So, here is my story:
Dad sold the car when he and my mom got divorced in 1982. I got to ride in the car the day he sold it, I was 6. We did a 2-block long burnout. All the neighborhood kids were picking rubber off the marks in the road. What an experience it was to be in the car.
I knew of the person who ended up with the car after Dad sold it. Small town USA allows that kind of thing. He allowed me and my brothers to visit the car occasionally and said he would give Dad or one of us first chance to buy it if it ever came for sale. Fast forward to about 2005. I get a call from Dad saying the Demon was now for sale. Two days later, I am back home with money ready to get the car. I ran out to his house only to have him inform me the car had been gone for 2 weeks! When I returned to Dad's house, he apologized as he didn't realize it would be gone so soon. The car was now gone with no way to find it. The long time owner moved and I had no way to reach him. Going forward, I looked at every car show and swap meet I attended just in case it was there. I was scared that either the car was not taken care of and ultimately scrapped or it was well preserved but financially out of reach should it ever be found again.
On Monday July 23, 2018, a buddy in Fond du Lac asked me to go with to Minneapolis to pick up a 1965 Valiant. Always liking a road trip and anything car related I said yes. Why not look on Craigslist to see what else we could haul home was my thought. I don’t ever get over that way. Casually looking at page after page, I found a brand new posting for: "1971 Dodge Demon, original, rust free, long-time drag car, no engine, k-member setup for big block, 8 3/4 rear end, automatic, bench seat, hood scoop from 1972 Demon, super solid, last licensed 1984, complete interior, street or back to track". The story was too close to not call. I called him to see what kind of history he had for the car. He had the story all the way back to a guy in Park Falls, WI who had to sell it due to a divorce back in about 1982. Knowing it was the only yellow Demon in such a small town and the same time frame my mom and dad split, it had to be. He said I was #4 on the list to have a chance. I explained it was my Dad’s car and we named the same names who owned it. Thankfully, he moved me to the top of the list. Dad and I went up and got it on Wednesday and were able to confirm the holes in the dash from a switch he installed, his tach mount, and the rear mount battery in the spare tire recess. Dad said he used to have a magnet stuck to the dash that read “Smile God Loves You” and it had a small broken corner. I found the magnet and it has a broken piece on the L in Loves if you look close! Then when cleaning the interior I also found a receipt from the NAPA in Park Falls under the rear seat for a choke kit dated 1/13/1982. Last night I was informed Larry at Mr. Norms had all the original paperwork for the car with Dad's name on it. The complete paperwork set should be here by the end of next week.
That first cruise will be epic
