Couple of n00bs checking in...

Mopar related chat and bench racing

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Super Sloth
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Joined: Wed Oct 07, 15 6:46 pm

Post by Super Sloth »

Thank you once again for such a warm response. What a nice atmosphere it seems to be on here!

Nicola and I are in the process of selling our 2.8 Ford Capri which will release a chunk of funds and space that we have earmarked for our first mopar.
Some really useful advice has been offered and we’ve certainly taken it all on board.
I guess it’s just a waiting game now until the right car has come up! A big thanks to those of you who have offered to give us both a bit of “hands on” education. Definitely looking forward to taking up those kind offers. :)



All the best,

Jon & Nicola.
-Jon.
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terryr
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Post by terryr »

have you considered an early A body ,you can get a lot more for your money ,as not as desirable as most of the others,put they are climbing in price ,as people are now realizing there full potential ,,but I am biased :D
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Pete
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Post by Pete »

Agree with Terry, but Dave Madders has a lovely "A" Body for sale at the moment.
Pete Wiseman; Cambridge.

Mopar by the grace of God
guy whitwam
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Post by guy whitwam »

Hi to you both and welcome to the club, an A body is a great way to go, lots of power in a small body and great for those coming from a British classic. Once you have found your car I doubt you ever go back to a brit, so good luck in your quest. As others have already said Dave Madders is a good and reputable importer and may even be able to source your car once you have decided exactly what you want.
Good luck
Guy and Tracey :thumbright:
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Stu
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Post by Stu »

I'd keep the Capri. :D
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70 Challenger
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GJUK
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Post by GJUK »

Welcome.

You can come and see my Dart if you want, ~1 hr from you.
:D
A bodies are most awesome, long but not so wide you can't get through gaps.

:thumbright:
|| '68 Dodge Dart || '70 Plymouth Satellite || '72 Mk1 Escort || '98 AMG E55 || '85 2CV || S1 106 Rallye || E36 || E46 ||
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Super Sloth
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Post by Super Sloth »

That's the user name sorted - thanks matt! :D

We've not really had a look at the 60's stuff yet but I'll certainly add it to the reading list?

So far we've narrowed it down to 70-72 dart. 71/72 Demon or a Duster.
I spotted the demon that Dave Madders has on ebay. That's definately the sort of thing we've got in mind.

What are these things like to live with? I suppose I'm more concerned with how easy it is to get hold of consumables to keep a car rolling and driving. Brakes / service items / rubber hoses that kind of thing?
We do like to use our toys as much as possible. Is 4k miles a year unrealistic or is there likely to be a lot of down time waiting for parts to arrive?
-Jon.
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Rebel
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Post by Rebel »

They're no harder to live with than something like a Mondeo or Vectra as far as consumables are concerned. Service parts, oil, filters, brake shoes / pads, belts etc are all easy to get thanks to the Internet. There's a few places in the UK that can supply parts as well as W.A.S.P ( a member on here ). Stateside, there's the likes of rock auto, year one, summit, mancinis and others to choose from.
Downtime can be kept to a minimum by planning and ordering well in advance, so you have all the parts for the job before starting. As already mentioned, Ron Fenton ( also a member here ) is very helpful and will ship items in for you.
4K a year should be no problem at all, if you start with a good car. The only issues you might have will be from normal wear and tear, the stuff that no one can plan for.
'68 Dodge Charger
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Dave81
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Post by Dave81 »

As Rebel says.......a bit of forward planning and its no issue at all.

Both Summit racing and Rockauto will add VAT prior to sale, so what you pay is what you pay....no hold ups in transit or Parclefarce asking for more money.

The added bonus for the above two, is if the parts are in stock it will usually be with you within 5 working days. So no different to some UK car parts.

Big stuff like panels, interior and rear ends, then Its worth waiting a little longer and going through someone like Ron at STS imports and getting it via boat/steamer. Compare it to air for big heavy stuff and its one way to save big ££££££.

You then have the added bonus that us ugly bunch are very friendly and helpful. Wanted adds and putting up help posts 95% of the time reaps rewards. You'll be surprised at how much stuff is in the UK. I've managed to collect quite a bit of A body 70-76 stuff whilst being here.........others have too so its possible to save time and money that way as well.

Issues with the car not running right........again I've seen countless posts where people travel distances to help out fellow members for nothing more than the love of the cars and the camaraderie (plus a cuppa).

Then you have the events.......no car needed here! :D

A good way to put names to faces and get an American Muscle fix. Unfortunately its now the end of the season, but you'll see plenty of workshop activity whilst people get ready for the spring and the events start rolling............Put this in the Diary.....Mopar EuroNATS at Santa Pod in July. The biggest weekend of the year and one where I recon 95% of the members get along too. One not to be missed!! :thumbright:

Keep an eye on the Events section...........the well attended events usually have posts put up with member input and acknowledgement of attendance.

As for your choice of cars.......Try not to limit yourself too much.
The Demons and Dusters will command a higher premium than the Swingers/Darts/Customs. In 73 the Dart got the big front bumper but kept the 72 rear. 74 Onwards it got a lardy arse.........Not a problem (and they can be cheaper to purchase), but it does IMO slightly spoil the lines of the car. Its not an easy change to put to an earlier version (the surrounding sheet metal is different too).

I'll not get into the small bolt and big bolt changes, or rear axle choices.......One step at a time! :D

Late 60's Darts are in the same category as the Demons and Dusters.......they do hold a slight premium over the revised 70+ cars and IMO the 68 is the best looking of the lot.

Valliant's are the next to increase in value. These are more like euro cars, size wise, than the Darts IMO. But even on the last two years what you can get for your money has changed drastically.

Other side of the A body platform 64 up to 69 is the Barracuda.........More expensive than the Dodge Dart as Plymouths do tend to across the range. 70 on and it became an E body like the Challenger.

Pics required of the old 2.8 Capri please.........I'm also a previous owner so have a soft spot for them! :thumbright:
Dave Tildesley.....MMA-081
72 Dodge Dart
73 Plymouth Duster - SOLD

I wanna go so FAST i think i'm going to DIE!..........Then i'll shift into second!

"My Car is a work in progress, Probably never gonna get finished, never gonna have the money to Bananarama!!"
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cadboy
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Post by cadboy »

Hi and welcome to both of you and yes do your homework and know what you want, have the money ready and look for the one you want.

It took me 18 months to find what I wanted, not here but in US and she is a good A body car.

Good luck :thumbright:
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Blue
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Post by Blue »

Regular service parts are not a problem, they will be in stock in the UK 99% of the time. Body parts and trim are the parts usually more costly and difficult to obtain, but they are out there. There's a good aftermarket and repro industry catering for our cars these days. Bringing in parts from the states is easy enough, and doesn't have to be costly with the help of a couple of guys on here. Get yourself a Duster, they are a great entry level Mopar!
“It’s good enough for Nancy”
GJUK
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Post by GJUK »

IMO the 68 is the best looking of the lot.
Agreed :D
|| '68 Dodge Dart || '70 Plymouth Satellite || '72 Mk1 Escort || '98 AMG E55 || '85 2CV || S1 106 Rallye || E36 || E46 ||
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Hemimad
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Post by Hemimad »

Welcome to the club! I was also a British tin guy for 30yrs before buying my first American car as a dismantled resto project and I cannot thank the members enough for all the support and advice over the last 3yrs. It's true the power bug can grip, my cars engine is now sporting a number of choice upgrades ready for a six pack and headers! I'm certainly not disappointed with my Mopar, however many times it kicks me, it's gets under your skin! I'm considering selling my TR6 to get a 67 - 69 Dart GTS to keep the Road Runner company. You are welcome to come to Chester and go for a spin in the Runner, it might give you an idea what's in store.😉
"It's all souped up and everything"
Steve Chapman
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Post by Steve Chapman »

Hello, and welcome. Can't go wrong with Mopar, smiles guaranteed. Plus your a member of THE premier car club in the UK. Loads of Mopar experts ,full of advice and encouragement. :wave:
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