A 1970 Plymouth Superbird is considered a unicorn by today’s standards. What most people don’t know is that this outrageous machine wasn’t a hot pancake back in the day. Dealers struggled to sell them because of how they looked and some even resorted to removing the nose and wing to make them look like a typical Plymouth Road Runner. But the Superbird now holds a special place in the hearts of muscle car collectors, including comedian Jeff Dunham, who happens to own one of just 58 Superbirds with a HEMI engine and a four-speed manual transmission. Of course, a car of this stature, with a celebrity owner to boot, found its way to Jay Leno’s Garage.

By now, most of us know how an episode of Jay Leno’s Garage goes. This time, Leno’s guest is a peer in the world of stand-up comedy who also happens to be a serious car enthusiast. They’re cut from the same cloth.

Dunham’s story on how he took possession of this particular Plymouth Superbird is a fascinating one that involves a dentist, a barn in Zanesville, Ohio, and eBay. According to Dunham, he found the exceedingly rare car on eBay. A few phone calls later, the comedian found himself in a barn in Zanesville, finalizing the deal with a dentist who owned the muscle car for most of his life. Unfortunately, time and seasons took a toll on the Superbird, so Dunham sent it to Julius Steer of Restorations by Julius, considered as the go-to company for anything that involves restoring Mopar rides.

True to its reputation, Restorations by Julius brought the Superbird back to life in its original form, right down to the Vitamin C Orange paint finish, the HEMI engine, and the matching factory four-speed manual transmission.

Dunham and Leno’s 20-minute conversation about the car culminated with the latter getting behind the wheel of the Superbird and taking it out for a spin. It’s jarring to see a bright orange Plymouth Superbird on the road these days, let alone one with two of the funniest comedians you’ll ever meet.

References

Plymouth Superbird

Read our full review on the 1970 Plymouth Superbird.