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Tell us about the first Mopar you owned and why you bought it.
mine was a 1967 Valiant in 1983. Iit was a 225 /6 automatic radio and heater, black interior and Turquoise exterior. It ran good enough to get it home then I promptly pulled the motor/transmission and rear axle assembly. I swapped in an Abody 8 3/4 and a 440 from a 71 full-size Dodge, it got the usual cam, headers, intake and carb and a converter from a Hemi car. Everything I did back then was on the skinny, the empty pockets plan so I never got the car out of primer and sold it because someone wanted it more than I did. Thirty nine years later and I wish I had it.
So what’s your story?
I got my first in ‘94, in NW Iowa. I had a few thou and was looking for a ride. I found two that I was in love with: a General Lee replica and, the car I ended up choosing (for whatever reason lol), a 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury, B5 blue and so, so big. I loved that car then and I love it now.
I was a weird, kid, 19 at the time, and the sheer size of the Plymouth won me over. As I drove out of the lot, I turned on the AM radio and I swear on everything Born to be Wild came on. You can’t make this up lol! I used to run red lights at very slow speeds, figuring who the hell couldn’t see ME coming? Oh, the good times…
it even had working AC that blew cold as heck. Over the years, I sure put some abuse on that car, but I still have it and it just made the move with me from cruddy CA to nice Arizona lol!
I started off with a 1967 Dodge Monaco 500 2-door, 383 V-8, 727 automatic Transmission, and put a 3.91 Sure grip in it, in 1977.
The car was overheating Due to a Leaking freeze plug in the back of the passenger cylinder head. I got the car for next to nothing and drove it 5 miles home by just adding water. Took me a long time to get the money to get it fixed. Like Iowan said, Really didnt have a lot of money. So after school I would Mow Yards, Deliver papers, Work on cars for little to no pay in those times, Stopped in to a few shops and did clean up at the end of the day, You know, Mop sweep, empty trash, get items ready for the next days work. Kind of a what ever it took deal....
Any ways, after some time, it was time to get the learners permit and get the old Drivers license. "Yep, That Big Day".... Got in my ride with a licensed driver and went to DMV and paid and got my license in my own newly put together ride.So they thought lol... Of course I was already pretty good at driving this thing around the local neighborhood...
After that we where off to the races... Sorta speak.... Well at least I thought it was fast...Of course it was, I started off with a Big Block.... That hooked me for life... Spent way to much time at "Super Shops"...lol
It was not long after that.... The E-Body came into my life.... And Wow....
Mine was Silver / Gray
does a Frankenstein truck count? picked it up out of a raspberry patch last fall for 200 bucks drove it home with a boat tank on the roof allot work ahead but it an interesting truck started its life in the us navy up in Churchill MB.
it a 62 international travelett told the motor is a 383 from a 66 coronet
My first Mopar was a 68 Charger R/T. I was 16 years old. Nothing better for a 16 year old kid than a car with a 440. I paid a whopping $650 for it. I had watched Bullitt and that was it for me I had to have one. I should have bought the 70 Roadrunner that I looked at before it. It was in a lot better shape But it was a 383 and had a really ugly paint job. And I wanted the Charger with the 440. . .
I sold it when the gas crisis hit. I couldn't afford the gas with my minimum wage job. And the gas lines sucked. I bought a Datsun pickup. .
Paul, I think a few of us felt that sting in those days.... Know how you felt !!!
They were tough times but the prices today are a bit of deja vu. I put $150 of diesel in my dually and got 1/4 tank.
My buddy is selling his F350 cheap. He uses it for work and the gas mileage is killing him. But no none wants it. It reminds me of when everyone was selling muscle cars for peanuts. I sold my Charger R/T for 500 bucks and my brother sold his 71 Roadrunner for $1000. My neighbor sold his 69 Super Bee for $250. But that was a long time ago, Today, I would have kept the Charger and got $1750 out of my pocket as fast as I could and had all 3. But I was young and broke. I had no storage. My first wife and my mother would have kicked me out if I brought them home. I shudder to think what they're worth today. They were all nice cars. .
A ‘73 Plymouth 340 Cuda. This car got me into lots of trouble. I swapped in a ‘70 340 with the 2.02 heads, and swapped the 2.76 differential for a 3.91 Sure Grip. Unfortunately, this car was cursed. Between being notorious with the cops, prone to breaking down or blowing up (at 17 I wasn’t a great mechanic), and fender benders, I earned a few weeks in the clink and couldn’t get a license until my early 20’s.
A ‘73 Plymouth 340 Cuda. This car got me into lots of trouble. I swapped in a ‘70 340 with the 2.02 heads, and swapped the 2.76 differential for a 3.91 Sure Grip. Unfortunately, this car was cursed. Between being notorious with the cops, prone to breaking down or blowing up (at 17 I wasn’t a great mechanic), and fender benders, I earned a few weeks in the clink and couldn’t get a license until my early 20’s.
Thats a great story... Cheers !!!
Are you Going to Moon Eyes event?
04-25-2022, 10:56 PM
