Hello, my chain-rattling, macabre-minded, Mopar-spirited ghouls and ghoulettes. Welcome to the 20th anniversary of my editorials here at Mopar Muscle Magazine. I’ve had so much fun sharing my warped mind with you all. And remember: “I’m just getting warmed up!” (Al Pacino, Scent of a Woman.)
I love to write, and frankly, I wish I had more time to do just that. But alas, it seems the deadline for my article submissions keep getting shorter every issue. Nonetheless, in fairness to the magazine, it’s my fault—I’m just always late (insert shame emoticon here—wait, do they have one of those?)
Before I get started on the subject of this month’s issue, I want to share some of the things going on around the shop. First off, Season 12 (or XII, as I like to write it) is off to a brilliant start. We have three episodes in the can (TV jargon) and are quickly filling our hard drives with some incredible content. You won’t want to miss the fun this season, I promise you that. I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but I am attaching a few photos with this article that might serve as tipping of my hand.
In addition to the show, we are busy as always restoring the finest, rarest, and most desirable Mopar muscle cars on the planet. This coming season you will see our 1971
Plymouth ’Cuda convertible 340 three-speed finished. Also, a really cool custom-ordered, tribute 1970 ’Cuda 440+6, four-speed, in PPG’s beautiful FE5 Rallye Red, will be showing off her taillights this season. Our 1969 GTX, B5 Blue, 440–4 BBL, automatic, which was featured last season with Tony D’Agostino of Tony’s Mopar Parts, will finally be going home. If you recall, Tony and I believe that this car’s engine is the same one it started life with, but due to a major faux pas (they happen), the engine block received the wrong VIN. If you have seen that episode, it’s very educational. For those of you who may be searching for your dream car, the episode sheds light on how to tell if a car is pure. You can catch that episode and many more on the MotorTrend app and at motortrendondemand.com.
We are also still working on our Graveyard Carz podcast. We are not up and running yet, but we hope to have it launched by the first of the year.
HISTORY IN REVERSE
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Orange Twist
LIVING LARGE WITH AN OLD-SCHOOL 426 STREET WEDGE DART
Striking Green
CAMPBELL AUTO RESTORATION COMBINES CLASSIC E-BODY STYLE WITH THE CAPABILITIES OF A 1970S GRAND TOURING COUPE. JASON JOHNSON’S 1972 BARRACUDA WAS BUILT TO GO HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH THE FINEST EXOTICS OF ITS ERA.
Muscle Car Era Console Update
REBUILDING A CENTER CONSOLE WITH YEARONE PARTS
Dedicated To The Cause
SERGEANT JOHN LIVINGSTON HAS OVERCOME PLENTY OF OBSTACLES IN HIS QUEST TO BUILD THE ULTIMATE ROAD RUNNER
Ok, Show Me.
GREETINGS FROM THE GRAVE
Just Do It
KENT NELSON SAVED THIS BELVEDERE II FROM CERTAIN DEATH
Custom-Tailored Mopar Quarter
OFF -THE-RACK PANEL INSTALLATION, OR TAILORED TO YOUR CAR?
Adding Fuel To The Fire
PLUMBING AN AEROMOTIVE STEALTH/PHANTOM IN-TANK FUEL PUMP TO FEED OUR HUNGRY ELEPHANT
Hot Parts
CALVERT RACING CALTRACS TRACTION BARS FOR MOPAR B-BODY NOW AVAILABLE AT SUMMIT
Family Affair
SON BUILDS BIG POWER FROM MOM’S SMALL-BLOCK DUSTER
Tip of the Spear
Our inaugural pvoty evaluation ran the market's sharpest cars through the gauntlet in search of the best of the best
Stump Puller!
Procharged 489-inch Big-block Chevy is all
Classic Car Rust Prevention: How to Seal the Floor Pan of Your Ride with POR-15
So, you bought a “new to you” project car and want to start the build right. That means tearing out the interior and making sure the floor pans are sealed and rust free. If you find Swiss cheese, check out “How to Fabricate and Install Replacement Floor Pans” on hotrod.com on how to replace your floor pans. If you find minor surface rust and the occasional pinhole, keep reading and we’ll show you everything you need to know about classic car rust prevention.
MOTOR TREND 500
WHEN LEGENDS LIT UP RIVERSIDE
Instant Icon
THIS HUDSON RESTOMOD STRIKES THE PERFECT BALANCE OF PRESERVATION AND MODIFICATION
Benchmark
MERCEDES RE-ESTABLISHES THE THREE-POINTED STAR AS THE SYMBOL OF THE LUXURY SEDAN
SECOND ROUND KNOCKOUT
Daniel Cumby’s ’95 GMC Jimmy Overhaul
Trend 12.20:Nissan Z Proto
FIRST LOOK A heritage-rich preview of the 400Z
MY FUNNY VALENTINE
THE LIDLESS LEXUS IMAGINED AS A PERSONAL LUXURY CONVEYANCE
2023 Cadillac Lyriq concept
Cadillac enjoyed two years of increasing sales pre-pandemic, but MotorTrend hasn’t exactly been singing the praises of its heart-of-market XT4, XT5, and XT6 crossover vehicles. The brand hopes to change our tune with the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq (like a song’s words), by giving it dramatic proportions and a new face, plus Tesla-esque electric performance, range, and technology.