I have learned the vast majority of what I know about Mopars from reading Cuda-Challenger and Moparts. When I restored my 67 and 69 Corvette I read constantly articles, websites, listened to those who were recognized as leaders in the hobby, but all along I documented what was fact vs. what was fiction and passed down from one to another and somehow gained credence with facts. Did the same when I restored my 70 SS-454 Chevelle. I no longer have these cars as I grew a little tired of them and sold first one and another to go onto something new. I was sitting on the couch after selling the Chevelle and the wife was dogging me about doing nothing and sitting around watching TV. Said I was getting older and fatter. I told her "baby I want to do a Mopar, I grew up with Mopars and they were my first love". I then proceeded to almost get taken to the cleaners in buying a Satellite dressed up as a Roadrunner. I wanted a Cuda or a Challenger but I live in Chevy country and there were not alot of examples of reasonably good Mopars. After running the vin numbers on the car I shuttered to realize that I almost allowed myself to be taken in. I knew I had to purchase a car that would be a candidate for collectivity (is that a correct word?) and a candidate as a legitimate investment that would go up in value and desire amongst collectors.
So many of you here, and in Moparts who have owned and learned from practice, success, and yes failure and have shared your knowledge with us all, and I have taken notes, and used in my practice of what I have learned........provided it was based on sound facts backed by evidence, backed by documentation. Through the years we have learned that some things we once took as fact have been disproven or substanciated only by word of mouth. I value differences of opinion and constructive debate provided that it stays within bounds. Some guys like to just own and drive their cars, some like to make their cars fast and love racing, while others want to restore their car to its original condition, and in some instances improve upon the original quaility. Some guys never seem to get their cars done, some others only are ready to criticize others efforts, and some are alpha guys who dont like being wrong, or others getting one over on them. Each of us have some of the above qualities or flaws. Now after 5 National events, reading these websites, reviewing and taking pics of concourse quality cars, I have an idea of what I must do to satisify me........Me! I will use a great deal of Daves techniques and other techniques, and discard, or ignore other things. I wont use some of poor qualitity applications that Mopar used. I will fully paint the underneath side of my car. I wont overspray and tolerate paint drips or orange peel. I want fit, and finish. Now that being said, I have all respect for those who reconstruct the cars original appearance down to the Nth degree. So lets live and let live, and learn from others. This Challenger is toast of the town for now, and let those involved bask in the sunshine, without the nitpicking on whats minor. Two years from now it will be someone elses turn. Maybe yours, maybe mine, maybe a friends.
