The owner of this car actually has 3 wing cars. I believe it's two Superbirds and one Daytona. They are all three original, two are driver quality and one is mint. This yellow car and a white car are the two drivers. He actually takes them both out fairly regularly during the summer. Still, pretty impressive to see one in a grocery store parking lot. The boys like it because it looks like "The King" from the Cars movies.
You're right, I only saw them at large car shows. I'd be happy to ride in the yellow one with red fenders. I gotta ask, is the driver handicapped?
Who says he got a settlement to buy those. Plymouth almost totally lost King Petty because when the Daytona 500 cars came out in, I think, '68, he was driving the Belvedere, so he asked Plymouth to give the Bel the Daytona treatments, and Plymouth said no. Well, at the end of the '68 season, Ford was busy making the Torino Talladega for the '69 race season, and when they heard Plymouth had turned Petty down for the Bel upgrades, they instantly leapt into action and wooed him into driving a Torino Talladega for the '69 season. I don't know what standing he had in the Winston Cup that year, but when the Daytona 500 got the wing, Plymouth did the same things to a Road Runner, and wooed Petty back for 1970. And those winged cars were just flying! 200+ MPH on Daytona? Holy crap!
I was thinking maybe he got hit by a company truck, like those TV lawyer commercials keep wanting me to call them for? Just tossing darts, didn't say I was going to hit the bullseye, or even the board!
Whenever I see a sporty car like that one or $100,000 pick up parked in a handicapped spot or a lined no parking sign area I often see a young male or female in a jogging outfit running into a store. Or a middle aged guy strolling in with no handicapped acccesories like a cane, etc. Several of them also use an in-store electric scooter yet jump off and trot to the junk food isle. So I ask asuming the driver is not actually handicapped. Do I care? Yes, I have a handicap card and my wife uses a cane. I should but I'm too stubborn to admit I'm old and frail. Yet I rarely park in one of those handicapped spots. Someone handicapped may actually need it............... or a 21 year old just leaving the gym! The actual laws mention something about unable to walk XXX distance so someone can appear not handicapped and be. I'm just typing to see if anyone is awake. I can't hit a bullseye but I spread a lot of . Is a mental disorder a handicap? If so lots of us qualify!
I'm disabled, but not really all that handicapped (Handi-Man and Tiny Avenger just popped into my head....); however, I do walk with a cane, I do sweat profusely and breathe deeply once I'm winded, and though I have a pacemaker/defibrillator, you wouldn't necessarily see it, it's so small.
What I know of the gentleman who owns this particular car is that he acquired it (and the others) when they were cheap unwanted gas hogs, and he has held onto them ever since. He's an older fellow and treats his cars with respect, but also uses them as they were intended (as can be discerned by the rust in the rear wheel wells) He knows what they are worth and doesn't give a hoot. When he dies they will probably be sold for unimaginable amounts of money. He doesn't care. I believe he is a Korean War Veteran, and may have sustained injuries in combat. He's quite private, but the folks in the local Mopar club have filled me in over the years. I'm sure if someone hassled him about parking in a handicap spot he'd politely ignore them. If they persisted he'd likely whack them over the head with his cane.
I should have never brought the handicapped comment up. Some actually need to park as close as possible. The first thing that came to my mind are those 1000's who are just lazy. I didn't mean to insult a Korean War VET or anyone who is legitimately hanycapped. I appologuize to those who need handicapped parking and to the many who could use it yet leave those spaces for others possibly needing it more, Living in an area of Florida we saw many young and middle aged constantly taking advantage of any empty front row parking area. Many even parked right next to the stores on the lined EMERGENCY VEHICLE areas or on narrow sidewalks. After walking at a gallop or running into the stores, they'd take an electric handicapped scooter, even if it were the last. I have noticed back in Illinois at these same type stores, there seem to always be several handicapped parking spots and scooters. I've seen only a few scooter riders I'd even question about being handicapped. Perhaps there is a FLORIDA MAN thing going on down south with men, women, and children.
I think that no mater where you go you will find that. Some places more than others, some places less. I'm just happy my boys got to have their photo taken next to a real life Superbird, one that wasn't behind a velvet rope and is being used & enjoyed the way it was meant to be used and enjoyed.
If the car is registered, or has a handicap placard based on the owner of registration - that's all you need - driver at the time does not have to be handicapped - only the car has to have a placard or plates! makes no sense but that's the law in West Virginia and Virginia. PS in 1975 I bought my 53,000 mile 400 4-barrel; ram air GTO convertible, with AC for $750.00 traded it in for $900.00 in 1976 for my 73 Alfa Berlina and paid the balance of $1750. back in 75 - you had your pick of muscle cars for under a grand; Boss mustangs; GS40 Buick's 442 Olds; and yes even super birds; and Shelby mustangs were cheap - not under a grand but cheap Only cars like vettes; XKE's; 911's were expensive
