Mopar Action
October 2021Mopar Action is the best-selling Mopar enthusiasts’ magazine on the market today. Mopar Action covers the entire world of Chrysler, Plymouth and Dodge vehicles, including classics, muscle cars, race cars, new car road tests, performance tips, technical advice articles, personality profiles, coverage of major Mopar events, restoration advice and club news from around the world. If it’s Mopar—you’ll find it in Mopar Action.
in this issue
editor’s notes
TESLA CRACKS ME UP . Their latest news flash says that Elon Musk intends to build a rocket-assisted roadster that will crack 0-60 MPH in a record 1.1 seconds. He goes on to say that his cars may also fly. Big deal. Mr. Musk and the news media don’t realize that Mopar Action tested their own rocket-assisted car (a 1974 4600 lb. Monaco Bluesmobile cop car, no less) back in 2003. You can even read about it on our website: https:// www.moparaction. com/2021/05/25/ rocket-man/. So why didn’t we make the news splash that Tesla did? Compared to Tesla, we’re just peanuts with our promotional budget the size of any small company’s coffee money jar. Nobody pays us any attention. We don’t get no respect. At the time of our test, our sophisticated data…
zoo keeper’s diary
AS I JOT THIS DOWN , it’s just after Memorial Day weekend. A guy named Helio Castroneves took his fourth Indy 500 win on Sunday, a huge achievement for anyone who knows about the 220-MPH competition’s challenges of Indy’s legendary brickyard. Just one win there can be a life’s achievement. No young gun, the 46-year-old Brazilian has been known as “Spiderman” for climbing the starting line fence to celebrate his victory, which he achieved in front of 135,000 fans in the biggest in-person gathering since the Wuhan plandemic began. He did not disappoint. Indy cars? Zoo, there ain’t no Mopars there! Nope. Indeed, as I covered in my Hemi book, the first Chrysler Hemi-powered Indy car, known as the A311, went so fast in testing it was almost instantly outlawed to…
crec’s corner
2020 WAS A TOUGH YEAR, Covid hit the US and events were cancelled, businesses closed, shortages out the ying yang, and the aftermath continues. You name it—toilet paper, parts (and the quality of parts), etc. So, now you were stuck in lockdown. After you went out and scored some Charmin, masks, and hand sanitizer to keep the family calm, you think, “Now what? Spend some quality time watching Lifetime movies? Hell, no! I will get some upgrades done to me beloved Mopar! They can’t take that away from me, or can they?” That’s what a lotta guys and gals thought once we were in a lockdown. Get online and start clicking, only to find out that no one had anything in stock with no ETA on when they would have it. Didn’t…
hemi this.
A GUY AT MOPAR PERFORMANCE named Jon Clark asked me 10+ years ago how to quickly and simply describe the different generations of Hemi engines. I wrote up: 1G - Distributor in rear 2G - Distributor in front 3G - No distributor. (Mitsubishi 2.6L = 0G) He loved it, and Chrysler / MP publications since have used this terminology. Of course, 1G is a broad-spectrum term, there were distinct versions for Chrysler, DeSoto, and Dodge, and many variations inside those families, as well as quite a few 3G variants. Still, I like to think I helped straighten it up.…
techtopics
WEIGHT PLATE I have a 1992 Dakota that is factory equipped with a 5.2/518 and 3.55:1 rear gear. I have a complete 1999 5.9L that I would like to install in this Dakota, I will be keeping the original trans to the truck. My question is concerning the flex plate. Do I use the flex plate that came on the core 5.9L, or use the flex plate from the original 5.2L? Ralph Vaquero Covington, GA Ralph–The 1999 drive plate has the needed 360 (5.9L) external-balancing counterweight welded to it. So...you must use that drive plate (and your original t/conv). IN MY CLUTCHES I transplanted a 440 6-pack into my 1970 Charger 500 that was originally a 383 car. I had the stock radiator improved to a 3-core. I find now that there is insufficient clearance between the fan…
how to get help:
Address all queries to this address: RICHARD EHRENBERG PO BOX 302 MARLBORO NY 12542 Best bet: Online submission form at moparaction.com GROUND RULES: • If you want to submit your question via e-mail, please use the on-line submission form at www.moparaction. com. If we ask for more info, send back all existing text, or else! • Snail-mail must include a SASE and/or a cash bribe. • All letters, electronic or otherwise, must include a full name and a least your city and state. You can request that it be withheld, however, and, if we had any the night before, we might even honor your request. • “20 questions” letters instantly get shredded and the scraps forwarded to Mopar Muscle. So—ask one clear question please, we’re a sleazy magazine, not an encyclopedia publisher. We won’t tell you step-by-gory step how…
