What's your favorite car?

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Always liked Mopars, I still have my 69 Dart I got my license in.
It was my third car, first was a 42 Ford GPW Jeep, second was a 41 1/2 ton closed cab Dodge weapons carrier pickup with winch.
I added it up years ago I had 26 cars and I think I've had a few more since then.
I always liked military trucks and muscle cars. I also had a 70 Duster 340 and a few other interesting cars to me.
I currently have a 95 Neon highline coupe daily and a 78 Dodge 3/4 ton van just because it was dirt cheap dry rolling storage that ran and a lot of new parts, plus the Dart.
Used to hit local junk yards/swap neets collecting parts cheap and sometimes selling desirable peices.
Still have a bunch of stuff for the Dart.
 
Mopars can be really addictive. I still have one military vehicle left;M-43. Been parked over in ID for the last 15 yrs. The arid climate preserves it...I know I could still start it once I got all the stale gas out. Indestructible. I was headed to the Mopar Nationals once to pick up a '70 GTX with the Hemi. Never made it and then had a reversal of fortunes.


 


Darts were cool and ran forever...parts always plentiful.


 


We had a kid in HS whose dad owned the biggest Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth dealership in St.Louis. He would virtually come to school in a new muscle car almost daily. Some were close to one-offs....like a yellow 340 Duster with a rear spoiler that had graphics down the running board that read; 1/4 mile Duster. Try to find that one in the books. Then one day he hit a bridge in something daddy let him drive..didn't die, but that was the end of his car 'show'.


 


You're the first person that I've ever heard(besides me) that made a connection between military vehicles and muscle cars...very cool!


 


Kevin
 
Dodge Power Wagon???

Well in any case, there are a few around here also. Sold from an air national guard base surplus nearby.
All kinds of cars here. Just yesterday, I saw a '72 Chevelle convertible, a '69 or '70 Boss Mustang, a '77-ish Chrysler New Yorker, '55 Mercury, 3 corvettes, a Buick Grand National--those are very prominent here, a '72 Eldorado, all within five minutes.
 
Yep, the early Dodge 4x4 military trucks became the Power Wagon when the war ended. The early ones had pretty much the same running gear and engine in a bigger pickup body.
They eventually updated to sometimes getting the early y block 318 then went civilian but bullet proof running gear till probably 72.
Mine was a first gen early 1/2 ton pickup version, built with 3/4 ton parts created so the military couldn't kill it.
They were only built in 41-42, then they beefed em up more and lowered the body and went unique military bodies mostly with a bigger 230 engine. The later ones use bigger 900-16 tires and a flat nose.
The early ones had a rounded nose and most had some sort of civilian cab, many times cut down to work for whatever body it had.
The Ambulance in the beginning of Mash was a 1/2 ton version to give those not familiar a idea what they looked like.
The civilian version also got a 2 speed transfer case, all the early 4x4 military versions had single speed transfer with a granny low and super low gears in the differentials.
4:88-1 for the 1/2 ton and 5:86-1 for the 3/4 ton and they all had a max speed of 55mph.
Always liked that all our trucks were purpose built, could climb a wall, and almost indestructible.
Muscle cars were just built to go fast and try to beat the other manufacturers, and I'm partial to Mopars as I think they had better running gear and engines.
 
The civilian power wagons that swapped out some drive line and brakes parts, were one ton trucks from the 60's. Everything else on the M-37's and M-43's I had were basically proprietary. Waterproof ignition, funky dist, funky Carter carb with a water trap, oversized shocks. Saw the same basic engine in a 40's something Dodge Bros hearse though. So it had been around awhile...lol.


 


Kevin
 
Dodge actually was making HUGE 1 1/2 4x4 trucks for the military since 1933. They were the first to use a in/out front drive lever and transfer case. Before that they were always locked into all wheel drive and that was a major advance. The early ones looked like some huge model A pickup or something with a military bed on the back and were very tall with lots of ground clearance.
Other makers were building all kinda of oddball trucks for them back then including early FWD trucks and Ford, plus the early just before war stuff everyone was prototyping like Chevy and GMC with early 4x4 and 6x6 trucks that also used civilian cabs with beefed up running gear and the grill guards/cages on the nose to protect them a bit.
The big thing on the Korean/Vietnam trucks was 24 volt electrical, and water proof everything with provisions for adding a snorkel system so as long as the engine could get air they could drive underwater.
They did it on some of the later WW2 stuff too but most of the early stuff wasn't water proofed from the factory.
So that is probably the main difference from the same engine in civilian use hence the special distributor, carb, and other stuff.
The basic Flathead 6 has been around since probably when Dodge first sold a 6 probably in the twenties and the displacement just kept getting bigger.
My 41 cane with a 218 but had a 56 Plymouth 230 in it which had a lot more power but externally was identical and would bolt directly in, a popular swap to keep em going back in the day.
As far as cars I've had a 69 Sport Fury with a 350 horse 440, the Duster, Dart, another /6 Dart, 72 Satellite a friend and I bought cheap to flip with a 318, a few parts cars mostly to upgrade or repair the Dart over the years and a 50 Dodge Coronet 2 door I never got running with a fluid drive trans and a flat head like the Power Wagon, plus a bunch of forgettable cars I thought I was going to drive or gave up on after wasting money trying to fix em up and drive them.
The Dart I upgraded everything to 340 specs with a 383 nose that was on it when I got it. I put a performer intake, Thermoquad carb, early 340 manifolds, 3.23 sure grip, poly front end bushings and front and rear sway bars.
I also have all the parts to convert to big bolt disk brakes in stock and later police 15" rims. It also came with fast ratio 16 to 1 manual steering which was a rare option and makes steering much quicker but harder to turn.
 
There were some basic differences/refinement from the MASH type M-37's/M-43 and the series I had from the 60's. All the 60's models were 3/4 ton, but parts that were alike in the civilian market at that time were from 1 ton Power Wagons. Lots of guys ripped out the 24 volt systems and slapped in V-8's. I used the trucks just the way they came from the factory. They are highly supported now in their originality. Back in the early 80's there was only Memphis Equipment and a guy back east who was sending them over to work in the Middle East oil fields. He was an interesting character to deal with, but he always could put his hands on original parts. Memphis Equipment was running out of OE parts and was going the Asian copy route, many times with horrible results. I was glad to see any number of support places spring up after them. 


 


All my 60's M-37's/M-43's had the two speed transfer case. Some had the Braden PTO winch and I always wanted the SouthWind heater unit that sat on the front tire fender. All had the cut-out for the snorkel. The engine was the T-245 at that point. I even had factory installed single flashers on one M-37.


 


68 was the last yr of production of that series and I had one. The oldest one I had was '62. After that the Military had contracts with Jeep briefly and produced the 1 ton truck that looks a bit like the M-37, but is not all all the same thing. Had a motor with a aluminum head that warped when overheated and it wasn't uncommon to find the body, electrics and running gear still in, but engine missing. Lots of guys put other engines in them. Then as you say, Dodge got the contract back, but they were basically civilian Power Wagons that had military specs. I was never interested in anything after '68.


 


I actually think that Dodge Brothers hearse I saw was from the 30's not the 40's...same block as in my M-37's/M-43's far as I could tell. All my vehicles came from rural CO. The Military had a deal with the poorer counties of CO. They could have the vehicles for free, but withheld title for seven yrs. After that, the counties could dispose of them however they deemed fit. That's when I entered the scene and bought them at auction.  I missed out on an M-43 that had 500 original mile on it...looked brand new. Mountain Search & Rescue of Ouray bought that one. I got to see inside it...it was cherry.


 


Kevin
 
Always wanted a m37 as it was the pinnacle of their development and the last ones had all modern updates.
I paid 1300 cash for my 41 in 78. It actually ran and stopped great and did have a heater
The Jeep I paid about a grand and it ran and drove but needed the tranny rebuilt and had no oil pressure at idle when warm but that never seemed to bother it. I guess it was getting plenty of oil just no pressure.
I sold it to buy the pw, I sold that to buy my Dart when I realized I needed a normal car to actually drive daily and the neighbor up the hill had the Dart for sale with a 383 nose and 63k on it for 650. Had a dented drivers rear quarter, bad vinyl top, and a perfect interior.
It ran and drove like a new car but water pump went out on the test drive so talked him down to 550 and drove it home.
 
Hmmmmm

Mine would be a white mid 90's Chevy Tahoe. We used to own a I believe a 1996 model that had some front and tail light covers on, it also came with a VCR, and I believe some extra fog lights because it used to snow alot at both our first and last Cabin we used to own. I don't know why but every time I look at these, it reminds my of a Kirby or a Panasonic vacuum LOL.

panasonicvac-2016081918152307825_1.jpg
 
They (Tahoe) were real

workhorses for sure. I still see several around with engines that sound like machine guns from very high mileage. Rust has gotten the better of most by now, if they haven't been restored, painted, or customized.
The white one in your pohto was likely built in Janesville Wi. Now they all come out of Arlington Texas, along with Escalades, Yukons, and Suburbans.
 
My roomie just bought an 03 suburban. Nice truck. Got a few issues to sort out. But $2k for a 188k mile vehicle that's to be expected. Comfy leather. Well optioned out. Air ride (which is blown out of course). Power everything.

Good second vehicle to get him around in winter over his new camaro. Plus moving all our server equipment and such all the time. Much more efficient over the camaro
 
watch the trans on any gm truck

We have all gm vans at work, two 97 and a 06. all of them wasted their transmissions at 150k on the dot so make sure yours is good or redone recently.
they also have issues with the brake lights not working when the headlights are on due to lousy plastic sockets and wiring that gets corroded after years, and my power windows stopped working too.
The engine still seems fine at 203k though. It's a 5.0 in my 97.
 
The old cast iron V8's

outlast any newer engines. Light socket corrosion can be cleaned with ketchup, believe it or not! Then put conductive grease on the bulb base.
Those Van door hinges are also problematic.
As for transmissions, find an old Turbo Hydramatic 350 or 400, and rebuild it. I bet at least one aftermarket company makes an adaptable bell housing to the newer aluminum block engines.
Maybe the machine gun sounds I hear are leaky manifolds or exhaust system issues.
 
Im partial to the Jeep Grand Cherokee. I've owned every generation except the current model.

Love me a Tahoe also. My favorite was the 2001-2006 model generation.
 
Grand Cherokee's

are great! So many older ones still on the roads, with many parts still available too.
The newer ones with Pentastar V6 engines are also nice. President Obama toured the plant back in 2011. Very comfortable on trips with good fuel economy. The ZF/Chrysler 9 speed automatic is smooth.
Just don't leave the vehicle running and exit it. They have been recalled for the park problem, but the young Russian actor from Star Trek was killed by his when it rolled down his driveway and crushed him up against his brick mail box.
Put it in park, make sure it is in park, and set the parking brake.
Darn it it's not a perfect world.
 
Bikerray

I wholeheartedly agree with you on the 56 Buick....I absolutely LOVE my 54, don't get me wrong, but on my bucket list is a 1956 Buick Roadmaster, completely decked out! May never happen, but a guy can dream nonetheless!
 

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