RideLust

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.

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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

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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.

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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

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Well it’s finally over. The 2011 Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational and SEMA have now been put to rest and to be honest, I’m dead tired. As you know we ran our 1969 Dodge Daytona tribute in the competition and while a bit outgunned, we still managed to do pretty damn good. We had a few issues like a broken shifter bolt and a thrown belt, but for the most part, we came through unscathed. Unfortunately though there was still the 600 + mile drive home yesterday that I had to endure and to be honest, I wasn’t looking forward to it. Running with a group of cars is one thing as you have some kind of back-up, but taking a 42 year Dodge Daytona through Death Valley on your own… well that’s another story entirely.

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Well, it’s that time of year again. It’s time for SEMA, the largest after market automotive products show in the world. SEMA takes place at the Las Vegas Convention Center and is an absolute thrill for anyone who is a gearhead. This year however is going to be a little different, you see I’ve been chosen to participate in this years 2011 Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational with our 1969 Dodge Daytona Tribute. This event brings together 50 of the most highly modified and badass cars in the country to compete in a series of high performance events. Everything from modified imports and muscle cars, to one-off full-on customs will be present with the single goal of being crowned the 2011 OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car. This event is not for the faint of heart, as it will test both the driver and vehicle to the max, which is why we’ve been wrenching on the Daytona for the last week.

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To some of us the sound of a well tuned engine emitting from the tailpipes is simply music. The low rumbles of a big block V8 have the ability to make anyone feel like a bad-ass, whereas the high revving sounds of an Italian exotic have the ability to transport you into the seat of a Formula One car. Now while some engines are better than others, I would have never thought to utilize the raspy revs of a mid-1990′s V6 powered Dodge cargo van. Yes it’s distinct and yes it fits in with this music video, but in hindsight I think the sounds of that Italian exotic we spoke about earlier would have been a better fit. That’s just my .02¢ though…

Source: RalfBecker.com
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Driving around in a classic car has its privileges. First there are the stares and comments and two, there is a feeling of great satisfaction when rolling around in a piece of history. When it comes to safety though, you simply can’t compare something that was build in the 1950′s or 1960′s to a modern day automobile. You see technology is a wonderful thing and over the last 50 years the safety innovations that have gone into cars is mind blowing. Advanced computers have the ability to monitor every aspect of a cars operating system and can actually tailor them to the owners driving style. On the safety front engineers have devised ways of making the inner cabin a venerable safety cage that protects occupants from harm in the event of a crash by using technology that was unthinkable only 20 years ago.
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The 2012 Dodge Journey. Image: Chrysler Group LLC

We’re not crossover fans here at RideLust, since no one has built one with 800 horsepower and AWD (yet). Still, if we had to pick one to drive above the others in the steamed-white-rice herd, it would very likely be the Dodge Journey. It’s comfortable, it isn’t the slowest of the bunch and it’s entirely boring to drive: it’s not as engaging as the Mazda5, but it’s bigger and by our estimates, anyway, more comfortable for cross-country road trips. Read More…