The Villages - August 2020 - 12

R I C H A R D & PA I G E U D E L L

1963 Plymouth Savoy
Super Stock
To call Rich and Paige Udell car collectors would be an
understatement.
Nationally recognized auto aficionados, the pair
THERE WAS A SERIES
have owned more than 100 cars, boats and motorcycles
O
F
18 OF THESE THAT
throughout their lives - many of which are extremely
WERE MADE - THIS IS
rare or highly collectible.
NUMBER 18 OF 18.
One of those rare cars is their bright red 1963 Plym- Richard Udell
outh Savoy Super Stock - one of only 18 ever made.
"There was a series of 18 of these that were made -
this is number 18 of 18," Rich said. "In order to be that, it had to be fully
documented by the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association). They required
a certain number of these to be manufactured before they could compete
in a specific class."
With this Savoy being such a rare car, Rich researched the full history
of it from the moment it rolled off the assembly line. A Plymouth dealer
originally ordered the car and owned it for more than 40 years, and the
car also spent time in a museum before he purchased it and brought it to
their Village of Winifred home.
Originally built with drag racing in mind, the Udells' Savoy Super Stock
has a bigger 426 Max Wedge engine that produces 415 horsepower, wider
rear tires and a slew of other upgraded parts and modifications meant for
the drag strip - even though this particular car never actually raced. The
car also is signed by drag racing legend Don "Big Daddy" Garlits, whose
drag racing museum in Ocala is a popular destination for gearheads.
For Rich, the Plymouth Savoy holds a special place in his heart.
"When I was a kid growing up, I was into cars and I wanted
every piece of junk that I could get," he recalled. "My father said,
'Absolutely not.'
Instead, Rich saved up his money and at the age of 16 bought
his first car, a 1963 Savoy with the same color and interior as the
one he owns now, albeit with a smaller engine.
Cars always were a big part of both his and Paige's lives, and
they both reminisce about what life was like as a gearhead even
in high school.
"He'd be in study hall and have the math book out with a car magazine," Paige said, laughing. (He and his friends) drag raced before school
- if you've ever seen the movie 'American Graffiti,' that was his life."
Rich still has photos of himself as a teenager with that first Savoy, and
now, with an upgraded drag version of the Savoy years later, everything
has come full circle.
The Udells are prestigious car collectors, and the couple has built,
owned, traded and sold dozens of highly collectible vehicles over the years.
Their cars often win awards at national or even international competitions and shows, and many of their vehicles have graced the covers of na12

AUGUST 2020

The Villages - August 2020

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