Getting fed up of high-perf , being happy with less

-
ValerianMagnum

ValerianMagnum

the little car that could
Joined
Mar 17, 2008
Messages
1,155
Reaction score
480
Location
montreal , canada
Im not 78 but im 38...been in the game since im 16 , i had a lot of custom mopars / show cars , close to a street / strip 11 sec car ( duster ) , and...they always broke down, custom or hp parts were fragile or back order...or never worked right , And after more than 300k invested from 16 to 38 i am happy with a 1000$ 318 2bbl ratty fury....i dont look at the fact that the car as like 150-200hp , i am amazed how well it goes and how simple everything is , for sure i would like the torque of a healthy 360 but i am happy just driving it , its not fasr at all but reliable and easy to repair + its very very cheap to fix , i am the only one with time that slowed down on Hp and performance ? Seems like with all these super cars : Hellcats , Ls swapped cars , teslas , etc etc , unfortunately a 12-13 sec muscle car is not what it used to be , of course its a lot of fun , but i just dont brag about my 400hp duster 360 like i use to in 2000s , ( of course i was a young punk too ) :)
 
ValerianMagnum said:
Im not 78 but im 38...been in the game since im 16 , i had a lot of custom mopars / show cars , close to a street / strip 11 sec car ( duster ) , and...they always broke down, custom or hp parts were fragile or back order...or never worked right , And after more than 300k invested from 16 to 38 i am happy with a 1000$ 318 2bbl ratty fury....i dont look at the fact that the car as like 150-200hp , i am amazed how well it goes and how simple everything is , for sure i would like the torque of a healthy 360 but i am happy just driving it , its not fasr at all but reliable and easy to repair + its very very cheap to fix , i am the only one with time that slowed down on Hp and performance ? Seems like with all these super cars : Hellcats , Ls swapped cars , teslas , etc etc , unfortunately a 12-13 sec muscle car is not what it used to be , of course its a lot of fun , but i just dont brag about my 400hp duster 360 like i use to in 2000s , ( of course i was a young punk too ) :)
Click to expand...

I’m toning mine down a bit as well.
It’s still capable with the 5.9, 42rh overdrive and 3.55 sure grip, but adding AC recently feels like it’s turning it more cruiser.
 
TrailBeast said:
I’m toning mine down a bit as well.
It’s still capable with the 5.9, 42rh overdrive and 3.55 sure grip, but adding AC recently feels like it’s turning it more cruiser.
Click to expand...
i'm in the same boat. i'll take capable over a hotrod 9 out of 10 times.

but that 10th time, i'm gonna want something really wild.
 
I have to agree,with the OP, but I'm also 61 now and just don't have the energy or patience to be working on something all the time. I sold my Dart Sport last year because I was honestly just tired. After putting most of my free time over 5 summers into it, I was sick of it. It was a reasonably reliable runner by then, and I was driving it to work almost daily, but I wasn't enjoying it.
Now I have been driving a 97 Thunderbird with a bone stock 4.6 and automatic transmission for about 10 months, and I actually enjoy it. It's not fast, but it is capable, and dead nuts reliable, gets decent fuel economy, and it's comfortable.
Sure, I wouldn't mind having something faster, but it seems like it's just not a priority anymore.
 
ValerianMagnum said:
Im not 78 but im 38...been in the game since im 16 , i had a lot of custom mopars / show cars , close to a street / strip 11 sec car ( duster ) , and...they always broke down, custom or hp parts were fragile or back order...or never worked right , And after more than 300k invested from 16 to 38 i am happy with a 1000$ 318 2bbl ratty fury....i dont look at the fact that the car as like 150-200hp , i am amazed how well it goes and how simple everything is , for sure i would like the torque of a healthy 360 but i am happy just driving it , its not fasr at all but reliable and easy to repair + its very very cheap to fix , i am the only one with time that slowed down on Hp and performance ? Seems like with all these super cars : Hellcats , Ls swapped cars , teslas , etc etc , unfortunately a 12-13 sec muscle car is not what it used to be , of course its a lot of fun , but i just dont brag about my 400hp duster 360 like i use to in 2000s , ( of course i was a young punk too ) :)
Click to expand...
Sounds like you found your niche!
 
Life is factually fun and enjoyable when we learn where to find our happiness and joy! Has nothing to do with $$ and what sells the most Mecum or BJ, or what the neighbor thinks is cool!
We are all cut from different cloth....one guys diamond is another guys turd and vise versa!
I enjoy my turds!!!
 
My Magnum is just a plain 5.9 with bolt on parts. No camshaft swap yet but it’ll be a mild one. Minor shift kit in the trans and a low stall, 3.55’s, ready willing and able to drive anywhere. There’s more road noise from the tires than the exhaust. Actually. I don’t hear the exhaust unless I’m pushing that go pedal about half way down. A great trouble free cruiser that’s not complicated or stuffed with special parts, just stock ones. 300 hp ain’t a lot but it has good torque where you need it for off the line and Hwy passing. It’s probably a mid 14 second car and I don’t care.
 
Although I don't agree, I totally get what you are saying.

I won't even begin to try and add up what I have spent making cars look good or go fast. Doesn't matter to me since I truly enjoyed every minute of it over the many years (I'm 63). I've gone full circle starting with Z28's, 442's and a lot more, even had a 13 second 340 Duster that back in 1980 was considered badass.... lol to modern day stuff of today. I've build some really nice cars including a 9 second 900+ hp Challenger Super Stock and even my 10 second 950 hp TRX tow rig and as well as ratty old stuff like my current low 10 second Duster.

I've been fortunate in that my junk has been reliable and not fragile. I've beat the crap out of everything I've owned and they all keep ticking like a Timex watch.

Maybe one day I will say enough is enough and go for a stock cruiser....or maybe not. lol
 
I bought the car at 50, 15 years ago
Originally I wanted strong street/occasional strip mode.

Now, Vast majority of cruising, occasional street race mode now

I went from a 3.91 giving 4000 rpm
At 80 mph

Going to a 2.94 at 3000 at 80 Thermoquad for the small primaries

Lots of sound/heat insulation

Quieter mufflers.

Aftermarket AC in a few years

Comfort is now a factor when I make a purchase
 
Last edited:
I'm only 71, and my HO 367 is stone-axe reliable, goes 93 in the Eighth. It is now old and tired and rusty as heck, so I don't drive it much anymore. However, I would still not be afraid to drive it anywhere as I have in the past. It was built in 1999, and all bugged out by 2004, and now only requires regular maintenance.

However, I too am changing. The thrill of hammering thru the gears, and driving like an idiot, is not like it once was. That part of my life is pretty-much over.
I imagine that when I hit 78, I'll be happy to still be walking. But, you know, there's always bumper cars ...............
 
I just can't seem to get mine on the road, let alone be somewhat reliable. I started building it with the intent on strong performance, but not a racer, yet reliable enough to road trip occasionally. Right now I'd be tickled just to be able to take it to one of this weekend s car shows.
Got it out yesterday, might need some shifter cable adjustments (probably more), but just crawled under it and found a little bit of motor oil right under the bellhousing, and another drip forming.
Front of bell cover and oil pan is clean. Going to check the oil sender up top with my fingers crossed.

But, F-me, I'm tired of working on it, my wife complaining about me spending more time in the garage than with her, and people at work razzing me about lying about building a car, and going to car shows/cruises and saying maybe in a month or two, or next year.
 
Last edited:
I'm a driver. I like to drive my car, maybe 50 /100 miles for lunch on the back roads up and down hills and sharp curves. We redid the suspension front and back, sway bars, new shocks, springs, discs. It's 383 2bbl. and I get decent mileage on the cheap stuff, and it sounds great accelerating (the best she can). I have a Mopar guru nearby who has a few 451's and bugs me to do the change over. No way. I also have a 3rd gen Camaro that is a rocket, but even with a 5 speed it gets 11 mpg, so driving it long distances is $$$$. Selling it now, although it's a great car. I'm 73 and have done the speed thing since the 60's, and have had it with breakdowns and expensive fuel. Selling the Camaro and keeping the Charger till the end.
 
Last edited:
ya...it just has to be fast enough to be fun for me. I am spoiled by our modern cars that cruise
so nice around 2000 rpm. Smooth idle, good mileage, driveabilty, and not too loud!
 
As you get older, just driving the cars is enjoyable. I don't need to burn tires a city block.
 
ir3333 said:
ya...it just has to be fast enough to be fun for me. I am spoiled by our modern cars that cruise
so nice around 2000 rpm. Smooth idle, good mileage, driveabilty, and not too loud!
Click to expand...

True! I’m on a path to create or somewhat duplicate todays methods but still use yesteryears equipment.

Moderate compression, short duration/high lift cam with a really nice cylinder head and intake for the engine and a simple OD trans for longer legs.
 
It's hard to argue that, especially with early Chrysler products. They were the best in the business regarding utilitarian transportation. Just look at the 318. The slant 6. They just don't quit. It's funner to drive than work on.
 
We always drove our cars a lot. My brother put a 300,000 miles on his 67 Barracuda with A/C, I only put about 250,000 on my 64 barracuda and about 100,000 miles on the 68 original 383 fastback. Both the 66 and 67 have 273's, mine high performance, his stock 2 barrel with a 340 TQ and both would get into the 20's mpg on a highway trip. Lots of great stories. Take them anywhere, cross country, over mountains, cruising for days at a time. I also have pretty much had it with being the fastest, the latest suspension, or the biggest brakes. My friends drag race. It is nice going with them, but it is too much time, equipment, and money for me with what gain? Yes, the 66 and 68 have Kelsey-Hays disc brakes, the 67 it has 11 3/4 pin type discs, and all have an 8 3/4 rear. They were the best all around cars then, they still are great cars. I have always liked working on cars, but I hate having to work on them.
 
I understand. Anything you do for a long time gets old. Sometimes just taking a year or two off helps.
I was heavy into circle tracking when I was younger, some pitting for a friend, some driving my own. Spent a lot of time either in a shop or at the tracks.
Then I became a trucker and just plain wasn't home enough for that stuff.
Now that I'm retired and saved a little money strictly for a hot rod, I'm not so sure I want to. The old bod has taken a beating, my back is pretty bad, knees aren't great. Brain still says do it, body says maybe.
I have a nice shop with a lift and lots of tools, I can weld decently, have done plenty of fabricating, even put a Cummins 4BTA into an '81 D150, which I sold because I just couldn't get motivated to finish the body work.
I had a 50th anniversary 'Vette 6 speed that was so much fun to drive, but I was barely able to get in and out of it due to my back.
Sold it for a nearly new Challenger that was so nice I was afraid it would get damaged every time I drove it, I just couldn't enjoy it.
So I bought a southern 2011 Ram Hemi 2wd R/T single cab short bed for fun. It gets 22mpg on the open road and pretty decent around town. Headers, exhaust, lowering kit, does ride a bit stiff, but I don't mind. I'm a truck guy anyways. That was meant to be my hot rod. I have a Viper 6 speed ready to go in it this winter, am debating a cam swap, and now find I have 3 hernias which need surgery.
I'd like to find a decent roller cheap and put my own motor in it. I really can't do much of anything until next year now, so I have time to search.
 
As a late bloomer, I'm still very new to the old car/hot rod game. Sure, hearing a cammed up engine always gets my blood flowing, but smoking the tires and ripping *** down the road seems to happen less and less. All I can think of is the wear and tear on the engine and drive train, and the money I'm leaving behind in those two black stripes when it comes time to replace the tires.

But driving my stock slant with the three speed column shift is so relaxing -- puts a smile on my face every time.
 
Ya know ya might be getting old when: ya fire up the old Mopar, roll down the windows, drive over to under a big shady tree, listen to the engine.......and drive it down the road 5 miles and back.... just to exercise it a little!!!
No.. real cars don't have AC! :thumbsup: :steering:
 
This is one reason why I chose the camshaft I did for Vixen's engine. It's only .465 lift. I wanted to keep the lift low, so as not to run into any problems having to use a spring with lots of pressure. I knew it would last a long time. Even though the engine isn't stock and sounds pretty nasty, it won't hurt a thing and should last a very long time. With the exception of going around and tightening bolts from time to time. lol It's been a little over three years now and she's still runnin fine. I had an old guy I worked for as a kid say once that a true high performance engine only lasts about a year or so before it needs to be refreshed. He of course was talking about old school high compression, big cam builds and in a lot of cases, he was right. Higher than stock cylinder pressure, camshaft lift, valve sprAng pressure can all lead to lower than stock life expectancy. Especially when the end user mashes the loud pedal a lot. Just one more reason I just love to cruise old Vixen around and have a good time. Hopefully for a long time.
 
I got too lazy to shift a 4 speed many years, in fact decades, back. Been there, done that.
Driving is fun.
What were once tickets have turned into suspensions!

It ain't what it used to be!

But there is nothing like rolling down the road in a classic......whatever you have , and seeing the smile on peoples faces......usually old...er uh...."classic" people like us!
 
gdrill said:
I got too lazy to shift a 4 speed many years, in fact decades, back. Been there, done that.
Driving is fun.
What were once tickets have turned into suspensions!

It ain't what it used to be!

But there is nothing like rolling down the road in a classic......whatever you have , and seeing the smile on peoples faces......usually old...er uh...."classic" people like us!
Click to expand...
I drove my 70 Dart from Reno to Fl.
Everywhere we stopped someone had a Dart story (mostly older folks) IIRC, 70-72 darts total production was
close to a million cars. So they're still some left !
 
I have driven more than a few slant Dusters to work before I sorta retired. Every time I stopped for gas at that country station, some dude always started a conversation and the topic ended up about slants!
 
I like the gas station conversations. It’s when they start bullshitting me, I kind of turn off to them, just pump my gas and say have a nice day.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top