Autoblog

EPA's classic 1970 Plymouth Superbird a no-sale in Atlantic City auction

Jeff Sabatini — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Chrysler

If there's one thing we've learned from the Barrett-Jackson hype machine, it's that if you want to sell an old car for ungodly sums of money, it helps to have a good yarn to tell about it. Which is why we're somewhat shocked to see this Superbird fail to attract enough interest from bidders at the Atlantic City Classic Car Auction this past weekend.

The 1970 Plymouth Superbird you see above was formerly the property of the Environmental Protection Agency, which used it in some seminal air pollution tests, racing the car down a runway against a jet to measure emissions. The story is a fascinating piece of history, in that this particular Superbird was a product of NASCAR legend Ray Nichels, the chief race car builder for Chrysler during the company's prolific late 1960's period.

Yet that wasn't enough to push bidding past $175,000, so the car will go home to its current owner, Brian Chaffee of E-Muscle in Middlefield, CT. Chaffee spent three and a half years restoring the unique muscle car after acquiring it in 2006, missing the tail end of the historic run-up in muscle car prices in the process.

While the collector market has corrected itself during the past few years of economic uncertainty, the Hagerty Price Guide still lists #1 condition '70 Superbirds packing 440 power as $182,000 cars. So the top bid in Atlantic City was a few thousand light even for a car without such provenance.

EPA's classic 1970 Plymouth Superbird a no-sale in Atlantic City auction originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 03 Mar 2012 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HPP Richard Petty Superbird

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Quick Spins

Love It Or Hate It, You Will Notice It

The gents at Heide Performance Products (HPP) make cars that get attention. The philosophy, at least, should appeal to enthusiasts who experience gastric distress whenever they look at another evolution of the mid-sized-fits-all Camcordimabu.

That hasn't been the case, however - at least not in our comments. Once we post on HPP's SEMA-riffic offerings like the Camaro-based Trans-Am or Challenger-based Charger Daytona, we don't have long to wait for a sharp opinion.

We visited HPP's workshop in suburban Detroit and were given a brief opportunity to form some opinions inside a car, the Petty Superbird, and burn a little gas in the process. Foremost among the revelations: HPP isn't really trying to revive a car; it is reviving an attitude.

Continue reading HPP Richard Petty Superbird

HPP Richard Petty Superbird originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Book Review: Legendary Race Cars by Basem Wasef [w/VIDEO]

Jonny Lieberman — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:57:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

Maserati 8CM number 3011 from Legendary Race Cars - Click above for high-res image gallery

Confused as to what to do with all the Barnes & Nobles and Amazon.com gift cards your in-laws pelted you with this Holiday season? Be confused no more! Legendary Race Cars is the book every pistonhead needs sitting on their night stand in 2010. We really hope you haven't gone all Kindle on us, because Basem Wasef's coffee table-sized book is loaded bow to stern with gorgeous photographs of some of the most desirable cars ever built, let alone raced. Wasef took all the non-vintage pictures, too, and they're quite stunning.

What cars? Well, that's the really fantastic part. Put it like this: had we been asked to write such a book, our choices wouldn't have been much different. There are 25 legendary racers in all, spanning from motorsports earliest days right on up to the present. In truth, a great mix of racing machines.

The first car discussed is the Ford GT40 and the last is Sterling Moss's Mercedes-Benz 300SLR - the No. 722 car. In between you get Carroll Shelby's Aston Martin DBR1 and Cobra Daytona Coupe, all the Auto Union Grand Prix Cars, Senna's McLaren MP4/4, Fangio's Maserati 250F and of course the brutally awesome Porsche 917. Each car is discussed in informative, enthusiastic and playful detail, yet the text is never slavish or obsessive. If you want to know who cut the Maserati 8CM's splines, look elsewhere.

And that's not even the half of it, as Legendary Race Cars is loaded with more winners like Richard Petty's Plymouth SuperBird, the first round the world winner, the Thomas Flyer, the Indy-dominating Marmon Wasp (first car to ever employ a rear-view mirror!), Audi's Group B killer S1 Quattro, Schumacher's Ferraris, McRae's Subarus and even Ecurie Ecosse's Jaguars.

Some of you might be familiar with Basem Wasef's first book, Legendary Motorcycles. If you are, you'll no doubt remember that Jay Leno wrote the introduction to that one. Not bad for your first book. For his second book, Basem got none other than Sir Stirling Moss to pen the foreword, which, for you whippersnappers who have no clue who Sir Stirling is, would be like getting Snoop Dogg to help you write an essay about gangsta rappers and marijuana.

Here's part of what Moss has to say, "Selecting these 25 legendary cars cannot have been easy. Automobiles, like paintings and other works of art, have different effects on different people... I would hate to have been making the choice - but I am enormously proud and happy to have been invited to write the foreword for this book." All we can do is say wow. For his third book, Mr. Wasef will no doubt be writing it in Colin Chapman's blood. Until then, pick up a copy of Legendary Race Cars (It's $23.10 right now at Amazon). You won't regret it one iota. Make the jump to watch Basem Wasef discuss Legendary Race Cars with none other than Jay Leno, and don't forget to check out the gallery that's filled with some choice stills from the book.

Gallery: Legendary Race Cars

Continue reading Book Review: Legendary Race Cars by Basem Wasef [w/VIDEO]

Book Review: Legendary Race Cars by Basem Wasef [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The backstory behind HPP's showstopping Daytona conversion... is a Chevy Camaro next?

Jonny Lieberman — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Classics, Coupe, Performance, Dodge

HPP Daytona - Click above for high-res image gallery

When we saw the HPP Daytona at this year's SEMA show, two things became very apparent. One, we'd really like to drive it. Two, we need better pictures of it. See, the poor thing got itself shoved into a tight booth at SEMA and we just couldn't get too many decent shots. So, being the enterprising lads that we are, we wrote HPP and asked if they had some better pictures. Guess what? You're looking at 'em.

One thing we really dig about these studio shots is the detailing. Just check out the custom exhaust tips - the square suckers sticking out of the Daytona's side behind the rear wheel. Nifty, no? Great hood latches, great front splitter, good looking (and apparently functional) hood scoops and really nice hood pins. And just look at that wing - fabulous. Really, the more we look, the more we like this 600-horsepower supercharged bad boy. Which leaves us with one big question: who is HPP?

Well now, included with the purty pictures was a very interesting explanation to that very question. Gordon M. Heidacker is the president of Heide Performance Products (HPP). He's been in the car business for 23 years, working for AMC and Chrysler while getting his hands dirty with cars like Plymouth Prowler and Dodge Viper. After the Cerberus debacle, Heidacker decided to go it on his own, and set up HPP to fill, "a general hole in the market for accessories and upscale vehicles that could be converted into passionate expressions of metal, glass, plastic to become rolling art." Sounds good by us.

As far as this here Daytona goes, Heidacker had a conversation with Chrysler explaining what he and his team wanted to do. And if Chrysler liked it, they'd fund it. But, as Heidacker points out, they "Delivered that proposal to Mopar exactly 1.5 hours before they declared bankruptcy. So we decided to internally fund the project." Timing, as it's said, is everything. What's next for HPP? Next up is another Challenger, but for next year's SEMA show, they'll be bringing a Chevrolet Camaro. We, for one, will be there. For a partial list of the 50 individual changes HPP made to the Challenger when turning it into the Daytona, make the jump.

Gallery: HPP Daytona Studio Shots

Gallery: SEMA 2009: HPP Daytona Challenger

[Source: hppcars.com]

Continue reading The backstory behind HPP's showstopping Daytona conversion... is a Chevy Camaro next?

The backstory behind HPP's showstopping Daytona conversion... is a Chevy Camaro next? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEMA 2009: HPP Daytona is one big Hot Wheels toy

Jonny Lieberman — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Coupe, Performance, Dodge

HPP Daytona - Click above image for high-res gallery

We've been hearing about this car for three days, but we just couldn't find it. Then, just before lunch, one of our intrepid reporters tracked the beast down within the tropical bowels of Las Vegas Convention Center's Central Hall. Behold: the HPP Daytona!

Yes, it's a new Dodge Challenger wearing a Charger Daytona costume, but updated for today's muscle car aficionados. Under the hood sits a standard 5.7-liter HEMI V8, further proving the point that when it comes to the Daytona/Superbird, it's what's on the outside that counts! Luckily for us, HPP did a pretty decent job on the outside.

The nose cone works, and works well. Here comes the hate mail, but this author thinks the nose actually looks better than the original 1969 Charger Daytona's does. Here's a pic for reference. To be fair, the HPP's schnoz is actually much more like a Plymouth Superbird's than the Dodge. The wheels are great, the fake vents on the door are bad, the stance is right... and then we get to the rear wing.

While we're positive that it's the same dimensions as the mondo-sized Daytona/Superbird wing, the new Challenger's trunk is about half the length of the Sixties/Seventies cars. Meaning it looks... not quite right. Also, this Mopar muscle car has grown so much since forty years ago that the car is just screaming for more wing. But we'll still happily take one, as the HPP Daytona was/is totally worth the hunt.

Gallery: SEMA 2009: HPP Daytona Challenger

SEMA 2009: HPP Daytona is one big Hot Wheels toy originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2007 Barrett-Jackson, Scottsdale: Hemi Superbird and Daytona Sold at $750,000

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 20:32:00 EST

Filed under: Auctions, Chrysler, Dodge

Click on the image for a high-res gallery of photos of this pair

Once upon a time, the "SC" in NASCAR actually stood for stock car and the machines that raced at Daytona and Talladega actually were based on production vehicles. In the late sixties Chrysler decided to follow the rules that limited body modifications and created a pair of machines that would get an unfair advantage on the high banks. Thus the Plymouth Superbird and Dodge Daytona Charger were born. The cars came from the factory with a long pointed nose and high mounted rear wing, so that they could run with the same configuration in NASCAR.

The aerodynamic modifications combined with the classic Chrysler Hemi made them almost unbeatable on the track. One example of each of these ultra-rare cars were paired up and offered at this year's Barrett-Jackson auction. The bronze colored 1969 Charger, is one of 22 built and the blue 1970 Superbird is one of 58. Both cars are equipped with 426 cu.in. Hemi V-8s and 4 speed gearboxes. The Dodge is recently restored and the Plymouth is still original. And as a sidenote, only 4 original Superbirds remain. Click the links to read the full history of each of these amazing cars. The pair sold for $750,000.

[Source: Frank Filipponio]

Gallery: 2007 Barrett-Jackson, Scottsdale: Hemi Superbird and Daytona

2007 Barrett-Jackson, Scottsdale: Hemi Superbird and Daytona Sold at $750,000 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Jan 2007 20:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CNN reports Top 10 Muscle Car Stars

Alex Nunez — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 16:55:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Etc., Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GM

CNN Money has published a list of the "Top 10 Muscle Car Stars" as compiled by Kelley Blue Book. Some of the picks are obvious, such as the Hemi 'Cuda convertible, GTO Judge convertible, and the venerable Plymouth Superbird. More of a surprise is the presence of the Ford Torino Talladega, which is labeled as an up-and-comer in the muscle car marketplace. With values currently in the $30,000 range, the Torino is still attainable by those who don't have six-figure budgets to work with.

Also, despite lists like this one, it's always good to remember that one doesn't need a paddle at Barrett-Jackson to get into the game. Local newspapers and weeklies are always a great place to start. Sure, you may not find a concours-level, numbers-matching, rare-engined stunner, but you can find great bargains that are as much or more fun to work on and to drive.

All that said, here's the top 10 list as reported by CNN:

1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda convertible - $2,000,000
1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS-454/LS-6 convertible - $369,000
1969 Pontiac GTO "Judge" convertible - $205,200
1964 Shelby Cobra 289 Roadster - $329,100
1969 Dodge Charger R/T-440 hardtop - $170,000
1968 Shelby GT-500-KR convertible - $191,000
1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z-28/SS coupe - $91,700
1970 Oldsmobile 442/W-30 hardtop -$85,960
1970 Plymouth Superbird-440 hardtop - $107,500
1969 Ford Torino-Talladega hardtop - $37,100

Read the whole story for photos and expanded descriptions of the cars listed.

Agree? Disagree? Let's hear what your favorites are in the comments section.

Photo: Alex Nunez

[Source: CNN Money]

CNN reports Top 10 Muscle Car Stars originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Jun 2006 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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