When the Plymouth Superbird hit the sales floor in 1970 it was essentially a slightly toned down NASCAR racer. It was also something of a flop.
That hasn’t stopped it from entering gearhead Valhalla, or inspiring successive generations to do unwise things to muscle cars. The latest product of that sort of inspiration is called Grizz and it does 194 mph.
The Grizz began its life as a comparatively unassuming 2008 Dodge Challenger before Joel Highsmith and his madmen pals got a hold of it. The first thing you will notice, is the radical Superbird body kit, including the aero front end and massive rear wing. The result is impressive looking to say the least, even if that rear wing does look a bit odd on the flared rear deck of the Challenger.
That being said, it isn’t all retro styling and archaic aerodynamics, because a monster lives underneath the hood. The 408-cubic-inch Hemi V8 has been supercharged, tuned, threatened, and cajoled into producing more than 1,000 horsepower, all of which go to the rear wheels. Terrifying? Yes! Good in corners? Probably not. Awesome? Without a doubt.
What isn’t as clear is whether this car is related to the gorgeous modern Superbird and Charger Daytonas built by HPP. The HPP conversions have been around since the 2009 SEMA show, but my guess is that Highsmith’s Superbird is purely a product of his own ‘Team Spankin Time.’ While they are of course visually similar, the HPP cars are a bit more visually polished with a more complete set of changes to the base Challenger. However, that being said the HPP cars can’t quite kiss 200 mph.
Regardless I am happy to see the legacy of the Superbird living on, and still doing crazy things on straight tracks.
