Jim Tramontano of Jackson, New Jersey, has been working on Mopars since he could drive. That was three years ago, and the now 19-year-old sent us pics of his second vehicle-an under-construction '65 Coronet.
When Jim was 16, he bought a Duster to work on. He tells us he rebuilt the entire suspension on the Duster by himself, and it was a true example of learning the hard way. He went to the junkyard and got a disc-brake setup, but then bent one of the upper control arms while trying to separate the pieces. While doing minor work to the Slant Six, he over-torqued a bolt on the aluminum intake and broke it. while he was re-installing the rocker shaft, one of the bolts snapped off in the head!
Last spring, Jim had the opportunity to attend a graduation party, and in the backyard was a 318 Ploy-headed '65 Coronet. Well, it didn't take long-three days to be exact-and the car was his. He drove the car all that summer.
So far, Jim has gotten an exhaust from a local muffler shop installed, started some minor bodywork, and replaced the fuel system. On a college student's budget, we can bet the progress is slow, but he tells us he plans to finish the bodywork, drop in either a 383 or 440, and then drive the hell out of the car.
Year One
YearOne was founded over 20 years ago to preserve classic automobiles and provide like-minded people with a single source for products and information. YearOne has grown from a company supplying parts for Pontiac GTOs to a multi-marque supplier with 18 distinct catalogs, including an A- and C-Body Mopar catalog and a B- and E-Body Mopar catalog. The philosophy and work ethic that led to the creation of YearOne in the basement of Len Athanasiades' home are still there and still work. YearOne treats every customer as a friend and always remembers that the people in the garages and driveways working on these special cars form the backbone of the automotive hobby.
For more information about YearOne or to request a catalog, contact: YearOne, Dept. MM, P.O. Box 521, Braselton, GA 30517; 800/932-7663; yearone.com.
Do You Feel Lucky?
Do you want to see your Mopar here? Do you want to be immortalized as a Mopar Muscle Young Gun? Is your car the nastiest thing on four wheels at your high school or college? Then send in your entry to mopar.muscle@primedia.com, or to Mopar Muscle Young Guns, 9036 Brittany Way, Tampa, FL 33619. Here's all you need to do: Send us some photos of you and your car, a description of your car, what you have done to it, and future plans for it. Make sure to include contact information and current e-mail address. Good luck!