Hidden in the Rafters- The Valuable Gem of a 1970 Plymouth Superbird Hemi 4-Speed Discovered in a Shop


Here’s something familiar, but with a twist – it’s another barn find, featured by YouTube channel Auto Archaeology in a recent video. However, this example is only accessible by drone, and it also happens to be an extremely valuable muscle car.

Everyone knows that Plymouth Superbirds are rare and carry a sizeable price tag, but this one is one of the most prized of all; a Superbird Hemi 4-speed.

That combination is the rarest and most desirable these days, but the owners were already one step ahead of the market and threw the car up onto the rafters of a workshop to keep it out of harms way. Here’s the brief yet fascinating story of how it ended up there.

A 1970 Plymouth Superbird Hemi 4-Speed: Hidden In Plain View

Auto Archaeology’s host is a prolific barn find hunter who has seen and documented many machines in varying states of condition. In this world of rust and patina, the Superbird is a rare sight, but especially one in this type of suspended animation. The muscle car is literally suspended in midair over the rafters of a workshop, custom-made to hold the ‘Bird.

Although he visited the shop previously in 2017, the barn find hunter came back recently to capture more of the iconic 70s classic car. He uses a drone to take closeup shots of the car, which is a little crusty but in good condition.

After getting saved from a used car dealer years ago, the owner decided to put it up out of the way onto its current resting place with the help of a heavy-duty forklift. There are no details of if or when the car will be getting a restoration, but it looks like a great investment – shame it won’t be on the road any time soon.

How Much Is This 1970 Plymouth Superbird Hemi 4-Speed Worth?

1970 Plymouth Superbird Hemi 4-Speed rear quarter view closeup
Via: YouTube via Auto Archaeology

As we know, the Superbird is a valuable muscle car, but the Hemi-engined examples are worth the most due to their rarity and performance. The desirable 4-speed manual transmission is a bonus and likely to increase the value of this classic even further.

There were three engines available for the Plymouth Superbird, the 440-ci Commando, the slightly-more valuable 440-ci Six Pack, and the 425-hp, 426-ci Hemi V8. Out of the three engines, this was the rarest with only 135 examples out of a total of 1920 Superbirds.

At auction, the Hemi Superbird is worth an average of about $650,000, and Hagerty suggests that a ‘Good’ example will still fetch around $400,000.

This one is in need of a restoration, but it looks pretty complete from the video and photos. Presumably the owners will be wanting to hang onto it for the foreseeable future, but this ‘Bird is one exciting investment opportunity.

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