Conference napalm::musclecars

    
    
    I too love the older cars.  These new ones are just cheap plastic
    pieces of transportation without any style at all.  Tornados could
    restyle an older car to look like the clay on wheels they are turning
    out now.  
    
    However, while I would love to see them making replicas, I don't think
    by the time they smogged 'um, EPA'd 'em they would be what we
    remembered.  If they managed to get around this, the cost to produce one
    of those real steel pieces of architecture and style would be
    astronomical I presume :-0 
    
    But we can still dream and hope :-)  For now all we can do is preserve
    and restore what is left from our past. 
    
    Ken
    

    
    	This type of thinking is nice. However, what do you think a *new*
    71 challanger would cost. I would guess ~12-14K. For that kind of
    money, you could buy 2 or 3 in nice condition. Although the older units
    are cheap (compaired to new), they are also a good investment. You can
    usually recoup your investment (and then some before the ressesion),
    and you just have to maintain them. No $8 spark plugs here, or $50/hr
    dealer shop charges. Most of the old iron (pre-smog) was real easy to
    work on, and dependable. The biggest problem here in Nude England is
    RUST. 
    
    	CB
    

    
     It would probably be a rather narrow market segment to get into since
    a majority of purchasers now days are into the aero look and all the
    computorized gizmos that come along with new cars.
     Could you imagine a computorized data center sitting in the dash of
    your challenger telling you when your optimum economy shift points
    occured?? 
    
    TC
    

    
    
    Actually, I believe it is Pontiac that has a "Rod" running around the
    concept show circuit.  I've seen a write up in some rags like Hot Rod
    and Camero Craft, er, I mean Car Craft.  From what I remember, the car
    looks a LOT like a 34 Ford (that era of Rod, anyways) only it passed
    all current regulations.  It even had a front bumper that extended in
    front of the wheels.  You' have to look for the pictures of it.  I don't
    get the rags but I do remember seeing it and I thought it looked really
    cool.  From what I've heard around the shows, they (like I said, I THINK
    it was Pontiac) are actually seriously considering building it in a
    limited production run!  I personally don't believe they will but I
    certainly hope so!
    
    	Hammer. 

    Re: -1
    
    I think it the Plymouth Prowler concept car your thinking of. I have a
    picture of it in my office (thanks to Jeff).
    
    /steve

    Great idea!  I proposed the same thing in note 58.80 about a 
    month ago.  I still think Ford could sell a ton of cars with
    a '65 Mustang fastback or convertible skin, and late model
    5.0 HO drivetrain and suspension.  Even the original '65 off-
    road front bumper could be made 5mph-proof.
    
    It wouldn't even need to be limited production.  I'll bet it
    could be sold for no more than the current version, and would
    probably be *more* popular!  Sure, most hardcore carbuffs 
    could probably build one, but it's beyond the capabilties of
    most people who would want to own one.
    
    Rick
    

    I like it, take a 1966-7 Dodge Charger, use fiberglass, or plastic for
    the body, lighter components inside it, and use the 318 with MPFI.  For
    an upgrade just put in the V-10, and with both the only transmission
    would be a manual 6 speed.  Meets smog, and is lighter than the
    original, and goes like stink on S**t.  
    
    Dave
    
    1972 era charger would be nice too as would the challenger.
    
    

    	Isn't there (or wasn't there) a company in the Michigan area that
    was doing this very thing?  Taking sixties muscle cars and putting
    late model engines, brakes and so on during a total restoration?
    If I remember right, a mid sixties Tempest went for around $25k.
    I think that AutoWeek did an article on them a couple of years ago.
    
    	Tim

Harley-Davidson has had great success with it's Heritage and Nostalgia lines
of motorcycles.  Maybe an automotive equivalent could be successful also.
Matt

    But Matt, you and I are already driving nostalgia -- some people just
    don't WANT to remember them.
    
    Brian
    
    

Brian,
They don't know what they are missing.

Matt

    Saw the Plymouth Prowler at the Mopar Nationals at Englishtown this
    past week end.With a 200 horse power v-6  and a real nice (Magenta?)
    colored paint .The street rod of YES the near future .If I heard 
    correctly it will be in production
    
    
    
    
    
     SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Just read an article in atuomotive news weeky?(I think)
    About the Plymouth Prowler .The possiblity exists that it will be 
    in production by 1997 but not with a 6 cyl but a 318 and a four gear.
    pretty neet.Also there was an aston martin four door coupe ,It looked
    like a moderized 1940 coupe but in a 4 dr sedan.Ford is looking into 
    production in the U.S.So does that mean ford owns or is joint partners
    with Aston Martin?You know what they say everything old is new again
    Give it time .It is happening.The bigger body styles are comming back.
    Take the Caprice classic or the the lincoln mark viii for example

    
    Ford does own Aston Martin.
    
    Tom

    
    I'd like to see Chrysler resurrect the 300 letter series.  The new LHS
    sedan (Chrysler's formal roofed version of the
    Intrepid/Vision/Concorde) would be the ideal starting point.  I know
    the car has some of those "jelly bean" attributes, but I still think
    it is visually distinctive, gorgeous even.  Add the Viper V-10, rear
    drive, wide tires, and nominally lowered suspension and it would be
    the ultimate concept car.  I've always loved the 300 letter series
    cars, and would enjoy seeing this legendary marque come back to life.
    
    Tom
    

	Just perusing some old notes.....

		I've had the same thought lately.... Why doesn't
	Chrysler take that nice V-10 Viper motor and stick it in
	a deserving frame/body ala 1968 Roadrunner?

		Why? Cuz Chrysler no longer has *any* rear wheel
	drive platforms other than trucks, and guess what... the V10
	*is* already offered in their trucks. 

		Sad to say, I don't think we'll see such a thing again,
	that simple idea of "hey lets stick this 440 or this 426 into
	this 2 door family sedan, we'll sell lot's of 'em!".....


	Rick

    Well, it goes a tad further than that. The '68 Road Runner (and all
    those other early body styles) were designed and built around existing
    drivetrains - slant 6's or V8's. Since the compartments were already
    long enough to house a straight 6, length for an 8 wasn't an issue. 
    Therefore the only issue was width and that was only a major problem
    with the limited production SS hemi A bodies. So, when they decided to
    drop a hemi in something, it wasn't so much a matter of what it would
    fit, it was a matter of what they wanted to put it in!
    
    Things are still done somewhat the same today. Thing is, those
    drivetrains have changed. Now they're all 4 or 6 cylinder front wheel
    drive and that's what the car is designed around.
    
    Besides, I'd hardly call the Viper "undeserving"!!
    
    Stan
    

>    with the limited production SS hemi A bodies. So, when they decided to
>    drop a hemi in something, it wasn't so much a matter of what it would
>    fit, it was a matter of what they wanted to put it in!

When a 426 hemi is factory installed in a MoPar, a beefier front crossmember 
is also installed.  This crossmember comes ONLY in hemi equipped cars.

...to handle the extra weight, more torque, or just poviding a stiffer base
to build on?

Just curious,
  Eric

Elephant ears are available to convert B & RB crossmembers to accept the 
hemi engine mounts so it is possible to use the crossmember for the smaller 
engines.  I don't recall if the crossmember was beefier or not.  Since the 
crossmember is a bolt-in item, it was a lot easier to swap the crossmember 
than it was to screw with the other one.  ...and you had a new crossmember 
(when you ordered one through the dealership)

The torsion bars in the hemi are heavier, FWIW, too.

    The 440 six-pack cars also had a special K-frame that is stronger. Also
    the 68 runner was a B-body not an A-body
    
    
    
    						/Dave
    

    The hemi crossmember (K-frame) was different in that it had different
    motor mounts because of the way they were attached to the hemi blocks.
    Also, since the hemi came with a larger oil pan/sump, they also put a
    skid plate on the bottom. Other than that I'd argue as to whether
    they're "beefier". There are no additional supports and the gauge of
    the metal is the same. 
    
    
    Stan

	Funny I should have mentioned that other than the Viper, the
only Mopar vehicle that can be had with the V10 is the new Dodge
full size pickup....... No 1995 Road Runners are available!.... Cuz,
there I was looking thru one of the "custom" pickup truck magazines
and what do I spy....

	A Full size Dodge pickup, V10, with what appeared to be a
cross between a Lambo and a 67 Charger grafted in place of the bed.
Pretty wild looking thing... It's a promo vehicle for Blaupaunk (sp?)
and has some 1400 watt stereo system in it..

Rick