Day Two Talladega Survives!

There are lots of reasons to attend Aero Car Reunions. There are fun activities, you get to see cars you have heard about but never seen and you get to meet new friends and renew old friendships. The car featured here is one I have seen photos of several times over the past few years but have never seen in person. It is owned by Mike Atkins and driven this weekend by his son, Brandon Atkins. If you don’t know Mike, he is a great guy with tons of history and knowledge about these cars. He has a barn full of Talladega, Spoiler II, Daytona, and Superbird Aero Cars.

Mike and his father started collecting these cars back in the ’70s when they were just old cars and not anything special. What is special, he drives them. Mike and his son, Brandon, and his sons took two cars to the 50th Talladega Anniversary Celebration at the Wellborn’s; this Talladega, which I have been wanting to see for years, and a Superbird. The Bird was being driven down to the event from Tennessee with the Dega on a trailer. The Superbird broke in heavy Atlanta rush hour traffic. They had to unload the Dega and winch the Superbird onto the trailer while sitting on the side of the Interstate in rush hour traffic!

As was common in the 60s and 70s during the muscle car era, new owners and second owners wanted to personalize their cars. This usually meant custom tires and wheels, engine speed upgrades and even custom paint were added. Such cars have become referred to as “Day Two” cars, cars that include come period-correct modifications. Mike’s car is a Day Two Car but the modifications are all original, not recent modifications.

Obviously, Ford never built a Talladega in green and it is too bad they didn’t. It looks great even if the respray is nearly as old as the car. You can also see numerous other modifications, inside and out, that were common back when these cars were first sold. The car remains in very good condition for its age and the paint has held up remarkably well. Although it is a clear coat finish there was only cracking and cob webbing on the flat surface of the front fenders.  It does not distract from the car’s overall appearance only adds appropriate patina.

There were many equally interesting cars at the 50th Anniversary event. I will show you some of those over the next few weeks.

Below is the first picture I saw of this Talladega

If you aren’t driving your aero car and if you aren’t attending events then you aren’t enjoying your car enough! What is so great about these events is that no one’s car is too rough and the shiny cars get less attention than the survivors and drivers! You have no excuse to leave your car at home.