1970 Auto Show Superbird

[Redbird]

Has anyone ever identified if the 1970 Auto Show Superbird still exists? I don't believe it was given to Lucius Slade because I have a close up picture of the sign at the 1970 Detroit Auto Show that says "Win A Superbird Like This....." where a Superbird was given away. If they would have given him the show car Superbird the sign would have said "Win This Car". The same Detroit Show car Superbird is in pictures at the 1970 Chicago and New York shows too, leading me to think the car on display was not a give-away car. So I've been of the belief that Chrysler moved it from show to show. Vit-C car, black buckets, some type of radio, Rallye wheels, driver remote mirror.

The Detroit Free Press November 25, 1969 paper has a picture of the rear of the car and the undercoating in the rear wheels is very neatly done. For the show cars did they buff out the paint and/or do special prep?

[gtx6970]

A friend of mine has what  we believe it be the press release car. POSSIBILY The one seen on the cover of Motor Trend magazine  back in the day.

Vitamin C , black bucket seat interior, 440 six barrel , console auto,  3rd bird built and the 1st bird released for consumer sales.


We've talked to a few people from back in the day and from the NJ /NY area that used to work in the press pool and so far we think it's his car.

[gtx6970]

IF , it's the same car. This is how it sits,,,,, right now.
patiently waiting it's turn .
the car is packed with NOS parts for the restoration.

[gtx6970]

other view
There are parts stacked all over it, in the trunk, and the interior is packed with NOS anything / everything Bird . He's owned since the early 80's and has been collecting parts for it ever since. But sadly the car has not moved in over 20 years. I don't think he's even opedn the door to look inside in over 10 years. Although he's talking about fixing some things and getting it running and back on the road maybe next year. And the restoration can be done by the next owner afters he long gone.

[pettybird]

that's a good looking bird to be sitting for that long...get on him!

[Redbird]

FWIW, I believe both the Motor Trend cover car and the Auto Show Superbird both had tires that said "Polyglass GT" with no size designation. I realize tires are easily changed but they were at least the same tires in '69-'70.

Here is a '60's Detroit Auto Show antenna ariel pennant. It is rubberized fabric. I believe it originally had a sleeve like the Plymouth ariel flag, but someone likely left it on an ariel-went driving with the car on the freeway-and the pennant seam tattered.

[gtx6970]

that's a good looking bird to be sitting for that long...get on him!

It was in the rotation ( He has several cars)  to be redone several years ago, but something always comes up to push it back another year, then another, then another, then another.

And now I think he's just going to get some things fixed and drive it basically as is.
It has some bubbles under the vinyl top that needs address, ( original top ) and the car was painted MANY years ago long before he bought it and it's a bit dull now ( looks great when it's raining though). So the top will come off to address those. Otherwise ,,,  It's a decent looking car with a good cleaning. It's just not up to snuff by todays standards.

I think he's going to get on it maybe late next year , go thru the brakes and fuel system , charge the dealer installed A/C and drive it.

[Redbird]

I was at Mopars in the Park this past weekend and I spoke to both Buddy Martin and Don Grotheer about their going to auto shows in the late 1960's and early 1970's.

I brought some pictures with to ask questions with.

I have a picture of Don Grotheer's 1970 Pro Stock 'Cuda in front of the Vit-C Superbird show car at the 1970 New York auto show (April 1970). Don Grotheer told me that the 1970 New York auto show was the 1st time he had been to New York. Chrysler told him to go. Don said that they took his car hauler with the 1 car on it to NYC. He traveled with his press person. They unloaded the car at the New York Coliseum and stayed in NYC for 10-12 days. He signed autographs and answered questions. Don said Plymouth put them up at something like a Holiday Inn close to the Coliseum. The car hauler was stored off site for the duration of the show. Don couldn't recall how the car was brought into the Coliseum. I also asked how they kept any fluids from leaking on to the floor, but the answer was indeterminate.

I asked Buddy Martin about the auto shows. Buddy said that he was the one who usually went to the shows and that Ronnie usually didn't go. FWIW I have a picture of what I think is Buddy at the 1972 Chicago Auto Show next to the 1971 S & M Road Runner signing autographs, and the S & M car is on the base that held the Superbird for the 1970 auto shows. Regardless, Buddy said he went to shows in Detroit, Chicago and NY in that period. Buddy said he didn't go to other shows. I asked about Los Angeles and he said "no". My note here:I just don't think the LA show was that important at that time. I asked Buddy where he stayed in NYC, "Holiday Inn"? Buddy said it was a better place than that but that it was close to the Coliseum. Buddy said that he traveled to the auto shows with his press person. Buddy said he signed autographs and answered questions for the public. He said he did not give presentations or talks like the Supercar clinics at the auto shows. He also said he spent quite a bit of time with Pete Hamilton at the auto shows. Note here: Pete's Charger 500 was at the 1969 Detroit auto show and I have pictures of Pete signing autographs at the 1971 Chicago Auto Show. I asked Buddy about the base the Superbird was on in the 1970 auto shows. Note here that the S & M 1969 Road Runner was on that base in Detroit for the 1969 show (Fall 1968), the 1971 S & M Road Runner was on that base for the 1972 Chicago auto show, and the Duster 1 was on that base for the 1969 Chicago and NY shows. Buddy said the union guys were really good at getting cars on displays. They had ramps to get the cars up and down. I had a picture of the display with the cups the wheels sat in for the shows. I asked Buddy how they got the cars in the cups. He said he thought they rocked it back and forth, putting shims under it as they moved it to get it high enough to get out of the cups. He did not recall that the cups moved up and down as part of the show display and seemed to recall that the display was stationary.

I had a picture of the 1971 S & M Road Runner at the 1971 Chicago show to show Buddy. Buddy said "we didn't race that car".

Something I am curious about is how they changed the spacing for the cup tire holders. I would think they had to have different spacing for the b-body cars and Duster 1 because the wheelbase was shortened on the Duster 1.

[hemi68charger]

I was at Mopars in the Park ...

Thanks for the reflection..........

[Ghoste]

I wonder if the top was removable to allow differently spaced cups for cars?

[PettyMower]

(December 19, 1969)

Here's a dealership ad claiming to have the Detroit Auto Show car.

[Fitz73Chrgr]

It's just not up to snuff by todays standards.

I think he's going to get on it maybe late next year , go thru the brakes and fuel system , charge the dealer installed A/C and drive it.

Today's standards cause people to take apart perfectly drivable and enjoyable cars to make them perfect show cars that never see the road. 

I'm glad he's thinking about just driving it instead.  More people should do just that.

[odcics2]

(December 19, 1969)

Here's a dealership ad claiming to have the Detroit Auto Show car.

Hmmm, the show was before Thanksgiving, IIRC.
That would be a month after the show. 
Maybe the car made a few other stops? 

[Redbird]

It seems to me that the ad simply says "A" Superbird.

If it was the exact car, I'm thinking the wording would be much more definitive.

There also is the matter of the VIT-C car(s) at the Chicago and NY shows to explain.

There were plenty of Superbirds distributed in Detroit, from the Ken Brown cars to the Armory car.

Lets find Lucius Slade and Linda Watkins, then maybe we'll know more.

Time is passing by.

[Aero426]

Remember the golden rule that "all salesman lie".      You cannot read too much into the ad.

The Vitamin C Superbird would have been part of the auto show exhibit, just like the Buddy Baker #6 Daytona show car.     When it wasn't on display at a major show, it would be parked in Detroit.  I guess it is possible to be at a dealer in late 1969, but probably not for sale.    Most likely, the car displayed would be a similar machine.   Ditto to the car Mr. Slade received.