Should They Have Built a Convertible Version of the Iconic 1970 Superbird?

The Plymouth Superbird was the follow-up car to the iconic 1969 Dodge Daytona and was created for one purpose: to allow the aerodynamic bodystyle to be fielded in NASCAR racing. You see, the rules stated that for a car to be used in what was then truly “stock car racing” was that a few thousand had to actually be manufactured for public consumption.

After the success of the Dodge Daytona, NASCAR tightened up its rules and stated that the number made had to match the number of dealerships for that brand. Well, there were far fewer Plymouth dealers than Dodge dealers, so the wing-car project was moved over to Plymouth, and the 1970 Superbird was born. The next year NASCAR banned wing-cars altogether, and the era was over.

No. Considering the design was based solely on high-speed aerodynamics, a convertible version never made any sense since it was less aerodynamic and considerably less safe on a track due to the missing roof. But since the Roadrunner was very similar to a Satellite, it certainly could have been done, since that car was offered as a drop-top. Think of a Plymouth Satellite as an upscale version of the Roadrunner, with more chrome, a different dash, and a focus on comfort more than performance.

In true hot-rodding fashion, gearheads figured out how to create what the manufacturers refused to give them. That’s how this “what-if” 1970 convertible Superbird that’s being sold at the Mecum Acutions Kissimmee Summer Special event (Lot S155) came to be. Here the owner took a super-clean 1970 Plymouth Satellite and added enough Superbird content to sell the illusion. Purists might have a seizure over this exercise in building what was never offered, but hot-rodding is all about building the car YOU want the way YOU want to build it.

Powering the faux drop-top Superbird is a 318-inch small-block Mopar mill backed-up by an automatic transmission. So, it’s not a powerhouse, but we imagine it’s a sweet car to cruise around in with the top down and the wind in your hair on an event like the HOT ROD Power Tour.

On episode 43 of Dirt Every Day, hosts Fred Williams and Dave Chappelle build a post-apocalyptic 4×4 muscle car: the Mad-Maxxis Off-RoadRunner. Starting with a forgotten 1973 Plymouth Road Runner, they plan to power this one-of-a-kind car by stuffing a next-generation Cummins 5.0L V-8 turbodiesel crate engine under the rusty hood. Make no mistake, this is not your standard TRAR build. This Off-Road Runner will have an Allison Transmission and a beefy transfer case to send that sweet Cummins power to all four Maxxis RAZR MT tires. Want more? Sign up for a free trial to MotorTrend+ today and start watching every episode of Dirt Every Day, plus much more!