KIMN Radio Superbird Contest

[John Hogan]

I just stumbled on this thread on the Dodge Charger Forum. Did it ever bring back memories!
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,133635.0.html
Sooo, Dave Denning and I were best friends in high school. We went to Jefferson High in Edgewater, Colorado and I was at his house the night he won the Jock-in-the Box contest.
Since my girlfriend drove a 1969 Super Bee her dad had bought her for graduation I was a big MOPAR fan even then.
So the sad story is that Dave and his folks were told to meet at Roger Mauro Chrysler Plymouth on West Colfax to pick up the car. We were both seventeen so his parents had to come along to sign all of the paperwork. A photographer from KIMN was there to take pictures. A salesman had us climb in the car to go for a ride. Dave was riding shotgun and his folks and I scrunched into the back seat,
I clearly remember it was a Vitamin C 440/4speed car but not sure if it was a 4 bbl or 6 bbl. Black interior with buckets. The salesman pulled out the back of the lot and headed west on 14th Ave. He nailed it, rowed through a few gears and turned around at Pierce St.
By Dave's folks reactions I knew there were problems. Despite pleadings from Dave we left the dealership that night with a used 1968 Camaro. Cream colored 6 cyl, three on the floor. The dealership traded the Bird straight across for the Camaro.
I've lost touch with Dave many years ago but now I think I will try to look him up. Never knew where the Superbird went after Roger Mauro sold it.
P.S. I guess sharing this kind of dates me like the dinosaurs!

 

[Big Bad Dad]

This is not related, but is my sad Superbird memory. I was with my Dad, and he was looking at station wagons in 1970. We went to the local Chrysler/Plymouth dealer, and there was an orange 'Bird in the showroom. 440 six barrel. I dont remember auto or 4 speed. Anyway, my 12 year old self went crazy over it and tried to talk Dad into buying it. Yeah right! LOL... Well, I never forgot the car. In the mid 1980's, I was working for a contractor who raced a dirt track Nova. We got to talking cars, and found out that he had gotten that 'Bird when he was younger. His well heeled dad had bought him the car when he graduated high school. Unfortunately, he had been running at very high speed one night, he said well over 100 MPH. Said he topped a hill, and there was a VW bug on the wrong side of the road, and in his lane. The resulting head on collision killed the bug driver, put my old employer in the hospital, and of course totaled the cars involved. I don't know if he faced any charges. This would have happened in probably 1971 or early 72..

 

[John Hogan]

This is not related, but is my sad Superbird memory. I was with my Dad, and he was looking at station wagons in 1970. We went to the local Chrysler/Plymouth dealer, and there was an orange 'Bird in the showroom. 440 six barrel. I dont remember auto or 4 speed. Anyway, my 12 year old self went crazy over it and tried to talk Dad into buying it. Yeah right! LOL... Well, I never forgot the car. In the mid 1980's, I was working for a contractor who raced a dirt track Nova. We got to talking cars, and found out that he had gotten that 'Bird when he was younger. His well heeled dad had bought him the car when he graduated high school. Unfortunately, he had been running at very high speed one night, he said well over 100 MPH. Said he topped a hill, and there was a VW bug on the wrong side of the road, and in his lane. The resulting head on collision killed the bug driver, put my old employer in the hospital, and of course totaled the cars involved. I don't know if he faced any charges. This would have happened in probably 1971 or early 72..

Ya know, and there is a good chance that Dave's parents decision not to let him own that Superbird may well have saved his (and possibly my) life! We were pretty crazy in those days and even that six banger Camaro bought him a ticket or two....

 

[guy gadbois]

Well, also not related, but can I tell 'My SuperBird Story'? Well, my favourite SuperBird story as opposed of seeing the first one I ever saw - in Lime green no less - at Cox Chrysler Plymouth and being so stoked that my Dad finally relented, took me to TG&Y and got me a model kit of one....
Anyway...
The NSRA held the Street Rod Nationals in Tulsa in 73 and 76, plus the Street Machine Nationals here in 76 and 78. My Dad took me to the 73 event - not old enough to drive myself - for a day and Man, was it great. But by 76, I had a car and could go myself. In fact, I could even enter the Street Machine part, so I did. My memory is that the Rods came first - Thursday, Friday , Saturday and Sunday, then the Machines [post 48 back then] came the next weekend. There were several folk who came for both...how cool. But I digress.
Anyway, the Wednesday or Thursday before the event, I was up in Claremore [OK]. Claremore was [still exists - but not as fun] a cool little semi rural town north and east a bit of Tulsa on old Rt 66. The town was built for cruisin it appeared, and the locals still did so into the early 80s. I had taken my Mom up there to play for a wedding; dont remember why Dad didnt go too, but he didnt. I had volunteered to take her just to drive, cruise Claremore a bit lookin at those beautiful long haired country girls in their painted on Wranglers, and check on a clutch of Model A's sitting in a farmyard just out of town [That story didnt end well...] while she was at the wedding. Anyhoo, Mom was a church pianist for years - and incredibly good if I do say so myself - so she ended up playing for lots of weddings and funerals in Christian Churches in the area.
So there I was in little old Claremore Oklahoma, sitting at the stoplight at the intersection of Rogers Blvd and Rt 66 and what flashes by right in front of me but two, count em, TWO, Plymouth Superbirds heading west nose to tail! After I regained consciousness, I got on the CB.
(Minor digression - as you all may remember, back in the period of oh, 73 to maybe 83 or so, everyone had a CB in their car. I mean nearly everyone. Ya know, like your PARENTS even had them. When my Dad ordered a new Olds Cutlass in 78, he ordered it with a FACTORY AM FM 8 Track CB combo...They were that common, at least in the Southern / Western half of the country. Naturally, I had one in my RoadRunner.)
So I got on the radio and hollered at the SuperBirds [cause I figured they had 'their ears on']. One replied, and I asked if they were headed to the Street Machine Nats. With a big 10-4 , I then allowed that I was a local and offered any assistance they might require. They asked if I knew the way to their Hotel and where to get a good meal. I knew both things, so advised them to pull over and said I'd be there as quick as 383 inches of Chrysler power could catch up.
I caught up pretty quickly and we stood there on the side of the road talking, drawing a map and writing instructions.
They were real nice guys, from like Iowa or Indiana or something. Both cars actually belonged to the younger fella - he was probably in his late 20s - and his Dad had come along for the trip and to drive one of the cars. Cool. The white car was 440 /automatic and maybe had a/c if I remember correctly, so Dad drove that one. The orange car was 440/6 and 4 gear.
We stood there and talked awhile, and then the owner of the car invited me to come and hang out with them at the Nats and maybe provide local guide service! Naturally, that offer was accepted! So due to CB radios, I had one of the best weekends of my life to that point [and maybe still] sitting around thousands of cool cars and cruising both the fairgrounds as well as my home town a bit in a 6 barrel SuperBird.

a word about the photo - this is not my picture; well, it is now, but I didnt take it. I didnt take one single snap at the event.

But a few years ago, I was just sitting around piddling on the pooter, looking for Street Machine Nats photos from days gone by. Many pages deep in Image search, I saw this photo ; couldnt believe my eyes! There were 'MY' SuperBirds! Had to be ; how many orange and white SuperBirds were parked together on the west side of the fairgrounds in Tulsa Oklahoma during the SMNats in 1976?!?!? I followed the trail to a Mopar forum, joined the forum so I could PM the OP. A couple of days after I sent my message, the gentleman replied; I told him my story in [I'm sure nauseating ] detail and asked if I might have copies of the picture, as well as any others he might have from that event. He said "Sure, I'll get ya some dupes made, gimme your address and I'll send em." Naturally, I offered to pay for his time and the pictures, to which he just sorta waved me off.
About 2 weeks later, I received an envelope in the mail. Inside were all the original photos he took at the event with a note that basically said "Here - you'll enjoy these much more than I. Hadnt looked at em in 30 years, and I have them all scanned and stored in case I ever want to view again." To say I was, and am, chuffed, would be a huge understatement! [He refused payment, but I sent him a set of dupes anyway - easier to thumb thru than firing the computer up]
So just in the off chance that you ever see this, THANK YOU again Doug from Iowa - you cant imagine how I appreciate it! And should the owner of these cars at the time ever see this, THANK YOU too - you made the summer for this teenaged boy!

 

[John Hogan]

Well, also not related, but can I tell 'My SuperBird Story'? Well, my favourite SuperBird story as opposed of seeing the first one I ever saw - in Lime green no less - at Cox Chrysler Plymouth and being so stoked that my Dad finally relented, took me to TG&Y and got me a model kit of one....
Anyway...
The NSRA held the Street Rod Nationals in Tulsa in 73 and 76, plus the Street Machine Nationals here in 76 and 78. My Dad took me to the 73 event - not old enough to drive myself - for a day and Man, was it great. But by 76, I had a car and could go myself. In fact, I could even enter the Street Machine part, so I did. My memory is that the Rods came first - Thursday, Friday , Saturday and Sunday, then the Machines [post 48 back then] came the next weekend. There were several folk who came for both...how cool. But I digress.
Anyway, the Wednesday or Thursday before the event, I was up in Claremore [OK]. Claremore was [still exists - but not as fun] a cool little semi rural town north and east a bit of Tulsa on old Rt 66. The town was built for cruisin it appeared, and the locals still did so into the early 80s. I had taken my Mom up there to play for a wedding; dont remember why Dad didnt go too, but he didnt. I had volunteered to take her just to drive, cruise Claremore a bit lookin at those beautiful long haired country girls in their painted on Wranglers, and check on a clutch of Model A's sitting in a farmyard just out of town [That story didnt end well...] while she was at the wedding. Anyhoo, Mom was a church pianist for years - and incredibly good if I do say so myself - so she ended up playing for lots of weddings and funerals in Christian Churches in the area.
So there I was in little old Claremore Oklahoma, sitting at the stoplight at the intersection of Rogers Blvd and Rt 66 and what flashes by right in front of me but two, count em, TWO, Plymouth Superbirds heading west nose to tail! After I regained consciousness, I got on the CB.
(Minor digression - as you all may remember, back in the period of oh, 73 to maybe 83 or so, everyone had a CB in their car. I mean nearly everyone. Ya know, like your PARENTS even had them. When my Dad ordered a new Olds Cutlass in 78, he ordered it with a FACTORY AM FM 8 Track CB combo...They were that common, at least in the Southern / Western half of the country. Naturally, I had one in my RoadRunner.)
So I got on the radio and hollered at the SuperBirds [cause I figured they had 'their ears on']. One replied, and I asked if they were headed to the Street Machine Nats. With a big 10-4 , I then allowed that I was a local and offered any assistance they might require. They asked if I knew the way to their Hotel and where to get a good meal. I knew both things, so advised them to pull over and said I'd be there as quick as 383 inches of Chrysler power could catch up.
I caught up pretty quickly and we stood there on the side of the road talking, drawing a map and writing instructions.
They were real nice guys, from like Iowa or Indiana or something. Both cars actually belonged to the younger fella - he was probably in his late 20s - and his Dad had come along for the trip and to drive one of the cars. Cool. The white car was 440 /automatic and maybe had a/c if I remember correctly, so Dad drove that one. The orange car was 440/6 and 4 gear.
We stood there and talked awhile, and then the owner of the car invited me to come and hang out with them at the Nats and maybe provide local guide service! Naturally, that offer was accepted! So due to CB radios, I had one of the best weekends of my life to that point [and maybe still] sitting around thousands of cool cars and cruising both the fairgrounds as well as my home town a bit in a 6 barrel SuperBird.

View attachment 1239989
a word about the photo - this is not my picture; well, it is now, but I didnt take it. I didnt take one single snap at the event. View attachment 1239988 But a few years ago, I was just sitting around piddling on the pooter, looking for Street Machine Nats photos from days gone by. Many pages deep in Image search, I saw this photo ; couldnt believe my eyes! There were 'MY' SuperBirds! Had to be ; how many orange and white SuperBirds were parked together on the west side of the fairgrounds in Tulsa Oklahoma during the SMNats in 1976?!?!? I followed the trail to a Mopar forum, joined the forum so I could PM the OP. A couple of days after I sent my message, the gentleman replied; I told him my story in [I'm sure nauseating ] detail and asked if I might have copies of the picture, as well as any others he might have from that event. He said "Sure, I'll get ya some dupes made, gimme your address and I'll send em." Naturally, I offered to pay for his time and the pictures, to which he just sorta waved me off.
About 2 weeks later, I received an envelope in the mail. Inside were all the original photos he took at the event with a note that basically said "Here - you'll enjoy these much more than I. Hadnt looked at em in 30 years, and I have them all scanned and stored in case I ever want to view again." To say I was, and am, chuffed, would be a huge understatement! [He refused payment, but I sent him a set of dupes anyway - easier to thumb thru than firing the computer up]
So just in the off chance that you ever see this, THANK YOU again Doug from Iowa - you cant imagine how I appreciate it! And should the owner of these cars at the time ever see this, THANK YOU too - you made the summer for this teenaged boy!

So true that everyone had a CB in their car. During that time period my wife had a 68 Charger and I had a plum crazy 70 Challenger ragtop. Both had CB antennas mounted to the trunk and we met lots of cool people on the radio back then!

 

[John Hogan]

I just stumbled on this thread on the Dodge Charger Forum. Did it ever bring back memories!
UPDATE: So I actually found my buddy Dave and we talked for the first time in 50 years! Amazing what the MOPAR world can do. He did correct me on one large detail, the car was for sure a HEMI and not a 440. So how rare was that, a HEMI 4 speed car. Way Cool, and even cooler that I found a friend I have been out of touch with for fifty years! Also I remembered a lot of the story but after finding Dave got the whole scoop directly:
"I did sell the Bird back to the dealer. They gave me $3,500 cash and I bought the Camaro separately for $1,400. The rest mostly paid for my college tuition. So all in all, as much as I hated my parents at the time, it was the best decision which probably did keep me alive."

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,133635.0.html
Sooo, Dave Denning and I were best friends in high school. We went to Jefferson High in Edgewater, Colorado and I was at his house the night he won the Jock-in-the Box contest.
Since my girlfriend drove a 1969 Super Bee her dad had bought her for graduation I was a big MOPAR fan even then.
So the sad story is that Dave and his folks were told to meet at Roger Mauro Chrysler Plymouth on West Colfax to pick up the car. We were both seventeen so his parents had to come along to sign all of the paperwork. A photographer from KIMN was there to take pictures. A salesman had us climb in the car to go for a ride. Dave was riding shotgun and his folks and I scrunched into the back seat,
I clearly remember it was a Vitamin C 440/4speed car but not sure if it was a 4 bbl or 6 bbl. Black interior with buckets. The salesman pulled out the back of the lot and headed west on 14th Ave. He nailed it, rowed through a few gears and turned around at Pierce St.
By Dave's folks reactions I knew there were problems. Despite pleadings from Dave we left the dealership that night with a used 1968 Camaro. Cream colored 6 cyl, three on the floor. The dealership traded the Bird straight across for the Camaro.
I've lost touch with Dave many years ago but now I think I will try to look him up. Never knew where the Superbird went after Roger Mauro sold it.
P.S. I guess sharing this kind of dates me like the dinosaurs!

View attachment 1239920