RM23ROA176669 Sold at auction circa 1971

[nascarxx29]

Somones car?

[BS27R1B]

I am very sure this car was listed last year on behalf of Tim Wellborn.

I will have to see if I have the VIN but I am pretty sure this car ended up being bought from the finance company by the original selling dealer in Pottsdam NY. The owner kept the car after selling the Chrysler dealership and opening a Toyota dealership next door. The town is too small to have had more than one Hemi bird back then.

The owner's name was Ed Cloce. He told me that it took him close to a year to sell the car. He sold it to a war vet in January of 1971 and the buyer only made 2-3 payments and the finance company seized the car and put it back on his lot in the summer. It sat on the lot for several months with no interest and Ed made them an offer and bought the car back that fall. Ed ran a local short track team at the time and decided to use the Bird as a promotional vehicle. They removed the vinyl roof and leaded in all the car joints and seams and painted the car red to match his race cars.
They used the car at the tracks and as a parade car to promote the team and his dealership for many years.

Ed called me around 1989 as he knew I owned a Hemi Coronet and might know what his bird was worth. He had been approached by a Canadian who had offered him $2,500 for the car and he wasn't sure that was a true value. I told him it was worth quite a bit more and told him I could appraise it for him.

The car was quite a sight without the top and painted solid red with some accent pin striping. It was a 13,000 mile rust-free car that was a little weathered but in excellent shape over all. The engine had never been out of the car according to Ed and you could see that they had painted around it. An original Tor Red Bird, buckets, console, power steering and brakes and I believe an AM radio. The interior was excellent as the car had been well kept over the years.

I appraised the car at $50,000 and Ed asked me to sell it for him. An ad was placed in Hemmings and we were flooded with calls. Within a few weeks a deal was made with Ken Hilton Auto Exchange who were going to restore the car. The sale price was $50,000.

The car did get restored but I never saw or heard of it again until last year when it showed up on Show Your Auto who were listing it for Tim. Mileage was still listed as 13,000.

I know I have a copy of the sheet and I will dig it out and post it.

[nascarxx29]

It all fits thanks for additional info  http://myemail.constantcontact.com/SYA-Featured-Car-of-the-Week---1970-Plymouth-Hemi-Superbird--13-000-miles.html?soid=1101325684144&aid=4P9cnDyXtP0

[Redbird]

Nice story tied together.

[held1823]

judging by the turntable in the photos i saved of the car, it was at RK Motors at some point

[BS27R1B]

Here is a photo I took of the Superbird in the late 80s. Please note this car had been painted red and was not the factory EV2.

I will dig out a copy of the sheet.

Rick Simpson

[Ghoste]

judging by the turntable in the photos i saved of the car, it was at RK Motors at some point

The company logo in the bottom right corner seems to agree with you. 

[birdman1970]

Its nice seeing the VIN#S listed as that car is the closest VIN to my bird I have seen. RM23U0A176667