LESS HP wanted as I get older...anyone feel the same way?

[wetfeetmi]

Maybe the ricers are on to something!  20+ mpg and moderate h.p.

[sixty6charger]

When it comes right down to it, I need to feel the power so I like my car but... I also would like a car that has some get up and go but enjoyable to drive around town without a screaming muffler, lumpy cam, high rpm's and able to listen to the radio.

So, I'm hoping to inherite my father's '68 Buick. It has a small block engine but drives like a dream. It only produces 230 hp but looks cooler and bad as heck If I get it I'll build it up to about 330 hp so I'll get the umph without the typical annoyances that come with a muscle ground beater... so the family can enjoy a ride in it, unlike the Charger.

[bull]

Maybe the ricers are on to something!  20+ mpg and moderate h.p.

I would not say such things if I were you!

[dkn1997]

I built my car starting in my late 20's.   decently quick (13 flat in the 1/4) obnoxiousely loud,3.91's/auto,  manual steering, kyb shocks, headers, sheet metal valve covers, etc..

I am now 36, my wife and kids are afraid of the car and I get to sit in it alone, not much fun.

I am just finishing up putting manifolds back, stock air cleaner/valve covers, firm feel box.

next on the list is to get a set of monroe's, maybe some 3.55's.....

but in the future I want the best of both worlds.  I want to duplicate what a member at moparts did where he used ported E heads w/manifolds and made 500hp.  did not have to use a really wild cam either.

so I am with you on wanting more of a driver, but I still want to go fast...

[69chargeryeehaa]

you know your getting old when........................................... 

i'm 31, married, 1 girl 20mths old, she says "let's go in the zoom-zoom" (69 charger), when i punch the 440, she screams "weeeeeeeeee, weeeeeeeee".  although i can say i'm much more responsible, like only punching it where safe, but i still wanna go fast, the faster the better.!!!!

i guess i'm not even close to getting old, allways want more power, my daily driver is a 2002 Mustang GT, it's too slow, but it'll do for now!!!!

what's all this crazy talk about "oh, i'mmmmm so old, i'm scarred, i want a slower car, hey......seen the new hundai's thery're sweet" lol, please, i could picture myself down the road, being 60, just means i'll have more money to make everything faster!!!!  realiable can be fast too.

[tipopiola]

Theres definitely something to be said for being able to fill up with pump gas and being able to drive without going deaf, but I'm 28 and I'd still like to be able to chirp the tires in as many gears as I can.  I don't plan on racing or making a habit of 100 mph, but I would like to break the rear rubber loose at 45 mph.  I'm goin' with firefighter on this one.......STROKER!  I'll rebuild the original 440, but I've got plans for a BB stroker someday.  Driveability, speed, and plenty of stoplight to stoplight torque.  Tipopiola

[volk68]

I'm 31 with a wife and 2 kids, and I still want more power.  I have never wanted a mean drag car or anything like that, but I want a tire smoking, high velocity beast.  That said, it is also important that my car remain fully streetable, because I really want to drive it.  This is why turbocharging/procharging are so appealing to me.  As most of you know by now, I live at high altitude, and at the very least I will need a pretty big stroker to get respectable power output.  For me, a very modest build with forced induction seems to give the best of both worlds...reasonable reliability, strong power, and perfect street manners.  Some disc brakes, a firm feel steering box, and a Gear Vendors unit would complete the package.  That's my dream car in a nutshell 

[6pkrunner]

All this said, and not driving like I used to with WFO 24/7 I fully intend for the '71 ragtop cuda I have to get a seriously stroked hemi when I finally get to restoring it. I know full well it'll only be a once a month type of car so it will be on the ragged edge of streetability. No highways nor any trips further than 15 miles or so.  But for tooling around I like the Chatger with the 3.55s and the warmed over 440. The 496 8 bbl in the runner  with 3.91s is a lot of fun but not for a straight 4-5 hours cruise.

[Silver R/T]

I wouldnt mind one, and as I get older Id probably still would enjoy it

[rt green]

best of both worlds, like i said have 2 mopars. one wild, one mild.

[Old Moparz]

All this said, and not driving like I used to with WFO 24/7 I fully intend for the '71 ragtop cuda I have to get a seriously stroked hemi when I finally get to restoring it. I know full well it'll only be a once a month type of car so it will be on the ragged edge of streetability. No highways nor any trips further than 15 miles or so.  But for tooling around I like the Chatger with the 3.55s and the warmed over 440. The 496 8 bbl in the runner  with 3.91s is a lot of fun but not for a straight 4-5 hours cruise.

                                          At least you aren't a pansy.

[BigBlockSam]

best of both worlds, like i said have 2 mopars. one wild, one mild.     

[limey]

best of both worlds, like i said have 2 mopars. one wild, one mild.     

I wouldn't mind having Mopars like my  mother has shoes....one for every occasion...(at least 20!)
Nick

[John_Kunkel]

The original poster mentioned "having 550 HP and being able to boil the tires on a street car" as though they were synonymous.

I don't care to boil the tires (since just about any POS rice grinder can boil the tires right down to the rim) but I still crave brute acceleration and hope to feel that way until death.

[Rolling_Thunder]

I know where ur coming from and im only 19...    swapped out the purple shaft and went more mild, making mild numbers,  just in it for cruising....     if i wanted some bad ass street car i would get a duster and drop a 440 into that

[Mike DC]

     
I just want my Charger to be 100% fun for ME  to drive, all the time.  I don't care what the teenage kid in the next lane or the snooty "expert" at the car show thinks should be done differently.

I want it comfortable too.  Insualtion & A/C & windhsield wipers that actually do the job.  Electrical wiring & cooling systems that don't give me any sh*t whenever I try to drive it more than 30 miles.

     

[HeavyFuel]

I thank the stars that outlooks and attitudes do change in people as they get older.  Could you imagine what it would be like if everyone had the driving disposition of the typical 20-25 year old?  Not good.  No offense intended to that age range, but I look back at the way I drove back then (I'm 44 now), and it is a good thing I didn't have a warmed up 68 R/t.  I'd be dead, or someone else might be.

I had my #'s 440 built to stock specs with above average quality components last year.  The car has been mine for 14 years, and it has only had about 200 miles put on it in that time.  When it's done, it'll have all of the mojo that I need at this point in my life.

[73dodge]

Naw not me

I am 41 going on 42 and I want a car that I'm afraid to drive.

 

[Old Moparz]

Naw not me

I am 41 going on 42 and I want a car that I'm afraid to drive.

 

Same here, I'm 43 & haven't had a scary car to drive in a long time. The ones with no brakes & other major problems don't count.     I'm looking forward to getting the '70 Road Runner up & running, I never owned a 4 speed muscle car before. It's got a few HP parts in the motor that are a step up from what I've been used to, so it should be interesting. I can't recall what was on the engine rebuild receipt, but I do remember it has 11:1 pistons, a bigger cam, 8 quart oil pan & was a '69 HP motor. I think the rear is a 3:55, but not quite sure.

The 440 I have for the Charger may get the same kind of treatment when I'm ready for it, but that's a ways off right now. If I get the RR on the road & s**t my pants, I may think about it differently, or just buy a box of depends & deal with it. 

[694spdRT]

I have to agree that more and more I want something to drive and enjoy on a fairly regular basis. I don't care or plan to be the fastest around anyway as there are street driven Turbo Grand Nationals and 600 horse Camaro's turning mid 10's in my town anyway. 

I am strongly considering a mild 318 for the Challenger. If you would have asked me ten years ago I would have told you a 318 was good for nothing but weight in back of my big block plow truck.   

[Charger_Fan]

best of both worlds, like i said have 2 mopars. one wild, one mild.     

[Charger Aficionado]

  I've had alot of "slowing down".  When I got home from the Military I was an idiot.  I drove my '69 from Merced to Sacramento a few times at around 120-130mph range.  I was an idiot since that thing had a moderate braking system...  That car was phenominal with it's 383.  The engine was pro built by some guy who had a MoPar resto shop in Bakersfield Ca, and it was the HOTTEST 383 I've ever had/seen...

  Now I have the R/T SE, and I'd like to MILK some serious HP out of it!  Talking to Chryco yesterday about it.  IN PERSON THIS TIME!!!  I don't think I'll ever loose the NEED FOR SPEED, ever.  But I will be more discriminating when I use it... 
 
  On a side note; my yellow R/T was owned by a guy in his '60s and this dude raced it, and matter of fact BOILED his tires with a line-lock system.  I have 3 inches of pure rubber undercoat on the bottom of that car, no kidding...

[Headrope]

I still want as much HP as possible - in my Charger. I have a '90 Ram pickup to drive when I want to be comfortable or make long trips.
Things have changed for me as I've aged, though. Granted I'm only 31, but 90 miles-per-hour on the street scares me now. The speed doesn't. The what-if does. I have a wife, kid, dog, co-workers, etc. It's not just my life anymore to risk.

[Mike DC]

   
Being landlocked into miles of suburban roads (traffic-jammed full of dumbasses) really takes all the fun out of driving fast.