Jump to content
Model Cars Magazine Forum

1/24 Revell '70 Plymouth Superbird


Recommended Posts

  • 3 weeks later...

Monogram Never issued a kit of Richard's Road Runner. Yes the second issue of this kit had decals to

"Simulate" Richard's on track Superbird, but this kit has always, & Only built a Stock 'Bird.

I have that kit sealed, and an original issue started. Yes the Bird is based on the Original GTX,

& the Road Runner came third. I have the GTX started too (Bright Green Oringal issue) and an

open Runner. I have not started that one though

Jo-Han's kit could be built as Richard's Bird or a Stock ride, but did not include the vinyl top.

I think the depressions in the nose are wrong on the Jo-Han kit too. The nose was for Aerodynamics

and that would have added drag. I believe Jo-Han did that to ease in painting the black-out area

around the head light doors.

Richard took a 68 Road Runner to Daytona with a Vinyl top.

To hide tampering, or test the use of it is anyone's guess. It Pealed during the race & had to be taped

I think some one even said it was to help keep the inside cooler, but I think they would have gone with

a WHITE top for that instead of the Black one they had.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

guy's the painted on Vinyle top was put on to hide the fack that the front fenders had been cut down to compete with the more slippery fords, mercury's and chargers of the time. Richard had complained to Chrysler about driving the box(road runner). Chrysler would not let Richard Drive a charger as he was there plymouth man. That is why richard went to ford in 69, that is why chrysler built the superbird for richard in 70. If you read richards bio on him, that is why when another 68 road runner next to richards road runner at a race track dale inman richard crew chief told the other drive get that dam car out of here. Remember cale yarbought telling nascar make sure you check thar roof on richards car, i know he did something to that car roof. nascar checked it and checked again to find nothing wrong with. The painted on vinyle roof was put on to hide the fact of the cut down fenders so the car would slid through the air as good as the other makes. that fact was in richard bio, by dale inman. richard has never admitted to anything? including the over size fuel tank. Richard Petty fan and Mopar fan when nobody liked them, but kicked there you know what!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok have it your way. I read it that the top was done that way to take away from the fenders and sure got Cale and Nascar to look the other way. And yes there was the story about the speed thing with paint on the top, as I heard that was told to Nascar to let them keep at the top

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I could see where the roof would distract given the suspicious nature of crew chiefs and drivers of thing that seem out of the ordinary to them on other cars and by making sure an unaltered car was not next to them was imperative!

I was under the impression by what some others in the know here have said, that part of the reason for the spray on vinyl top was because they had dipped the body down so thin the roof was flexing way too much. The thick coating helped some but still wasn't enough and resulted in the sheet metal tearing along the welds above the windshield where it joined the roll cage!

Tests were done back in the day that seemed to indicate the air rode over the highest points of the texture of a vinyl roof creating less drag! Even some drag racers tried it out with no noticeable improvement!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've got the blue version & a couple of the GTX's, from years back. They all share the same high back seats.

Is there a front bench I could use ?

The Revell 1/24 '70 Road Runner kit has a nice bench seat and non-console (not sure if it's a correct bench seat lever or not) Pistol Grip floor shifter, but the upholstery pattern is of the base line RR, instead of the top of the line GTX. The entire '70 RR interior is a nice upgrade over the older '70 Monogram 1/24 Mopar B-body interiors.

Here are some detailed pics of the '70 RR interior I used inside the GTX body and chassis:

70satinterior.jpg

70satheadrestdetail.jpg

70satRdoorpanel.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 3 years later...

Look what the cat dragged-in !

This kit's origins date to c.1982 , the year that the moulded-in-close-to-Lime-Lite-Green 1970 GTX 440 Six Barrel kit was released .

The GTX was reissued as a 2-in-1--complete with the aforementioned Torque-Thrust wheels , tunnel ram with dual 4 Bbl's , and custom decals-- in c.1988 .

The Superbird was announced in 1987 , but wasn't released until early 1988 . That modified-reissue had its body updated to Superbird livery :

- 1970 Coronet fenders

- Nosecone

- Wing

- A-pillar airfoils

- Vinyle top

- "Flush" backlight

The decals were a joke at best on the original issue ! Everyone whom was building one ended up using the decals from the MPC 1971 phantom Superbird (a very commonly-available kit in 1988).

The Chrysler Deluxe 14" Road Wheels (see attached image) are correct for a 440 Super Commando and 440 Six Barrel , whereas the Hemi-packaged cars had requesite 15" wheels , Rallye or plain with hubcaps .

post-6643-0-72301300-1426458688_thumb.jp

I'm not sure whether or not the Superbird was offered with the P6-- interior (see attached image) from the factory . Every 'bird I've ever seen had the base bench seat interior (okay , 1 had its interior swapped --- in the early 80's according to its owner --- to P6XW "GTX" interior) .

post-6643-0-62584300-1426458725_thumb.jp

I really like the idea of building a customised version ; a period-correct piece ( side pipes , jacked-up rear , custom paint , etc. , etc. ) .

I also agree that the Shear Panels ( colloq. , "inner fenders" ) look like dog dung . What's up with those melting batteries , overflow reservoirs , windscreen washer reservoirs , etc. ???

Oh , well ... relatively easy 'fix' .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Birds were avial with 14" wheel in either the 5 spoke road wheel or the silver rallye wheels ( both has trim rings as standard equipment )

15" rallye wheel were standard on Hemi car,but optional on the others .

I am about 99% sure ,,,,,, a plain steel wheel was NOT avail or offered with any kind of hubcap choice

Bucket seats or bench were avail,,but the only interior colors avail were black or white .

As just a general info, ALL superbirds had a black vinyl top, no exception and ir-regardless of exterior color choice.

Edited by gtx6970
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...