Appreciate your Mopars

[RUNCHARGER]

Man: I always have liked Mopar but sometimes you lose sight of why. As some of you know I waste my time lately working at a Hot Rod and Restoration parts shop. It would be a great job if I only dealt with Mopars but unfortunately the vast majority of our business is GM, followed by Mopar and then Ford.
Anyone in the hobby for more than 1 month has undoubtedly heard about the vast superiority of the GM musclecar, from the Earth shaking performance to the unmatched interchangeability of the parts.
Well, I tell you it's all a bit of a stretch from the word go. I have always loved the Mopars superior engineering, superior interchangeability and robustness. The fellows at work don't like it when I tell them if they swapped in a Mopar 4 speed their Munchie breaking problems would end, or swapping Mopars weak 8 3/4 rear axle would put an end to their broken diff woes as well. Then there's the terrific diaphraghm clutch issue and on and on.
Being a Partsman though the biggest fallacy has to be the parts interchangeability. It's an absolute nightmare for anyone used to Mopars. I sold a guy a signal switch the other day and guess what? It's the wrong one because there are at least 2 choices, Want a speedo cable for your 69 Camaro? Better measure that mother because there are more than 2 choices there too. Window felts for your Camaro? Well, each year has a minimum of 3 choices there as well. Armrests? Same thing, better find out what interior the car has. Water pump? Long or short? Most of the trim and sheetmetal changes every year too, then the RS fenders are different than standard fenders and so on. Of course if you need a 4 speed shifter, better find out which of the multiple choices the trans is (hopefully it will stay together to get some use out of the shifter). It goes on and on and that's just Chevrolet, then you can mix in Pontiac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Canadian Pontiac and so it goes.
The GM boys look at me with a glazed look in their eyes when I tell them I can take a 440 and 727 from a 72 New Yorker and bolt it all into a 66 Coronet, motor mounts, rad and all. Let along using the same window felts for 3 years in both Dodges and Plymouths or taking a speedometer cable from that automatic Chrysler and installing it into a Valiant that has a 4 speed. These things they're been telling each other over the years are all made up.
Anyway, next time a GM guy is telling you about their terrific interchangeability, just let them flap their gums, that's what it is as usual. All talk with no substance.

[70 Challenger Lover]

As much as I love Mopars, there are a number of GM cars I also like. I even own a 64 Vette. The thing for me is the classic car world is heavily saturated with GM of every brand and model. Every car show is a sea of Camaros and Impalas. Almost everything GM has just become so boring to me, especially Chevrolet. There are probably more 60s era Corvettes today than were originally made. My Vette looks nice but no one even notices them because you see one or two every day. I've only had my Barracuda for a month and every time I take it out, it gets attention. My super bee was the same. Mopars are by far the coolest cars and I think even the GM people know this but would never openly acknowledge it.

[70chall440]

 Completely agree with all that has been said. I have always been a Mopar guy from the time i was 14 (many years ago), but I have strayed a few times, had a couple Vettes, a couple of Blazers, etc. (no fords) but I always come back to Mopar and have to admit that I am very parochial about it. I can appreciate other brands but have no interest of owning any. I know a couple of GM guys and one or two Ford guys and despite everyone saying this or that, in the end they all tend to begrudgingly admit that Mopar muscle cars are more interesting in the end. Of course as has been noted, the GM guys all make a big deal out of the commonality and availability of parts, but having owned a couple of GM products I found this not to be the case at all. My heart warms every time I look at my Challenger, Cuda, Roadrunner, Viper, 68 Cuda, and 2010 Challenger as well as my 2 Ram truck, oh and then there is my 52 Dodge B3B with a 330 Desoto hemi which is awesome to drive.

[Chryco Psycho]

Over the years I have worked on everything & it just confirms why I always own Mopars , Ford is a Joke , 7 different engine blocks numerous belhousings , interchangability is non existant , I made the mistake of owning 2 GMs [my first & my last] broken all the time ! The only mopar that was nearly as bad was my 88 Shelby Daytona , I walked more than I drove ,it had terrible reliability ! Otherwise Mopar engineering rules !!

[RUNCHARGER]

Yes: I'll go on record as saying I pretty much like all cars and appreciate a nice car that the owner has put quality workmanship into no matter what the brand. However there are reasons I prefer my own cars to be Mopar that's for sure.