GTP Cool Wall: Plymouth Superbird Hemi

[Liquid]

*Whiff Of Scriptchard* And, nevertheless, he's a total bell.

Plus, the car is big, ugly and ostentatious with all the guile and grace of a loud tourist wearing a "fanny pack" asking where the freedom fries are.

And yet... it is still cool. There's something very likeable about any car which dabbled in the early days of aerodynamics. Pushing the frontiers of car, and racing, evolution.

 

[Tyger]

It's cool but in the same way the Batmobile is cool. It's just a little too daft to be SZ for me. As for the speed, 230 would probably be physically impossible even with the tacked on aero bits, but I think I read somewhere they could hit 180+, probably in race trim. If you want to pretend to drive the Dodge version look no further than Forza 4.

 

[Joey D]

I don't like muscle cars, especially ones that look as stupid as this does. However, it's iconic enough to turn heads and attract a crowd so it's barely in the cool section.

 

[Slash]

230? I don't mean to be cynical but I highly doubt they were going that fast.

I'm talking the race spec version. I've read that some examples have touched close. It broke 200mph at Talledega on March 24th, 1970. It usually ran an average of 177-ish on most tracks. Maybe not 230, but a few sites claim 220. This is one of them

http://www.russoandsteele.com/collector-car/1969-Dodge-Daytona-500-Charger/377



I think something else that's cool about this car is that it's drag coefficient of .28 was unmatched for years.

 

[FordMKIVJ5]

I'm talking the race spec version. I've read that some examples have touched close. It broke 200mph at Talledega on March 24th, 1970. It usually ran an average of 177-ish on most tracks. Maybe not 230, but a few sites claim 220. This is one of them

http://www.russoandsteele.com/collector-car/1969-Dodge-Daytona-500-Charger/377



I think something else that's cool about this car is that it's drag coefficient of .28 was unmatched for years.

Seeing as 900hp machines weighing only 800kg were hitting 240mph on the Mulsanne I find it hard to believe 230 for the Daytona/Superbird.

217 sounds more like it. 👍

 

[Rotary Junkie]

Interesting thing about that wing: It's not there for downforce and the top bar is less there for any real aerodynamic purpose and more to hold the sides of it up.

Yeah.

Sub-zero.

 

[Bopop4]

Cool.

It would be sub-zero but something about it puts me off.

What happened to seeing who voted what on the poll?

 

[MoLiEG]

Subzero...



Like I said on some other thread... I'd kill for one of those...

 

[GranTurismo916]

Sub-Zero, no question.

 

[White & Nerdy]

Cool.

It would be sub-zero but something about it puts me off.

What happened to seeing who voted what on the poll?

I did a stupid thing. For some reason I thought private results would be better, since people would be more likely to vote their true feelings about a car without having to worry about how they'd be percieved by the rest of the site.

Tomorrow's poll will have public results.

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

Uncool. Looks fast, isn't. Huge, ginormous, landyacht comes to mind. Heavy. Gas guzzler.

 

[Slash]

Uncool. Looks fast, isn't. Huge, ginormous, landyacht comes to mind. Heavy. Gas guzzler.

It's actually not as heavy as you might think.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

The wing's just goofy. I'd rather have a '71 'cuda, which is way less expensive and way cooler.


Given that it's sort of the "overachieving" big sister of the super model, and it's got a gaudy wing, I'm going to have to say seriously uncool.

 

[Tornado]

Uncool. Looks fast, isn't. Huge, ginormous, landyacht comes to mind. Heavy. Gas guzzler.

By what measure? Circa-1970 there wouldn't have been too many cars that were faster. They were certainly quite heavy and would handle like garbage and a regular Road Runner would run away from it at a strip, but they were functional in their mission. Couple that to the ~360 or so horsepower that the car would have had in Hemi guise, and 150 or so MPH is probably a very safe estimate. The contemporary Corvette could almost get up to that with the L89 engine (which would likely have put out about the same power).

 

[Slash]

I read that speeds for the street version were tested up to 188mph in some cases. I'll see if I can find the link. That surprised me.

 

[Nicksfix]

This car is more SUB-ZERO than Antarctica could ever dream of being in the dead of Winter.

 

[Murcie_LP640]

I said it in the nominations thread so I guess I'll say it here too.

Automatic Sub-Zero.

 

[Tornado]

I read that speeds for the street version were tested up to 188mph in some cases. I'll see if I can find the link. That surprised me.

I doubt a stock one could do it. It was slippery, but the frontal area would still be fairly high simply because of how large the base cars were. That would also be pretty far removed from the stock gearing, because only the Charger Daytona could be had with alternate final drives.

A C5 Corvette coupe would have a similar coefficient of drag (I think they had .29 for the hatch) and horsepower to a Hemi Superbird but most likely a smaller frontal area; and I'm pretty doubtful one of those would make it to 188 even if geared properly.

 

[Slash]

I doubt a stock one could do it. It was slippery, but the frontal area would still be fairly high simply because of how large the base cars were. That would also be pretty far removed from the stock gearing, because only the Charger Daytona could be had with alternate final drives.

A C5 Corvette coupe would have a similar coefficient of drag (I think they had .29 for the hatch) and horsepower to a Hemi Superbird but most likely a smaller frontal area; and I'm pretty doubtful one of those would make it to 188 even if geared properly.

I was pretty doubtful when I heard that. 165 isn't out of the question though. I've been over 155 in a stock small block Camaro so it makes me wonder.

Edit:

I'm finding a range between 146 and 185. Apparently all stock with a 3.23 rear end, it will do 140-145 and with slicks and a carb tune it will do 185 on a track but the 0-60 suffers. The NASCAR versions do over 200, I've read up to 220.

Lot of ranges.

 

[Sage Ages]

Sub-Zero

Because Joe Dirt.

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

It's close to 1800kg, that sounds pretty heavy for me. And top speed of 143mph, while faster than contemporary cars, is bit meh considering the hype around these cars and their motors.

 

[Zenith]

Fast =/= Cool.

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

Big motor =/= Cool.

 

[FordMKIVJ5]

I was pretty doubtful when I heard that. 165 isn't out of the question though. I've been over 155 in a stock small block Camaro so it makes me wonder.

Edit:

I'm finding a range between 146 and 185. Apparently all stock with a 3.23 rear end, it will do 140-145 and with slicks and a carb tune it will do 185 on a track but the 0-60 suffers. The NASCAR versions do over 200, I've read up to 220.

Lot of ranges.

I think it's safe to say that racing versions could top 217mph (Bonneville run) and that road cars could probably only do about 150mph in stock form.

This car is heavy (whereas the NASCAR versions would clearly be a lot lighter), and having that weight pulling the car into the ground severely hinders top speed.

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

If you tried to drive one of these in the UK, everyone would think you're a total bell.

I'm sorry but I don't think everyone would think that here.

If I drove that around where I live, barely anyone would know what it is and would wonder why I put that rear spoiler on it.

 

[Famine]

... and think you're a total bell for doing so.

They'd see twenty foot of battleship with a broken staircase on the back and think "What a bell". If they hadn't already thought that from hearing you coming in seven litres of oppressiveness.

Those that didn't would think "Bet he doesn't get good mileage from that", "How does he park it?" and "HE'S KILLING MOTHER EARTH, THE EVIL GAIA-HATER".

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

... and think you're a total bell for doing so.

They'd see twenty foot of battleship with a broken staircase on the back and think "What a bell". If they hadn't already thought that from hearing you coming in seven litres of oppressiveness.

Those that didn't would think "Bet he doesn't get good mileage from that", "How does he park it?" and "HE'S KILLING MOTHER EARTH, THE EVIL GAIA-HATER".

You're probably right with the economy and parking thing. Most folk round here don't appreciate a nice car and just say 'I bet my Mondeo gets better mileage'

To be honest they'd think I'm less of a 'bell' than a 17 year old chav in his riced Corsa driving everywhere at 90mph laying down with dubstep blaring out.

 

[Famine]

Probably the same level - you wouldn't be in the two/three box comfort zone.

Also, as if a Corsa can do 90.

 

[Tornado]

I think it's safe to say that racing versions could top 217mph (Bonneville run) and that road cars could probably only do about 150mph in stock form.

This car is heavy (whereas the NASCAR versions would clearly be a lot lighter), and having that weight pulling the car into the ground severely hinders top speed.

Weight has little to do with top speed. Drag and horsepower are far more important.

 

[Adamgp]

Sub-Zero

Because Joe Dirt.

Useless movie trivia:

Joe Dirt's car was a 1969 Charger Daytona, not a Superbird. It was a fake Daytona at that, it was actually a regular 1969 318 powered Charger made up to look like a Daytona.