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Print This Issue! - Mopar Max Magazine
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Volume V, Issue 2
February 2, 2010
TASCA, BURK TO BE GUESTS ON THE RACE REPORTERS
Bob Tasca III, who won his first two career NHRA Funny Car events last season, will be the Newsmaker of the
Week on The Race Reporters radio show, Wednesday, February 3, at 7 p.m. ET, on www.PowerUpChannel.com .
Tasca drove his Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Shelby Mustang to eighth in the 2009 Full Throttle points. His family
has a long heritage in the automotive and racing industries. In fact, Tasca’s late grandfather is credited as one of
the first to adopt the “Win on Sunday, sell on Monday” philosophy of using motorsports as a promotional and
marketing vehicle. Tasca is considered a contender for the class championship as the NHRA season opens
February 14 with the 50th anniversary Winternationals in Pomona, Calif.
Host Michael Knight will be joined for the journalists’ roundtable by Jim Pedley, managing editor of
RacinToday.com; and Jeff Burk, editor of DragRacingOnline.com, MaxChevy.com and MoparMax.com.
NASCAR.com senior writer Dave
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Rodman will join Knight in the last
segment to preview the start of stock car
action at Daytona International
Speedway. [2/2/2010]
OLD CHRYSLER
LIQUIDATION MOVES
FORWARD
A federal bankruptcy judge approved the
voting process for the former Chrysler
LLC to liquidate its assets. On Jan. 21 in
New York, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Arthur
Gonzalez approved the 343-page
disclosure statement filed by Chrysler
LLC (also known as Old Carco LLC).
The company’s debtors will vote on
whether to approve the plan and the
judge set a hearing date of March 16 to
confirm the bankruptcy plan.
Chrysler LLC still faces objections from
Michigan taxing authorities and the
Michigan Department of Environmental
Quality. The MDEQ says Old Carco must
pay $2.8 million for environmental clean-up costs, including $116,00 already spent by the state at several facilities.
Old Carco has sold several properties to raise funds including a foundry in Indianapolis and 71 robots from the
Newark, Del., assembly plant. The largest transaction was the sale of the Newark plant on 271 acres to the
University of Delaware for $24.2 million.
Chrysler Group LLC has agreed to buy 5,000 company cars from Chrysler LLC for $91.2 million. [2/2/2010]
Mopar Memos - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 2
February 2, 2010
CRUZ PEDREGON, BUCKY AUSTIN TO RUN NOSTALGIA FUNNY CAR
Two-time NHRA Funny Car champion Cruz Pedregon and 10-time NHRA Division 6 champion Bucky
Austin have teamed to campaign Pedregon's Pisano Nostalgia Funny Car during the 2010 Hot Rod
Heritage Series season.
Beginning with the 52nd Bakersfield March Meet at Auto Club Raceway Famoso, Pedregon will drive
this replica of the Joe Pisano 1978 Plymouth Arrow Funny Car that debuted at here last October at
the California Hot Rod Reunion.
"Bucky's going to run it and tune it, and I'm going to drive it," Pedregon said, anticipating the March 57 kickoff of the Hot Rod Heritage Series season.
"I built that car to race it," he said. "It would be a shame for it to sit and collect dust. I'm a big fan of
vintage Funny Cars."
Of the nostalgia tour's five races that feature the Funny Car class, the historic March Meet is the one
that Pedregon said he's most eager to attend. The Funny Car lineup will have 32 cars, four times
more than at last year's California Hot Rod Reunion, when Pedregon qualified seventh among 31
entries.
Cruz Pedregon (left) and Danny Pisano with the car
at last October’s California Hot rod Reunion.
(James Drew photo)
Auto Club Famoso Raceway is where Pedregon earned his competition license and was a track
where he recalls watching his father, "Flamin' Frank" Pedregon, compete in the 1960s. He said that in
a return to the facility about six years ago he "saw a couple of Funny Cars run and [with] the sound
and look . . . the hair on my arms was standing up -- and I had to build one."
So he did in 2009, with the blessing of Joe Pisano's
brother, Frank, and the expertise of builder and drag-racing veteran Donnie Couch.
"We finished the car the night before [qualifying for the race]," he said with a laugh. "We'll come back in
a more polished fashion."
Indy Racing League names Randy
Bernard new CEO
Austin contacted Pedregon during the winter and asked if he would like to run the vibrant, '70s-style
Plymouth that Pedregon had designed as a salute to the late Pisano, who was one of his mentors.
New Stefan GP team to replace
Campos Meta F1?
"I wanted to continue to race in a nostalgia class. It infatuated me, the nitro," Austin said. "Driving's not
a big priority. I'm infatuated with making 'em run. I wanted to be with someone who has a good car and
good parts. I knew Cruz had one, and I knew he is really, really busy with his pro stuff."
Lewis Hamilton happy after first
McLaren test of…
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Austin said he will slide behind the wheel on occasion. "If he can't make it, I'll drive it or I'll find
someone good to drive," Austin said. Austin won the Hot Rod Heritage Series Nostalgia Funny Car
championship in the series inaugural 2008 season, the same year Pedregon won the NHRA Full
Throttle Drag Racing Series Funny Car crown. The Fife, Wash., resident was runner-up last season,
driving a Steve Plueger-owned car.
In NHRA Full Throttle Series competition, he has won 23 national events. As the winningest driver in
the Pacific Northwest and experience in nearly every class from Super Stock to Top Fuel, Austin is a
member of three halls of fame (NHRA Division 6, Northwest Motor Sports, Tacoma Athletic
Commission).
Austin has dominated at the legendary Auto Club Famoso in the past two years, winning both March
Meets and both California Hot Rod Reunions and setting records at each. He owns the lowest elapsed
time in Nostalgia Funny history (5.72 seconds). Southern California native Pedregon races out of
Brownsburg, Ind., where he and younger brother, Tony, also a two-time Funny Car champion, operate
their shop.
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"Cruz has given me an opportunity, and I've given him an opportunity," Austin said. "He knows when the car comes to the racetrack it will be wellprepared."
Couch built the Plymouth with a 426-cubic-inch, TFX-block engine with BAE cylinder heads and a PSI supercharger. It uses Venolia Pistons on BME
Rods with a Winberg crankshaft, Mahle rings, Clevite bearings, Manton pushrods, and Lucas Oil. The vintage Steve Plueger chassis is supported by a
Strange Engineering rear, Lenco Transmission, Good Vibrations Motorsports, Impact safety belts and DJ Safety blankets. [2/2/2010]
Mopar Memos - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 2
February 2, 2010
WHY WHEELIE BARS ARE A GOOD THING
Reader John
Grinwald shares
this photo of his
1962 Dodge Dart,
the “Asphalt
Elephant”, at the
2008 Las Vegas
Mopars at the
Strip event.
“This was at
about the 200-foot mark after I shifted into second gear,” Grinwald writes. “I thought when I shifted it the front end
would drop. I was wrong. I peddled it and the front end dropped at the 330-foot marker. All I saw was blue sky and
I was getting real nervous. I put on wheelie bars right after that event.”[2/2/2010]
SETZER TO DRIVE FOR FORMER CREW CHIEF GILL AT NCWTS SEASON
OPENER
Team Gill Racing continues its growth with the announcement that veteran driver
Dennis Setzer (shown) will pilot the No. 46 PlaneGuts.com Dodge Ram in the
upcoming Nextera Energy Resources 250 for the NASCAR Camping World Truck
Series (NCWTS) at Daytona, February 12.
The event will mark the reuniting of one of the most successful driver/crew chief
pairings in NCWTS history with Setzer and team owner Danny Gill. Together,
Setzer and Gill scored six victories, 31 top-five and 54 top-five finishes in their
three years of working together in the NCWTS.
"I am very excited to have Dennis Setzer join Team Gill Racing," said Gill. "Dennis and I had a tremendous
amount of success in the NCWTS – ironically in the No. 46 truck. It will be familiar and comfortable for both of us
so we will be able to be up-to-speed very quickly at Daytona.
"This is a one-race deal with PlaneGuts.com for the season opening race but we anticipate being able to make
additional announcements in the near future.”
ADVERTISEMENT
(Jeff Burk photo) [2/2/2010]
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Mopar Memos - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 2
February 2, 2010
CHANGES COMING FOR WAGG, BELL’S DAYTONA
With new major sponsorship involvement, the Top Sportsman team of Mike
Wagg and Dave Bell should be a contender in this year’s Quick 32 Sportsman
Series. Thanks to funding from Patio Passport, the 1994 Dodge Daytona will
be receiving big mechanical and cosmetic changes, according to Waterdown,
Ontario’s Mike Wagg, who shares the driving chores with teammate Dave Bell
of Grand Bend, Ontario.
“We’re getting rid of the red color on the car that everyone has seen for
years,” said Wagg. “I don’t want to divulge the paint scheme yet, but we plan
to debut the car at the Performance World Custom Car Show in Toronto in
March.”
The Eddy Bryck chassis on the Daytona will be receiving a new KB block, which will be a lot lighter than the former 620-cubic inch Indy cylinder head
engine.
A major change will be the tossing of the four-speed Lenco transmission for a state-of-the-art Powerglide automatic.
Wagg said that he and Bell have been receiving a great deal of help and support from fellow door-slammer racer Kevin Wicke, who won the inaugural
Quick 32 Sportsman Series Championship in 2009.
“We’re following Wicke’s lead,” Wagg said. “They have been showing us the chassis changes with the new transmission, and how to go about setting it
up. We shouldn’t hopefully have a huge learning curve.”
Wagg said he will drive half of the six races for 2010, and Bell the remainder. Wagg will also continue his crew team involvement with the Pro Modified
car of Al Hinds in the Pro Modified Racing Association.
(photo courtesy Quick 32 Sportsman Series)
[2/2/2010]
SEEN ON THE ROAD…
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Proving that a true professional photographer always carries a camera ready to
take that unexpected shot, James Drew caught this Viper on the freeway while
driving from California to Phoenix. [2/2/2010]
Mopar Memos - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 2
February 2, 2010
ROOKIE DARRAH JOINS VETERAN SALDANA ON KKR TEAM
Kasey Kahne Racing will field a two-car Mopar-powered team on the 2010 World of Outlaws Sprint Series featuring a mix of experience and youth.
Veteran driver Joey Saldana, who led the World of Outlaws with 20 A-Feature wins last season, will join forces with up-and-coming rookie Cody Darrah.
The pair will kickoff the 2010 campaign this weekend, Feb. 5–7, at the 39th Annual Florida DIRTcar Nationals by the University of Northwestern Ohio
(UNOH) at Volusia (Fla.) Speedway Park.
Saldana returns for his fifth season with the team owned by NASCAR star Kahne. Saldana won on
ADVERTISEMENT
the second night of the 2009 DIRTcar Nationals, edging Jason Sides in a last lap thriller. Saldana
finished the season third in the point standings, just 70 markers out of first.
"I'm definitely ready," said Saldana. "This is the first
time in eight years that I have not raced through
Christmas. Usually I'll race in Australia and New
Zealand and then have a couple of weeks off
before the season. My last race this year was
around Thanksgiving. I've had a lot of time off and
am ready now to get back racing."
Darrah made his debut for Kasey Kahne Racing
last year at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in New
Joey Saldana
York, finishing sixth in that event. The native of
Red Lion, Pa., scored his first win with the WoO
Sprint series last fall at his home track of Williams Grove Speedway. Darrah has qualified fourth or
better in six of his nine career starts at Volusia with the World of Outlaws.
"I'm very excited for the season," said Darrah. "It's
going to be a very big year for me as a driver and
a very big year for our team, Kasey Kahne Racing.
When you drive for Kasey Kahne, the expectations
are to do nothing but win. The guys at the shop
have been working very hard. He (Kasey) is as
excited as I am for this year."
A full week of Sprint Car racing during the DIRTcar
Nationals by UNOH begins on Feb. 2 with a test
session, followed by two nights under the All Star
Cody Darrah
Circuit Champions banner (Feb. 3–4) before the
World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series takes center stage on Feb. 5–7. For more information on the World of Outlaws Sprint Series, visit
http://www.worldofoutlaws.com.
(photos courtesy Mopar)
[2/2/2010]
CHRYSLER AGREES TO ARBITRATION
Chrysler Group will proceed with arbitration in the cases of 789 dealerships it cut during bankruptcy last spring.
“The company looks forward to the expeditious completion of the process. A robust dealer network is a critical component of the group's strategy of
rebuilding a strong and resilient American automaker,” the statement said.
The announcement marks a change in Chrysler's tone toward arbitration. During the Detroit auto show this month, CEO Sergio Marchionne told
Automotive News he was considering challenging the process on constitutional grounds.
Chrysler cut 789 dealers during its trip through bankruptcy, a move sanctioned by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York. In response to pressure from
rejected Chrysler and General Motors Co. dealers, Congress passed a bill allowing dealers to appeal their franchise terminations through arbitration.
President Obama signed the bill into law in late December.
As of Jan. 27, 409 former Chrysler dealers had filed for arbitration, the company said. [2/2/2010]
Mopar Memos - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 2
February 2, 2010
LUCAS BECOMES MAJORITY OWNER OF MAVTV
Lucas Oil founders Forrest and Charlotte Lucas announced Thursday that Lucas Oil Products, Inc., has become the
principal stockholder of MavTV, a 24-hour cable and satellite television network.
"With as many different things as we sponsor we thought the timing was right to get more involved
with MavTV," Forrest Lucas said. "It's really an aggressive and edgy network and one that's growing
at a quick pace so we're excited to take this next step."
ADVERTISEMENT
Coverage of the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League, team
demolition derby racing, skid plate racing, motorcycle
hill climbing, the American Sprint Car Series, indoor
dirt karting, and mud bogging already fill the MavTv
programming schedule with other series set to be
added in the near future.
"The ultimate goal is to make MavTV the place for
race fans to go to watch the stuff they want to see
the most," Forrest Lucas said. "We're trying to make
it as easy as possible for people to keep up with the
various types of racing out there. Motorsports is a lot
more than just NASCAR. The grassroots stuff has a
huge following but they haven't always had a home
on the big networks. Now they'll have a dedicated TV
network that's happy to have them and promote
them properly around the world." (Todd Dziadosz
photo)
[2/2/2010]
MARCH MEET TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE
Tickets to nostalgia drag racing’s premier event, the 2010 March Meet, Mar. 5-7 at Auto Club Famoso
Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif., are now on sale at www.autoclubfamosoraceway.com .
According to Blake Bowser, vice president and general manager of the Kern County Racing
Association, operators of Auto Club Famoso and producers of the fabled March Meet (now in its 52nd
year), race fans can purchase a Super 3-Day Pass for $75 online now and pick them up at the track
the week of the event. Bowser said there are no service charges for tickets purchased online.
Individual day tickets for the event will go on sale Mar.1, but will be available only at the track. Ticket
prices are $25 for Fri., Mar. 5; $30 for Sat., Mar. 6; and $30 for Sun., Mar. 7.
Auto Club members also receive a $ 2 discount off daily admission tickets by showing their cards when they purchase tickets at the track. Daily tickets
for children ages 7 to 12 are $10 and kids 6 and under are free when accompanied by an adult with paid admission. [2/2/2010]
MCCAIN¹S BOMB SQUAD IN STRONG VEGAS TEST
McCain’s Bomb Squad ’73 Plymouth
Duster nitro funny car team was
testing over the weekend at the
Strip at Las Vegas, getting ready for
the upcoming 52nd March Meet.
Chris Bennett filled in for driver Troy
Green, who was stuck in last week’s
giant Oklahoma ice-storm, carded a
best of a 6.120 ET at 240.29 miles
per hour with an adjusted altitude
over 3,000 feet on a mid-sixty
degree track surface. Mark your
2010 MOPAR calendar highlighting
March 5 – 7 at Auto Club Famoso
Raceway, where over forty nitro
nostalgia floppers are expected to
compete in the first 32-car elimination field in over thirty years. (Photo by Darr Hawthorne)
Mopar Memos - MoparMax.com
[2/2/2010]
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Volume V, Issue 2
February 2, 2010
Catching Heck: My (Brief) Life of Crime
Nobody likes to admit to having
done bad things, and for the
most part each of us is a good
person. But sometimes good
people get a little off base and
do bad things. Here’s the story
of how an original 1967 H-code
383 4-speed Dart GTS caused
my first (and only… so far)
serious run in with the cops. This
is also the story of how I was reunited with the very same car – thirty five years later.
Let’s go back to the summer of 1975. Me and my group of same-age buddies used to ride our bicycles around the
quiet town of West Brookfield, Massachusetts. It was summer vacation and there was little else to do in those
(wonderful) days before video games, Twitter and texting. We were all about eleven or twelve years old at the
time. The town was safe and our parents trusted us enough to set us free for the entire day.
Well before the age of mountain bikes or even 10-speed “racing” bikes, our little gang rode around on stripped
down single speed bicycles with 20-inch wheels and Bendix “Coaster Brakes.” Usually based on a Columbia or
Sears “Free Spirit” bike, we’d yank the fenders then paint the frame flat black. I guess we were after the same
austere vibe that’s motivated hot rodders for decades. We called our contraptions “junk bikes” since they were a
far cry from the shiny (stone stock) bikes the square kids rode to and from the town library. And no, we didn’t steal
these bikes. Each was a Christmas or birthday gift from our parents that we customized to suit our taste.
As we rolled away the summer days we’d engage in some off road trail riding or find the steepest paved hill in
town and ride to the top (without getting off to push) then turn around and fly back down as fast as we could go.
We all learned a lot about gear ratios and how we could swap front and rear sprockets to get the best acceleration
or top speed – but never both - on these simple single-speed bikes.
Our riding often followed the busy main roads that ran through town and we’d all pay special attention any time a
muscle car or hot rod rumbled past. Remember, this was the mid-Seventies so we got exposed to a wide variety of
cool stuff. I remember loads of GTOs, Road Runners, Mach 1 Mustangs and even a SuperBird. A few were still
original owner cars, but most were at the hands of their second or third owners – often high school kids. As such,
they were far from stock and typically fitted with wide mag wheels, traction bars, side pipes, hood scoops and
other bolt on doodads of the day.
Two cars in particular stood out to my young mind, a pair of 1967 383 Dart GTS hardtops. We didn’t know it at the
time, but those special big block-powered Darts were late-year models and only 229 are reported to have been
built (as well as a small quantity of 383-powered Formula S Barracudas). Having two of these rare Darts in our
town was a treat. One was burnt orange, the other dark green, but both were in fairly original condition except for
add-on small bolt Cragar S/S mags. I’ve written briefly in this column about these cars but never told the full story
of how we got a little too close to the green one – and wound up in trouble.
Steve Mags Speaks - Catching Heck: My (Brief) Life of Crime - Page 1 of 5 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 2
The green GTS was owned by a dude named Heck. Rumor had it he liked to
do a little partying. As was common practice in the free wheeling Seventies,
he’d hang out at the bar until closing time then roar off into the night. We knew
this as we’d often camp out in the woods and then ride around town on our
junk bikes in the wee hours. You see lots of stuff that way!
February 2, 2010
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One night Heck managed to stuff the poor GTS into some type of immovable
object – probably a small tree. We knew this immediately when the smashed
Dart turned up the next morning in the storage lot behind a warehouse his
family owned. The warehouse happened to be situated right next to the home
of one of my bike buddies who we’ll call J.T. So J.T. wakes up to see the
wrecked car and spreads the word among us; “Heck smashed up his Dart!” We
were dying with curiosity to check out any wrecked car, but especially a muscle
car we had worshipped from afar. So we moved in for a closer look.
In the early afternoon, six of us climbed over the chain link fence that
separated J.T.’s yard from the storage lot. The crew consisted of me, J.T.,
Kroll, Du-Boy, Co-Fart, Danny Boy. Obviously I’ve used nicknames to protect
their true identities since most of the guys now lead respectable lives… except
for me. But you knew that.
Upon sighting the GTS, we walked up slowly to make sure we were alone.
Nobody yelled for us to split so we continued. It has been 35 years since that
day but I still recall how the nose of the car was pushed in and the hood was
buckled by what was likely a 35-mph crash. The car was by no means totaled,
but it surely wasn’t in drivable condition. The white vinyl interior was intact and
we all dug on the sight of the Inland 4-speed shifter poking up through the
console. Maybe we even saw a few empty beer cans too.
Our eyes feasted for several minutes. We shared a common sense of awe, as
if we were viewing a beached whale or a landed flying saucer. We were
viewing something that shouldn’t be and we were fascinated. Yes, we checked
for signs of blood and gore, but the low speed of the impact thankfully
prevented serious injury to Heck and his passengers.
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Then we spotted the 8-track cassette player and a box full of 8-track tapes
inside the car. Yep, that’s when our little group made the transition from
harmless sightseers to… petty thieves. Nobody fired a shot into the air, nobody
said “let's grab that stuff”, but as if motivated by an unseen force, we all did the
same thing, at the same time.
The box of tapes was removed by one of the guys while another got busy
removing the under-dash 8-track player. This is the part I’m especially
bummed out by. Rather than remove the unit with tools, one of our bunch
positioned himself on the passenger side bucket seat and started kicking the
unit free with his foot. In hindsight, the force probably ruined the delicate
controls but the feeding frenzy prevailed over common sense.
Once we had the tape player and tape case out of the car, we beat a hasty
retreat over the chain link fence and into the relative safety of J.T.’s back yard.
That’s where we had a tree house. So in we all went to check out the booty.
The owner of the wrecked GTS clearly had great taste in music. The case
contained plenty of Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Three Dog Night and even
some Rolling Stones. But as we looked over the stash a heavy sense that we’d
done “Something Wrong” hit us all. And we had. We stole a bunch of stuff we
had absolutely no use for. We caused unnecessary damage to somebody’s
property, we were now thieves and we knew it. The twisted excitement of the
grab quickly passed and we spent the rest of the day wondering what to do
with the hot merchandise.
Steve Mags Speaks - Catching Heck: My (Brief) Life of Crime - Page 2 of 5 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 2
February 2, 2010
But that problem took care of itself very quickly. In a small town, word gets out pretty fast when crime – big or small - happens. A friend of the GTS
driver acted on a hunch and invaded J.T.’s tree house where he found – and retrieved – all of the stolen booty. Within two days the town police cruiser
(a ’75 Ford LTD with the 460 Interceptor mill) made a visit to each of our homes. I have no idea how things went at my buddy’s homes, but I’ll never
forget seeing the blue and gray cruiser pull into our driveway on that rainy day. I stayed upstairs hoping the officer was visiting to shoot the breeze with
my dad. But I knew better. As the house door closed and the officer returned to the burly Ford to drive away, I heard my dad storming to the bottom of
the staircase where he yelled; “Steeeeve, get down here!” I knew my goose was cooked.
Dad was a very strict parent. There Would Be No Criminals under his roof. I knew better than to try and lie, deny or defy. I was busted. After a few “love
taps” to make sure I was getting his point, he told me he was deeply disappointed and as much as the physical reprimand hurt, his words cut deep…to
the bone.
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Many phone calls were made that day among the parents of The Offenders and it was decided we should all meet the following weekend and go for a
tour of the town police station – especially the jail cell. Police Chief John Zabek was another no-nonsense guy. He looked us all square in the eye and
told us there is nothing lower than a thief. A few of the guys issued nervous laughter but quickly shut up when Chief John stared them down.
I remember feeling like a complete social outcast; the shame was nearly unbearable. In other words, our parents and the police did exactly the right
thing. But it wasn’t over. Even though he’d gotten all of his tapes back, Heck claimed that we’d done damage to the Dart’s dashboard and ruined the 8track tape deck. He said the damage amounted to $210. In the few moments we kids had to ourselves during the proceedings, we agreed there was no
way we’d done any real damage to the car but there was no doubt the tape deck was toast. We all felt angry that the guy wanted $210 for what was
actually a $50 tape deck but we learned this lesson: crooks don’t have rights. When you do something stupid, any and all consequences must be
accepted without question.
Our parents agreed to split the $210 claim six ways, each kid being responsible for coughing up $35. My dad paid my share right away to wrap things
up with Heck. To repay my dad, I got a job at a local horse farm raking (not breaking) rocks in the hot sun for 75 cents an hour. Needless to say, I had
plenty of time to contemplate the error of my ways as I single handedly transformed a stony yard into a smooth horse riding ring over the course of
several weeks. I fought the law and… well, you know the rest.
My buddies endured similar work to repay their debts to society and each of us made sure never to do such a dumb thing ever again, really. As we
grew up, none of the crowd got into any further trouble. We’d learned our lesson. To this day we all get a chuckle recalling what we’ve come to call “the
Heck Incident.”
I’ve reflected on that experience many times over the 35 years since and often wondered what ever happened to that green 383 Dart. After the crash I
don’t remember ever seeing it again but would hear occasional rumors that it still existed. As far as I knew, I figured I’d never see the car again.
But sometimes the boomerang of life comes back at you. A few months ago I was driving around in my Rampage altered wheelbase ’63 Dart Match
Bash car when I spotted a green ’67 Dart sitting on a flatbed truck parked at a local body shop. The car was sitting on beefy bias-ply tires and was
missing the bumpers, grille and exterior chrome trim - like it had recently been painted. Something about that car called to me so I made a U-turn in the
Rampage and pulled over to check it out. From underneath I could see the 383, 4-speed and 8 ¾ rear axle, but most important were the tell-tale
mounting holes on the front fenders for the GTS letters and 383 Four Barrel emblems.
Steve Mags Speaks - Catching Heck: My (Brief) Life of Crime - Page 3 of 5 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 2
February 2, 2010
I didn’t bore the body shop owner with my sordid little story, but as he described how the car had been in storage
locally for several decades I knew there was no doubt, I was reunited right then and there with the Heck Incident
Dart GTS!
No, it wasn’t for sale. Rather, it had just been purchased by
a customer who had it delivered to the body shop for final
assembly. The shop owner allowed me to look at the pile of
loose interior parts that came with the car. As I touched the
dingy but intact white vinyl bucket seats, I was transported
back in time. These were the seats that were in the car on
that fateful day and naturally, I hadn’t touched them since
then. It was a bizarre moment.
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Since the interior was stripped out of the car during the repaint, the entire dash assembly was among the loose items
in the pile. I got down on the shop floor and took a close
look at the underside of the metal dashboard. There I saw a
series of small drilled holes – where the 8-track tape player
was once fastened! Then I scanned the general area to see
if there were any signs of deformation from where my buddy
kicked the unit free 35 years prior. Happily, the metal was unharmed though some of the screw holes looked like
they had pulled through from the trauma. I knew it! The former owner / victim had overstated the extent of the
damage we had done. But again, we should have paid ten times what we did just on principle alone for being the
little dinks we were when we messed with his property.
So that’s the story of my brief life of crime. I’ve learned many lessons in life but this particular Dart GTS taught me
that every action has consequences. It’s okay to be curious but if you don’t own it, don’t touch it!
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It may not look like much, but this ’67 Dart GTS is a real-deal 383 4-speed car. The light accident damage from 1975 was repaired
long ago and the body was repainted the original dark green metallic color. Check out the end of the 383’s white oil filter playing
peek-a-boo from the engine bay.
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Steve Mags Speaks - Catching Heck: My (Brief) Life of Crime - Page 4 of 5 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 2
February 2, 2010
The original front fenders were repaired after the collision and still have the punched holes for the specific GTS and 383 emblems.
Though the exterior has been restored, the original white vinyl interior is still present and in excellent condition. It was removed
prior to the body restoration and stored for safe keeping.
1967 Dart GTS models got standard Dart GT bright trunk finish panels as seen here. This neat 4-speeder has 10-inch drum brakes
all around. The standard issue 8 ¾ rear axle is still under the car. The 14 x 5.5 steel wheels are correct for the car and will
eventually carry full wheel covers.
The Rampage Dart probably wouldn’t exist today if it wasn’t for my early exposure to
awesome Mopar muscle cars like the Heck Incident Dart. We’ll do an update story on the
green GTS once the restoration is complete.
Steve Mags Speaks - Catching Heck: My (Brief) Life of Crime - Page 5 of 5 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 2
February 2, 2010
Words and photos by
Kevin Thompson
Russel Wright’s F8 Green, 1969 Super Bee at home in the
Redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Many years ago, in a San Francisco that time has forgotten, there was a dark green 1969 Super Bee that parked in a driveway at 21st and Hampshire
streets. I was living down the block in an old bar at 21st and Harrison, and drove by this beastly Bee every day in my ’69 Dart GT convertible. I had yet
to discover much about Mopars but I knew this car had to be something special as it inspired endless mechanical lust in me.
The Bee sat on Magnum 500 rims with raised white letter tires; it had chrome exhaust tips and two badass hood scoops that looked like they actually
did something. The scoops had a small chrome “383” call-out on the side and I knew for sure that had to mean something special––after all, that was
over 100 more cubic inches than my Dart was packing. It also had that crazy tail stripe with the nutty bee inside the circle of psychedelic letters that said
“Super Bee”. We’re talking full package.
One day, it was gone. I wondered if it had been sold or if the owner had moved away. Then, like a ghost it reappeared––except it was a very loud and
very fast ghost. I think I was at Wolfe’s Lunch, (one of the last surviving railroad cafes in SFCA) at the bottom of Potrero Hill when I heard the screech of
rubber that twisted my neck. I managed to catch a glimpse of green tail flicking around a corner, then out of sight, nothing more. I went back to my
sandwich and forgot about it until I heard it again and looked up in time to see it fly by on 16th street, wide open, with a long hair at the wheel. I figured
some hesher had gotten ahold of it and it wouldn’t be long before it was wrapped around a phone pole somewhere in the Mission District. Oh well, that’s
how all the orange ones had wound up and now this old green survivor would too.
Some time later I was lurking around one of the infamous Sunday hot rod and hot dog gatherings behind the Best Foods Mayonnaise factory on
Mariposa Street. I had just met some fellow Mopar owners who were about to become my first customers and soon after that, my good friends. While
we were bullshitting, a total rocker walked up on us. He was clowning big time, long hair, tattoos, Ray Bans, checkered Vans slip ons; he looked like a
cross between Jeff Spicolli and Iggy Pop. He started talking trash on the hotrodder rock-a-billy guys and then dropped his pants to prove he was
serious, all the while crowing about how “my Super Bee can kick all y’all's asses”. I had just met Russell Wright, the year was 1994 and he had just
bought the Bee off of a woman named “Hot Rod Mary”.
Over the next few years I saw Russ occasionally, wearing devil horns and shredding the guitar in his band The Demonics or roaring around in his Bee. I
even got to work on it a few times and once I had the pleasure of making one of my earliest and biggest mistakes on the holy Bee. Russell, always after
horsepower, had bought a 750 Holley and hired me to install it. I popped it onto the 383 cast iron manifold and immediately noticed we were in trouble
–– the choke housing was in the way on the secondary side. It was only by a little bit so I thought we’d kiss it with the grinder and I went right into the
exhaust passage, trashing the manifold. We remained friends and when the job was finally done we went for a ride with the exhaust cut outs open,
scaring the crap out of the dot com boom citizenry and getting nasty looks.
One for the Hive - Page 1 of 4 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 2
February 2, 2010
A happy Russ Wright about to cruise the Bee
Russell soon became infamous for asking about ways to make his car faster. His mantra became, “dude, if I get
headers, will my car go faster?” He relentlessly queried everybody about headers, cams, carbs, intakes, gear
ratios and then asked again. Eventually it all came to a head when he announced he was going to fully tear the
car down, paint it and install a monster motor. Honestly, there was some doubt as to what would happen once the
car was in pieces, and it was in pieces soon enough. Once this process began, Russell was transformed. He
became obsessed beyond measure with the car and getting every detail perfect. In his head he could see the
finished picture that nobody else could see and he doggedly followed through.
With the help and expertise of Matt Poulos, Russell took the car down to the bare steel and then prepped it for
paint. This prep included an incredibly laborious stretch of removing ALL the undercoating from every nook and
cranny of the car. Every bit of the suspension and brakes was taken out, cleaned and painted. The K-member was
reinforced, super stock springs went in the back to hang the 4.10:1, 8¾ rear end. The rear gears were deemed too
steep so a Gear Vendors over/under drive extension went on the 727. Once it was all finished the car was shot
after-hours at an undisclosed location by a paint fairy in the original F8 green. Patricia Hewett applied the original
style Bumble Bee stripe on a sunny day on a city street.
Now that the exterior was about as perfect
as it could be, the interior was treated the
same way. Reproduction seat covers were
installed by Russell, with help from his
girlfriend Amy, and under the guidance of
her mother and father, Loretta and Jim
Cesari. Once it was all in, carpet and
headliner installed, Russell decided that
everything behind the dash needed not only
the love of perfection but it needed
functionality as well and it all came out
again. A collective “is he crazy?” rose
among all of Russ’ friends. Yes, he is crazy,
but not without the motivation and skills to
pull off a project this big. Hartmut at the
venerable Palo Alto Speedometer shop
refaced and restored the gauges and
refurbished the green stripe Sun Tach for
accuracy and compatibility with the MSD
ignition system. Under the guidance of Bill,
at MoBill’s in San Francisco, the rest of the
car’s wiring was restored as well.
Super green and super nice interior showing off the completely
refurbished dash with tic-tock tach and dash mounted Sun “green stripe”
tachometer.
One for the Hive - Page 2 of 4 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 2
February 2, 2010
F8 green shining in the sun.
Here is the ultra clean Barton built 440. A lift off hood
replaced the original Ramcharger set up (don’t worry, it's
safe and sound) on account of the height of the Performer
RPM intake.
Once the interior was finished
Russell decided that
something was missing. The
column shift was not going to
make the cut in his vision
quest for the perfect look. A
center console was needed
and the stock Chrysler shifter
would not make it either… it
had to be a Hurst Dual Gate,
nothing else would do. An
odyssey ensued looking for a
NOS Hurst Dual gate. After
months of looking Russ found
what he believes to be the last
surviving NOS Dual Gate on
the West coast. He went and
bought two consoles and then
proceeded to cut and weld in
the Dual Gate so effectively
that it looks like a bitchin’
Chrysler factory option.
Meanwhile, under the hood, things were afoot in a big way. It was obvious to all that Russ
was going to abandon the numbers-matching route and build a car that he was dreaming
about in his head. His endless questioning about speed parts, combinations, cubic inches
and camshafts led him to Ray Barton. A fistful of dollars later, Russell had a full house
Barton 440 built for the street and tailored to his combination of rear gear and tire size.
Here is the Hurst Dual Gate in the Chrysler console. Too bad
you couldn’t order ‘em like this in the day.
One for the Hive - Page 3 of 4 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 2
February 2, 2010
These billet aluminum re-pops of the old Mickey Thompson Raiders by
Radir are appropriately shod with Mickey Thompson Sportsman Tires.
The formula Barton used is profoundly simple and brutally effective. Using a 10.5:1
compression ratio with Edelbrock heads makes for cozy combustion characteristics
with pump gas. A slightly loose cam with lift in the half-inch region is comfortable
with the rear gear and the 3500 stall converter in the tranny while the Gear
Vendors over/under brings cruise RPM
directly in line with peak torque and stall
speed. An Edelbrock Performer RPM
intake keeps torque up across the RPM
band while allowing the cam and heads
to do some serious breathing. Hooker
headers happily burble away with spent
gases and send them down the TTI
three inch system. Good for nearly 500
horsepower and over 500 foot pounds
of torque, the motor is a fine example of
a non-trick, carefully assembled, bullet
proof street motor that should propel the
Bee quite nicely. The only problem is
traction––slicks are on order.
26X8.50 in the front on a 15X 4.0 rim and 29X12.5 on a 15X10 rim.
Somehow, Russell has performed the
miracle of being understated while being
outrageous at the same time. The Radir rims and big Mickey Thompson Sportsmans conspire with a lift off hood to give a mean vibe and killer 70’s
rake. The Vinyl roof and green on green package are never a buzz hassle. The ride about town is smooth
considering the pie cutter bias plys up front, although an appropriately sized set of radials is due for
installation to tame the highway ride at 80+mph. Off the line the car is terrifying and pretty soon some disc
brakes are going in to replace the monster 11” front drums.
Overall? I don’t think you can find a much better dual-purpose machine with such a heavy vintage vibe
and this kind of performance anywhere. It might have taken nearly ten years but Russell never gave up
on the Bee.
Russell would like to acknowledge all the help and support he received on this project from his mother, his friends, our ever faithful supplier of
Moparts––Common’s Auto, Gotellis’ Speed Shop, and most of all Amy, Jim, and Loretta Cesari.
Yes, you do need just about 500 horsepower to fetch beer at the Mountain Store.
One for the Hive - Page 4 of 4 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 2
February 2, 2010
Words by Jeff Burk
Photos courtesy Geoff Gradden
Every once in a while in this business you see
something that just takes your breath away.
That was the case when I first saw the photos
of the ’59 Chrysler Saratoga Murray Anderson
built for the Sigra folks that eventually was
driven by Aussie Geoff Gradden.
Ever since my brother owned a ’59 Plymouth
and my grandfather had a ‘59 Caddy I have
been a fan of cars with big tail fins. The fins on
the ’59 Saratoga pictured here are enough to
put any fin freak into a frenzy and put a smile
on the face of all Mopar fans.
As far as I can tell, and according to what my
mate Jon Van Daal says, Mopar racecars are a
rarity in Australian racing. But that isn’t the case
for Geoff Gradden and the Sigra team. Through
last year Gradden has been racing a
supercharged Dodge Viper in the Australian
Supercharged Outlaw class and the team are
the defending 2009 Sydney track champs in the
class.
For the 2010 season the team is going to step
up to the Australian version of the U.S. Pro
Modified class which is the Top Doorslammer
class also known as “Tin Tops.”
The team has switched from a Roots supercharged wedge powerplant
in their Viper to a PSI supercharged Keith Black/BAE Hemi for the
winged wedge-shaped Saratoga. That engine combination should put
the Saratoga solidly in the five-second zone.
Gradden has promised that as soon as they get the Saratoga on the
track he will send us some action shots. We hope it is from the
winners circle…if they can find one big enough to park the savage
Saratoga.
Gradden boils
the hides at
Sydney in the
Viper.
Saratoga Ascendent - Page 1 of 3 - MoparMax.com
The blower is
way higher than
the roof line.
Cool!
Volume V, Issue 2
February 2, 2010
A pair of chutes will help slow down the beast. It appears from this photo that there isn’t a rear spoiler per se but Anderson did add
a couple of spill plates to direct air.
The massive front bumper takes full advantage of the maximum overhang allowed by the rules. Weld Wheels and Hoosier tires are
on each corner.
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Saratoga Ascendent - Page 2 of 3 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 2
February 2, 2010
The absolutely gorgeous body and paint was done by Matty Land at Badlands Body Works in Melbourne.
We were trying to figure out how they were going to change tires on the Mopar until we saw this photo. That Murray Anderson
sure does some excellent work. The body tilting backwards is a nice touch. You can also get a glimpse of the chassis here. It’s
immaculate work typical of Murray Anderson cars.
Saratoga Ascendent - Page 3 of 3 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 2
February 2, 2010
While the majority of North America has been suffering one of the worst icy
winters in some time in contrast Australia has been hit with unprecedented
scorching temperatures and catastrophic fire warnings during its summer
season. The nation’s capital, Canberra, has not been immune but the recent
Summernats, Australia’s largest street machine show, saw scorching action
of a different kind.
Now in its 23rd year the Summernats car festival is close to being one of the
largest outdoor high performance shows
outside America. Held over four days
in early January some 1750 cars,
trucks, street rods and Summernats
specials took part in this unique
acceleration circus. I say circus
because it literally is a 10-ringed
high horse-powered
hippodrome. This
sees hundreds of
entrants pitting
themselves and
their cars against
each other while
completing a myriad
of automotive
disciplines.
Pentastar Stars in Australia - Page 1 of 4 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 2
February 2, 2010
A purpose built burnout pad with massive bleachers hosts the cream of the crop when it comes to tyre screaming
burnout competitions. This strip of asphalt also hosts a go-to-whoa contest to see who is the best at accelerating
from a standing start to stop on a dime at the finish line at the far end of the track. The one with the shortest time
is the winner and you don’t have to have the most powerful car on the property.
There are also three different grass events – Grab A Flag, Motokhana and Slalom. Unlike the white smoke that
wafted all weekend long over the bitumen, it was the brown bull dust that obscured a range of entries. While some
thought it an excuse to carve up the grass, others took it seriously and recorded ever lower times.
In the Elite Hall the best of the best were lined up to go under the judges’ scrutiny. Sponsored by Meguiars and
the House of Kolor, twelve brand new cars were revealed to the immense crowd on Friday night of the
Summernats festival. Star of the show was former Top Fuel and Funny Car racer and team owner, Graeme Cowin,
who debuted his street registered 1970 King Kong Plymouth Barracuda. This car is (dare I say it) “sex on wheels”
as thousands drooled over its wonderous lines and retro feel. It ended up winning a bunch of trophies including the
best of the bunch – “Top Judged elite”.
“I don’t know what to say”, a clearly overwhelmed Cowin explained. “I built this car for myself but to see it win all
these awards is just unbelievabl.”
I first met Graeme in 1971 and in close to forty years I have never seen him so lost for words – a great result for
someone who has won everything in Australian drag racing. The Hall held the Top Sixty cars and this saw cars as
diverse as a bone stock FB model GM-Holden to Cowin’s metal masterpiece.
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Pentastar Stars in Australia - Page 2 of 4 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 2
February 2, 2010
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This 1973 Chrysler Valiant Charger sparkling in the sun at the Show and Shine. The car is powered by a 256 cubic
inch Mopar six that was clean enough to eat your lunch off.
The ultimate prize at the Summernats is the Grand Champion’s sword and this award is one that is
really earned. In addition to doing well in the Elite Hall, anyone going for the trophy must also do well
in a series of driving events and, unfortunately for the Cuda with the engine cutting out, it didn’t do
well enough to win this award.
Joe Lore on the other hand did well across the board and his Ford Falcon XY sedan amassed
enough points to hoist the sword above his head. His gorgeous purple cloaked blown and stroked
383 Ford was the hit of the event.
Talking of car displays each day hundreds of cars were displayed on the grass in the centre of the
showground arena. It was literally a smorgasbord of automotive artistry with over the top street freaks
lined up against rat rods and beautifully restored stock-as-a-rock production cars of yesteryear. The
cars were not the only stars as many fans wore unique outfits to express their love of a particular
marquee.
It seems that any Chrysler 300C with big wheels, Bentley style grill and a lowering kit can look like a million dollars.
This one was a sponsor’s car that took part in the Saturday evening Supercruise.
Talking of beautiful, the highest prize-money for any competition is actually for the young ladies who
take part in the Miss Summernats competition that was sponsored by Jack Daniels Tennessee
Whisky. The large contingent of ladies were initially pared down to half a dozen and then the top
three with a stunning young lassie by the name of Hayley Swanson from Altona in Victoria taking the winning sash.
Pentastar Stars in Australia - Page 3 of 4 - MoparMax.com
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Volume V, Issue 2
There were also competitions for a
sound off in car audio, airbrush art and
even in tattoos. Rare Spares sponsored
the Tough Street Awards saw the
meanest of high horse powered street
freaks pitted against each other while at
the other end of the spectrum they also
sponsored the Real Steel Awards – the
best of the best in classic metal street
cars.
February 2, 2010
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There is no doubt that the largest
contingent of cars from any marque
were Chevies or General Motors
Holden to be precise. This has been
GM’s Australian arm over the years
and probably accounted for one third of all the entries on the property. While some of the cars on these pages are easily recognisable others aren’t and
when it comes down to it a number of you will be scratching their scone’s because the steering wheel is on the wrong side of the car – a legacy of our
British right hand drive heritage. Don’t be fooled these cars are just as well detailed and as powerful as those in chilly northern climes.
Graeme Cowin’s face may be familiar to some readers thanks to his Top Fuel exploits in Australia and America but at the Summernats his “King Kong”
Cuda put him back on the lips of everyone who saw it. Cowin’s “King Kong” ’70 Barracuda was an immediate hit when it was unveiled in the Elite Hall
on the Friday night of the Summernats. Powered by a 426 Hemi fitted with twin throttlebody EFI that is good for more than 600 horses. The engine is
backed up by a bullet-proof B&M Torqueflite trans and a Strange Engineering 9-inch rear end. An amazing looking package.
Pentastar Stars in Australia - Page 4 of 4 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 2
February 2, 2010
NEW TRANZILLA TKO HIGH RPM CARBON FIBER LINED SYNCHRO RINGS
RSG’s new Tranzilla High RPM Synchro Rings solve a traditional high rpm balky shift
problem. These unique carbon fiber lined synchro rings will permit smoother shifts at a
much higher rpm than the stock synchros. Tests have shown consistent, clean shifts as
high as 8000rpm.
Sold in sets of five, the Tranzilla High RPM Synchro Rings replace all of the O.E. brass
rings. These rings will transform your gearbox, giving you the confidence to grab the next
gear in the heat of competition. No more hanged or missed shifts… just positive gear
changes.
Tranzilla TKO Synchro Rings are available from you local Rockland Standard Gear dealer or directly from Rockland. RSG will install these synchros and
blueprint your existing TKO 500 or TKO 600, or you can buy a complete blueprinted TKO transmission with Tranzilla synchros ready to race. For more
information visit them on the web at: www.rsgear.com .
NEW DFX FOR 1963 TO 1969 DODGE CARS WITH 426CI AND 440CI ENGINES USING 18-SPLINE
TRANSMISSION
The DFX series by Centerforce, the next level in high-performance is now available for 1963 to 1969
Dodge Cars with 426” and 440” engines using an 18-Spline transmission. This new clutch assembly
replaces the clutch assembly with higher holding capacity pressure plate designed for a direct bolt in
replacement and ceramic button style disc. Centerforce strives to provide the best products on the market
today on all performance levels by using patented processes and constantly testing different materials and
designs to find the best combination.
The DFX series is the latest of extreme performance clutches from Centerforce designed as a direct bolt in
for perfect fit and function. DFX scores big, not only with holding-capacity and strength, but also provides
some of the best drivability from a race-inspired clutch.
This DFX performance clutch system utilizes the patented Centerforce centrifugal weight system for maximum grip, a patented Ball Bearing design for
light pedal and quick release, Nodular Iron pressure plate rings and reinforcements designed to help prevent drive strap breakage and safety.
Please contact any Centerforce dealer or Centerforce directly with questions at 928/771-8422 or visit them online at www.centerforce.com .
NEW ULTRAFLITE TRANSMISSION FROM TRANZACT
A long overdue breakthrough in transmission technology is now available from Tranzact of Indy for 727 high horsepower racing. Compiled from
information provided by the racing public and dyno testing, they offer three different ratios that have set the standard for these applications. Testing for
the past five years on multiple doorslammers, dragsters and funnycars have proven these ratios are the best and strongest possible for gear selections.
Plus, Tranzact offers a two speed option for throttle stops, so they don't get caught during shift
change. Shifting is handled by a billet valvebody with multi shifting options.
1:95
1:95
2:12
2:28
1st
1st
1st
1st
for 2-speed
1:35 2nd 1:1 3rd
1:35 2nd 1:1 3rd
1:40 2nd 1:1 3rd
These combinations of helical and spur cut gears are NOT a welded up 904. They are larger
and stronger to provide the needed strength for horsepower and the durability we sought.
For a limited time, a special price is available for a complete transmission, fully bearing and lightened components, plus an aluminum high rev drum,
billet valvebody, race-prepped case with a deep pan and extension. A great deal! For more information contact Tranzact at tranzactracing@aol.com or
call Joe at (317) 846-4933.
Mo Products - Page 1 of 1 - MoparMax.com
Volume V, Issue 2
February 2, 2010
MAGNANTE FOREVER!
Been reading Steve Magnante for a long time. One of his early '90s articles that comes to mind is "Things that go
bang in the Dart" (I believe while he was assoc. editor at Chrysler Power Magazine). I can't forget that article
because it took me back to 1970 and my 318 powered Dart GT. That rear did go bang.
I figured to hell with the warranty, as I had future plans for that car that didn't include a 318. I set out for the
junkyard (really were no other words for them at the time), where I scored an almost brand spanking new complete
drum-to-drum 8 3/4 rear axle assembly (totaled 340 Duster) with 3.91 ratio and sure grip. Price was $110 (ah, the
good ol' days)!
I hope Steve keeps writing for a long time. I remember an article he wrote regarding the writing style of Roger
Huntington. Back in the day I couldn't wait to read what Roger wrote next. Magnante also has a style that always
made for the same comfortable type of reading.
What do you have to say?
Thanks, Steve, for many good hours of reading.
Ron Strack
Southern tier of Western New York State
ANOTHER MAGNANTE FAN
Hi! What a nice story !
Is that one of the original Dart Chargers? They had special badges on the front fenders and on the right side of the Your name:
glove box door. I'm running a register on these cars and would love to get a readable picture of the fendertag and I
will decode the cars for you. Thanks.
Your location:
Ulf Andersson
Tavelsjo, Sweden
Your email:
MIKE, CONTACT US AGAIN
Hello, my name is Derek and I think I may have an original Sox and Martin car. After looking at photos taken by
Mike Galewski I was wondering if he might help me with the situation.
Derek Beauchemin
Millbury, Massachusetts
Do you want to subscribe to
our FREE email newsletter?
Yes
No
Letters which do not include
a full name will not be
considered for publication.
CHARGING TO THE PAST
Send It!
Re: Della Woods’ Charger
This is a real piece of work. It is unbelievably original. Virtually perfect! I actually got to see Della drive this car a
couple of times.
Great job guys, thanks for the memories...
Tony Carter
Lake Havasu City, Arizona
See what the readers are saying - Page 1 of 2 - MoparMax.com
* Your letter may (or may not) be published in
our "Mopar Mailbag" section.
Volume V, Issue 2
YOU’RE NOT ALONE, LEVI
February 2, 2010
ADVERTISEMENT
RE: Fast and Furious Charger
I really like this car and I wish I could have one.
Levi Fleming
Fairfield, Texas
PHOTO CORRECTION
Hello y'all. The great photo of the Plymouth on your cover page
is not Bob Marshall, who has a '65 Coronet, but is owned and
campaigned by Joe & Julie Mialki from Port Orange, Fl. It's an
original aluminum front-end car (still on the car) and is dropdead gorgeous in person. BTW, would make a great feature car
for your mag.
John Tillman
Central Florida
MOVIE TIME!
Hate to bother you, but do you know how cars are chosen for
publication?
I'd love to be considered but won't try to sell you. Instead I've
included the link to my car on Youtube. Thank you for your time.
ADVERTISEMENT
John Callison
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
Where can I buy a copy of your magazine? I have never heard
of it before.
Jake Rosen
Sacramento, California
We’re glad you finally found us, Jake. And here’s the good
news: you don’t have to shell out money. We’re free and all
issues are available only on the Internet. Save a tree and keep
on reading!
See what the readers are saying - Page 2 of 2 - MoparMax.com
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