Have Mopar Clubs become buy a new Challenger and meet up

[peakandscoot]

I appreciate the new mopar but. I have a 62 convertible. I drive over 1200 miles to Carlisle and there are rows and rows of new cars there. There were 5 62 Furys and only one convertible. I go to a mopar club meet yesterday there were 3 cars from the 70s or later. I talked with the old guy who had a 40s Plymouth and it turns out he bought it didnt build it himself! Fine lets make morpar big again but DAM where do the guys who built there 1970s and older ground up restorations hang out. I need like minded people who we can swap good technical knowledge with. You have a nice new car you paid a bunch of money for then put some accessories on i dont care. I want the guys who touched every inch of their cars and know what they have and how it works. Am i the crazy one?

 

[CudaChick1968]

I don't really show my car (because here in farm country they don't really have many opportunities) but I agree.
No disrespect to those who buy a late model or in being proud of it, but there's an ocean of difference between writing a big check and building a dream yourself with your own two hands.
I've been involuntarily added to dozens of groups on Facebook enthusiast pages over the years, and lately it seems that new Challengers, {friggin four-door} Darts and Chargers make up the vast majority of members. I have nothing in common with those people except a love of Mopar; their engine bays are full of plastic covers, LED light kits and power adders that do not accept my talent so my knowledge and involvement are still very limited.
From a strictly female point of view, my counterparts get excited by neon ground effects, trinkets from the parts store Help section and generic JC Whitney bolt-ons, not by actually laying on a creeper under the car on the "filthy ground" and destroying their salon manicures by doing anything themselves. The Leadfoot Ladies like me are few and far between, replaced by delicate pampered poodles who drop their car off at the dealership for installation of the latest fad accessory. I've been tempted to start my own enthusiast page with pre-'75 only female members ... but it would probably only have ten girls on it.
To each his own. I'll stick with the vintage muscle, continue to get dirty and happily break off my fingernails doing what I know and love.

 

[Kern Dog]

In 2003 I joined a Mopar club because just like you, I wanted to associate with "like minded" car guys. I ended up meeting some nice guys but most are lawn chair pilots, sitting next to cars at shows rather than actually building anything. Many couldn't identify a 9/16" wrench or tell you the treadwear ratings of their tires. The meetings are often more about the non car details like club business rather than sharing info on engine rebuilding, suspension improvements and such. When the new Challengers came out in 2008, we had a few club members buy them. One guy in the club is the original owner of a 71 Road Runner. He bought a 2013 Challenger R/T and puts less than 60 miles a year on the Plymouth. There are some in the club that are really smart and always willing to dig in and get greasy but most are the types that pay to get their oil changed, tires rotated, etc. A few are certainly able bodied but still pay to have their car washed!
Personally, I find that really sad.

 

[65-440]

You are far from alone. Our local Mopar club has gone the ways of the new **** as well. We still have a good number of die hard old school guys, but a whole bunch of new cars. I personally see no point of showing off a car that's all over the roads, can be bought at any corner lot. It's seems hard to get the old car guys to actually drive their cars. Myself abs a select few actually drive, and I mean several hundred mile cruises sometimes, but when the club has a cruise, it's mostly newer stuff. It sucks !

 

[polywideblock]

I'm not a club guy but we don't have the new challengers ,darts ,chargers on sale so I know that they are a minority when I go to a mopar show . have been spewing for years about mopar Australia not selling them but after reading this and several other threads with the same theme I'm glad they don't now

 

[Force Fed Mopar]

Try being a 80's fwd Chrysler enthusiast. You end up unwanted by the 70's-older rwd guys, even though you build it yourself, and snubbed by the late model guys even when you're faster than them lol.

 

[XMAN JR]

I appreciate the new mopar but. I have a 62 convertible. I drive over 1200 miles to Carlisle and there are rows and rows of new cars there. There were 5 62 Furys and only one convertible. I go to a mopar club meet yesterday there were 3 cars from the 70s or later. I talked with the old guy who had a 40s Plymouth and it turns out he bought it didnt build it himself! Fine lets make morpar big again but DAM where do the guys who built there 1970s and older ground up restorations hang out. I need like minded people who we can swap good technical knowledge with. You have a nice new car you paid a bunch of money for then put some accessories on i dont care. I want the guys who touched every inch of their cars and know what they have and how it works. Am i the crazy one?

O I hear ya. I have a cousin who was always in to old mopars. He had a real nice 70 challenger 440 +6 4spd. He sold it & bought a new challenger. He said he was tired of working on them. He is now the black sheep of our group.

 

[moparwacko]

You are definitely not alone. Best example I have is Chryslers at Carlisle. That show used to be ALL classic oriented and was the mecca for me. But last year 2016, someone in the modern ranks turned me in for parking in "their" section back along the fence. It wasnt judging day, nor was i parked in their row. It was where they wanted to sit in their chair and watch the neon show on their car. Really? Don't get me wrong, I love the new Challengers and Chargers (owned a 07 RT awd, and currently 14 awd Charger) and love them both. But just because you can afford a Hellcat doesn't make you privleged, yeah I would love to own one too!! And you don't have to add every chrome or plastic gizmo Pep Boy's sells for them. I said it before, they are the future, and someday my son will be awestruck by the Hellcat with the mural on it. As for me, I do know just about every inch of my Roadrunner, and can and have fixed everything on it. Don't be mystified about repairing something on our old cars, just do it! We're all in this forum to help each other, hey I'm no pro mechanic by any means but not afraid to tackle anything.
Mopar or No Car

 

[mmissile]

Leave your new crap at home. It's not like everybody doesn't see 100's of these new cars, weekly. All the new muscle, should be lumped together. GM. FORD, FIAT, etc....should start a modern/you got one too? series of shows and races. These new cars have nothing in common with their ancestors, other than badging and some colors.

 

[lewtot184]

i went to a monthly cruise at a town just south of me last friday. the south half of main street was new cars and the north half was old stuff. all the south half needed was a couple of salesmen and it would have been a dealership new car lot. who wants to look at something that you can go to a car lot and see bunches of? sign a bank loan, go straight to autozone and buy a dust mop, and bingo your a hot rodder.

 

[Dennis H]

Thanks Greg for noticing how well I handle the chair. It's a camping chair. I forgot them both at the Livermore show today, so I'm in the market. Like you, I have classic and modern Mopar. 7500 miles a year on the 69. 11000 on the 09 since new. When trying out the modern Mopar club, I too was dissapointed to hear that most get dealer oil changes. When they talk about "washing the car", they mean taking it to the car wash. Nobody changes oil on or washes my finest but me. All 3. The 06, 09, and the 69.

In 2003 I joined a Mopar club because just like you, I wanted to associate with "like minded" car guys. I ended up meeting some nice guys but most are lawn chair pilots, sitting next to cars at shows rather than actually building anything. Many couldn't identify a 9/16" wrench or tell you the treadwear ratings of their tires. The meetings are often more about the non car details like club business rather than sharing info on engine rebuilding, suspension improvements and such. When the new Challengers came out in 2008, we had a few club members buy them. One guy in the club is the original owner of a 71 Road Runner. He bought a 2013 Challenger R/T and puts less than 60 miles a year on the Plymouth. There are some in the club that are really smart and always willing to dig in and get greasy but most are the types that pay to get their oil changed, tires rotated, etc. A few are certainly able bodied but still pay to have their car washed!
Personally, I find that really sad.

 

[BeeKool]

Better get used to it. Pretty soon all the tuner cars queers will try to infiltrate and it will no longer be kool. You will have to start a different club elsewhere.
We had a local diner that had a classic car get together every Friday evening in the spring/summer/autumn Like a mini car show anywhere from 10 to 30 cars. (Was) fun. Then newer model mustangs and Chargers and Challenger's started showing up. Wasn't a prob. but we should have saw what was coming. After that losers started showing up in their Mitsubishi and subarus and Nissan. A couple of tools with s-10s even a loser w a neon. It was like an episode of South Park. Almost surreal. needless to say after a couple weeks of that, we decided to stay home. Have yet to find another hang out. Diner isn't doing so well. Before people would pull into look at the cool old cars and stay for a burger and soda. Now the keep driving right on to the next town. Not kidding. Who the hell want to look at a tuner car.

 

[Kern Dog]

Dennis, while I do see you resting in the chair on occasion, I also see you drive your classic car more than anyone else I know. To top that off, you also own modern Mopar iron yet still choose to drive your classic.
To me, that is impressive.

 

[moparwacko]

X2 Kern Dog, I think Mr Dennis is one of the most prolific "drivers" of his classic muscle. I too drive my modern for everyday use, but follow Dennis for a while-- I think ( I know) he puts many more miles on his then I do.
Well done Dennis!!
BTW just picked up an 07 Jeep Wrangler for even more everyday use, I'm definitely in my second childhood...........but did have the RR out today for a rather spirited run hehe

 

[Darter6]

Talk about being a unwanted red headed stepchild,,try owning a late 70's Mopar. It's like it got leprosy or something.............

 

[MrJLR]

Ugly people make me look better.
New Challengers make my 'Cuda even cooler.

 

[Riverdawg]

My plan is to drive my 65 Coronet as much as I can when I get it in road worthy condition. I know there are a couple car clubs around here but haven't really looked into them. I have a half dozen or so friends who also happen to be Mopar fans/owners around here and we all do try to hit some of the shows together but we don't have an official club. We just enjoy our cars and I know that they are all driven.

 

[WileERobby]

Well, then come up to NJ. I'll show you my car & every last detail of my restoration of my RR, & where people stop in awe of a Cordoba, & my buddy's FWD Shelby Charger. Around here, it's the late-model Mustang/Camaro/Corvette guys that puff their chests out to impress people about their ability to sign a check.

 

[Force Fed Mopar]

Honestly, the type of car in a club or show, doesn't mean jackshit to me.

The type of owners, however, means a great deal.

 

[krandall]

Honestly, the type of car in a club or show, doesn't mean jackshit to me.

The type of owners, however, means a great deal.

AMEN.
Our car club got invited to a car show up in Duluth Mn this past March. There was one Hellcat there. I love drooling over these. I don't care how many I've seen. They impress the heck out of me and even MORE so when people are driving these new cars like they are supposed to be driven. This guy when the show finished, got outside and lit up both tires for a full block. HELL YEA!!! If you can hold a grudge and not smile at that... well.. I don't know what to tell ya.