Thursday, January 12, 2012

What does "Mopar" mean in the world of cars?

Refering to Plymouth Hemi Barracudas specifically, the term is probably used for other cars.What does "Mopar" mean in the world of cars?
MOPAR is MOtor PARts, serving Daimler/Chrysler Corporation. Initially was parts for Chrysler similar to Motorcraft for Ford. It got REAL big in the 60's %26amp; 70's in the racing circuits and the muscle cars. Now it is pretty much generic for Chrysler products.
Mopar is the manufacturer of the parts that go into the making of Chrysler, Plymouth, Dodge, and DeSoto's. It stands for Motor Parts.What does "Mopar" mean in the world of cars?
that's short for " more runnin' for parts"
Dodge, Plymouth, and Chrysler autos. The term dates back to the fifties or sixties. The "hemi" engines really put Mopars on the map beginning in the fifties. Their heyday was during the sixties and seventies when the 428 Hemi engines absolutely ruled race tracks all across the US. The engines were so powerful that limits were put on them to regulate their outout because Chevy and Ford could not match them. There just wasn't a race when Hemis were on the track.

Mopar still holds a very special place in the hearts of muscle cars fans. I still remember when Roadrunners and SuperBees and Challengers and Cudas and Chargers and Satellites and Furys dominated the street. I had a 1969 Charger with a 383 Commando that was absolutely frightening in terms of power. Coupled with the indestructible Mopar drive train these cars were nothing but a slice of heaven for all of us young men with way too much testosterone. My Charger would absolutely burn the tires off in the blink of an eye. Most of us with auto transmissions practiced and perfected power braking. It was nothing short of inspiring when I would feel that certain pressure on the brake pedal. Just enough to lock the front wheels, but let the rear wheels still spin. When I felt that sweet spot with my left foot I would drop the shifter into low and gently add power with my right foot. The rear of the car would raise slightly and I would feel the rear wheels start to turn. There was a slight "bumping" sensation as the tires accelerated through a certain rpm range. When the wheels reached sufficient rpm that bumping would stop I would firewall the pedal and the 383 would practically explode with horsepower. The rear end would raise slightly again and the smoke would start boiling from the wheelwells. I would hold it until I could no longer see the rear of the car in the side mirror and smoke started to fill the cabin. I would then release the brakes and the front of the car would almost lift from the ground as the sticky-hot L60-15 Goodyears hooked up. One friend told me he did see air under the right front tire once. When the tach reached about 4500 rpm I would slide the shifter into "D" and let the tranny manage the power. I never lost a race in that car.

That is a Mopar. Whew! Those were the days.What does "Mopar" mean in the world of cars?
parts

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