Nothing like a '68 Charger...
Nothing like a '68 Charger to crank off the miles in, and ya gotta love those turbine-influenced tail lenses.
However cool the lack of door handles look, they remain hopelessly impractical. On more than one occasion, we locked the keys in the car by simply closing the doors. The gas filler is relocated on the trunk and drew a lot of attention at every gas station when we proceeded to pump gas into the trunk. The paint is what you'd expect from a high-end shop of Trepanier's magnitude, the graphics mimicking those of a Super Bee. The diminutive shaker in the hood is, well, there.
How does it ride? The interior remains stock, comfortable, and ergonomically correct. All of the gauges are in the right place and effortlessly readable, and the controls are easy to reach while driving. Unfortunately, visibility toward the rear is practically nil as the wing does a good job of blocking the rear window and the dark tint aids in suppressing your view.
The suspension is a mixed bag. The car sits low and hunkered down over its giant tires, looking like it's moving at warp speed while standing still. The rear is equipped with airbags, allowing you to adjust the ride height and thereby changing the attitude exuded by the Stratus-Fear. Low is perfect for idling around the fairgrounds, but will bottom out at the slightest suggestion of a bump in the road. When negotiating the imperfections of America's byways, one encounters various road conditions necessitating the airbags to retain an optimum 40 psi. While this adequately stiffens the rear, it results in a severe rake reminiscent of the '70s, which renders the normal headlight setting useless at any speed over 45 mph at night. We were forced to use our high beams when we occasionally (once or twice) exceeded the posted speed limit. But despite the criticisms of the ride quality, the Stratus-Fear holds the road well through the twisty stuff, yet occasionally exhibits bump-steer. I fully expected the car to wander on less-than-perfect surfaces as I have experienced with other cars sporting wide, low-profile tires, but such was not the case as it remained surprisingly stable at speed. The steering, while firm, requires little input but is by no means overboosted. The brakes are confidence-inspiring and never exhibited any noticeable fade. The only real problem was the stereo, which wouldn't eject the only CD we attempted to play, thereby forcing us to listen to The Eagles' "The Long Run" on a continuous loop for 2,600 miles.
Gathered up for the trip north...
Gathered up for the trip north is the Memphis Blues caravan at the Comp Cams facility.
So, how does it run? Upon start-up, you're greeted with a fairly throaty exhaust note, which turns into a vacuum cleaner-like swoosh when accelerating hard. The normally aspirated 3.0L V6 does a good job of moving the Stratus-Fear, making passing maneuvers effortless. Although we didn't get the opportunity to drag-test this vehicle, it seemed to be a solid mid-15-second ride (Hey, Hot Rod, where's the nitrous unit?). The Stratus-Fear refused to budge beyond the 125-mph mark (er, or so we've heard), but this in itself is more than respectable.
Despite the fact that the Stratus-Fear ate my CD, I rated the car a B+ and enjoyed the experience immensely. Ma Mopar has built a solid little car and Hot Rod magazine has created a look which garners the attention of all generations. I would like to thank them for the use of the Stratus-Fear and Passport for the great radar detector. Looking forward to next year's road trip to the Nats!
Memphis, Tennessee-The Long Run
After a rapid trip from Los Angeles in the Hot Rod magazine-built Stratus-Fear Dodge (see sidebar), Steve Dulcich and Marko the Rooster landed on Beale Street for an evening at B.B. King's Tuesday night. Wednesday, they led the contingent out of the Comp Cams facility after a shop tour, heading north for a run through the Bluegrass State. The next morning, Holley Performance Products in Bowling Green, Kentucky, entertained the troops. Late that morning, they were off and rolling north toward the Queen City of Cincinnati. The Blues Dudes met up with the caravan out of Hot-lanta and made the roll onto Brice Road as the sun was going down in the late afternoon.
Here we are at the Holley...
Here we are at the Holley Performance Products offices in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Once again, Year One served...
Once again, Year One served the Dixieland tour a big breakfast, then arranged a police escort to get the string of cars out of Atlanta.
John Balow is getting ready...
John Balow is getting ready to restore this Superbird, but decided the low-mileage machine needed a 1,000-mile workout beforehand. Stay tuned as we cover some of the processes that will make this car as good as new.
The stop near Sevierville,...
The stop near Sevierville, Tennessee, meant a morning trip through Floyd Garrett's Muscle Car Museum. You gotta love all that iron that's on display, even if some of it is Brand X stuff.
Like last year, Kyle Porter,...
Like last year, Kyle Porter, Shane Scarbrough, and Tim Fletcher from Knoxville, Tennessee, were part of this year's tour. The Blues Brothers themselves never had it so good.
The Keystone Caravan capers...
The Keystone Caravan capers began at Just Suspension located in central New Jersey.