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Lowe's give-away Superbird ~ New information!!!

Started by PettyMower, January 15, 2019, 08:42:39 PM

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PettyMower

John Meniefield won the Superbird from Lowe's in 1970. Melvin Proffit (Lowe's) took the company plane to Virginia to pick up John & his wife, took them to Petty Enterprises to pick up the Superbird, and they drove it home.

The car has white interior, automatic on the column. (More info. to come!)

It was his daily driver until passing away in 2000. Four or five years later, the car was sold to a family friend.

Attached pic is John receiving the keys from Richard near the race shop. (Lee's house in the background)

It appears to be B5. Although this was supposed to be a 999 car, we had a feeling it was actually B5 because of a pic of a B5 in the 1970 or 1971 Lowes Annual report that surfaced a few years back.

bannedbird

Good job tracking that down!

This has been a cold case for years.  In past few weeks I've been thinking of doing more research into that car.  I think you and I are the only ones that are searching for the car still (anyone else on the "Lowes Giveaway Bird" quest, please chime in so we don't do duplicate work!). 

For those new to this car (I think there are 2 other threads on this forum about it), my 'Bird was B5 and from the area Mr. Meniefield lived.  I found out about the Lowes giveaway while searching for info on my car.  After talking to Mr. Meniefield's daughter a few years ago, it did not sound like it was my car.  So I put a low priority on researching the Lowe's Giveaway Bird.

One of my theories was that it was a factory B5 car that was repainted Petty Blue by Petty Enterprises for the Giveaway.  The Lowe's annual report shows a B5 car (as you can see in above post), but it could have been a stock photo of Richard Petty and a 'Bird (I searched the Internet a long time for Richard in a drivers suit standing next to a stock B5 'Bird and never found one).  PettyMower has now conclusively proven it was B5 blue and not Petty Blue at time of giveaway.

-Superbird Steve
- Superbird Steve - Chicago
1970 A13 E86 D32 B5 H2XW w/GIII, ITB, 6L85

hemi68charger

Troy
'69 Charger Daytona 440 auto 4.10 Dana ( now 426 HEMI )
'70 Superbird 426 Hemi auto: Lindsley Bonneville Salt Flat world record holder (220.2mph)
Houston Mopar Club Connection

taxspeaker

Thanks for the info and research, it is very interesting.
Bob

PettyMower

Someone in Virginia has a B5 car that's the only REAL Superbird won from Lowe's / Richard Petty.

It's hard to believe that it has not surfaced with it's interesting history. Hopefully we'll eventually get a VIN, and more pics.

nascarxx29

1969 R4 Daytona XX29L9B410772
1970 EV2 Superbird RM23UOA174597
1970 FY1 Superbird RM23UOA166242
1970 EV2 Superbird RM23VOA179697
1968 426 Road Runner RM21J8A134509
1970 Coronet RT WS23UOA224126
1970 Daytona Clone XP29GOG178701

200MPH

Charger

bannedbird

All; what can we tell from the photo at top of this thread? Besides that Richard was painting something yellow?

#43-A) Car is B5 blue and not "999" as many may assume a "Petty" giveaway car to be (the ads I saw only said it was "blue"). [edit 7/6/2019: incorrect statement and noted later in this thread: "Petty Blue Superbird" was in at least 2 ads]
#43-B) Black Vinyl top (as expected, but could have been blue with a "43" on it).
#43-C) White interior.  Can we tell if bench or buckets from the rear seat pattern or the driver's headrest?
#43-D) Chrome drivers mirror. Didn't the 'Birds have 2 choices for the driver side mirror?
#43-E) Rally rims (brushed or bright trim rings a choice for 'Birds?)
#43-F) Can we say these are F70-14 white letter Goodyear's? If so, does that tell us anything about motor and transmission?
#43-G) A long shot, but someone may mention this so I will list it:  Anything that shows it could be the 'Bird from the 2-page magazine ad in Petty's shop?
#43-Z) Anything I missed in way of a build option?

If we want to figure out when the car was built, we only know it was given away before 8/26/1970.  It could have been purchased any time before then.  The first ad for the "giveaway car" I know of was 3/31/1970, so no help there.  Anything in the photos tell us if it was an early or late build?

As some of you may ask, this is the BEST quality picture we have at this time.  PettyMower posted the best image he had and also emailed it to me: no difference in quality.  We have only the image above to work with.

Thanks - SB Steve
I forget the options and codes I used to have memorized, so I apologize for some of my questions that I should already know.  But, it is still good for me to ask rather than assume my "facts" from 30-years ago are really factual.
- Superbird Steve - Chicago
1970 A13 E86 D32 B5 H2XW w/GIII, ITB, 6L85

Alaskan_TA

B - Black was the only color available for Superbirds.

C - Bench seat headrest.

D - Manual  driver side mirror standard, remote driver side mirror extra cost. Dual mirrors with driver side remote also extra cost.


6bblgt

QuoteBesides that Richard was painting something yellow?
(the "yellow" is stuck to the picture, not original to it)

#43-A) correct, "blue fire metallic" EB5
#43-B) correct, BLACK V19
#43-C) correct, WHITE bench H2XW
#43-D) correct, G33 remote LH mirror
#43-E) correct, W21 "rallye" wheels 14x5.5" (only 1 available trim ring w/14" - brushed w/polished lip)
#43-F) correct, T87 F70-14 Goodyear Polyglas (available with 440HP, 440 6bbl & HEMI)
#43-G) the shop ad is a racecar - the barn ad is 15" "rallye" wheels & BLACK interior
#43-Z) not that I see from the one image

bannedbird

Ahhh. The yellow is ON the picture. - LOL  Looked like it was on his knee beside the big line on the car door. 

Let me read the rest....
- Superbird Steve - Chicago
1970 A13 E86 D32 B5 H2XW w/GIII, ITB, 6L85

bannedbird

Quote from: 6bblgt on July 06, 2019, 03:41:01 PM
Quote
#43-G) the shop ad is a racecar - the barn ad is 15" "rallye" wheels & BLACK interior

I've never been sure the Petty Shop car ad was an actual race car. Certainly not a "Body in White".  And why paint "43" on the black vinyl top?

I had thought it was a test mule or early production car made by Plymouth ... wait... is there a thread on the magazine ads?   If so, can someone post it so that I can see it?  Maybe the answers are already there.  Like what date the ad first came out.  Thanks!

(sorry about "rally" typo)
- Superbird Steve - Chicago
1970 A13 E86 D32 B5 H2XW w/GIII, ITB, 6L85

bannedbird

Quote from: 6bblgt on July 06, 2019, 03:41:01 PM
Quote
#43-C) correct, WHITE bench H2W

Is H2W different than H2XW?  I'm used to 4 digits for the seat code.  Maybe deluxe vs standard? Thx.
- Superbird Steve - Chicago
1970 A13 E86 D32 B5 H2XW w/GIII, ITB, 6L85

PettyMower

The ads DID specify the color to be Petty Blue.  Although we now know it didn't happen as planned.

bannedbird

Quote from: 6bblgt on July 06, 2019, 03:41:01 PM
Quote
#43-E) correct, W21 "rallye" wheels 14x5.5" (only 1 available trim ring w/14" - brushed w/polished lip)

Were 15" rims/tires on all the Dana cars, or only Danas's with the "better" rear end option?

What were wheel options for 'Birds? Rallye (14" and 15"), painted steel (14" only?), and Road Wheels?  Thx
- Superbird Steve - Chicago
1970 A13 E86 D32 B5 H2XW w/GIII, ITB, 6L85

bannedbird

PettyMower, you must have that memorized, lol.  Thx for correcting me.
- Superbird Steve - Chicago
1970 A13 E86 D32 B5 H2XW w/GIII, ITB, 6L85

bannedbird

I see on this forum the 14" Rallye as being referred to as both 5.5" and 6".  Was there a width change at a certain point in time, or just people rounding numbers?  thx.
- Superbird Steve - Chicago
1970 A13 E86 D32 B5 H2XW w/GIII, ITB, 6L85

6bblgt

Quote from: bannedbird on July 06, 2019, 09:42:47 PM
Quote from: 6bblgt on July 06, 2019, 03:41:01 PM
#43-C) correct, WHITE bench H2W

Is H2W different than H2XW?  I'm used to 4 digits for the seat code.  Maybe deluxe vs standard? Thx.

sorry, I missed a digit H2XW is correct

6bblgt

Quote from: bannedbird on July 06, 2019, 09:59:30 PM
Quote from: 6bblgt on July 06, 2019, 03:41:01 PM
#43-E) correct, W21 "rallye" wheels 14x5.5" (only 1 available trim ring w/14" - brushed w/polished lip)

Were 15" rims/tires on all the Dana cars, or only Danas's with the "better" rear end option?

What were wheel options for 'Birds? Rallye (14" and 15"), painted steel (14" only?), and Road Wheels?  Thx

there wasn't a rear axle OPTION on a Superbird - automatics got (A36) 3.55:1 ratio in an 8-3/4" axle & 4-speeds got (A33) 3.54:1 ratio in a 9-3/4" (DANA60) axle

6bblgt

no specific wheel tire combination was reserved for Superbird (same as Road Runner)

STANDARD = 14x6.0" body colored steel wheel with hub cap (dog dish) & (T86) F70-14 Goodyear Polyglas "white streak"

OPTIONAL TIRES:
(T87) F70-14 Goodyear Polyglas "RWL"
(U84) F60-15 Goodyear Polyglas GT "RWL" (with STANDARD painted 15x7.0" wheels/hub caps or OPTIONAL "rallye wheels")

OPTIONAL WHEELS:
(W11) full wheel covers on 14x6.0" black wheels
(W15) wire wheel covers on 14x6.0" black wheels
(W21) "rallye wheels" available in 14x5.5" & 15x7.0"
(W23) "road wheels" (AKA "Magnum 500") available in 14x5.5"

14x6.0" "road wheels" became available for the '71 model year (for b-body w/G70-14 tires)
14x6.0" "rallye wheels" became available for the '73 model year (for b-body w/G70-14 tires)

bannedbird

- Superbird Steve - Chicago
1970 A13 E86 D32 B5 H2XW w/GIII, ITB, 6L85

bannedbird

I was thinking there were (3) rear end options for 'Birds: (1) for 8-3/4, and (2) for Dana (maybe A33 & A34?). So some Dana cars had 14" rims and others 15"?  Maybe I am thinking the 440-6 'Birds having different wheels/rear ends between "Automatic" vs "Manual".

As I said earlier, it's been decades since I worked with 'Bird options and codes.  Thx for clarifying and updating me.
- Superbird Steve - Chicago
1970 A13 E86 D32 B5 H2XW w/GIII, ITB, 6L85

bannedbird

- Superbird Steve - Chicago
1970 A13 E86 D32 B5 H2XW w/GIII, ITB, 6L85

6bblgt

all '70 Superbirds have:
AUTOMATIC A36 = 3.55:1 axle package (8-3/4")
4 - SPEED A33 = 3.54:1 axle package (DANA60)

Aero426

While it is not B5, the "race car" in the ad is a street car mocked up to look like a race car.