pg19Superbirds

Back in 1989, my body shop friend Rick said to me, "I found a Superbird in Copaigue. Do you want to see it?"

S--- Yaa! was my reply. We pulled up in front of the house, and from The street you could see the car

in the back corner of the yard. I snapped one shot of the car and then knocked on the door. No one

answered so I walked around back and found an apartment on my way to get a closer look at the car.

A young girl asked what I wanted and I told I was interested in the car. She said the owner Mary

owns a stationary store, and gave me the location.

I went home and thought for a while about my approach. I was 21 at the time and very anxious.

I decided the best way to get on her good side was to come bearing gifts. I had recently built

Monogram Model's Superbird kit in green, and was quite proud of it. It was done to replicate a

showroom condition car. I mounted it in a clear plastic Case and painted my phone number on the case.

Armed with the gift, I showed up at the stationary the next weekend. I meet Mary, an woman of

about 60 years wise, in this stationary that was so overrun with merchandise you could hardly walk.

(From what I could see in a big bay window, the house was the same way) I introduced

myself, and why I was there, and was met with the Italian evil eye.

Then I produced the model, "THAT'S MY CAR!!!" was the reaction.

We talked for a while, the story is as follows: She bought the car herself from O.C. Taylor Plymouth

in Amityville New York in 1970. They had three Superbirds at that time to choose from.

One Red (Tor), one Blue (?) and the Green one. She picked the Green one because it had more Carburetors

than the other two!! I assumed it was a 6 Barrel, but I never asked or looked!! IT COULD HAVE BEEN A HEMI!!!

She was pregnant with her son at the time. Then in the early '80's, her husband threatened to burn the car

because too many men were stopping her to ask about the car. When she saw him with a gas can, one day,

she hid the car at her girl friend's house. A few years later, he died, and she brought the car back home.

It didn't run, so it was parked in the yard. She had gotten estimates on restoring the car in the $50K range,

and said they were crazy. Her son could work on it if he wanted to.

I told her if she did decide to sell it, my number was on the case and to please give me a call.

A couple of years later I started dating my wife. Talking to her Dad one day, he tells me he used

to work at O>C> Taylor Plymouth from 1967 thru 1978. I was amazed to hear that other Long Island

dealers would send their unwanted Muscle cars to this dealership. At one time they had 13

Superbirds lined up in front of the dealership!!! I told him I knew of a Green Superbird in Copaigue,

and he said "I sold that car." I thought ya sure. Then he said, "To a pregnant woman."

Needless to say, I was shocked. I've been back to talk Mary a number of times, even with my wife. We

told her of the relation to the salesman and my wife. She let me take these pictures. But never called to say the car was for sale. A few months ago, I passed by the house and everything, including the

car, was gone. The house is empty too. She would be in her 70's now. Truth be told, she never looked to be

all that healthy. Well that's the story. I hope you can include this with the pictures. If anyone ever comes

across a Green Superbird with an ITALIA sticker on the wing and O.C. Taylor on the trunk, let me know.

UPDATE : MARCH 26/ 2001....Good news!!

My father-in-law recalls that car being a HEMI car!!! Shit, if he's right, that's incredible!!

He said the three cars were the last ones they sold from the dealership. The Green one was there

the longest, and one of three HEMI Superbirds they had come thru the dealership. The other two were

Orange and Yellow. (yellow was his demo!) The Orange car sold to a guy across the

street who bought THREE! Second was a white 440-4 for his wife. She totaled it, so they bought her

another one to replace it. The third one was Blue 440-4. The Hemi's were the hardest to sell.

All in all, they sold around 25 Superbirds from that dealership. Most of which came from other dealers

on Long Island. The most they had at one time was 13. If I find out any other interesting info,

I'll pass it along. Unfortunately, my Father-in-law is not a car guy. In fact, he doesn't

like talking about them much. He's a boat guy, Italian, with a mind like a steal trap. -

Folks, I believe that I have the wing of the green superbird, listed on your website.

The paint fade and sticker marks appear to match perfectly. I am restoring the superbird #24 and

was contacted by a person from New Jersey last December. He claimed to have a wing and would

sell it for $2,500. We made a deal and a week later I had one of the vital parts that I needed for my car.

He said it had belonged to a relative and that he had no other parts. I think we can assume

the car was parted out. He did not seem to know much about birds or the value of their parts.

I have enclosed some photos, you can post if you want. I would prefer to remain anonymous.