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Volume NEWS, Issue
August 4, 2009
CHRYSLER MAKES BUYERS AN OFFER ALMOST TOO GOOD TO REFUSE
Chrysler Group LLC has announced new incentives, “Double CA$H for Your Old Car,” that can save consumers up
to $9,000 toward the purchase of a new Chrysler, Jeep® or Dodge vehicle.
“Everyone shopping for a new car or truck qualifies for an incentive of up to $4,500 – even if they don’t have a
vehicle that qualifies under the U.S. Government’s program,” said Steven Beahm, Vice President – Sales
Operations, Chrysler Group LLC. “This incentive is great in that it’s easy to understand and available to everyone.”
Beginning on July 23 Chrysler Group LLC offers up to $4,500 Consumer Cash or 0 percent financing for 72 months
through GMAC Financial Services on most 2009 model vehicles. These incentives are valid through August 31,
2009.
The U.S. Government’s Car Allowance Rebate Systems (CARS) program, more commonly known as “cash for
clunkers” also began on July 23 and has proven very popular. The CARS program offers a government credit of
either $3,500 or $4,500 for trading in an inefficient vehicle that is not more than 25 years old for the purchase of a
new vehicle. The amount of the credit is determined based on the fuel-economy improvement between the turn-in
vehicle and the new vehicle purchased.
“The administration’s program is aimed at getting less fuel-efficient vehicles off the road, and for vehicles that meet
the requirements, offers a great incentive to do so,” Beahm said. “But we didn’t want consumers without qualifying
vehicles to feel left out so we are offering up to $4,500 to everyone.” [8/4/09]
TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE FOR 21ST MSHFA INDUCTION CEREMONY
Tickets varying in price from $75 to $750 are available for the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America's 21st Annual
Induction Ceremony at the Fillmore Theater in Detroit on Wednesday, Aug. 12.
Inductees this year are Kenny Bernstein, David Hobbs, Scott Parker, Lee Richter, Al Unser Jr., Joe Weatherly and
H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler.
Racing fans can see the ceremony live from the Fillmore's intimate balcony with a $75 ticket.
Dinner/ceremony tickets start at $350 for individual tickets and $3,500 for a table of 10. VIP tickets can be
purchased for $750 and include admission to a private inductee reception the night before the ceremony at the
Motorsports Hall of Fame Museum in Novi, Mich., an invitation to special pre-induction activities at the Fillmore
Theater and the opportunity to join current and former Hall of Famers for exclusive VIP-only events.
For more ticket information go to mshf.com [8/4/09]
CHASE KNIGHT RETURNS TO REOPENED CRANE CAMS
Crane Cams is back in business under the new ownership of S&S Cycle. The Crane name and some assets of the
company had been purchased through bankruptcy by the S&S folks in April.
They already have the electronics and motorcycle sides of the business up and going.
Chase Knight, who was with the original company for 40 years, is back as Valve Train Products Manager. In time,
with Knight’s help, the automotive cam/valve train business will be 100% back.
“While we know the market is very hungry for our cam and valve train product lines, we want to make sure the parts
we ship exceed the quality and performance expectations of our customers,” Knight said. “At this point we can’t put
firm timeline as to when everything will be fully up to speed. We want to be sure to get this right!”
The new location for the company is 1640 Mason Ave., Daytona Beach, FL 32117. Phone 386-628-5120 or toll-free
866-388-5120. [8/4/09]
Mopar Memos - MoparMax.com
Volume NEWS, Issue
August 4, 2009
JOHNSON ADVANCES TO QUARTERS AT SONOMA, CLINCHES COUNTDOWN BERTH
NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock driver Allen Johnson exited in the quarterfinals of
eliminations at the Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals on Sunday, July 26, but the
Team Mopar driver still had good reason to celebrate his visit to Infineon
Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. Johnson sealed his spot in the NHRA's Countdown
to 1 six-race playoff by qualifying third for the event.
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Johnson seized his third-straight berth in the Countdown in the three years since
the NHRA adopted the playoff format. The top 10 drivers in the Pro Stock point
standings qualify for the Countdown playoff, which begins at the NHRA
Carolinas Nationals on September 17–20. Johnson is currently fifth in the
standings.
Johnson faced off with Vinnie Deceglie, who also utilizes a Mopar HEMI engine
supplied by J&J Racing, in the opening round at Sonoma. A.J. came out on top
with a pass of 6.577/209.85 to Deceglie's 6.624/208.42. Johnson fell in the
quarterfinals to Pro Stock point leader Jeg Coughlin Jr., recording a run of
6.606/209.65 in his Mopar/J&J Racing Dodge Stratus R/T to Coughlin's winning
6.592/209.59 mark.
Young Mopar-powered Pro Stocker Rickie Jones had another strong weekend,
advancing to the semifinals before falling to Greg Anderson. Jones is ninth in
the standings and within the cutoff mark with only three events left before the
Countdown playoff begins.
Mopar power also proved its mettle in the Sportsman ranks, as Larry Gilley drove his Dodge Dart to victory in the Stock Eliminator class. (Ron Lewis
photo)
[8/4/09]
Mopar Memos - MoparMax.com
Volume IV, Issue 8
August 4, 2009
Time to add a little salt
t is August, one of the coldest times
of the year here in the Bay area.
Even over here in Oakland the
weather is dreary. To get my sunshine fix I
am heading out to the great salt desert for some racing fun. It’s my yearly road trip and I never seem to get tired of the
scenery on US 50. I love the little mining towns, secret hot spring spots, and long lonely vistas.
I’m excited to see friends I’ve made out at Speedweek that I usually only ever see on this occasion. People like photographer
Peter Vincent, Alexandra Lier (with whom I did a fine book called “Speedseekers” with on Ginko Press), Vern Tardel and his
zany crew, and my friend and liaison who makes it all possible, JoAnn Carlson.
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I am looking forward to watching my fellow Moparites in the Salty ‘Cuda
and “The Fast Four” gang take a crack at the record book. This year the
notorious Ethel M. Dethel will ride shotgun, shoot photos and do her
damndest to not fly out of the car. Hopefully there will be some new Chrysler blood out there and some
record-breaking stories to bring back for you loyal MoMax readers.
It is also time for Nono’s yearly (that’s right, yearly) oil change and quick-tune. She sees maybe 7K to
8K miles a year and only Mobil 1 15W-50 goes in the crankcase. Now before I hear groans, and or
shouts of “What, are you crazy using that crap in an old car?!” I have to tell you something. For years,
Mobil 1 15W50 has been the only oil I used in my old yellow Satellite that I sold to Nate Tynan.
Waaaaay back in 1995 that car ran 92.5 miles per hour on the track. It did it again and again
consistently––give or take 1or 2 mph––for years. For about five years or so it never saw the track. Right
after Nate bought the car he took it out and it ran the same mph. That is after years of being a citified
daily driver, going coast to coast on blue highways and dirt roads, being driven out to Bonneville five
times and numerous road trips of several days duration. As far as I can tell, the wear clock has
essentially been stopped.
What goes into Nono’s pan once a year? Yeah, you know. End of sermon.
So, what else do I do to prep a 1964 Dart wagon for a road trip? Sometimes I toss in some new spark
plugs, my current flava-flav being standard NGK’s. I lash the valves if she feels like there is too much
rockin’ and rollin’ going on under the hood. I change the fuel filter and the air filter. I clean off the
terminals in the distributor cap and check the resistance on my fancy four-year-old 8mm wires I cut
myself.
I make sure the radiator is full and the battery is clean, full and charged. I pop the plug on the pumpkin and stick a finger in. I top off the trans and the
power steering. The front end gets lubed. I check out the brakes––at least 1/16” of lining and no weeepy wheel cylinders or cracky hydraulic hoses––and I
make sure the tires look good and are inflated to 45 psi…that’s right, 45 PSI. I am crazy, but the wear is dead even and the roll is good. I wash the
windows and I clean or replace the cotton bed sheet that serves as front seat upholstery. Done.
What do I bring along? A basic tool kit: 3/8” drive socket set––3/8” to 3/4”. Set of wrenches, 1/4” to 7/8” including an 11/32” for the little nut on a Chrysler
starter. One “six in one” screwdriver. Vise grips; big and little. Voltmeter, some wire, terminals and crimps. Set of points and condenser should the
Pertronix decide to go crapples on me. An ignition coil. Gallon of radiator water. JB Weld. Spare tire, jack and breaker bar. Plenty of drinking water, beer,
snacks, some fruit, bedding, notebook, camera and a good friend.
Basement Garage - Time to add a little salt - Page 1 of 1 - MoparMax.com
Volume IV, Issue 8
August 4, 2009
Problems and
Solutions
t’s been a whole ten
months since I made the
big move from Los Angeles
to Massachusetts. There is no
question the change was the right
thing to do. Even in the midst of a
record breaking ice storm this past
winter – where entire forests of trees
were snapped by the extra mass of
the ice on their limbs and residential electricity was cut for nearly a week – I was happy to be “home again” in New England.
Lots of people ask me why I left the glitz and glamour of L.A. and I typically respond by saying; “Oh L.A. is a great place. The problem is that too many
people know about it”. I’ve written here before about how I never quite got used to city living so I won’t go into it again. Suffice to say it just wasn’t my style
– even after sixteen years of living there. I love the place but it was time to shuffle the deck.
Aside from several good friends, the biggest things I miss about living in L.A. are the numerous
self-serve auto wrecking yards, the weekly swap meet scene and Pauley Shore’s Comedy Store on
Sunset Blvd. If you’re ever in L.A., the Comedy Store serves up a huge nightly roster of top name comics
between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. Sure, there’s a two drink minimum, but you can have more if you
want. Go see Don Barris, a particularly crazy chap who does warm up routines for the Jimmy Kimmel
Show before hitting the Comedy Store as the MC. You’ll be glad you did.
GT2 Corvette finally breaks cover
Formula One will return to Montreal
in 2010,…
None of which brings me to the topic of this month’s column; getting my fleet of 10 cars on the road here
Schumacher continues preparations,
and enjoying them on the wide open roads that wind off in virtually every direction from my drive way. I
Ferrari slams…
brought six cars with me cross country. Intercity Lines hauled the Stage V Hemi Conversion powered ’67
Click for more AutoWeek stories
Dart, ’69 Dodge A100 van, ’81 altered wheelbase Funny Fairmont, Rampage altered wheelbase ’63 Dart
(which you can see go together by scoping out the MoparMax archives), an ’84 Mustang GT convertible ADVERTISEMENT
and the Wilshire Shaker altered wheelbase ’63 Nova. They were all crammed into an enclosed trailer and
hauled (safely) by a slick Peterbilt all the way across the U.S. of A.
Additionally, I drove an original paint 273 Four Barrel equipped ’65 Dart GT cross country last September
(again, you can read about it in my Steve Mags Speaks column in the MoparMax archives) plus I had a
California-sourced’62 Valiant 4-door sedan stashed behind the barn at the family farm. In recent years I
drove this car cross country, coast to coast, three times. If you’ve ever watched the movie “Blow” starring
Johnny Depp and Paul Rubens (a.k.a. Pee Wee Herman), you’ll see this very car roll past in the back
ground as some period scenery. I got the car from a guy named Louie who has a side business renting
vintage cars to Hollywood movie productions and my little Valiant was once in his stable. I call it the
“Blow Mobile” and it’s dead reliable.
Anyhoo, all told, I have a fleet of eight cars that started life in California but were relocated to the east
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coast at my hands. But wait, there’s more! As a hopeless car junkie, I bought a one owner, original paint
’66 Barracuda (273 2-barrel, 904 Torqueflite on the column) from a source in nearby Connecticut as well as a clean ’54 Plymouth Savoy 4-door sedan
from a seller here in Massachusetts. Now we’re talking ten cars. There is also a daily beater ’94 Dodge Stratus (that I’ve also written about here in the
past) but it doesn’t really count as a member of the “fleet” since it’s little more than a transportation device for me. All the same, I’ve covered about 10,000
miles since buying it in February and it’s still going strong. Not a bad little car.
Wanting to be totally legal-eagle with my cars, I am in the process of getting them all insured, registered and inspected here in Massachusetts. The
insurance part was amazingly easy. I shopped around and found a great policy with Haggerty Insurance. I have a reasonable agreed-value policy on each
of the ten collector cars and my premium is just under a grand for a full year. That’s for ten cars, not just one! The only conditions are they want the cars to
be stored inside a closed garage and none can be used as my daily driver. They insist on me having a daily driver that is insured with a regular
commercial carrier. That’d be the Dodge Stratus via Farmers Insurance. Of course, a clean driving record is an integral part of the modest fee I pay - so far
so good on that count.
Steve Mags Speaks - Problems and Solutions - Page 1 of 3 - MoparMax.com
Volume IV, Issue 8
August 4, 2009
Registration is also an easy process, just keep writing checks to the Mass.
Department of Motor Vehicles and it goes real smooth! The vehicle inspection
part is a little more complicated but so long as the lights, horn, wipers, turn
signals and basic equipment are functioning properly, it’s all good. Best of all,
there is no smog inspection in Mass. for cars built before 1996! Back in
California your ride gets the tailpipe sniffer treatment if it was built after 1975, a
major headache for many builders of later-model hot rods.
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As I go about the process of prepping each car for use in Massachusetts, some
of the cars handle the transition smoothly while others deliver surprises. In the
case of the Wilshire Shaker altered wheelbase Nova – complete with a
full-manual Art Carr pushbutton Torqueflite, reproduction A990 seats and Super
Stock battery from Jim Kramer and Mopar Performance S/S leaf springs
invading its bowtie body (I love it) – a strange thing happened between CA and
MA.
Back on the billiard table smooth freeways and surface streets of the L.A. basin,
it’s straight front axle and leaf springs delivered an amazing ride. There were no
problems and it was nice to let straight axle nay-sayers drive the car for
themselves so they could see how nice it tracks, corners and rides despite
ill-founded rumors these cars are “death traps”.
But once I hit the rough and raunchy roads near my new home in North Brookfield, MA, the car developed an un-nerving shimmy through the steering
system that really got my attention. In a few cases the shimmy was violent and wouldn’t stop until I jacked the brakes and slowed the car. What gives?
Suddenly the car was living up to the nasty myth. I figured to myself that it must need a little more positive caster since caster is a great aid in encouraging
self-centering of the front wheels while the car is in motion.
I called Summit Racing and ordered two pairs of Competition Engineering 2-degree axle shims. I wanted to be able to stack them and get a total of
4-degrees or use them individually for a 2-degree change. I installed them between the axle pads and leaf springs and it was immediately obvious there
was a whole bunch of extra positive caster. The tops of the king pins were well behind the bottoms of the king pins. This ought take care of the problem,
right? Nope! It got worse. Where the shimmy used to trigger at about 40-mph after hitting a series of bumps with the front tires, the shimmy was now in
effect at anything over 25-mph. I was giving axle cars a bad name and I didn’t like it.
In the spirit of exploration, I spun the shims around 180-degrees to effect a negative caster change. Even if it was the wrong thing to do (removing caster) I
wanted to see what the result was. Well guess what, the car calmed down and now even the roughest bumps and surface undulations fail to trigger a
wheel shimmy at any speed. I’m a fan of knowing why changes have the effect they do so I bought a magnetic-mount angle finder.
Sticking it to the top of each king pin revealed 7-degrees of positive caster after spinning the shims around in the “wrong” direction, right in the middle of
the ideal range of 6 to 8-degrees. I figured I’d see a whole lot less then I checked my build notes on the car. While the axle supplier (Specialty Cars in
Artesia, CA, now defunct) welded the axle pads to the axle tube to deliver the correct 6 to 8-degrees of positive caster, I failed to realize that the actual
installed angle very well can be impacted by vehicle stance and whether the leaf springs are mounted on a true horizontal plane or are tilted one way or
the other. I made the rookie mistake of assuming rather than actually checking. You know what happens when we assume, we make an ASS out of U and
ME. Right?
It turns out the car’s front leaf springs are not installed exactly horizontal with the ground so the existing positive caster designed into the front axle was
exaggerated several degrees upon installation in the car. I had been running around L.A. with a whopping 11-degrees of positive caster. Now that’d be OK
for a drag only machine or a land speed record car but it is excessive for a car that runs on the road. Typical problems include tire scrub on tight corners
and during low speed maneuvers at full lock, the need for extra steering effort since the exaggerated caster creates a sort of over-center jacking action at
high steering angles. When you turn the steering wheel, you’re also lifting the vehicle a slight amount, and you’ll feel it as extra steering resistance. And
yes, you can also get wheel shimmy. Funny thing, despite the 11-degrees of positive caster, the car was very well behaved – back on the mirror smooth
streets of L.A.
Of course when I added the stacked shims to the formula, I boosted the positive caster reading from 11 to a nasty 15-degrees and the shimmy problem
got worse. So my lessons learned are that too much caster is just as bad as too little caster, and never assume anything. Check it all out. Thanks to
flipping those shims around, 7-degrees of positive caster resulted and the shimmy problem is gone. And to think, I was close to admitting defeat and
buying a hydraulic steering stabilizer kit; a band aid fix that gives straight axle nay-sayers plenty of ammunition.
Steve Mags Speaks - Problems and Solutions - Page 2 of 3 - MoparMax.com
Volume IV, Issue 8
August 4, 2009
Another quirky problem surfaced as I prepared my ’54 Savoy for duty. Having
sat in storage since 1983, the brake pedal felt spongy and I knew it was
mandatory to dig in for a look. I ended up replacing all of the front wheel
cylinders (two per side) as well as the master cylinder and the rubber flexible
hoses. To get the car into my garage for work I started it up and drove it in. I
remember being thrilled at how smooth the 217-cube flathead six ran.
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A month later, the brake job was complete and when I started the engine,
suddenly it had a nasty miss and would barely stay lit. The rich exhaust fumes
filled the garage and really stunk the place up. What happened? It went from
running like a new car to sputtering like a junker because I overhauled the
brakes? I once worked for a mechanic who had these wise words of advice;
“things malfunction when they malfunction”. It was another way of saying
sometimes things just crap out. When they do, think it over to see if there is a
direct cause / effect relationship in play. But when there is not (like when a brake
job triggers an engine miss) you don’t waste time saying “why me”. You just get
it fixed.
So I got an ignition tune up kit figuring the root cause of the engine miss was of
the electrical nature. I did it all, cap, rotor, points, condenser and plugs. The
spark plug wires tested OK so I kept them. I was happy to see plenty of soot on
the spark plugs and figured I’d surely solved the miss. Then I twisted the key.
Instead of the smooth hum I had experienced when I bought the car, it was still misfiring. This time I could hear a distinct clicking sound, the sound of
metal and metal in close - but not steady – contact (the bad kind).
The Savoy’s mechanical oil pressure gauge showed 60-psi so I optimistically ruled out some type of lower end / reciprocating problem. I must admit it was
super a bummer. I bought the car based on how well the engine ran during the quick test drive. I would have certainly run away from the car had I known
an engine overhaul was in the cards. But now I was making plans to stash the car away until a future date when the discouragement subsided and I felt
like digging in for fresh bearings, piston pins, etc. Reluctant to admit defeat, I took the little Plymouth for a quick drive around the neighborhood to
(hopefully) rekindle some of the romance – and get it turned around for long term storage in the back corner of the garage.
The fresh brakes worked great and the 3-on-the-tree manual gearbox shifted like butter. But that darned engine miss and clicking noise made it clear the
fun would be short lived. But all of a sudden the engine cleared out and the clicking stopped. As if a switch had been thrown, the car was running great!
My spirits lifted immediately and I had that feeling you get when you’ve just won an unexpected prize.
But my mind also began to puzzle; what caused the engine misfire? Why did it suddenly cure itself? Sure, the car was originally owned by three nuns, but
I’d hope any sort of miracles would be reserved for more important things in my life. By performing a sort of mental process of elimination I eventually
settled on the probability that one or more valves or lifters had become stuck due to varnish in the valve guides / lifter bores. Once the running engine
reached a certain temperature, the varnish released its grip and the valve spring / lifter was once again able to regulate valve action and 4-cycle order was
restored to the ailing cylinder.
Of course I worried that the problem could recur any time the engine was started from a dead cold state. So over the next several days I randomly twisted
the key. Half expecting the misfire to resurface, each time the little flathead purred to life and ran flawlessly. Just to make sure, I added a few ounces of
Sea Foam engine lubricant to the crankcase oil. It should dissolve remaining varnish and further prevent sticking parts in the future.
So what have I learned through all of this? Never assume anything, and sometimes things malfunction when they malfunction. I’m still plugging away on
the rest of my ten car fleet. The Hemi Dart has a new Art Carr / CPT torque converter installed and only needs final exhaust system and radiator
installation before it’s ready for the road. The ’66 Barracuda has a dead brake pedal so it’s on the back burner for a month or so, the ’66 Dart GT has a
dead cylinder (number 7) so I’ll yank it apart and expect to find burned valves in that hole. The Rampage Dart is the sweetheart of the bunch so far. It’s
rugged Dodge A100 leaf springs and front axle (narrowed 5.5-inches for aesthetics) handle any and all pot holes with no sweat. I drive this one all over the
place and people really love seeing what they think is a vintage match racer. I always tell them it’s a modern tribute but they dig it all the same. Who knows
what adventures wait around the next corner?
Steve Mags Speaks - Problems and Solutions - Page 3 of 3 - MoparMax.com
Volume IV, Issue 8
August 4, 2009
P h o t o s a n d i n f o r m a t i o n b y To d d D z i a d o s z
Each year the faithful gather at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, to see and be seen.
Come along now as photographer Todd Dziadosz walks around the grounds. Sit
back, relax and enjoy, while he ends up with the sore feet.
Dodge trucks all in a neat row.
Chryslers at Carlisle - Page 1 of 12 - MoparMax.com
Volume IV, Issue 8
The 1960’s were a weird time … even for car designers.
August 4, 2009
Far out, man!
ABOVE: We move on to the more modern Vipers. BELOW: This Crossfire SRT-6 has a custom JL audio package, cause you can’t drive around without your SOUNDS!
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Chryslers at Carlisle - Page 2 of 12 - MoparMax.com
Volume IV, Issue 8
August 4, 2009
What better way to cruise the fairgrounds than in a 440?
Do you want a yellow and black Rumble Bee Hemi Truck or a black and yellow one?
This NASCAR-ized (is that a word?) 1978 Plymouth Volare 360 4-barrel is owned by Chris Romanishan and came
with a No. 43 “Petty Street Car Kit.”
Chryslers at Carlisle - Page 3 of 12 - MoparMax.com
Volume IV, Issue 8
August 4, 2009
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This Challenger seems to have had a Grand Am influence.
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Chip Foose custom wheels accent this Hemi R/T.
The Cervinis C440 has some nice lines, but we
want to see it with the hood down.
Chryslers at Carlisle - Page 4 of 12 - MoparMax.com
Volume IV, Issue 8
August 4, 2009
Mancini Racing had this Super Stock Hemi Cuda on display.
This turbocharged ’67 Belvedere takes a turn on the dyno.
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Mr. Norm (Norm Krause) from Grand Spaulding Dodge
flashes a smile as he shows off pictures of races cars the dealership used to sponsor. (Note the street signs.)
Chryslers at Carlisle - Page 5 of 12 - MoparMax.com
Volume IV, Issue 8
August 4, 2009
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Many cars were displayed under the sheds. Here is
the front of a 2008 Dodge Viper ACR owned by Erik
and Gretchen Hoheneder.
Indy Cylinder Heads had plenty of Mopar engines on
display.
John, Rachael and Pat from Empire Mopars in New York were part of the Indy
There were many classic Mopars at Carlisle.
Cylinder Heads display area with their twin-turbo 1971 Dodge Dart.
Chryslers at Carlisle - Page 6 of 12 - MoparMax.com
Volume IV, Issue 8
August 4, 2009
Frank Sgambati, Jr., is the owner of this ’70 Plymouth GTX.
This 1970 Cuda is owned by Robert and Joan Conca.
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This 2008 Mr. Norm’s Dodge Ram is one of 100 built by Mr. Norm with a
550-horsepower 392 Hemi. It is owned by R.B. and Vickie Dickson.
Which came first, the tattoo or the painting? Nice work on both.
Chryslers at Carlisle - Page 7 of 12 - MoparMax.com
Volume IV, Issue 8
August 4, 2009
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Chryslers at Carlisle - Page 8 of 12 - MoparMax.com
Volume IV, Issue 8
August 4, 2009
GT2 Corvette finally breaks cover
Formula One will return to Montreal
in 2010,…
Schumacher continues preparations,
Ferrari slams…
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Tim Hennessey’s 1965 Dodge Coronet A/FX is called “Déjà vu.”
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Not the most exciting color, but classic lines for
Gary and Pamela Jo Beineke’s Plymouth GTX.
Chryslers at Carlisle - Page 9 of 12 - MoparMax.com
Volume IV, Issue 8
August 4, 2009
The Auto Trader Classics Pavilion had some sharp Mopars for sale, like this white
Ah, what memories… a 1949 Plymouth.
Scamp.
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And now, for something a little different, the Plymouth Gran Turismo.
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Gull wing doors really set off this red Charger Daytona.
Chryslers at Carlisle - Page 10 of 12 - MoparMax.com
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Volume IV, Issue 8
August 4, 2009
7th Annual Ross Pistons NMCA
Muscle Car Nationals
March 27-29, 2009 - Bradenton, Florida
8th Annual NOS NMCA
Muscle Car Nationals
May 1-3, 2009 - Bowling Green, Kentucky
Yes, these are modified SRT4 Neons. Can’t you read the sign?
7th Annual Kook's Custom Headers
NMCA Muscle Car Nationals
June 5-7, 2009 - Reading, Pennsylvania
4th Annual NMRA/NMCA Super
Bowl of Street Legal Drag Racing
July 16-19, 2009 - Joliet, Illinois
Inaugural NMRA Ford Nationals /
NMCA Hot Rod & Muscle Car
Nationals All Star Nationals
August 6-9, 2009 - Charlotte, North Carolina
View Full Schedule
An old drag car, this Cuda is for sale.
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15th Annual Nitto Tire
Spring Break Shootout
March 5-8, 2009 - Bradenton, Florida
9th Annual NMRA Ford Nationals
May 15-17, 2009 - Atco, New Jersey
Bill Stiles had both his duster and Barracuda on the main
stage.
6th Annual Aeromotive NMRA
Ford Nationals
June 12-13, 2009 - Milan, Michigan
4th Annual NMRA/NMCA Super
Bowl of Street Legal Drag Racing
July 16-19, 2009 - Joliet, Illinois
Inaugural Nitto Tire NMRA / NMCA
All-Star Nationals
August 6-9, 2009 - Charlotte, North Carolina
View Full Schedule
Chryslers at Carlisle - Page 11 of 12 - MoparMax.com
Volume IV, Issue 8
August 4, 2009
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This 1969-½ Road Runner is the former Project Six Pack for Super Stock magazine.
Chryslers at Carlisle - Page 12 of 12 - MoparMax.com
Volume IV, Issue 8
August 4, 2009
A few of my favorite things – riding shotgun with Rob Schatz in an injected Hemi
altered wheelbase car. It’s street legal, but it gets it done with just a pair of slicks!
(action photo – John Stunkard)
Words by Geoff Stunkard
Photos by The S Crew (Geoff, John, and Joel
Stunkard)
Road trip. If you are into the Mopar subculture, you probably have one
event or another that will cause you to crank up the jams, get the credit
card handy, and get you runnin’ down the highway. The Mopar
Nationals, Carlisle’s All-Chrysler Nationals, Mopars at the Strip, and
others are now more ‘happenings’ than simple ‘gatherings.’ For myself,
one of the big ones has been the annual York US30 Reunion and Nostaligia Nationals in south centralPennsylvania, which is a multi-make racing
celebration, car collection, drag race and reunion all rolled into one big weekend.
The biggest challenge for a Mopar guy has been that it is also held the same weekend asthe Carlisle extravaganza, which is about 40 miles away. I have
covered the York celebration for a variety of magazine titles for several years, working with Darwin Doll to help create post-event press and serving as the
official media photographer for it. As some of you may have heard, I took over the editorship of Mopar Enthusiast magazine in the beginning of July (I
could have asked Burk for a real big raise, but didn’t), so my attendance at York this year was a little bittersweet as 2010 will likely find me tied up in
Carlisle; not a bad thing, but not the same as a whole York experience.
What makes York special? Well, let’s see what I was able to there. Spending an evening with legendary racing announcer Jon Lundberg, hearing stories
about Bakersfield in’63 (and the ‘outlaw’ fuel races that were going all night off the official racing surface in another part of mile-square ‘patch’), the drag
racing riots in St Louis during a mid 1970s IHRA race, and theories about how Ford may have produced some of the 427 wedge Falcons of 1964-1965.
Hanging out with Rob Schatz and the Performance King AWB Plymouth and cruising the pits in Beaver Springs in the shotgun seat. Talking with readers in
my little vintage photo sales booth. Having the front row head-on view along the guardrail-less apron of the dragstrip as the Bob Rosetty-owned Rollin’
Stoned 1973 ‘cuda gets sideways on the burnout.
Summer Heat - Page 1 of 11 - MoparMax.com
Volume IV, Issue 8
August 4, 2009
As always, Doll had put together an impressive selection of cars for the indoor display at the York Fairgrounds; this years focus was on Ford, so there was
a notable number of them, but that did not change the fact that town native Dave Strickler’s 1965 altered Dodge made its first return to the York environs in
decades (thanks to new owner Nick Smith). Kenny Warren debuted his restored 1970 Challenger funny car that was the quickest in the nation for a time. A
low mileage Hemi 1971 Road Runner was displayed by Ricky Greer. There were several Super Stock Hemi cars from all eras, plus other street and race
cars as well as serious Hemi motivation in a number of all-out competition machines.
But York is more about people, it really is. Arlen Vanke, Ed Miller, Bud Faubel, Dick Oldfield (of Motown
Missile fame), Tom Sneden, and Kenny Montgomery were all among the Mopar guys, but there was
also Wally Booth (who had a Hemi Dodge Super Bee in 1969), Phil Bonner, Bruce Larson, and other
guys who made it all happen back then. Every year, as much as we really hate to say it, that pool of
historical personalities gets smaller and smaller, which makes it all the more important to say ‘hi’ and
spend even a few minutes together.
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Then the racing started. My son John had actually gotten over to the Quarter Aces track near Carlisle on
Friday and came back with some nice stuff; Sunday the reunion event transitioned up to the country
atmosphere of Beaver Springs Dragway, located in one of central Pennsylvania’s trademark betweenmountain plains. As we’ve recalled in previous years’ coverage here on MoparMAX, this is likely the
most historic non-outlaw raceplant in the nation. It is WAY up there, about two hours from York, but I
always tell people that if you are into 1960s racing, this is one day you do not want to miss and well
worth the road time. Beaver Bob McCardle had three separate Stock and Super Stock eliminators
(Nostalgia, NHRA-Legal, and Junior), plus brackets, gassers, and exhibition nitro and alcohol machines.
And the glue was there. I am ashamed to say that I missed getting some of the monster wheelies on
camera, but it was great to witness it regardless. A number of cars that had been at York showed up,
while others had towed in just to go racin’ on Sunday. For the first time in a couple of years, a Sunday
storm did not interrupt the action, which was still going hot and heavy when prepared to leave for a
five-hour trip to Delaware in the early evening.
As for next year? Well, I am planning on being at Carlisle MOST of the time, but I imagine sliding over to
York for an afternoon will be on the agenda regardless. Check this out…
Dave Strickler’s 1965 altered wheelbase Dodge returned to York for the first time since the 1960s thanks to Florida collector Nick Smith. (Joel Stunkard photo)
Summer Heat - Page 2 of 11 - MoparMax.com
Volume IV, Issue 8
August 4, 2009
Among the gems was the original Pro Stock Dodge once raced by the THT Team in AHRA GT1 heads-up single-four-barrel Pro Stock. Bob Wagner of
Maryland owns the unrestored car, complete with mural paint. (Geoff Stunkard photo)
One guys who has recently been making the show rounds is Akron Arlen
As always, Mike Goyda had a large selection of primo racing memorabilia on
Vanke, always ready with a smile and a good word. A photo of the rare
hand; that’s 1967 NHRA World Champ Ed Miller in the orange Hemi hat on
single-four-barrel Akron Arlen Hemi intakes is in the display board behind
the right; Goyda is sitting on the left. (Geoff Stunkard photo)
him; check it out if see Arlen. (Geoff Stunkard photo)
Among the hundreds of cars on the outdoor Cruise-In showfield was Hal Huss’ 1971 383
‘shaker’ ‘cuda. According to the window sticker, this thing had a list price of $4300.00+ plus
back in the day; with coin like that needed, no wonder they are scarce now (Geoff
Stunkard photo)
Summer Heat - Page 3 of 11 - MoparMax.com
Volume IV, Issue 8
August 4, 2009
If you like ‘em a little more radical, how about this blown Hemi in a ’67 Barracuda. Dave Brown of Maryland is the
owner. (Geoff Stunkard photo)
Tom Sneden and
Dave Reitz of
Bob Banning
Dodge fame were
among the
drivers and
celebrities signing
autographs. The
1964 Dodge was
on display, but
the touches are
being applied to a
tribute of the
1971Challenger
funny car. (Joel
Stunkard photos)
Summer Heat - Page 4 of 11 - MoparMax.com
Volume IV, Issue 8
August 4, 2009
Percy Johns leaves the building on Saturday night as the show winds down. The car is going to loaded up and we
will be racing tomorrow at the Beaver… (John Stunkard photo)
This shot gives you an idea of the Beaver Springs facility; not the sort of place some of the modern NHRA racers
would consider great, but perfect for nostalgia drags. (John Stunkard photo)
Dan Householder got left lane top honors for this first round of qualifying wheelstand; the Bob George entry got the
right lane honors moment later. (Householder –Geoff; George - John Stunkard)
Summer Heat - Page 5 of 11 - MoparMax.com
Volume IV, Issue 8
August 4, 2009
Bob Roles’ ‘Savvy Savoy’ went six rounds to post runner-up honors. (John Stunkard photo)
Ronnie Hart broils ‘em in his 1966 Coronet before another round of action. (John Stunkard photo)
Here is the Bob Rosetty / ex Joe Jacono ‘Rollin’ Stoned’ Barracuda getting ready for another run on Sunday.
(John Stunkard photo)
Summer Heat - Page 6 of 11 - MoparMax.com
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