What was your first MOPAR?

[garythecarguy]

the first mopar i test drove (owner driving as i was 14) was a sublime 70 rr w/440-6 4 speed my grandpa and i looked at in summer of 77.i knew what it was,but gramps did'nt,until we left the driveway and the owner smoked the tires through 3rd gear! i was in heaven until we got back to his house!the only thing my gramps said was "boy,there ain't no way in hell your gonna buy that car!" it was a hell of a ride though,and only served to make me a lifelong mopar man as have owned over 20 mopars and counting.

[Gearhead 1958]

Hello. I'm Gearhead 1958. I'm so glad I found this site.
I'm the proud new owner of a 1969 plymouth roadrunner basket case.
It looks pretty much like everything's there.I'm not that concerned with the
mechanical aspect of the car,But the interior is trashed.I'm hopping some of
you might be able to help me out in that area.Please drop me a line at

This site
Thanks and nice meeting Ya'll
The Gearhead

[garythecarguy]

Hi Gearhead,I'm a newbie too. I don't go around knocking businesses, but I'll tell you one I will never buy from again and that is Legendary. I ordered a interior for my 65 coronet convertible several years back {3}. The front seat covers were ok, the door panels were horrible (the attaching holes didn't come close, the indent for the 500 emblem will not accept the emblem as it is to small and they say it is for locating the emblem only? What a crock! The rear interior panel holes were not close either, but the real pisser was this-I sent an original door panel and rear panel from my 500 parts car for them to compare after many phone calls and they said they were the same! What a crock. The holes were inches off,not just a little bit.) Now the rear seat cover! I get it 3 months after I ordered it as it was out of stock at the time and there was a waiting list for the cover. Three months is a loooong time to wait as summer was coming fast. I unpack it and set it on the frames, it is 6 INCHES to narrow! I am not happy at this time, as you can well imagine, so I call and talk to "quality control" . After explaining the problem, the guy said he will call me back the next day, which he did. He states and I quote " Our shop has never had this problem before and thinks your car is not the same as all the other 65 coronet convertibles." "Wow," says I, " I have one of the fabled 3/4 scale 65 coronets and will be able to retire when I sell it!" After being told the my humor was not appreciated I ask when my correct seatcover will be made." After you send the cover back, we will put you on the list for a new one", not we're sorry,we'll put you on the top of the list now since you have waited 3 months already and were sent an obviously mismadecover, but "on the list" after I send the defective cover back! Almost 3 months later I get a new cover and find that this one does indeed fit and I get my car on the road 1/2 way through summer. Great company to deal with!

[Gearhead 1958]

Thanks for the info.
I'll keep that in mind.As in reply to what was my first Mopar,it was actually my first car.It was a 1971 plymouth sattalite with a 318 2 barrel.That car ran
so lean and clean it would turn the exhaust pipes white!Not gray,white.On a road trip I could get 21 M.P.G.at 70 to 80 M.P.H. Of course I was young and
dumb and still in high school so I beat the crap out of that poor car.I wish I
had that car today.But my ultimate dream car to this day is a 1970 white
Dodge Challenger.I saw the movie Vanishing Point When I was like 13 years
old.And I have loved that car ever since.It would have to be white,of course
with a 440 six pack and 4 speed.Got one lying around.

Well I better be going.Thanks again for the info.Have a great day.

The Gearhead.

[gd9704]

My first Mopar was a 1982 Cordoba. Smog-choked 318, 2.20 gears. About 13 mpg and slower than molasses.....

Today I have a nice 1971 Demon 340. About the same mileage but considerably faster!

[missionmopar]

first mopar was 1958 dodge pickup,flat head six step side in 1970.top speed 93 mph.next ride was a 1968 road runner roll down back windows 383 automatic.a very large upgrade in speed.most of my friends had chebbys and phords,and they hated to see me at the strip.top speed fast.

[Donniecash]

You want to go fast mopar is ware its at!!! I am now sporting in my new 2008 Challenger srt8. I still have 2-1972 rally chargers with N96 option. Don

[The Toy Peddler]

Newbie here. Paul, The Toy Peddler. My fist Mopar was a '68 GTX with a HP 440 I purchased for $900 in 1975. It was pure and clean except for a broken speedo, which my brother in law broke when he hit 150mph and was still accelerating!
My baby was stolen from me in 1977. I had no insurance. It was found stripped up on blocks near the LA airport. I sold the body for $500, which I regret to this day. The good news is that this weekend I bought a nice project. A 1970 Challenger that was in the process of being restored. It is complete except for a windshield and gas tank. It needs reassembly and paint. All parts that weren't excellent are new including the interior. It has a BUILT 500+HP 440 magnum ready to drop in.
I'd love to post pics, but I don't have enough posts yet. Hopefully soon though!
Paul
The Toy Peddler.com

[Donniecash]

Thats a nice car. great project, mopar is ware its at!!!

[racerdave]

Mine was a 65 Coronet 500, it had a blown 361 in it and I bought it for $250. Then I got a 383 out of a 69 RR and got her running. Primer Gray with Slotted mags and "torq twister" tires. It had black interior with a center console. From there i went on to have tons of other cool rides including a 66 Hemi belvedere II, a 440/6 pak challenger (70') a 69 Dodge Charger Daytona (no sh%t!), and Petty entrprises Scamp Kit car, a cool 64 Valient 6 cylinder 4 speed hardtop, a Rod Hall signature series dodge truck snd I still have my Walker Evans ramcharger, and now I'm playing with a 76 Aspen R/T (circle track car) and many other ramchargers waiting to go 4 wheeling! I even have my eye on a 60's vintage series 100 window van that i want to make into a wheelstander to scare the neighbors!!

[1 bad bird]

Mine was a 1965 Barracuda.... I found it while taking my kids trick-or-treating about 12 years ago. This guy had it in his garage. When I saw it I said "nice car" he said "you want it,? take it! just get it out of here!!!! I said "whats wrong with it" ? He said "nothing, I just thought it would be cool to have an old car, and now that I have one.....its just not me. he said he just took $4500.00 off the price of a garage renovation for it (he was a contractor) but after some quick "schmoozing", I took the "cuda" home for $2000 bucks!!! It was a 273 Commando motor, air cond., auto trans car with 83,000 original miles. Just a tach shy of a Formula S car. He got it from the original owner, (yes, it was a little old lady) but he never titled it, so the title went into my name as the 2nd owner. This car was MINT but the paint was faded, so my buddy painted it, and put the racing stripe on it. I added some duals, and a set of new BFGs and some original hubcaps and drove it for about a year, then sold it out at Carlisle for $7500. !!!

[1 bad bird]

The reason I like MOpars is that over the years, I been to alot of car shows, and you just don't see many of 'em. 1000s of Camaros, Chevelles, GTO's and Mustangs.....but not many mopars, then I started to read about them, and Man.....they were the fastest things out there !

[1 bad bird]

Hey Missionmopar
thats what I'm workin' on now a 68 RM23 car

[1 bad bird]

roll down back windows, bench seat and all !

[bugs granpa]

my dad was the person responsible for my addiction. when i was little he had a 69 charger r/t that was awsome and many other mopars since .when iwas 16 i had a 4 letter word 3/4 ton p/u got rid of it in ahurry and bought a 1972 dodge d200 longbed stepside that i still own along with a 1978 d300 club cab duallie with a 440 a 97 clubcab duallie with a cummins an 05 4x4 quade cab duallie with a cummins . if it is not a mopar it cant park in my drive

[garythecarguy]

my first mopar was a 68 charger r/t,black over blue w/blue interior, 440 auto car.I kept it for 7 years before I sold it and still regret it.I've had a 69 charger r/t 440 auto that was bronze w/tan top and interior,a 70charger r/t 440 auto that was purple w/white top and interior, a blue 68 dart,blue 73 roadrunner,triple white 65 coronet 500 convert,two 70 1/2 ton long beds,70 red w/white interior 340 duster,red w/black interior 71 340 duster, a t top volare w/a 340 6pak auto and now have a yellow w/black top and interior 65 coronet 500 convert w/a383 4 speed.

[71forestgreen]

Gary the car guy is a understatement.

[MarshaCRTT]

02-08-09
My first Mopar I got from a friend when I was in high school. It was a 1960 Dodge Dart Pioneer station wagon; we named it the “Fin mobile”. I only owned it for 3 months and spent more money fixing it than I paid for it, so I sold it. That was it though I was hooked. I never knew a lot about the car then but did some research since and knew I had to have another, that was over 20 years ago.
In 2001 on my way home from a graveyard shift (6:30 am) I saw her sitting in a field I had never noticed her there before, I damn near locked up my brakes to get a better look. I introduced myself to the home owner and practically begged her to sell me the car. As I talked to her it was as if we had known each other for years, we talked almost till noon. She said the car wasn’t hers but she would give my information to the owner. I made sure they knew that I had a 20x20 ft garage just for her. A couple of days later on my way home from work again; I saw she had a big sign on her windshield that said…”Not for Sale”. I was devastated, and then she disappeared for a couple of years.
In 2003 she returned to that same spot, this time I wrote down the address and wrote the home owner. He called me back and said he would give the owner the information. I mentioned how nice the woman was that I met two years earlier, he said her name was Julia (his wife) and that she passed away from cancer shortly after I met her…again I was devastated. Well the real owner said that he would sell her to me so yes I could have her.
In memory and utmost respect I named my car “Julia”. She is every bit the gracious lady that her name sake is. Every time we go out for a drive she always brings smiles to many who see her. I’m sure Julia is pleased with herself for doing that one last good deed to someone she didn’t even know, and I will forever be in her favor.
Julia is a 1960 Dodge Dart Seneca Club Sedan 2 door with a push button automatic torqueflite transmission. She has a 225cid /6 with a one bubble carburetor (I love that part). Again I have put more money into her repairs than I paid for her but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Love Those Fi

[thpper40]

when i was 16, my brother gave me a 67 dodge dart r/t. it had a 383 under the hood and a lime green paintjob. that thing could MOVE. i cant remember how many stoplight races i won with that car. but the curse of every mopar is once you have it runnin solid, its a race to see who dies first, the car, or you.

[Zach H]

My first car I got in 1997. It was a 78 Lebaron 2 door with 360 2bbl. White with a light blue top and blue interior. I was mean to that car. I wish I would have kept it instead of trashed. It had the classic look of late 70s muscle if their were such a thing.

[Magnumguy]

My first Mopar was a 1957 Dodge Royal 4 door sedan, super Red Ram. Power windows and seats, and they worked.

Many more Mopars after that.

[sub12et]

My first was a '64 Valiant, 2-door post with a 273 and Hurst 4-speed. For its day, it was a pretty amazing ride. I had so much fun blowing the doors off of so many different muscle cars with that Valiant. It eventually ended up (sorry to say) with a 340, disc brakes and 3.91 gears, and was a very potent machine in that configuration. Wish she was still around, but rust eventually got the better of her.

[pcrmike]

Magnumguy, some may razz you about the late B-bod, but I personally have a serious jones for a Magnum, buddy. Would love to build it with a RB, low notes from the pipes and cruise it. :-)PCRMike

[Magnumguy]

Originally Posted by pcrmike

Magnumguy, some may razz you about the late B-bod, but I personally have a serious jones for a Magnum, buddy. Would love to build it with a RB, low notes from the pipes and cruise it. :-)PCRMike

Mike, I know of one needing a motor, and I have one that I'd consider selling myself. IF you're interested, PM me.

[ddarnell]

My first car was a 1965 Dodge Coronet 500. 383, buckets, console, white w/red interior. Hogged the motor and tranny out to put in my second car, a 1968 Plymouth Barracuda.
David

[ak70challenger]

hello everyone from Alaska, this story starts back in 72 , my husband owned a 70 challenger, he was in highschool. I would drive my bike by many times to see him pulled over for something. man, that car was cool. orange 340 stick,white bumble bee trim on trunk. I think he was the first to have headphones, bigguns. 8 track boxes stacked high. fast forward 25 yrs. for some reason we went to look at a challenger. ok not great. he told the guy he had one once.and the guy said oh I've got one in pieces under a tarp, the alaskan garage, we went back and bob, my husband said " well thats my car" and the guy said. how do you know and bob said only a stupid kid would hacksaw out those speaker holes in the back. well he had done some body, new fenders and stuff but it looked to me like it had been on fire!HA in 72 he bought it for 2700, sold it in 75 for about 3000, bought it back for about 8700.at work one day he was riding up the elevator and a man said, I just bought a car like the one I had in highschool. Bob said , He had just bought his car from highschool, priceless

[RAM MAN]

nice memories

[panama]

Originally Posted by ;15954

What was your first MOPAR and why are you still hooked??

My first MoPar was a 1958 Plymouth Belvedere 4-door hardtop (just like "Christine", but a 4-door). It had a 318, 3 speed push-button auto, holleywood mufflers, factory dual mirrors and antennae, the big fins. I put on a 4 bbl Carter AFB off a 361, got great performance (10 feet of rubber going into second gear (we actually measured it!), but only got 6 mpg, same as a Hemi. But, back then, gas was only $0.45 a gallon, not $3.62 a gallon (CDN).

That car was bullit-proof!!!

Thanks for the memories,
Jim

[Feisty-Duster]

1974 Plymouth Duster, Olive green, 16k old grandma's car, still smelled new in 87.

[panama]

hmmmmm, doesn't look like a "Grandma's car"... unless she was the "Little Old
Lady From Pasadena" (1960's Dodge commercial, Jan & Dean had a hit with the song).