The GM and Ford guys had a head start on us.

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Kern Dog

Kern Dog

Build your car to handle.
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I have a theory to explain why the Mopar crowd may be behind the times as compared to the GM and Ford guys:
While Chrysler abandoned REAR wheel drive performance cars in the 70s, the other guys soldiered on. The Camaro/Firebird along with the G body Monte Carlo, Cutlass, Gran Prix and Regal Grand National kept the flame alive. They were the benefactors of engine management and EFI. The Mustangs packed a punch in the 5.0 and SVO cars too. The theme of "refining" the RWD platform into a good handling, good stopping car wasn't lost on the GM and Ford guys either. While our competition was still building tradional RWD cars, we were stuck with Turbo front wheel peel. The attributes of FWD performance don't cross over to RWD applications.
The guys today in classic Camaros and Chevelles are often using modern engines like the LS series. The modern engines are often matched with bigger brakes and upgraded suspensions.
If Ma Mopar had kept refining the Barracuda or Challenger instead of pulling the plug to focus on the Volare and Aspen, MORE of us would easily embrace a Modified approach to out Mopar build.
Instead, we have a greater percentage of stock or 90% stock cars that look great as a historical reference but are totally outgunned on a race track of any type.
 
somewhat true i guess.

the other issue is how anti-enthusiast chrysler has been over the years. hell you could go to ford and buy a street rod harness to put a injected mustang motor into anything you wanted as far back as like 1988. chrysler had the 318 and 360 magnum motors and never offered any kind of universal harness for it. only ever saw a handful of EFI magnum motor swaps over the years most likely because of that.

not really sure if chrysler had continued to build v-8 rear wheel drive cars that guys would modify their classic muscle. maybe mopar guys wouldn't be so afraid of EFI if chrysler kept the v8/rwd cars going, but i do know a lot of mopar guys are weird like that. too many in the mopar hobby are in it because they were the latest checkbook guy fad. hopefully those types are slowly leaving and the true enthusiast return. over the last few years it does seem that more classic mopar owners are wanting to get out and drive/enjoy them instead of just having them as expensive garage art.

the other thing i see happening is that a lot of classic mopar muscle owners are selling their classic and buying new muscle. not a bad idea really. hard to argue with the performance of those new cars. and with the new cars being popular you are also seeing more modern chrysler/fiat motor swaps into classic cars. there are a few companies making easy to use harnesses for that swap which helps. not sure if anti-enthusiast chrysler is making any type of street rod harness though..
 
lots of good points.
one thing that people sometimes have to learn the hard way: MR. $$$ finds a true MOPAR muscle car worthy of big $$$ resto, get it done perfect, haul it to the big shows, NEVER drive it, get there and find someone else spent even more dollars and HE won the d---ed $5 trophy. o k i'm sorry if I make fun of anyone, BUT what usually happens is petty some he see the common man workin on and drivin his car and havin a blast, next thing MR> $$ wants to sell his overrestored collector car and get something to drive. O K so he keeps the mega resto car cause he can't find another $$$ guy to give him his investment back, so he stored it and buys a "less valuable" car, or he becomes a hands on enthusiast, builds one, drives it, and has funnnnnnn!??he learns to drink an occasional cold one, swear when he boogers his finger, lust for horsepower, ya get the pic!!
 
Keep in mind, that other than gliches in the financial road, generally Ford and GM has ALWAYS been in better shape corporate wise than Chrysler. This has been true for decades, before the big Iacocca thing.

Also keep in mind that this is "not" as it "was." Corvettes are not what they were, neither are the drivetrains, and 'Stangs are not what they were.

This is all in deference to how 'friendly' a company may or may not be to performance or performance customers

Don't forget......Ford (and GM) rear wheel or not, spent a few years on the "outs" with stupid stuff like the "Pinto of Mustangs" while GM was trying to convince all of us to buy their stupid effin' V6s

So there's plenty of finger pointing, over the years, to go around.

And in the end, there "is no" Chrysler, and hasn't been..........for a very long time.

I don't need help from "Chrysler" to do what I do, and I don't give one **** about trophies
 
Don't forget......Ford (and GM) rear wheel or not, spent a few years on the "outs" with stupid stuff like the "Pinto of Mustangs" while GM was trying to convince all of us to buy their stupid effin' V6s

So there's plenty of finger pointing, over the years, to go around.

And in the end, there "is no" Chrysler, and hasn't been..........for a very long time.

I don't need help from "Chrysler" to do what I do, and I don't give one **** about trophies
Click to expand...

AMEN brother !!!!!!!
 
Hot rodding is all about building with what you have at your disposal, or what you can fabricate or adapt to your car. Its always been this way. Sure its easier and cheaper to do a GM or Ford, but then again everybody has one. Mopars are unique in the fact that not everybody has one, and they are much cooler in the styling dept IMHO. A Lot of stuff adapts from other RWD mopars and you dont have to spend super big bucks if you know what interchanges with what. I personally like the look of the stock hi po mopars . I like em restored looking, but hopped up internally. Kind of like a muscle car sleeper.

I am going this route with my cuda. A stroked 360 dressed up to look like a commando 273. A833 OD transmission, 8&3/4 sure grip with 3.55s , Going to run 17x8 wheel vintiques steelies body color with stock dog dish caps and modern rubber. Full hot rodded suspension with big sway bars, and 79 cordoba disc/drum setup for brakes. Gonna paint it 1967 daffodil yellow. I want it to blend in , not stand out.

Kinda like a resto sleeper. I dont think the fact that GM and ford continued RWD thru the 80s made things better for them. I prefer doing it my way to the easy way. It ensures there wont be anything like mine at a car show.

Just my .02
Matt
 
At a gas station or grocery store people walk right by Camaro's, Mustangs, Corvettes and even new Dodges to do a walk around and ask about my Dart.

I have that on almost all of them. :D
 
I used to get teased for being a "Mopar guy" in high school by all the GM and Ford guys. I stood up to them and held my own.

And now they wonder why we "hate" them....
 
I was just thinking yesterday for some of these guys that think building Mopars is hard, and expensive, ya oughta try stuff like Jags and Studebakers................
 
The Blowtie bozos and the Blue Oval bimbos never had a head start. They were playing catch-up, and still are.
 
Hate is too strong of a word... Ignorance on the other hand fits all purists of any manufactured product, owners included.

I've had my 64 Signet longer than many of you have had your drivers license and if I hadn't loved it's body so much, I would have sold it and kept my 66 396 SS when I had both at the same time, along with a late paxton supercharged 416 stroker Ford truck.

I am not about to put down other manufacturers just to follow some trend here or anywhere. I hit some shows with my Signet and totally dislike talking to purists of all calibers. Both me and my car are accepted by hotrodders wherever we go, than again, maybe it's my doggies they like.
 
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