RustyRatRod's Guide To Hot Rod Bliss

:cheers:
RRR that is the mark!

I am forty-two many to count.
This Dart is my first MOPAR however I have 'Tinkered' with many others from Euro (VW, Opel, MG) to Asian (Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Honda, Yamaha) and Finally to U.S. (Ford, Late Model Chrysler (200, 300, Concorde, Intrepid)).
The thing in common is this:
Stock is Cheap.
Every thing else is a matter of Mind over Money.
If you don't mind, the money doesn't matter.
I think that applies to all aspects, not just speed / power.
You want it to have the 'New' HID lights? That will cost you.
You want it to have the 'New' CAI? That will cost you.
And many of the 'Easily' swayed individuals will sway this way or that at the drop of a pin depending on what commercial they just watched, what Hot-Rod show they just saw, or the 'Cool' car that just passed them on the street.
Unfortunately, they do not stop long enough to:
A. Think about what they want their car to do in the future.
B. Research / Learn how to get it there.
C. Execute accordingly.

They tend to think there is a Magic Bolt on. (CAI, 'Turbo-nator') device that will make it all come true.
I currently am struggling with my Teen Dart as the last owner did some good work and some not so good work. 6 hours under the dash to get the wiring sorted and 20+ hours under the hood undoing some stupid stuff that got done to name some.
I know what I want it to do in the future, (See my previous post about time with friends and tinkering).
I have a plan to get it there.
I try to research all that I can about that particular subject.
( I would like to pause here and thank ALOT of the members on here)
:prayer: Rusty, A/J, Trail Beast, 69Mope, TXSTANG, 67DART273, Abodybomber, KrazyKuda, WhitePunk, just to name a few. There are many more that I owe thanks to.:prayer:
And finally I try to stick to that plan to get where I want to go.
Many of the 'Younger' generation have been told all their life that "You are smart, You are good, You can do anything" without being told that it requires effort beyond measure. They have been told that long enough that they believe it. They think they can pick up a car, throw some of the 'New', 'Cool' parts at it and go down the track at 150mph. Why wouldn't they? Wouldn't you if you had been told those things all of your days?
I have seen it with some of my boys' friends that end up in my garage working on their rides. (mostly because many of their fathers don't even own a tool set let alone know how to use them)
I hate to be the JackA$$ that tells them the new, cool exhaust tip they just dropped $50 on will not make the Ricer suddenly launch itself into the middle of next week, It will just make it annoyingly loud and obnoxious at cruising speeds.
If I put this all together with the Modern throw away paradigm that exists, ie. use it till it breaks then toss it, I fear that the wrench turning, greasy finger nailed, Motor Head may be heading the way of the DODO bird.
What a shame that would be.
I have hope when I see younger boys than me on this site trying to learn the way things are done and not looking for the quick fix or how they can get rid of the car.
But I digress, (But I am good at digressing, I have been doing it all my life)
Thanks to all for the time. I truly don't deserve it as this is mostly a self serving, thread hijacking, Rant by someone with too much time behind the PC and not enough with the wrench in my hand. Didn't get to touch the car last night and I didn't sleep right because of it.