May 2014. pdf

SUPER RARE! ONE OF THREE 1970 CHALLENGER R/T SE
MAY 2014
NEWS FLASH: BUY YOUR NEW MOPAR FROM MR. NORM!
STREET MACHINE AND MUSCLE CAR NATLS. COVERAGE
DESIGNERS SHOWCASE SPOTLIGHT ON BEN HERMANCE
MAY, 2014
IN THIS ISSUE
Editor’s Page.................................................. 4
Movie Magic: 1970 Dodge Challenger........ 62
Mr. Norm’s Corner: ‘68 Hemi Darts............. 10
Women’s World: Women in Racing II......... 68
West Coast Report: 2014 Shows and
Cruise Nights................................................ 16
Millennium Musings: 2014 Challenger
Cover Story: Mr. Norm’s GSS King Cuda... 22
Shaker Road Test......................................... 76
Mr. Norm’s GSS King Cuda Promo............. 32
News You Can Use....................................... 81
Get Your New Dodge from Mr. Normt......... 39
But Wait There’s More.................................. 86
Designer Showcase: Hermance Design..... 42
Product Spotlight......................................... 51
Tech: Quite Ride Solutions.......................... 58
EDITORIAL
Publisher and Founder
Mr. Norm
EditorLarry Weiner
Art Director
Deb Murphy
Editorial Assistant
Debbie Weiner
ContributorsLinda Mandalas,
Howard Benjamin, Andrew Schultheis,
ON THE COVER: Mr. Norm’s GSS King Cuda photo by
Larry Weiner
DEALER SALES
East Coast
West Coast
Mike Staveski
Bob Longstreth
ADVERTISING
Steve Temple775-233-0083
Toshi Akatsuka, Marv Herbert
PENTASTAR POWER IS PUBLISHED MONTHY BY MR. NORM’S SPORT CLUB
P.O. BOX 381 HIGHLAND PARK, IL 60035 PHONE: 760-630-0547
E-Mail: www.mrnorm1013@aol.com
Website: www.mrnorms.com
Editor’s Page
Second Chances
Mr. Norm’s S/FX Dodge Coronet leading Arnie Beswick’s GTO in the spring of 1965.
M
Mr. Norm’s Super Challenger Funny Car in action in 1972.
any muscle car
enthusiasts,
regardless of
brand loyalty,
have one thing
in common. Whether their
favorite brand is Chevrolet,
Pontiac or Dodge, they would
like nothing better than to be
able to go back in time and
buy a new muscle car from
their dream dealer. The list is
short and includes legendary
Chevrolet dealers like Yenko,
Nickey and Baldwin, the tin
Indian guys had Royal Pontiac and of course, when it
comes to Mopar, the place
to go was Grand Spaulding
Dodge. Each of these dealers was well known for selling both high performance
production cars and creating
extremely potent limited edi-
tion models. Today the muscle cars they sold new are extremely desirable, and have
a pedigree and value to collectors that cars sold at other
Grand Spaulding Dodge circa 1969
4
dealers simply do not have.
Unfortunately, all of these
dealerships are long gone,
and the owners are now in
muscle car heaven with one
exception; Mr. Norm.
For over fifty years, Mr. Norm has continued to be the driving force behind the creation
of exciting new high performance Hemi powered Dodge’s and special limited edition muscle car packages for Challengers, Chargers
and Rams. Known as the King of High Performance then and now, Mr. Norm has been
inundated with requests from enthusiasts
who would like the opportunity to purchase a
new high performance Mopar from him, just
like they did during the glory days at Grand
Spaulding Dodge.
Today, life is all about second chances. If
you bought a new Dodge from Mr. Norm back
in the day and have always wanted to do it
again, or it’s always been your dream to buy
your Mopar from the man who really did race
on Sunday and sell on Monday, your wish has
been granted. Mr. Norm has announced that
you can once again purchase your new Dodge,
Chrysler, Jeep or Ram from him personally!
Through a special arrangement with Bosak
Motors in Merrillville, Indiana, which is only
a short drive from Mr. Norm’s original home
turf in Chicago, Norm will be doing what he
Mr. Norm’s in the Grand Spaulding Dodge showroom
circa 1970.
5
“Today, life is all
2014 MOPAR HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
about second chances. If you bought a
new Dodge from Mr.
Norm back in the
day and have always wanted to do it
again, or it’s always
been your dream to
buy your Mopar from
the man who really
did race on Sunday
and sell on Monday,
your wish has been
granted. Mr. Norm
has announced that
you can once again
purchase your new
Dodge, Chrysler,
Jeep or Ram from
him personally!
”
does best; making high performance dreams come true.
For more information on
how you can purchase your
next new Mopar from Mr.
Norm personally, call the Mr.
Norm’s Grand Spaulding Hotline at 760-612-6365.
In other news, we are
pleased to announce that Mr.
Norm will be inducted into
the Mopar Hall Of Fame at a
special ceremony in conjunction with the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals on Saturday,
July 12, 2014. This is a great
honor for Mr. Norm, and it
celebrates his dedication to
making the most potent Mopars ever built available to enthusiasts at Grand Spaulding
Dodge. It also recognizes his
determination to develop high
performance street packages
like the 383 H-Code
and 440 M-Code GSS
Darts that Chrysler
ultimately put into
production,
along
with his contribution to the evolution
of what became the
Below: Mr. Norm’s Grand Spaulding Dodge Drag News ad from
1964. Right: Grand Spaulding Dodge ad with 1968 GSS 440 Dart
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funny car category and his
numerous successes racing
Dodge funny cars professionally for many years.
Mr. Norm will be in fast
company at the Mopar Hall
of Fame induction ceremony,
as the list of inductees also
includes such noteworthy
people as Bob Riggle, Don
Prudhomme, Tom McEwen,
Butch Leal, Keith Black, Don
Grotheer and Ramo Stott. If
you will be going to the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals, be
sure to attend the Mopar Hall
of Fame Awards Banquet. It
will be a once in a lifetime
opportunity to join the party,
visit with Mr. Norm and meet
some of these Mopar living
legends.
And if you are on the West
Coast in June, be sure to
ta Cook-Off, along with
Beer and Wine Tasting
on Friday, plus music by
the Hot Rod Band. On
Saturday, there’s a Show
and Shine, and a parade
with Mr. Norm. And on
Sunday, there’s even a
Swap Meet along with
an awards presentation
for the vehicles in competition. Also, Mr. Norm
SOURCE BOX
Mr. Norm’s Grand Spaulding
Phone: 760-612-6365
www.mrnorms.com
Mopar Hall of Fame
www.moparhalloffame.com
Carlisle Chrysler Nationals
1000 Bryn Mawr Road
Carlisle, PA 17013
Phone: 717-243-7855
www.carsatcarlisle.com
Peggy Sue’s All American
Cruise
Sonoma, CA
Phone: 707-575-3267
www.peggysuescruise.com
MORE FUN.
LESS DRAMA.
BOLT ON SUSPENSION FOR
come out and see Mr. Norm at the Peggy
Sue’s All American Cruise. The dates are
Friday, June 13 thru Sunday, June 15, and
with 900 vehicles pre-registered, it should
be an amazing show. There’s lots to do,
with a Poker Run and on the back roads
of Sonoma Country, plus a Chili & Pas-
1963 - 1976 MOPARS
A/B/E BODY APPLICATIONS
will be signing autographs and
visiting with Mopar enthusiasts
on Friday afternoon and Saturday during the day. There will
also be several Mr. Norm’s vehicles on display. If you like cool
cars, music and food, it sounds
like fun every day from dawn
to dusk. For more information,
check out the website at www.
peggysuescruise.com.
ADJUSTABLE
MONOTUBE SHOCKS
Several Mr. Norm’s Dodges will be displayed at Peggy Sue’s All American Cruise, including the Mr. Norm’s 50th
Anniversary GSS Challenger that was seen on the pages of Mopar Action Magazine, along with a GSS Racer Edition Cuda and a GSS Supercharged Cuda.
8
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Mr. Norm’s Corner
1968 Hemi Dart on display at
the SEMA SHOW. These cars
look just as imposing today
as when they were new.
The Saga of the 1968 Hemi Darts
petition that continues on
to this very day. It was also
a pivotal vehicle in our involvement in the racing and
performance
marketplace.
At Grand Spaulding Dodge,
with the creation of the GSS
383 H-Code Dart in 1967, we
had a car that could hold its
he 1968 Hemi Dart own on the dragstrip. Then
is one of those in we pumped it up by offeramazing
vehicles ing the GSS 440-M Code Dart
that holds a special in ‘68, but when Chrysler unplace in my memo- leashed the Hemi Dart, that
ry and in the saga of Grand was monumental.
Dodge contracted with
Spaulding Dodge. The Hemi
Hurst
Campbell to construct
Dart left an indelible mark
80
Hemi
Darts specifically
in NHRA Super Stock com-
and the Fire at
Grand Spaulding
Dodge
T
10
for drag racing. We sold 22
of them at Grand Spaulding Dodge, which was over
25 percent of total production. That’s more Hemi Darts
than any other dealer in the
country sold. The Hemi Dart
was designed by Chrysler
to be a pure racing vehicle
and to say that it succeeded beyond everyone’s wildest
dreams would be an understatement. In addition to the
426 Hemi engine and your
choice of a 727 Torqueflite or
an A833 4 speed, the set up
out from the factory included
such weight saving items as
fiberglass front fenders and
hood, Chemcor side windows
instead of glass and Dodge
Van spec light-weight bucket seats. The Hemi was definitely a racer’s engine, but
our service department did a
spectacular job of prepping
these vehicles, providing our
22 clients an unbeatable race
set-up.
Marketing is a big part of
a dealership’s success. I figured out early on that we
could sell a lot of cars to
young kids who were looking
for pure performance. By the
time
the Hemi Dart
rolled around
in 1968, I was
well
known
as the High
Performance
King, especially when
it came to
Dodge.
In
terms
of
marketing the ’68
Hemi Dart,
all I really
had to do
was drop
an
ad
in Drag
N e w s
and run
s o m e
r a d i o
spots
on WLS
and the
calls
Dual Quad 426 Race Hemi, the heart of the 1968 Super Stock Hemi
Dart.
came pouring in. At that time,
before FM stations dominated the youth market and long
before SIRRIUS, AM stations
in cities like Chicago and New
York were allowed to amp
up their own kind of performance at night and WLS, the
megawatt station in Chicago
had a signal that reached almost coast to coast.
There was no way to pin
point who was buying these
Darts and where they came
from. We got calls from working class kids, professional
people and amateur racers,
to guys who were having
some success on the track
and wanted more. They came
to us from all over the coun-
Grand Spaulding Dodge ad promoting 1968
Hemi Dart in May, 1968 issue of Car Craft
Magazine. With ads in Car Craft, Drag News
and WLS radio spots, Mr. Norm let everyone know that Grand Spaulding Dodge
was the place to go if you wanted a Hemi
Dart.
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try; from California to New
York, from Alaska to Florida.
We had a system as the
twenty two 1968 Dodge
Darts showed up from the
factory at our dealership.
I’d go around and write up
the repair order on each of
them before they went into
the service department. All
of our customers came to us
for our race-proven set up.
In a way, all of the marketing we did to sell these cars
was already proven on the
dragstrip. I’d check off new
rod and main bearings, new
cams, competition valves, oil
pump springs and retainers,
along with quick shift transmissions and snubber bars.
The Hemi Darts were delivered with little 14” wheels
and tires since Chrysler knew
that each owner would buy
what they wanted on their
own, we also supplied racing wheels and tires. Many
of the specs we used to build
the engines on the 22 Hemi
1968 Hemi Dart at the factory awaiting shipment to dealer. Note the
Dart is in primer and the fiberglass parts are unpainted. Also check out
the small wheels and tires.
Chrysler knew that each racer would paint and letter the Darts, so they
didn’t waste any time or money painting them. Same with the wheels
and tires, as each owner would install the rolling stock they thought
worked and looked the best.
“Dodge contracted with Hurst Campbell to construct 80 Hemi
Darts specifically for drag racing. We sold 22 of them at Grand
Spaulding Dodge, which was over 25 percent of total
production. That’s more Hemi Darts than any other dealer in the
country sold. The Hemi Dart was designed by Chrysler to be a
pure racing vehicle and to say that it succeeded beyond
everyone’s wildest dreams would be an understatement.
”
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Darts were the same as the
Hemi engines used in the Mr.
Norm’s Super Charger funny
car that we raced. I’d total up
the parts and labor then put
a call into the customer and
tell them this is what it’ll cost
to get their Dart race ready.
The price tag for the upgrades was around $4,400,
which was serious money at
the time, but nobody batted
an eye.
All of the work on the Hemi
Darts was performed in the
west shop at Grand Spaulding. I’d bring in the right guys
from the service department,
the guys with real talent who
loved performance and racing. The place was literally
buzzing with activity. We’d
finished up four of the Darts
and the guys had taken delivery on their cars, so we had
18 left in the shop. Here’s the
part where I learned not only
the loyalty of Grand Spaulding Dodge employees but our
customers as well.
One night, I got a call at
4:30 in the morning telling
me a fire had broken out in
our parts department and
had spread to the service
area. The fire department was
working on the blaze and the
showroom looked like it was
involved as well. I called our
office manager and told her to
call the 18 girls who worked
in the office and tell them not
to come in. I knew we’d have
a mess on our hands, a mess
that needed to be cleaned up
asap.
I got down to the dealership
as fast as I could, and not ten
minutes later, all of our office
staff showed up. The showroom was a smoke-filled mess
but at least the cars weren’t
damaged. In addition, the
firemen had knocked out all
of the windows, so there was
glass everywhere. One of the
first things we did was move
the cars out of there. Everybody pitched in to clean up
the water-stained showroom
and bring new cars in, cars
that didn’t smell like an ash
tray. One of our sales staff
stopped an Illinois Bell Tele13
phone service truck that was
driving by on Grand Avenue
and asked him set up a couple of phones, as all of ours
were down. By ten in the
morning the showroom was
back in shape, fresh cars
were on the floor and we had
two functioning phones. It
was then that we found out
that the phone company had
gone on strike that morning.
If that salesman hadn’t had
the presence of mind to flag
down the driver in that phone
company truck, we’d have
had to wait three months for
phone service.
Here’s something I learned
that night: to get the smoke
smell out of a new car, cut up
some apples and put them
in a bowl in the car; roll up
the windows and a few hours
later you’ve got that new-carsmell back in the vehicle.
The fire had started in the
east half of Grand Spaulding Dodge and wiped it out,
but fortunately left those 18
Hemi Darts unharmed. I was
still in a quandary. Getting
the place put back together
and functioning again meant
that those Darts would be
sitting for a while before our
crew could go back to work
on them. I got on the phone
and called each of those 18
owners to tell them the bad
news, in case they might want
to come pick up their Darts
without the race set-up. Not a
Mr. Norm’s 2014 Show and Event Schedule
Racer Charlie Castaldo drove down from New York in his ’68 Dodge Monaco wagon with an open trailer to pick his
Hemi Dart at the Hurst Campbell facility in Detroit. Note the row of completed Hemi Cudas in the background.
single one of those 18 people
hesitated. To a man, they all
said they’d wait for their cars
until we got the work done.
The days after that fire I
learned much more than the
just the apple trick. I learned
how both our customers and
our employees felt about
Grand Spaulding Dodge.
That meant a lot. Another
thing I learned; after all those
guys picked up their cars and
had a chance to race them on
drag strips all over the country, every one of them called
back and let us know their
Hemi Darts were running be-
tween 10.70 to 10.71 in the
quarter consistently. In spite
of everything, did we do a top
notch job of pleasing our customers? You bet we did and
if I were back in the business
today, I’d be doing exactly the
same thing.
2014 Mopars at the Strip
Las Vegas, NV April 11-13
2014 Peggy Sue’s All American Cruise Santa Rosa, CA June 13 – 15
2014 Chryslers at Carlisle Carlisle, PA July 11-13
2014 Muscle Car Beach / Bosak Motors Merrillville, IN July 17
2014 Belvedere Mopar Happening Rockford, IL July 19 – 20
2014 Mopar Festival at Great Lakes Dragaway Great Lakes, WI July 27-28
2014 Mopar Nationals
Columbus, OH Aug 8-10
2014 Mopar Fest of Canada Ontario, Canada Aug 16-17
2014 Muscle Car & Corvette Nationals Rosemont, IL Nov 22-23
15
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West
Coast
Report
“In particular, a
large contingent
of 1940 and
‘41 Willys
Gassers showed
up, looking like
they were ready
for a gasser wars
re-enactment.
Even gasser legend Don Montgomery showed
up with his
sinister looking
black Willys with
vintage gold leaf
lettering on the
doors.”
Car Shows
&
Cruise
Nites Kick
Into High
Gear
Photos By Larry Weiner and
Toshi Akatsuka
S
pring has sprung
here on the West
Coast. And flowers aren’t the
only thing in
bloom; car shows
and automotive events of all
kinds are popping up everywhere. Not only are there
shows every weekend, not
counting the myriad of cruise
nights during the week, but
most weekends have multi-
ple events happening simultaneously. As an example, we
were at Mopars at the Strip
in Las Vegas the weekend of
April 11 thru 13 with three
supercharged Mr. Norm’s
Challengers on display in
the Manufacturers Midway.
Originally, there was going
to be four, but the Mojave
Mile was also scheduled for
the same weekend. The re16
sult was several serious late
model Mopars, including Bill
Scharing’s amazing 9 second
Mr. Norm’s 50th Anniversary GSS-R 1000 horsepower
Challenger that was featured
in January, 2014 issue of
Pentastar Power, were competing at Mojave and unable
to attend Mopars at the Strip.
This happens regularly in
SoCal, and can make it chal-
Period perfect 1940 Willys
built right. Real steel, blown
Hemi, straight axle, sky high
rake and big n’ littles make
this a poster child for what a
real gasser should look like.
lenging to decide what event
you want to attend with your
favorite Mope on any given
weekend. This also makes
it tough for event promoters, because no matter what
weekend they schedule an
event for, there’s sure to be
another one going on at the
same time, on the same day,
and probably not very far
away. Take the Spring Fes17
tival of LXs event in Irvine.
This is a great show for late
model Challengers, Chargers, Magnums and Chrysler
300s. It was held on the same
weekend as the Street Rod
and Muscle Car Nationals
at the Pomona Fairplex. Lucas Oil, a title sponsor for the
Street Machine and Muscle
Car Nationals, had requested
the Mr. Norm’s 50th Anniver-
sary GSS-R 1000 Challenger
that’s owned by Kenne Bell
Superchargers as the centerpiece of their display at Pomona. Needless to say, the
Challenger couldn’t be in two
places at once, so it missed
the Spring Festival of LXs.
Speaking of the Street Machine and Muscle Car Nationals, this was a very nicely done event. Considering
that 2014 was its freshman
year, it pulled a lot of really
nice vehicles not only from
California, but other states
as well. Cars were displayed
both inside and outside, numerous manufacturers were
on hand with their products,
and for those who craved
some action, a road course
was set up with cones so that
you could test your driving
prowess and the capability of your vehicle. While we
were there, we watched quite
a few vintage and late model
muscle cars take a crack at
the course, some with very
exciting results. All I can
say is, I’m glad that I wasn’t
born a traffic cone, as many
on the course took quite a
beating! And while it was a
mixed make show, the Street
Machine and Muscle Car Nationals had a lot of really nice
Mopars of all kinds on display. While that’s not always
the case with shows like this,
it illustrates how many really nice Mopes are out there,
owned by enthusiasts who
are looking for a quality event
to display their vehicles at.
When it comes to cruise
nights, the number of great
cars and trucks on display
Appearing as though it was straight out of the movie Cars, the only
thing that this postwar step-down Hudson with Twin-H Power was
missing was Paul Newman’s voice.
A wolf among the sheep, this Willys could have eaten any of these
cars as a snack without even working up a sweat.
Hemi powered Pro Street 1971 Challenger R/T sounded just as
wicked as it looked.
Bright orange ’69 Beeper looked right at home at the Street Machine and Muscle Car Nationals.
Clean B-5 Blue 1968 383 H-Code Dart had a choice spot right on
Grand Avenue.
Sassy Grass Green 1971 Road Runner with fully dressed 440
18
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at these often weekly events
in Southern California just
continues to grow. Cruisin’
Grand, by far the biggest of
its kind in SoCal, and just
keeps attracting more cars
and spectators each year.
The kickoff cruise night for
2014 was the first Friday of
April, and we knew from past
years that if we wanted to find
a good spot to park the GTX
440 Six Pack Wagon, we had
better get there early. In addition, the Goodguy’s Show is
held at the Del Mar racetrack
the same weekend (where
have we heard that before!)
and many of the cars from the
show drove down for the evening and strutted their stuff
in a special display at Cruisin’ Grand on Friday night. In
particular, a large contingent
of 1940 and ‘41 Willys Gassers showed up, looking like
they were ready for a gasser
wars re-enactment. Even gasser legend Don Montgomery
showed up with his sinister
looking black Willys with vintage gold leaf lettering on the
doors. Blown Hemi powered
Willys with straight axles and
pure ‘60’s nose bleed stances set the mood and seemed
like they could be the perfect
complement to the front motor dragsters on Nitro Night
at the end of the season. Hey,
a guy can dream……
Among the endless array
of vehicles of all kinds that
showed up to celebrate the
start of another season, a
surprise group of Shelby Cobra’s also made the scene.
About ten or twelve roadsters
in all, most with loud side
exhaust (is there any other
kind?), and many motorvated by brutally powerful dual
quad 427 Ford FE engines. A
couple of slab side early style
289 Cobras also made an appearance and this group ultimately took over the entire
center of one of the streets as
soon as the Escondido Police
shut it down for the evening’s
festivities.
Sure enough, by 3:30 PM,
virtually all of the spaces on
the streets were packed and
those without a spot kept the season, I can hardly wait
cruising around looking for until summer when the pace
an opening. It was almost really picks up.
like musical chairs, and if
you didn’t find a place to
SOURCE BOX
park your car, it could prove
to be a long night, because
Cruisin’ Grand
lots of guys and gals were in
www.cruisingrand.com
the hunt for an elusive spot.
Street Machine and Muscle
Again, lots of really nice MoCar Nationals
pars of all kinds came out of
the woodwork and could be
www.streetmachinenationseen on every block.
als.net
All I can say is, if it’s this hot
and heavy at the beginning of
TIME IS RUNNING OUT
ON YOUR CHANCE TO WIN BRUCE MEYERS’
SUBARU-POWERED, 5-SPD KICK-OUT S.S. MANX
Picture yourself in this buggy!
1968 Hemi Dart was better
than factory fresh.
WINNING IS EASY
JOIN THE MANX CLUB AND BUY A RAFFLE TICKET
● $ 30 to join club (if you’re not already a member)
● $ 20 / raffle ticket (buy 10 and get one free)
● Maximum number of 6,000 tickets will be sold
● The Kick-Out S.S. Manx is valued at $ 35,000
● For any inquiries, contact: Raffle@ManxClub.com
● Raffle will be held on 7/13/2014 at Big Bear Bash
● Entrants need not be present to win
The Lucas Oil exhibit also had two
pretty girls on hand to answer any
questions attendees had about their
products.
Right: Mr. Norm’s 50th Anniversary
GSS Challenger was displayed in the
Lucas Oil exhibit at the Street Machine
and Muscle Car Nationals.
JOIN THE MANX CLUB TODAY FOR YOUR CHANCE TO
WIN BRUCE MEYERS PERSONAL KICK-OUT S.S. MANX
For complete official rules and regulations, visit the club’s website
www.manxclub.com
MR. NORM’S GSS KING CUDA
It’s Rad, It’s Bad and It’s Just What
You Would Expect from Mr. Norm
Story and Photos by Marv Herbert
M
r.
Norm’s
GSS King
C u d a .
The name
sounds intimidating,
and it should, because this
is no ordinary, run of the mill
Challenger. Powered by a Mr.
Norm’s Signature Kenne Bell
Supercharged 6.4 Hemi, this
SRT-8 powered muscle car
is one step away from Hell
on Wheels. Sure, you could
drive it like a little old lady,
but why would you?
The King Cuda is a no BS
car that makes absolutely no
excuses for what it is; rather,
it nearly demands that you exercise it vigorously, and on a
regular basis. There are women like that, but the question
is, do you have the stamina
to keep up with them? With
the King Cuda, stamina is no
problem. This car has performance in spades that will
keep you coming back for
Mr. Norm’s Kenne Bell 2.8L Liquid Cooled Supercharger amps up the 6.4
Hemi to 650 horsepower on just 91 octane. Yes, it’s 50 state street legal.
more, over and over again.
Worried about fuel economy?
Then get a hybrid. This is one
muscle car that should come
with a bumper sticker that
says “I would rather push my
King Cuda that drive a Prius.”
Yeah, it’s that kind of car.
So what’s the scoop on the
King Cuda? We went straight
to the source, Mr.
Norm, for the lowdown on what make
Mr. Norm’s
Katzkin custom
leather interior features glove soft leather accented
with orange top stitching and logos. Inset: closeup of Mr. Norm’s embroidered logo.
this car tick, and by the end
of the conversation, we realized that it wasn’t just about
the car; rather, the car is an
extension of who Mr. Norm
is. Can you say bad to bone?
Well, you better, because
the King Cuda is just one in
a long line of tire smoking,
asphalt shredding Mopars
Shaker, functional hood pins and lanyards and saw-tooth grille on the King
Cuda all echo the 1971 Hemi Cuda that inspired it.
Inset: Functional hood pins and lanyards are an exact replica of the 1971
originals.
that Mr. Norm has created.
Not only that, but he has a
long history of creating vehicles for enthusiasts that are
hands down better than what
the competition offers, and
for a lot less money. Can you
say GSS 440 Dart or Supercharged Demon from back in
the day? Not good enough?
Then how about blown Hemi
powered, acid dipped, altered
wheelbase Dodge Coronets
that ran a nitro load that
would make your eyes water
all night. When Norm showed
up with the Coronet, most of
the competition would have
rather gone home early than
face this man and his machine. It was the kind of car
that would make a grown
man quake in his boots.
Got the idea?
Unlike the old days,
when men were men and
cars were cars, the Mr.
Norm’s GSS King Cuda
certainly defies stereotypes. You don’t have
to be Captain America to “bring it on” with
the King Cuda, because
when you’re behind the
wheel, there’s nothing you
can’t do. Think of Sam Colt,
who invented the Peacemaker. The saying “God created
all men, but Sam Colt made
them equal” is the equivalent
of Mr. Norm’s creating GSS
King Cuda. No matter what
your size, strength or sex,
the King Cuda is the Great
Equalizer.
So, what’s it like to drive?
With 650 horsepower on tap
running on just 91 octane, the
Mr. Norm’s serial number dash plaque. Yes,
this King Cuda is serial number 1.
Mr. Norm’s Pistol Grip Shifter provide accurate
shifts for the six speed manual transmission.
Hurst Stunner alloy wheels complement the muscle car
theme of the King Cuda.
Inset: Hemi Cuda Gills are stamped into the fenders just
like the factory did it in ’71. Chrome Gill trim are excellent
reproductions of the original items.
Mr. Norm’s GSS King Cuda
was born ready for life on the
wild side. Equipped with the
Kenne Bell 2.8L Twin Screw
Liquid Cooled Supercharger,
it’s the equivalent of bringing a gun to a knife fight. So
much power and torque that
the big 275 /40ZR20 BF Go-
Here’s lookin’ at you kid.
odrich g-Force Sport Comp2 meats on the back simply
cannot put all of the power to
the pavement when things get
frenetic. Honestly, nothing
less than a good set of street
drag radials, running low tire
pressure and heated up so
that they’re good and sticky
will put this kind of power
down to the pavement with
any degree of effectiveness.
Going up in smoke may look
exciting on a magazine cover,
but it’s not the fast way down
the track, or wherever it is
that you’re holding court.
Bangin’ gears with the
Mr. Norm’s Pistol Grip Shifter is great fun, and certainly
the fast way to row through
Satin black Hemi Billboards scream 1971 and
provide the perfect contrast for the Header Orange
paint. Above: Mr. Norm’s Cuda Tail Panel with air
brushed details set of back of King Cuda. Note use
of original ‘Cuda tail panel emblem.
six speeds of sheer nirvana,
thanks in part to the leverage
provided by the long chrome
arm. Between the seamless
gear changes, the ever rising and falling crescendo of
the big, bad blown Hemi and
getting thrown back into the
seat every time you crack the
throttle wide open after a gear
change, I can’t think of another car that offers so many
Looking down on King Cuda
reinforces its resemblance
to the sought after original
Hemi Cuda.
thrills regardless of price.
The interior of the King
Cuda is simply sumptuous.
It features glove soft Katzkin
Leather, neat Barracuda perforated inserts and of course,
the Mr. Norm’s Hemi Cuda
logo embroidered on the seat
backs, just in case you go
brain dead and forget what
kind of car you’re driving.
Trust me, that guy with the
rice burner is not gonna’
think he accidentally got in
the wrong car by mistake after he loses his shirt going toe
to toe with this bad boy. He’s
probably getting into the King
Cuda on purpose hoping that
you’ll forget what car you’re
supposed to be going home
with after you took his money, and if it was for pinks, his
car too.
Outside, the King Cuda
leaves no doubt as to its intentions. With its Shaker style
hood and Cuda Gill stamped
front fenders, along with a ’71
style Cuda saw tooth grille
and ’70 style tail panel, if you
haven’t figured out the pedigree by this time, the big bold,
in your face Hemi Billboards
will shake the cobwebs from
that thing between
your
ears. Functional Hemi Cuda
Hood Pins and Lanyards, and
Hurst Stunner Wheels add to
the image and the impression
the King Cuda makes when it
shows up for the party.
At the end of the day, if
you haven’t made up your
mind if you’re ready for the
King Cuda, just ask yourself
this; When it’s time for your
next class reunion, what do
you want to show up in? Badass or candyass. As far as
I’m concerned, make mine a
King Cuda.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Mr. Norm’s
Phone: 813-789-6179
Contact: Mike Staveski
www.mrnorms.com
Big thanks to Steve Kaiser and
Fairfield Auto Group for providing
the Challenger for conversion into
the Mr. Norm’s GSS King Cuda.
Fairfield Auto Group
3360 Rt. 405 North
Muncy, PA 17756
Phone: 570-546-5113
Contact: Steve Kaiser Jr.
www.fairfieldautogroup.com
Building King ‘Cuda
Above: 392 Hemi before the Mr.
Norm’s Kenne Bell Supercharger
was installed.
Left: 392 Hemi with supercharger
installed. “Yeah, it’s got a Hemi, a
Blown Hemi!”
The Challenger bone stock and ready for its makeover.
T
he Mr. Norm’s GSS King Cuda started out as a bone
stock 2014 Challenger SRT-8 Core. As soon as we
picked it up from the dealer, it went right straight to
the paint shop where the entire front clip was removed. Normally, only the front fascia would be removed for the supercharger installation, but since we were changing the front
fenders and hood, it was just easier to take it all off.
The next stop was to have the Mr. Norm’s Kenne Bell Supercharger installed. With all of the sheet metal removed, it
made the install easier and faster. Then it was back to the
painter to have the new Mr. Norm’s Cuda Gill front fenders,
Shaker Style Hood, Functional Hood Pins and Hemi Billboards painted on. We also had the Mr. Norm’s Katzkin
custom leather installed at the same time.
After the King Cuda was back from the painter, we installed the Mr. Norm’s Cuda Style Grille and Tail Panel,
along with the Cuda emblem, Hurst wheels, Mr. Norm’s Pistol Grip shifter and a myriad of other parts. The GSS King
Cuda package was easy to install, and in just a couple of
weeks, the Challenger went from ordinary to extraordinary.
The Mr. Norm’s GSS King Cuda is a thoroughly modern
muscle car with vintage muscle car flavor. As Cliff Secord
said in the movie the Rocketeer “I like it!”
Above: New Mopar fender stamped
with Mr. Norm’s Cuda Gills. Ready
for prep and paint.
Right: Back at the painter ready to
have the new Cuda Gill Fenders,
Shaker Hood and front fascia installed. With just headlights, the Challenger looks like Johnny Five, the robot from Short Circuit. Check out the Kenne Bell air to water intercooler in
front of the radiator.
Right: Stock cloth interior ready to be removed
and replaced with
leather.
Left: Mr. Norm’s Katzkin
custom leather interior
installed. What a difference!
Challenger with front clip removed
Mr. Norm’s Cuda Shaker
Style hood before paint
28
Mr. Norm’s Challenger Functional Hood
Pin Kit installed. All
of the parts in the
hood pin kit are the
same as on a 1971
Hemi Cuda with the
exception of the
mounting brackets.
Below: Mr. Norm’s Cuda Tail Panel
left cover installed.
Left: All three tail panel sections
installed, including ‘Cuda emblem
King Cuda just back from the
painter. With the Cuda Gill fenders, Shaker style hood and Hemi
Billboards, it’s starting to shape
up.
The completed Mr. Norm’s GSS King Cuda. Compare
the King Cuda to the stock Challenger in Photos 1 A and
B. This is one dramatic makeover and it’s easy to build.
Right: Mr. Norm’s Cuda style saw-tooth grille
painted and ready to be installed.
Below, left: Saw-tooth “frame” is installed first
using two toggle bolts supplied in kit.
Right: Saw-tooth is installed onto frame using 3M
double face tape
30
PERFORMANCE PROVEN KNOWHOW SINCE 1963
MR. NORM’S GSS KING CUDA
INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING EQUIPMENT
EXTERIOR
● New Mopar Front Fenders Die Stamped with 1971 Hemi Cuda Style Gills
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Mr. Norm’s GSS 1971 Hemi Cuda Fender Gill Chrome Accent Trim
Mr. Norm’s GSS 1971 Hemi Cuda Style Functional Hood Pins and Lanyards
Mr. Norm’s GSS 1971 Hemi Cuda Style Grille Unpainted
Mr. Norm’s GSS Cuda Style Mirror Finish Tail Panel with Bright Accents
Cuda Tail Panel Emblem
Mr. Norm’s GSS Hood Graphic
Mr. Norm’s Windshield Banner
INTERIOR
MR. NORMS GSS KING CUDA
Mr. Norm has been a trendsetter in automotive style and performance since 1963 when he opened
Grand Spaulding Dodge in Chicago. The latest model in the vaunted Mr. Norm’s GSS Collection is
The King Cuda. Designed to fit all 2008 – 2014 Challengers, it’s destined to be a modern classic.
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Mr. Norms / Katzkin Premium Leather Seat Covers, Center Arm Rest Cover and Door Panel Inserts
Leather Seating Surfaces with Contrasting Stitching
Mr. Norm’s Katzkin Barracuda Contrasting Leather Inserts
Mr. Norm’s Hemi Cuda Emblem Embroidered on Front and Rear Seat Backs
Mr. Norm’s Signature Embroidered Logo Plush Carpet Mats
Mr. Norm’s Serialized GSS Cuda Dash Plaque with Unique Number
Mr. Norm’s Embossed Metal License Plate
Mr. Norm’s Logo Pistol Grip Shifter with Carbon Fiber Grips w/ manual transmission
Mr. Norm’s Pistol Grip Shifter Handle with Carbon Fiber Grips w/ automatic transmission
CHASSIS
● Mr. Norm’s / Hotchkis Performance Lowering Springs**
● Mr. Norm’s / Hotchkis Performance Front and Rear Sway Bars
● Mr. Norm’s Logo Embossed Red Powder Coated Caliper Covers
*Note: On cars equipped with Self Leveling or Nivomat rear shocks will need to be replaced with Bilstein shocks Mopar part number 68072165AB
CELEBRATING A LEGACY OF PERFORMANCE
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Mr. Norm’s Sport Club Decals (2)
Mr. Norm’s Grand Spaulding Deck Lid Emblem
Personal Letter of Congratulations from Mr. Norm
Vehicle Registered in “The Original Grand Spaulding Dodge Registry”
8.5” x 11” Mr. Norm’s Certificate of Authenticity for Framing
Membership in Mr. Norm’s Sport Club
Mr. Norm’s GSS King Cuda Package price is $4895.00 plus shipping
CALL 813-789-6179 AND ORDER YOURS TODAY
HURST STUNNER WHEELS / BF GOODRICH TIRE PACKAGE
MR. NORM’S GSS KING CUDA OPTIONS
MR. NORM’S KENNE BELL SUPERCHARGER
FOR 2008 – 2014 5.7, 6.1, 6.4 HEMI ENGINES
HURST / BFGOODRICH WHEEL TIRE PACKAGE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING
2.8L TWIN SCREW SUPERCHARGER POLISHED & LIQUID COOLED SHOWN IN PHOTOS
CHOICES
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MR. NORM’S KENNE BELL 2.8L SUPERCHARGER BLACK ANODIZED
MR. NORM’S KENNE BELL 2.8L SUPERCHARGER POLISHED
MR. NORM’S KENNE BELL 2.8L SUPERCHARGER POLISHED AND LIQUID COOLED
SUPERCHARGERS ARE CARB CERTIFIED AND 50 STATE STREET LEGAL
MR. NORM’S GSS CUDA SHAKER STYLE HOOD
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4 Hurst Stunner 20 Inch Custom Wheels Machined w/ Anthracite Accent*
Sizes: Front: 20” x 9”
Rear: 20” x 10”
BF Goodrich G-Force Sport Comp 2 High Performance Tires
Sizes: Front: 245/45ZR20 Rear: 275/40ZR20
Chrome Lug Nuts Set of 20
Preloaded TMPS Sensors (4)
MR. NORM’S SIGNATURE CARBON FIBER ACCENTS
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MR. NORM’S SIGNATURE CARBON FIBER SHOCK TOWER COVERS
MR. NORM’S SIGNATURE CARBON FIBER FUSE BOX COVER
MR. NORM’S SIGNATURE CARBON FIBER CORE SUPPORT FILLER PANEL
MR. NORM’S SIGNATURE CARBON FIBER ENGINE SHROUD FOR 5.7 HEMI
MR. NORM’S GSS KING CUDA
NOTE: HEMI CUDA SHAKER SCRIPT IS AVAILABLE SEPARATELY
CALL 813-789-6179 TODAY FOR PACKAGE AND PARTS INFORMATION
MR. NORMS GSS KING CUDA
BORN TO BE WILD!
FROM MR. NORM THE HIGH PERFORMANCE KING
DESIGNED FOR ALL 2008 – 2014 CHALLENGERS
CALL 813-789-6179 TODAY FOR MORE INFORMATION
RESTORATION SERVICES
RESTORATION SERVICES
Call, fax or e-mail for consultation services
Call, fax or e-mail for consultation services
106 State Hwy. PP
P.O. Box 35300
Scott City, MO 63780
Richmond, VA 23235-0300
Phone: (573) 264-2033
Phone: (804) 275-2155
Fax: (573) 264-3821
Fax: (804) 275-1969
Here is your chance to
relive Muscle Car history
WE GOT ‘EM, COME ‘N' GET ‘EM!
FACTORY STOCK AND MR. NORM’S DODGES & RAMS FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY
GIANT INVENTORY OF CHALLENGER AND CHARGER R/T’s AND SRT-8’s
SUPERCHARGED 5.7 AND 6.4 HEMI CHALLENGERS AND CHARGERS
WE CAN INSTALL MR NORMS PACKAGES & SUPERCHARGERS ON YOUR VEHICLE
CALL THE MR. NORM’S HOTLINE 760-612-6365
*ALL VEHICLES DELIVERED THROUGH BOSAK PERFORMANCE
Designers Showcase / Designers Showcase / Designers Showcase
SPOTLIGHT ON HERMANCE DESIGN
Story and Photos by Larry Weiner
INTRODUCTION
T
his month, we’re
pleased to introduce
a new feature, The Designers Showcase. Each
issue of Pentastar Power will
showcase the work of a different
automotive designer, artist or
photographer. For the debut of
The Designers Showcase Series,
we have chosen to highlight Hermance Design.
The Mr. Norm’s GSS Rumbler illustration, with the 1968 style
bumble bee stripes and a caricature of Mr. Norm’s original Rumble
Ram from 1964 translated seamlessly to the actual truck on the
following spread.
Mr. Norm’s team has worked
with Ben Hermance to design
many of the exciting vehicles
that have been seen in virtually all of the enthusiast magazines, on the internet and at
shows and events all over the
country. In addition, some of
the designs that started out
as concepts have become Mr.
Norm’s production packages that are available on the
Mr. Norm’s website www.
mrnorms.com and at Dodge
dealers nationwide.
A
t
every
automobile
manufacturer, designers are hard at work
1966 Imperial shows how much cool factor can be infused in an
often overlooked C-Body.
1951 Mercury four door lead sled is a great example of Ben’s ability to design vehicles from different
decades that look absolutely right on.
44
creating the vehicles of tomorrow. The exciting cars
and trucks we lust after today all started out as renderings or sketches in the design
studios. Those that showed
great promise evolved into
some of the most memorable production vehicles ever
built. But regardless of what
they looked like when they
were fresh off the production
line, ever since the first automobile was manufactured,
people have customized and
altered them to fit their vision
of what they want the vehicle
to look like.
Today more than ever,
vehicles of all kinds are be-
ing modified.
Sometimes,
the changes are little more
than adding bolt-on parts or
easily applied items, such
as wheels, spoilers or vinyl
graphics, while at the other
end of the spectrum, high end
shops re-sculpt sheet metal,
chop or even cut off roofs and
customize vehicles in endless
ways. But no matter what a
person wants their vehicle to
1970 Challenger rendering shows great attention to detail
look like, the process often
starts with commissioning an
artist’s rendering. This is an
easy way to visualize what the
changes will look like when
the vehicle is completed; long
before the first bolt is turned
or any parts are purchased.
Among those who have
built an excellent reputation for designing some of
the most exciting vehicles
that are being built today is
Ben Hermance of Hermance
Design. Ben is an extremely talented designer who has
worked with both leading
shops and innovative individuals in their quest to create
the vehicle of their dreams.
A graduate of Wentworth Institute of Technology, with a
Bachelor of Science degree in
Product Design, Ben is a professional who prides himself
on developing vehicle designs
that can seamlessly make the
transition from rendering to
real steel.
While this may sound easy,
it is a real challenge to create
a design that looks great on
paper and the ability to actually build the vehicle. Ben
understands this and takes it
into consideration every time
he designs a vehicle, knowing
full well that what he designs
must be able to be translated
so that the finished product
looks as good or better than
the rendering.
Take a look at the artist’s
renderings in this story. Proof
of concept can be seen in several of the photos of the Mr.
Norm’s vehicles that were
built after Ben had completed
the renderings. In each case,
the appearance of the vehicle
mirrors the rendering. Some
Above: 1972
Charger concept is called
the Cannibal.
Take a moment
and compare
the myriad of
changes from
the stock automobile to the
customized
version.
Modern version of Sox &
Martin Hemi Cuda based
on the new Challenger in
both rendering and real
steel. The translation
from the rendering to the
actual vehicle is spot on.
Right: Ben’s
makeover for
this 1971 Javelin
gives it a bold,
modern look,
yet is absolutely
a car that could
be built.
46
47
of the other renderings show
vintage cars whose customization is more elaborate. A
careful review of these renderings demonstrates his understanding of what is possible without setting impossible
goals that sometimes cannot
be met in the quest to create
a visually stunning vehicle.
If you are planning on
building a vehicle, consider
that benefits of having a professional rendering prepared
before you begin. It will help
insure that your dream car
turns out as good, or even
better than you planned.
SOURCE BOX
Ben Hermance
Hermance Design
508-612-0120
www.hermancedesign.com
Charter
Sponsors
Bosak Motors
3111 W. Lincoln Hwy.,Rt. 30
Merrillville, IN 46410
888-507-1403, ask for Mr. J
Crystal Chrysler Jeep
Dodge Ram
1005 S. Suncoast Blvd.
Homosassa, FL 34448
352-563-2277 / Steve Lamb
Fairfield Auto Group
3360 Rt. 406,
Muncy, PA 17756
888-548-3870 / Steve Kaiser, Jr.
Steve White Motors
3470 U.S. Highway 70
Newton, NC 28658
888-827-3721
Steve Landers Chrysler
Jeep Dodge Ram
4600 South University
Little Rock, AR 72204
501-569-4063
Roger Gibson
Restoration service.
573-264-2022
Year One
Time tested quality parts. .
800-YEAR ONE
Choice Hotels
20% discounts for club members
with special number code.
Meguire’s WaxIrvine, CA
800-347-5700 / meguiar’s.com
Mancini Racing
Offering quality, selection and
service for performance needs.
800-843-2821
Galen Govier
The Chrysler Registry
608-326-6346
WWII P51 Mustang inspired
late model ‘Stang convert.
Rendering and the actual
vehicle are near mirror images of each other.
Rods, Mods and
Restos
9134 Eden Ave.
Hudson, FL 34667
813-789-6179
JBA Speed Shop
5675 Kearny Villa Rd.
San Diego, CA 92123
888-JBA-5570
48
49
MR. NORM’S MAY SALE!
MR. NORM’S VINYL BANNERS
FOR YOUR MAN CAVE OR GARAGE
1’ x 4’
2’ x 3’
SEVERAL DIFFERENT VINTAGE DESIGNS
IN EACH SIZE TO CHOOSE FROM
1 x 4 REGULARLY $59.95
SALE PRICE $45.00
2 x 3 REGULARY $295.00
SALE PRICE $195.00
Order yours today on the Mr. Norm’s website at www.mrnorms.com
In the Mr. Norms Store Section
Note: No other discounts can be applied to sale price.
Shipping is not included in price Offer expires May 31, 2014
MR. NORM’S SPECIAL
MAY SALE!
MR. NORM’S CUDA STROBE STRIPE KIT
FOR 2011 – 2014 CHALLENGERS
Win this car!
London Cobra Show
June 19-22, London, Ohio
By a Raffle ticket now, proceeds benefit Cystic Fibrosis
The Ohio Cobra Club Presents:
The London Cobra Show!!
The largest gathering of Cobras in the world!
Enjoy a gathering of beautiful cars, fun events
and meet exceptional people along the way
... all for a great cause.
SIX PIECE KIT
SALE PRICE $225.00
REGULARLY $305.00 SAVE $80.00
Stripe Kits Available in Black or White
Other colors available at additional cost
To Order Mr. Norm’s Signature Cuda Strobe Stripes for your Challenger
CALL MR. NORM’S AT 760-612-6365
CHECK ALL OF THE MR. NORM’S PARTS AND ACCESSORIES AT
www.mrnorms.com
Note: No other discounts can be applied to sale price.
Shipping is not included in price Offer expires May 31, 2014
The fun filled weekend offers:
• a family friendly atmosphere full of Cobras,
food and fun
• 200+ Cobra roadsters and coupes all in one
place
• cruises to several landmarks around
Central Ohio
• Track events at Mid Ohio Sports car course
and Autocross
• Charity rides in Historic Downtown
London Ohio
• Live and silent auctions
• Guest speakers you won’t want to miss
Join us, volunteer, have fun and lets support
the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation together.
4
1
0
London 2
Cobra Show
londoncobrashow.com
Scan me to buy a
Raffle Ticket
ohiocobraclub.com
MR. NORM’S KENNE BELL
SUPERCHARGERS
FOR 2008 – 2014 CHALLENGERS, CHARGERS, 300
“MAKE YOUR CAR A PART OF MR. NORM’S HISTORY”
Racer’s net for the Mr.Norm’s Kenne Bell 2.8-L Supercharger Kit is $6,995* plus
shipping. Add $300 for Liquid Cooled* and $600 for Polished Kit*
Call Mr. Norm at :(813) 789-6179 for more information
and to order the Supercharger
*No discsounts apply to these products
Each kit includes eveything needed for the install, including programmed tuner
Mr. Norm’s Kenne Bell 2.8-L Supercharagers for 2008-2018 5.7, 6.1
and 6.4 Hemi engines are CARB certified, 50 state legal
BENEFITS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Real ‘60s-style Cool Air Intake (+30 hp)
Mammoth 2.8-L vs. their little 2.3-L
Retro Front Drive
Exposed Supercharger (no cover)
Available for 6.5,6.1 and 5.7 Hemi engines
50-state legal
Mr. Norm’s Signature Engraved Plaque
Entry into Mr. Norm’s Equipped Registry
MR. NORM’S KENNE BELL
SUPERCHARGERS
CALL MR. NORM’S AT 813-789-6179 FOR MORE INFORMATION
OR TO ORDER THE MR. NORM’S KENNE BELL SUPERCHARGER
Quiet Ride
Solutions
Under
Hood
Cover
TECH
Remove hood from the vehicle and place on bench or
saw horses. Be sure to protect the painted surface with
a soft blanket. Kit includes pre-cut HeatShield insulation panels that fit the recesses between the structural
ribs of opt the hood, spray adhesive, seam tape and
mounting pins as well as a detailed installation sheet.
Ram Under Hood
Insulation and
Cover Installation
Q
uiet Ride Solutions
of Stockton, California has introduced a solution
for insulating and covering
the under-side of the hood
for a wide range of Chrysler
vehicles including the Dodge
Challenger and Ram trucks.
The Under Hood Cover adds
a finished look to the hood
with the name and logo of the
vehicle molded into the surface of the cover.
The big issue with soft
under hood insulation materials has always been the
“wind shear” that builds up
inside the engine compartment as the vehicle moves
down the road. While the
under hood cover dresses up
the under-side of the hood, it
protects the insulation from
damage and it stops the vibration and noise generated
Lay the hood cover into position and place masking
tape around the perimeter edge of the hood cover to
protect the hood from adhesive overspray.
Before removing the hood from the vehicle, mark the edges of the hood
hinge locations on the hood panel so that you can easily reinstall the hood
later.
by hood panels which is carried by air movement into the
passenger cabin.
Quiet Ride Solutions has
been working for three years
on the development of the
technology that would mold a
clean, crisp three-dimensional image of the vehicle name
and logo into a high temperature ABS material. The new
Under Hood Cover by Quiet
Ride Solutions is the result.
Under Hood Cover kits include a pre-cut, ready to install ABS cover panel which
is placed over heat shield
thermal acoustic barrier insulation within the rib structure of the hood panel. Kits
include mounting hardware
and installation instructions.
58
Each under hood cover product is year, make and model
specific and is cut and drilled
to fit the hood perfectly. Under hood kits are available
with a variety of Chrysler,
Dodge, Ram and Jeep names
and logos molded into the cover. They are also available is
a “smooth” under hood cover
(without a name or logo) for
those enthusiasts who prefer
a stealth appearance.
Follow along as the technicians at Quiet Ride Solutions
install one of their Under
Hood Covers on a Ram pickup. The Under Hood Cover is
quick and easy to install and
provides the perfect finishing
touch to what is usually an
overlooked part of the vehicle.
Pre-install the HeatShield Insulation
panels into position.
Lift each panel an apply spray adhesive to the back side (fiber) and to
that section of the hood. Allow the contact spray adhesive to dry. Place
the insulation panel into position and apply hand pressure across entire
surface. Repeat this process for the remaining HeatShield pieces.
Apply and overlap the edges of
the HeatShield insulation panels
with the seam tape included in the
kit to protect the insulation from
moisture.
SOURCE BOX
Quiet Ride Solutions
6507 Pacific Avenue, Ste. 334,
Stockton, CA 95207
Order Line: 888-777-3410
Tech Line: 209-942-4777
www.acoustihood.com or
www.quietride.com
59
Some hoods will need additional mounting pin holes
to support the ABS Hood Cover. Each kit comes with
a drill sleeve and instructions on how to carefully mark
and drill mounting pin holes.
Insert the hood mounting pins supplied with each kit
and reinstall the hood on the vehicle
THRILLS, NOT FRILLS
Javier Romo,
Quiet Rides’
master molder,
vacuum forms
a Dodge Truck
hood. The
company manufactures hood
covers for more
than 300 vehicles including
Chrysler, Ford
Motor Company and General
Motors cars and
trucks.
Under Hood Cover installed. Hood can now be bolted
back onto the hood hinges
Completed installation. This Ram truck will be far quieter than it was with the stock hood pad. What a visual
improvement the Quiet Ride Solutions Under Hood
Cover makes, especially when compared to the old
soiled and worn out factory insulation.
3-D molded hood image with Dodge
Ram logos.
60
Call Today For a Dealer Near You
888.445.5226
USCATERHAM.com
Superformance LLC | 6 Autry Irvine CA 92618 | superformance.com | uscaterham.com | 949-900-1950
Movie Magic
Transforming
a No-Talent ’70
Challenger Into
an OscarWorthy
Performer
Classic Challenger Script above
R/T emblem on front fender
By Steve Temple
Photos by Steve Temple and Jack
Thomas
C
onstructing
a movie set
is one thing;
rebuilding
a
muscle car is
something else
entirely—one is simply for
show, and the other has to
go. In some cases, though,
the latter project can benefit from a bit showmanship.
Jack Thomas is aptly qualified for such a task, since
he builds both film sets and
restores Mopars in his spare
time (he’s owned a ’71 Charger, ’70 Challenger, and ’69
Plymouth GTX 440). Unlike
most of the flicks he works
on, though, doing a straight
restoration doesn’t always
mean a happy ending.
“I
restored
a
numbers-matching 1970 Dodge
Challenger to stock,” he recalls. “It was a very nice
Challenger functional Fuel Door
Rarely seen Challenger SE emblem
on sail pillar
car—a 440 Six-Pack, Hemi
Orange, black interior, black
bumblebee
stripe
Super
Track Pack car with the original 4.10 Dana axle, block,
and transmission.” There was
one small problem with this
storyline, however. Our main
character here has a quirky
trait: he likes to stomp his
right foot—hard and often.
“I got marked down for
driving the car,” he admits,
62
showing only a smidgen of regret. “Sorry, but I build them
to drive them and not driving
this one sucked!” (We share
his pain, here.)
Since there was a class
called Restified, Thomas decided to go for that role instead
on yet another ’70 Challenger. It was casting somewhat
against type, because, “I decided to build this one to my
taste and have something
you could not buy in 1970: a
440 Six Pack, Shaker hood,
air conditioned Dodge Challenger R/T SE.” Note that originally, all 440
Six Pack, Hemi and Shaker-hood Challengers did not
come with A/C. That’s because the OEM compressors
took up too much room to
allow the combination of options to work together. Since
Thomas’ car was originally
air-conditioned, he wanted
to have everything the car
came with and more. (As to
just how he did this, well, we
don’t want to give away any
plot points, so you’ll just have
to stay tuned.) Like those temperamental actors, Thomas took his
artistic license even further.
“I also decided to have my
way with a few other things
as well by adding headers
63
and an over-sized exhaust to
help it breathe, and the biggest cam I could put in it to
make it faster without killing
the vacuum for the power
brakes.” Lofty aspirations, to be
sure, but would he end up
exceeding his acting range?
Well, nobody can say he
didn’t prepare for the part, as
he dug deep into the details
for more motivation—literal-
ly. That is, the car’s motive
power comes from its factory
numbers-matching engine.
How it was lost and then
found again is an intriguing
sub-plot.
“It was originally a 440
high performance two 4-bbl
man I bought
“thisThebasket
case
of a car from got
it and the original transmission
back when he first
bought it. The trans
was a pile of rust,
wasting away in
his backyard, but
the case was fine,
so I had it rebuilt to
keep the car numbers-matching.
Shaker sits atop 440 high performance big block
pistons and pins, but the
crankshaft was the original, drop-forged steel Mopar
piece. The bumpstick is a
Mopar Performance Purple
Hydraulic Cam (.484 lift, 284
deg. Duration). Topping the
block is an Edelbrock 440 Six
Pack manifold with a K&N filter in the Shaker Hood intake.
The induction system now
consists of three Holley 2bbl
Carbs, with the primary (center) rated at 355 cfm, and the
secondaries (front and rear)
at 500 cfm each. Some mild
massaging helps the ports
flow a little better, along with
a TTI 1.75-inch headers into
a TTI 2.5-inch H-pipe system
with stainless OEM style tips.
The
thought
process
”
engine with AC that had been
put in a boat two owners ago,”
Thomas relates. “The man I
bought this basket case of a
car from got it and the original transmission back when
he first bought it. The trans
was a pile of rust, wasting
away in his backyard, but
the case was fine, so I had it
rebuilt to keep the car numbers-matching.”
A few items required replacement, such as the Bottom of Challenger is just as clean as the top
64
Thomas went through to finalize the induction setup
was both amusing and frustrating, like an actor rehearsing with different accents and
outfits. “First, I decided to
add the Six Pack carbs and a
better cam,” he notes. “Well,
that meant headers were a
must, so I got headers and
an exhaust system from TTI.
Then I kept seeing Cudas and
rare Challengers with shaker hoods and I had to have
one of those, too. The progression was funny as every
time I changed my mind, it
meant getting another set of
engine callouts for the hood.
I wound up buying three different sets for the car while it
was in progress: 440 MAGNUM, 440 SIXPACK for the
R/T hood and 440 SIXPACK
for the shaker.
While going through that
trial-and-error
experience,
Thomas also had to learn to
keep his cool (here’s the plot
twist mentioned earlier involving the air conditioning
system). He says Vintage Air
came out with a system a few
years ago that bolts right in
without cutting or grinding
away anything to make it all
fit together. At least in theory—but what about in actual practice? Thomas points
out that basket-case cars will
teach you a ton of stuff along
the way, especially if you
have never had your hands
on a complete car and you
have to figure out everything
that’s missing.
“One thing I did learn the
hard way was that the heater hose bracket/shield (a $30
part) that bolts to the trian-
Tuff wheel highlights dash with full instrumentation and sporty Challenger
interior with buckets and console
65
gular alternator bracket is
necessary on a Mopar big
block with AC. This lesson
was taught to me one night
when a heater hose popped
out of its retaining bracket
and got cut open by the running inboard alternator/AC
compressor fan belt.”
It sprayed hot coolant all
over the engine compartment, ruining the finish on
all the rubber hoses and
seals, painted brackets and
everything cadmium-plated
under the hood. Everything
powder-coated was fine, but
it took a couple of months of
elbow grease to re-restore the
engine and its compartment
to what you see today.
Thomas ran into yet another challenge when it came
time to call for “Makeup!” The
original color was an eightmonth project to identify
because there was no build
sheet, and the “999” code on
the fender tag indicated only
that it was a non-stock color
on a special-order car.
“I was on all the Mopar
web sites bugging everybody,
the Dodge Challenger Message Board, and more Charger, Roadrunner, Barracuda
and Coronet sites than I can
remember with no luck at
all,” he says. “Finally, at the
annual Chrysler Spring Fling
show here in the San Fernando Valley, I got a minute
of Galen Govier’s time and
he suggested I start looking
through C-Body (Chrysler,
Plymouth Fury and Dodge
Polara) color chips.”
That proved to be the
break he needed. He went
to an automotive paint store
in Van Nuys that had paintchip books going back to the
Fifties and earlier. “The shelf
of chip books was about five
This rare 1970 Challenger R/T SE was nearly
left for dead. This is how many vintage muscle cars look before they embark on the long
journey back to better than new.
66
feet long as I recall. I started
at what I thought was home
base and went through the
Dodge Polara chips first—no
luck. OK, I figured maybe
Plymouth Fury chips would
have it, but no luck again. My
last resort was the Chrysler
chips and things were looking
bleak as I had gone through
all the chips from 1964 on
up and I was just about done
with 1970. I turned one more
page and there was a chart
with two colors on it, exclusive for Chrysler Imperials
that year, a blue and the gray
my Challenger was painted,
EA9, Charcoal Iridescent.”
Once Thomas had the year
and the code in his hot little
hands, he was able to have the
color mixed and get the car
painted back to its rare color scheme. Out of the 3,753
R/T SE models produced,
only three of them were 999
After all of the body work was completed,
the Challenger was repainted.
Here is shot of this E-Body in the paint
booth in preparation for having its bumble
bee tail stripe shot.
paint coded cars, less than .1
percent of the total produced.
Thomas came across more
cosmetic issues in the cabin.
He finally found a set of authentic sail panels, but they
were only good enough to use
as patterns for fabricating
new ones. And the whole interior was missing except for
most of the dash, and what
did come with the car was
mostly from other cars, not
‘70 Challengers, so he had to
source the correct seats, console, shifter, and seat belts.
One of the hardest things to
find was a set of original SE
power window interior panels, along with belt-line moldAt a Glanngceer R/T SE
e
ll
a
h
C
e
ings for the body. Months
1970 Dodg
A
C
s,
ill
of searching on line finally
H
Thomas, West
ck
Ja
:
y
b
d
e
n
Ow
paid off, with the hood and
mas
o
h
T
tck
ra
Ja
ry
:
o
y
ct
b
a
quarter pieces coming from
00 rpm (f
Restored
-8; 390hp at 47
V
ck
a
P
ix
S
Maine and the two fender
0
4
4
Engine: 1970
s)
te
ra
pieces located in Pennsylsurance
sole-shift
ing for lower in
tching 727 con
a
-m
rs
e
b
m
u
vania. And Thomas would
n
: 1970 OEM
Transmission
like to give credit for the
automatic
:1
windshield wiper motor to
p 3.55
Mopar Sure Gri
and
rs
o
ri
te
In
Rick Kish at Mopar Essento
u
Rearend: 1970
A
om Legendary
fr
yl
n
vi
d
n
a
r
e
tials. When it comes to an
Interior: Leath
ry
te
ls
o
h
in
p
V
U
l
Oscar-worthy restification
e
h
Chatswort
5x7; Rear Whe
1
e
lly
a
R
r
t
a
n
p
e
o
(Thomas has won a slew
Original M
71 dark arg
5x8; all with 19
Wheels: Front:
1
n
io
ct
u
d
ro
p
of trophies for his efforts),
allye re
tiques Mopar R
hed trim rings
lis
o
p
le
ty
-s
there’s usually a cast of
0
7
9
d1
15; Rear:
R
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center caps an
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ro
thousands involved. But
ls: F
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Tires: BF Goo
as the old saying goes,
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ts electrolysis re
n
ve
re
p
nal fasteners o
lts
o
b
l
p housThe engine and trans
stainless stee
inum water pum
m
lu
ed. The use of
a
e
th
d
n
a
being reinstalled from
olts.
steel bolts
using and the b
between stock
o
h
e
th
th
o
b
t
a
the bottom up, just
away
ing, which eats
as it was done on the
assembly line.
440 engine
and 727
Torqueflite
bolted up
the K-Member ready to
be reunited
with the Challenger
67
Women’s World
Ladies, the
Winner’s
Circle Is
Calling
L
By: Linda Mandalas
ast month we took
a look at some of
the talented ladies
that took on the
men professional
drag racing, and
what a significant list it was.
This month I want to bring to
light more of the driven women, not just in the U.S.A., but
from all over the world. These
are women who have overcome tremendous odds and
made their mark in the fast
paced world of the male-dominated sport of RACING! So....
get in, sit down, buckle up
and hold on....you’re going to
enjoy this ride!
Women today might think
that they need to know someone or be associated with a
family history of racing, such
as Petty, Earnhardt, or even
Muldowney, but they don’t.
This pioneer speed queen
proved that if you want something, go for it and make
it happen. Best known as
Anne Itier, her full name was
Anne-Cecile Rose-Itier, and
she had a career spanning
over 25 years. During her
long racing career, “Madame
Itier” proved people wrong.
Anne began racing in 1926,
after successfully leaving a
bad marriage and getting her
life and career on track. She
participated in her first event,
the Paris-Pau road race,
where she drove a Brasier.
During the rest of the 1920’s
Anne concentrated on rallies
and hill climbs, winning the
La Mothe-Saint-Heraye hill
climb outright. Anne repeated this achievement in 1932.
Anne also participated in the
prestigious ladies’ race, the
Grand Prix Feminin, at Montlhery in France in 1932.
Between 1931 and 1936
“Madame Itier” made a name
for herself racing Bugattis.
At first, she was disparagingly referred to as a “mobile
chicane” by her peers, but
she soon had them eating
their words. During 1931,
her first year racing a Bugatti
T37, she was seventh in the
Tunisia GP, fourth at the Circuit du Dauphine and third
in the Marne GP. In 1932 she
earned her first win, the Trophee de Provence, improved
her Tunisian record to fifth
and came fourth at Casablanca.
While driving the
Fiat Balilla she was second in
the class in the Marne Touring GT and 18th at Le Mans.
Anne kept up her winning ways with a victory in
the Picardie GP, fourth at
France’s Albi track and fifth
in the Lemburg GP
in Poland. In the
races Anne drove,
she was nowhere
near the back of the
field. Anne was a
fixture at Le Mans
from 1934 to 1939
and made history by
racing the first-ever
fully closed GT car on
this legendary track.
Not only was this
lady a force on the race
tracks, she showed as
much strength and
bravery during the war,
helping to evacuate
children from occupied
France.
When peace
returned to Europe,
Anne returned to racing
and finally hung up her
helmet for good at age
58. This however was not the
end for “Madame Itier”. She
was involved in French motorsport administration until
the 1960’s, mainly with the
association for independent
drivers which she founded
with Jean Delorme in 1935,
proving again that women are
a force to be reckoned with
both on and off the track!
A
fiercely
competitive
British rally driver, and the
younger sister of Formula
One Star Sir Stirling Moss,
Pat Moss-Carlsson carved
herself a reputation as the
world’s leading women rally
driver throughout the 1950s
and 60s.
Motorsports ran through
the Moss genes on both sides
Above left: Anne Itier waits to race
her Bugatti while it is being fueled.
Above right: Anne Itier behind the
wheel
Right: Anne Itier
of the family. Pat’s father, Alfred, competed in the 1924
Indianapolis 500 and her
mother, Aileen achieved an impressive record of success in
trial events driving both Singer and Marendaz sports cars.
Pat was bitten by the motoring bug at an early age, setting
out on a career that probably
did more for the emancipation
of women in this traditionally
male-dominated pastime than
any other.
Pat competed in her Morris Minor convertible in national rallies throughout the
UK, also purchasing a Triumph TR2 sports car, which
enabled her to rally with a
greater chance of success. In
1955 Pat was chosen to drive
an MG TF on the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) Rally, then
an epic event. On this occasion Pat had to settle for third
in the Ladies’ class, but her
name and achievements were
noted by the British Motoring
Corporation’s (BMC) competition manager, Marcus Chambers. Marcus arranged for
Pat’s first overseas event, the
1955 Tulip Rally, in an MG
Magnette.
Over the next couple of
years Pat drove a variety of
cars, including an Austin
A90 on the 1956 Monte Carlo
rally, an MGA on that year’s
RAC rally and a Morris Minor
1000 on the grueling LiègeSofia-Liège epic, the legend-
Pat Moss and her Saab before race
ary car-breaking event, which
sorely taxed the physical and
mental endurance of all its
competitors and on which
Pat rose to the challenge. In
1958 Pat drove an Austin
Healey 100/6 to fourth place
in the Liège event; it was
the first time that a women
had finished in the top 10 in
Pat Moss and her brother, Stirling Moss at Sebring in 1960
70
this endurance rally and the
points she gained by this finish clinched her the Ladies’
European Championship.
In 1960 behind the wheel
of the so-called “Big Healeys”,
Pat came in eighth on both
the Geneva and Tulip rallies, second on the Coupe des
Alpes, followed by an outright
win on the Liège. These were
amazing results, regardless
of her gender, guaranteeing
her iconic status in the rallying community. Though there
were many changes in Pat’s
career, in 1963 she accepted
a lucrative offer to join Ford
behind the wheel of their recently launched Cortina saloon, but she soon left to join
her husband racing on the
Saab team the following year.
Throughout the remainder
of the decade Pat was a consistent front runner. When
her husband became the
head of Saab’s public relations, Pat briefly switched to
photographer;
talk about having it all!
Denise is a pioneer of equality
for women in the
U.S., both in motorsports as well
as in journalism, both areas
where men historically took the
lead. In the early
1950’s,
Denise
was covering a
yacht race in San
Francisco when
she met Briggs
Cunningham,
the builder of the
first
American
cars to race at
Le Mans. Denise
Denise McCluggage won the GT Category at
was hooked. She
Sebring in 1961 in this Ferrari Berlinetta
bought her first
sports car, an
Lancia. Pat made fewer apMG
TC,
and
began racing at
pearances in racing after the
birth of their daughter, driv- small club events. In 1954
ing for Toyota in the Monte she moved to New York to
Carlo in the mid-1970s and work as a sports journalist
finally deciding to retire in for the New York Herald Tribune. After this move Denise
1974.
Pat’s career in racing not went upscale, replacing the
only proves once again that MG TC with a Jaguar XK140,
women belong in the driver’s and she began to race professeat with the best of the men; sionally. In the mid-1950’s
that you can have it all. You she earned the respect of her
can be a woman, race a car, male counterparts with her
find love, have a family and racing achievements includpave the way for all the wom- ing winning the grand touring category at Sebring in a
en yet to race!
Yet another famous lady of Ferrari 250 GT in 1961. In
racing; this one has had an 1964, she scored a class win
incredibly well rounded au- in the Monte Carlo Rally in a
tomotive career. Not only is Ford Falcon. Denise also parDenise McCluggage an Amer- ticipated in the 1000-km race
ican auto racing driver she is at Nürburgring in Germaalso a journalist, author and ny. Denise drove Porsches,
71
Maseratis and other racing
cars of many marques, often
with her compatriot Pinkie
Rollo.
Denise’s trademark
was her white helmet with
black dots.
Denise ended her racing
career in the late 1960s and
eventually became the founding editor of the U.S. automotive magazine AutoWeek. She
has also been presented with
a lifetime achievement award
by the IAMA and is the only
journalist to be inducted into
the Automotive Hall of Fame.
Denise also had a weekly syndicated column called “Drive,
She Said” which appeared in
some 90 newspapers across
the U.S. and Canada. In addition, she has authored a
number of books including
By Brooks Too Broad For
Leaping (a collection of pieces from AutoWeek). She also
wrote the text to accompany
Tom Burnside’s photographs
for American Racing: Road
Racing in the 50s and 60s.
Denise is truly a racing
woman who has done it all;
Journalism, Racing and Author. She is one of the amazing ladies involved in pioneering racing for today’s
youth, those seeking to break
into racing or into any other
male-dominated industry to
look up to.
Right around the corner
is Memorial Day, the weekend where everyone will be
enjoying food, friends, family and the Indianapolis 500.
This made my pick of a legendary woman racing driver easy, a person who was
a force to be reckoned with;
Lyn St. James. For those of
you who might not know the
name, you should! Lyn made
her racing debut at the 1973
Amateur Sports Car Club of
America and trust me, she
has really left her mark with
some great racing career
achievements.
In 1992 Lyn St. James was
the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of The Year. Lyn has appeared in seven Indianapolis
500 starts in nine years, including six consecutive starts
(1992-1997); qualifying 6th
in 1994 and having her highest finish - 11th in 1992. Lyn
St. James set a world record
for women reaching 225.772
mph during the 1995 Indy
500 qualification weekend;
Talk about FAST! During the
2000 Indy 500 Lyn St. James
was the oldest driver in the
field, once again proving that
no matter what our age is,
WOMEN ROCK
or should I say
RACE!!!
Lyn
St.
James
has
raced in 15
Indy races including CART
Championship
and Indy Racing
League;
she scored 2
Top-10 qualifying spots; 1
Top-10 Finish.
You go girl!
During
her
racing career Lynn St James
Lyn St. James
did not just
limit herself to National Highlights, she went global. Lyn
St. James currently competes
in vintage races around the
world; she has held 31 international and national closed
circuit speed records over a
20 year period. Lyn St. James
Lynn St James racing in an open wheel car at historic racing event
72
has raced twice (1989 and
1991) in the biggest endurance race in the world; the 24
Hours of Le Mans in France.
Lyn St. James has two wins
in the 24 Hours of Daytona
(winning GTO Team Driver in
1987 and 1990); has raced
nine times in the famous 12
Hours of Sebring Endurance
race (winning GTO Team
driver in 1990) and is the
ONLY woman to win an IMSA
GT race driving solo (1985
Watkins Glen). She has also
raced in the legendary Goodwood Circuit Revival & Festival Meetings in England in
2001, 2005, 2006 and 2007.
No matter how you look at it,
Lyn St. James has achieved
successes in the racing world
that most MEN can only TRY
to match!
I will now FAST forward to
a name I am sure everyone
will recognize, whether you
like racing or just enjoy those
“sexy” Go Daddy commercials; yes that’s right, Danica
Patrick. HOT both on and off
the track!
In part, thanks to the efforts of women before her,
with all the doors they broke
down and kicked in, more and
more women have greater opportunities in all segments of
racing. Danica so far is the
most successful woman in
the history of American openwheel racing; her win in the
2008 Indy Japan 300 is the
only women’s victory in the
Indy Car Series race, and her
third place in the 2009 Indianapolis 500 is the highest finish ever by a woman.
Danica, however did not
want to limit herself to one
field...she wanted to play the
field! In 2012 Danica competed in the NASCAR Nationwide
Series as well as the NASCAR
Spring Cup Series...bumping and grinding with men
Danica Patrick in magazine ad promoting milk
like Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Dale Jr., just to name
a few in the male dominated
racing sport. Danica proved
that she has what it takes to
hold her own at 190+ mph.
Needless to say, these men
didn’t know what hit them!
Danica, driving the GoDaddy.
com #10 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing became the
first female NASCAR driver
to win a NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series pole, turning the fastest qualifying lap since 1990
in qualifying for the Daytona
500.
Like many of the ladies
before her, Danica, got her
start in kart racing. She not
only raced nationally but
also raced in Formula Ford
in the United Kingdom before
her big move into the Indy
Cars where she was named
Rookie of the Year for both
73
the 2005 Indianapolis 500
and the 2005 Indy Car Series season. In 2005 Danica
became the fourth woman to
compete in Indianapolis 500,
following Janet Gurthrie, Lyn
St. James and Sarah Fisher.
Danica joins Gurthrie as one
of only two women to have
competed in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona
500.
She may not have as many
“Highlights” as her predecessors yet, but she is off to
a great start. Danica holds
the IRL record for most consecutive races running: as of
October 2011, she had completed 50 consecutive in the
running.
Not only is Danica running
with the “Big Boy’s” of racing, the “Big Boy’s” are hot on
her bumper, wanting her to
sit behind the wheel of a car
New South
W a l e s
(NSW) confederation
of Australian
Motorsport
Y o u n g
Achiever
of the Year
A w a r d
in
2006.
Molly Taylor poses with her race car
Molly
is
one of the
on their racing team. The list youngest and the only female
is distinguished, with Indy driver participating in the
Car Owner Rahal Letterman World Rally Championship;
Racing, Andretti Autosport, she has won several chamJR Motorsports and her cur- pionships including back to
rent ride, Stewart-Haas Rac- back Australian Rally Chaming. See ladies, first we chase pionships in the F16 Class
them, then we catch them, for 2007 and 2008. In 2009
and then we show them what she became the British ladies
we got, with many of them Rally Champion, the first ever
running scared.
driver, male or female from
There are so many young outside of the United Kingwomen world-wide stepping dom, to win such a title. In
out of the shadows, no longer fact, she actually won it two
content to sit in the back seat years in a row!
or even ride shot gun. These
Since 2006 Molly has only
women know what they want been adding to her career
and they are not letting any- highlights. In 2006, she was
thing or anyone get in the the 2 Litre Champion and two
way.
wheel drive Champion, as
And no list of great wom- well as the NSW (New South
en drivers would be com- Wales) Rally Championship,
plete without this sweet in- 2007 and 2008- F16 Champinocent looking woman from on as well as the Australian
the Land Down Under; Molly Rally Championship. In 2009
Taylor who is soon to be 26. and 2010, Molly was the BritMolly has racing in her blood, ish Ladies Rally Champion as
since she just happens to be well as the Greenlight TV Star
the daughter of rally drivers Performer Award and the 3rd
Mark and Coral Taylor.
Citroen Racing Trophy (BRC),
Molly Taylor is the first fe- and IRDC Most Improved
male in the Australian Motor Award. Not one to rest on her
Sports Foundation (AMSF) laurels, in 2011, she was the
International Rising Star Pro- Pirelli Star Driver. In 2012,
gram and was awarded the Molly signed with United
75
Business Rally Management,
was the 2013 FIA ERC Ladies
Rally Champion.
I know there are so many
more young women that I
have not mentioned or have
yet to mention. So, not to
slight any of them, I look forward to more upcoming articles that will focus on them,
their careers and the ever
growing female presence in
motorsports.
Stay tuned,
because it will be interesting
and fun!
I have to mention...a man
that knew what was coming...even in the 1960’s and
70’s. Mr. Norm knew that not
only did women have an interest in the “Hot Rods and
Muscle Cars” he was building and selling, but one day
these women as well their
daughter’s would be leaving their mark in the racing
world! What a visionary...Mr.
Norm!
So, once again we thank all
of the ladies that came before
us and all of the ladies that
will come after us for carrying on this thirst for speed
in the years to come. Never
forget the past and what it
has given us, never forget the
present that shows us how
far women have come, and
continue to look forward to
the future for each and every opportunity for the women of the world. In this case,
the women of racing who are
striving to make their mark,
smoke their tires and leave
the men in their dust. Now,
it’s their turn to try and catch
us.
Millenium Musings
2014 Dodge
Challenger Shaker
REVIEW & ROAD TEST
I
By Andrew Schultheis
recently had the opportunity to drive
one of the new 2014 Dodge Challenger
Shakers, and boy did I have a great time!
Anyone who doesn’t know better might
say that this is the same old Challenger
that Dodge has been selling since 2008, but
boy would they be wrong. With consistent upgrades and attention to detail, the Challenger has been able to not only stay competitive
with the Camaro and Mustang, but in many
ways it is a far superior vehicle. And with the
new Challenger Shaker Edition, Dodge has
made an impressive statement that has really struck a nerve with many Mopar fans this
year.
Dodge has wisely retained the retro Challenger body style that we all love, as well as
continued to offer the immensely popular
bright High Impact Colors that take us back
to the 1970’s. I personally really like the High
Impact Colors even though I wasn’t born yet
(not even a gleam in my parents eye!) when
they were all the rage the first time around.
The Challenger Shaker that I drove for this
story was painted Plum Crazy, which is the
perfect color this modern Mopar muscle car.
It screams look at me, and with the satin
black Shaker, black accent mag wheels. Add
to that, the Challenger Shaker has an understated look thanks to not having any contrasting side stripes, making it equal parts
sinister and cool all at the same time. The
Challenger Shaker has an all business attitude that just plain looks bad.
The Challenger Shaker that I drove was
equipped with a six speed manual transmission. When I was leaning on it, which was most
of the time, you could really feel the power of
the 5.7 Hemi plant you in the well bolstered
bucket seat, especially as I went through all
of the gears. And what could be better than
looking out through the windshield at the
Shaker doin’ its thing, while you’re bangin’
gears and hammerin’ the throttle doin’ your
thing?” The Shaker Challenger sure is a big
step up from the Dart that I normally drive,
and it feels a lot different, including the travel on the clutch pedal. Hey, even though I
wasn’t used to driving the Challenger, I only
killed it once... don’t laugh.
Left: Challenger Shaker also comes with custom leather door panel inserts with contrasting stitching. Right:
Challenger Shaker comes with a custom leather interior with the Shaker logo embroidered in the seat back.
76
Challenger Shaker debuted at the Mopar Press Conference at the 2013 SEMA SHOW amid much fanfare
The new functional Shaker for
Challengers. It’s what all the commotion is about.
77
“The Challenger Shaker that
I drove was
equipped with a
six speed manual transmission.
When I was leaning on it, which
was most of the
time, you could
really feel the
power of the 5.7
Hemi plant you
in the well bolstered bucket
seat, especially
as I went through
all of the gears.
And what could be
better than looking out through
the windshield at
the Shaker doin’
its thing, while
you’re bangin’
gears and hammerin’ the throttle
doin’ your thing?”
From behind the wheel,
one thing that I really liked
about the Challenger’s Shaker is that it actually shakes
when you rev the Hemi engine. For so long I’ve said
that some of these new muscle cars lacked functionality
and that some things were
all for show but with a simple item like the functional
Shaker Hood, Dodge is turning heads. The Shaker even
feels like it might have added
some performance to the already powerful Hemi engine.
And who wouldn’t want more
performance?
One of the exterior features
that I like abut this Challenger is the body color grill shell
accent that adds an extra pop
to the aggressive face of this
muscle car. For 2014, the
Shaker Challenger also features the Super Track Pack as
standard equipment, which
is neat bonus, because it is
only available as an option on
the standard R/T model. The
Super Track Pack includes a
number of enhancements including performance tuned
steering, a stiffer suspension, bigger brakes, Goodyear Eagle Supercar tires and
three-mode ESC (electronic
stability control). The result
is almost race-car light handling and responsiveness in
a street machine that’s suitable for driving every day.
After spending some quality time behind the wheel of
the new Challenger Shaker,
it’s obvious that although
Dodge has been around for
one hundred years, the en78
gineers and designers at
Chrysler really know how to
set up vehicles to go fast right
off the line, corner like they’re
on rails, and look good while
they are doing it. From first-
Andrew ready to head out into the wilds of rural Indiana to kick some asphalt with a Plum Crazy Challenger Shaker.
hand knowledge I can attest to this. The
power and responsive handling of the 2014
Dodge Challenger Shaker is the essence of
21st century muscle. If you haven’t driven,
or at least gone for a ride in one of these thor-
oughly modern muscle cars, I feel sorry for
you, because you are sure missing out on the
fun. And remember, it’s Mopar or no car!
SOURCE BOX
A big thanks to Bosak Motors for making
the 2014 Challenge Shaker available to us for
this Review and Road Test
Bosak Motors
3111 W. Lincoln Hwy. Rte 30
Merrillville, IN 46410
Phone: 888-356-3692
www.bosakmotors.com
All of the exterior trim on the Challenger Shaker is subdued, including
the black fuel door that replaces the
standard chrome plated version.
Andrew looks like he had a good time wringing out the
Challenger Shaker.
79
News You Can Use
NEW AIRAID
INTAKE SYSTEM
For Challenger, Charger
and Chrysler 300C
T
he 3.6L V-6-powered 20112014 Dodge Challenger/
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he ReadyRamp® is a BED
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81
the engine with a steady supply
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The new Challenger / Charger / 300c kits include all of
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2014
2014 Carlisle Chrysler Nationals
VENDOR DISCOUNTS
New vendors - buy two spaces
and get one free! All Vendors
attending multiple events receive
additional savings with our new
multi-show discounts.
to host special guests, displays and more
T
he Carlisle Chrysler Nationals has been the premier all-Mopar event in the
world since its inception in
1991. This year’s event promises to be the cream of the
crop within automotive circles. As the only July event
on the Carlisle Events schedule this year, the weekend
of July 11-13 hosts special
guests, displays, seminars
and, of course, the cars. The
event
unofficially
launches on Thursday, July
10, with a kick-off party and
cruise in at Cumberland Valley Motors in Mechanicsburg, Penn. The free kickoff, presented by the Mopar
Rebellion Car Club, draws
400-plus cars and provides
another great outlet for Mopar enthusiasts to congregate, talk shop and catch
up on happenings since
last year’s show. The main
course, Friday, Saturday and
Sunday, will ultimately leave
enthusiasts wanting more by
week’s end.
Throughout the weekend, the 100-year history of
Dodge will be front and center. Unique displays include
a special Race Hemi Reunion,
a pre-war car display, an A12
Reunion and a special 50th
Anniversary display of the
popular Plymouth Barracuda. Numerous special guests
are scheduled to appear as
part of these special celebrations including Don Groth-
eer, Bob Riggle, Shirley
Shahan, Mr. Norm and
more.
In addition to the overall happenings, each day
offers something special too. Friday is Collector Car Appreciation
Day. Join guests for a
special mid-day ceremony with show-specific
guests and award-winning cars. This day is de- 2014 Dodge branded vehisigned to recognize the im- cles. There will also be speportance of the Collector Car cial edition vehicles, plus the
hobby and features procla- Charger SRT and Challenger
mations, speeches and a col- SRT. The Rallye Power Tour
lector car showcase in front of brings with it the opportunithe stage. Friday’s festivities ty to test drive the full line of
will also include a birthday Dodge vehicles.
What also makes Saturday
party to celebrate Dodge’s
centennial. Included on stage great is that it wraps with
will be the legendary Golden the Mopar Hall of Fame cerCommandos and Ramcharg- emonies in Camp Hill, Penn. ers race teams, local politi- where some of the most iconcians, representatives from ic members of the Mopar
SEMA and Carlisle Events community receive their deserved recognition. This truly
ownership.
Saturday welcomes back unique event is open to the
all of the same guests from public. Details are available
Friday and brings even more at http://moparhalloffame.
excitement and activities. com.
Other great show aspects
Those onsite can meet Aninclude
the massive all-Modre and Renaud Veluzat –
builders of what pop culture par-themed swap meet, a car
knows as the General Lee. corral, burnouts, beauty, an
The fun continues with addi- awards parade, club competional seminars that cater to tition and an autocross proone common theme: the love, gram with Hotchkis Sport
care or history of the Mopar Suspension. Event details,
car registration information,
brand.
Guests will also want to how to purchase weekend
catch the Dodge Power Ral- passes, etc., are available at
lye Tour: a full showcase of www.CarlisleEvents.com.
82
CALL TO RESERVE SPACE!
July 11-13, 2014
Carlisle PA Fairgrounds
A Celebration of
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Don’t Miss The Excitement. Register Your Car Today!
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But Wait There’s More
Bigger Is Better
A rust-free ‘66 Chrysler Newport.
one-owner from Yuma Arizona with
just 54,000 miles, asking $12,000.
The interior, just as clean as the
exterior, was equipped with rare
buckets and buddy seat.
1963 Imperial is another example of Chrysler style. A show stopper at any event with those classic era free standing headlights.
mere mortals, there is still Chryslers and even Imperia whole segment of Mopars als.
o often, we hear the that are within the budget of
Before you dismiss these
complaint that vin- nearly everyone. The cars I’m great classics, think about
tage Mopars are no referring to are the full size this for a second. Which car
longer
affordable C-Body Plymouths, Dodges, will get more attention at
for the average enthusiast; that they have been
priced out of reach by the big
buck investors and the antics
at the televised auctions like
Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale. While we would certainly agree that a 1969 A-12 Super Bee, a 1970 Hemi Cuda
or a Super Bird is prohibitively expensive for anyone other
than the super wealthy, and
the fact that even many of the
desirable A, B and E Bodies Mint 1970 Plymouth Fury III really stood out with bright yellow paint. It
are now beyond the reach of was all original right down to the full wheel discs
S
Story and Photos by Larry Weiner
86
nearly any cruise night or car
show; another B-5 Blue 1969
Charger R/T or a triple black
1969 Chrysler New Yorker
two door hardtop? Instead of
following the crowd and buying or building the same kind
of car, why not stand out and
drive up in a Mopar that will
probably be the only one of
its kind at a show or event.
Plus, one of those big C-Bodies, or one like it, may have
been the family car when you
were growing up, and owning
one can bring back a lot of
really great memories. And
think of all the space in the
trunk of a Polara or Fury III
compared to a Challenger!
While at Mopars at the
Strip in April, we walked
the show field and noticed
an ever growing number of
C-Bodies on display. What’s
really cool about these vehicles is their uniqueness,
and the fact that they really stand out from all of the
others. In addition, whether you’re looking at a 1965
Chrysler Town and Country,
a ’68 Dodge Monaco or even
a 1971 Imperial, every one of
these Mopars has great style
and presence. You can bet
your bottom dollar that they
will attract a crowd like bees
to honey, and at a fraction of
the price of the more popular
A, B or E Bodies.
As an example, a 1966
Chrysler Newport rolled in
from Yuma, Arizona while
we were at Mopars at the
Strip. A beautiful black two
door hardtop with a flawless maroon vinyl interior
that was equipped with factory buckets and a buddy
seat. In speaking to the owner, we found out that it was
a one owner family car that
had been purchased new by
Triple Black 1969 Chrysler New
Yorker had real presence. Under
the hood was a potent Chrysler 440
TNT with 375 horsepower that was
nicely detailed.
87
the father. With only 54,000
miles on the odometer and
just one repaint, the Newport
looked nearly factory fresh,
both inside and out. The
chrome shined to a brilliant
luster, the tires were new and
it even had the original full
wheel discs. What’s more,
it was for sale. The asking
price was only $12,000 for a
cherry ‘60’s classic that was
in mint condition. For the
cost of a paint job, forget any
metal work, you could own a
turn-key classic that’s ready
for cruise night, a car show
or just a Sunday drive with
the family. This Chrysler is a
sobering reminder that there
really still are affordable Mopars out there, and like this
one, they are looking for a
good home.
That got our attention,
and the more we looked for
big cars, the more we found.
A number of really nice
C-Bodies were in attendance
at The Strip this year, each
with its own story and each
distinctively different.
In
fact, parked right next to the
above mentioned ’66 Newport
was a spotless 1959 Imperial and next to it was a gorgeous 1970 Plymouth Fury III
two door hardtop. A few isles
over was a simply stunning
1969 Chrysler New Yorker
coupe. With it’s new for ’69
fuselage styling and wearing
a set of 15 inch American
Racing Torque Thrust wheels,
this black beauty was a show
standout. And parked next to
the New Yorker was a silver
1964 Chrysler 300K two door
hardtop that looked much
like the one featured in the
October, 2013 issue of Pentastar Power.
When we got to the swap
meet area at the show, we
found a rare 1969 Plymouth
Sport Fury GT. Sitting on a
trailer with several people negotiating with the seller, the
Fury was wearing its original
factory paint, strobe stripe
and even the GT graphics on
the rear quarters. The Sport
Fury was complete and nearly
rust free, with all of the hard
to find pieces intact. In fact,
at that moment, the owner
started the car and the 440
lit right off on the first spin of
the key. He raced the engine
a few times and it sounded strong and idled smoothly. Based on the number of
people looking at it, I have no
doubt that the Plymouth was
sold within the hour.
Making our way back to
the show field, we ran across
a really nice 1969 Dodge Polara two door hardtop with
Utah plates, again equipped
with Americans and sporting
a 2012 Hot Rod Power Tour
emblem on the windshield.
With bugs on the grille and
front bumper, it was obvious
that the owner had driven to
Las Vegas from Utah, and
probably enjoyed every minute of the trip in the roomy,
comfortable Dodge.
As many of the regular
Pentastar
Power
readers
know, I am partial to Mopar
C-Bodies, and own a 1967
Chrysler Town and Country
nine passenger wagon that
we drive everywhere. The
parts are easy to find, these
cars are great to drive on the
road or around town and they
get admiring stares and complements everywhere they
go. So, the next time someone says that Mopars are too
expensive, just suggest that
they take a look at a C-Body.
They’re big, beautiful and you
sure get a lot of car for your
money.
SOURCE BOX LISTINGS
Mopars at the Strip
JP Motorsports LLC
2251 N. Rampart #280
Las Vegas, NV 89128
Phone: 702-256-8254
Email: info@matslv.com
www.matslv.com
Rear view of New Yorker is just as impressive as the front.
These classic Chryslers had real style that new cars just can’t match.
88