• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Talladega or Bust - 1970 Super Bird Cleanup

dadsbee

FBBO Gold Member
FBBO Gold Member
Local time
4:10 PM
Joined
Jan 29, 2018
Messages
19,101
Reaction score
61,545
Location
Midland Ontario, Canada
I bought this car in February of 1990, removed the (warranty replacement) engine to repaint it and tracked down a proper dual snorkel air cleaner to make it look presentable. That April we had it in the World of Wheels Oshawa show beside my Super Bee. I've done absolutely nothing to it in the 29 years since, other than the wife or I driving the **** out of it and then of course life got in the way and it's been pretty much parked the past 15 years. I think we've put about 4200 miles on the car in 29 years. Following the wife home from a car show in Lindsay one year, me driving the Bee, I can confirm that the *** end drops about 2" when you hit about 120! :)

I have a couple of shelves full of parts for it to install, that I collected before I started on my Bee restoration, in anticipation of being at the 50th Anniversary of the Wing car gathering in Alexandria City, Alabama and Atlanta Georgia. So she's my next project to have ready to take to Alabama the first week of October. Figured I may as well do a thread on cleaning this machine up as well, but it will certainly be no restoration!
...................................................................................

I haven't had this car on a hoist, or seen the bottom of it, since we were installing an exhaust system 29 years ago!

SO glad that this is a true factory undercoated car! It's allowed to look like **** underneath!:eek:

Rear drivers side 6 leaf spring assembly. 2539794

Passenger side 7 leaf assembly. 2539964

Sure wish the Bee had of been this solid...

Need to go over the front suspension and make sure it's ready for Altlanta Motor Speedway laps!

Had never noticed that the passenger side signal lense was broken. Can't see it looking at the car, only from straight up underneath.

I knew the drivers side was broken and bought, thankfully, a pair... so I have both lenses covered.

Might need a lower hose, or just the a new clamp with some tension.. time will tell. Hopefully it's not the radiator.

Don't forget.. Righty Loosey and Lefty Tighty !
1f609.png


superbirdcleanup20182019 043.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 046.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 050.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 051.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 053.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 062.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 064.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 065.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 069.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 077.JPG
 
Last edited:
You def married a keeper if she drove the SB and hit 120 in it !!!!!!!! :lowdown::lowdown::lowdown:
 
Hit... LOL... I said the *** end drops at 120!! :canada: You should have seen the way she drove her old Ford Monarch.. until she put 2 pistons through the side of the block!

She didn't realize her '17 Challenger records top speed achieved until I showed her the 180 on the display. Of course that's messly KPH, not MPH like the Bird.
 
that's awesome. and the best part about it all is,
ITS USED! nothing better to me than seeing dirt , grease and road grime on a desirable car
 
Don't forget.. Righty Loosey and Lefty Tighty !
1f609.png

that's hilarious, I think I broke three studs off my RR when I was a kid before I figured it out! Actually I think it was the guy at Beatty/Woods who I bought a set of used cragars from enlightened me before I broke all 10 off!
I can't imagine what the feeling would be like to drive that bird around talladega!
 
Bird looks amazing....I always enjoy seeing an all original solid body!.....Thats a rarity in itself and for a SB is awesome!

Be safe and have fun at the speedway.......

Pictures of the event would be great!
 
Don't forget.. Righty Loosey and Lefty Tighty !
1f609.png

that's hilarious, I think I broke three studs off my RR when I was a kid before I figured it out! Actually I think it was the guy at Beatty/Woods who I bought a set of used cragars from enlightened me before I broke all 10 off!
I can't imagine what the feeling would be like to drive that bird around talladega!

It is always a weird feeling turning them nuts the wrong way!! I have 15 NOS left handers on hand so I can replace the crusty ones.

Bird looks amazing....I always enjoy seeing an all original solid body!.....Thats a rarity in itself and for a SB is awesome!

Be safe and have fun at the speedway.......

Pictures of the event would be great!

It's certainly not perfect, but the underside is mint. Having it on the hoist I see a "third layer" on the passenger side quarter to trunk extension joint, so it's had a patch panel installed, but just at the very bottom as there is no sign of it in the trunk that is still in original sound deadner. It's an EW1 Alpine White car that someone thought would look better in Lemon Twist in the late 80's and they did a good job of hiding the old White. The only White is under the package in the rear glass mount modification area from RR to Bird and a few areas in the trunk where the yellow has cracked or chipped off and the White shows through.

As for the speedway we'll have fun, wife will HAVE to drive tooooo.... if we get there! Accepted to Wellborn's "party" and already have all our tickets and rooms. Rooms have been booked since last October! Now to just get everything done and down to Alabama.
 
Here's a few of the things and pictures I took before I started on the Bee restoration, just to catch this up to my running photo album.
.....

I wasn't even aware until a couple of years ago that I had a '71 air cleaner on the car. This was the cleaner assembly I'd bought in '90 getting ready for World of Wheels. Breather hose on wrong side.

Unrestored, correct, air cleaner on the car that I got from a DC.com member from Washington State.

Decal to make it just right! I also have a used OE breather hose and clamps to clean up and install, that I got from Mopar John.

Time doing it's thing. The only good part I guess is that in today's "world" it barely devalues the car and I'm not going to touch it. Not at this stage anyhow.

Original OE interior, other than I put a carpet in back in '90. Has that stale 50 year old smell to prove it!

Why I used DOT 5 on the Super Bee. The old stuff wrecks paint.

New NOS Beep Beep horn I bought from a member here, only to learn the short arms are for '71 up. I have since obtained two clapped out long arm horns from another member here and one has perfect paint on the arm, so will be swapping arms on the NOS horn.

update1.jpg update2.jpg update2a.jpg update3.jpg update4.jpg update5.jpg update6.jpg
 
Looks solid. I always saw it parked to the side when I was looking at your updates on the Bee but didn't realize you had it that long. The wife and I stopped by the museum in February when we were returning from vacation. Got the tour, walked around for 2-3 hours. The staff treated us like family and did mention the reunion to us.
 
Hope y’all enjoy the south .Im about 3 1/2 hours from “dega” as the rednecks call it. October is nice but still a little warm. That’s the same week as cruisin the coast over here In Mississippi. Y’all have fun!
 
I knew it needed front pads and the rotors turned. Needed it 29 years ago too! Most would look at this set up and wonder WTH was wrong. On todays stuff the rotor slips OVER the hub.

Been 29 years since they've been off and both rear drums lifted right off, no shoe "back off" required. Noticed the "winged" shoe retainer washer is installed wrong though.

Starting to think Chrysler liked to save on parts. No adjuster lock pawl on the Bird either.. just like my Bee was.

Drivers side rear brakes are mint too. Even the auto adjuster works, although this side as well the "winged" shoe retainer washer is installed wrong.

Looks like I have a rear brake line splitter weeping to investigate.

Hopefully this is just a rotted hose and not a tank/sender/gasket issue.

OE "489" 8 3/4 rear axle x 3.55 Sure grip.

3.55 tag is still there.

A bit of transmission clean up required. The dip stick still shows full, just some minor weeping.

Committed now. Looks like I need front pads, rotors to turn and probably shock absorbers. Suspension seems tight, but need to get in there and do some prying and close up inspecting. Steering box is weeping, need to clean up and see what's what with it.

superbirdcleanup20182019 081.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 090.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 091.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 093.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 094.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 096.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 099.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 101.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 102.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 106.JPG
 
Last edited:
One marker light has never worked and suddenly the drivers side doesn't either, so I pulled them both out.

Disassembled and found both bulbs just needed cleaning. Also have some "borrowed" retainer on the left marker, so will be looking for a correct '70 Coronet drivers side retainer. (anyone have one??)

Replacement signal light lenses, you don't want to know what they cost.

Original marker assemblies, with yellow plugs.

Part number 3403778 right hand

3403779 left hand.

Lenses are mint, but dirty.

Best thing out there to clean plastic scratch and haze free.

superbirdcleanup20182019 111.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 117.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 121.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 113.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 114.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 118.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 115.JPG superbirdcleanup20182019 116.JPG
 
Last edited:
I knew it needed front pads and the rotors turned. Needed it 29 years ago too! Most would look at this set up and wonder WTH was wrong. On todays stuff the rotor slips OVER the hub.

Been 29 years since they've been off and both rear drums lifted right off, no shoe "back off" required.

Starting to think Chrysler liked to save on parts. No adjuster lock pawl on the Bird either.. just like my Bee was.

Drivers side rear brakes are mint too. Even the auto adjuster works.

Looks like a have a rear brake line splitter weeping to investigate.

Hopefully this is just a rotted hose and not a tank/sender/gasket issue.

OE "489" 8 3/4 rear axle x 3.55 Sure grip.

3.55 tag is still there.

A bit of transmission clean up required. The dip stick still shows full, just some minor weeping.

Committed now. Looks like I need front pads, rotors to turn. Suspension seems tight, but need to get in there and do some prying and close up inspecting. Steering box is weeping, need to clean up and see what's what with it.

View attachment 772345 View attachment 772346 View attachment 772347 View attachment 772349 View attachment 772350 View attachment 772351 View attachment 772352 View attachment 772353 View attachment 772354 View attachment 772356
Looks like some routine maintenance things to tackle....Heck, knowing you thats a 2 hour job...
 
I hope you're correct... I have people's airplanes to get ready and out of here!! .. when ever the runway actually dries up. Rained over 2" today.. so that's gonna be no time soon!
 
I hope you're correct... I have people's airplanes to get ready and out of here!! .. when ever the runway actually dries up. Rained over 2" today.. so that's gonna be no time soon!
IMHO the trans leak is the only issue....Slow leak to be dealt with another time....Will they check they underside?

I would replace all the brake hoses and all other rubber hoses......Last thing you want on the track is a 29 year old hoses blowout...I doubt the sender seal is leaking....If it is you can remover the sender without dropping the tank and you have to replace the hoses anyways.....
 
I figure, and am hoping, it's just the rubber hoses weeping on drain back / return line. I need to redo the vents, as they are backwards and not correct anyhow.. and I have my old shock tower vent tube from the bee to use so it'll look vintage! LOL

Gonna go over it and make one list of parts to get ordered and then get onto the other things that need doing around here, then back to the car when that work backlog is out of here.

Nobody will be checking the car at Dega... I just want it roadworthy so Leah and I don't get stranded in banjo country!! :D
 
I figure, and am hoping, it's just the rubber hoses weeping on drain back / return line. I need to redo the vents, as they are backwards and not correct anyhow.. and I have my old shock tower vent tube from the bee to use so it'll look vintage! LOL

Gonna go over it and make one list of parts to get ordered and then get onto the other things that need doing around here, then back to the car when that work backlog is out of here.

Nobody will be checking the car at Dega... I just want it roadworthy so Leah and I don't get stranded in banjo country!! :D

Wish I wasnt on the west of the country that would be a fun drive to do.
 
There's a bunch driving their Birds in a caravan all the way from WA state! I'm trailering mine down and gonna be a long drive since the wife can only go a few hours a day in a vehicle, 2+ years post concussion and still not good.
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top