Bobby Unser #5 Superbird

[TiMopar]

Does anyone have a frontal picture of this car they could post please?

[hemi68charger]

That is one cool looking racin' 'Bird...... No scoops though it looks like...........

[Aero426]

Not the best photo, but it's pretty simple in the front.   Screened over left headlight opening for the oil cooler and a bare aluminum spoiler.

[Highbanked Hauler]

  Damn that car sets tight to the ground. I also like the body work on the quarters

[hemi68charger]

  Damn that car sets tight to the ground. I also like the body work on the quarters

I would just LOVE to see one of these puppies with today's technology heading down the backstretch of Talladega.   

[chargergirl]

Nah...they'll just get disqualified again for some crazy reason.

[A383Wing]

  Damn that car sets tight to the ground. I also like the body work on the quarters

I would just LOVE to see one of these puppies with today's technology heading down the backstretch of Talladega.   

A few years ago Buddy Baker was asked that question....his response was that it would probably turn a 235MPH average lap.... 

[hemigeno]

No scoops though it looks like...........

Sorta flies against the whole "fender scoops were for tire clearance" theory, duddnit? 

[Aero426]

Agreed on the scoops.   But the statement has always been the need for the scoops went back to the '68 2 x 2 program, and they were a "just in case" contingency.  

Terry Nichels has said the 5 car was 'the biggest cheater of them all".  

[FJ5WING]

I love the pic in the original posting!

Maybe there was no need for the tire clearence if it was a lower banked track? I realize they used the wingcars on the superspeedways but could be a low buck team and didnt have the resources for too many cars? I know its a lot of "ifs" but we are just here speculating right?

[hemigeno]

Just guessing here, but did the Nichels crew find a way to lower the car around the chassis and still meet the clearance requirements?  I'm looking at how low the quarterpanel is in comparison to the top of the rim - while the car is sitting still no less.

Comparing that to the pictures I have of Grand National cars hanging on the wall, the #5 looks considerably lower.



Oh, and I don't think the Nichels Engineering team would be classified as a low buck team...  for the day, they were pretty well funded.

[nascarxx29]

http://aerowarriors.com/jpgs/bobby_unser_c4.jpg
http://aerowarriors.com/jpgs/bobby_unser_c3.jpg

[nascarxx29]

Does anyone have a frontal picture of this car they could post please?

I knew I see this picture somewhere before   http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,65967.0.html
http://aerowarriors.com/jpgs/bobby_unser_c6.jpg

[Aero426]

Oh, and I don't think the Nichels Engineering team would be classified as a low buck team...  for the day, they were pretty well funded.

As I understand it, the #5 car was run out of Ray's pocket.    Bobby Unser may have brought a little money from Olsonite  (toilet seats)  from the  Indy car program, but it's only on the car in a couple of races, and never at the four Milwaukee races.    You can see photos of this same car running on dirt with out a nose and wing, and asphalt.  Ray certainly wasn't poor but this was not the same as when Chrysler was paying the freight.    

I have always found it interesting that Ray ran a Superbird in 1972 when they ran 1971 Road Runners the previous year.  It strikes me that they had left over pieces to burn off, and built one last Superbird race car.    It was a very  fast car while it lasted.  

[nascarxx29]

Nothing on the #5 wing but found some stuff on olsonite  http://www.olsoniteeagle.com/

[superbirdtom]

http://aerowarriors.com/jpgs/bobby_unser_c4.jpg
http://aerowarriors.com/jpgs/bobby_unser_c3.jpg

Love that front air dam. I am goingto build one similar for my grand touring bird.  it really forces air into the nosecone.

[nascarxx29]

Might be more #5 reference pictures from
Frank Kierzek photographed many cars and drivers at the Milwaukee Mile from 1969 to 1977. His son Tom is making many of these photos (including several winged car shots) available for purchase. Contact Tom for a list of cars and drivers, size and pricing information.

Tom Kierzek
1304 Jefferson St.
West Bend, WI 53090
Phone: (262) 335-2411
E-mail: tkierzek@sbcglobal.net

[Aero426]

The car on the outside looks familiar...

[nascarxx29]

The car on the outside looks familiar...

Looks familar reminds me of this one
http://wwnboa.org/ramo.htm

[wingcar]

A little trivia...
At one time I had in my collection the rear window plug out of that Superbird. 
It had been cut out (and not all that neatly) and clearly showed the paint and decal.  It also
still had the window braces and 2 thirds of the "Plexiglas" rear window still mounted.  Which
brings up the question.....I thought all "Stockcars" had to run the factory glass rear and front windows?
(Perhaps, an example of what Terry Nichels meant when he said:
"the 5 car was 'the biggest cheater of them all". 

[Aero426]

The front glass was stock, but the rear was typically plexiglas on race Superbirds and Daytonas.   The 7 car has a plexi back window.






The doors of the Unser car are still floating around.   They were up for grabs at a memorabilia auction at Auburn some time ago.   The wing is still around too.

[TiMopar]

Thank you to everyone who responded to this post. The reason I asked for a front view of this car is as follows; the boss of the shop where I'm working decided that he wanted to make a Nascar racecar style 'Bird from his 70 Satellite and asked me to give him an idea of a 'look'. I remembered that picture from when it was originally posted and showed him. So, to cut a long story short, that is what I am currently working on... Did anyone else notice the small scoop thing on the top of the rear quarter behind the wing upright? Anyone like to hazard a guess what it might be for? If this thing turns out looking half decent I shall post some pictures! Cheers.

[41husk]

Look foreward to some pictures

[Aero426]

Did anyone else notice the small scoop thing on the top of the rear quarter behind the wing upright? Anyone like to hazard a guess what it might be for? If this thing turns out looking half decent I shall post some pictures! Cheers.

It is the fuel overflow vent.   It is kind of cone shaped widening to the rear.   The long skinny line from the fuel cell mounts to it inside the rear quarter.  Some cars have it this way and others have a simple tube poking out the back of the quarter or tail panel. 

[Highbanked Hauler]

  Damn that car sets tight to the ground. I also like the body work on the quarters

I would just LOVE to see one of these puppies with today's technology heading down the backstretch of Talladega.   

Me too, There's enough parts available now that with deep pockets one could build a Chrysler stocker for Vintage racing.

[DonC1]

Likewise. I dig the car too and am planning a very near clone build of it with my 70'. All steel and black.

[TiMopar]

"It is the fuel overflow vent.   It is kind of cone shaped widening to the rear.   The long skinny line from the fuel cell mounts to it inside the rear quarter.  Some cars have it this way and others have a simple tube poking out the back of the quarter or tail panel."

Many thanks for the info 'Aero', love your car! The one I am working on is not going to be a replica of a real car that existed, just in the spirit of one.

[FJ5WING]

this is a great thread!!

Hey Doug, How recent is that pic in your garage? you still have the green baby?

[C5X DAYTONA]

A little trivia...
At one time I had in my collection the rear window plug out of that Superbird. 
It had been cut out (and not all that neatly) and clearly showed the paint and decal.  It also
still had the window braces and 2 thirds of the "Plexiglas" rear window still mounted.  Which
brings up the question.....I thought all "Stockcars" had to run the factory glass rear and front windows?
(Perhaps, an example of what Terry Nichels meant when he said:
"the 5 car was 'the biggest cheater of them all". 

I have Glotchback's 99 Daytona rear window and plug assy.  My rear window is also plexiglas.

[Aero426]

this is a great thread!!

Hey Doug, How recent is that pic in your garage? you still have the green baby?

Yes, the green car is a garage mate for the 7 car.    I had the green car out for the first time this year last Sunday night.    

[moparstuart]

this is a great thread!!

Hey Doug, How recent is that pic in your garage? you still have the green baby?

Yes, the green car is a garage mate for the 7 car.    I had the green car out for the first time this year last Sunday night.    

  what a great sight   

[68X426]

Great postings, I'll second that. TiMopar, please post pics as the build proceeds, and get the boss to participate in the forum.