70 Superbird Buried in a Barn (really buried)

[TheAutoArchaeologist]

My friend Mark found this along with a friend a few months ago.  He's not a member of the forum, so he said I could relay it for the Aero guys and gals. 

Real Superbird with 16,000 miles on the odo.  Been sitting since 78.  It was in a front end accident and they could not find a replacement nose for reasonable out where they lived, so they put the car away and haven't touched it since.

I thought you guys would appreciate it.

















Ryan
TheAutoArchaeologist@yahoo.com

[RallyeMike]

Good thing they put that blanket over the windshield to protect it.

[Beep Beep Dave]

Looks pretty good actually. I am sure a good metal guy could fix that nose cone. It would be nice to clean that one up.  Do the owners have any plans for it?

Dave

[petercharger]

What of waste

[daytonalo]

More like 116000 k miles

[A383Wing]

where did the console & 4speed tranny with shifter go to?

[DrHemi]

Don't know about anyone else but I just got a car stiffy

[TheAutoArchaeologist]

Sorry guys, I don't know anything else.  Just what Mark told me.  He is restoring a 70 Charger R/T, so I am pestering him to join up! 

[Ghoste]

Somewhat ironic that it was parked because of cosmetic damage and then allowed to just get to its present look.

[Beep Beep Dave]

From the fender tag it looks like it was a console auto car originally. Someone hacked in a 4-speed.

Dave

[A383Wing]

More like 116000 k miles

I was thinking the same thing. Engine has lots of oil seepage, looks like an Accel dual point dist, headers...yellow plug wires....

[A383Wing]

From the fender tag it looks like it was a console auto car originally. Someone hacked in a 4-speed.

Dave

maybe a console auto car..notice square cut carpet....has large brake pedal also

[Aero426]

The exterior would probably clean up pretty good.    Yes on being born as auto (D32) with console (C16).

[67_Dodge_Charger]

Glasspacks sitting on the floor by the drivers door.  The interior panels look like they are new and it is so dry and clean.  The rear ps fender had some contact with oil, the car is in a barn with lots of straw. Hmmm. Looks like it was moved there recently and had some help to look like it is a "barn find."  That nose could have been straightened out by a good body guy, no need to replace unless....... there is some damage to the bottom of the nose and also front end suspension and frame damage.

[charger_fan_4ever]

By the amount of crud under the hood by the fendertag and everywhere else I think its safe to say its been there for awhile. Mileage might be a lil skewed though.

[Ghoste]

Thats about what I'm thinking too.

[TheAutoArchaeologist]

I don't doubt in the least that it has been sitting a long, long time.  You can see the dirt is caked on, it isn't just "dust" anymore. 

And you're absolutely right, a body guy nowadays could fix that pretty easily.  But back then, was it worth it for a gas guzzling V8?

Cool car none the less.

Ryan

[Ghoste]

Whats your opinion on the mileage Ryan?  If its original it was well modified and well used in that short span.

[TheAutoArchaeologist]

Whats your opinion on the mileage Ryan?  If its original it was well modified and well used in that short span.

I'm thinking 1 of 2 things happened

A) Someone was swapping stuff and didn't connect the cable.  Thus the "low" mileage.

B) More likely it is 116,000.  70-78 is quite a while, I could easily see it racking up 100,000 miles in that time.  I'm at 80k in my 09 Challenger already. 

[daytonalo]

Bottom line , another owner that should be hung up by his ball for letting this car disintegrate from years of neglect . We all know the type , hey I noticed  the car sitting for 20 years , do you want to sell ? " Hell no I will restore it , go away !!!"   years later the car is a pile of dust !!!

Larry 

[Aero426]

And you're absolutely right, a body guy nowadays could fix that pretty easily.  But back then, was it worth it for a gas guzzling V8?

The car was worth it back then.   It had already crossed the line into a collector car.   But if you didn't have the money to fix it, that's another matter.

As to the mileage,  not that it matters a whole lot because of the condition, but the average use back then was 10,000 miles a year.   We drive a LOT more today.   Most Birds and Daytonas were not high mileage cars.  From the little I can see, the body is probably pretty decent on this one.    It's probably 16,000 or was disconnected.     It's not hard to find photos of decrepit low mileage wingers out there.  

[pettybird]

another owner that should be hung up by his ball

Lance Armstrong owns it?

[Ghoste]

Some people did accuse Chrysler of cheating with those cars...

[tan top]

Sorry guys, I don't know anything else.  Just what Mark told me.  He is restoring a 70 Charger R/T, so I am pestering him to join up! 

good lot of pictures Ryan   , thanks for sharing 

[billssuperbird]

The wing cars keep popping up. 

[RallyeMike]

From what I can see, it appears that while the car sat uncovered and neglected all that time that underneath all that dirt and hay is pretty sound body.

Pretty cool find!

[Aero426]

Looks like it is in the upper part of the barn.   When you can see daylight in the boards, that means there is good airflow.   Nothing kills cars like being in the bottom of a damp barn. 

[nascarxx29]

Dirt car cover may preserve paint but moisture feeds rust.Another dirt encased B5 Superbird

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?topic=93019.0

[TheAutoArchaeologist]

Dirt car cover may preserve paint but moisture feeds rust.Another dirt encased B5 Superbird

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?topic=93019.0

Indeed, I shot that bird in 2004 and 2010... and the dust preserves it....

[ACUDANUT]

More like 116000 k miles

I was thinking the same thing. Engine has lots of oil seepage, looks like an Accel dual point dist, headers...yellow plug wires....

Yea, more like 116000.

[Charger_Dart]

More like 116000 k miles

I was thinking the same thing. Engine has lots of oil seepage, looks like an Accel dual point dist, headers...yellow plug wires....

Yea, more like 116000.

I'll throw another possibility out there - My bird was heavily used on on the 1/4 mile drag strip in Florida so the mileage was not great and it had all the same type of equipment on it when I bought it. Maybe this one was also only adding miles 1/4 at a time...

[Ghoste]

Thats always an intersting possibility too. 

[Indygenerallee]

Id love to see all the mice and other critters scurry out of that bird once it was moved (if it ever does! lol) 

[Aero426]

Does this one look like a 20,000 mile cream puff?   And this is an OLD photo. 

[Ghoste]

I have to recant based on that.

[Mark H]

Hey guys finally got signed up on here!  The Superbird has been in the barn since 78 and hasnt seen the light of day since!:( They won't sell the car since it means so much to them which i dont understand why would they leave it like this.. The owner is more into ranching and horses this is just a cool old car to him thats it. Ill keep you guys updated if anything was to ever change.  And sorry I have no way to verify the mileage on the car.

[Lord Warlock]

original 16k cars usually don't have a sun tach mounted in the stock tach location or have a chopped up tunnel, I'm more apt to believe it had 116k, Usually once you roll over 100k the numbers all don't line up perfectly and the 1 is out of the normal position and shouldn't roll until it gets closer to 19.5k. My 69 hit 100k by 1980, it only shows 113k on it now and its never been disconnected except to change the cable. 

Either way, it does look like its sat there for a looooong time and has had hay bales stacked on top of it from time to time.  Hard to believe they parked it instead of getting the nose fixed.  A reasonable body man back then could have fixed it cheap without much bondo.  Damage to the nose looks minimal.  Be willing to bet it has a STRONG mouse/rat smell in it.   

[Ghoste]

Welcome to the site Mark, nice to have another person around.

[toomanymopars]

Car for sure has at least 116,000 miles. This is Wyoming, and no drives a car 2,000 miles a year.  Car supposedly has mechanical problems and nose was damaged when car was towed into the barn in 1978 or so.  For whatever reason, it more than likely will never be for sale.  I know a few more things about this car, but will respect the owners right to privacy.  It is sad that it is sitting, and I will be surprised if it ever gets restored.

[nascarxx29]

Does this one look like a 20,000 mile cream puff?   And this is an OLD photo. 


Look like the Hemi bird that Ended up in Wylie TX.That came out of Lousiana

[Lord Warlock]

I can respect the owners decision to just let it sit, they're fun to look at from time to time even if you don't drive them.  Just knowing you own one of the wildest and rarest muscle cars of the era is enough for some, they don't need to drive them to enjoy owning them.  I haven't driven mine in over 20 years but i still like looking at it and sitting in it.  And yes, i've had door knockers ask if it was for sale before (when it was parked in the front garage).  Have to admit its prettier today than it was the day i got it, and one day I'll be able to drive it again and enjoy it.  But will never get the excitement i get out of driving the newer muscle cars.  The older ones are a totally different experience is all. 

[472 R/T SE]

My daughter couldn't figure out why I wanted her to get in my car & put the sun visor down on the off side.  I tried to explain to her that mice look at it as an uptown condo.  That pic is the perfect example to show her.

What a shame.  The same things' are probably said about me & my car.  I've driven it maybe 6 times in 7 years.  Buy mine & you can do whatever you want with it.