Stirring the pot

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There is a member on some of the site I go to, that has a 70 something Challenger convert, with a slant six and 4 speed (factory car). Car is show quality. I'll bet he has many people telling him to install a Hemi, even though his car is rarer then the Hemi cars.
 
You tell me.. would you like to see the original slant six????...
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my Dart is very plain...no lipstick or jewelry with steel wheels and hubcaps.I call it plain Jane and the build turned out the way i wanted it. I get deluged with comments at Cruz night..."you really need the stripe, cause that's the way they came" "You really need the rocker trim to set the car off" " You really need a set of custom wheels, the car is so plain".."You really should have the original tail panel and belt line moulding the way the nicer ones came" and on and on.
I just say a lot of people tell me that, i think you're right. I'm going to make those changes this winter...thanks. But I'm an older guy that is long past what others think and it doesn't bother me at all.
 
You tell me.. would you like to see the original slant six????...

Of course, but it is your car, and your money, build what you want.
Just like my 66 Cuda was born with a 273 2bbl, and I installed a 170 slant which was never available in the Cuda. My car, my money, my build.
 
See Charrlie some still look down on our Slants.
Remember the decal I had on my Dart ?
"You laugh at me because I'm different,I laugh because you are all the same."
 
Purists aren't going to like my '69 Dart when it finally gets finished either.
In fact, one of my Inland Mopars Car Club buddies gives me a hard time about it because I'm using a non-Mopar OD automatic tranny that fits the A-body trans tunnel and provides a better ratio split than existing Mopar OD transmissions. I'm waiting to see what he has to say about my 4.30 rear gears and 2.88-equivalent gearing on the freeway.
The previous owner started the build over 12 years ago. It was his grandfather's car but he started changing the drive line and tired of the project.
I'm building it the way I want to please me.
My car, my money, my time. If others don't like the way it turns out then the highway is their way.
 
I like all cars. One of the reasons I go to a show is to see variety and to pick up ideas.
Something I have seen on this site and others, that I disagree with is. Put a different brand motor in the car and watch how some will tell you how wrong it is. Its your car, do as you want!!
 
I used to get plenty of unsolicited and unwanted "advice" on my 1970 Dart Custom, which of course everyone called a Swinger. After the first season I stopped listening and ignored them. Comments ranged from "why do you do that to such a nice car" at the track or burnout contests, to "you should add the tail stripe or go wing," or "why do you want that big hood scoop", etc.
 
Of course, but it is your car, and your money, build what you want.
Just like my 66 Cuda was born with a 273 2bbl, and I installed a 170 slant which was never available in the Cuda. My car, my money, my build.

My favorite question was when I put AC in it if it affected the power? LOL stroker doesn't even notice it coming on LOL..
 
all true...your car your way and there are a lot of builds that i don't care for just as a lot of guys don't like my plain Jane.
But when it comes to rat rods i really wonder sometimes when it appears someone went out of their way to make a vehicle worse than it originally was?
 
I like all cars. One of the reasons I go to a show is to see variety and to pick up ideas.
Something I have seen on this site and others, that I disagree with is. Put a different brand motor in the car and watch how some will tell you how wrong it is. Its your car, do as you want!!

I don't have a problem with engine swaps. A friend and I were Mopar people, but he had a 68 Merc Cougar "roller". So we did a 440/727 install as we had the parts.
I had a 49 Merc, with a 303 Olds engine. A 54 Stude with a Packard engine. 34 Ford with a Caddy engine. Several others that had engine swaps within the "family", but not available from the factory. Back in the day that was called "Hot Rodding".
 
Your car, your money, do it as you wish...............tell them you might do it to their liking as soon as they pay for it; see how generous they are
 
After a while of the show car thing, I started carrying a few sheets of little stick on gold stars. When somebody would start educating me on what wasn't factory on my Challenger and what wasn't......I would peel off a gold star and stick it on their shirt. If they were a particularly annoying know it all, they got 2 gold stars! :D
GY3 Challenger 002.JPG
 
After a while of the show car thing, I started carrying a few sheets of little stick on gold stars. When somebody would start educating me on what wasn't factory on my Challenger and what wasn't......I would peel off a gold star and stick it on their shirt. If they were a particularly annoying know it all, they got 2 gold stars! :DView attachment 1715586029
LOL that is the perfect response for all these guys stuck in "car show judge" mode. I swear some of them think they know all to part numbers to each nut and bolt.
 
I agree, and I know I'm going to see these guys on Saturday and I bet they'll have more to say.
You can shift the conversation to the preservation of buildings and art. Vehicles are pretty much in the same boat as buildings and properties in in terms of both professional standards for preservation (called conservation in other English speaking countries) and in practical issues. By practical issues I mean utility - these are not purely pieces of art, ownership - the vast majority are privately owned, and economics - these are one of the more expensive items a person or entity owns.

You can note that the Secretary of Interior Standards provides for rehabilitation, and adaptive reuse of properties that for various reasons can not be, or should not be preserved. Additionally the trend in the past couple decades has been a paradigm (academics love words like that) of preserving rather than attempting to 'restore'. And another (which can be taken to annoying extremes) is that any alterations should be obvious so as not to confuse people as to what is original and what is new.

Since this is a privately owned vehicle, its historic value if any is a typical example not a unique or special property, and still has value as a working, driving, utilitarian piece of machinery clearly there is plenty of room of other options than 'must restore'. In fact even where there are local controls of privately owned property designated historic, with few exceptions they are limited to the exterior that is publicly visible.

Good luck!
 
I'd say "I do this just to piss people off."
I did a very clean 66 Charger with a 360 replacing the Poly 318.Guy said "These cars are supposed to have a Hemi." I said "you buy me one and I'd gladly put it in."
Here is my latest.I just love it and don't care what others think.Now has a Gasser scoop pokin' out of the hood.
View attachment 1715585436
Yes my friend!!!!! After 35 yrs in the Mopar deal, and countless cars from nutand blt restos to get 'er runnin, to a stack of parts..... I have my first 4 door well actually I ended up with two!!! 62 Dart and 64 Belvedere. I admit I would butcher one and make it into a righteous 2 door but..these parts are hard to find and affordable.
So they ask "WHY!??"" a mor door? Becaue it makes me happy, lke the idea and people seeing such on the road, and just to be a different asshole!
I gave $1000 for one complete (with the slant) and I traded for the other and have $100 in it complete and runninng with a 318 polyin it. What does this have with the price of cheese? If and when I let one go, I will not have more $$$ in it than I can get back out. I have never bought into the idea of " YOU can never get your $$$ backout of these cars they are just hobbies and can you Never get your $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ back out.
 
i like more doors...but most shun them.I think they make great sleepers and you don't have to tie up a lot of money in them or worry about them.
I know... i hear all the gasps and murmurs but i still think that may be my last project.
 
^^^ as we get older and move slower, and if we take some old buds for a ride easier to get in and out of a more door!!!!
I know, it costs me the same in materials and my labor to paint a more door as a 2 door, ...and it costs same to paint a 64 Belvedere max wedge clone as a 64 Bel ply 318 more door. Same with interior, tires exhaust, suspension,etc etc.
But if I think it is cool tooling around in a pretty good looking 64 Belvedere 318 poly pushbutton more door, just enjoying like and the road, chilling, what is so wrong with that!????
 
i like more doors...but most shun them.I think they make great sleepers and you don't have to tie up a lot of money in them or worry about them.
I know... i hear all the gasps and murmurs but i still think that may be my last project.
For me it depends on the car, some more doors just don't look good no matter what you do to them, others are almost as good looking as their 2 door counterparts. A 70 Sattelite or Belvedere is not much different than a Road Runner or GTX IMO, but a 70 Chevelle or Cutlass is much better looking in a 2 door.
 
I don't have a problem with engine swaps. A friend and I were Mopar people, but he had a 68 Merc Cougar "roller". So we did a 440/727 install as we had the parts.
I had a 49 Merc, with a 303 Olds engine. A 54 Stude with a Packard engine. 34 Ford with a Caddy engine. Several others that had engine swaps within the "family", but not available from the factory. Back in the day that was called "Hot Rodding".
totally unrelated, but interesting observation...you mentioned 6 different car brands...only two of them still remain today
 
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I know, it costs me the same in materials and my labor to paint a more door as a 2 door, ...and it costs same to paint a 64 Belvedere max wedge clone as a 64 Bel ply 318 more door. Same with interior, tires exhaust, suspension,etc etc.

ideally an original paint and interior 4 door...Now sneak a performance engine in ,good brakes and enjoy!
 
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