How did you become addicted to MoPar?
My story began with my first NHRA Stocker, a '57 Chevy 283 Power Pack sedan delivery with a G.M. Hydramatic transmission I first built for running H/SA in 1965. The record was 14.75 and my car ran 15 flat.... not too bad for a junk shortblock. NHRA banned the Hydramatics in about 1970 in Chevy Stockers and I sold my car to my partner. Fast forward to 1972. (That was one of two Chevy's I ever owned; the other was a 1958 daily driver wagon... a real POS...)
I wanted to make a trip from Iowa, where I lived then, to California, and was looking for a '62-'67 Nova to drop a strong 350 into.
Couldn't find one, but what I did find was a '64 Valiant V-100, 2-door post with a factory 273/stick. Remember; this was 1972.... the Valiant was only 8 years old.... like a 2001 car, now. I think I got the car for $350.00.
I wasn't too happy with the 273, so I started looking for a 318, but came across a 13,000-mile '71 340 attached to a factory 4-speed, driveshaft and 8.75" 3.91 Sure Grip.... all for $500.00.
It all fit right in that Valiant (except for the exhaust manifolds, which were too wide; hit on both sides!), so I replaced them with some Hedman fenderwell headers ($35.00!) Like I said, this was 1972...
Long story short, I ended up installing a 4.56 Sure Grip, slapper bars ($8.00!),
a Lunati cam, blocking off the carb heat, a Mallory dual-point, and a Hayes 3,000-pound pressure plate.
I drove it around on the streets of Des Moines (Iowa) with some M & H slicks, just looking for races at stoplights.... ran a LOT of bikes.... the only one that ever beat me was a 900 Kawasaki with a 4-into-1 header, and he just BARELY edged me out.
I think this thing would run mid-12's...
It's the only car I ever owned that was never outrun by another car, and I raced TONS of 396 Chevelles, 327/360 Chebbys, (Camaros and Novas) and a couple of 351 Mustangs...
You HAVE to love a car that never lets you down!!! LOL!
And, it was totally stock-appearing.
It was the predecessor to my current Vortech-inspired '72 360. Made me a Mopar fan forever... see pix...
My story began with my first NHRA Stocker, a '57 Chevy 283 Power Pack sedan delivery with a G.M. Hydramatic transmission I first built for running H/SA in 1965. The record was 14.75 and my car ran 15 flat.... not too bad for a junk shortblock. NHRA banned the Hydramatics in about 1970 in Chevy Stockers and I sold my car to my partner. Fast forward to 1972. (That was one of two Chevy's I ever owned; the other was a 1958 daily driver wagon... a real POS...)
I wanted to make a trip from Iowa, where I lived then, to California, and was looking for a '62-'67 Nova to drop a strong 350 into.
Couldn't find one, but what I did find was a '64 Valiant V-100, 2-door post with a factory 273/stick. Remember; this was 1972.... the Valiant was only 8 years old.... like a 2001 car, now. I think I got the car for $350.00.
I wasn't too happy with the 273, so I started looking for a 318, but came across a 13,000-mile '71 340 attached to a factory 4-speed, driveshaft and 8.75" 3.91 Sure Grip.... all for $500.00.
It all fit right in that Valiant (except for the exhaust manifolds, which were too wide; hit on both sides!), so I replaced them with some Hedman fenderwell headers ($35.00!) Like I said, this was 1972...
Long story short, I ended up installing a 4.56 Sure Grip, slapper bars ($8.00!),
a Lunati cam, blocking off the carb heat, a Mallory dual-point, and a Hayes 3,000-pound pressure plate.
I drove it around on the streets of Des Moines (Iowa) with some M & H slicks, just looking for races at stoplights.... ran a LOT of bikes.... the only one that ever beat me was a 900 Kawasaki with a 4-into-1 header, and he just BARELY edged me out.
I think this thing would run mid-12's...
It's the only car I ever owned that was never outrun by another car, and I raced TONS of 396 Chevelles, 327/360 Chebbys, (Camaros and Novas) and a couple of 351 Mustangs...
You HAVE to love a car that never lets you down!!! LOL!
And, it was totally stock-appearing.
It was the predecessor to my current Vortech-inspired '72 360. Made me a Mopar fan forever... see pix...