Pick Six
The six 2008 Mopar “Top Eliminator” winners, chosen at car shows and events throughout the year, were flown to Las Vegas, where their vehicles were on display in the Mopar Alley at the SEMA Show.
The 2008 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show marked the culmination of Mopar®’s “Top Eliminator” program, now in its second year. The awards recognition program was created to showcase the most skilled Mopar enthusiasts and their restyled or customized Chrysler, Plymouth, and Dodge vehicles. The six 2008 Mopar “Top Eliminator” winners, chosen at car shows and events throughout the year, were flown to Las Vegas, where their vehicles were on display in the Mopar Alley at the SEMA Show.
Farmington Hills, Mich. resident Marie Kidd got the call that her 1970 Plymouth ‘Cuda had been chosen as a “Top Eliminator” winner while she was on vacation in July.
“I didn’t even know I had entered it. I was shell-shocked,” said a still-amazed Kidd.
Her ‘Cuda boasts a 440 Six Pack (390 hp, 490 lb-ft torque), is numbers matching and was restored to original condition. “I always wanted to come to the SEMA Show. I always heard it was so big, and it is,” gushed Kidd. “It’s huge! The way I have been treated has been fabulous. I can’t say enough about Mopar.”
Kidd wasn’t the only female among the 2008 “Top Eliminator” honorees. Indiana native Gayle Orr made her first trip to Vegas, along with her family and her prized 1969 Plymouth Sport Satellite Convertible. A hairdresser by day and a die-hard Mopar fan at all times, the 25-year-old Orr (almost entirely on her own) worked on the car for four years in her family’s barn. Powered by a 505 cubic inch 500 hp Mopar 1970 440 engine, the exterior features black custom paint with a white billboard stripe, a 505 badge and a white strobe stripe on the AAR fiberglass hood as well.
“I guess you could say that our family is pretty much addicted to Mopars,” said Orr. “For your birthday or Christmas you usually know what to expect, car parts or a picture of what they are going to help you out with on your project. I truly believe that cars bring families together. It’s a car builder’s dream to be here in SEMA. I know the hard work paid off. It’s so exciting to me to know that I’m out here with thousands of car enthusiasts and my car is one of the cars here for people to see.”
One Mopar Speedshop dealer was picked as a Mopar “Top Eliminator.” Bill Sorochman, Service and Parts Director for Monroeville Chrysler Jeep®, just outside of Pittsburgh, Pa. attended the event with the dealership’s “Top Eliminator” winning “Oasis” edition 2009 Jeep Rubicon. The prize-winning Jeep features a 3.8L V6 engine with a Mopar Performance Cold Air Intake and Mopar Performance Cat -Back™ Exhaust system, and includes Mopar Accessory off-road floor mats, grab handles and door sill plates.
“This is going to help our sales,” said Sorochman, who has sold a number of the “Oasis” edition vehicles tricked out with Mopar parts to eager dealership customers. “It’s like a dream come true.”
Another winner from the state of Pennsylvania was Ed Spataro, with his 1968 Dodge Dart GTS, equipped with a 528 HEMI® with a Mopar Performance block, intake, heads and crank. Spataro undertook plenty of detail work in his labor of love, including the fabrication of his own parts when called for in the course of his restoration.
Giving the 2008 “Top Eliminator” group a little West Coast flavor was Arizona resident Mike Wilson. Wilson’s 1965 Dodge D200 Sweptline Series was first purchased by his dad, who used the truck for work, fishing and camping. Wilson bought the truck from his father in 1981, using it for his fair share of fishing, camping and other outdoor activities, before the original 318 engine finally wore out. Wilson installed a new 5.7 HEMI Mopar Performance carbureted 360 horsepower crate engine in the truck and subsequently began an extensive restoration—which seems to have no end.
“Recently, we just had the rear end converted to a posi-traction with 4.10 gears and chromed the rear cover,” Wilson recounted. “Like a lot of car lovers, we realized that you’re never really done restoring your truck.”
Interior changes alone include gray leather JC Whitney seats with the same material used for the doors and headliner, a Dakota Digital Dash, Flaming River tilt steering column and a Vintage Air AC/heat system. Wilson removed the gas tank from behind the seat and installed two side saddle tanks and installed electric windows and remote keyless entry. He also rewired the truck, adding a new fuse box under the dash and a DVD/Radio.
“I was so surprised to be picked,” added Wilson. “We are a Mopar family. My brother has had a ton of Mopar cars. I’ve always been a Mopar guy. I’ve got three Mopars sitting in my garage. They have a really good mixture of cars here. It makes you want to go buy another one!”
Jeremy Lassen’s 1989 Jeep Cherokee Sport is hardly a show car. Lassen and his Jeep spend far more time on the trails than on the show floor. The vehicle has been modified with O.E. Jeep Comanche body parts to create what is commonly referred to as a “Cheromanche.” Lassen utilized the Jeep Cherokee as one of seven Jeep vehicles in his wedding party—held, of course, on an off-road trail!
“After we leave SEMA we’re heading up to Utah and Colorado, and hitting some trails with it,” said Lassen, eagerly. “We’re using it the way Mopar and Jeep intended it.”
