The Hemi ‘Cuda that you see rolling across the block at Barrett-Jackson for seven figures may once have been warming the used lot for a couple grand, as high-performance cars weren’t the hot ticket in the mid-to-late seventies. Every single restoration was once just a used vehicle, not a treasure, not an investment, not a collector’s item. When I first saw this picture (I can’t remember where for the life of me), I couldn’t get over how much fun they were having with such a rare and now desirable car. Why? Well, it was just an old car at the time.
First off, the more you look, the more you see going on. Many of you keen Mopar enthusiasts will catch that it’s not that rare or desirable at all. It looks like a Superbird, but in reality, it’s just a Roadrunner with a wing bolted on after the fact. The Roadrunner is still worth something today, and the wing would be as well, but back then, it was likely a dealer-ordered accessory. Next is the fact that it’s parked in the water, the big, fat, slot mags half-submerged on the back. Based on the estimate that it’s a twenty-six-inch tall tire, one can assume two things: First, the boat in the background is either in deeper water or hung up in the sand. Second, the guy jumping off the wing is going to be really sore when he smashes into that shallow water.
Having driven on sand with a big fat tire mounted on an eleven-inch wide wheel before, I can tell you, every inch you move forward is a massive victory if you’re not moving down, and that was dry driveway sand. Did they back the car in, or did they fly in forward at ramming speed? Maybe the tide came in? The picture isn’t panoramic enough to tell. Regardless, it’s probably a good thing they have all of those people to help push while listening to the sweet eight-track that I’m sure it had. The best part about this, though, is the fact that a bunch of people are just having fun with a used car. Sure, gooning it into the water probably wasn’t necessary, but if the picture showed it on the beach, I wouldn’t have ever saved it or shared it. It’s not the car that is important this week. It’s the event. As for where the car is today, I don’t have a clue. It could have rolled across the auction block after restoration. It could be sitting in a back yard or a garage somewhere with the same tires on it, dry-rotted and cracked. It could even be sitting in the very same spot, under the water, due to heavy precipitation and flooding. Hopefully, it’s still on the road, a little crusty, still being enjoyed today.
Have a question or comment for Kelly? Post it at lmtimes.ca/kirk
