Today marks recognition of the unsung yet pioneering heroes of the four-cylinder turbocharged production automobile universe. These are the Eighties turbocharged Mopar four-cylinders. Long before you could buy a universal turbocharger kit of questionable origin and functionality off eBay for a few hundred bucks, you could step up to your local Chrysler-Dodge-Plymouth dealer and … [Read more...]
Of the Dodge Mahal and the Destroilet
A 413 cubic inch big block Mopar wedge and modern aerodynamics are two good things to have when it comes time to hit the road behind the wheel of a house. This Travco 270 has not just one, but both these attributes. The Travco was originally marketed as a self-powered, self-contained, complete home-on-wheels. The sixties-era Travcos were indeed a groundbreaking vehicles, … [Read more...]
New Hope in Dodge Colt Wagon
From a long time ago, in a junkyard not that far away, comes this Dodge Colt Station wagon. The Colt is from a time when forces of economy gripped the nation. Escalating gas prices caused Americans to abandon their full-size automobiles for smaller, more thrifty versions. With Mopar there was no compromise, along with a new hope. One could choose from a full-size Dodge Diplomat … [Read more...]
Radiator Replacement Season
Roasting days mark the unofficial beginning of summer radiator replacement season. One can see the season's early victims on the first wicked hot weekend of the year. There they stand on the side of the road holding up their hoods while their cooling system makes like a steam engine. This mighty 1969 Dodge Polara did not overheat, but did do something equally unacceptable. … [Read more...]
Van Nuys Cruise Night Returns
It's time to face facts. You need more Van Nuys in your life. A lot more. Every second Wednesday of the month means that after a twenty-something year hiatus, the Van Nuys Cruise Night is back in the San Fernando Valley. The former orange growing region experienced an influx of homes and people after WWII, to the point that by 1960 over one million people were living in The … [Read more...]