Old race cars never die. Some get rebuilt to go vintage racing, while others get restored. Then there were those old race cars that got customized with the latest period trends before hitting the streets for some traffic light showdowns. This 1970 Plymouth Superbird is such a car.

But this isn't your average Superbird, if there could be such a thing. It's a Hemi-powered Superbird, one of just 93 produced out of the 1,920 Superbirds built. And it's a former Summernationals class winner, so don't be fooled by its now disheveled custom psychedelic paint scheme. Remember what your mother told you: "Never judge a book by its cover."

I came across this gem in early November when I attended the weekend-long all-Mopar show at Don Garlits's museum in Ocala, Florida. There, parked in the swap meet, was this Superbird. So here's its story, according to the placard that was on display in front of the car.

The hunt for the Hemi is on...