Recently,I was reviewing a website for a links page, and wandered into Tony McLean's clubs' site.Tony is the president of the MoPar Experience Car Club, and also the webmaster for the pages.His 1999 V8RWD manifesto was just the fire I needed to do this page, and while Tony puts it so much better, I couldn't resist putting my 2 cents worth in, too. So here goes.

Well, for too long now, we've been ignored.And we are to blame as well, we haven't said anything, at least not enough.Hopefully, that'll change.

Chrysler has thrown us a bone with this Charger concept car...will it actually be built? And be affordable? My doubts run high.Too long now, we've watched as Bowtie and Blue Oval have continued to crank out their versions of the 80's and 90's street muscle,while we twiddle our thumbs pondering the big question; Will we ever see another performance-oriented, decently priced, V8-RWD MoPar musclecar that can pick up the groceries,or be proud to cruise to high school in, or run at the Saturday Nite drags?

Viper,you say? Not on my families budget! Ooohhh, trucks with stripes. Don't get me wrong,I love it that the Rams and Dakotas are so tough.I don't have a problem with that. I just want something a little more aerodynamic, and then there is the weight transfer issue....A two-door Stratus, or even an Avenger, with a 360,or 318, and 3.55 gears in an 8 1/4 rear? Wow, it could be done, the styling is there, and so is the drivetrain.(The Dakota engine bay is just as small.) And you don't have to load it up on creature comforts, to keep the cost down, unless special ordered.I think it would sell, and sell good.

I know the 426 Hemi will never see the streets again, or the venerable 440, but we stood by in the early 70's, and watched Detroit crank out some of the biggest rustbuckets ever built, and the horsepower fall by the wayside, too.The imports took over to save gas, and you could only go 55,anyway.Well America, the flag is flying high again, the economy is doing good, and horsepower still sells.And Chrysler, it's time to wake up, it's almost 30 years later, and we aren't flying around in hovercrafts, and the masses still fill up in a service station (or convenience store).The government wants fuel mileage standards on the autos built, and look at all the SUV's and trucks on the road...that should show you that the public is not afraid of the gas problem that we had to deal with in '73. The public still wants to drive vehicles with performance !

Like Tony said, call it a Superbee, Challenger, or whatever. Just imagine it in your mind.Use it for a grocery getter, get a few miles on it, then you could convert it to a cruiser, or racecar status, without busting the bank to create a full-tilt restructuring of the entire car. Not that it wouldn't happen anyway, but it could be converted back.Try to do that with a late-model Daytona,or Duster. They've got the name, and that's about it. Sorry to step on any toes, but that's how I feel.

The new Camaros, Mustangs, and Firebirds are still out there,on the boulevards, and the drive-ins.And so is the new Bug (er, Beetle).They brought it back. Go challenge one in your Neon. Look out, now they have 140 mph speedometers.

And be sure to run by the website, MoPar Experience . Tony's got some great rides,and I think you'll enjoy his views on this matter, club pictures and the members cars !

Let's put the performance back in MoPar Performance !!!