1970 Superbird
Written by Keith Fudge

Since 1989, John Balow and his staff at Muscle Car Restorations, located in Chippewa Falls , Wisconsin , have been bringing cars back to life. Their meticulous attention to detail ensures that customers receive a frame-off restoration that, in many cases, will be better than the production at the factory. On this special segment of My Classic Car , Dennis Gage had the chance to visit with John about a recent special restoration. This one was for John himself and what a special car it is: a 1970 Plymouth Superbird!

On of the most distinctive and recognizable autos ever to come out of Detroit , this legendary vehicle was not the most warmly embraced when it was released for production. The extended wing that protrudes from the trunk kept many buyers at bay! In fact, John told us that with even as few of these vehicles as were produced you could still find a brand new one on a dealer's lot as late as 1972 or 73! The history of the car is legendary in American racing circles, particularly in NASCAR as it became a popular design. John told Dennis that a production run of 1,500 cars must occur for that model to be eligible to appear on the NASCAR circuit. As far as production numbers for the Superbird were concerned, John said that the accepted figure is 1,935 cars that were manufactured within a period of 90 days. John then went on to tell Dennis a little bit of Superbird history as he spoke about the restoration of his own car.

Starting at the rear of John's car, he mentioned that the first distinguishing feature of the car is the rear wing. Constructed from cast aluminum, and with an aircraft inspired design, the structures and supports to hold this stabilizer in place are mounted in the trunk. As John moved up the car and gave a glimpse of the interior, he pointed out that here was a particular rarity in that this car was equipped with power windows; one of only three built with this option. John also said that it was ordered as a dealer's demo. Approaching the front of the car, John told Dennis that the front fenders and hood are actually factory parts used on a Dodge Coronet. Next, John walked to the front of the vehicle where the distinctive nose cone gives the Superbird its other recognizable quality. Made from stamped steel, this famous “bumperless” front end was race inspired and one look told other drivers that this car was “all business.” Speaking of business, getting down to buying one of these cars in 1970 was something of a chore. The price of a 1970 Plymouth Superbird was $4,298. Three variations of the 440 engine were available including the standard 440 four-barrel, the 440 Six Pack, and the 440 Hemi. John's car is equipped the four-barrel and he said that it is a strong and reliable engine. With those words, thoughts of “takin' it to the streets” came to mind and John was kind enough to let Dennis behind the wheel.

As they traveled, John told Dennis that he and his wife purchased the car four years ago and that it has now undergone a 100% ground-up restoration, and even though the car was rust-free he added extra corrosion protection in the form of E-Coating, a process available at Muscle Car Restorations. John added that his wife uses the car to run errands and that they both drive it regularly—how cool is that? Finally, as they came to a stop sign, Dennis put the pedal down and the massive Mopar big-block came to life! As the tires were frying and they pulled out of sight, we could only imagine the smiles on their faces. Thanks, John! As always it was a pleasure seeing you.

By the way, if you would like to see the restoration process of this car, and if you would like to see more of John's work, give him a visit on the web at www.musclecarrestorations.com