FMJ Bodies: Driving A Legend

[Jack Meoff]

I originally started this thread about M bodies but obviously this applies to all of our cars. Since owning F's I've realized just how close these cars are related. One day I hope to include a J in my fleet.



I was driving my 5th today...and it dawned on me
"WHAT A GREAT, GREAT CAR!
We've come a long way in the technologies of "how a car drives"...
Or have we? (or am I just nuts?)
I've driven brand spankin' 300's, new this new that..
And yeah, they're tuned, tight, etc....
But I'll still take a sloppy steering, lazy ol' M anyday.
There's play in the steering, slop in the suspension (especially without sway bars)

But man... What a ride.
Personally I can't drive a new car. It feels like I'm driving a plastic lunchbox.

Give me an M any day...
To me it's a gorgeous ride
Sure it's a low compression 318 in my 5th...
But compared to the 2.0 litre ricemobile's I see pull up beside me at the lights...

I'm sitting in my Lazy-Boy recliner drivers seat listening to my legendary 318 idle.

Smogger 318 legendary? you say?..
Why yes.

How many billions of miles of service has the much dismissed 318 done?
Police, Taxi, Fire department. Not to mention the millions of civi's over the years.

M's truly are legendary
My Caravelle IMO is one of the most beautiful, cool cars I've ever seen.
That's why I soak money into it.
That baby has the "Legendary" Super Six.
The leaning tower of power.
Yet.. Another legend.
Who can deny the reputation and virtual indestructibility of that engine.
They're not muscle but every bit Mopar legend as any other.
Cheers to M's.
Easily as much legend as anything in the beautiful history that is Mopar.

(As a side note...I'm pretty fond of pretty much all Mopar's)

 

[gporeilly]

Well said Captain !!!

Ditto.....Ditto...and Ditto....

 

[ramenth]

Been in love with M's since Penny came into the family back in '91. Before that I liked the looks, but it was something that you had to experience.

Well, said, Cap.

 

[bremereric]

Mine is a four door Dodge Fury. White to boot.

 

[Jack Meoff]

Mine is a four door Dodge Fury. White to boot.

A Dodge Fury eh?
A one of none?

 

[moparknighthawk]

Well, maybe within the next 6 months or so I will be driving a "legend". :-D Maybe a 5th Avenue and a Gran Fury! :-D Not a bad way to start.

 

[Jack Meoff]

Well, maybe within the next 6 months or so I will be driving a "legend". :-D Maybe a 5th Avenue and a Gran Fury! :-D Not a bad way to start.

Not bad at all.
I love my 5th
Gran Fury's are the bomb too.
And don't forget to check out the Diplomat's too.

And of course my Caravelle is my baby.

 

[Jack Meoff]

I was in the liquor store today (I'm there fairly often) picking up some beer.
One of the gals on the cash says "You know old cars and I want to buy a beater, what should I get?"
I laughed and said "You should buy one like mine, a 5th ave."
She says, "Oh no...I don't want to spend a lot of money on an old car like that, I want like a honda or a toyota or something like that...y'know an older one"

My brain was just gearing up for the schpiel to explain to her that once you did a basic tune up and made sure you had good shocks and rubber on it, it wouldn't really cost you any money except for oil changes and routine maintenance which would be jack.

Then I thought nahh....

The majority of car buying sheep out there figure a late 90's hondayota is a better financial bet than a mid 80's Dip or a 5th...

From what I've seen out there, the hyandayota's are already falling apart, rusting like crazy and not exactly sounding very healthy.
Yep, starts right up. Oh goody.
Guaranteed something is gonna go within the first year you bought it off Joe Blow for $2500
Oh....it's a hondayundayotissan?
Water pump? That'll be around $800
Ouch!
You get the drift.

The thing that kills me is this preconception that our F's, M's and even J's and R's are these money pits
Gas wise? More than a toyota? Yep, you'll be at the pump a bit more
But in parts and longevity, I'd say I'm in a better position.

In the off chance that something goes on either of my M's
I go to crappy tire, pick up a few parts and I'm usually good to go in a couple of hours.
No dealership, no insane garage charges, no diagnostics
Mine only needed a........ (insert something cheap)

Just another plug for our babies is all.
People who don't understand knock them.
The A/B/E body snob types knock them
But man, you show me a car other than a***Mopar from that era that has held up like they have.
Style, reliability, and overall cool factor.
Can't be beat.

Yes.... LEGENDARY.

 

[Jack Meoff]

I was looking out of my window, watching the fog roll in
Having a frosty beverage...
Saw a new...Volksundaiyotanda pull up at the stop sign and make a right turn

It dawned on me how ridiculously these things act.
Their mannerisms, no dignity, no finesse.

Watch an M pull up and make a turn.
That almost royal appearance, the dignified stance as it stops.
A silhouette cutting turn and the mighty 318 whisks you off into the sunset.

Ahh...
A vision of beauty and a beautiful ride.
It could only be described as....

Wait for it...

LEGENDARY!

 

[Jack Meoff]

Now THAT'S pretty!

 

[Jack Meoff]

It's funny how M's have now started to creep into the cool classics department.
10 years ago my 5th would have been considered an old clunker.
Now, I pull up at gas stations, stores, whatever and people go on about
What a beautiful classic it is.

Last year I was driving the Caravelle and my wife and I pulled into one of those small town antiques places.
She wanted to buy a beat up old picture frame probably worth $10
He wanted $40 and wouldn't budge on the price.
The whole time, he's looking at my car.
My wife told him to politely shove it and we left.
Later it occurred to me that this guy thought I was some kinda high roller or something
Cause I had this "beautiful old classic car"
Too funny.

 

[My imp]

I feel ya man, I feel the same about my Imp. I have loved & longed since '81 to have one. Circumstances never allowed me to get one. Either I was raising the family & couldn't afford it, they wouldn't sell it, or if they would, the asking price was rediculous. But recently the J Gods have smiled on me. The car was right, the price was right, & I'm the proud owner of an awesome '81 Imperial. I love this thing! When I subscribed, I did a write up on it. Finally took pictures, but need to reduce size? Don't know how, I'm lucky I got this far. Even in Mopardome, we F-M-J are treated like red-headed step children, or, second class citizens! But park at ANY show & I guarantee people flock to see OUR Baby's! Oh, another Charger, Challenger, Dart, etc..... Even when I go for gas, people are always commenting on my Imp, "How clean, what year?, I used to, my dad used to, my blah, blah, blah used to own one, I always wanted one, etc, etc,....". When I purchased it out of state, I needed to go to a dealership to have them verify the VIN. I went into the local Hyundai, Bonzia, or Ginzu POS dealer. The service director said, and I quote" That thing is just f*cking ugly enough to almost be cool!" " Oh, do tell ye 20 something, shaved head, goatee, tattooed, face that looks like he fell into a tackle box, where pray tell is your gem?"." Right there " he said pointing to a POS Bonzia, Hawaaian punch can tailpipe extension, slammed, primered Ill fitting body kit, 5 hundred thousand watt power amp'd sh*t box I wouldn't be caught dead in. That "F" bomb comment was his opening line! I have heard SO many stories about the "Y" bodied Imp.'s ( whether wanted or not) both good & bad. Try that with one of the new Chevy Commode's, Ford Crusrtang's, or ANY Aisian Rim Job! Our cars are classic in a way that these new cars will never be! In 32yrs (my Imp's age) can you see anyone flocking around a Bonzai, Hounddog, Ginzu POS? I can't. Besides, the Earth is ending in 24 hrs or so! Well if we're not here after tomorrow, it was nice chatting with you. And if we are....... Larry

 

[Jack Meoff]

Very well said Sir,
It's Saturday in New Zealand so I guess we didn't go boom.

Your "Fell into a tackle box" line almost made me exhale my tea.
Too funny.
Yes, there are a lot of rim job inbreds out there.
I don't expect some sh*thead driving a glorified lawnmower that sounds like it has diarrhea to understand how cool our cars are, but yes, at car shows I get easily as much attention as the Road Runner, Cuda crowd.
If I wasn't on my way to work, I'd monologue about how great our rides are again. I'll have to wait till I'm into the beers later and pipe off some more.
Glad you got your dream car and are driving and loving it.
Good to hear.
Keep the drive alive!!!

 

[My imp]

Two days after I purchased my Imp, my Dad talked me into entering it in a Shriner's Children's Hospital Charity Car Show. I tried explaining that you enter AFTER not BEFORE you restore the car. You don't tell him anything, so I entered it. I ended parking between an all original '54 Vette, & a hand built '32 Coupe (owner professionally builds '32's for a business, can't recall his co. name) The foot traffic was equal around all of our cars. My Imp is FAR from show ready, it's a 20 foot'r (looks great from 20 ft). When I took time to look at other cars, get food or adult beverages for my Dad, new found friends, & myself, my Dad said people came up & chatted him up about the car. They assumed because he's 84, that the car was his & I was just hanging with him. One guy even voted it "Best in Show", no BS! My Dad said he hung around for quite a while to talk with me about the car. Mmmmm... Bloomington Gold '54 on one side, off the chain b*tchin' '32 on the other, & My Imp gets a best in show? Oh, by the by, there were over 500 cars entered! Just ask my Daddy! These cars are the best sleeper cars in the world. I talked a 20 something Chevy FREAK into buying an Aspen. Don't remember year, or much other than 360 4bbl, 4spd, limited slip. Don't really need to know much more do you? This was Port Charlotte, Fla. back in '88 or so. He had had somewhat of a spotty street race record, "I'll give you 5 lengths w/o spray, 10 with spray" kind of guy. He wanted more than I could afford to lose to race. After months of negotiations, we raced. Heads up, no cash, no muss, no fuss. My '66 Coronet (440, auto, 3.55 8 3/4) opened up a serious can of whoop *ss upon his Blova. After Aspen, no more problems! Another successful convert! I can't think of a good name for My Imp. I refer to it as self-propelled Valium, or Barcolounger. Slide into that Mark Cross leather interior, & the sumptuous interior surrounds you in a very womb like comfort. The miles just tick away in a mind numbing, trance inducing experience. I never want it to end, but she is a thirsty mistress. Hopefully we can change that over the winter. Larry

 

[Jack Meoff]

Well, first of all..congrats on the best of show
And kudos for the convert. Didn't know chevy guy's had enough IQ to recognize a good car from a sh*tbox.
Yep, both my cars get a lot of attention at shows. Their not $100,000 cars but they are classics and I figure people can only look at so many RR's, Cuda's and Challenger's before they just go "Ya, whatever...HOLY CRAP, CHECK THAT OUT!"

Mark Cross???, very nice!
Always wanted an Imp...still do. Just love the look of them.
My 5th isn't leather, has what Chrysler referred to as "Kimberly Velvet" (read cloth) Still damn cozy though and what a ride.
You can keep all your new rim runner cookie cutter sh*tboxes, I'll take my cars any day. The 5th is my daily and every morning I look forward to driving it to work. In the summer, I go to my trailer pretty much every weekend and doing 250 miles in that thing there and back is an absolute pleasure.

My Caravelle is my baby, I love it the most but comparatively speaking it's a lot rougher around the edges. 65mph with a screaming Super Six and a bench seat is not the wife's cup if tea, but I just love it. Who needs radio?
She prefers the plushy 5th and the A/C.
I tricked her one weekend and told her I couldn't go up north till Saturday, so she should catch a ride with our friends Friday and I'd meet her the next morning.
Only reason I did it is so I could rip up in the Caravelle all by my lonesome.
It was AWESOME!
Both windows down and the leaning tower of power just giv'n'er.
When someone knocks a slant, I just shake my head.
What a great little engine.
I love muscle, but I love stockers just as much.
My stock lean burn teener is the best.
The lean burn will go in the spring, but even in stock form, no complaints
And on the highway with the lockup, it's dynamite.
What's the moral of the story?
F's, M's, J's, R's... They are just as classic and legendary as anything else that Ma made.

Damn, I love these cars!

 

[Jack Meoff]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTPdy5DL_hc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[My imp]

Cruisin in the Great White North, eh? Same down here too. I love the corn fed beauties grazing heavily on Krispy Kream custard filled, sugar coated sugar, coated lard, w/chocolate fudge icing. Eyes glazed over in a sugar induced trance, weaving, driving 15 mi under the limit. One hand packing her cake hole, the other texting/talking, whatever while she drives with her wrist. Try beeping a horn at one of them & see how fast YOU get flipped off! How dare you break her sugar induced trance while she almost weaves into your car!

 

[Jack Meoff]

Yep, they're everywhere here.
Overpriced housewives in $85,000 SUV's.
Wanna really get'em pissed?
Hit the brakes and make'em spill their half caf vegan latte.

 

[My imp]

First verify no Bluetooth in use, or her latte; your vehicle doing the bumper humper! And then have to listen to how it was ALL YOUR FAULT! And what's the big deal? It's only an OLD car anyhow! It's not like it's worth anything, like myLincolonBlahwood/FurdExcretion/Cattleshac/Escapade!

 

[slant6billy]

Not that you guys don't already know it, but the new crap SUV, SUV crossover, sub micro compact, hybrid or what ever hyped up media pushed agenda car is considered stylish or cool is soo far from it. I don't know where these auto designers went to school but it is obvious when they were in school they cheated off each other. Nothing is distinctive about any cars anymore. A car maker is stating they are separate from the rest, but they don't want to take the chance to be tooo different. My kids are still amazed that cars came with only 2 doors. Just looking at 95% of all 4 door new cars, the designers could not make a 2 door and keep the body lines of the 4 with the swept roof design most have. I get that bluetooth/ latte challenge on the highway every morning a 530am. Some bimbo in a red hyundai or yellow toyota, or white little shitbox will get on my left at the light while I'm in the right lane. Now i already know by the car, the gym attire and 80 oz coffee (she's headed to "walk" on a treadmill at the LA Fitness club up the next 1/4 mile on the right). So why must she have to pass me, get in front of me and hit the breaks to make the right turn into the gym? (If you know that answer- let me in on it). Needless to say, I don't get a chance to see the taillights of the car on my left anymore. You may have heard kids say, "Talk to the hand".... I say, "talk to the tailpipe and then my taillights." as they get smaller and smaller. That must really wreck her morning on that treadmill.