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Win The King’s Superbird … After They Finish Building It!

Just four months into the Smithfield/Albertsons Superbird build, it’s already rounding Turn Four at Daytona and blasting toward the finish line. The bulk of the heavy labor is already in the rearview mirror, as the Petty’s Garage crew has worked tirelessly to transform a garden variety ’70 Road Runner into a Pro Touring Superbird. While the substantial bodywork that comes with the cloning process has been completed, a bare shell is a far cry from a finished car. Before taking the checkered flag, the long to-do list includes installing the engine, drivetrain, suspension, fuel system, cooling system, brakes, and interior. With just a couple of weeks to go before hitting the display booths at Monster Energy NASCAR Cup races around the country, it’s time for the Superbird build to hit high gear.

Project Rewind

Before diving into the good stuff, here’s a quick recap of what’s gone down so far. Unlike most sponsors, Smithfield Foods and Albertsons aren’t content merely buying sticker space on a stock car. To follow up last year’s incredible ’67 Hemi Belvedere giveaway car—a build dedicated to Richard Petty’s 27-win 1967 NASCAR season—Smithfield Foods decided to build a Pro Touring rendition of a ’70 Superbird powered by a Gen III Hemi. Nothing gets fans excited like a good giveaway, and Petty’s Garage was once again commissioned to turn concept into reality. Right before Christmas 2016, the crew got to work.

The early stages of the build involved replacing the B-Body’s rotted-out quarter-panels, rockers, framerails, trunk pan, and floor pan. After attaching an assortment of Janak Repros fiberglass pieces, the garden variety B-Body started looking like a certified wind-cheating machine. Since welding fiberglass to steel isn’t an option, securing the nosecone, rear wing, fender scoops, window plug, and fender extensions to the stock sheetmetal required lots of panel-bonding and riveting.

Genetically engineering a plain-jane B-Body with Superbird DNA isn’t as straight-forward as bolting up some fiberglass bits here and there. Even after spending nearly 100 hours on the conversion process alone, the bodyshop wasn’t out of the woods just yet. The final prep work and paint consumed yet another 250 hours of painstakingly cutting and filling of fiberglass panels, block sanding, cleaning, sealing, painting, and buffing. In other words, putting the finishing touches on the stunning wind-sculpted body ain’t easy.

Home Stretch

Unlike reality TV car builds that rely on camera trickery to hide shoddy build quality, the Smithfield Foods Superbird doesn’t have such a luxury. That’s because it will be subject to public scrutiny for months at various Monster Energy NASCAR Cup series races throughout the race season before Smithfield turns the keys over to one lucky winner at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November. With just four weeks left before deadline, Petty’s Garage put on an impressive display of maintaining quality while under the gun. “A restoration like this typically takes nine months to a year. In order to get it done in four months, we’ve had a team of guys working on it around the clock,” says Brian Witcher of Petty’s Garage.

In recent weeks, the team has made significant progress by dropping in a Mopar Performance Gen III Hemi, a Silver Sport Transmissions (SST) overdrive trans, Wilwood disc brakes, QA1 shocks, a TTi exhaust system, Vintage Air A/C, and General Tire’s all-new G-Max AS-05 rubber. “We’re finally down to one page of items on our to-do list, and one cart of parts,” Brian exclaims. “All that’s left is installing the interior, head lights, and turn signals before buffing and polishing the car one last time.”

Got Bacon?

Chowing down on bacon strips and sausage patties is something most red-blooded Americans do anyway, so why not get rewarded for it? That’s how easy it is to enter to win the Smithfield Foods’ Superbird. Simply purchase three Smithfield pork products at any one of Albertsons family of grocery stores (2,500 total), then text a pic of your receipt to Smithfield, and you’re automatically entered to win. While the fine details of the giveaway ceremony haven’t been finalized just yet, there’s a good chance that they will mirror last year’s event, where a lucky group of finalists were flown out to the season-finale Monster Energy NASCAR Cup race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Each finalist received a key, and met Richard Petty on stage. To cap off the theatrics, the finalist with the lucky key that started the car went home in a badass Mopar. Will you be the lucky winner?

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Starts on 8/20/17 and ends on 10/3/17. Open to legal residents of AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, LA, MA, ME, MD, MT, ND, NE, NH, NJ,NM, NV, NY, OR, PA, RI, SD, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, and WY, who are eighteen (18) years of age or older at the time of entry. Limit: Maximum of 5 entries per person during the Sweepstakes Period, regardless of method of entry. To enter without making a purchase, and for complete Official Rules, visit www.WinTheKing.com. Sponsor: Smithfield Farmland Sales Corp., 111 Commerce Street, Smithfield, VA 23430. All Petty marks used under license from RPAC, LLC.

Hot Rubber!

As this story is written, General Tire is quite literally releasing its first batch of G-Max AS-05 tires to the public. The Smithfied Foods Superbird will be one of the first cars to put them to the test, which is quite fitting considering the car’s multi-faceted skill set. Representing the pinnacle of the General Tire high-performance street tires, the G-Max AS-05s are designed to offer excellent all-season performance while also optimizing tread wear.

The trick is a combination of technologies General Tire calls SmartGrip and StabiliTread. SmartGrip uses stable shoulder blocks to maximize grip, and a strong center rib to enhance steering response. Additionally, the AS-05’s silica-rich, all-season compound and water-siping design provide excellent grip in the rain and snow. StabiliTread technology, on the other hand, optimizes the tread pattern to provide a wider footprint and tread stiffness. According to General Tire, this improves tread life by 20 percent compared to competitors’ offerings.

In addition to tread wear indicators, the AS-05 tires also incorporate built-in visual alignment indicators that alert drivers when the wheels are out of alignment. For those who want to get a set, the Z-rated G-Max AS-05 tire is available in most popular sizes ranging from 195/50R16 to 265/40R22.

Want to read more about the Smithfield Albertsons Superbird build-up? Check out the three prior stories in this series:

Sheetmetal repair: Superbird Clone Build Part 1

Superbird Cloning: Superbird Just Win One

Body & Paint: Superbird Can Win

Tight deadlines require careful planning, so Mopar Performance sent out a 392ci Gen III Hemi (part No. MOP68303090AA) during the early stages of the Superbird build. Essentially the same motor found in the SRT 392 Charger and Challenger, it kicks out 485 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque. With a street price of $8,500, it’s a raging bargain.

The late-model Hemi ships complete with a front-sump oil pan, flywheel, clutch, fuel injectors, and coil packs. For ease of installation, Petty’s Garage also ordered an optional front accessory drive (part No. 77072445) that includes an alternator, A/C compressor, and a power steering pump.

Just a few years ago, monkeying around with computers, wiring, and tuning were among the biggest challenges associated with late-model engine swaps. Mopar Performance makes it easy with a pre-calibrated ECU, and an optional plug-and-play wiring harness (part No. 77072454AB).

To check for potential interference issues prior to dropping the motor in the car, the Hemi was first test fit to the stock K-member with a set of Mancini Racing engine mounts. Designed specifically for Gen III Hemi swaps, they position the motor far back in the engine bay for optimized weight distribution.

Although the crate Hemi package includes factory exhaust manifolds, Petty’s Garage replaced them with a set of TTi 1.75-inch long-tube headers for some extra grunt. An optional Mopar Performance 45-degree oil filter adapter (part No. 77072447) buys extra clearance between the filter and K-member.

Since the Chrysler A518/46RE often creates interference issues with factory torsion bar crossmembers, they have never been popular with Mopar guys seeking an overdrive automatic. Silver Sport Transmissions’ A41 is a bulletproof GM 4L60E that has been adapted for Mopar applications.

Rated at 550 lb-ft of torque, SST’s A41 transmission kit includes a bellhousing, flexplate, lock-up torque converter, oil cooler, dipstick, throttle-position sensor, crossmember, speedometer cable, driveshaft, EZ-TCU trans computer, and a wiring harness.

The mandrel-bent TTi mild-steel headers fit around the SST A41 overdrive like a glove. By snaking over the steering center link, they’re designed with ground clearance in mind. Thick 3/8-inch flanges and a one-piece design (no slip tubes) prevent leaks. Most importantly, the vastly improved scavenging ability of long-tubes over the stock manifolds will easily boost the Hemi’s output to over 500 hp.

In order to route the wiring harness from the trans to the A41’s transmission control unit inside the cabin, technicians cut a two-inch hole at the top of the trans tunnel with a hole saw. After touching up the edges of the cut with a paint pen, a grommet was fitted into the hole before feeding the harness through.

The SST overdrive kit includes a crossmember and a polyurethane mount to position the trans at just the right angle. By allowing the crossmember to dangle from one side, technicians can simply swing it up into place beneath the tailshaft housing once the engine and K-member are in position.

Installing the motor and K-member from the bottom of the chassis (bottom decking) takes patience, but it’s hardly rocket science. Just square the motor up inside the engine compartment and slowly lower the body down while checking for interference.

As with any engine swap, the only definitive way to check for interference is to actually test fit the motor. The compact Gen III Hemi fit without much fuss, only requiring some minor clearancing for the bellhousing where the firewall pinch rail meets the floor pan. The pre-bent SST trans cooler lines fit perfectly.

Lining up the bolt holes on the K-member and the framerails is one of the easiest ways to ensure proper alignment. The K-member attaches to the frame with four bolts. For increased oil capacity, the stock oil pan was replaced with an 8-quart Stef’s billet aluminum unit.

Although the 6.4L Hemi fit nicely in the B-Body’s engine bay, the back of the intake manifold sat too close to the firewall. A sheet of paper just barely fit between the intake and firewall, which means the two would most certainly rub together with the engine running.

The factory 392 Hemi features a variable-volume intake manifold that’s actuated by a rear-mounted servo. Petty’s Garage removed the servo from the back of the intake manifold, then fabricated a custom plate to lock the runners into their high-rpm position. This provided the necessary clearance to prevent the intake manifold from contacting the firewall.

When mixing and matching numerous components from multiple manufacturers, part-to-part interference is inevitable. The TTi headers required a small dimple in order to clear the Mopar Performance starter wire.

The plug-and-play Mopar Performance wiring harness comes with all the necessary connectors for the factory sensors, and simply plugs into the ECU. After mounting the computer on the interior firewall near the heater box, technicians hooked the harness up to power and ground, then wired it into the factory ignition switch.

The engine harness includes a fuse box that houses relays for the fuel pump, cooling fan, starter, and ignition system. Using relays are a great way to power high-amp accessories without placing additional stress on the electrical system.

Keeping the Hemi cool is a two-row C&R radiator and dual Spal electric fans that use an integrated shroud. It attaches to the core support with custom aluminum brackets welded to the end tanks.

Petty’s Garage took a keep-it-simple approach to updating the Superbird’s underpinnings. The car’s prior owner had recently rebuilt the suspension with stock replacement torsion bars, steering linkage, leaf springs, control arms, spindles, bushings, and ball joints. As such, the hardware was cleaned up and re-used.

Controlling body roll up front is a QA1 sway bar. Forged from 4130 steel, it measures 1.25 inches in diameter and boasts 3/16-inch thick wall tubing. The Stef’s mid-sump oil pan fits beautifully around the stock steering linkage.

Out back, the Petty’s crew put the money where it counts by upgrading the chassis with big Wilwood disc brakes and double-adjustable QA1 shocks. The front clamps (part No. 140-10816) feature 14-inch slotted rotors, and forged six-piston calipers. Plenty of “whoa!” to match the “go!”

Out back, the factory drum brakes have been replaced with Wilwood 12.88-inch slotted rotors and four-pistons calipers (part No. 1409222). The two-piece rotors incorporate internal shoes located behind the rotor hats that function as a concealed parking brake.

Super Stock leaf springs matched with QA1 double-adjustable shocks yield a simple yet effective rear suspension system. The low mass of the QA1 shocks and aluminum-intensive Wilwood brake hardware help reduce unsprung weight.

The beauty of stock engines with tame camshafts is that they generate sufficient vacuum to operate power brakes. The stock vacuum booster works in concert with a Wilwood master cylinder and proportioning valve.

The TTi exhaust system (part No. B25MNM6870) includes 2.5-inch collectors, intermediate pipes, an H-pipe, over-axle pipes, and tail pipes. They attach directly to the three-bolt flanges on the TTi headers. All the seams were welded to prevent leaks.

The TTi pipes were matched to a set of dual 2.5-inch MagnaFlow mufflers. The TTi kit comes with rugged hangers that support the mufflers right before the over-axle pipe. The intermediate pipes tuck into the driveshaft tunnel, directly alongside the steel SST driveshaft, to improve ground clearance.

To convert the old carbureted fuel system for EFI duty, the original tank got replaced with a stock replacement unit that is fitted with a high-pressure Walbro in-tank fuel pump. A -6AN braided steel line provides the fuel supply. To assist with heat protection and for a cleaner appearance, the fuel line is housed inside aluminum tubing.

To clean up the engine compartment as much as possible, the engine and transmission computer are both mounted on the interior firewall, behind the Vintage Air A/C system. The turnkey Gen IV SureFit A/C system (part No. 571064) includes the evaporator assembly, coil, condenser, in-cabin controller, ducting, brackets, and A/C lines. Although the stock Hemi compressor was adapted to fit, the Vintage Air kit also includes a compressor.

The Vintage Air condenser attaches to the factory bolt holes in the radiator core support. The oversized SST transmission cooler attaches to the condenser using plastic ties, and provides plenty of surface area to keep fluid temperate at bay.

For seamless operation of the gauges, Petty’s Garage integrated the gauge harness into the factory wiring harness. The gauges connect to the factory dash harness, which then connect to the factory main harness at the firewall.

A full bevy of Auto Meter gauges fit neatly into a Classic Dash instrument panel. In addition to a speedo and tach, the panel houses gauges for oil pressure, water temperature, voltage, and fuel level.

To keep the interior nice and quiet, a layer of HushMat sandwiches the floorboard and carpet. In the coming weeks, the rest of the interior—including the seats, door panels, and belts—will be re-installed as well.

Throughout the entire build process, Richard Petty regularly checked in to see how the Smithfield Foods Superbird was coming along. As the man who made the original Superbird race cars famous, The King has a unique perspective on how to make tribute cars as close to the real-deal winged warriors as possible.

With most of the mechanical work out of the way, Petty’s Garage redirected its attention to assembling the rest of the body. The next time you see this car, it will be running, driving, and ready for its new owner in November!

There’s good reason why the Smithfield Superbird’s tires hadn’t arrived in time for our story deadline. That’s because the car will wear General Tire’s brand new G-Max AS-05 rubber, which wasn’t released to the public until the day this story was finished (read more about them in the sidebar). The Superbird’s Z-rated, all-season tires will measure 225/40R19 up front and a Hellcat-sized 275/40R20 in the rear.

The post Win The King’s Superbird … After They Finish Building It! appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

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