Have i Lost It? ( Long Rant)

[74 DART']

My Mopar sanity that is. I have been a die-hard Mopar guy for most of my life but lately i have been considering selling and buying a chevy. I know alot of it is due to me daily driving my 74 swinger back and forth to work since 2007, and not getting much done to it. Since i have moved to Georgia i have to deal with cold winters and snow in this car and it would be nice to have a few creature comforts. I have been trying to hold out for us to get a third vehicle so i can take the dart off the road and drive it when i want, but not sure i want to put the needed effort into this car. Seems everyone wants an arm or leg for anything mopar around here in desent shape.


I have been into Mopars since i was 14years old or so, first car was a 65 Polara which i never got to drive(missing engine), sold that and bought a 73 duster which i later converted to a 440/727 car. Had that for a few years and got a 45,000 mile 72 Demon which i put a 400/727 into. Sold it in 2004 after i bought my new 2003 Hemi 1500 pickup. Lost that truck in an accident and bought my Dart in 2007. It has been my daily driver since. We have a Chevy Blazer for a family vehicle since 2006 and it has been the best vehicle i have ever owned as far as reliability goes, 172k and still going strong!


In my early twentys i was a Mopar or No Car kind of guy, would not even consider another brand, and hated Chevy the most. It is what everyone else ran and i was determend to be different. As i have gotten older im in my 30's now , i learned to appreciate all brands of muscle cars. I have always liked Monte Carlos of all years and was considering a mid-80's model, i know these are not true muscle cars but they are cheap to build and maintain and can be a cheap way to step up to a fuel injected car.

Just wondering if anyone else ever felt this way or am i just having a mid-life Mopar crisis. Thanks for listening lol!!!

 

[YY1]

Don't overlook the 85-93 Corvettes, now selling for 3-5K.

At that kind of price, you might be able to keep that Dart.

...or maybe a 2005-2008 Mustang, now under 10K.
210 NET HP v6 and 28 MPG.

 

[Bulldozer]

the love for my penestar power started before i was born. my dad bought a 68 charger R/T brand new to go along with his 68 hemi coronet R/T. those cars met their fate in a tragic house fire. i was born in 67 and the only thing my dad owned was mopars. i have owned nothing but chrysler power with the exception of a v8 vega and monza, a mustang and a torino when i was in my teens, and a jeep and a busted up subaru. that passion has never gone away and i will never own anything but mopar,but thats just me.im sorry to hear that you have lost that drive to own and drive the best damn ,most powerful ,and most original and beautiful cars ever to hit the planet. i tried a chevy ,and a ford and honestly, i could not make a change to any other brand. i will take my beat up, 40 year old duster over any chevy or ford no matter how new it is. but again thats just me. i would say, whatever floats your boat. die hard mopar owners are a breed all their own. maybe what you need is an 80's chavy , just to remind yourself why you have that dart in the first place? keep the dart though, because you will kick yourself for letting it go, trust me ....sorry for the lengthy response lol

 

[TrailBeast]

x2

the love for my penestar power started before i was born. my dad bought a 68 charger R/T brand new to go along with his 68 hemi coronet R/T. those cars met their fate in a tragic house fire. i was born in 67 and the only thing my dad owned was mopars. i have owned nothing but chrysler power with the exception of a v8 vega and monza, a mustang and a torino when i was in my teens, and a jeep and a busted up subaru. that passion has never gone away and i will never own anything but mopar,but thats just me.im sorry to hear that you have lost that drive to own and drive the best damn ,most powerful ,and most original and beautiful cars ever to hit the planet. i tried a chevy ,and a ford and honestly, i could not make a change to any other brand. i will take my beat up, 40 year old duster over any chevy or ford no matter how new it is. but again thats just me. i would say, whatever floats your boat. die hard mopar owners are a breed all their own. maybe what you need is an 80's chavy , just to remind yourself why you have that dart in the first place? keep the dart though, because you will kick yourself for letting it go, trust me ....sorry for the lengthy response lol

 

[67Dart273]

Well do whatever you want, it's your money, but for me, there's nothing unique or special about GM Camaros, Firebirds, or Monte's. Hell "everybody" had one it seemed like around here for awhile.

I'd ask yourself, "what exactly" makes me unhappy about my Mopar? If it's something mechanical, the very same problems are "over there" on what-is-now getting to be elderly Monte's as well.

I can flat guarantee you that my scuffed up, faded, unfinished 67 got a HELL of a lot more looks this summer from everybody from 10 to 80 than any 80's Monte is every gonna do.

I can recall going out of grocery/ other stores, climbing in the door, and overhearing some little 8 year old tell his Mom "hey MOM, COOOEUEL!!!" and this happened more than once.

And more than once, outside the thrift store, some gal walzed past as I was crankin' it up with a smile and a smirk and a sideways glance.

Hell just buy a skud missle (low flying, poorly guided missle)

(78 Ferd LTDII)

When I think "Monte" I think......................

 

[demon seed]

I've been Mopar muscle for 40 years and I ain't lost it but I won't own a new Charger or Challenger so I drive this, last of it's kind 2 door, loaded, leather, supercharged 3.8, after 150,000 miles still handles like it's on rails, heavy for the winter and goes like stink. No warranty claims (when it still had one) not one. Find something that works and stick to it. But when I feel the need the "Black Nasty" is always close by.

 

[69B-Cuda]

I have a Ford (actually, my wife does... LOL, 68 Mustang her dad bought new) and a Chevy (59 Suburban) and my 69 Barracuda. I like them all for different things (at the moment, my wife's Mustang with 289 will leave my cuda with the 360 in the dust).... but I think I like my barracuda the most. I sure enjoy driving it the most. BUT, I wouldn't dream of towing my flatbed trailer with it, that is what the Suburban is for! If you want something else, remember, any older vehicle is going to need things done on it. Make a list of things that bother you, go fix them slowny, and cross them off instead of sitting on FABO! (I am talking to myself too on this one... LOL)

 

[Meet-Joe-"Dart"]

Make a list of things that bother you, go fix them slowny, and cross them off instead of sitting on FABO! (I am talking to myself too on this one... LOL)[/QUOTE]

Well said! Sometimes its good to start fixing the simplest problems 1st, you start to see the light at the end of the tunnel a little sooner. That being said I have an appreciation for pretty much any cool car. I've had Pontiac, Chev, Ford, Mercedes, Datsun, now on to my 2nd Dart(3rd Mopar). You gotta find what works for you. But a "new" car is gonna have a bunch of the same problems your Dart has.

 

[72bluNblu]

Snow? Creature comforts? Heck my defroster doesn't even work right, stupid vacuum controlled heater doors...

So, here's an exercise for you. How much will you need to spend on this third vehicle? A few thousand dollars? Now also consider that you'll have to pay insurance and registration for the extra car, as well as upkeep (oil changes, tires, etc).

Now, if you took that money and put it into your Swinger, I'm guessing you could probably cure a lot of what bugs you. A complete Vintage Air system fitted to your car would solve AC and heat problems, heated seats and mirrors can probably be adapted out of a late model. Wiring harness with more accessory connections? New door seals? Haven't even scratched the surface of what a "cheap" third car would set you back, let alone ongoing costs like insurance and registration.

I drive my Challenger in the snow. Even on unpaved, unplowed roads. Unlike what you may hear from others, unless they salt the roads heavily these cars don't melt. I've heard rumors that these Mopars were actually intended to be driven outside! You know, when the weather isn't sunny and between 60-85*F...