I owned a 70 superbird 440 6 pack 273 gears with a 4 speed. 1 was clocked at 180 on interstate 45 leaving Galveston heading to Houston. The Texas DPS Can verify that run. Speed pro 30 overs Isky Roller Cam.
Plymouth Superbird specs
Car type | Coupe |
Curb weight | 1725 kg (3803 lbs) |
Dimensions | 5.74 m (226 in) long, 1.95 m (77 in) wide, 1.35 m (53 in) high |
Wheelbase | 2.97 m (117 in) |
Introduced | 1970 |
Origin country | United States |
Views | 37.2k |
Submitted by | Super8 |
Powertrain specs
Engine type | Chrysler 426 Hemi V8 |
Displacement | 7.0 l (426 ci / 6981 cc) |
Power | 431 ps (425 bhp / 317 kw) @ 5000 rpm |
Torque | 664 Nm (490 lb-ft) @ 4000 rpm |
Power / liter | 62 ps (61 hp) |
Power / weight | 250 ps (246 bhp) / t |
Torque / weight | 385 Nm (284 lb-ft) / t |
Transmission | 4 speed manual or 3 speed automatic |
Layout | front engine, rear wheel drive |
Superbird competition
Wolf Ryet 1y ago
When the local dealership got its Plymouth Super bird, the gang and I went to have a look. It had the six pack engine. Salesman stated that one of the mechanics had a friend in the AR state police. he called and had them vector their aircraft to a remote county road for a speed test. When he returned the trooper called in and reported that he was clocked at 168 MPH. Salesman stated that was the fastest car they ever sold.
Missing my Mopar 3y ago
In the early 1980s I owned a 1964 Sport Fury 383 4 speed, 2.73 gears in the rear end. Car ran on the Seattle Raceway. Had a cam, Edelbrock Torker high rise intake, had a single 4 bbl 1050 CFM Holley carb, 3.5" exhaust. No tachometer when I had it. It would run more than 60 mph in 1st gear. I would shift out of 3rd into 4th at 120 mph. Previous owner said the car would run 150+ mph. Previous owner was from Seattle and ran Seattle Raceway with it. Car got 16-17 mgh at highway speeds.
Lucky Campbell 3y ago
New Mexico police officer had a 1970 Superbird, with 2.93 rear gears and 440 4v VASCAR radar at 166 mph, with 440 6v motor with 2 fours and 2.76 rear gears would go 180 plus, 191 down hill VASCAR certified, This info is from old Allpar site article is about ChIPs driver school in late 60's
Pete D 3y ago
I've wittnessed 150MPH in 68 Charger [on it's speedo] that roomey had back in the day with 426 dual 4bbl, new process 4spd, Dana 60 sure grip. One memorable trip to Lincoln , Ne from Omaha lasted all of 20 minuets on I-80. Even new tires then were pretty sketchy[cept for Goodyear BlueStreaks which car didn't have]. Only 3inch drum brakes all arround were useless over 75mph. Mopar didn't require avail frt discs then [Incredebly] on this class car as GM was doing at this time. Unlike the fairly safe muscle cars of the last decade , this vehicle was definitely brutally dangerous.
EAC 3y ago
There's alot bs ,lies and big time exaggeration in these comments. It's nice and healthy to dream .
Dodge 70 TA 4y ago
I had a neighbor who had a 440 six pack 70 superbird. 1980 he took me for a ride on a 2 lane country road here in sarasota that was 160 mph plus. We had to slow down when a truck backed across road 1/2 mile away still going 80 when we passed. Ask me how it rode. Simply amazing!
Hell my 70 TA got up to 135 mph quickly with the 3.91 limited slip rear axle. 1 Dodge 1 Plymouth both 6 paks same street. Way cool.
Open the out board carbs wide the air intake sounded almost supercharged on those cars.
Lotta fun!
Jack 6y ago
I read that the Arizona state police got one in a drug bust they changed the rear ratio to 2.73 and put taller read wheels and tires, it was stock except for these mods, they claimed out in the desert they could catch 1990s Ferraries just by driving right up behind them at top speed and theyed just pull on over because the mopars could hit 205 in street mode.
Shaggy 12y ago
@ Super8: I looked on automobile-catalog.com, according to the site, the top speed of a 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona is 120 MPH, I know that can't be right, my Mom's 2010 Grand Caravan can beat that. LOL
I never even heard of a supercharged version of the Charger Daytona until I came to this site.
Shaggy 12y ago
@ Super8: I don't doubt the racing version can go 220 MPH, the Dodge Charger Daytona and Plymouth Roadrunner Superbird were so fast, they were eventually banned from NASCAR. Most likely it's the version with the close ratio transmission, which was more popular that could do 145 MPH, the speeds you're talking about could only be accomplished with a long ratio, but I don't doubt it could go that fast with just a change in gear ratio, a lot of the old school muscle cars were only limited in top speed by their gear ratios, their transmissions allowed them to accelerate quickly, but probably not reach a speed fast enough to be limited by aerodynamics.
Super8 12y ago
@ Shaggy: The video for Super Daytona hit 277 mph http://www.streetlegaltv.com/news/video-on-board-a-277-mph-%E2%80%9869-dodge-daytona-at-bonneville/
It said it modified just like in NASCAR
Shaggy 12y ago
@ Super8: Close ratio, don't know the exact ratio number. Only the racing versions for NASCAR could reach 200 MPH, longer gear ratio. The fact that one could do 200 MPH with so few modifications confirms my suspicion that the 426 Hemi makes a lot more than the 480 horsepower that many people claim. The 426 Hemi is my favorite engine from the muscle car era. I got 145 MPH from a book I read years ago, I was still in high school when I read it. I'll believe in the higher top speed when I read it from a more reliable source, many of the top speeds on this site are incorrect. I'm not saying I couldn't be wrong, too.
Shaggy 12y ago
They didn't sell very well, many people were put off so much by their oddball styling that many Dodge Charger Daytonas and Plymouth Roadrunner Superbirds sat in dealerships for 2 years before finally being bought. I would have bought one, they look weird, but they're quick, fast and powerful.
Shaggy 12y ago
@ Ferrari Driver: Dodge Charger Daytona and Plymouth Roadrunner Superbird were both built by the same company, just sold under different divisions. Only around 500 were built of each, I was blessed enough to see 2 of them in my lifetime, and I'm only 28 years old. Many people go their whole lives without ever seeing one.
Ferrari driver 12y ago
Such a nice car, is not it?
In the 70s it was a challenger to other muscle cars like the Dodge Charger Daytona.
298 km/h where fast for the 70s.
It is a pity that there were no tests.
Of course, the track performance would not be as good as in other cars of those days (for example: Lamborghini Miura or Ferrari 'Daytona').
But I think it is a way faster than a Miura in straight line.
I am one lucky person who had the opportunity to see and hear this car.
I never will forget that experience!
Bijan 13y ago
@ Viking my friend the aerodynamics of the wing wonders and the 69 GTO with endura front end and no bumpers, maybe close , I think the Wing Wonders slightly better ,too .but the RamAir IV engine capable to 7500 rpm red line ( Pontiac claim 8 grand) with 3.31,3.55,3.91,4.33 final ratios.I speak about Street version of this car , no NASCAR form. anyway in my opinion The Superbird one of the most important Muscle cars with unique styling and brilliant performance.
Viking 13y ago
One of my neighbors had a 1970 Superbird back in the '70 to '74 time frame, before I moved away, but I never drove it, and certainly can't confirm its top speed. However, I do have some very old books (long out of print) that have lots of info on the cars of the "muscle car era". So I could be wrong if my source material isn't correct.