MY THREE MOPARS
My current Mopars include a 1993 Dodge Dakota Sport, 2004 PT Cruiser Dream Series 3 and 2008 Dodge Charger SRT8®. The ’93 Dakota has 55,000 miles on the 318. Upgrades to the vehicle include: headers, 410 gears w/posi, Underdrive pulleys, high-performance computer, ported and polished heads, Jacobs ignition, line lock kit, Competiton Engineering adjustable traction bars, cowl induction fiberglass hood. The vehicle runs low 14s in the quarter mile. My 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser Dream Series 3—purchased new—only has 12,000 miles on the odometer. The vehicle has a 2.4L high-output turbo motor with automatic. The engine has a Mopar Stage Two Turbo Kit and Mopar dual exhaust that has increased the power to about 300 horsepower. My 2008 Dodge Charger SRT8 has 22,000 miles on the 6.1L HEMI® engine. Upgrades include Mopar Ram Air induction and Mopar Strut Tower Brace. Forgot to mention, I’m 71-years-old. My first Mopar was a 1954 Dodge Royal hardtop 2-door. We put a late ’50s 392 HEMI in it with dual quads and a Crower Roller cam. Back then (in the ‘60s), I ruled the streets of Philadelphia. I still have pictures of that car.
Gerald A. Shirey
Levittown, Pa.
CUSTOMIZED CALIBER
I’ve done some modifications to my 2007 Dodge Caliber SXT, including a Mopar cold air intake, Mopar header, Ansa exhaust, H&R lowering springs, 18" wheels and tires, and some exterior mods. I enjoy my Caliber because it’s the only one that’s customized where I live. We are a Mopar family; my brother has a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 and my parents have a 2002 Chrysler Sebring—their first car was a 1969 Dodge Dart 4-door 225 Slant-6. I would like to thank my brother, who works at a Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge dealer, for helping me with the Caliber mods.
Neil Dockery
Palm Coast, Fla.
A BIG FAMILY READ
Mopar Magazine is a big family read—more important than the USA Today sports page. My brothers, mother and I all own Mopars. Here’s my 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 440 with tunnel ram intake and all the trimmings, and my 1975 Dodge Club Cab W200 ¾ ton 4x4 pickup—my towing rig. No matter what the need, a towing job, camp out, a day at the strip, or piling everyone for a day at my aunt’s place, my Club Cab will do it all. I also own a ’77 Chrysler Newport, ’69 Plymouth Barracuda, ‘74 Dodge W100 short bed and a ’70 Dodge Charger Daytona clone. My brother, Harry Richards, owns an ‘87 Dodge Dakota 4x4, ‘68 Dodge Charger w/383, ‘67 Dodge Coronet 500 and a ‘74 Plymouth Duster that originally had a 318 but will soon carry a Mopar 410 crate engine with 4-speed trans. My second brother, Lionel (Tinker) Talbolt, owns a ‘69 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S fast back that originally had a 340, but has been upgraded to a 440 stroker (500 cid)—he drag races this vehicle in NMCA Nostalgia Super Stock. Tinker also owns a ‘74 Plymouth Road Runner—500 cid big block as well—that is going to run in the NMCA Pro Stock Class, a ’76 Dodge W100 and a street driven ’69 Dodge Super Bee and a car he plans to run in NMCA Open Comp or Pro Stock, a 1974 Plymouth ‘Cuda—just to name a few vehicles that he owns. And, our mother owns a ‘67 Dodge Dart 4-door that we’re restoring. Again we love MM, keep up the great work and we’ll always be loyal to Mopar.
Billy Budd Sullivan
Trego, Mont.
53 YEARS AND COUNTING
I’ve been a Mopar owner for 53 years, having owned a large assortment of Plymouths, Dodges and one Chrysler in that length of time—all purchased new. It took 50 years to get my first HEMI powered car, this red 2006 Dodge Charger R/T. In 2009, the Charger was traded for this cool white Chysler 300C HEMI. Although I love the 300C dearly, two weeks later I went back to the dealer to repurchase the Charger to start a two-HEMI collection, but it was GONE! It’s been almost a year now and I’m still kicking myself for trading it off. I’m a longtime subscriber to Mopar Performance News which grew into Mopar Magazine. Keep up the great work.
Milt Willis
Dayton, Ohio
THE BUSTED KNUCKLE GARAGE
Here’s our motor pool starting with our red ’93 Dodge Viper (left). Continuing clockwise, is our ’04 Dodge Ram Rumble Bee with a HEMI, ’05 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 long bed (in the garage)—my work truck, ’71 Plum Crazy Plymouth Road Runner—which has a 440 and 4-speed trans. Behind it is my ’73 Chrysler New Yorker 440—sweet driver. Next is my ’76 Chrysler New Yorker—purchased new with no charge option 440, sun roof and rally wheels. This brings us to my ’25 Model T C Cab delivery. Home built in four years in our garage. It has a ’71 Plymouth 440 and 727 trans with an all-oak body glued and screwed to a 1 ¼" square-tube frame. It has power brakes and a 1977 Chrysler rear-end with 2.76 gears—it really cruises. I hand built the body and it was painted House of Kolors Tangelo by Fender Menders in Everest, Kan. When I’m not on four wheels, my wife and I play on our 122 hp Harley Bagger. The photograph was taken at out home in front of our ‘50s replica of a Skelly station which I call the “Busted Knuckle Garage.” Several clubs—even other brands—have used our station as a back drop.
Jim & Judy Curtis
Topeka, Kan.
