A 22-foot-long limousine painted in Broncos orange and blue was a sight to behold wherever it went, but now its owner is just hoping someone has seen it.
“The Mighty Salute” was stolen last week when someone towed it away while it was sitting on a Denver street, awaiting engine repairs.
“We’re just hoping that something terrible doesn’t happen, like a Raiders fan getting ahold of it,” said owner Ralph Williams, a.k.a. “The Limo Driver.”
His 1973, six-passenger Mercedes-Benz limo with orange- and-blue seats made regular appearances at Broncos’ games and even made the trips to the team’s past two Super Bowl appearances. It’s a fan favorite, Williams said, that was even featured briefly in the NFL documentary of the team’s 1999 championship run.
“This car first popped on the scene in 1997, everyone embraced it and fell in love with it,” he said. “My fear is that it would be chopped up or crushed.”
The car needed about $6,000 in work, including a new engine. Williams was working with Tim McKernan, a.k.a. “The Barrel Man” – he wears a barrel to games and little else – to bring the car back to its glory.
Williams had been offering the car for charity rides and wanted it repainted and retooled so he could again offer its services to charities and fundraisers.
It was parked on East 28th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard. It was last seen Wednesday evening, when a white tow truck was hauling it away. Williams said he filed a police report.
“We desperately want the car back,” he said. “It belongs to all of Denver.”
Staff writer Jeremy Meyer may be reached at 303-820-1175 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com.
