vinyl top. Original Black interior. Bucket seats. AM radio. Road Runner Superbird graphics. The U-code 440/375 HP V-8 Super Commando engine is backed by its original 4-speed manual transmission.

A Road Runner on steroids, the Superbird was Plymouth’s way of bringing a gun to a knife fight. The Road Runner had been named the 1969 Motor Trend Car of the Year, and the aero-styling learned from the Charger Daytona program was applied to a slightly redesigned Road Runner shell for the 1970 model season.

Benefitting from a comprehensive restoration, the Superbird is considered the highlight of any serious collection of muscle cars and this example demands respect.

The car appeared at Mecum and blew past it's estimate of $125k to $150k.