Man, new cars are fast!

[SteveSS]

We went to the Off the Streets Drags today at PPIR. No trailered race cars only street legal machines. So many new Mustangs, Camaros, and Challengers. They are so freakin' fast! We are truly in a golden age of muscle cars. My son drove the 1971 408 Challenger and he did okay but holy moly it's crazy to see even family cars in the 13's.

One cool thing was everybody gets along. No animosity between owners of different car brands.

 

[BIGSHCLUNK]

My nephews SRT8 Chally + 14lbs boost / upped injectors / pistons & rods... hell my car's a slug by comparison...

 

[artr8]

Yep, they are fast. Most are very fast at loosing value too. Anyone with a stout wallet or ability to get a loan can buy. And, I have to admit, I thought seriously about the 392 Hemi Challenger with black out in green.

How many repairs have they done on the side of the road? Ask MOST owners if they know how to read spark plugs, change fuel jettings, set timing, and correct a vacuum leak and they would be lost. A simple socket set, 3/8 to 11/16 wrenches, and a couple of screwdrivers is all we need. A little grease under the fingernails did not permanently hurt any of us. (left a few scars though)

Took my daughter out tonight in the 72 Satellite for a 120 mile run. Can't say I got 30 mpg or can run with an eight speed but we got a lot of thumbs up and looks.

 

[moparedtn]

Having owned (and currently owning) both our old school and modern Mopars, the technology of the newer ones is sometimes quite startling honestly.
The wife's 2012 Charger R/T is "only" the 370hp hemi and has all the bells and whistles, eats miles on the highway like it's nothing and does so quietly and comfortably while pushing 29mpg. Oh, and I got it to turn a 13.98 at the Mopar show at Thunder Valley (Bristol, TN) a few years ago.
Weighs way over 2 tons, does everything but pick yer nose and scratch yer arse.

At almost 80k miles since we got it new (I ordered it online and they brought it to us here!) it has proven to be quite trouble-free, requiring only minimal maintenance.
One thing that has bothered me on it was Ma using that orange looking "high mileage" coolant in it (supposedly good for 100k miles) that coagulated a whole lot sooner than that, getting all chunky in the overflow tank and such.
Flushed that crap outta there and she has good ol' green stuff in her now.

That's Sasha the wonder dog, guarding as usual....
When I have to drive a couple hours on business, the wife graciously lets me have visitation of the Charger.
She runs off to work in my '04 Ram (hemi SLT 4x4 short bed/std cab!) that also has 160k on it with zero
issues to speak of.
They're both quite fine to run around in and very comfortable for trips, but which car do I still get all excited
over getting in?
Yep, that old thang on the right.

 

[BeepBeepRR]

Sure the new cars are fast but they will never get the attention that the old cars get. If you throw a rock you can hit a modern muscle car. Chargers/Mustangs/Camaro are just ho hum cars you see every day. There is nothing like pulling into a gas station to get gas and spending the next 20 minutes talking to people at your impromptu car show.

 

[Hilljack68]

I think Fiat needs to stop using our Mopar names: Challenger, Hemi, Charger, Dart... and our colors. Call me a bitter old fart, but "FCA" ain't Mopar. Government buy-out led right into foreign ownership. 700 hp will never entice me to buy one; I'm a pentastar guy.

 

[BeepBeepRR]

I think Fiat needs to stop using our Mopar names: Challenger, Hemi, Charger, Dart... and our colors. Call me a bitter old fart, but "FCA" ain't Mopar. Government buy-out led right into foreign ownership. 700 hp will never entice me to buy one; I'm a pentastar guy.

Yup I agree look at this GTX. However, keeping the names alive is a good thing. But totally F'in it up by doing crap like this.

 

[HawkRod]

Yep, they are fast. Most are very fast at loosing value too. Anyone with a stout wallet or ability to get a loan can buy...

Sure the new cars are fast but they will never get the attention that the old cars get. If you throw a rock you can hit a modern muscle car. Chargers/Mustangs/Camaro are just ho hum cars you see every day...

So how much were our old cars worth in the late 70s early 80s? How much attention did they get then? They were just old junkers that were practically being given away.

I do not own a modern day muscle car, but I would love to. I truly believe we are in the second "golden age" of muscle cars. Eventually, I believe these machines will be worth a lot and will get lots of attention. Just give it time.

 

[Paul Boucher]

Yeah they are crazy fast. My cousin has a 392 Scat Pack Challenger and it is a scream to drive, but right now the new models are a dime a dozen.

It is interesting how a lot of the new car owners at the shows are trying to look at stats to be able to say, "well, mine is one of #, that only has, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, etc., etc., etc. combination on it" like it makes it special somehow to find some combination of 1000 parts that no one else has and is not just like the same one sitting right beside it. Just not the same as the old school.

However, it will be interesting to see what the thoughts are on them in another 20-30 years. The only ones that I think might we worth something, or worthy, would be the first year 2006 new era Daytona Chargers, as they were limited numbered and really the start to bringing back the new Dodge Muscle car era and the Hemi, the new Challenger Demon and Redeyes, as they are limited and at the top of the food chain, and maybe the TA version Challengers. Outside that, I just don't see anything that will really be special, but who knows.

One of the sad things to me with the new era muscle cars is the tarnish that has been put on the R/T name. I have a 67 R/T and that, along with the GTX, were the baddest and best, now they will slap an R/T on anything, even a Minivan, just SAD. Hell one of the only real R/T, Road / Track, car that Dodge has put out is the Demon. Truly made to be a Road / Track car. But I guess you could take Mom's 2014 R/T Caravan with all the kid's loaded up down the track too if you wanted...but I digress...

 

[WileE]

While I was at the strip in the mid 00's, I watched the modern Mopar Hemi' s running at the track. Wow, they're fast. So, went out and bought one. But.... BUT... different animals. There is NO experience on earth compared to driving a classic muscle car. I'm an old guy driving my.modern muscle. I'm a teenager again driving my classic. And I don't give a rat's *** about value.

 

[BeepBeepRR]

So how much were our old cars worth in the late 70s early 80s? How much attention did they get then? They were just old junkers that were practically being given away.

I do not own a modern day muscle car, but I would love to. I truly believe we are in the second "golden age" of muscle cars. Eventually, I believe these machines will be worth a lot and will get lots of attention. Just give it time.

Its true that the cars in the 70's and 80's had no real value. But With the modern cars 70 percent of the car is plastic. I do not see modern cars lasting 50plus years and retaining any sort of value. For the budget minded muscle head you can buy a used cop car for under 4k and say you have a modern muscle car. Well I guess if in the future you wish to 3D print a new bumper for your "Modern Muscle Car" you can. I just see these modern cars as disposable.

 

[Paul Boucher]

Its true that the cars in the 70's and 80's had no real value. But With the modern cars 70 percent of the car is plastic. I do not see modern cars lasting 50plus years and retaining any sort of value. For the budget minded muscle head you can buy a used cop car for under 4k and say you have a modern muscle car. Well I guess if in the future you wish to 3D print a new bumper for your "Modern Muscle Car" you can. I just see these modern cars as disposable.

Or, since it's mostly plastic it will still be here in 1000 years!

 

[DeltaV]

I think Fiat needs to stop using our Mopar names: Challenger, Hemi, Charger, Dart... and our colors. Call me a bitter old fart, but "FCA" ain't Mopar. Government buy-out led right into foreign ownership. 700 hp will never entice me to buy one; I'm a pentastar guy.

I like it!! They should come out with a new color called "Call me a bitter old fart", but will it be a shade of gray, brown , or boring silver.

 

[steve from staten island]

Nothing gives me a thrill like driving a older car, be it my old MG or now my 69 Sport Sat Convertible.
My brother has a I think its a 2010 RT Challenger with the Hemi. The car doesn't have 15,000 miles on it. It is immaculate and only driven in nice weather. Ive driven it twice and I would never buy one. Sure its fast and looks great but that's about it.
Different strokes for different folks although I might like that kind of performance of my brothers car in my 69, but id probably get myself in hot water if it did LOL.

 

[HawkRod]

Its true that the cars in the 70's and 80's had no real value. But With the modern cars 70 percent of the car is plastic. I do not see modern cars lasting 50 plus years and retaining any sort of value. For the budget minded muscle head you can buy a used cop car for under 4k and say you have a modern muscle car. Well I guess if in the future you wish to 3D print a new bumper for your "Modern Muscle Car" you can. I just see these modern cars as disposable.

I think a big unknown is technology. As you stated, there is now 3D printing and other technologies that are helping even us with our old muscle cars. You can now get any decal for our cars not because they are stocked, but because they can be printed and made on demand. As technology moves forward, likely the aftermarket will adapt as needed if there is demand for it.

 

[Andew Sury]

it is fair to say that anything is collectible, being that 3 1993 mustang Cobra Rs have hit six figures this year alone.

As far as late model power, my 18 Silverado High Country* will walk the dog on my 454 Chevelle. 454 Monte, and my Hemi GTX. with a whopping 376 CI.

Not my GTO, but that is a max effort 408 stroker with 12:1 compression, rediculous cam, and ever ridiculouser (yeah, I said it) street manners.

What makes the old iron work is the cool factor. Not everybody has them and it is a treat to see a 50 year old Vietnam era gas guzzler on the road.


* Disclaimer. Truck is a 6.2liter 8 speed auto with a LT4 Supercharger making 611 at the rear on 93 partial corn piss.

 

[Paul Boucher]

...and ever ridiculouser (yeah, I said it) street manners.

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[BeepBeepRR]

Well, only time will tell. I'm certainly no expert in the value of cars. I mean hell it takes 20k or more to restore one of these old cars who's to say that that's a smart investment for a car that will only sell for 35k. Those are just random numbers I threw out there so don't quote me on it. These are just my opinions doesn't mean I'm correct.

 

[artr8]

I think a big unknown is technology. As you stated, there is now 3D printing and other technologies that are helping even us with our old muscle cars. You can now get any decal for our cars not because they are stocked, but because they can be printed and made on demand. As technology moves forward, likely the aftermarket will adapt as needed if there is demand for it.

HSORMAN, you got me thinking. Watching this post, we have guys from GA, NC, PA, Insanity, and Ohio so we are definitely (defiantly) using technology. Looks like only the Eastern time zone has chimed in...yet.

BTW, for a new launch project, my team had a stop light lens 3D printed, then polished for a new product shown at 2018 SEMA show in Las Vegas.

 

[69L48Z27]

My concern with modern muscle is fixing or restoring it in 30+ years. The old stuff is easy to work on and get parts still today.

Getting computer parts and magnetic dampers along with all the control sensors could get interesting.