There’s a secret story behind Richard Petty’s long lost Plymouth Superbird

  • This Plymouth Superbird once owned by Richard Petty has a fascinating backstory
  • The car was ultimately rediscovered by a collector named Todd Werner
  • Petty Enterprises helped Werner to confirm the car was genuine

Published on Sep 05, 2024 at 2:08 PM (UTC+4)
by Daksh Chaudhary

Last updated on Sep 05, 2024 at 8:44 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Tom Wood

The long-lost Plymouth Superbird owned by Richard Petty has a fascinating back story that was forgotten for years.

The car was ultimately rediscovered by a collector named Todd Werner, bringing back the story of the NASCAR legend and his iconic car on the surface.

Werner’s love for the car took him to Petty Enterprises, where he confirmed it was one of the original 1970 Superbird.

Let’s take a look, shall we?

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Restoring the Plymouth Superbird owned by Richard Petty

The amazing story of this Superbird’s journey back to glory was covered on YouTube by Steve Lehto.

The folks at Petty Enterprises didn’t just help Werner to confirm the car was the genuine article, but also helped him to restore his Plymouth Superbird back to the original 1970s condition.

The restoration was a detailed process, but the end result was beyond Werner’s expectations.

Todd even got to take it for a spin at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where it shared the track with some Fords and the legendary Bobby Isaac’s car from the same era.

Why was Superbird made?

Now, why Plymouth created the Superbird – a car with a distinctive nosecone and a massive rear wing – is another fascinating story.

Richard Petty left Chevy for Ford, and it was an attempt by the company to bring the NASCAR legend back.

Also, this car was the perfect rival for Dodge’s Charger Daytona, a speed beast of its time.

Petty didn’t just return, the Plymouth Superbird became synonymous with his name.

He even signed the last unit of the car, which is presently owned by a classic car fan.

However, despite its rich history, Petty’s Superbird was unfortunately forgotten until Todd Werner stumbled upon it and vowed to bring it back to life.

Todd Werner is lucky, as not everyone gets the chance to ride in such a significant piece of history.


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Daksh Chaudhary

Meet Daksh: Not your typical pro, but definitely a pro at being fascinated by supercars, tech, and all things futuristic. When he's not nose-deep in work, catch him glued to anime screens or lost in the pages of a good book.