This interesting image captures the spirit of the musclecars
in a wonderful way. The image was taken during the Daytona 500 of 1970.
It shows the winner of the event, Pete
Hamilton, next to his winning Plymouth
Superbird!
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, a
massive rear spoiler, and a horn whose sound mimicked the Road Runner cartoon
character. Developed specifically for NASCAR racing, the Superbird, a modified
Plymouth Roadrunner, 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 high speeds. The extreme height of these fins also gave
clearance for the trunklid to open freely. The rear-facing fender scoops were
used for releasing trapped air from the wheel wells. Petty's famous Roadrunner Superbird,
on display at the Richard Petty Museum However, NASCAR's homologation requirement
demanded 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. "Superbird"
decals were placed on the outside edges of the spoiler 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. The
Superbirds came fitted with the 426 Hemi engine, the 440 Super Commando with a
single 4-barrel carburetor, or the 440 Super Commando Six Barrel with three
two-barrel carburetors. 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. On
the street, the nosecone and wing were very distinctive, but the aerodynamic
improvements hardly made a difference there or on the drag strip. In fact, the
1970 Road Runner was only slightly quicker in the quarter mile. At speeds in
excess of 90 mph the
differences were more obvious. In Autumn 1968, Richard Petty left the Plymouth
NASCAR Racing Team for Ford's. Charlie Grey, director of the Ford stock car
program felt that hiring Petty would send the message that "money rules
none". 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. A recent
tribute to 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. 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 power-to-weight
consequences that 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 the 1970 Torino King Cobra with a 240Z-like nose, but it
was abandoned. 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 non produced 1971 and 1972 bodies for the Superbird. 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.
The Daytona 500
is a 200-lap, 500 miles (800 km) long NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona
Beach, Florida. It is one
of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule. Matt Kenseth is the
defending champion of the race. The Daytona 500 is regarded by many as the most
important and prestigious race on the NASCAR calendar, carrying by far the
largest purse. Championship points awarded are equal to that of any other
Sprint Cup race. It is also NASCAR's first race of the year; this phenomenon is
virtually unique in sports, which tend to have championships or other major
events at the end of the season rather than the start. The event serves as the
final event of Speedweeks and is known as "The Great American Race"
and the "Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing." It is held the second or
third Sunday in February, and since 1971, has been loosely associated with
Presidents Day weekend. The winner of the Daytona 500 is presented with the
Harley J. Earl Trophy in Victory Lane, and the
winning car is displayed, in race-winning condition, for one year at Daytona
500 Experience, a museum and gallery adjacent to Daytona International
Speedway.
This is a very nice and very rare non period photo that reflects a
wonderful era of Plymouth ‘s automotive history
in a wonderful way. This is your rare
chance to own this photo, therefore it is printed in a nice large format
of ca. 8" x 12" (ca. 20 x 30 cm). It
makes it perfectly suitable for framing.
Contact us for more Plymouth and other
automotive and musclecar photos!
Shipping costs will only be $ 7.00 regardless of how many photos you
buy. For 5 or more photos, shipping is free!
(Note: A. Herl, Inc. does not appear on
photo, for ebay purposes only)
No copyright
expressed or implied. Sold as collectable item only. We are clearing out our
archives that we have gathered from various sources.
All items always sent well
protected in PVC clear files and board backed
envelopes.
We have
photographs that came from professional collections and/or were bought from the
original photographer or press studio! They are all of professional and
excellent quality.
After many decades
of professionally collecting photographs and posters we are clearing out our
archives. They make the perfect gift and are perfectly suited for framing. They
will look gorgeous unframed and will be a true asset nicely framed with a
border. They are a gorgeous and great asset in every home, workshop, workplace,
restaurant, bar or club!
First come -
first served. And you can always contact us for your requests. Please ask any
questions before the auction ends.