What got you into Mopars?

[hemi71x]

The first time i saw a brand new white,1970 Cuda, parked in front of the clothing shop in downtown Waterbury, CT. that i was coming out of.
That did it for me.
I must have kept walking around that car for 15 minutes, or more.
Then in 1971, i ordered one.

 

[dadsbee]

Riding on the package tray of this as a 2 year old... it steam rolled from there.

That and as many that made fun of me back in my teens "hey, you're old man is poor eh.. had to buy a Plymouth! My old man can afford a GM"! Ya, but I still blew the doors off your SS.. LOL

 

[gdrill]

The urge to put countless dollars into hard to find parts that are one year only and generally made of unobtanium.

 

[Cojohnso1]

It starts with "The look" Chrysler's have always taken bigger design risks. Not all panned out. But in the "Muscle car" era? They have flat out better aesthetically pleasing body lines. This is why Mopars can support wilder color schemes. Case in point. You ever seen a plum crazy purple Chevelle? It looks like sadness. On a Mopar E-body? HOT!!!

 

[mmissile]

4 generations of Chrysler employees. Put a roof over your head, and food in your belly. NOTHING else was in our driveway.

 

[RT68440]

This started the fire for me. Reruns in the mid 90s when I was 11-12 years old.

Then a couple years later I discovered this movie and I had to have a 68-69 Charger...

Gradually after that I fell in love with the rest of the Mopar muscle cars.

 

[fullmetaljacket]

Mopars got me on Mopars.

 

[Cojohnso1]

P.S. Awesome thread. We all know why? But every story is a different path.

 

[Photon440]

Budget got me into mopars. While I would have liked to have a 442 or GTO, they were $2200 for a nice one. My road runner was $500 cheaper and I could actually afford it. I got lucky because mine had the air grabber and rear spoiler and factory hood pins, I didn't know about options like that at the time and would have happily bought the car without them.

 

[68sprtsat383]

Growing up in a mopar family. Grandfather's had mopars my dad has always had mopars and still does and even my uncles do. Dad had a 67 Hemi GTX from 1972 until 91 had to sell it. Car never lost a race. Alot of good memories in mopars growing up

 

[chargervert]

Riding on the package tray of this as a 2 year old... it steam rolled from there.
View attachment 1542770

That and as many that made fun of me back in my teens "hey, you're old man is poor eh.. had to buy a Plymouth! My old man can afford a GM"! Ya, but I still blew the doors off your SS.. LOL

A lot of the problem with angry GM owners spewing their distain for Mopars is because they only ever saw the back of them. They never had the opportunity to enjoy the front view of a second generation Charger or Road Runner!

 

[cosgig]

I always love the argument that Mopars cost twice as much to build as a Chevy. Umm, yea, but they’re also worth twice as much!

 

[PlymCrazy]

"hey, you're old man is poor eh.. had to buy a Plymouth! My old man can afford a GM"!

That's one sentiment I love about the old Plymouths

 

[Rebelrouser]

I am curious...what got you into Mopars? When I was growing up, you were either Chevy or Ford...that's it (although my older sister's 1st car was a '64 Valiant vert)! Maybe as teenagers we were too poor to afford a Mopar as Sb Chevy & Ford were a dime a dozen, as were the parts. My 1st car was a '68 Chevy stepside PU. My father is a retired A&P mech. We stayed as a friend's house one year to go to the Dayton, OH Air Show. The guy had a ton of books, models, etc on Mopars, specifically early A-Body Barracudas. I remember thinking that they were so cool and so unique and vowed to someday own a Mopar. Fast forward 35 years and many Chevys later, here I am. What is your story?

I had an uncle that liked Mopar's, and as a kid I would help him in his shop. One big project we did back in the early 70's was a valiant station wagon he cut into a El Camino style truck and installed a 392 dual quad hemi. He also fixed up early A body Barracudas as well. Plus, my Dad liked Mopar's as well, one of the first cars I got to drive was a 69 mod top Fury with a 383. we also had a 67 Coronet for many years. My dad always said the coronet was the best car he ever had, it went 100,000 miles and never had the valve covers off. Second car that I owned was a 69 sport fury with a 383 police package, story I got was it was ordered by a high ranking state patrol, because it was a 2dr. hard top turquoise with a silver interior and console with bucket seats, 160mph certified speedometer, heavy duty brakes and 335hp engine, Pass everything but a gas station.

 

[twecomm]

Out of high school in 67, first car was a used 64 Ford, Galaxy 500 convertible. Had it for about 9 months, then bought a used Red 66 Charger, white interior, 383 4 speed. Loved that car !! Got in lots of trouble with that 66 Charger, many speeding tickets. Like most that age, all you want is a new car. Finally had some money from working, just enough to be able to handle payments on a new car. So went to local Dodge dealer and ordered a new 1970 Charger. Beautiful car. Metallic blue, white interior, 383 w/ 4 speed white vinyl top. Had that car for less than one year, then insurance companies more than doubled the insurance on "High Performance Cars" of which the Charger was one of many that had a higher rate. I was still on my dads insurance policy, when rates went up, just could not afford payments on the Charger and the higher insurance rate, so had to sell the 70 Charger and bought a new 1970 Chrysler 500. That certainly dropped the insurance rate. Had that car until got a used 1972 Chevy El Camino followed by many other non Mopar's.
Late 90's my older brother went to car show and bought a detailed Etrel model of a Red 66 Charger w/ white interior. Looking at that model car daily on mantle got me looking around for a Red 66 Charger. w/ white interior. One evening, as fate would have it, found the perfect 66 Charger on E Bay. Bidding was running out in a few hours. One bid on the car, but that bid got cancelled 1/2 hour before time on listing had expired. Once that happened, immediately contacted owner, drove the next day to have a look at this Charger and did the deal. Car's still going strong, makes me feel like 18 every time I drive it. Kidding my wife, told her to bury me in the 66 Charger when I check out...

 

[dodgeboy440]

As a kid I rode around in moms car A 1959 Chrysler New Yorker , BEST PART Was A 413 Golden Lion Engine & Dual Exhaust ..............I Loved The Rumble That Ol Beast Used To Make............We Would Tease Mom at times Into Burning Rubber..........She'd Laugh........Those Were The Days .......60's!

 

[440plus6]

I was 14 years old and downtown on my Schwinn 10 speed when a yellow 69 Dodge Charger drove by. I told my friend, someday I am going to own that car. He laughs in my face. Guess what, it happened! As the years clicked by, I had a clapped out 69 Chevelle and became acquaintances with the fella that owned the yellow Charger (he was a local street racer and had just smoked my Chevelle about 2 weeks earlier). One afternoon we were both getting some work done on our cars and I told him I had a dream about his car, he says, "what the taillights".... kinda funny now...... anyway I shared with him my story from when I first seen him in it. I also said, if you ever sell it, I want it. a short time passes by, and he calls me, asks if I was serious and I of course said yes. He indicates he had just blown the engine at the drag strip and would take 4500 for the car, the blown engine and the 6-pack he had on it at the time the rod went through the block. I respond with, DEAL. Mind you, I'm a college student, I had zero money at the time! I beg my mother and promise to do everything under the sun if she lends me the cash. I'll never be able to thank her enough, cause she did.
The rest is history. Traded an ATV for a fresh built 440, slapped on the 6 pack, and it became the love of my life.

Mopar or no car

 

[WileE]

I'm going to the police range with my brother-in-law. In his Dodge Charger. He says to me, why don't you drive it, see how you like it ? Ever hear of love at first sight ? Got myself one. And had at least one Mopar ever since.

 

[chargervert]

Mopars got me on Mopars.

Where did you learn to do this? I learned it from watching you dad! Parents who use Mopars have kids that use Mopars! This message is brought to you from the National Council against Drug Abuse!

 

[PlymCrazy]

Where did you learn to do this? I learned it from watching you dad! Parents who use Mopars have kids that use Mopars! This message is brought to you from the National Council against Drug Abuse!