Joe also carefully thought out the 'Bird's suspension. It's all new at both ends. The front was upgraded with larger torsion bars, a larger front antisway bar, and matching Mopar Performance shocks. Polyurethane bushings were used in the sway bar mounts and links only; all others were standard moog replacement items. The rearend received new XHD rear springs, matching shocks, and a rear sway bar from Mopar Performance. The combination rides well and handles great for a big car.
The steering was upgraded with a modified police power steering box and matching fast-ratio Pitman and idler arms from Firm Feel. Joe tells us the 'Bird's steering feels a lot like a late-model performance car. The factory power disc/drum brakes were redone with all new parts.
The resurrection (this was way more than a restoration) of the 'Bird required all of the Kohr's body working skills. Alan Kohr spent many long hours cutting, fabricating, welding, and fitting. It took approximately six months of work before the 'Bird could even be placed on a rotisserie for further work. Except for the hood, roof, and wing, nearly everything else needed either large amounts of massaging and/or replacement. Even the subframes needed extensive work. The rear pieces are repaired pieces from the aftermarket, while the front subframe and inner fender panels were taken from a solid '69 Satellite station wagon that Joe had saved. The original radiator support was repaired.
The Kohr's refurbished the interior using supplies from Legendary Auto Interiors and Year One. The original interior was black with silver piping, but since Joe always liked a black-and-white interior, the change was made. The current seats are not the originals.
To say the 'Bird was in rough...
To say the 'Bird was in rough condition when Joe found it is an understatement. According to the guys at Kohr's Kustoms, the only salvageable piece on the car was the roof. The front frame needed replaced, the rear frame needed replaced, the quarters, doors, inner firewall structure, outer firewall structure . . . and the list goes on.
Removing the original black vinyl top revealed some Petty Blue paint on the C pillars and above the windows that had never seen the light of day. Dennis Kohr was able to use this to match the paint. Even the primers were tinted blue to match. After the body was finally in shape for finish, Dennis coated it with many layers of Petty Blue. This car is painted in places the factory never bothered to coat. Joe decided on a white vinyl top as he felt it would contrast well with the Petty Blue. He then decided he would continue the white theme to the nose to make it all match. If Joe had wanted to, a few pieces, some black paint, and a short time in the shop is all it would take to make the Bird look like it did at Lansdale Chrysler Plymouth in 1970. The idea was if a 'Bird could have been ordered this way, this is how it would have looked. No, it's not correct, but Joe tells us that many people have told him they think it looks better. At least it's one more Superbird that's back on the road.
The resurrection took the Kohr's three years. They usually turn out a championship-winning car in about a year and a half. That's how bad this car really was.