Uh Oh, I'm starting to get the shudders! I can only guess that it's the "Not Having Done A Mod LatelyItis"!:eek::eek:

On man, I gotta have a FIX or it's gonna get worse!:(


WELL........I DO need to do SOMETHING! Don't I?



Ha! Ha! Ha!:D

I hear ya, brotha. It's rough having great ideas, and a good imagination, but not the funds to really back it all up. At least that's the case for me. lol It gets really bad for me when I park my Challenger next to Chris's and see how plain it is. Especially since we started out with identical cars (not at the same time, though. He had his car for a year and a half before I got mine.). lol
nowadays, I'm looking at every little thing I can do, just to scratch the itch, so-to-speak. Things like trying to find a cheaply-priced, used coolant reservoir for the car, so I can paint it TorRed to match, and cover-up it's unsightliness.

Have you replaced your steering center emblem, yet? Now there's a cheap and easy mod you can do (if you haven't already), and enjoy it every time you're behind the wheel.

Here's a link to a few threads on other forums I'm a member of, showing what I'm referring to (Before my Challenger, I had a few Chargers. Loooonnnggg Story. I'll wait for Oreo to chime in here. lol);

http://www.chargerforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99915

http://www.chargerforumz.com/showthread.php?t=101532

http://www.challengertalk.com/forums/f39/steering-wheel-emblem-replacement-8366/

And, here's where you can get them;
http://www.eu-decals.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=926

I got the "SRT8" emblem shown in the pic, with the Black background, and silver letters and edge. Now, to find the time to install it. lol

What about the GTX? Anything you can do there? My '71 GTO has a number things I can (and need to) do to it, if I really need something to fulfill the need for modding.

You're GTX is awesome, by the way. It really makes me miss my Sublime '70 GTX I had many years ago. or, even the two '68 Charger R/Ts I had. Both of which were Track Pack cars, have 440s, 4-speeds and Dana 60s, housing 3.54 gears. One was Green, and the other Blue. The Blue one was a "Mr. Norms" car I sold back in '99, after getting it ready for a restoration.

My GTX was a Super Track Pack car, with a 440, Hemi 727, factory 4.10-equipped Dana, disc brakes, Super Stock springs, and factory coolers on the power steering and transmission. That car also had high back buckets, 15x7 Rally(e)s, and functioning, factory-optioned Air Grabber setup. God, what that car would be worth today. If ever I have the funds, it'll be the car I get again...

I can't afford the classic Mopars nowadays. But, thankfully I'm also a lover of GM rides, especially B.O.P cars (Buick, Olds, and Pontiac's). What I bought my '71 for, could have gotten me a bare shell of a '68-'70 Charger, GTX, Road Runner, etc. lol I posted a good number of pics, and a fair amount of info about the '71 in another thread here;
http://www.gpmm.org/showthread.php?t=1007&page=5

Hope you like the steering wheel mod, idea. Tell me what you think..

well Perfracer, I do have a few things to do to the Charger and MORE that need to be done to the GTX. I have a few small things on order for the R/T. But, am kinda on hold for now.

The GTX, on the other hand, needs some things done to it and I have some parts here, for it. But, there ARE things it needs that are pretty costly, like body work and a Paint job. It LOOKS really good in photos and from a distance, but the previous owner was not a body man by any stretch of the imagination. Being as my "WORK" area is the Driveway, it gets a bit hard to handle at times. I need to finish the brake job on it. When I got it, the master cylinder was bypassing and I drove it from Durant Oklahoma to Greenwood, Arkansas on FRONT wheel brakes ONLY. It needs the carb worked on (it's a Holley 750cfm w/vacuum secondaries) and I have only worked on Carters. the electric cooling fan shelled and I have a new one to put on. I need to get another right front fender, after that accident I had in it, I found that that fender has considerable bondo in it. Got to get myself a new temp control valve for the heater, defroster outlets, & right vent control cable. There are misc braces and fasteners that are missing or have been replace by crappy items. Now, don't get me wrong, while it's far from perfect, I'm PROUD to have it and WILL get it under control. Gonna have to work to get enough money for the paint job! Now, the Drive line seems good to go and I KNOW the rear axle bearings are good, because I just replaced them a little bit back, after the right one shelled! Got to get some tailpipes on there too AND I have a set of those exhaust tips for it as well.Oh yes, I have LOTS to do to the GTX, BUT meanwhile, the R/T looks like nothing's been done, compared to others I've seen. Biggest thing I should have to do to the engine, should be mostly cosmetics. That thing Will Run like a Scalded Dog though. Yeah, It might not be perfect, it might need work, but it's ALL MINE! No PAYMENTS on THAT one!;)

Good Lord, Bill. You're list for the GTX looks just like mine for the GTO regarding the odds and ends. There is some body work I need to do, like fix the crease put in the right rear quarter panel, by the bank that owned the car before I bought it. They sent a kid down to pull it out of storage, and show it to someone. And he smacked the post to the storage unit when pulling it back it. Real nice. I was happy to see it was all metal under there, though. lol

It's funny you mention the whole "driving on only front brakes" thing with your GTX. I did the same thing, and it almost cost me dearly with mine. When I owned mine, in-fact I had just gotten it (this was back in '86), I was living in New york City, so traffic could be very intense. Anyway, I drove the car to a friend's shop one day, and though I was never thrilled with how the car stopped, I really didn't realize there was anything majorly wrong. That is until I tried to stop when pulling into the shop. the floor was oily, and when I applied the brakes, since only the fronts worked, the front tires locked, and just slid across the floor, through the bay, and I almost plowed through the back wall. Thank God I didn't. However, if that wasn't bad enough. We couldn't do anything about the brakes that day, and I made the dumb decision to limp the car home (now knowing there's a brake issue). And, of course had the rotten situation of having someone stop short in-front of me, causing me to lock up the front wheels, only to slow down just enough to tap them bumper to bumper. THANK GOD no damage. Needless to say I got the brakes fixed after that ASAP.

I can also relate to the carb issues, though I think mine's more supply issues. But, I'm not sure. The car falls flat on it's face above 4500 rpm. Just like it's running out of fuel. It's got newer fuel lines, Pontiac's highest-volume, factory pump, and a supposedly blue-printed 800 cfm Quadrajet from a later-year Pontiac. Now, the engine's built a little beefier than stock (very mild head work, big cam, but low compression) Estimates put the engine around 425 hp. I find it hard to believe the stock supply system isn't adequate. I believe there's a problem. Whether it's in the tank, with a clogged pickup, or something. Or, the carb has issues, I don't know yet. Again, one of those things on the "list". lol

What do you feel is wrong with your Holley? Where have you been looking for parts, for the GTX?

And, like you said, though my Goat needs work, and may never be "perfect", it's mine, and I'm real happy/proud to have a classic muscle car in my stable.

I guess I never asked if you're a "Mopar, or no car" kind of guy. If you are, I'll stop writing about the GTO. If you appreciate all muscle cars like I do, I hope you enjoy the conversations about the classics, as much as the new cars.

Abe

Good Lord, Bill. You're list for the GTX looks just like mine for the GTO regarding the odds and ends. There is some body work I need to do, like fix the crease put in the right rear quarter panel, by the bank that owned the car before I bought it. They sent a kid down to pull it out of storage, and show it to someone. And he smacked the post to the storage unit when pulling it back it. Real nice. I was happy to see it was all metal under there, though. lol

It's funny you mention the whole "driving on only front brakes" thing with your GTX. I did the same thing, and it almost cost me dearly with mine. When I owned mine, in-fact I had just gotten it (this was back in '86), I was living in New york City, so traffic could be very intense. Anyway, I drove the car to a friend's shop one day, and though I was never thrilled with how the car stopped, I really didn't realize there was anything majorly wrong. That is until I tried to stop when pulling into the shop. the floor was oily, and when I applied the brakes, since only the fronts worked, the front tires locked, and just slid across the floor, through the bay, and I almost plowed through the back wall. Thank God I didn't. However, if that wasn't bad enough. We couldn't do anything about the brakes that day, and I made the dumb decision to limp the car home (now knowing there's a brake issue). And, of course had the rotten situation of having someone stop short in-front of me, causing me to lock up the front wheels, only to slow down just enough to tap them bumper to bumper. THANK GOD no damage. Needless to say I got the brakes fixed after that ASAP.

I can also relate to the carb issues, though I think mine's more supply issues. But, I'm not sure. The car falls flat on it's face above 4500 rpm. Just like it's running out of fuel. It's got newer fuel lines, Pontiac's highest-volume, factory pump, and a supposedly blue-printed 800 cfm Quadrajet from a later-year Pontiac. Now, the engine's built a little beefier than stock (very mild head work, big cam, but low compression) Estimates put the engine around 425 hp. I find it hard to believe the stock supply system isn't adequate. I believe there's a problem. Whether it's in the tank, with a clogged pickup, or something. Or, the carb has issues, I don't know yet. Again, one of those things on the "list". lol

What do you feel is wrong with your Holley? Where have you been looking for parts, for the GTX?

And, like you said, though my Goat needs work, and may never be "perfect", it's mine, and I'm real happy/proud to have a classic muscle car in my stable.

I guess I never asked if you're a "Mopar, or no car" kind of guy. If you are, I'll stop writing about the GTO. If you appreciate all muscle cars like I do, I hope you enjoy the conversations about the classics, as much as the new cars.

Abe

Yeah, I can appreciate your input here and while I am pretty much a Mopar guy, I CAN and DO appreciate the others as well. I never had a different 60's Muscle car or such, BUT I DID have a '58 Chevy Impala 2dr hdtp w/ the 348 4 barrel and THAT was a good ride that I thoroughly enjoyed AND kinda miss. That old sucker ran well and had gobs of torque. :D Some mistook the 348 for a 409 and I didn't tell them any different!:rolleyes:

Back in the day, I tried to keep up with as much of what was going on with ALL of the Muscle cars/ Performance cars, that I could. I was a fan of the '62 SS Impalas w/409ci/409hp, GTOs up to the Ram Air IVs, 442s w/ THEIR Ram Air setups, Buick GS/GSX, Chevelle SS, Mach I & Boss Mustangs, Fairlane GT/GTA, Cyclone GT/GTA, AMX, Avanti/Lark Daytona Not to forget the '62 Gran Prix w/421, 4sp. If I forgot any, I'm sorry. I was just into the whole thing, just especially the Performance cars of the Mopar lineup. So, DON'T stop talking about the GTO. Your GTO to you, is like MY GTX is to me. While I was a road runner guy back in the day, the GTX is basically the same car, as you know and IT is MY reminder of times past and would only be sold, AS a VERY LAST resort. So, you just keep on knocking out the input, as you can AND you will have THIS guy reading it all
(among others, I'm sure).;)
.

Thanks Bill. From everything you've said in this post, as well as others, I have to say I'm a bit envious of you seeing as you were so blessed to have lived through the first muscle car era. To see all of those cars new on dealership lots, and rolling down the boulevards. Hemi's going head to head with 427s. 409s battling it out with 413, or 426 Max Wedges. Man, it had to be awesome.
I was born in '70, and I can remember back to the mid-to-late '70s cars. Well past the pinnacle of the performance era. But, still early enough to see some of the real ground pounders running around. I remember a particular 440+6, convertible Challenger R/T in Panther Pink that used to park by my mom's job down town (I lived in NYC). Or the '68 Charger that was parked up the street from out apartment building.
I stated my love for cars early on. I picked up my first Hot Rod issues when I was six, or seven, and I was hooked. I was so hooked, my dad got me subscriptions to all of the big-name muscle car mags he could. It was funny, even at that young an age, I used to take care of my magazines, and put them away neatly, so nothing would happen to them. My dad even let me have a crack at the steering wheel of the family's '64 Olds '98 with it's "High Compression" 345 hp, 394. It was a beautiful Black 2-door convertible. What a monster that car was to me. Someday I will own one of them in memory of my dad, and my childhood years.
Even though I was of single digit age, I still remember when the first Smokey and the Bandit came out in '77. And, how awesome that Trans Am was in the flick. I can remember when I read how the 220 hp, 400 cubic inch engine that powered the '79 T/As, which at the time were the fastest domestic, regular production car available, would no longer be available in the '80 model. And, how it was replaced with a 215 hp, Turbo 301 that could only be saddled with an automatic. The 14-second ET's that could be produced by the '79 were leaps and bounds ahead of the 16-second ET's produced by the new Turbo TA. I'm pretty sure, before the '78 and '79 T/As held the fastest title, it was Dodge and Plymouth who did, with the Little Red Express and Warlock Pickups, packin' 440s, and producing low 15-, even high 14-second ET's on occasion? I also remember the fit I pitched when I saw the "new" Firebirds and Camaros for '82. And, how I thought they were just so ruined, and were both powered by corporate 305 Chevy engines..
Thankfully, I was also on-hand to see the turn around in '85 with Tuned Port Corvettes, Camaros and Firebirds. And, the re-introduction to 14-second ET's. I believe there were some Omni's running around back then with turbos and massaging from Shelby himself, that could knock out the same numbers, too. Then the '86 and '87 Turbo Regals, which brought us back into the 13-second range, along with the Callaway Twin Turbo Corvettes. It's been a rush ever since. And, if someone would have told me in 1982, when I was 12 years old, that there was going to be a day of 500+ horsepower machines available at most any dealer, and cars capable of low 11-second ET's off the floor in the future. I would have called the cops because I would have considered that person on drugs, or mentally unstable. lol
But, here we are. And, you got to see all of it. I can only imagine the memories and experiences you've had.
I bought my first car when I just turned 15. It was a '71 Challenger R/T that had seen better days, yet packed a 383, 727 and Dana 60 rear It was Orange, and needed everything. My shop teacher saw the car was way out of my abilities, and made the guy give me my money back, because he lied about too many things. "You mean the front wheel were cambered in several inches at the top because the car was lowered? It was because the shock towers and inner fenders were all torn apart, and no metal was attaching them anymore. Oh." lol
After that, it was a '71 Grand Prix SJ with a 455, then my Green '68 Charger R/T, then '77 Trans Am SE, Black and Gold with a 400. It was then my '70 GTX, and then a '70 RA III 400/4-speed GTO. Then an '80 Turbo Trans Am WS6, which grenaded it's original 301 on the way home, prompting me to replace it with 400s during the years of ownership. After that, I got into late models for the time. It was 1990, and I picked up a barely used '88 Formula 350. That car was quick, and never lost to anything. Stock it smoked the tires to low-to-mid 14s, practically spinning all of first. It was a freak for sure. NYC wasn't kind to that car. 10 months after ownership, and after having bolted a Paxton supercharger kit to it, enabling it to run mid 12's, it was stolen, never to be seen again. From there it was several more 3rd gen F-bodies, and then in '97 I got back into the Muscle cars, and picked up my Blue '68 Charger R/T. Enjoyed that car. Tore it down for restoration at my friend's shop in Ohio, and could keep making the trips to work on it, nor had any real time to devout to it. So, I sold it in '99.

I'm going to have to leave it there. Time to sign off. I'll pick up again later. But, feel free to tell your tale in all it's glory.

Be blessed, Bill. And anyone else reading this. :)

Thanks Bill. From everything you've said in this post, as well as others, I have to say I'm a bit envious of you seeing as you were so blessed to have lived through the first muscle car era. To see all of those cars new on dealership lots, and rolling down the boulevards. Hemi's going head to head with 427s. 409s battling it out with 413, or 426 Max Wedges. Man, it had to be awesome.
I was born in '70, and I can remember back to the mid-to-late '70s cars. Well past the pinnacle of the performance era. But, still early enough to see some of the real ground pounders running around. I remember a particular 440+6, convertible Challenger R/T in Panther Pink that used to park by my mom's job down town (I lived in NYC). Or the '68 Charger that was parked up the street from out apartment building.
I stated my love for cars early on. I picked up my first Hot Rod issues when I was six, or seven, and I was hooked. I was so hooked, my dad got me subscriptions to all of the big-name muscle car mags he could. It was funny, even at that young an age, I used to take care of my magazines, and put them away neatly, so nothing would happen to them. My dad even let me have a crack at the steering wheel of the family's '64 Olds '98 with it's "High Compression" 345 hp, 394. It was a beautiful Black 2-door convertible. What a monster that car was to me. Someday I will own one of them in memory of my dad, and my childhood years.
Even though I was of single digit age, I still remember when the first Smokey and the Bandit came out in '77. And, how awesome that Trans Am was in the flick. I can remember when I read how the 220 hp, 400 cubic inch engine that powered the '79 T/As, which at the time were the fastest domestic, regular production car available, would no longer be available in the '80 model. And, how it was replaced with a 215 hp, Turbo 301 that could only be saddled with an automatic. The 14-second ET's that could be produced by the '79 were leaps and bounds ahead of the 16-second ET's produced by the new Turbo TA. I'm pretty sure, before the '78 and '79 T/As held the fastest title, it was Dodge and Plymouth who did, with the Little Red Express and Warlock Pickups, packin' 440s, and producing low 15-, even high 14-second ET's on occasion? I also remember the fit I pitched when I saw the "new" Firebirds and Camaros for '82. And, how I thought they were just so ruined, and were both powered by corporate 305 Chevy engines..
Thankfully, I was also on-hand to see the turn around in '85 with Tuned Port Corvettes, Camaros and Firebirds. And, the re-introduction to 14-second ET's. I believe there were some Omni's running around back then with turbos and massaging from Shelby himself, that could knock out the same numbers, too. Then the '86 and '87 Turbo Regals, which brought us back into the 13-second range, along with the Callaway Twin Turbo Corvettes. It's been a rush ever since. And, if someone would have told me in 1982, when I was 12 years old, that there was going to be a day of 500+ horsepower machines available at most any dealer, and cars capable of low 11-second ET's off the floor in the future. I would have called the cops because I would have considered that person on drugs, or mentally unstable. lol
But, here we are. And, you got to see all of it. I can only imagine the memories and experiences you've had.
I bought my first car when I just turned 15. It was a '71 Challenger R/T that had seen better days, yet packed a 383, 727 and Dana 60 rear It was Orange, and needed everything. My shop teacher saw the car was way out of my abilities, and made the guy give me my money back, because he lied about too many things. "You mean the front wheel were cambered in several inches at the top because the car was lowered? It was because the shock towers and inner fenders were all torn apart, and no metal was attaching them anymore. Oh." lol
After that, it was a '71 Grand Prix SJ with a 455, then my Green '68 Charger R/T, then '77 Trans Am SE, Black and Gold with a 400. It was then my '70 GTX, and then a '70 RA III 400/4-speed GTO. Then an '80 Turbo Trans Am WS6, which grenaded it's original 301 on the way home, prompting me to replace it with 400s during the years of ownership. After that, I got into late models for the time. It was 1990, and I picked up a barely used '88 Formula 350. That car was quick, and never lost to anything. Stock it smoked the tires to low-to-mid 14s, practically spinning all of first. It was a freak for sure. NYC wasn't kind to that car. 10 months after ownership, and after having bolted a Paxton supercharger kit to it, enabling it to run mid 12's, it was stolen, never to be seen again. From there it was several more 3rd gen F-bodies, and then in '97 I got back into the Muscle cars, and picked up my Blue '68 Charger R/T. Enjoyed that car. Tore it down for restoration at my friend's shop in Ohio, and could keep making the trips to work on it, nor had any real time to devout to it. So, I sold it in '99.

I'm going to have to leave it there. Time to sign off. I'll pick up again later. But, feel free to tell your tale in all it's glory.

Be blessed, Bill. And anyone else reading this. :)

Thanks for that. Thing IS though, I saw a number of those cars in magazines and didn't get to see them in real life (I'm talking the factory hot rods like the Super Stock Mopars and such. Oh I saw all of the 60's and up performance cars though. Also, When they were TALKING about the Little Red Truck (came with the 360 in IT), I read everything I could get my hands on and when they came out with the actual truck, I drove my '69 road runner hdtp down down to Little Rock Dodge to check the Little Red Express out. Soon as I drove onto the lot, a salesman came right out and started telling ME that he could make me "Such A Deal" on my road runner. I kept telling him that there was No Way that he could make ME a deal on MY car. Finally, when he wouldn't let up, I told him "Okay, Look, You give ME the title and keys to the Little Red Express and I'll give YOU the title and keys to my '69 road runner!" He, immediately, said "I can't Do THAT!" I said, "That's what I told YOU, NOW let ME look at this truck!" Well, THEN he started trying to tell me about the truck. I stopped him and started telling HIM about the truck while correcting the misinformation he had told me! So, he said, let's go for a ride and I agreed to that. I pulled up to a stop sign and he said "Get on it!" So, I got on it a bit and he said, "no REALLY get on it!" So, when I stopped again, I NAILED It! Should have seen the look on his face. That truck was talking through those twin stacks and spinning those tires! I think he was really happy, when I left the lot that day.:D For a fact, that 1st year Little Red Express was the fastest, quickest, cheapest to buy, had the smallest engine & got the best gas mileage of everything it was run against (somewhere, I have the issue of Car Craft and the issue of Pickup, Van and 4 wheel drive magazines that put the Little Red Express up against the hottest vehicles of every class that there was at the time. I really had fun at Little Rock Dodge that day though.;)

HAHA, it happens fast Bill!

HAHA, it happens fast Bill!

Yeah, Really!:rolleyes:


I can tell you all that I went to a car show in Detroit Mich once, back in the '90s, that I was just speechless at what I saw. Up there, because of the weather, they are liable to have a car show just happen on a parking lot, with hardly any notice to the public. I saw on up there once that had some of the cars that I had only seen in magazines and read about. The main ones I'm talking about are the Super Stock Dodges and Plymouths. 413 Max Wedges w/ short ram inducted dual quads, factory tuned exhaust systems, battery mounted in the trunk (keep in mind that this one was a 1963 Plymouth)! 426 Max Wedge cars, and Some 426 Hemi cars (being the 1st Hemi I ever laid eyes on, with those massive wrinkle black valve covers)!:eek: :cool: ;) I don't even remember all that I saw I was just dumb founded!