When I was a kid

[dieseldazzle]

When I was a kid my dad and most of my family were mopar folks. Pops was always into the ones that most mopar guys didn't want like 62-65 b bodies and 66-67 chargers. Our house was littered with them until tough times fell and he sold most off then we moved into the trailer park.

He still managed to keep the 65 383 4 speed satellite and gave it to me at age 17. I sold it and bought a 66 charger. I look for it everyday and will buy it back immediately if it survived.

I was the kid that used to write into magazines an send hand drawn pics of Mopars into the magazines. I never got one response from age 10-14 writing and sending pics and letters lol but I loved hot rods. It didn't stop me.

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I'd leave the trailer park and own my dream cars.

My dream cars aren't Ferrari lambos etc. They are Mopars. My dream car since age 8 has been a 66 charger with perfect chrome and a big block with nitrous. I've owned it for 8 years now and it has all of the above and then some.

That being said today I did what I never dreamed off. May sound silly to some.

But I dropped off a 426 hemi block to be machined.

I get to assemble it after the block gets machined.

How much more intimate can I get with this beast that I have been in awe over since my first ride at age 10 in my adopted uncles 69 charger 500 and 66 charger?

I'm just in awe..

Thought I'd share.

 

[dieseldazzle]

Our house circa 1986

 

[khryslerkid]

I've always wanted to restore a mopar, just to say I did it. It's taking awhile to get to that point but I'm in the middle of one and loving life. All of the cool Mopars that I owned were true drivers, back in the day when you used and abused them. Now I'm saving one for the future for myself and others to enjoy.

So which car is the Hemi going in?

 

[dieseldazzle]

I've always wanted to restore a mopar, just to say I did it. It's taking awhile to get to that point but I'm in the middle of one and loving life. All of the cool Mopars that I owned were true drivers, back in the day when you used and abused them. Now I'm saving one for the future for myself and others to enjoy.

So which car is the Hemi going in?

Hemi goes here as it's not stock or numbers matching etc etc

 

[khryslerkid]

Damn, is that your collection!

 

[moparnation74]

Dan

Great story and sometimes it comes full circle. I am happy for you and right now living vicariously through you, lol!

Stories like this is what really brings things home and into reality of what our hobby is about....Great people and their machines! with a backstory to boot!

Justin

 

[dieseldazzle]

Damn, is that your collection!
View attachment 417792

That is not what I do for a living, just for fun.

 

[khryslerkid]

That is not what I do for a living, just for fun.

I'll have to call you Hank Jr. "Carrying on a Family Tradition".

 

[Kern Dog]

The only thing that you could change about your story would be to quote Steve Martin.....

"I was born a poor black child..."

 

[Richard Cranium]

How much more intimate can I get with this beast

View attachment 417785

I hate to say it, but there are plenty of ways to be "intimate" with those two blocks, but I strongly advise you to not share those experiences here.

 

[Bruzilla]

Great story! When I was a kid, we were a Ford family. Our first, and only, Mopar was a Dodge Monaco station wagon... a true family truckster type with the wood paneling and puke green paint. I never had any interest in working on any of my Dad's cars despite his best efforts to get me involved, so I was the polar opposite of you.

I didn't start getting into working on cars until 1983 when I started having to pay for repairs myself and saw how frigging expensive they were. I had always loved the 73/74 Roadrunners since I saw my first in late 72, but being from a Ford family, I was Ford first, and I was hot rodding around in a 76 Starsky & Hutch package Gran Torino with a 460. I was smoking the Mustangs and Camaros all the time, then one night this ragged and rusty 69 Charger RT pulls up next to me with the leakiest headers ever. I thought "This jagoff loosens up his exhaust to sound bad, but he's got nothing." Then I saw nothing but tail lights from him. I went out and bought my first Roadrunner/GTX shortly after that.

 

[Brandy]

lol. Nice DD, very nice.

 

[moparwacko]

I hate to say it, but there are plenty of ways to be "intimate" with those two blocks, but I strongly advise you to not share those experiences here.

Experience speaking?
Not even in the blue room please.

Although it is hump day, and Happy Hemi Day...........nah

 

[super-bee_ski]

Very cool stuff DD

 

[dieseldazzle]

thanks ski! I'll make it down to see you one of these days!

I bought two of those car rotators from Dave man they are nice!