1 Bad Mirada

How about a nice rant?



As some of you may know, Amanda and I took the Stratus and the Laser to the mopar nationals this past weekend. This is our third nats together, and ive gone every year since 1994 (when they were held in indy..what a mess that was). anyway upon entering with the laser, we found that there was no show class for the laser. if we wanted to "show" either car, we would have to be in the late model front wheel drive modified class, basically against a bunch of heavily built SRT4s. so, a bunch of cars that are at most 4 years old, against a car that was built in 1991? brilliant. we entered both cars as "non judged show". while i saw other a few other stratus coupes rolling around brice, i did not see any at the track either racing or showing, and we were all through the grounds. i did not see ANY DSM based mopars anywhere, and i did not see any miradas, as mine was not there this year. i think that the mopar nationals should offer some sort of recognition to those who have unusually rare vehicles. why, you ask, since the laser and stratus arent even technically mopars? ill tell you why.



because the mopar nationals are dying. i would have to say that at least 75% of the participants at the nataionals are men, over the age of 40, and the group with which we attend (a group that takes up an entire block of a hotel) are all retired (i would estimate that they are all over the age of 60). there is one other guy in the group who is in his late 20s. i would say that the reason for this, is that the incredible cost of "mopar muscle", combined with the current groups refusal to recognize anything that wasnt made before 1975, is driving away younger participants. hell, the car club that my dad belongs to, didnt permit the mirada into their events for quite some time, as it is an 83, and they only recognize 75 and older...they eventually changed that, basically for the mirada and for a friend of my dads who has a SPOTLESS 78 magnum GT. ive spoken to my parents about it, and they have NO younger members. the few new members that they get each year are typically 'new' old guys. when i was a member of the club, there was NO ONE within 15 years of my age. they used to bitch about how the mirada was too loud...i told them if any of them could beat me on the track, i would make my car quieter...one guy tried with a 67 coronet RT, and i slaughtered him. there have already been members who have passed, and as the group continues to age, the once huge car club continues to shrink. the problem is that they arent willing to accept any newer cars, and the few 'newer' cars that come to the meetings or events, belong to members who also have vintage cars, such as one guy who has a grand national...but since its newer, they dont recognize it as a classic car. i have found that the same is true around here. we have tried to get involved with a mopar club, but they dont accept ANY of the vehicles that we own, and once the demon is here, we could get into one of these clubs, but i dont know that i want to be involved with a group of snobs like that.



the "mopars" that most younger people can afford right now, are going to be your unusual mopars, such as the f-bodies, which have become very popular. they have finally added a class for the f-bodies (volares and aspens for those who dont know) at the nationals for judging. also, the front wheel drive mopars and trucks are the most easily acquired vehicles for most younger people, but unless its an srt4 or a tacky riced out hemi ram, no one pays any mind to them.



we got a very good deal on the demon...we knew that when we bought it. but just to get an idea of why so few younger people are driving around in muscle car era vehicles, we took a spin on the old golf cart through the cars for sale area.



-a numbers matching 73 cuda with a 383. very clean car. $90,000.

-a rotted out 72 duster..in terrible shape inside

Jeremiah 29:11

That was a very good rant......do you feel better now?


I understand where you are coming from. While I am older, I do not consider myself old. I think the attitude of some of these olders
groups like you described is loosing its allure unless they can create some new categories and opportunities for the younger crowd.

These guys need to wake up and smell the roses.

I hope you and Amanda had a good time anyways. These will be the stories you can share with your children.

Any plans for the Woodward Dream Cruise?

1 Bad Mirada

we are taking the laser down and parking it somewhere along woodward...maybe have a couple beers. i tried to "cruise" last year, and it took me about an hour to go a block...that was it for me.

lear4406

I too feel the pain, but it isn't just the big events. Its the small events at the local drive ins. The older guys just don't want to accept any other cars then what they are familiar with. And that way they have the upper hand on any discussion on cars. My sons are MOPAR through and through. But of the Japanese make. Tristan owns a Twin Turbo Stealth and an 86 Dodge Conquest TSI. The Conquest is a show car. The TT Stealth is modded out but needs a paint job. Josh owns a N/A 93 Stealth black with 2 white racing stripes. It too is modded and very loud. They stop at any car gathering and go to look and be looked at. But they are not welcomed. I think its because if the talk turns to what have you done to your ride? They start by mentioning type turbo and clutch, fly wheel combo, the injector sizes and AFSC controller. Boost guages and blow-off valves. The old guys do not have a clue. They know CID and cam specs or the old (3/4 race and full race cam ?????) They know rear gears and muncie rock crusher 4-speeds and top loaders. Hemi 4-speed and DANA 60s. Holly 4bbl and carter AVS and AFB, 6-pak and 2-4s. But they are lost to the new stuff. Because they closed their minds out years earlier. I embrace all forms of Muscle cars and have an appreciation for the new technology. Heck I own a 91 Stealth and an 88 Tsi, both are modded and can kick butt. But they shun what they don't know. I don't go to NOPI, I would not feel comfortable there. But I do go to import nights that are local and talk tech with the guys. Tristan also owns a 2006 Charger Daytona R/T. He likes the old muscle and the new. He's sold on hemi power. Lets hope that with the new muscle SRT-8s that are out and will be out, that the doors will open wide, as well as the minds of those who attend. Lets let all who like nice cars come in and welcome the look of the next generation in. Lets talk to one another, regardless of age. They can learn from us... but if we listen, we can learn from them. We don't have to make everyone think we know it all. We old guys do know alot about the old stuff, but we can learn and appreciate the new. But I really don't like the 22" and up wheels or a TV screens in a car. But I will just block that out and try to get to the tech stuff. We can make the meets grow, but we have to be open to what is new. We have to let them have a chance to speak and be heard. That way they have a chance to listen and see why we do our cars the way we do. I'm all about what makes a car quicker and stops it faster. If it makes it handle better and the stock appearance. But I will try to find out why they build them the way they do these days. Heck we had posers in our day, we called them all show and no go. But some of the guys today want all go. So its nice to hear from them too.

1 Bad Mirada

i also do not care for the huge gawdy wheels or TVs in the cars, but i do have a "system' in the stratus..if its not going to be fast, it might as well make alot of noise..

i honestly think that more people would enjoy nopi than they would think. the stuff that they show on TV...the ridiculous cars with stock NA 4 cylinders and 20,000 in paint and body work really isnt my thing, but there are some FAAAAAST cars there..at least at the events which ive attended. while im a 'v8 guy", there is just something about a 2200hp turbo 4 cylinder ripping off 6.90 runs at 200mph. heck, even the more stock NA classes, are full of guys running in the 10s and 11s. i find that its not so much about liking the cars (although i do enjoy the import scene for the most part), but its about appreciating pure power...my mirada makes around 500bhp. most EVERY drag car at nopi, with engine sizes ranging from 1.6L to 3.2L, is making at least 500bhp..and some of those cars are naturally aspirated. nopi has even made some allowances lately to allow in some domestics. there were a handful of really really fast mustangs (7, 8, and, 9 second range) as well as a pro mod firebird that ran mid 6s, and even though its a domestic car at an import event, everyone was excited to see a mid 6 second car...

TeeWJay426

I'll throw my 2 cents in, if it's worth that much.....the Nats have had a reputation of being the big show, albeit nowhere near as organized, as Carlisle for a while.... the more I talk to folks that go to both, they continue to lament the disorganization that the Nats have been known for, while praising the Carlisle folks for having their acts together and actually knowing what it takes to run a show of that magnitude AND being able to organize and pull it off. Sizewise, the Nats have been backsliding while Carlisle continues to grow..... I've been going to Carlisle since the first show in 1991, and can tell you how it has grown, because I have seen it firsthand. I've never been to the Nats, and from everything I've heard, I don't plan to change that anytime soon. Other than the drag strip on site, the Nats has NOTHING over Carlisle... and considering what I've heard from folks who have gone there to race (ie, Patrick himself) not much action to be had there either.... 2 runs per day for your entry fee? Hardly worth it. As far as the prices, can't holdthe Nats responsible for that.... blame eBag, Barrett Jackson, or whoever else you like, but that's an overall state of the Mopar hobby in general... Parts and Cars are priced to stupid levels, because of one of the most basic economic laws there is... supply and demand. When you couple it with a large show such as the Nats or Carlisle, everyone naturally tries to maximize their profits by tacking on that extra 10-20% that they think they can get away with because of the captive nationwide audience they have at these shows, but even that can backfire.... at Carlisle this year, where the prices on things were completely stupid on a lot of items, the vendors were complaining loud and long that things weren't selling like in years past.... jeez, any theories why? Could it be that folks were just sick of being raped for the prices on parts??? Can't imagine that things were any different at the Nats... in fact, a lot of the vendor attitudes were.. "If I don't sell it here, I will probably be able to get what I want for it at the Nats.." so much for MY rant.....

1 Bad Mirada

wanna know how ridiculous the prices are getting?

this car SOLD for TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS. theres nothing special about it...its exactly as you see..a rusted out 340 duster. it said numbers matching...which i assume meant only the engine, otherwise, why would it have a red fender and orange door? and the interior was also rough.

ten thousand dollars.

[IMG]local://upfiles/4/CA9FF6BC3C69412DB44315FD07F8A02E.jpg[/IMG]

TeeWJay426

As I said, see my post above..... that's not a Nats problem, it's an issue with the state of the "hobby" in general.... amd the quotes are NOT an accident.... anytime the financial gains to be made are such as those that we have seen on Mopars in recent times, we will see the financial speculators get in the act....and that has absolutely NOTHING to do with the hobby itself. If there's money to be made, the sharks will be around to feast on the blood they smelll in the water.....

1 Bad Mirada

i understand...mostly im just annoyed that so many "mopar lovers" arent willing to love anything that isnt a charger, challenger, cuda, coronet, roadrunner, satellite or superbird...and while i certainly would love to have one of those, clubs and events need to recognize everyone's taste.

someone told me, based on a PICTURE of our demon, that we could comfortably ask 20g for it at the nationals, and probably expect to sell it!

a guy i spoke with had someone TRADE him a 68 440 B body for a mirada...as much as i love hurting peoples feelings with my big ol' clumpy mirada, id be hard pressed to turn down that trade...

awsure

What was that about a fool & his money...