CREDIT TO MIKE (Mr Angry)

[G-man]

Hello guys, I thought I would write up a little history on my journey to Pro-touring vehicles and passing on the credit to a man that put me onto it.

Mike (Mr Angry - 68 Charger 69 Daytona - Big Muscle by Ride) was who introduced me in a way to Pro-Touring cars 5 years ago when I gave the good man a call. I always wanted a more straight line performing car, lighter springs up front for weight transfer and all that but then after speaking to him, things just made sense. There is always going to be someone faster. With a pro-touring car, you get a car that is reliable and can be driven, it can be driven hard into corners as well, safety of breaking and so forth (modern technology) and at same time, with enough power in there, all you are really losing by not having a 0.88T Bar setup for straight line is 1 to 1.5 seconds in a quarter mile (which would only matter at a race track, not street with street tires as that setup is very inconsistent), yet you gain all that other stuff + consistency. Much more fun on road to drive and reliable.

I still remember calling him up on the phone about purchasing a 1970 Dodge Challenger or a 1968 Dodge Charger. I remember asking him, which would be lighter, which could perform better and so forth. I remember him telling me that the car does not matter so much as the driver. Both cars are tanks. He mentioned how the charger might be a foot longer but its mainly boxed air. So the weight difference between the 2 is negligible as one car with more options will be heavier than other car. He spoke to me why he was not interested in straight line performance (inconsistent, unreliable, things breaking all the time etc). He shared his passion with me, why he loved the 68 Charger personally (to him the toughest looking car ever made), why he built a pro-touring car, why he ran the bullrun and so forth. He just loved the fact he could jump in and drive any time he wanted to. Car would start, it was reliable like a new car.

It was then that I got into the pro-touring thing. I have not built 1 car that is pro-touring since then. I have ran into issues, mechanics, panel beaters, thieves, lost 40,000 dollars in all the hard lessons learned. It was these lessons why I got sick of Dodge (too many conartist mechanics and beaters that stole my money - I know it can happen with any badge, but it happened with that one so the feelings are a little  there).

However, all the headaches have just left me, sold my project 1970 Dodge Challenger that was at one of these engine building guys place for 7 years. He was paid 40,000 for the car + all the work to do the car. He did no work to it, made excuses for 7 years and now offered me 12,000 to take it off me. If I decline and take my car back, he says I owe him 5000 still on work done 7 years ago which is a lie. Also, he will charge me 7 years of storage (even though he refused to give me car back for 7 years) and he will sue me for defrauding his name and business (yeah If you read this Mr, Go shoot your business before I shoot you  ) I would also have to spend 30,000 more to fix it, which forget it!

So I was better off taking 12 and being finished with the damn nightmare.

Now I have as stated, Purchased my 1969 Mustang Fastback. Car is in great shape, I have finally got something I can smile about.

Now this is my first 'ford' ever owned in my 29 years.

This car will be a pro-touring car, my first car to be a pro-touring car (last as well, I only need one)

Mike - This cars gonna be built with you in mind as this will finally be the fruits of our conversation many years ago on the phone.

Thank you very, very much
George
__________________

[1974dodgecharger]

Great story GMan not great that the money loss, but great that one was able to restrain themselves from enough anger to shoot someone after such incidents. 


Unbelievable though how such fckers can get away from all this.  I know SCOOTER believes its a dog eat dog world, but just because the world is rude does not mean others have to follow suit.

[NYCMille]

Hey George -

Wow - I don't know what to say except thank you! It's interesting that everyone has a different story as to why they love their specific car, why it spoke to them and why, in the end, they ended up building it the way they did. For me it was all about reliability and drivability. Like most others though it took A LOT of time and even more money to get it there, something that's all part of the process I suppose. I'm sorry about your Challenger woes, that sucks man. But you're dead-on in saying there are A LOT of dishonest folks out with little or no integrity that simply kill the hobby for others. DC.com was for me, the safe haven when it came to the Chargers. Just good honest advice from good people who love their cars and even those I haven't posted in awhile, DC is still my homepage and I follow it everyday.

Saw the pics and video of the Mustang - beautiful ride and there are LOADS of parts available for that thing from some very respected vendors. It's all about flavor and variety. Hell the more cars I drive, the more I want. Hell, I've got two Dodge's a Ford and a Chevy DOH!

Now if I can only find a cherry 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix SJ...

Ping me if I can help out in any way George and congratulations on the Mustang!! Awesome car!

Cheers - Mike

[hemi68charger]

... For me it was all about reliability and drivability. ...

No truer words written.... Reason, albeit it isn't original, I love the GearVendor in my Daytona............

[Darkman]

George, that was well said!

Mike and Pete (aka Autodynamics) are massive inspirations for me to achieve what I want with my 68 Charger. Their cars are by far the best I have seen and I have taken a lot from them. Though I have never spoken to them direct, I understand what they wanted out of their cars and, eventually, I would like to discuss a few more options and ideas with them when the time comes to continue work on my car.

I am not so much into achieving the official "pro touring" change to my car, but more about making it a comfortable, reliable and toughest looking possible with my budget and ideas. For example it will be a RHD charger that has a very nicepaint job, wearing 15" Convo pros, improved suspension front and back, disc brakes front and back, a mildly worked 383 but most importantly and new and modern interior that is comfortable and suits my tastes (after all, that is where I will be spending most of my time).

My idea of this car is not to go fast in a straight line or on a track, or it be a 1000 point restoration or even a trailer queen, but to jump in it, be comfortable and cruise all day if I want to and possibly enter the occasional show (again more to share my work with others rather than be a show winner). After all, this for me is a hobby not a life.