When Smithfield Foods wanted a Plymouth Superbird built for a giveaway they turned to Richard Petty and his Petty’s Garage in Randleman, North Carolina. The company started with a 1970 Plymouth Road Runner they purchased in December, 2016. The body required many hours in rust repair with the entire floor, rear outer wheel wells, rear panel parts, and both quarter panels being replaced. Then came more hours of grafting the fiberglass Superbird panels. Under the hood sits a 392 ci Gen 3 Hemi V8 that produces 505 horsepower and 495 lb-ft of torque. The drivetrain consists of a Silver Sport A41 four-speed automatic transmission connected to a Chrysler 8.75″ rear end with 3.73 gears.
Full Specs:
Engine:
- Mopar “Scat Pack” Apache 6.4 L Gen 3 Hemi V8
- iron block with four-bolt main caps
- iron crank
- powdered metal rods
- hypereutectic cast pistons
- alumunim A319 heads
- stock hydraulic roller camshaft
- 10.9:1 compression
Output:
- 505 hp
- 495 lb-ft
Exhaust:
- TTi headers
- Magnaflow exhaust
Drivetrain:
- Silver Sport A41 transmission
- Chrysler 8.75″ rear end with 3.73 gears
Suspension:
- Front-
- stock with QA1 swap bar
- QA1 double-adjustable shocks
- REar-
- stock with Super Stock leaf springs
- QA1 double-adjustable shocks
Brakes:
- Front-
- Wilwood 14″ rotor
- Wilwood four-piston calipers
- Rear-
- Wilwood 12.88″ rotor
- Wilwood four-piston calipers
Body:
- 1970 Coronet hood
- Dodge Cornet Fenders
- fiberglass Superbird nose
Wheels & Tires:
- Front-
- Circle Racing Magnum 500 19×8 wheels
- General Tire G-Max AS-05 225/40/19
- Rear-
- Circle Racing Magnum 500 20×9.5 wheels
- General Tire G-Max AS-05 275/40/20
Source: Petty’s Garage (project page and build album) and Petty’s Garage FB page
Maybe I’m showing my age here, but large-diameter rims + low-profile tires usually just look *wrong* on a car from that era.
I was going to make the same comment, those wheels really don’t suit the car.
Not to be a “Me Too” but I love the car, hate the wheels!
Me also. I’d rather see some 15″ Cragers or other period correct rim, even some Petty blue painted steel wheels would look good.