In 1991 and 1992, the Dodge Spirit R/T was the quickest four-door sold in the U.S. and the fastest mass-produced sedan in the world.
The Dodge Charger Hellcat’s rise to the top of the sport sedan segment shouldn’t come as a surprise. Though many were shocked when Dodge had the audacity to build a 707-horsepower grocery-getter, the American automaker has a long-history of catching the automotive industry off guard.
Though few still remember the legend, the Hellcat isn’t the first time Dodge shockingly overthrew Germany’s finest to become king of the sport sedan segment. BMW, Mercedes, and Audi were unquestionably the gold standard of tire-scorching, corner-carving four-doors. But in 1991 and ‘92, Dodge completely embarrassed the German triumvirate with its budget-friendly, front-wheel drive Dodge Spirit.
This isn’t entirely true, but of the 1400 Spirit R/Ts sold in the US in 1991-1992, only a few are for sale right now. Perhaps they … a good deal. Find this 1992 Dodge Spirit R/T offered here on craigslist for $1000 in Maquoketa, IA.
This isn’t entirely true, but of the 1400 Spirit R/Ts sold in the US in 1991-1992, only a few are for sale right now. Perhaps they … a good deal. Find this 1992 Dodge Spirit R/T offered here on craigslist for $1000 in Maquoketa, IA.
Date: 19th January 2012 Username: j4278h Full Name: City, State, Zip: 49079 Contact: pm Price: 350 Description:1992 Dodge Spirit R/T 150mph instrument cluster with 180k miles on it. Since I’ve had this car for 5 plus years …
However, these two Dodges, listed separately but sold by the same seller, are tempting for the creative gifter. It’s the thought that counts. Find this 1991 Dodge Spirit R/T and this 1992 Dodge Daytona Iroc R/T for sale in …
It’s almost like Christmas every time part come in for #ProjectSportsRoof. Here’s what came in this week: Fresh from North of our border are these wood insert for.
Thanks for checking back on the #ProjectSportsRoof progress. Wrapping up the Pertronix install, I’ll had an issue. After install the system the car would not start. So I re-gapped the Pertronix and still it wouldn’t start. I was sure I didn’t screw up the firing order when I put the new cap on, but I pulled out the book and rechecked. Not the problem.
So I went about putting the points and condenser back in and it still didn’t fire up, put the old coil back on and still no luck. I put the Pertronix back in and of course the beast would not fire up.
This video covers it.
If you read the previous post and watched the video, you would have noticed gas seeping from a crack in the rubber line just above the “steam punk” fuel pressure gauge and the collection of hose clams. Truly a work of art – no doubt, but totally a mess.
Ye,s I should have looked that over better and replaced it prior running the car. However, it’s better now and a solid temporarily fix. Here a clip.
Again, this is a temp fix and a proper line will be installed eventually.
Here’s a wrenching tip: When install hose clamps on a gas line, be sure you’ve tighten them all before your start the car. Gas has a tendency to not flow in the desired direction, when not well contained. Yeah…gas everywhere and not just a little. Here’s garage tip: Cat Litter – buckets full!!! ‘nough said!!!
Thanks for reading and as always….let me hear from you.
As I march down the dark path that is the diagnostic process to find out the health of the 351 Cleveland, the first steps are to clean up a few leaks (mainly so it.
As I posted before, after a vigorous (not read ‘desperate’) I finally found my next personal project. The 1973 Mustang Sports Roof Fastback is what I settled on.
Continuing on with the leaks and Pertronix install on the 351C, below you’ll see the cleaned up valve covers (BTW – only the right side was leaking – which may explain.
Last week my wife had to sit for a certification exam for her profession. It was conducted over multiple days and held in Phoenix, AZ. That is about a 1.5 hours drive (unless I’m driving the Vette, just joking always, obey the speed limits kids!!) north of Tucson and it made sense to grab a hotel room and spend 3 days. While she was enduring the slow torture that they cleverly called “taking the exam”, I was left with a very rare, continuous span of free time.
I don’t know about you, but when I end up with unappropriated time and I’m in a hotel room, I don’t spend it watching HBO. I’ll jump on the WiFi and find some car action. This was a perfect time to find some local car shows or events. Just so happens on the way to the hotel I saw a sign, a few exits before the one we exited to reach the hotel, that read “Auto Museum”.
I gave that a Google and found the exact address. The museum was called Mel Martin’s Auto Museum – “Phoenix’s Largest Auto Museum” and it was only open from noon to five the next day and asked for a $5 donation. So I put that on my to do list and head there the next day.
The museum is on a one way frontage road. The building looks to be an old self-storage place converted in to businesses. The museum entrance looks unassuming and you wouldn’t think it large enough to house 60 cars and a ton of automobilia.
Here are some highlights:
What kind of car museum would you be without a Corvette or two?
This beautiful 427 is an eye catcher!
Check out Corvette Row!!!
Here is a Vette you don’t see anywhere!!!
The 1992 Lister Corvette
Great lines…barely resembles a C4.
Front end looks like a Jaguar’s
I think the 17″ wheels are great looking!!!
The hood has those breathing holes for a reason. The LT1 under the hood…yeah it’s Vortech Supercharged!!! 500HP and 454 LB-FT of torque!!! Only automatic produced.
It also included the 1978 25th Anniversary Indianapolis Pace car.
Only 15 miles on this well-preserved beauty! (No, I don’t know why I took the pic this way.)
Thanks for reading. More coming up on Mel Martin’s Auto Museum.
From dust to dust, people and cars come and go, but sometimes the old is reborn … and out of the dust emerges something immaculate.
A 1969 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 428 Cobra Jet is a mouthful to say but it will drop any car enthusiasts jaw. This particular garage-find was owned and perfectly preserved by a now-deceased automotive connoisseur and set for auction — hot on the heels of the submersible Lotus Esprit used by James Bond in “Never Say Never Again” and a ’63 Ferrari GTO that became the most expensive car ever sold.
Larry never washed the car for fear of scratching the paint job or cause even the slightest bit of rust. Yahoo News estimates that the only time the car was ever washed was before delivery. Accordingly, the car is in absolute showroom condition, except for a layer of dust.
GT 500 Love the hood!!
This snake features a larger, 428-cubic-inch Cobra Jet engine mated to a four-speed manual transmission, which has run only 8,500 miles in total. The spark plugs, belts, fan, and hoses are all original. The only items that are not from 1968 are the tires.
Considering that this highly collectable GT500 has sat idle since 1973, it’s an extreme rarity. The Mustang was originally purchased for just $5,245 in 1969. Now, though, it should sell at auction for over $100,000.
The car will be auctioned off by Ron Gilligan Auctioneering on April 25.
It also looks like pack-rat owner also owned a 1971 Ford Ranchero with only 53,000 miles on it, and get this … a 1974 Ford Econoline Custom 100 van with only 554 original miles. Both vehicles are for sale along with a variety of other mint, perfectly maintained vehicles from the estate.
This 1969 Shelby GT500 that will hit the auction block later this month is one of those rare Drag Pack-equipped Shelby Mustangs. Only 1,157 GT500 Sportsroofs were built, but 25 of those came with the Drag Pack and 4.30 gears. An of those, only seven …
The automotive world may have shifted its focus to the sixth-generation Ford Mustang, but the previous breed is still going strong. Shelby has just announced the Signature Edition GT500 Super Snake, a rip-roaring tribute to the Mustang’s fifth generation.
So many times I have marveled at the seeming multitudes of vintage American cars in the country of Cuba. There’s never been a lot of press on these cars but now that some of the barriers are down, I’m hoping there is a lot to learn about the car culture that as grown our of necessity. I’m not expecting to see a vintage Buick with the original V8 and perfect body and interior. I am hoping to see is what has been done to these cars. Some purists would might not be able stomach what has been accomplished but it is truly a unique sub-culture that has flourished on its own without all the trapping we have surrounding our beloved hobby.
The article below is from CarGurus blog via Throttel Response.
Cuban Car Culture
The cars of Cuba are somewhat legendary in the United States, because the vehicles that roamed the roads there in the 1950s are the same ones being driven today. Since we’re not allowed to go there, very few of us have seen them in person, yet we know they exist.
Does that mean American collectors should start salivating over the prospect of virtually untouched classics if Cuba and the U.S. become friends again?
Probably not. The 1959 Cuban revolution essentially put an end to imports of American cars, so Cubans have had to make do for the last 55 years with what they had, or buy Soviet-era imports. That means no new parts, no new cars and lots of Chevrolets and Buicks running with Soviet-made engines.
With over a half-century of neglect and little real maintenance, it’s a miracle that somewhere around 60,000 of these classics are still being driven. If the U.S. and Cuba do rekindle their old flame, it won’t be the Americans who benefit.
I believe I have a few readers that may have first hand knowledge of the Cuban car culture. I’m always looking for more information. Have any images? Contact me via this blog and we’ll make a deal.
For years, importing cars between the United States and Cuba has been illegal, forcing Cuban mechanists to be resourceful in fixing up old cars. With the recent easing of trade embargoes between the two countries, Cuba’s vintage cars could now be a …
“I can see the first couple of cars that are shiny and have some sort of interesting drive-train – Russian tractor diesel, for instance – bringing $50,000 or so at a Barrett-Jackson auction, if they are the first Cuban cars to sell publicly in the US …
Classic Cuban Cars Coming to US? Think Again. By: Chris Cybulski; 12/19/2014 10:09 AM; ShareThis Facebook Tweet Email; Text size: + -. TWC News: Lower Restrictions to Bring Changes to Cuba Play now. Time Warner Cable video customers:
I don’t know about every car gal and guy, but I don’t enjoy shopping as a rule, clothes, gifts and food shopping is a chore!! To be honest shopping for new or used cars is not a great time for me. At times, even car parts shopping can be annoying. I’m much happier when I get what I need and get back to wrenchin’.
But today was different. Today’s shopping experience was…well…the perfect setting for my kind of shopping.
There is nothing like a 50 degree day here in Southern Arizona and a junkyard where the newest cars there is 1970. The weather was perfect for climbing over cars, that would normally be like walking on a 150 degree griddle in the summer time, wading through a sea of 1930, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s hub cabs and trailblazing through the tall weeds in search of my next project car.
Yes the 1970 Mustang is gone – living a life of leisure in a collection in the mid west and the 1984 C4 is in the hands of a Corvette lover – south of the border. And after clearing the purchase of a new project car with the she who has to put up with the mess and I am on the hunt.
Today I met up with my brother-in-law and my nephew and we did execute a perfect car guy’s shopping excursion.
This was a good sign!!!!
The salvage yard has been in place for 60 years or more, I’ve known the owner for nearly 30 years and recently the place was damaged by some huge flooding issues. The owner isn’t in great health is clearing out some of the desirable cars.
The car gods were shining some light for this shopping trip.
He was mainly a Ford car, restoring and collecting Model T’s (including a Model T doing duty as a tow truck) so there are a lot of Fords – Comets, Fairlanes, Falcons, Ford Customs, Thunderbirds and on and on. There are a few MOPARs there as well, including a 1971 Charger and a Satellite with a 400 under the hood. There’s a few Chevys as well and Covairs, Impalas and 50’s Caddies and some very cool military Kaiser Jeeps.
We covered a lot of ground and I’m look for a complete car – mostly. Here in Arizona the heat is not kind to the interiors, so they is little doubt that an interior will be a necessity. I need to it to have the basics – good frame – engine, front and rear ends in-tack and depending on the car good glass.
So what caught my eye (beside everything I mentioned above)?
1961 Comet – Nice little 2 door car with 6 cylinder under the good (oh yes there’s room in there for something bigger for sure!!!).
Nice straight body – got to love those tail lights!!!
Interior is mostly there!
There was also this Mercury Cougar, clearly used for a race car based on the stickers on the side and the tires.
Cougar!!!!
I also found a car I’ve been interested in getting my hands on for a few years and that’s a 1970 Thunderbird.
Here are a few more shots from the yard.
While I’m waiting for the owner to give an idea what he wants for the cars I’m interested in, the hunt continues!!! This was a great day!!!!
Racing game enthusiasts may have been dismayed when Bandai Namco delayed Project Cars from its holiday release. To ease fans’ wait, the publisher has released a set of screens showing off the racer’s new tracks. Project Cars‘ new tracks are the Mazda …
We’ve all seen optimistic “project cars” listed for sale online–worthless run-down husks whose owners still believe there’s value hidden somewhere between the rust and the missing parts. That’s why you need to read this eBay listing for a BMW Isetta …
Here is the line up of Auto Factoids for the first week in December!!!
Nov 30 1960 De Soto ceases production. The last De Soto produced were really the Chrysler Windsor, most did not sale, even though dealerships continued to received cars after the brand was terminated.
1961 Windsor
1961 DeSoto
Way before that on Nov 30, 1900 Germany patented an automobile front wheel drive. Although this is a common historic fact, there is some evidence that the first production car with front wheel drive was a French car. There exists a French Patent around 1898 or 1899. The manufacturer was Société Parisienne and the car was the Victoria Combination.
It was a lightweight two-seater trailer,known as a ‘Victoria’, combined with the back axle and mechanical components of a motor tricycle, but this axle was placed in front of the trailer and steered by a long tiller on which the controls were located. The first examples were powered by 1.75 or 2.5 horsepower De Dion Bouton engines geared directly to the differential, but larger engines of this make were fitted as they became available.
1900 Victoria Combination
December 1, 1925 GM purchased Vauxhall. Vauxhall started out as engine manufacturer mainly for pumps and marine use (1857 – Alex Wilson). They began making cars in 1903. Here is a video of a 1903 Vauxhall. They are still producing cars using the Opel name under GM.
One more of it on a road test.
Back 1913 (just over 100 years ago) on Dec 1, Ford fired up the first continuous assembly line.
Ford’s Production Line
And just one day and 14 years later (Dec 2, 1927) Ford began selling Models A off this assembly line.
1927 Model A
Dec 3, 1951 is Rick Mears birthday – one of only three drivers to win the Indianapolis 500 3 times.
Rick Mears in his Formula 1 car
That round out the week. Thanks for reading Auto Factoids.
Tim
If you’d like to sponsor a week of Auto Factoids contact me directly.
I never want to take readers for granted. They are the life’s blood for a blogger and I appreciate all of them.
Here in the U.S. we sometimes think – just by volume of publications that we are the “hub” of the automotive hobby, but there is so much more in all the countries listed below. Innovation from the land down-under to some cool retro stuff in Japan and some very awesome car shows in Switzerland and all those British cars!!!!
Thanks to all readers in each of the countries below!!!!! You folks ROCK!!!!! Keep up the great work.
UK
Canada Australia
France Mexico
Germany Brazil
Italy Portugal
Turkey Russian Federation
Spain Puerto Rico
Switzerland Belgium
Japan Ireland
Philippines Malaysia
Tim
[ ATTRIBUTE: Please check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/76492175@N08/10151221815 to find out how to attribute this image ]
BTW it you are a Corvette owner or enthusiasts and you are not a member of the Museum – you should be and here is the perfect reason why. Read on!!!
History of the GS-90
In 1994, Corvette racing driver and tuner, Dick Guldstrand introduced his first and only coachbuilt Corvette: the GS90. The car is based on the Corvette ZR-1 chassis and engine designed by Steve Winter. When the C4 ZR-1 was released, Guldstrand saw an opportunity to bring back the Grand Sport he used to race with, pitching the concept of his radically restyled ZR-1 to Chevrolet. He requested several ZR-1s and a few million dollars. Instead he received one car and a blessing.
The GS90 was Guldstrand’s ultimate 475hp version of the ZR-1, incorporating influences from the Grand Sports of the early 60s inside a distinctive body style that is a throwback to the original 1963 Corvette Grand Sport race cars. Guldstrand left the ZR-1 cabin alone, concentrating instead on the chassis and engine development, and bespoke coachbuilt distinctive body.
[ ATTRIBUTE: Please check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/76492175@N08/10151221815 to find out how to attribute this image ]
