Seeking info on Petty Blue Bird, Washington Illinois, John Bearce, Jim Baker

[Arnie Cunningham]

Merry Xmas All,
I received this email and am forwarding the request.  Does anyone know this car?  Petty Blue certainly helps narrow down the choices.

Hello, my name is Rick Heller I'm trying to see if my father in laws old superbird is still around. He bought it new in 70 or 71 from John Bearce in Washington Illinois, it was a petty blue white bucket seat interior 440 4bbl not sure about the trans. My father in laws name was Jim Baker, he is deceased now so getting info is kind of hard. I don't have a vin# or this would be easy haha. I know this is a long shot but figured I would try. I thought maybe one of the other owners might have some paper work that would show where their car was bought. I think he traded it back in at the same dealership he bought it from. I attached a couple of photos of his car from 1971, the one photo is my wife {Jims daughter} her sister and their mother. Any help would be GREAT!!    Thanks, Rick   My email is heller426@yahoo.com

Thanks,
Brennan

[Arnie Cunningham]

From what I can see in the photos it looks like a 15" wheel car, radio, no passenger mirror, white bucket interior and maybe the shadow of a column shift lever.

[Hemi Runner]

I don't know the car, but that shed/barn sure looks familiar. What street was that on?

[Arnie Cunningham]

I will ask him to join the group and provide as much info as he can.  It also looks to have clear side windows.

[thehemikid]

I know the pic is a bit old and there's a lot of glare from the sun in it,...but appears to me there are no nose decals.

[Arnie Cunningham]

I received this additional information:

Hello Brennan, The pictures were taken in Secor Illinois that is where they were living, not sure of the address but I can get it if anyone needs it. I registered last night on dodgecharger.com, still waiting for them to accept me. Rick

And yes the glare does make it look like the nose decals are missing - and kind of like the decals are still on the headlight buckets.  Maybe it was like so many of these and had some early life nose dings and repainting.

[nascarxx29]

Maybe try both wingcar club with older registrys .And check the post on 999 superbirds see how many have white interiors

[Arnie Cunningham]

Statistically, given the limited information we have, this should be one of about 10 or 12 cars.  440 4 barrel with white bucket interior.

[nascarxx29]

Same dealer who sold superbird    http://www.peoriamagazines.com/ibi/2014/jul/john-bearce

[heller426]

Hello all, I'm the guy looking for the petty blue bird. Nascarxx29 that is a good article on John Bearce I have never seen that. The other guy he mentions in the article Gary Uftring is the salesman that sold the superbird to my father in law. Arnie Cunningham, I agree with you to about the shadow of a column shift lever that's what I thought to. Talking to my mother in law about the car as she used to drive it, she swears she remembers having to shift it (4 speed), but I would think you would be able to see a shifter handle sticking up there as tall as they where. I don't know about her sometime Haha. Thanks for everybody's help on this. Rick

[tan top]

Hello all, I'm the guy looking for the petty blue bird. Nascarxx29 that is a good article on John Bearce I have never seen that. The other guy he mentions in the article Gary Uftring is the salesman that sold the superbird to my father in law. Arnie Cunningham, I agree with you to about the shadow of a column shift lever that's what I thought to. Talking to my mother in law about the car as she used to drive it, she swears she remembers having to shift it (4 speed), but I would think you would be able to see a shifter handle sticking up there as tall as they where. I don't know about her sometime Haha. Thanks for everybody's help on this. Rick

hello & welcome 

[Hemi Runner]

Gary Uftring owns several dealerships in the area and lives in the neighborhood up the hill. He also has a nice collection of cars and is a Mopar guy I hear.

[heller426]

My wife actually called uftring a couple of months back and talked to his secretary and explained the situation, she was going to pass the information along to him. Hemi Runner are you in the area? I'm like 30 miles to the east of there.

[Hemi Runner]

Yes, I'm in East Peoria.  I know the Uftring group operations manager and a bunch of his other employees. I'm building a bird clone.  I know of two other birds in the area but doubt either is the car you're looking for.

[Hemi Runner]

Are you part of the Heller clan around the El Paso area?

[heller426]

Yes, I am part of that clan. How far along is your bird project? would love to see some pics of that.

[6bblgt]

I have VIN numbers for 29 "PETTY BLUE" Superbirds

21 are 440HP 4bbl ("U"):
6 have white bucket seat (P6XW) & 8 are unknown interiors
of these
5 are known 4-speed, 1 is known automatic, & 8 are unknown transmission

plus an additional 14-21 unaccounted for of the 43-50 "PETTY BLUE" Superbirds built.  Did it survive the '70s?

prime candidates:
RM23U0A158628
RM23U0A158632
RM23U0A158633
RM23U0A158634
RM23U0A158636
RM23U0A175692 (auto)

Do any of these have early Illinois history?

[heller426]

Would the DMV be able to run those vin numbers and get a list of previous owners back to the original?

[Arnie Cunningham]

That often depends upon the State.  ND used to have everything on file.  Other States purge records.  It is worth asking.

[Hemi Runner]

Yes, I am part of that clan. How far along is your bird project? would love to see some pics of that.

Here's my build thread...
http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/showthread.php?86396-70-Hemi-Superbird-Restoration-errr-scratch-that

[nascarxx29]

Longshot seen this petty blue white interior bird on face book guy has had since 81 think its in ohio     1 of 5 440-4V 4-Speed cars in Corporation Blue with white buckets and the first of those produced. 38,000 original miles. I've owned it since 1981

[heller426]

Wow! nice work Hemi Runner, I had a cuda tore down like that about a year and a half ago, that is ALOT of work. I know why the body shops get big bucks for doing that kind of work. Nascarxx29 can you pm me that guys name? I would like to check that one out.

[rainbow4jd]

Longshot seen this petty blue white interior bird on face book guy has had since 81 think its in ohio     1 of 5 440-4V 4-Speed cars in Corporation Blue with white buckets and the first of those produced. 38,000 original miles. I've owned it since 1981

Thats me    In Pittsburgh by way of Akron OH by way of Cincinnati OH by way of Lexington KY where I bought the bird.

J99501

I've owned it since 1981 but know the prior owner who bought it from Clean Auto Sales in Cynthiana KY in 1972 (I think) might have been 1973.  The dealer had got it at a Chrysler factory auction and supposedly it had been a dealer demo (which made sense because they were tough to sell)    The dealer demo story might not be true.  IT COULD HAVE BEEN A TRADE IN BACK TO THE DEALER or even became a demo after the trade in.  It had really low miles on it.    So that might be the big question.   How many miles were on it when it was traded back in


It sure would be cool to finally find the original owner.  I just need never thought there was one because of the demo story.

[rainbow4jd]

Sorry I didn't reply earlier when I saw this post.  The column shift comment threw me off but I realize that was speculation

[Arnie Cunningham]

Interesting, do the other apparent options match up?