[68bird400HO]

Originally Posted by da judge

THE DELLS IS ONLY MINUTES FROM WHERE I LIVE. THE MUSEUM DIDN'T BURN, IT WAS A STORAGE BUILDING THE GUY OWNED THAT WENT UP. I REMEMBER WHEN THAT HAPPENED. THERE WAS A PHOTO OF THE BURNED BUILDING ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE STATE PAPER. YOU COULD SEE A TORCHED SUPERBIRD. I WAS TALKING LAST FALL TO A FRIEND OF MINE. HE OWNS A HO FIREBIRD CONVERT. AND IS A REGULAR ON THE PY FIREBIRD FORUM. HE USED TO OWN A 71 BUICK GS STAGE I CONVERT., REAL LOW NUMBERS PROUDUCED. I ASKED HIM WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO IT. "OH, I SOLD IT TO THE GUY WHO OWNS THE DELLS MUSEUM" WHICH LED TO THE OBVIOUS QUESTION. YEP, SHE'S HISTORY NOW. I HAVN'T HEARD ANYTHING LATELY ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CARS.

That's Me!

I grew up in Wisconsin Dells and have known the owners of the auto museum for almost 25 years. The 70 Judge convertible is being restored. It is a Pepper Green RAIII 4-speed with a green interior. It was really sharp with the white convertible top. I was just over at the body shop last week looking at it and noticed the top code is E, so it should have sandalwood top. They bought the car in 1983 for $7,800 out of the Milwaukee Journal in the condition it was in on the post card. I was there the day they bought it. I even got to drive it once.

This car looked worse than it was. Only the exterior sheet metal was warped from the heat. The frame, floors, firewall, and interior metal was all good. Now my 71 stage1 convertible is a different story. That one may not be restorable as it caught the brunt of the fire and is pretty toasted. That's the car I should have never sold.

I remember after the fire his comment was "...at least I got to enjoy them". He would drive these cars all summer long switching off periodically. He rolled up quite a few miles on several of them.