Reunion of Superbird with original owner and son.

[Arnie Cunningham]

A couple of weeks ago, a unique opportunity arose.  I received a call from the son (Shawn) of the original owner (Bill) of my car.  His father (Bill) was going to be back in North Dakota for a brief time to attend his granddaughter's high school graduation.  Shawn wondered if it would be possible for his father to see the car.  It had been 40 years since Bill had seen the car in person.

NOTE: I live in Nevada but the car is stored in Mandan, North Dakota about 7 miles from where it was sold new in 1970.  The original owner, Bill, was from the Elgin/Mott area about 100 or so miles from Mandan.  I had met Shawn by chance 6 years ago when passing through Elgin with the Superbird.  Until then, I did not know who he was or that he still lived in Elgin.  Bill has lived out of State for decades.

Just reuniting Bill and Shawn with the car did not seem to take full advantage of this unique opportunity so I asked Shawn if he would rather just take the car back to Elgin for the weekend.  He enthusiastically agreed.

This was to be a very big deal for all involved.  Shawn had sat on his father's lap and steered the Superbird when it was new.  Now 40 years after the sale of the Superbird in 1972, Bill, Shawn and the Superbird would be in the same place at the same time.

The weekend went fantastically well.  So well in fact that Shawn kept the car in Elgin for an extra week to drive it in the Elgin Days parade.  This brought forward a number of people who remembered the car from back in the day.  It is my hope that this reunion will unearth some vintage photos.  Someone must have taken some of such an odd car in a small ND town.

With luck I might be able to bring forward some of the stories that Bill remembers about the car.  Like how he got 3 speeding tickets in 3 different States in the same day.

Brennan R. Cook
RM23U0A169492

[BigBlockSam]

very cool 

[nascarxx29]

Great story and history hearing from past owner they have back in the day pictures/ paperwork documentation

[nascarxx29]

Great story and history
Found a old listing 169492
http://www.carsonline-ads.com/colsite/col?use=UC3_ViewPosting&cmd=showPosting&postingID=35807

[tan top]

interesting  stuff , thanks for posting 

[hemi68charger]

Very cool...   

[moparstuart]

Very cool...   

[69 DAYTONA]

...very nice story and your generosity is to be commended

[Bob T]

...very nice story and your generosity is to be commended

My sentiments as well.
Who could imagine seeing your old car in 40 years time, what a blast for the Father

[Ghoste]

Looking forward to the next part of this tale.
3 Tix, 3 states, 1 day huh?  He certainly was using the car as intended. lol  Did he give you any more details about that incident(s)?

[moparstuart]

 did you get a photo of you and him in front of the original selling dealership   

[triple_green]

one of my favorite parts of owning these old cars is when you can use them to "make someones day"

Congratulations!!

[404NOTFOUND]

That's funny about the three tickets. "Officer(s), this car just seems to slice through the wind"

[Hemi Runner]

Sooooooooo......if you're lending out superbirds for the weekend, I want one!!

[moparstuart]

Sooooooooo......if you're lending out superbirds for the weekend, I want one!!

me too   

[70Sbird]

Good Job Brennan!
Kudos and Karma points awarded!

[Arnie Cunningham]

 Thanks All.  It was a genuine pleasure just to be able to allow this situation to come about.  I hope to get Bill to write down some of the stories and allow me to put them out here on the web.  Some of them are a bit "adult" lol.  Apparently the Superbird was quite the chick magnet.  I think he will agree to let me publish the mechanical issues he had with the car.  To his recollection, the engine was replaced twice at least under warrantee.  One of the failures came at 120mph and pieces of the engine exited under the car and hit the bottom of the car as he passed over them.  WOW.

I would have liked to get a photo with them at the old dealership but it closed decades ago and now is a Bank or parking lot or something.  They did take a bunch of photos and when I get them I will upload them if they allow me to.