Undoubtedly one of the most widely recognized NASCAR race vehicles ever created, the Plymouth Superbird is a vision of racing dynamics at its best. Sister car to the Dodge Daytona, the Superbird has to be one of the craziest Mopars ever produced but with that came a reputation like no other. Although not very practical for street or race use these days, these “winged warriors” still maintain their appeal, and lucky for winged car enthusiasts, a true Superbird is coming up for bid in January at the Kissimmee, Florida Mecum Auction. Chances like this don’t come around too often, so now may be a great time to jump at the rare opportunity to own your very own Road Runner Superbird.

Although not the 426ci Hemi engine, which would make this Superbird an even rarer find, this particular car still maintains its original V-code engine.

Produced as a direct follow-up to the Dodge Daytona of 1969, the Plymouth Superbird was a modified Road Runner made in a limited production run spanning only the 1970 model year.

Intended originally for NASCAR racing, the Plymouth aero car required, just like all other vehicles at the time, a run of factory-based models to be produced in order to qualify for racing privileges.

In 1970, NASCAR changed this number from just 500 production vehicles, like the Dodge Daytona, to one vehicle for every two Plymouth dealers in the country. With the number of Plymouth dealers holding steady in the country, this meant that at least 1,920 Superbirds had to be produced. While actual production numbers for the Superbird vary depending on the source, the currently accepted number for those produced and shipped to dealers in the United States stands at 1,935. A rumored 34 to 47 more were shipped to Canadian dealerships.

Distinguished by its long cone-shaped nose and gigantic protruding spoiler, the Plymouth Superbird was part of an experiment in a new direction of aerodynamics for Mopar race cars.

The 1970 race season was a great one for the Superbird, propelling seasoned drivers like Richard Petty to many wins and top placements on the track. Unfortunately, the Superbird’s accomplishments were short lived as NASCAR put a restriction on the Mopar aero cars in 1971 restricting engine displacement to just 305ci. This killed the aero cars’ professional racing careers.

 While the original production Superbirds didn’t fare too well at dealerships back in the day, with some dealers having to practically pay people to take the cars off their hands, vintage Superbirds like this one are known to be quite valuable now.

This particular model sports its original V-code 440/390hp Six Pack V8 engine, as well as its New Process 4-speed transmission and Dana 60 rearend.

True to factory specifications, the car also features Superbird-standard power steering, power front disc brakes, an A33 Track Pack rear axle and heavy duty suspension system.

Matched to the original fender tag, this Plymouth is completely correct, finished in factory B5 Blue Fire Metallic paint with Superbird graphics, Black vinyl roof and Black bucket seat interior. The car even features rally wheels wrapped in white-lettered Goodyear Polyglas GT rubber, Tic-Toc-Tach, complete gauge package, tinted windows and a radio.

A true gem of an addition for any car collection, we expect to see some pretty hefty bids come through for this rare, original aero car. In the past, Superbirds have pulled bids as high as $1.2 million at Barrett-Jackson and we have no doubt this one will go for a pretty penny as well.

If you’re interested in bidding on this fine piece of Mopar, musclecar and racing history, it will cross the auction block on Saturday January 26th at 2:55pm. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to get your hands on one of Mopar’s finest race-inspired vehicles ever made.