The 1979 Pontiac Trans Am, the Lamborghini Countach and the 1969 Dodge Daytona. Three cars that exhibit characters that are completely outlandish for any automobile of any era. The Trans Am for example, with its big screaming chicken on the hood and t-topped roof is reminiscent of the 1970′s disco scene. The Countach simply screams “I LOVE COCAINE” and the Dodge Daytona, well that was a car designed to go fast when go fast technology didn’t even exist. My point is this; you can still, if you have the means go out and pick-up any one of these cars and drive them all the time.

However would their loud, outlandish style prohibit you from driving them? I mean lets face it, pulling up to the grocery store in a Countach may seem great at first until everyone around you simply labels you as a complete douche.

Whatcha’ think – would you have the stones to rock one these babies on a daily basis?

Remember back in 2005 when the redesigned Dodge Charger came out? Mopar purists went completely bat-shit because Chrysler decided to give it four doors instead of two, which for some, was shear blasphemy. But what if back in the day the original Charger came with 4-doors? I mean that would have relegated it to family truckster status right from the get go and thus there wouldn’t have been any controversy. The same can be said for the Plymouth Barracuda, a car that is arguably one of the most iconic muscle cars ever built. They’re styling is timeless, their reputations at the drag strips are legendary, and way back when you could order one up with everything from a slant-6 to a fire breathing 426 HEMI. I found this rendering online of a four-door version and figured I’d post it up to get some opinions. So, whatcha’ think – good, bad or indifferent?

As an automotive journalist I’m simply not the biggest fan of new cars. I appreciate them, drive them and marvel at the technology that’s incorporated into them, but at days end they simply don’t excite me the way the old stuff does. I was thinking about this yesterday as I was tooling around in my 44 year-old Dodge, a car that for all intents and purposes, is more like a Conestoga wagon then a modern automobile. It’s a simple machine that was built in a time when things were still predominantly mechanical. An open hood for instance reveals recognizable components such as a power steering pump, brake master and hell, even an engine. You can see the cylinder heads, headers and spark plug wires, how they’re installed and how they work. Basically it’s not rocket science under there, it’s just mechanical simplicity in its rawest form.

Cars like my old Charger speak to you, let you know what they’re thinking and educate you on the basics of mechanics, whereas the cars of today are simple appliances. Are they efficient? Yes. Do they perform? Yes. Can you bond with them and develop a relationship? Well people, that’s another story entirely.

I always find it amusing when the racing drivers of today climb behind the wheel of vintage automobiles as their comments range from the amusing to the absurd. Justin Bell for example has won the 24 Hours of LeMans and was a GT 2 World Champion, so seeing him behind the wheel of a vintage Dodge Charger was well, kind of interesting. Understand that this is a guy who has no problem slinging a modern race car into a turn at 130 mph, however once behind the wheel of a 44 year-old Dodge Charger he seems to get all flustered. Granted, these cars are not for the faint of heart, but jeeze, I figured he’d be more comfortable then this video portrays. Yes the stock steering sucks, and yes drum brakes aren’t in fashion anymore, but hell man… just relax and enjoy what is arguably one of the coolest muscle cars ever created.

Source: Youtube.com

It would’ve been so much easier if I was just into video games or something because there are times when being a car guy totally sucks. You see I don’t just like cars, I love them. In fact every aspect of my life revolves around them. I write about them, build them, race them, film them… hell, they encompass everything I do. Who knew that back in the day when I was playing with Matchbox and remote control cars that it would turn into an obsession that has taken over my life. The problem is this; I want everything, but the fatal combination of a writers salary and lack of space prevent this from happening. Sure being in the industry helps, as we get to drive press cars and go to different automotive related events, but still, that doesn’t change the fact that I jones for something different in the garage on a daily basis. Take this near perfect 1972 Ford Galaxie 500 that I spied recently on eBay. Folks, if I had the money this sucker would be in my garage tomorrow. Sure it’s big and cumbersome, but it’s a classic piece of American iron that I would love to use as a daily driver. Maybe it’s because it’s different, or maybe its because cars like this remind me of my childhood growing up in the 1970′s. Whatever the reason though, road yachts like this always get my blood pumping.

Understand that it’s not just vintage American stuff that excites me either. Take this old 1973 Mercedes-Benz 200-Series 280 SEL for example. It was build in a time when a Mercedes-Benz was still built like a tank. Cars of this vintage not only drove great, but they have a timeless style that even now, 38 years later, still looks great. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll hit lotto, or perhaps be in a position to get that 40 car garage I’ve always dreamed about. Either way though, there are times when being a car guy is a drag, as there are just so many wonderful rides out there and so little time to experience them.

Here in California customized cars are a dime a dozen and as usual they fall into three distinct categories; the good, the bad and the ugly. Regardless though, everyone who customizes a car does so to interject their own personal taste into what they consider and otherwise bland ride. For some the extent of their customization doesn’t go beyond a set of wheels, for others though, well, let’s just say that they take it above and beyond what some would consider to be good taste. Being the owner of a few custom cars I can tell you from experience that not everyone is going to share your vision which means you’d better be prepared for those negative comments when they start flying at you. My matte black 1969 Dodge Daytona for example is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea and believe me, people let me know it. For everyone that hates it though there are those, like me, that dig it and think it’s cool. So, for those of you out there who have put your own unique stamps on your ride, I’m curious as to what types of comments you hear on a regular basis.

You’ve got to wonder if Dodge is doing the right thing by bringing back the “Dart” nameplate. I mean back in the day the Dart was nothing more then a cheap everyday driver that was completely devoid of all bells and whistles. Granted there were a few that slipped under the radar like the Swinger and Demon, but for the most part these were simple compact rides that were beloved by Grandmas everywhere. The new 2013 Dodge Dart promises to be something different, and by the looks of these newly released interior photos, they’re throwing everything but the kitchen sink at this thing. A double stitched dash, in-dash turn-by-turn navigation and an integrated touch-screen media stack that includes hands-free phone, satellite radio and climate controls give the Dart a very upscale look and feel. This is obviously going to be a far cry from what the old Dart represented. One has to ask the question though, why would you label it with a name that will simply get people thinking “cheap” right from the get-go… it just doesn’t make sense.

Click through for more photos.

For those of you living under a box, let me introduce you to Chad Vader, the day-shift manager at the Empire Market supermarket. Chad originally showed his face on Youtube back in 2006 and since then he’s been racking up hordes of fans on a daily basis. Generally his day consists of trying to dominate other food retailers in the area, keeping customers in line and throwing his Empire style attitude around, but when Chad gets a call from Champion J. Pepper and a chance to drive the greatest car in television history, well, he simply can’t resist.

Source: Blame Society Films

In the annals of automotive history the Dodge Dart is unfortunately not a huge standout. Sure it has a following, it’s just not an overly massive one. The Dart was first introduced way back in 1960 as a low priced compact for those who didn’t want to spend the extra dough for an intermediate size sedan. It was good looking, fun and over the years actually developed into a pretty respectable performer thanks to a choice of engines ranging from a slant-6 to a big-block 383 cu-inch V8. But alas, in 1976 the Dodge and it’s partner, the Plymouth Scamp were killed off never to be heard from again… or so we thought. It’s now 35 years later and Chrysler is about to reintroduce the Dart in the same way they did all those years ago, as a lower priced compact.

The new Dart will debut as a 2013 model and will replace the aging, quite horrible Dodge Caliber. The Dart will share a platform (although lengthened and widened) with the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, an automobile that is actually quite attractive. Thus far we know that three engine options will be available all in four-cylinder form. A 16-valve 2-liter, 16-valve 1.4-liter Multi-Air Turbo and a larger 16-valve 2.4-liter Multi-Air. No word though if Chrysler’s SRT boys have gotten their hands on one yet.

Source: Dodge.com

A few years ago American auto manufacturers were all gung-ho on producing crazy muscle-trucks for the performance truck enthusiast. There was the Dodge Ram SRT-10 with a 510 hp V10 mill, the Chevrolet Silverado SS with a 345 hp V8, and finally the Ford SVT Lightning with it’s wicked cool side-exit exhaust and supercharged 340 hp V8. These were not work trucks mind you, however if you wanted to haul some serious ass, then either one of them would’ve fit the bill just fine. As good as they all were on the road though, these titans of high-speed hauling were just plain awful when the tarmac ended. They were all two-wheel drive, had performance based suspension systems and, at days end, came shod with low-profile tires on larger wheels. My following question then is simple; why the hell did this bonehead enter his Ford SVT Lightning in a full-on truck pull? Hell, even the event announcer seems to be confused. I mean I understand that you want to have fun, but Jesus, at least bring the right tool for the job…

Source: Youtube.com