Kespino
Active Member
So I got a story many should get a kick out of. Last weekend I took my 62 to the Good Guys Carshow. A friend of mine wanted to go with us and brought over his 1970 Dodge Challenger. The car is real nice and has a dual quad 426 hemi and is a 4 speed car. When he pulled up at 6:30 in morning to the house, the loud mufflers and the wicked lope of the mighty 426 engine was very intimidating! He was also touting how his engine was built by some out of state hemi expert at over twice the price I spent building the 409 in my own garage. Needless to say, as we got on the highway to head to the show, he quickly pulled up wanting to race. I believe he thought he would walk all over the old girl since his car was a decade newer and the 426 was also a legend.
I slowed, downshifted and away we went. Not only did the old girl hold her own against Mopar legend but when I let off she was leading by half a car length! The difference was the wiggle stick shifting was slightly faster than the pistol grip eh. I guess those Mopar guys must be hard headed because he pulled up alongside wanting more of the mighty 409! The results were the same, half a car length on quicker shifts! After that he backed off haha.
In retrospect, no one is a loser when two legendary engines like the mighty fine 409 and the 426 hemi can still chew up the asphalt trying to get at each other. That Dodge ran extremely well! As he pulled up, I thought I was going to walk all over him. The reason being is my car has some modern components. It is a roller cammed, roller rockered, aluminum headed legend. While it is not built for the track it does run very well for a street car. Oh and the wiggle stick is actually a hurst shifter with a wiggle stick handle.
Both engines were legends in their day! Both cars are red convertibles and are dual quads four speed cars. While Mopars are not my passion, my friends car is a beautiful car that I drool over every time I see it. I guess I am just a car guy, and I admire the passion my friend has for his Mopars just like we do for our Bowties eh. We have as much in common as we have differences. Giddy Up Giddy Up!!
I slowed, downshifted and away we went. Not only did the old girl hold her own against Mopar legend but when I let off she was leading by half a car length! The difference was the wiggle stick shifting was slightly faster than the pistol grip eh. I guess those Mopar guys must be hard headed because he pulled up alongside wanting more of the mighty 409! The results were the same, half a car length on quicker shifts! After that he backed off haha.
In retrospect, no one is a loser when two legendary engines like the mighty fine 409 and the 426 hemi can still chew up the asphalt trying to get at each other. That Dodge ran extremely well! As he pulled up, I thought I was going to walk all over him. The reason being is my car has some modern components. It is a roller cammed, roller rockered, aluminum headed legend. While it is not built for the track it does run very well for a street car. Oh and the wiggle stick is actually a hurst shifter with a wiggle stick handle.
Both engines were legends in their day! Both cars are red convertibles and are dual quads four speed cars. While Mopars are not my passion, my friends car is a beautiful car that I drool over every time I see it. I guess I am just a car guy, and I admire the passion my friend has for his Mopars just like we do for our Bowties eh. We have as much in common as we have differences. Giddy Up Giddy Up!!
Awesome Story, with a Great ending.
