J Body Snub

[High Speed Pursuit]

So I go to a recognized MOPAR car club car show yesterday and I'm looking for parts for my Mirada..."what are u looking for the man asks" and I reply J Body parts. "Say what!? If it's not an A- E Body, nobody cares...it's not a real MOPAR!" And he just turned away. Aren't we all on the same Chrysler/Plymouth/Dodge team?

 

[80mirada]

That is one of the problems in this hobby. Even the shivey boys accept the late 70s and 80s cars

 

[Dr Lebaron]

Most Mopar swap meets, you have to get through all the A/B/E/C stuff and some F/M/J may appear.

 

[kkritsilas]

I got the same sort of attitude a couple of years back, not only because it was a J Body, but because it wasn't a big block/Hemi. Forget them, and the insult, not worth the time or energy. I like my car, which is why I have it. If you like my car, fine; if you don't like my car, also fine. Doesn't change the way I feed about my car one bit.

 

[Dr Lebaron]

I get a lot of traffic by my Lebaron because they've seen enough A/B/E's.

 

[Justwondering]

Its been real interesting. The 2nd generation after the millenials really likes these LMJ cars. They've grown up with jellybeans all their lives and to see a car with personality - they really like it.

Saw my niece (10) last week and her dad (my other brother) and I were talking about vehicles. He said kids were getting taller and he needed to consider something with more rear seat leg room.

My niece says 'Daddy can we get a car that looks different than the rest so I can tell which one is you when you pick me up from school.'

I laughed.

 

[Aspen500]

Well, as you all know Chrysler didn't build any cars from 1975 until 2005 and didn't build any full size trucks before 1994 or Dakota's before 1997...............The way it seems anyways.

I really don't understand. Is it snobbery or what? It's especially insulting when the attitude comes from a Mopar or No Car person. It was probably the same for cars of the 1950's in the 1970's. I remember a show that used to be put on here up until sometime in the early '80's. They more or less looked down their noses at anything built after WWII as being not an old car and had no business being in a car show. I mean, they'd let cars of the '50's and MAYBE the early '60's if they were rare or special (like a Max Wedge Plymouth or something) but that was it. Even then, those cars were relegated to the outdoor parking lot instead of the covered parking garage where the show was put on. It caught up with them, they never eased up on the pre WWII thing and the annual show died.

 

[kkritsilas]

There are a number of non J Body cars that I like (not at much as the J bodies, mind you). Magnum GTs and XEs, post 1974 Chargers and first generation Cordobas, 1979 300s, 1975-on Fury 2 doors. Daytona Turbos, 1973-1974 Satellites (Satellites, not Road Runners or GTXs). Late 1960s Mercury Marauders and 1970-1971 Cyclones, 1973-1975 Monte Carlos, 1974-1975 Laguna S3s, mid 1970s Imperials, 1970s 2 door Matadors.. Collector car world has very little regard for any of them. Good; great, even. Keeps prices low so that I can afford them.

As for why people are like this, I can't say with any certainty. I do think its a combination of we're not part of the "in crowd" and thereby don't imply that they have a great car, because we chose something different. THe other part may (just speaking my mind here, no evidence to support this), but the collector car market has become very much the equivalent of the "big gold chain" of the disco era. The "in" collector cars are owned by many people who don't work on their cars. I'm not saying that they can't, but that they don't. They send the car out to a shop to be restored or "built". They get Galen Govier to rubber stamp the history of the car, and they walk around feeling all proud that they are now "cool", "a person of taste", "the man" etc. Like the gold chain I mentioned above, its an ego driven thing. The "in" cars are also assets, they are no longer cars, not driven because the loss in value due to wear and potential accidents makes it financial suicide to drive those >$1.5M 1970 Hemi Cuda Convertibles around. Hey "It's one of 6". Guess what? I don't care. My cars make me happy. They will never be worth $1.5M, maybe they will never become an "in " car. Fine, doesn't change the enjoyment I get out of may cars.

I have neither the money or the inclination to play those games, nor do I want to be in a position to own a car that is so valuable that I wouldn't be able to drive it. A car that isn't driven is not a car, its a statue. And, no I don't agree with its "a work of art". Everything of significant value has become a "work of art" all of a sudden. They aren't.

 

[80mirada]

There are a number of restored Fs and Js in major mopar collections. The difference is that they still get driven. Of course those are in real Mopar lovers collections.

 

[BudW]

I’ve ran across this problem quite often, through the years. Also, I’ve had my share of late 60’s B-Bodies, as well. I’d love to be driving them still, sense replacement parts are (in some cases) easier to find than they were. The main reason why I’m not, comes down to money.
I can purchase an FMJ driver for 1/10th the cost of a B or E driver.

Being in the business for a few decades, I know what interchange and so forth – so when at swap meets, I just disregard comments like that, or ask if they have any parts for anything newer than (pick a date). Sometimes they do have, but don’t display them sense ABCE parts are more popular.


When I was in the car show, on June 11, I had a surprising amount of people come up to me saying how they remember cars like my wagon – but don’t see them anymore. Must have heard 250+ comments and complements.


There is a Mopar club member – that I’ve only briefly spoken to, I was told by another club member that he has 28 Mopar’s and took 10 of them to the above mentioned car show. I don’t know what all he does have, but he did bring to this show was two J’s (Imperial & a Mirada, both black).

The other cars he did bring was:
Prowler, brown
Newer Challenger R/T, purple
71 Imperial, brown
65 Satellite, brown
71 Charger R/T 440, Pink (needs paint)
70 Road Runner convertible, maroon
71 Road Runner Hemi, blue
71 Road Rumer Hemi, lt. green
The poor guy has a fairly diverse collection.

 

[BudW]

There was another show attendee there. I didn’t catch or see him, but another club member says he also has a collection, including two hemi wing cars. The Sub-Lime green one is one of them. Other than paint and machine work, I was told this not yet retired 70 year old doctor, does all of the wrenching and restoration work on his cars. A couple of years ago, he was doing something fuel related on his other wing car and a fuel leak caught the car and his garage on fire. He is in process of rebuilding his garage – by himself (and car). I would think at 70 and with the money he has, he can spend some money to at least get the garage built for him.

I guess there are some out there who are hands on.

 

[slant6billy]

It is pretty ridiculous. I'd want a J Mirada or a J Imperial without Hesitation. A cuda that I could afford........ is in the Hotwheels isle. I could be in reality putting a key in the J body and romping it that day. I've got budies in the 25 year plan to finish their 69 roadrunner or cuda. It took me 4 and 1/2 years to get my Volare' ripe for the rippin. I punished a mustang or 2 along the way. I've had folks not even want to go up against me. Had a spent Grand National try and fail just the other night. I have not met any E or B owners that want to try me at a redlight, but wish they could. My offer is always open and I will accept it if I lose- more than I can say for most.

 

[Dr Lebaron]

The FMJ day will come.
Remember A's getting laughed at and sold for chump change?

The cheap FMJs are drying up in a hurry these days and harder to find.

 

[Aspen500]

That's it Dr.
It's always been that way. Over the years, the years of cars that are "collectable" (and I hate calling a car that) go up. I mean, how many now days are restoring a '32 Ford or 48 Dodge or even cars of the '50's? Now, look how many from the '60's and early '70's are being restored, a lot. Back when people were restoring cars of the '30's, cars of the '60's were in the same situation we're in right now. Our time will come and that's not necessarily a good thing if you think about it.

I've always owned cars that when I owned them, repop parts were slim to none and NOS was also hard to come by. Of course, most were owned pre internet. A few years after I'd sell them, THEN they would start becoming popular and the NOS parts would come out of the woodwork, reproduction parts would start being produced, etc. A few examples I had that the scenario I described happen. 1965 Plymouth Sport Fury 'Vert, 1966 Dodge Dart GT (273 4brl, 4 speed, factory disc), 1973 Satellite Sebring Plus, and for that matter, my first car (owned from 1981-1985) which was a 1970 Barracuda Gran Coupe. I could go on.....but I'll spare you all, lol. It wasn't all that long ago any Satellite/Road Runner from '71 and up was overlooked, how about the '71 and up Chargers? Same thing. The so called "Mopar experts" had nothing good to say about them and totally ignored them like they weren't "real" Mopars.
Give it a couple years, we'll get our revenge,,,,,,,,heh-heh-heh.

 

[MiradaMegacab]

Word!

 

[80mirada]

There are a few of the old school restoration guys who love the F&J bodies because they have to restore the parts instead of replacing them.I know of one Mirada is having a very expensive restoration complete this year and a couple of nice original Super Pak Fs that traded for more than the normal high for the market. All of them are in mayor players collections. Hope we see some press on them soon, the Mirada was being done by a buddy,but I doubt the mags will cover them

 

[80 Lebaron Coupe]

ALL well written posts!
There are no Miradas around here in East Texas.
I had to travel 1200 miles round trip to get one.

Guys that are not even car guys, are more attracted to the Mirada then my others.
And most all have never seen a M-Body Coupe.

 

[Aspen500]

About the only mag I know of (and the only one I subscribe to anymore) that would do a feature on an F, M or J body is Mopar Collectors Guide. They've done features on all of those in the past.

 

[Jack Meoff]

I've run into Mopar snobs (my supposed brethren) at shows. Doesn’t bother me one bit. I built my car. Half of those cheque writing pansy asses that I met couldn't change their own oil. What really pisses them off is when I have a bigger crowd around my Caravelle with it's meager Super Six.

Why?

You can trip over A's, B's and E's all day long at a show. Pull in with an M and the people who've hardly seen one go "Wow! What's that???".....and as was said. I drive mine. No trailer queens in my stable.

 

[Aspen500]

I have nothing against A, B, C and E bodies but like you said, after you've seen 100 of each, a different body (F/M/J or otherwise) stands out and will draw a crowd. That group could also include later B-body cars also, for example.

Even at generic shows, there can be row after row of Mustang's, Torino's, etc (and all nice cars) and then you happen upon something like a mint '74 LTD 4 door with a crowd around it. That's from personal experience at a show. All original and I mean the car literally looked brand new off the showroom floor.
I've even noticed in your everyday parking lot full of the usual 2000 and up vehicles, there could be something as yawn inducing as a '84 Ford Tempo that looks brand new (I see it every summer once in a while) and it'll make you look. It's the cars you just don't see everyday, or at shows that are the ones people will notice. You know what I'm saying.