I admire his enthusiasm, but...

...question his grasp on reality.

I don't mean to sound mean, and hopefully it works out for the young man. On Facebook I joined groups for muscle cars and mopar in general. The other day a young man posted a question on the best way to build a 700hp 440. Numerous posters replied, some with good advice. However, nothing was stated about what car or other mods done to it to handle 700 ponies or even what trans. When queried about it, we find out he is 16, has been saving and has 5000, no car but hopes to get a 68-70 charger to put the motor in.

I am happy to see a young person interested in the hobby, or sickness depending on how you look at it. I didn't have the heart to inject the reality that to build the car he wants will take at least 5x what he has.

Here is to dreams and their possibilities...somet I mes they come true. Determination, dedication, and hard work.

well i would try to guide him or her along. yes some times dreams are all we have but need some one guide us along. and yes there is always more then just the motor but it takes time for some to figure that out.

rlevs said:

well i would try to guide him or her along. yes some times dreams are all we have but need some one guide us along. and yes there is always more then just the motor but it takes time for some to figure that out.

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Yep, that and a lot of project cars don't have engines, just be happy a 16 year old wants to do a Mopar, instead of sitting on his *** playing video games.

I have always been into cars ever since I could remember.My Father took me to the Mopar Nats in 1984 and I have been hooked on Mopars ever since.I bought my first car at age 15 in 1985.A wrecked low mileage 68 Dodge Coronet 440 for $650.00.It took my Uncle and I about 4 years to restore it.I had about $5500.00 in it when I was done.
Now it would have costed me $20,000 or more to restore that same car.And that is with me doing all the work myself.It seems aftermarket parts have really went up in cost the last few years.We all know the cost of repo parts cost alot more.

no poseur said:

Yep, that and a lot of project cars don't have engines, just be happy a 16 year old wants to do a Mopar, instead of sitting on his *** playing video games.

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Amen to that.
And who's to say he doesn't have a big inheritance coming?

i think maybe 30% of car guys actually finish their projects. the rest just rip them apart with big dreams and then get married and buy a minivan and with what little savings they have buy a decent driver they can enjoy. then 40 years later they want big money for the rotted project on the side of his garage or else "he'll get to it one day".

he will learn.

We all have our "perfect car" that we would love to have.I have seen my share of guys starting out determined to get that "perfect car" the first time out of the box And the most of them end in selling a basket case or its still in the garage after ten years with very little hope of a finish unless someone gives them the parts for free.Look at all the guys on the slant six forums-these guys have got it together!!!You gotta respect these guys most understand they can't afford a "big block high dollar A body"so they build what they got.Some stay with a six and some graduate to small block but they drive them!!!!

Let him/her know just get the charger and have a 318 in it. Then save up for the 700hp engine.

1973dusterkid said:

Let him/her know just get the charger and have a 318 in it. Then save up for the 700hp engine.

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I suggested it will take a lot of hard work and determination to achieve the goal he has laid out and to concentrate on smaller goals. I suggested he start with finding the right car first and work from there.

It`s great to see a young guy wanting to build an old Mopar but proabaly 10k to get reliable 700hp, then trying to find a decent 69-70 Charger and adding all the stuff to go with it = $30k++. Of course if it`s going to be a street car power is great to have but what is a 16 yr kid (or anyone for that matter) going to do with that much power?

Look at me I started with a /6 auto now have 360 4 speed you have to work you way to the top. Now I did not have a 700hp goal of a charger as my base car some principal just a lot more work and money.

I believe it is our responsibility to pass along our knowledge to the next generation. I have three twenty something boys and I've learned telling them what they should do doesn't work. I give them examples of my personal failures and victories regarding cars and wait to see what happens. Usually the seed is planted and when they make it their idea get out of the way, things get done faster than I ever could.

I wish I had a mentor or even the internet when I first started making all of my mistakes.

I think there are a number of different enthusiasts...

The Collector: This enthusiast has a collection of finished classic cars and very few, if any projects.

The Hoarder: this enthusiast has purchased dozens of classic cars. Very few, if any, are completed. As soon as they start on one project they find another one and snap it up and put the last project on the back burner.

The Procrastinator: this is the "I'm gonna fix it up some day" enthusiast.

The Dreamer: Where most of us start. Has multiple subscriptions to muscle car rags, big ideas, little know how, and even less savings. Usually starts with Hot Wheels and reading Deals on Wheels at a young age.

The Buy it Now: This enthusiast realizes he doesn't have the time or skills to graduate from Dreamer status on his/her own, but has been successful and buys a finished project(s).

The Do it Yourselfer: After years of research and penny pinching this enthusiast takes destiny into his own hands and graduates from Dreamer status. Will end up spending more than the Buy It Now enthusiast, a lot more...

The Racer: This enthusiast doesn't have a project, just an never ending goal of FASTER in what ever he can stuff a mean motor in.

A guy has to wonder if he hasn't been talking to too many of his friends. It's all too easy for "the gang," standing around doing whatever, to throw out HP numbers which gradually grow according to the machismo level.

Even 3-400 HP in the hands of a young, inexperienced driver can be more than dangerous, under some conditions.

i agree with all posts very true! yes its our responsibbility to try to guide the young that actually have real interet in these old cars, the youth is the future or the hobby will die. being from the era of the 60's its scares me to death to think of any kid with that kind of power! vivid memories of 69 runner that missed the curve at 100 mph on back roads (cause the farmers night lite was out and that was his signal to let off), all left was the 383 stuck way up ithe the old oak. sad
yes MTmopars, ya got all that right!! LOL yes i bought a roller (63 dart) other day, YET for $2000 more,, could have bought pretty a decent car, not a rolling pile of work! but then when i do buy a better car, i eventually find ALL the little things that add up that have to be repleced that make that extra $2000 shrink!!!!when i screw up i just blame myself!! being an old finacially challened old fart, i buy the roller, chalk up what i spend and work i do as my fun hobby and love all the skint knuckles!! LOL
having foolled with these cars off and on since mid 80's, its great to see all the repo paaaaarts ( can't afford them thought!), great to see large numbers of Mopar enthusiasts in the 40-55 age group, great the see the younger guys that can do the FI. we all find our pleasure where its at, but hopefully all will eventually find the true fun in these old cars is runnin it down the road and the satisfaction in fixing even the smallest of problems!!????