Question of the day why did you pick Mopar and why in a body

It's more like Mopar picked me, they always seemed to enter my life now and then. My dad had a Fury II back when I was about 10 years old, right about the time I started thinking about how cool cars were. I can remember sitting in the driver's seat in the driveway pretending to drive it.

Later when I was 18 and my first job was at Freeway Chrysler in Surrey, BC. Somebody traded in a purple (not quite Plum Crazy) Duster that was all interior stripped and roll caged. Starting it was a trick, and as the lot boy it was my job to make sure it got brought inside for the night. Once I got the hang of it, the 200 foot drives were the highlight of my day.

A few years down the road my first girlfriend wanted a car, so her dad bought her a `sensible' car - a '72 Plymouth wagon. I don't think he fully thought that through. My first knuckle busting was on that car when the timing chain jumped and I managed to change it and get it running - proud moment for me.

Several years later, in my late twenties I wanted a `project' car of some sort, so I told the sales manager of the dealership I work at (now Mertin GM in Chilliwack) that if something interesting came in on trade I'd like first crack. Lo and behold, a few weeks later he pulls a 1976 Dart Swinger into the shop and yells "$1500.00. You want it?" Original 318, blue with white roof and interior - and bias ply tires still on it. They got chucked the first time I drove it in the rain. Sold that when our first kid came along and we needed something more `practical'.

Jump ahead to about 2008 when an inheritance meant I could start looking for something again. I always wanted a 68-69 Dart, but there were no decent started projects around at the time. Did manage to buy a 74 Barracuda, 440/727/8.75, plum crazy. Did my first major engine build with it, learned plenty along the way, including what people will cover up when selling a car.

When my wallet said enough is enough, I sold that and went back on the market, finally finding my little 72 Scamp all original /6 bench beauty. The day I brought it home (about a 75 km trip) it happened to be the same day as a huge car show they have in Langley, BC, and I got plenty of thumbs up as I passed by. With the money from the Barracuda sale I managed to get the body (vinyl roof rot) and paint work done and most of the restoration (stripped it down and converted it to 360/727/buckets/console/black vinyl roof) finished in my 2 car garage.

And here I sit today, typing this long winded story. Thanks for reading if you made it this far.:)