When their BS gets deep, I just say something like " Ya wouldn't think I can get this little slant to bury that 120 mph speedo woujld ya,.... but I can!!!!"
Getting fed up of high-perf , being happy with less
- Thread starter ValerianMagnum
- Start date
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That's what keeps me driving mine. Every stop you get folks coming up and telling a story from back in the day . Always puts a smile on their face.
Now, we just moved to the Florida panhandle and I got to tell you, it's warm here!!! Sure has me thinking about another old Jeep CJ-7. But I'll give myself time to adjust to the heat before making any rash decisions.
As far as the op. I try to have a balance between horsepower and reliability. I just recently went back to a mechanical fuel pump on my 5.9, mainly to get rid of the noise for my autistic grandson, and also more reliability...but I had to use the cam snout extension so....
I'm in Central Fl, great state,
Yes, give yourself some time to acclimate
BigStrok3
Mopar!
I've been fortunate where most of my stuff has been reliable even my race car. I just can't find time to hardly work on anything anymore so I ended up buying a newer scat pack challenger to enjoy while most everything else sits.
Professor Fate
Push the button, Max...
Add me to the list.
Got tired of spending $$ chasing the last 1%, just to have something I could take out once a week for a half hour.
I've become extremely satisfied with turning into the old guy with whitewalls and a semi-quiet exhaust that just walked all over your knock-kneed Nissan with the fart can, mile-high spoiler, and "crackle pop" tune... (I still enjoy that- I may be old, but I'm not dead!)
I've become more satisfied with maximizing and getting the most out of what I have instead of chasing high dollar parts that only get me fractional improvements.
Stay mild and reliable, get the most out of your tune, and not be afraid to hop in and drive anywhere. Anytime. Comfortably.
Got tired of spending $$ chasing the last 1%, just to have something I could take out once a week for a half hour.
I've become extremely satisfied with turning into the old guy with whitewalls and a semi-quiet exhaust that just walked all over your knock-kneed Nissan with the fart can, mile-high spoiler, and "crackle pop" tune... (I still enjoy that- I may be old, but I'm not dead!)
I've become more satisfied with maximizing and getting the most out of what I have instead of chasing high dollar parts that only get me fractional improvements.
Stay mild and reliable, get the most out of your tune, and not be afraid to hop in and drive anywhere. Anytime. Comfortably.
I might se OLD, but my builds just keep getting those $20 glas pacs blow thru excuse for mufflers.. cause I am half (more) deaf and cheap!!!!
I know a few peeps who got tired of their rides. In almost all those cases, the muscle car they wanted (but couldn’t afford) when they there a teenager or in their 20’s they finally built in their 40’s, 50’s, or 60’s (since they could afford it now). And they now admit they built a car they wanted when they were a kid but not a car they want now they are older.
Rarely does a senior want to regularly drive a screaming, backfiring, rough riding car.
Rarely does a senior want to regularly drive a screaming, backfiring, rough riding car.
When their BS gets deep, I just say something like " Ya wouldn't think I can get this little slant to bury that 120 mph speedo woujld ya,.... but I can!!!!"
For me, it’s stuff like,
“My Dad had (or “I” own a ) a - insert random car model - just like this with the 498 dual quad quadrajets and a manual 5spd OD transmission. It was that one year only dual over head cam model for that extra 80hp, you know the one right? The electric blue paint and tripe white stripe factory paint job. It’s super rare car (I) Dad ordered back in the day. It only costed $2500 in ‘71. Man that was a pricey car but so worth it as it ran 10.5’s on the street tires. We picked up a full 1/1.5 in the quarter when we put sticks on it! It was amazed that a 15 X 36 could fit in the wheel wells. Boy they were big. That and the trunk that would hold 25 people and two full kegs of beer. We would sneak into the drive in back in the day and party out asses off until they threw us out. Then we would drag race the night away beating everybody!”
Me; What car was this again?
Gas station idiot;”Opel, made by Volks Wagon back in the early 60’s.”
Yea, those guys.
I had a mid 60's Kadet, with the 1100
cc dual carb option, that thing would turn some rpm''s !
This thread is right in my wheelhouse. When I (mostly) retired, I got my first fun car to play with. Then I got another. And another and another and another..........well you get the picture. Now I look around at two running cars that just need some tweaking, and three more that are pretty serious projects. The driving cars are gaining on the projects as my ambition is leveling off. We'll see where it goes, but any more a nice running cruiser with a bit of spunk is what makes me smile.
In fact, it's nice out today, I believe I'll take the wagon out for a spin.
In fact, it's nice out today, I believe I'll take the wagon out for a spin.
Geez, bunch of old farts on this thead. 
like_A_pike
that's not factory
I will say that I appreciate the folks that try all the fancy stuff that circle back to make recommendations or painful rants! Once in awhile something comes along that helps keep my driver class car driving w/ less effort, time, expense, or frequency of failure.
Geez...I resemble that remark!!!! and proud to have lived this long!!Geez, bunch of old farts on this thead.
I don't know man. So far, my knees are holdin out, so I'm not comin down. lol I love to shift and I'm gonna have a manual as long as possible. When and if I need to go automatic, I have several slant 6 transmissions behind the shop. lol
Newbomb Turk
Well-Known Member
All cars capable of creating smoke shows and laying long stripes.
When ever the feeling strikes….. Boom Baby!
When ever the feeling strikes….. Boom Baby!
Newbomb Turk
Well-Known Member
Why would anyone build something that is a backfiring rough riding car?
These old cars will drive and stop as good as a new car with new tires and suspension.
Threads like this just show there is a lack of decent engine building out there.
DartGTDan
'71 Dart GT Fan
I'm 63 and I too enjoy the simpler, more reliable aspect of cruising the Jaundiced GT. I had the original 318 rebuilt 2 years ago with simplicity and reliability in mind. Many of my friends have really nice & fast cars, but they're always working on them (and dumping a ton of $ into them). I like the idea of turning the key and heading to the ice cream parlor with no muss, no fuss.
Bought a 73 four door Dart, from a friend with 30,000 original miles on it. 318, disc brakes, A/C auto on the column. The ex was always running it down, but I'd load up 3 kids and stuff for 2 weeks every summer in South Dakota with my dad. Every stop someone would admire the car and want to hear about it and offer some of their own. Only problem ever was an alternator. Still runs great, but have made a few changes over the years. It's up to 94,000 miles now.
QuickDart360
Well-Known Member
I will be turning 50 in October. My 1st car & still current only mopar is my 1974 dodge dart sport. When it was my 1st ride it was a slant 6 and 2.45 geared slug! But it got me everywhere reliably! Never let me down but was nothing too exciting to drive. Over the years the hotrod bug always plagued me! So finally got my break when an uncle sold a 1975 Chrysler Cordoba 360. It gave up its powerplant! Fast-forward today it now is a dart sport 360. 292 mopar cam, 340 X-heads, kb107 pistons and 850 thermoquad on a Victor 340 single plane and some 3.91's out back. It's much funner but a little temperamental @ times!! However, I still love my dart and try to get it out as often as I can.
I'm that guy described above that built the car he wanted in his teens but couldn't afford back then. Yep, that's the avatar. Only gripe is the door bars make it hard to get in and out of but so long as I can, it's a riot to drive and I really enjoy it. If I do get to where the door bars overtake me, I'll cut them and do the swing out bar thing.
Due to the 4.10 axle, I don't drive it much farther than about 25 miles one way to a cruise. Recently my wife has found the joy in driving it on the street so there's that too!
And I've got the 71 Demon 340 that's really just a show pony. So I'm thinking if taking my 69 Charger, swapping out the 4.10 axle in it to a 3.55 or 3.73, and making a cruiser out of it. It still has the 440, 292 purple cam, and 800 Holley but I think it could be driven quite a few places. So that's the plan over the next couple years.
Retired to Florida last year and thoroughly enjoying the weather and all it allows me to do.
Due to the 4.10 axle, I don't drive it much farther than about 25 miles one way to a cruise. Recently my wife has found the joy in driving it on the street so there's that too!
And I've got the 71 Demon 340 that's really just a show pony. So I'm thinking if taking my 69 Charger, swapping out the 4.10 axle in it to a 3.55 or 3.73, and making a cruiser out of it. It still has the 440, 292 purple cam, and 800 Holley but I think it could be driven quite a few places. So that's the plan over the next couple years.
Retired to Florida last year and thoroughly enjoying the weather and all it allows me to do.
abodyjoe
Well-Known Member
Im not 78 but im 38...been in the game since im 16 , i had a lot of custom mopars / show cars , close to a street / strip 11 sec car ( duster ) , and...they always broke down, custom or hp parts were fragile or back order...or never worked right , And after more than 300k invested from 16 to 38 i am happy with a 1000$ 318 2bbl ratty fury....i dont look at the fact that the car as like 150-200hp , i am amazed how well it goes and how simple everything is , for sure i would like the torque of a healthy 360 but i am happy just driving it , its not fasr at all but reliable and easy to repair + its very very cheap to fix , i am the only one with time that slowed down on Hp and performance ? Seems like with all these super cars : Hellcats , Ls swapped cars , teslas , etc etc , unfortunately a 12-13 sec muscle car is not what it used to be , of course its a lot of fun , but i just dont brag about my 400hp duster 360 like i use to in 2000s , ( of course i was a young punk too )
lol.. i wanted something real simple too.. still have to finish it though.. very mild 360 build.
My mind always says more, I'm 62 and before I turn 70 I'd like to make it to the grocery store a 1/4 mile down the road in under 9 seconds.
Hang on dear were going grocery shopping. lol
Hang on dear were going grocery shopping. lol
^^^^^ Amen!!!
I'll be happy to be able to make it to the grocery store! It takes 9 seconds just to get out of the car.
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