How did you become addicted to MoPar?

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It was 1970 and a guy I knew gave me a ride in his new 69 or 68 Daytona Charger/Hemi/4 speed OD. That car I'm positive handled the road better the faster you drove it and when she topped out the speedo was pointing straight down, with a 150mph speedo I figure we were doing 170 or there abouts. I almost crapped my pants and that's saying something cuss at the time I was into triple Kawasaki's and the 1/4 mile, not bad for a 15 year old eh. Two years later I bought a 69 RR 383 4 speed and except for a few dry spells have owned mopars ever since.

Terry
 
I'm another of those guys who were born into it. It was the '58 Plymouth wagon I really remember, the rust bucket it was, but it went for 125k miles before the engine gave out. My dad had mostly Plymouth's, with a Dodge thrown in for good measure. I was just getting my license when the muscle cars were getting real popular, and I was able to get as my first car in '72, a very beat up '69 Roadrunner, and later sold it for a '74 Duster. I've owned nothing but mopars. BTY, it was in '05 that I was able to finally get another '69 Roadrunner.
 
I became addicted when my dad bought me my '69 Charger for Christmas when I was 6.....which all leads back to Dukes of Hazzard.
 
My best friend got me to buy a '65 Barracuda when we were both at our first duty station, Eielson AFB near Fairbanks, AK. He even loaned me some of the money to get it. It was a /6 w/ 3-speed on the column and a posi 8 1/4 w/ studded snow tires. I didn't have much money back then so I had to pull the studs out w/ pliers since you weren't allowed to run studded tires except in the winter. I drove that car for 2 years there and then drove it all the way down to Charleston, SC where we both got follow-ons to. He drove a '68 Sattelite station wagon all the way there also. When we got there, he bought a '69 notchback Barracuda w/ 318 & 904 trans. He sold the motor & trans to me cheap. We pulled both of them and shoved them into my '65 Barracuda. He put a 440 & 4-speed into his 69. Later on we pulled them, and shoved the engine and a 4-speed into a '75 Dart Sport that someone gave us after we met at a junkyard. He then helped me to start looking for parts to make that into a BBD. I've been hooked ever since.
 
Quite by accident really, or maybe I should say 'an accident.
It's November '69. My wife and I had just got married the previous August. I've just turned 21 and she's 19. We're living in 2-bedroom apartment and sharing 1 car between us. She's taken the car (a '64 Olds F85) to go to work and I didn't have school that day so I'm sleeping in. Some guy runs into the back of her as she's driving to work.
Helped along by the accident, we decide we need another car. My mom works at a Credit Union and tells us one of the members there needs to sell his car since he just joined the Navy and his parents won't keep up the payments for him while he's gone. All she knows is it's some kind of Dodge that he just bought new.
So we go to look at the car and there sits a 2-month old '69 Dart 340 Swinger, Charger Red, white stripe, Cragars, and I fall in love. We pick it up for $2500. Ran that car on the streets of SoCal as is for awhile and even ran a best of 14.28 at 98+mph at OCIR running G/Pure Stock.
Modified it over the next few years to the tune of aluminum manifold, headers, 850 Holley double-pumper (750 Holley DP kept running out of fuel), manual shift reverse pattern 727 built by Ray Alley of Engine Masters, 4.89 gearing. It was stout!
Then get the stupid idea to take it off the street and turn it into a 'real' race car to run NHRA Super Street on a 10.90 index.
End of story comes some years later after a divorce (kept the house, the kids, and the car). Several years later I re-marry and new wife doesn't have the race bug so I sell the car during a tough financial time.
2 years ago, the 20-year dead 'bug' bites again and I find another '69 Dart on eBay. Still in the build stages but it's gonna be almost as fun as my old Dart when (if) it ever gets done!
You can't ever kill the Mopar bug!!!
 
Since I was born my Dad was a mechanic, he owned,managed, and worked his *** off in his own service station. He also drag raced, and all I know is that the Mopars at the race tracks when I was a kid looked the coolest to me. I was hooked when I was 7 years old. The rest is history and it helped that my Dad raced Mopars too. Here is some pictures of a couple of his race cars through the years. Sadly I lost him in 2006 to pancreatic cancer.

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I have to say it comes from the stories that my dad and uncles told being driving age when these cars were new, My dads family was "too Poor for anything other than a Plymouth" first car any of the kids had was a 56 Savoy (I have 2) stories range from 68 barracuda run off the road into a ditch near my elementary school, Mom is a 72 Charger big block sliding sideways toward traffic in an ice storm. My uncle's Dart GTS and its trophies. The most influential is probably when my uncle and dad had Twin 66 or 67 satellites Both Blue one a 318 and one a Hemi (I have seen the Pic or i wouldnt believe it) they would pick up a "flying Mile" race in the 318 car and bring the Hemi to the show. I am 28 and wish life was as simple now as it seemed then.
 
alot of DAD stories, heres mine,
my old man was always a chevy guy, had a couple 57's, a 48 slant back, etc., heworked for ma Bell, remember them, and he was the regional saftey guy for wa., or., and idaho. they got to drive alot of very boring miles in chevy 2s and falcons and valiants. he said hands down the valiant was the best car. about that time (69) i was walking to school everyday past a green 2 door 69 valiant that, i thought, looked every bit as good as a nova which were popular at the time lol. after many years and a revelation along the way i decided my future was with ma mopar. thankyouverymuch
 
As a kid I actually walked to school and I passed a Chrysler dealership every day. I always stopped to look at the 70 demons and dusters in their high profile colors. I dreamed of hopping in the cars and ripping through the gears......You have to remember I was a big fan of "speed racer". I would be late to school just sitting there looking at the cars as my sister would yell "come on we are going to be late for for school!!" Good times for both of us!!
 
walked by a 1964 dart for 2 years through middle school it was bright red low and frankly looked really cool.i worked my a## off as soon as i got a job in april of 2004 my first check i walked to front door of the apt and said" hi my name is travis and i was wondering is that red car yours??" got the awnser "ya that old pile is my wifes,why is it being towed finally."
"no i was wondering if you would sell it"
"how much do you have"
so i opened my walet and found about 200 bucks and offered it to him...... he just walked away...:( i was so sad i wanted that car for 2 years.
so i started to walk home when the guy i had talked to ran up to me panting..
"where you going? do you want it or not?!?" and i looked at him confused until i realized he was holding the title in his hand!!!!
so thats what started it for me and yes that is still the same dart im building/driving now 5 year later8)
 
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...

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My grandparents owned a 1962 Dodge Dart 330 4 door car, /6 auto, weirdest but coolest looking thing! I remember seeing it parked in front of their house when I was little. Well, growing up they ended up parking it for whatever reason, and it pretty much rotted away, but I remember sitting in it pretending to drive it. My grandfather also owned a 65 Fargo, wideblock 318, beautiful sweptside! So he sold the Fargo, but the old Dart still hung around. Then when I was 18 my grandparents gave me a chunk of money for my birthday to buy an old car of my choice, I looked around everywhere for a 62 Dart. Found a 2 door, but no engine or tranny, the guy wanted 6 grand for this thing all rusty and dented. So next on the list was a 70 (loved the look). Found one about 2 weeks later, and I own it now.
My cousin also inspired me, he owns a 72 Duster 360, 68 Dart 440, 72 Dart 340.
 
Used to be a Ch##% guy. My ex wife always wanted an early Barracuda because she had a freind in high school with one that she liked. I eventually bought one for her, but it became mine. Going to cruises and being in the Mopar Club of San Diego, I really got hooked on them. I kept it when we got divorced, and now also have a '74 Duster.
 
My story sounds about the same as everyone elses. My dad would tell me stories about all the cars he has owned back in the day. How he has had 4 dodge darts ranging from 68-69 and 2 of them were big block cars and if I remember correctly 2 of the were rag tops with 4 gears. How he also had a 340 demon and a 340 dart sport and a 68 roadrunner and there are more that I dont remember. But ive been going to monster mopar and car shows since I was a little guy. Ive been running my 340 powered amc spirit down at monster mopar ever since I turned 16. Ive allways wanted a duster and I finally ended up finding a duster that was worth buying that was close enough for me to obtain.

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Well for me it was a ride in a 69 roadrunner when i was 10.My sisters and I were pick up to go to a christmass party.There was 2 cars that came to get us not sure what the outher car was,anyhow on the way there thease two cars drag raced the runner of course won.LOL the driver said dont tell your mom or dad we never did.So from that day on I loved mopars,my first car was a 62 valiant when I was 14 my dad gave it to me to tinker on.Here I am today still with the love of my mopar.
 
Growing up in Pa. we had all brands of cars and trucks in the family,never got too carried away with any because my family was prudent in what they bought,nothing flashy. Then in the mid 60's I started reading all of the hot rodding and stock car racing magazines and of course this is the time of the Hemi and 440. Didn't matter what body style,Mopar was kicking butt it seemed like.
Then in '69, the year I was getting my drivers license, a young man near my dads business in Scranton won a '69 Dodge Daytona in a contest of some sort. I went to work with my dad one Saturday and there sat this car with that huge wing. I was standing staring at this car for a while when a woman in the house came out andsaid her son would be back soon and he would be glad to take me for a ride.
About an hour later I'm in this red Daytona hauling the mail down the 81 at a speed I had never felt before.I remember going past 110 before he started slowing down. On the way back to his house I still remember the excitement I felt and the smile on my face. It was always Mopar or no car from then on.
 
It's in my blood. My Dad always had MoPars around.When I was a kid my Mom had a 67 Barracuda fastback for a grocery getter. Dad had a series of MoPars over the years, the last one he had that he was able to drive he sold in 1991, it was a 64 Dodge Polara - push button trans, 383 4bbl car solid as a rock. I've had all kinds of MoPars too. There's not enough space to list all the ones I've had thanks to dear old Dad passing along the MoPar gene.:sign10:
 
My best friend back in 1968 had a 67 GTX that was anything but stock.
That GTX ruled the streets, got to the point no one wanted to race him.
I've been a MOPAR fan ever since.
 
When I was in high school, my best friend totaled his mom's impala. He then bought a 69 383 Super Bee. That was my first ride in a mopar. Shortly after, I went with my other best friend to test drive a 71 Cuda, 340 four speed. That car was awesome and I was hooked. I called the owner and told him if my friend didn't buy it, I would. (1100$). I bought the car the next day and drove the wheels off that car in high school and college. Unfortunatley, the car was from New York and the front subframe had rust issues and in the early 80's, it wasn't worth fixing, nor did I have the means. I parted it out. I regret not having that car! It was a two tone car which is rare for an E-body. I am blessed that I got to drive such an awesome car when you didn't have to worry about crashing a 30,000$ car. I was a menance to society back then!
 
jwilson13b said:
When my Dad went into the service In 68 he gave my Aunt and uncle a beat up 55 chevy. well about 20 years later after my uncle died and my aunt's eye sight got to bad to drive, my aunt gave my pops their 72 duster. light blue with a white vinyl top, 340 w/ 727. when I was 8 or 9, so around 1990 I had to go to work with my mom, on the way home this *** clown in a mid 80 fire bird kept tailgating my mom, flashin his high beams pullin up beside her and yellin hey baby, revin his engine.
Well the guy who lived down the street used to be a Mopar mechanic in the NRHA in its early days, and my dad brought the duster by every 90 days.
anyways I remember my mom tellin me hold on baby, and she pushed me back into the seat and when the light turned green my mom slammed it to the floor. I still remember the sound of the tires squealing off the line. she never took her foot off the gas for about 2 miles. My mom still in her nursing uniform looked up into the rear view and said Fuckin asshole. I remember lookin over the seat out the rear window and I coudln't see any headlights. That was the day I became a Mopar addict
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alleyoopmgv said:
Since I was born my Dad was a mechanic, he owned,managed, and worked his *** off in his own service station. He also drag raced, and all I know is that the Mopars at the race tracks when I was a kid looked the coolest to me. I was hooked when I was 7 years old. The rest is history and it helped that my Dad raced Mopars too. Here is some pictures of a couple of his race cars through the years. Sadly I lost him in 2006 to pancreatic cancer.
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0lddart said:
walked by a 1964 dart for 2 years through middle school it was bright red low and frankly looked really cool.i worked my a## off as soon as i got a job in april of 2004 my first check i walked to front door of the apt and said" hi my name is travis and i was wondering is that red car yours??" got the awnser "ya that old pile is my wifes,why is it being towed finally."
"no i was wondering if you would sell it"
"how much do you have"
so i opened my walet and found about 200 bucks and offered it to him...... he just walked away...:( i was so sad i wanted that car for 2 years.
so i started to walk home when the guy i had talked to ran up to me panting..
"where you going? do you want it or not?!?" and i looked at him confused until i realized he was holding the title in his hand!!!!
so thats what started it for me and yes that is still the same dart im building/driving now 5 year later8)
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Snake said:
Well for me it was a ride in a 69 roadrunner when i was 10.My sisters and I were pick up to go to a christmass party.There was 2 cars that came to get us not sure what the outher car was,anyhow on the way there thease two cars drag raced the runner of course won.LOL the driver said dont tell your mom or dad we never did.So from that day on I loved mopars,my first car was a 62 valiant when I was 14 my dad gave it to me to tinker on.Here I am today still with the love of my mopar.
Click to expand...

Mtn Thunder said:
Growing up in Pa. we had all brands of cars and trucks in the family,never got too carried away with any because my family was prudent in what they bought,nothing flashy. Then in the mid 60's I started reading all of the hot rodding and stock car racing magazines and of course this is the time of the Hemi and 440. Didn't matter what body style,Mopar was kicking butt it seemed like.
Then in '69, the year I was getting my drivers license, a young man near my dads business in Scranton won a '69 Dodge Daytona in a contest of some sort. I went to work with my dad one Saturday and there sat this car with that huge wing. I was standing staring at this car for a while when a woman in the house came out andsaid her son would be back soon and he would be glad to take me for a ride.
About an hour later I'm in this red Daytona hauling the mail down the 81 at a speed I had never felt before.I remember going past 110 before he started slowing down. On the way back to his house I still remember the excitement I felt and the smile on my face. It was always Mopar or no car from then on.
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I am sitting here with a Grin that only Mother Mopar could give me. I just had to wipe tears from my eyes reading these stories... Wow. I am so proud!
I try to explain it to my friends... How much I love my car! They don't get it and I don't blame em. They are toyota and honda guys somehow. OH WELL more Mopars for us!

I chose mopar way back when I can't even remember... My dad always had some cash to spend on cars. And he was into fixing em up and selling em, unless they ran good! Then they would hang out till he cooked it and get in que to be fixed again.
'59 Fairlane 500 4-door Two tone with 289
'69 Galaxie 500 390 Fastback (Learned how to drive in the lap i this one)
'71 Maverick 302 (Mom's car actually)
'64 Mustang
'?? AMC Hornet
'56 Chevy Shortbed Stepside 350 4-speed 4x4 (Big Window)
'84 Volkswagen GLI-STREET RACE CAR! (Completely illegal in allmost every county in CA except for the one it was registered in SONOMA)
'92 Volks GTI
'80 GTI
'82 GTI
'92 535 BMW
'82 Mercedez Sedan
'72 280Z 4-speed (OK I wanted that car too!)

Then there where the Mopars...
Two green Dusters (His & Hers)
(Hers)'70 Duster 225/6 with green vinyl top. I was in the backseat behind my older sister next to my baby sis when my mom pulled in front of a Jeep Cherokee. She was in tears because she totally blew it and endangered her children.. The police where really nice and held her as she cried. I walked up to her (I was like 5) and look up, "It's ok momma the car kept us all safe." She smiled :) She really liked that car cause it always ran! She missed her Maverick but said she was happier with the Duster :)
(His)'71 225/6 with Hooker Headers. I would make my dad start this car up just so I could hear it sometimes when it wasnt running. I couldn't even see over the hood. But I knew that I loved that car and it was so much fun to drive! I remember in Pheonix arizona I went to my first Formula 1 Race and watched Ayrton Sena race through the streets from the top of a Winnabego my dad's friend had. I think I saw my first set of Boobies on top of that Winnebago. I also think everyone there was COmpletely Coked up! As soon as the race was over my dad put down his beer and helped me off the RV... We RAN back to the Duster and Raced out to the "RACE TRACK" and did laps around the course sliding sideways in fresh F1 Rubber and breathing RaceGas as those Hookers Echoed off of the Concrete Barriers. My Dad is the MAN!
He bought me my first car a 90 Nissan Sentra (12Valve 4-speed) for $100 out of his buddies tow lot. After I smashed that car into a hillside racing a 325i BMW. I Vowed to NEVER put money into another FRONT WHEEL DRIVE CAR! Stupid POS! Why would you want a car that spins out when you let off the gas. FF and I do not get along. Pressing the gas is supposed to make you spin. Assbackwards things!
My dad saw the solution to my troubles was If I would put the 74 disc front end on the Duster I could have it. I used a Really big hammer more than ANY other tool on that job! I never even got an alignment... IT WAS SCARY! and SOOO MUCH FUN! It had rallye wheels! OMG it was cool. I was fresh outa high school and my buddies acura left the rusty duster in the dust but girls always wanted to ride in my car (The Leaky Headers made you TINGLE when we rode around)

Now comes my Love of my life... The Dart!
it is a "67 Dodge Dart GT with 273 4-Barrel the Close-ratio 4-Speed with limited slip, Kelsey-Hayes 4 piston discs Heavy Duty Springs and the front Sway Bar. It Probably has about 11.0:1 Compression and Loves CAM2 Racing Fuel. The Blue Kind!" as my Dad would say... To anyone who Ever asked about it. Oh and, "It does Wheelies on a really Good day and will shut down and 911SC I've ever come across" he told car guys that tried to dismiss it cause it wasn't a Hemi car. with every friggin HI-PO option of its year and the Tach and 8Track as mounted in it LA Dodge Plant way back in 67. Have All Original parts and Window sticker with the Certi-Card. This car has been Accident free, Untill I got in 2 fender benders at idle. It has never been modified further than a dual exhaust, untill I put a 600 Holley on it! I will NEVER sell this car. It is my unborn Son's Birthright! I would kill for it.
I have Never had a relationship like the one I have with the Car. Whenever I let anyone else drive, I think. Wow I am so lucky to Own this car! I love hanging out in the back seat pointed out at the Pacific with a Beautifull girl smiling next to me... I don't know where else to get that feeling. Nothing I can get anywhere else. This car was "THE ONE" Growing up.
It was my dad's RACE CAR. Street race only! I continue the Legacy. I've Lined up and Raced all of my friends that want some. If I think They have more power than I can deal with I take them to the mountians and Shut them up as my 42 year old peice of metal runs screaming away from them in the hills... I have never been more in love with a car than with My Dart. The only cars I really want that aren't mopars are ALL WHEEL DRIVE SPORTSCARS. (Wouldnt mind an EVO STI or GTR)
Since my first Mopar I have only had Bicycles! Mopar or No CAR for me now!

The other day I said to my roomate, "I think it would cost about the same to build a boneyard mopar that was super fun to drive than it would to make a 90s honda or toyota into something fun." He said ABSOLUTELY NOT! It will cost way more to do a Mopar. I said "F*&K it! It's worth it that's all I'm saying"
"To each his own," he said.

Then I got to thinking the other day...
MOPAR Has offered over the years, Models that have RACE Dripping off every Corner. Tell me Chevy or Ford has ever produced a more Bad *** Paint Job Alone! Not to mention Every Mopar Engine of Similar Size is Smaller and makes more power than it's BLUE TIE counterparts. And then there is the Handling Destinction. Ask your Grandma and she'll tell you she wants to drive the MOPAR. Grandma has a Dakota daily driver and keeps the DeSoto in the Back Garage. Out of all the cars that her and my Grandpa had that was her Favorite. She gave away the powder blue 64-1/2 Mustang to my uncle.
Why would you look past a Sublime '70 HEMI 'Cuda. There isn't a cooler car to waste moments of your life just staring at. Trust me! I have been going to races since before i can remember. Indy. F1. Nascar. NHRA. ALMS. and Historics @ Monterey Laguna Seca. Been to Hundreds of car shows in this area and seen many famous collectors collections. Reggie Jackson and Bruce Canepa (Local Collectors) The Mopars always Grab me and pull me across the room. Maybe an F-40 or a Racing Porsche has a chance otherwise give me a Camera and 5 Minutes with the Mopar or you will be told to shut up!
When I met a girl that bought an 06 SRT8 Charger I knew I was in Love!

My new best friend Paul and I have had all our friends be like, "This kid has a Dart you've got to meet him! I am suprised you guys aren't like best friends!!" They where right. He is one of the coolest Guys my age that I know. Super Legit. And DAMN my 67 GT Looks good with his 69 GT. Our buddies had a yellow and a white 05 S2000's and the girls would always clown them for being gay. Paul and I always have the girls Litterally all over our cars sitting, laying, dancing. They can take it! Mopars are like a STAGE for Life. The Good Life you know? How could you ever go back to a Cubicle of a Cookie Cutter Muscle car when you have Partied with a Flamboyant Rockstar Muscle Car?! No doubt if you know what's good for you than you praise the Penti-Star.

MadMaximum's MOPAR Love affair forever...

This thread is now my Favorite Thank you guys!

Oh and Line up a stock vehicle from the late 60s or the 70s against a stock mopar of the same. Which one is gonna win? Try it. then try again. and again... Mopars Will take the straight and then hold it through the corners... All day. Everyday. Without being sent to some Texan Chicken Farmer's race shop to get tuned first. (Shelby was Ford's only Hope!) and well GM... not even worth my time.

The "KING" Richard knew what he was driving had to be the fastest! He went to Ford only when Plymouth told him he had to race a Road Runner against a Charger Daytona. He said you better Give me one of them ones with the wings on it! Fastest car out untill it became outlawed and restricted. HEMI has a Legacy that V-Tech can never have! That Vortech or LS1 or Cobra or Cosworth not even Rousch will ever come close to.

DOMINATION. to the likes of which has not been seen sense by a manufacturer from the US for sure!
 
All Mom's fault....she had a 64 super stock plymouth,cross ram,dog dish caps,cheater slicks..she like to blow the carbon out of it Lol,I was about nine or ten when she had that,then it was a 68 satellite wagon,the a 73 satelite wagon.....you get the picture
 
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